Marc Burch Signs With Seattle Sounders

I meant to hit reply but missed it.

and only after making a roster cut date (early March for vets, midseason for younger players). That only applies to a salary budget/cap. Roster space is opened as soon as a player is waived/released.

You keep them because they help you win. Levesque actually does that right now and his positional flexibility allows more space for players who need development so I doubt he doesn’t make the cut.

The last few slots are going to be hotly contested in camp this year. Here are my thoughts on the players who are currently on the roster and may be on the bubble.

1. Roger Levesque- Roger is very versatile and he is a role model for the way Sigi wants players to approach their profession. He is the definition of an overachiever. As Dave mentioned, his versatility allows the team to carry more developmental players. But he also provides a veteran stabilizing force on the field and on the practice pitch. Sigi won’t give those things up lightly. There will come a day when the overall quality of the roster rises to the point that Roger will move in to coaching, but I do not believe that this will be that year. Making the roster? Yes.

2. Zach Scott- Zach was lauded as the most improved player on the Sounders roster in 2011. The coaching staff has been very impressed with his tactical growth. He is a solid second string CB and has found a niche as a man marker in critical situations. In particular he has become a personal nightmare for Brek Shea. Brektonite indeed. He gives the team a defensive option at RB and even though he will never be a strong offensive threat, he is an inexpensive piece of the overall salary structure. Making the roster? Yes.

3. David Estrada- David is a former 1st round draft pick who began to round into form at the end of the 2011 season. He earned a couple of appearances off of the bench at the end of the season with the first team and performed admirably as a wing. He has matured within the Sounders’ system and is poised to continue his development. He could be displaced but his familiarity with the system and what is expected of him make it unlikely. The team’s investment in his growth is starting to pay off. They will not jetison that development without cause. Making the roster? Probably.

4. Michael Seamon- Michael ended 2011 injured. This clouds his position with the team. Like Estrada he has a couple of years with the team under his belt and has been a model citizen. He provides depth at CM where the team is not particularly deep. He also knows what to expect in camp and how to show himself to the best light. This experience should not be underestimated. He can be displaced if the team finds the appropriate prospect, but that prospect is going to have to win the spot. Making the Roster? Better than average chances.

5. Amadou Sanyang- Amadou saw limited usage in 2011 and wasn’t particularly impressive with the opportunities he earned. Most of his performance can be chalked up to his youth and coming into the Sounders organization midseason. He has potential and if he is willing to learn how to be a RB he might increase his value to the team. Essentially, I look at him as a new prospect who entered camp a few months ahead of everyone else. He has a head start, but will need to out compete the other prospects if he wants to make the 2012 roster. Making the Roster? Has the same chance as every other prospect.

The Sounders will field the best 29-30 player roster they can build. Every player on the team must earn their spot. But realistically, the men the Sounders are carrying forward are professionals who understand this. There will be very little room for new comers to bump existing players, all other things being equal. This is particularly true for raw prospects and draftees. The team will opt for the player it knows if the players are roughly equal in their performance. Could the team go out and find a veteran who displaces a player like Scott or a stellar draftee who displaces Seamon? Sure. But right now, those players are not on the radar and if they don’t show up soon, they are not likely to be.

In 2010 when Ozzie was injured and it allows for more cover (allowing one player to be the #3 CDM and #3 center back) instead of carrying two players to fill that role.

He looked pretty quick and physical the couple times I saw him. I have no idea if his passing and crossing are good enough to be a fullback in our system.

typically one of the two central mids that is responsible for being more attacking (the Evans role) while the other is responsible for providing more cover for the back line (the Alonso role). The denotation is meant to reflect that split rather than fit into a formation style sheet.