2008 MLS Rookie Salaries....

Wow, it has taken me a few weeks to actually get this post together. My loyal readers will note recent posts have been few and far between. I apologize as work has been hell and I’m not going to try and compete with all of the bloggers doing weekly reviews of the play on the field. I learned last season that is a big time sapper. So I have less to draw inspiration from.

Anyway, last year we discussed Rookie Salaries in MLS and I decided it would be another fun topic. I’ve taken the pdf file released by the Players Association and culled out all of the veteran players so I’m just looking at real first year players who were brought into MLS via the draft or direct signing. The players we’re talking about here have not been professionals in the past. They’re ROOKIES! That being said, MLS is terrible at updating their on-line player database so some second year players appear to be rookies because it says they have zero years playing experience. However, Jordan Harvey, I’m on to you. You’re out! I tried to get all these types of guys out but it is difficult.

As an aside, how does MLS, the employer, still think Harvey has zero experience when he was drafted in 2006 and has featured in two MLS Reserve Championship Teams? He has experience! MLS, you’ve done a lot right with the website, please fix this.

On to the good stuff. In 2008 I count 69 rookies. As I said, that may be including a couple second year players because of the issue of the MLS website I referenced above. Rest assured I have removed all of the Argenis Fernandez and Mauricio Castro type players who had professional careers before MLS but show up as zero in the experience column. For those 69 rookies MLS is shelling out $1,519,800 in base compensation and $1,977,300 in total compensation. Yes, all of the rookies combined make less than David Beckham and Cuauhtemoc Blanco individually. Let’s just say they have something to aspire too.

Last year when I looked at the numbers there were 79 rookies on the books in MLS making a total of $1,682,200 Base and $2,072,025 guaranteed. The rookie class did shrink between 2007 and 2008 but the average salary for first year players went up. In 2008 average rookie salary is $22,026 base and $28,657 guaranteed. In 2007 those figures were slightly lower at $21,294/$26,228. That is a 3% increase in base which comes directly from the collective bargaining agreement and 9% increase in guaranteed. The second increase is most likely from generation adidas type players being able to negotiate better offers. MLS knows they need to get the best of the young Americans and they’re paying up for the top talent.

So, who are the biggest bread winners of the 2008 MLS Rookie class? (All numbers below are base/guaranteed and are ranked by guaranteed)
Patrick Nyarko takes the top spot pulling down $55,000/$135,000
Chance Myers is next coming in at $70,000/$130,000
Anthony Beltran negotiated a nice deal: $55,000/$90,500
Roger Espinoza, Ciaran O'Brien, Eric Avila, Josh Lambo, Alex Nimo and Brek Shea are all tied for fourth: $45,000/$78,750
Andy Iro and Rob Valentino are tied for fifth at $36,000/$53,500

Looking back at another post I did last year at this time you’ll see the top pick in 2008 isn’t quite as well off as the top pick in 2007. Maurice Edu made $50,000/$132,500 in 2007 and is up to $75,000/$157,500 in his second year. As you can see, the top talent going into the draft are getting some good deals. I will also point out that most of these guys are Generation Adidas players so the league isn’t paying their way. However, Edu is not and is one of the top earners of his class.

On the other end of the spectrum there are 41 rookies making the league minimum, $12,900/$12,900. These are the guys playing for a dream. For some it will work out. They’ll work their tails off at practice and in reserve games for a chance. As a role model they need look no further than Rapids defender Stephen Keel. He started as a developmental player making less then the current class. He’s now on a senior contract making $33,000/$33,000 for playing professional soccer and I am sure when the time comes to negotiate a new deal he’ll have some leverage to get more based on the fact he is starting every game in 2008.

There are 7 players who earned a “senior developmental” contract at $17,700/$17,700. Then there are 5 rookies who earned senior contracts at the minimum $33,000/$33,000. Pat Phelan, one of the bigger names going into the draft is at that level. Julius James joins three others at the $36,000/$44,750.

So there you go. The annual list of the MLS have and have nots is out and analyzed. Many fellow soccer bloggers have poured over the league in general and I have given you the rookie perspective.