Today’s was the MLS Re-Entry Draft, which is usually a pretty boring affair. But not this year as eight players were chosen. The biggest name being Juan Pablo Angel who went west to the Los Angeles Galaxy where Angel will be reunited with his former coach Bruce Arena.
Ángel, who scored 61 goals (including playoffs) in four seasons in New York, could line up a front line of Ángel and 2010 Best XI selection Edson Buddle, along with big names Landon Donovan and David Beckham in pursuit of a second consecutive Supporters’ Shield. With the Galaxy taking on Angel’s salary, that would appear to end any hopes of the Galaxy bringing Ronaldinho next summer.
D.C. United made Josh Wolff the first player taken in the Re-Entry Draft and has reportedly already signed Wolff to a new contract. Wolff, 33, scored two goals and added three assists in 2010 and joins a D.C. United team that finished last in the league in scoring last season.
Wolff’s former Kansas City teammate Jimmy Conrad also went in the early going on Wednesday, taken second overall by Chivas USA. Conrad spent the last the last eight seasons in Kansas City and was a perennial All-Star during his time there, and will join a Chivas USA team largely in-flux after missing the postseason in 2010.
Longtime Columbus Crew veteran and former US international Frankie Hejduk was taken with the eighth overall pick by Sporting Kansas City. Hejduk was one of a number of players left available to draft by the Crew, and he joins a Sporting team that coincidentally lost young defender Aaron Hohlbein in last week’s opening round of the Re-Entry Draft to Columbus.
Veteran striker Jeff Cunningham, meanwhile, appears set for a return tour with Columbus. Cunningham scored 11 goals in the regular season and another in the postseason for FC Dallas in 2010, and tied Jaime Moreno’s all-time MLS mark of 132 goals before Moreno scored his 133rd in the season finale for D.C. United.
Cunningham spent his first seven seasons in the league with Columbus, appearing in at least 20 games per season with the Crew and scoring 16 goals in 2002.
Here are Wednesday’s Re-Entry Draft Picks:
- D.C. United- Josh Wolff
- Chivas USA- Jimmy Conrad
- New England Revolution- Ryan Cochrane
- Los Angeles Galaxy- Juan Pablo Angel
- Chicago Fire- Cory Gibbs
- Sporting KC- Frankie Hejduk
- Seattle Sounders- Chris Seitz
- Columbus Crew- Jeff Cunningham
- Los Angeles Galaxy- Luke Sassano
- Colorado Rapids- Tyrone Marshall
- New England Revolution- Fred
Teams must negotiate new contracts with the players chosen in Wednesday’s Re-Entry Draft, meaning they don’t become a part of their teams until a new deal is reached. D.C. United has reportedly already come to terms with Wolff.
