MLS Math: Does it Add Up?

I must admit despite the speculation I was mildly surprised by the news Carlos Ruiz has returned to the LA Galaxy. I understand that the Galaxy have Joe Cannon and Clint Mathis both off the books and that the three “DPs” (David Beckham, Carlos Ruiz and Landon Donovan) only count 400k each towards the approximately $2.2 million cap. But after the three DPs, Abel Xavier, Chris Klein and Chris Albright, I guesstimate the Galaxy has about $600,000 to pay the rest of the squad: 12 senior roster players including as many as five foreigners.

But as we have so often in the past the salary cap doesn’t seem to always make sense or according to some of the more cynical fans of non big market teams, the salary cap doesn’t apply to everyone. This allegation has most often been made about the Galaxy in the past and is sure to rear its ugly head again. This is especially true because conspiracy theorists, many of whom I speak to were convinced when Ruiz was exempted from the DP rule it was not being done for FC Dallas’ benefit but for the sake of the Galaxy.

Let me state I don’t know enough about the backroom deals and politics within MLS to truly understand whether rules really are bent for the Galaxy on a regular basis, but it does smell funny to me. I found it suspicious in past years when San Jose under AEG ownership used to make seemingly one sided trades with the Galaxy: trades that never seemed to be in the interest of the Earthquakes.

Whether or not their is foul play right now doesn’t matter. Considering the suspicions within the soccer community in the US that the Salary Cap and other squad rules don’t necessarily apply to the Galaxy, the trade of Carlos Ruiz for a classic undisclosed allocation, which is vocabulary I had hoped the MLS would stop using in reference to trades. This very term makes the league look very mickey mouse not only to the Eurosnobs but to its biggest supporters as well. If MLS seeks to change this reputation, it is imperative that the allocation system and salary structure receive some sunshine as we call it down here in Florida (open records, open books) to eliminate all suspicion and talk of conspiracies.

Granfathering DPs Smacks of Favortism

Major League Soccer has made several efforts in the past few seasons to eliminate the appearance of favoritism towards certain clubs that was often alleged in the early seasons of the league. Many fans of clubs in the league had what in my mind were legitimate gripes against clubs such as the Metrostars and LA Galaxy who seemed to be assigned the best players and biggest draws by the league which controlled all player contracts. The scouting networks of individual MLS clubs were not nearly as developed in the late 1990s so it appeared to be simple for the league to rearrange the deck ever so often and give teams like the Galaxy prized allocations while promising smaller clubs like the Columbus Crew or dearly departed Tampa Bay Mutiny the next “major” allocation.

MLS thankfully has moved past these days when club supporters would cringe when they’d hear the teams “partial allocation” or “major allocation.” However, the league has taken a step back in the wrong direction with its exemption of Landon Donovan, Carlos Ruiz and Eddie Johnson from the DP rule. While I am concerned about the cases of Ruiz and Johnson, I will admit it is the Donovan situation that really bugs me.

From the inception of the league until today allegations of bias towards the Los Angeles Galaxy franchise have existed from the fans of every other team in the league. I will admit that I sit on the fence in this debate. I for example thought it was terrible when the Galaxy were allocated Carlos Hermisillio in 1998 without having to give up another player and that they had jumped San Jose, Dallas, Columbus and Tampa Bay in line for the next allocation. (San Jose felt they were owed the allocation and were even angrier when they were not compensated following the season for the loss of Eric Wynalda and Eddie Lewis. Wynalda went on loan to Mexico where he was injured and then returned to MLS with Miami and Lewis went to England) However, in 2000 when Luis Hernandez signed with MLS with the condition he play in L.A., the Galaxy were forced to part with Clint Mathis who was assigned to New York and who then went on a scoring tear to match any in league history with his new club, I thought the Galaxy could feel hard done. In addition the Galaxy never seemed to benefit from the favoritism DC United got when signing youngsters: Ben Olsen, Bobby Convey, Chris Albright and Freddy Adu were all assigned to DC United simply because they wanted to play for DC. In the case of Albright, my favored club the Miami Fusion was assigned him with the understanding he would be traded to United for a “future allocation.” The Fusion were owed the allocation for losing Carlos Valderrama and instead the club ended up getting Welton, who had discarded by the Galaxy as belated compensation for Valderrama and an injured Eric Wynalda as compensation for Albright. San Jose was never compensated for losing Wynalda or Eddie Lewis as mentioned before. I believe something similar happened with Convey though I can not recall who was owed the allocation, but I do remember Olsen threatening to sign overseas if he wasn’t allocated to DC United.

MLS has a perception problem particularly when it comes to the Galaxy. It has been alleged that this favoritism is due to the large investment AEG has made in the league, but the reality is many of allegations and bitterness on the part of other clubs fans predate AEG’s purchase of the Galaxy. (At the inception of the league, AEG owned only the Colorado Rapids, which was sold to Stan Kroenke in 2005).

When it comes to the Galaxy, MLS has a problem. From a perception standpoint it would have been wise to somehow force Donovan to leave the Galaxy or force the club to dump David Beckham. While as I have admitted previously I see both sides of the argument no doubt fans of clubs like Chivas USA who find themselves with no current DP possibilities while sharing a stadium with a club known for clever book keeping and perceived to be a long term beneficiary of favors from the league will be screaming bloody murder about Donovan’s exemption. MLS needs to revisit this decision otherwise risk being accused of the same bias the league has worked so hard to distance itself from.

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Clark Given Record Suspension

MLS has suspended Ricardo Clark of Houston for nine games and given him a $10,000 suspension. This is an unprecedented fine for MLS, but given Clark's actions against Carlos Ruiz last week, the league felt the fine and suspension were justified. Given Carlos Ruiz's history as a provocateur I am anxious to hear Clark's side of the story. It is entirely possible that Ruiz flopping and gamesmanship provoked Clark. If this is the case, the league which is these days filled with as many divers and cheats as Serie A needs to crack down on Ruiz also and suspend him for the remainder of FC Dallas remaining regular season games.