Marshall's salary of $360k guaranteed (and closer to $400k in 2014*) was just too large a block in the overall league mandated $3.1 million budget.
Marshall likely has one more year on his Crew "legend" contract that the previous ownership signed (saddled) him too (with) that Seattle is okay with paying.
Team watchers have noted that Marshall's overall form has dipped significantly over the past two years.
DANIEL PALADINI
Also today, the Crew announced the signing of three year Chicago Fire player Daniel Paladini for a fourth round SuperDraft pick.
Paladini made $87k in 2012 and is likely to receive a modest 5% jump in pay for this upcoming season. His 4 Goals and 5 Assists over 1515 minutes (0.53 G+Ap90, well above average) in the past two seasons made him one of the best "values" on the draft list.
Paladini is a MLS veteran and will be a game day 18 player for the Crew in 2014.
MY THOUGHTS on CREW MOVES
With Glauber and Marshall gone, the Crew have no regular starter from 2013 to fill the CB role. Many expect Josh Williams (a regular in the role in 2012) to become the main man but Gregg Berhalter has expressed a desire to get him forward on the right.
It would appear, however, that it will be Chad Barson, Josh Williams, XX and Waylon Francis / Agustin Viana in the back line for right now.
The addition of Paladini is a solid one for the Columbus Crew. They get an experienced player at basically a league minimum veteran's contract.
Gregg Berhalter and company did a good bit of business within the MLS fishbowl today but fans are looking for a signal that says the defensive minded Berhalter is looking to improve on the offensive side of things.
I'll take an analytic look at what exactly this could mean for the 2014 Crew in the next few days as more moves are likely.
OTHER MLS MOVES
DC United lead the way today with a couple re-entry picks to go along with signing Davy Arnaud from Montreal recently. While they may be expensive, these transactions do instantly improve a horrid 2013 United defense.
Another big name taken off the draft board before the draft yesterday with Chivas USA made a great pick up in Mauro Rosales from Seattle. Rosales was arguably the best player available.
There were a number of players that withdrew from the re-entry draft process before it started. Sometimes this indicates the player is working on / or has some other options. Notable: Kenny Cooper, Bobby Convey, Tommy Heinemann.
Here is how the 1st round of the Re-Entry draft went:
Pick #...Drafting Team...Player...Position...Former Team
1- D.C. United...Sean Franklin...D...Los Angeles Galaxy
2- Portland Timbers...Steve Zakuani...MF...Seattle Sounders FC
3- Toronto FC...PASS
4- Columbus Crew...PASS
5- FC Dallas...PASS
6- Vancouver Whitecaps FC...PASS
7- Philadelphia Union...Corben Bone...MF...Chicago Fire
8- Chicago Fire...PASS
9- San Jose Earthquakes...PASS
10- Montreal Impact...PASS
11- Colorado Rapids...Marc Burch...D...Seattle Sounders FC
12- New England Revolution...PASS
13- Seattle Sounders FC...PASS
14- Los Angeles Galaxy...PASS
15- New York Red Bulls...PASS
16- Houston Dynamo...PASS
17- Chivas USA...PASS
18- Real Salt Lake...PASS
19- Sporting Kansas City...PASS
(Teams that picked in the first round can pick again)
1- D.C. United...Bobby Boswell...D...Houston Dynamo
2- Philadelphia Union...PASS
3- Colorado Rapids...PASS
4- Portland Timbers...PASS
There are a number of players left that will carry over to the 2nd round this time next week that can be signed for a lesser amount.
For the Crew, Danny O'Rourke and Konrad Warzycha are still out there. There are also a few center backs to be had as well that Columbus could look at (Heath Pearce).
There will likely be lots of moves betwixt now and then, however.
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*The Crew's official website is claiming that Marshall clears more that $500k budget/cap space. This is either his $350k salary + 150k in allocation money from Seattle. Or just the Crew making the medicine go down a little easier.
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