I've seen talk around here in the messages and else where in the interwebs about how we only have x amount of spots left after the draft concluded earlier today. All these claims assume that everyone who is on the roster currently is assured of a winning a spot on the team.

We haven't even started training camp, which kicks off next week, where we will be assured to see several more trialists, draft picks, and free agents. We still have picks 4 more picks in the supplemental draft (33,34,53,72) which will get at least a look at in camp. Don't forget that it was one of the last trialists that came to camp last year which ended up making the club and turned out to also win Newcomer of the Year.

I think that we will carry at least 36 players at the start of camp and cycle players in and out as they win or lose spots. So it is a little early to worry about roster space but it shouldn't stop us from looking at how our roster sits now and players who are ready to battle to win/keep spots after the jump.

I break the roster down as 3 groups of players; Starters, Bench, and Reserve. Starters are challenging to play every game when fit. Bench are players who frequent the 18 and even push for a starting position. The reserves are the players who are battling to make the team in camp and are more developmental. Here's how I see the roster now:

GK - Gspurning - Starter, Ford - Bench, Merideth - Bench

D- Parke - Starter, Hurtado - Starter, Johansson - Starter, Gonzales - Starter, Burch - Bench, Ianni - Bench, Scott - Bench, Tetteh - Reserve, Duran - Reserve

M- Rosales - Starter, Alonso - Starter, Fernandez - Starter, Evans - Starter, Zakuani - Starter, Neagle - Bench, Sivebaek - Bench, Carrasco - Bench, Estrada - Reserve, Sanyang - Reserve, Seamon - Reserve

F- Montero - Starter, Fucito - Starter, Ochoa - Starter, White - Bench, Levesque - Bench, Sodade - Reserve

As you can see I have 13 starters, 10 bench players, and 6 reserve players. I think that the Starters and Bench players are safe to make the team next year. Of the reserves I only think that Tetteh is safe. That leaves 6 spots left on the team. There is plenty of flexibility to add players and that doesn't account for the possibility of trades, transfers or players on IR. It is way too early to start worrying about if we will have enough room for players. Our FO is very good at about carrying a roster that is deep enough to compete in 3 competitions and it should be fun to see how the preseason plays out.