The Denver Post’s Daniel Boniface answers questions in the Rapids Mailbag.
for the Rapids Mailbag.
In the Rapids podcast, team president Tim Hinchey stated Pablo Mastroeni is working hard to find a interim striker. Can anyone elaborate?
— The 3rd Gen ( )
For those who missed Hinchey’s appearance this week on the Rapids podcast, he said the Rapids’ Paul Bravo, Padraig Smith, Claudio Lopez and Mastroeni “are working very hard to look at another striker, hopefully here in the short term.”
Following the , it’s clear the Rapids are thin at striker until Kevin Doyle’s arrival this summer, so the news comes as no surprise. But Smith said last week any short-term move will not jeopardize the club’s long-term plans.
Mastroeni doubled down on that sentiment this week, confirming that the club was looking at adding a striker, but said they want to “make sure it’s the right fit for the group moving forward.”
What’s the right fit? The Rapids want a striker who takes smart, high-quality shots, is able to hold the ball and create chances for his teammates and also plays tough defense.
If the Rapids are looking to move quickly as Hinchey has indicated, it’s more likely they will look to acquire a player already under contract within MLS. As we’ve seen, international player signings can get hung up by work visa issues and transfer windows. The Rapids, however, seem to be stressing the “right fit” over a quick timeline.
Any rumors out there on if they plan to use the newly available slot this season? Rumors on who they might be looking at?
— Rick R. ( )
Rick — It should be noted that with the news this week that , the Rapids have an open DP slot. It is conceivable the Rapids could be eyeing an additional DP, though the team has not indicated one way or the other just yet.
I’m pretty confused about the Deshorn Brown situation. Some sites have mentioned he was sold, others mention he was traded or transferred. There’s also been mention of MLS holding on to his rights. What exactly does all of this entail?
— Emma, Denver
Emma — Brown’s contract was sold by MLS to Vålerenga. I suppose you could call it a trade, if by trade you mean the swap of money for the Jamaican international’s contract.
The Rapids receive a portion of the transfer fee in allocation money, but the amount is not something the league discloses, and it can vary from deal to deal.
Because Colorado received compensation in the deal, the Rapids no longer retain Brown’s MLS rights. If Brown were to ever return to MLS, he would go through the allocation order, with the highest ranked teams receiving the first crack at signing him.
Benji Joya is a top U.S. youth national team prospect. How did he not catch on during his Rapids trial?
— Timothy Kunin ( )
Timothy — Joya was on trial with the Rapids during preseason, but ultimately did not sign with Colorado.
“It’s a position where we have a lot of players in, players that were already contracted and that we feel have a bright future and we can continue to develop,” Mastroeni said. “His performances were good but it was just a position that at the time, we didn’t need.”
He’s currently playing alongside Shane O’Neill on the U.S. U-23 squad, and Friday over Bosnia & Herzegovina. Listed as an “unattached” player, meaning he’s currently unsigned, Joya is firmly in the running for the U.S. 2016 Olympic team.
When you were at practice this week did you notice if Jeff Parke was still in training?
— John Rosch ( )
John — Jeff Parke was no longer with Colorado in training this week.
“He’s gone home to make sure that he continues to improve from a physical perspective, but we’re in touch with him and we’ll see what the future holds,” Mastroeni said this week.
Parke, a 33-year-old defender, has more than a decade’s worth of experience in MLS, having played 254 games (247 starts) for New York Red Bulls, Seattle Sounders, Philadelphia Union and most recently D.C. United. Injuries limited him to 13 games last season with D.C.
Is Dillon Powers going to be a regular at the No. 10 role as he was Saturday?
— Mark Weatherley ( )
Mark — Most will agree that Powers looked great in his favorite No. 10 role last weekend against NYCFC. He was finding space and creating opportunities for himself and others.
But it’s too soon to say whether Powers will hold down the spot long-term. Mastroeni has frequently said one thing he likes about Powers is his abilty to , and assimilate to it.
In this week’s projected lineup, . Stay tuned on this one.
Where can I get the 2015 salary and contract length information on the team?
— Richard Hughes, Denver
Richard — The MLS Players Union releases salary figures twice a year. We typically post them on The Terrace blog. Here’s a link to .
Daniel Boniface: 303-954-1104, dboniface@denverpost.com or twitter.com/danielboniface
