It was inevitable. The yellow football team from Ohio is being blown up. After a run of three years near the top, including one unfortunate championship, the Columbus Crew said good-bye to several players today including former league MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto.
At 37 GBS has seen better days, but he remained an impact player in 2010. Some had speculated that he would retire at the end of the year, but apparently he has said that he wants to play another year before moving into coaching and is willing to do so for about half the salary that he made in '10.
He told the Columbus Dispatch that he wants to play for another MLS team after the Crew declined to pick up the option on his contract.
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Since Columbus will not be protecting him, he will be exposed to both Portland and Vancouver if they wish to take a flyer on a guy that is likely to only play one season. That doesn't seem to be the best building strategy, but GBS is supposed to be good with younger players so maybe they will look to utilize his experience.
That said the most likely landing spot for the old Argie is a team close to
winning. Some have suggested New York, but it might be complicated with the cap. Philly might think it's a player away from competing next year and K.C. could be looking for a big(ish) splash as they open their new stadium. That's my bet -- Kansas City. The Wizards were one of the better clubs down the stretch and could break through in 2011.
As for Toronto, it seems a little silly to bring in an aging midfielder that plays a very similar game to DeRo. That said, it would make a splash (if TFC wants to go that route I'd far rather see Juan Pablo Angel coaxed north).
All this said, there is one other possibility. The Crew could re-sign him for way less money. That's kind of how they operate.
If the Crew aren't playing games and the Timbers and Whitecaps pass on GBS he will become the first truly big name to go through the re-entry draft -- after a PhD figures out how it works first that is.
Also cut loose today were Frankie Hejduk, Duncan Oughton and defender Gino Padula. Hejduk might surprise some, but he's lost more than a step or two over the past season and a bit.