Salary Cap Restraints Will Force The Union To Make 'Big' Moves In The Offseason
by Scott Kessler on Sep 20, 2011 6:47 PM EDT
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The Philadelphia Union's guaranteed compensation in 2011 is $3,653,981.17, but their salary cap hit is only $2,530,292.54. $144,707 is left over ($2,675,000 cap) for use in 2011, but the season's roster freeze has already happened.
Every dollar under the cap is paid for by MLS, not the Union or any other MLS team. Based on a 5% increase, which is in the CBA, to this year's cap number ($2,675,000), next year would give teams $2,808,750 to spend. The Union will have $133,750 to spend in 2012, in addition to the $144,707 from 2011 that is not yet used.
Danny Mwanga is all but set to graduate from Generation Adidas, which would add $226,250 to the Union's cap hit. Plus Freddy Adu's hit will raise from $167,500 hit for his second half signing to $200,000 for the full 2012 season (under the new young DP rules). That means the Union can keep every player on the team currently at their 2011 salaries, with $32,207 left over to spend.
Player salaries will go up in 2012 and there is no room at all to allow for that, currently. What the Union do after the season will be interesting to follow.
Juan Diego Gonzalez is most likely gone, as the Colombian has yet to play in MLS in 2011 despite his $193,462.50 guaranteed salary compensation and cap hit. Stefani Miglioranzi may not be retained as well, though his leadership has been celebrated by the team. Still, an MLS veteran should provide more than leadership and out-of-position play for $153,125.
The same situation can be said about fellow midfielder Justin Mapp, who has yet to live up to his $183,333.33 salary. Mapp is only 26 and is the only MLS veteran that plays on the outside of the midfield on the Union. However, just like both Gonzalez and Miglioranzi, Mapp's journeyman status does not qualify him for a salary among the highest on the Union.
Look for all three to miss out on inclusion in the Union's protected list for the 2012 MLS Expansion Draft and possibly not return next season.
In the very least, Gonzalez's nearly $200,000 salary will allow the Union to take on salary increases from players like Adu, Mwanga, right back Sheanon Williams, Gabriel Farfan and perhaps Roger Torres, if the Colombian playmaker's loan is renewed or he is purchased by the Union.
Without Gonzalez, Miglioranzi and Mapp, the Union would have $808,377.83 to spend in 2012. Between the three players is a cap abyss of $529,920.83, which has produced only 39 appearances (31 starts), 2471 minutes played, two goals, thee assists, 32 shots, seven shots on goal, 32 fouls committed, 34 fouls suffered and two yellow cards. The numbers from the group are low, and it doesn't help that Gonzalez has not played a single minute in 2011 MLS play so far.
The Union seem to realize where one fifth of their 2011 salary cap is located, based upon their youthful signings this season. Englishman Joe Tait was signed for center back depth, though Gonzalez is resides upon the team's roster. Morgan Langley was brought in from the Harrisburg City Islanders, giving the Union much needed speed off of the bench for only 23% of what Mapp makes. Additionally, former second round SuperDraft selection Michael Farfan was pushed outside against the Columbus Crew, a position that he excelled out well enough in college that the 22-year-old won two All-American awards.
As for Miglioranzi, the Union's depth from the beginning of the season has hurt his chances of making the field. Brian Carroll has shown why he is one of the winningest players in MLS history, and Amobi Okugo has impressed in his limited time on the field. Even 16-year-old Zach Pfeffer has shown more that Miglioranzi.
A youth movement is what head coach Piotr Nowak brought to the Union after the team's inaugural season and it appears that's where the team will continue to head toward. Nowak fielded a starting 11 versus the Crew that only had four players above the age of 23 in it.
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Freddy Adu
Two issues with this analysis:
1) My understanding has always been that the cap hit is, as a rule, closer to the player’s base salary than his guaranteed compensation, but not necessarily the same as either one. It can’t be the guaranteed compensation, or Mondragon would be a DP as well.
