Suitors come calling ahead of SuperDraft
Caps president says trade ‘leverage’ an asset if team wants to grab high-end picks
Having already addressed key off-season needs by signing Japanese goal-scorer Masato Kudo and (supposedly) Costa Rican winger Christian Bolanos, right-back depth figures to be the Vancouver Whitecaps’ top priority in Thursday’s MLS SuperDraft. Or is it? Head coach Carl Robinson said last week that he would be “looking at the front end of the pitch to start with.”
Really? With Jordan Smith, who has all of seven games of MLS experience under his belt, as the only true right back on the roster?
“Will it be the first priority? No,” Robinson said in a conference call. “There’s one of two other priorities in the draft that I think will come ahead of that position. There’s another forward or two that I’d like to bring in as well from the draft.”
Now, Robinson insists he’s always truthful with reporters. But he isn’t above stretching the truth from touchline to touchline.
So this apparent focus on attacking players, even after adding Kudo and Bolanos, may be a deliberate smokescreen to help facilitate a trade up to nab one of the two fullbacks — pure right back Keegan Rosenberry (North Carolina) and the switchable Jordan McCrary (North Carolina) — many pundits are predicting will go in the top 10 in Baltimore.
The Whitecaps have six picks in the draft, including No. 16 overall. The team has traded up before on draft day, moving from No. 10 to No. 4 in 2013 to nab young speedster Kekuta Manneh in a move that has clearly paid off.
“The beauty of our situation is that unlike past years when we’ve gone to the draft, I’m not sure we’ve ever been in a position where clubs are seeking players from our club that we might be interested in moving,” Caps president Bob Lenarduzzi said.
“As a result of that, it gives us a little bit of leverage. We’ll just suggest to the suitors: ‘Let us know what you can do.’ We’ll see if any of the offers are something we can take them up on.”
With Robinson anxious to find playing time for young homegrown attacking talents in Kianz Froese and Marco Bustos, the Caps may look to move former high draft picks Darren Mattocks, 25, and Erik Hurtado, 25. Both have had moments of brilliance, but haven’t shown enough consistency to stay on the roster.
As for potential trading partners, the Philadelphia Union have the No. 3 and No. 6 selections and may be willing to trade out of the lower position, particularly if they get left back Brandon Vincent with the third selection.
Colorado is reportedly interested in moving out of the No. 2 slot while Toronto FC, a previous Vancouver trading partner, might drop from the No. 9 spot if they believe they can still get one of the draft’s raft of centre back prospects at No. 16.
While teams are starting to rely more on homegrown players and residency programs to groom and develop players, Robinson said the draft remains “a very important component. It’s a very good mechanism for building your squad.”
The Caps have had some hits (Manneh, to an extent Mattocks) and misses (Omar Salgado, Andre Lewis) while drafting in the top seven since 2013. And they found a gem last year in solid centre back Tim Parker, whom they took with the 13th overall selection.
As for the debate about drafting for position or best player available, Robinson is keeping his options open.
“I feel the positional one is the important one for me to start with,” he said. “Having said that, if there’s still a player that I’ve rated in my top five players that is available at 15, 16 … then certainly I’ll take the best player available.”
Like Lenarduzzi, Robinson is prepared to make a bold move.
“If we feel it’s right to move up,” he said, “then we certainly will, without a doubt.”