Red Bulls trade for Hunter Freeman
The Red Bulls have completed the trade for Hunter Freeman. They have acquired Freeman for a regular 3rd draft pick in 2008 and a 4th Round Supplemental Draft pick in 2009 (The MLS version of a bag of balls). Freeman will be with the team for the upcoming Carolina Challenge Cup.
What does it mean? Freeman's stock has fallen a bit after starting strongly for Rapids. He provides depth at both fullback positions, which the Red Bulls will need considering Marvell Wynne and Todd Dunivant could both have national team obligations this summer. He also provides depth in defensive midfield and central defense. He's young (22) and has good experience in MLS. Normally it would worry me that the team as able to get him for just a third round draft pick but we are talking about the Colorado Rapids, who probably ranks ahead of only Real Salt Lake in the trade competence rankings.
The deal is also bad news for Chris Leitch, who injured himself during a trial with the Red Bulls. I'm still amazed that the Crew cut him considering the options they have defensively.
This means Leitch may need to keep his bags packed since Freeman is a step up in ability - probably a lower salary too.
Posted by: Lalique | March 23, 2007 at 11:10 AM
i like freeman, but i think he got the short end of the stick with the trades that went on in colorado this winter. NY is a good place for him. plenty of opportunity to start and he gets an upgrade in coaching.
Posted by: danny | March 23, 2007 at 11:22 AM
Man, first Van Den Bergh and now Freeman. Arena sure is getting a lot for a little. He is going to run out of practice balls if he keeps this up.
Posted by: Kinney | March 23, 2007 at 11:53 AM
A 3rd round pick isn't exactly a bag of balls, you can get decent players in that round.
Posted by: Puhe | March 23, 2007 at 12:41 PM
2003 draft round 3
Comfort, David
Westfield, Dimelon
Levesque, Roger
Pause, Logan
Mack, Ryan
Swenda, Phil
Cole, Jason
Blake, Alex
Singer, Kyle
Glowienka, Tim
so while things have improved (04-Wells, 05-Rolfe,Kirk), odds are that you're not going to find a long-term contributor by round 3.
Absolute steal. Clavijo was starting Denton over Freeman for some time. I think Clavijo does a decent job, but in some areas something gets in his way (couldn't handle Cunningham among others).
Posted by: anon | March 23, 2007 at 12:50 PM
Ives, do you know if Hunter is a class act or not?
Posted by: *Fulham FC* | March 23, 2007 at 12:50 PM
The first time I read it I thought Ives meant the 4th round suppl. draft pick was the "bag of balls". That made sense to me.
Either way, Freeman for a 3rd rounder is a steal. Arena sure is impressing me at getting quality players in on the cheap.
If only the FO was progressing as well as Arena building the on the field product (2 weeks and we'll see if that's true!).
Posted by: Trex | March 23, 2007 at 12:57 PM
What are these goofy CO trades you speak of? Look at what they've done. When you take the last 3 trades for defenders into account, they've given up a 2 2nd round picks and Freeman (struggling to show he's good enough to be an MLS starter after 2 years in the league) to bring in Vanney and Prideaux. How is that bad for the trade competence rankings?
Posted by: Allen | March 23, 2007 at 01:47 PM