2) Freddy Adu isn’t a “young DP” or any other kind of DP. At least not this year; he was signed before the rule went into effect, and the team and league made it clear that they would have to decide later if he could be one next year. For this year, his cap hit is probably close to his base salary of $475k; he’s most likely not a DP because the Union are buying his salary down with allocation money below the $335k league maximum.
by Christopher Hapka on Sep 20, 2011 7:30 PM EDT reply actions
(1) He’s not a DP this season, but his cap hit is unknown and the only salary that can be directly used is the halfway season DP signing cost. The assumption on cap hit has always been guaranteed for me. Only makes sense given the league allows that number to be released. Plus in every other salary cap league the bonus is included in the cap hit.
(2) Adu’s salary is going to go up next year and it only makes sense for the Union to allow him to become a “young DP” as the rule allows <23-year-olds to old count $200,000 against the cap.
Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank
by Scott Kessler on Sep 21, 2011 12:23 AM EDT up reply actions
Most other sources I’ve seen have agreed that the cap hit isn’t exactly the same as either of the numbers the Players’ Union releases, but is closer to the base salary number. The league has no control over what numbers the Players’ Union releases, so I wouldn’t make any assumptions based on that.
As for Adu,
We know, 100%, that he is NOT a “young DP” this year, and as such it would make no sense for the Union to pay down his salary that far, especially if it left money under the cap.
Also, while it may make sense to make him a DP from a salary cap perspective, that’s not the only perspective. First of all, under the rules announced by MLS, he doesn’t qualify for “young DP status” because he’s playing for the Union as a non-DP in 2011 (although the league has suggested he may get grandfathered in).
Second, while making him a DP does free up salary cap money, it does it at the expense of actual money money, since the team would have to pony up the other $300,000 of his guaranteed comp. If they leave him as a non-DP and pay him down to below the max salary with monopoly money (aka “allocation money”), like they are doing this year, there might be less wiggle room under the cap, but it saves Jay Sugarman and his partners a few hundred thou.
by Christopher Hapka on Sep 21, 2011 12:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Adu’s numbers are $475,884 base and $594,884 guaranteed.
(1) If the hit is closer to the base: The team would need to pay down Adu’s 2011 salary $140,000, cap hit would be $135,000 more. If the hit is closer to the guaranteed: team would need to pay down Adu’s 2011 salary nearly $260,000 , cap hit would be $135,000 more.
(2) However, Adu’s salary will go up. I believe Goff’s source told him something like $550,000/$650,000 for 2012.
A) At $550,000, the team would pay down his salary $215,000, lose $135,000 in cap space. Or pay the $350,000 for the extra $135,000 in cap space.
B)The team would have to pay down his salary $315,000 to get it under the max, only to have the cap hit be $135,000 more. Or the team could let him be a young DP, based on what MLS has hinted toward, and pay an extra $85,000 to get $135,000 more in cap space.
This all rests upon whether or not young DP salaries are still covered under MLS payment up until $335,000. Remember, the cap hit is less, but MLS never said anything about lessening the payouts to teams for DPs.
Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank
by Scott Kessler on Sep 21, 2011 1:09 PM EDT up reply actions
After talking to a league source...
Cap numbers are based upon base salaries. HOWEVER, the source told me that it was better to write based off of the guaranteed numbers because they more closely represent the actual reality of a team’s cap situation over a season and the next one.
Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank
by Scott Kessler on Sep 21, 2011 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Wait, an article that talks about the Union ditching Justin Mapp, Diego Gonzalez and Stefani Miglioranzi? Pinch me, I’m dreaming! Greatest Union related news ever.
Opposing Ilya Bryzgalov as Philadelphia Flyers' goalie since June 23, 2011.
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by Mitchell Green on Sep 20, 2011 10:05 PM EDT reply actions
Stefan and Diego I could definitely see gone
but I am not so sure Mapp will be. he is still getting plenty of starts and Nowak really seems to like him. While financially it would make a great deal of sense, I don’t really feel as if the managemnt feels we have the midfield depth to warrant such a move. There’s gonna be a lot of necessary movement this offseason and hopefully we can bring in some much needed help up front and further depth along the back.
