Crew To Make DP Signing?

Various reports have the Columbus Crew about to ink a deal with Boca Juniors winger Guillermo Barros Schelotto. The Argentinian, about to turn 34 years old, has lost his starting spot with his domestic side and has said in the past he would like to go to another team where he could see more time on the pitch. MLS Underground reports that the deal would be for two years with a salary of $1-2 million/year. I'm not sure how that fits into Designated Player rules, which state that a DP contract must be for 1, 3, or 5 years, but it could be a 1-year contract with an option for another year.

TJ's take: Columbus finally makes a move into the DP market. Not sure if this one will pay off, but if it's only a one-year contract, I don't think it could hurt. I don't know much about Guillermo, but at 34, I'm not sure how much he's got left in his tank (in contrast to Cuauhtemoc Blanco, who still has a starting spot for Club America at 34), but if it's a flop, it's only for this year.

It must be much harder to convince a "name" player to come to Columbus as the city doesn't quite have the allure of maybe a New York, Chicago or Los Angeles. This could become a problem in a few years time if the big names are only willing to flock to the three major cities, as the rest of the league could be left wading through a lower tier of players if they want to use a DP.

Clint Mathis To New York

According to ESPN.com, Clint Mathis has been traded from the Colorado Rapids to Red Bull New York. Mathis, 30, has struggled to regain the form that made him an upcoming sensation on the Men's National Team a handful of years ago and will now join his fifth MLS team in eight seasons. He is expected to join the team in South Carolina where the team is training ahead of their April 7th season opener against Columbus.Complete details of the transaction have not been disclosed.

Columbus Triumps In Pioneer Cup

In a tribute to the late Lamar Hunt, the two teams that Hunt owned at the time of his passing met in the first-ever Lamar Hunt Pioneer Cup in Frisco, Texas, yesterday, with the Columbus Crew scoring a 3-0 victory over FC Dallas.

At Pizza Hut Park, the match looked like a classic pre-season game, with few scoring opportunities in the first half. After halftime, Columbus was the better side, spending much of the second half in the attacking third. In the 51st minute, Joseph Ngwenya struck a ball from the left-side that beat FCD keeper Shaka Hislop, but couldn't bend inside the far post, instead caroming harmlessly away from the box. Seven minutes later, Danny O'Rourke hit a rocket that slammed off the crossbar, with Ngwenya in the perfect place for the rebound. He slotted it home to give the Crew a 1-0 lead.

In the 62nd minute, Kei Kamara got into the action, receiving a pass from Stefani Miglioranzi and beating Hislop at the far post for a 2-0 advantage.

The men in yellow weren't done yet. In the 86th minute, Aaron Chandler added an insurance goal for Columbus. His shot was initially stopped by Hislop, but managed to trickle into the back of the net.

Other notes: Newly acquired Robbie Rogers made his debut for Columbus, coming on in the 76th minute... Stefani Miglioranzi recorded assists on all three Columbus goals. Miglioranzi was acquired in the off-season after a brief stint with the Los Angeles Galaxy last year... Crew defender Frankie Hejduk was back in the lineup for the first time in almost a year after suffering torn knee ligaments in 2006 - he is looking fully recovered.

Lamar Hunt Pioneer Cup

With about a month to go before the MLS season officially starts, those of you itching for some action on the pitch can take in the Lamar Hunt Pioneer Cup. Named in honor of Lamar Hunt, one of the pioneers of the MLS, the game will feature the two teams owned by Hunt Sports Group, Columbus Crew and FC Dallas, in a charity match to be held at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. The game will raise funds for Dallas Scores, a program that helps inner-city youths.

Lamar Hunt passed away in December 2006, after a battle with cancer. "If it wasn't for Lamar Hunt, U.S. soccer wouldn't be the same," said FCD second-year midfielder Dax McCarty. "He was a true innovator and one of the true believers in the game to succeed here." Hunt was one of the founders of both Major League Soccer and its predecessor, the North American Soccer League, and was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1982.

The game will air on Fox Soccer Channel today at 6:00 p.m. EST/3:00 p.m. PST. FC Dallas will also unveil a commemorative 'LH' circle patch that will be worn on the right sleeve of the uniform this season.

Lamar Hunt
1932 - 2006

Columbus Crew Win Lottery

No, it wasn't the $390 million Mega Millions jackpot, but the Columbus Crew got a nice consolation price today: The Crew won the weighted lottery held to determine which team would get Robbie Rogers, who is returning from Dutch club SC Heerenveen. Columbus had the best odds of winning the Rogers lottery, with each team being assigned a probability in reverse order of recent performance.

Rogers, 19, will be signed to a developmental contract. "It is tremendous to be able to add a young attacking talent who is going to be a mainstay for the U.S. in the upcoming U-20 World Cup," head coach Sigi Schmid said. Rogers tallied one goal and three assists in the recent CONCACAF Qualifying Tournament in Panama.

Toronto FC Adds Casey, Busch

After a brief wait, Conor Casey has been officially signed by Toronto FC. Casey, 25, had been training with the team while waiting for the deal to go through. He has spent several seasons in Germany and has also been capped on the U.S. National Team, though the last time he was called up was in 2005. About Casey, coach Mo Johnston said, "He's a striker that adds a different flavor. We are strong up front and Conor is a good blend with our other guys."

Toronto also snatched up keeper Jon Busch in Monday's MLS waiver draft. Busch, 30, joins TFC after being cut by the Columbus Crew, rather unceremoniously. Columbus coach Sigi Schmid chose Will Hesmer and Bill Gaudette, both injured, over Busch, who is coming back from a knee injury suffered last year. "Being waived or cut is part of sports and I'm okay with that, Busch told the Columbus Dispatch. "But I'm not okay with the way it happened - I was, in essence, waived for two injured guys who did not have to earn the spot."