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by JimmyK on Jul 21, 2011 7:21 PM EDT
Mapp will have to be unprotected in the expansion draft
I can’t see how Nowak can justify leaving Mapp protected in the expansion draft. Based on their current roster, I’d imagine a best 11 picked to be protected would look something like this:
1. Danny Mwanga
2. Sebastien LeToux
3. Freddy Adu
4. Faryd Mondragon
5. Carlos Valdes
6. Danny Califf
7. Sheanon Williams
8. Roger Torres
9. Brian Carroll
10. Gabriel Farfan
11. Michael Farfan
I’m assuming Mwanga, and no one else, graduates from GA. Also, I think I have enough international players, but I may have not. If I didn’t, that reduces the chances of Mapp being included even more. I’d imagine the most likely change if they need an additional international player would be to protect Keon Daniel (assuming visa situation is cleared) or Veljko Paunovic instead of a Farfan.
The best choices for Montreal would then be Daniel, Nakazawa, Paunovic or Mapp (unless, as a Montreal team, they really want Francophones, if so, Levi Houapeau might appear on their list). If Montreal is more interested in a veteran player, it would seem exceedingly likely that Mapp might go.
If I remember correctly, DPs do not need to be protected in the expansion draft. So if Adu is a DP that frees up an additional spot. And related to the conversation below, Carroll needs to be protected: he’s one of the keys to the Union’s solid D and would definitely be snatched up.
by sob chris on Sep 21, 2011 3:18 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Per the official MLS rules:
“• Designated players are NOT automatically protected (i.e., Clubs must choose whether to
protect such players and if such player is not protected, he will be available
for selection in the Expansion Draft). However, if the Designated Player has
a no-trade clause in his contract, then his MLS club must protect him and he
will count as one of the 11 players who may be protected.”
Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank
by Scott Kessler on Sep 21, 2011 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions
I tend to agree that I don’t see Union letting Mapp go (maybe trading him to another team, though). But leaving him be unprotected in the expansion draft would be fairly reasonable, even if they want to keep him. Higher priced players tend to not be chosen by expansion teams — generally, we seen more cheap/upside types taken.
A though on Cap'n Mondragon
I’d rather protect Keon Daniel than Faryd. I think Daniel is a very valuable player and very desirable to an expansion team. He’s a utility midfielder who can play lots of positions and he has a very cap-friendly salary.
Mondragon’s salary/age combination is probably enough to scare off an expansion team. If he does happen to be taken, then we just accelerate the MacMath project by one year, which, by the looks of things, is not a frightening prospect.
I'd go so far as to say that Daniel is more than a utility player.
He’s proven that he’s very valuable as a starter.
Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank
by Scott Kessler on Sep 21, 2011 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Of the 11 I listed, there were two players I thought they might leave off the list, Mondragon and Carroll. In a lot of ways, they’re in similar situations. Both of them make a decent chunk of change and have a GA player who could potentially deserve more minutes.
In the case of Mondragon, I see leaving him unprotected as having two major problems. One, just whether he’d be upset by the Union doing that. Two, I think he’s exceptionally likely to get picked. If Montreal gets scared off by his age/salary combination, I’m sure they’d figure a team like New York or Seattle would be willing to give them something good for him. Seeing as New York is currently setting money on fire with Rost, I’m sure they’d love getting Mondragon. Portland mostly cashed their expansion draft picks for allocation money, international slots and the like. Montreal may do the same.
Last year, Carroll was left off the Crew’s list, and part of the motivation for the trade to the Union was that they knew they would lose him in the expansion draft. Granted, there are half as many picks this year, but I think this is a fairly good predictor that he’d be gone if left unprotected. Still, I would think that Carroll is a better choice to be left unprotected than Daniel.
Worth considering though is how long Keon Daniel will stay at a good salary (or even in MLS). He’s starting to get time with his national team, which means that his profile is on the rise. I’m not sure how long the Union have him locked in to his current contract, but more big games with T&T could mean that he’s going to be too expensive for the Union.
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