Discovery Season is Now Open! Take your pick!

By: Dave Martinez | December 9th, 2008

From the artists that bought you the Lider Marmol saga comes a new season of “he said she said, I saw him first” action! Thats right – MLS is on the road to discovery. And it is a murky hell to navigate.

One is left to ponder – is this season more Christopher Columbus or Somali Pirating in nature? I think I will go with the latter.

For those who don’t know, Discovery Claims are part of the convoluted whirlwind of rules in place only in the MLS. Basically, a team names a player – any player – that they may be interested in. Kaka. Messi. Friggin Pele or Maradona. How about that kid playing in Flushing Meadow Park who is schooling the taxi drivers and custodians in footie on a Sunday? Its no matter. You get 10 per season, and may add and subtract discoveries as you see fit. If discoveries are put in at the same time for the same player, the team with the worse regular season record wins the rights to negotiate.

Confused yet?

The good news about 2008 is that we made it to the MLS Cup Final AND we have a worse record than anyone involved the playoffs. And that puts the Bulls in a better bargaining position in the case of a dual claim. That means they won’t have to deal with the Fire.

Personally, Discovery claims are one of the rules I hate most. It is so anti capitalism its disgusting. But they will have to deal with it. Again. And this time, the Bulls are in a better position to do so.

So, place your orders here: who would be on your discovery wishlist? Is it a dynamic #17 Colombian with a Miami admirer? Or a lanky veteran Argie relegated to Inter Milans bench? How about some youngin’ from the local Jersey/New York AYSO? Take your pick!

img credit: huntoftheseawolves.net

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NoLayupRule

What! Tor has Del Piero as a discovery? Thats sickening!
martha in miami

Serious lol and nlr is on a roll, haha! Yeah Toronto has the claim for Del Piero, have you ever heard of him? lol! Thanks for the shout out, but my dynamic #17 Colombian invented the term *discovery player* by setting the MLS on fire, with the Fusion, in 1998 to 2001! They should rediscover that he can still bring it, and some records still stand 8 years later...but yeah, I am slightly biased, as are all the Afusionado admiring funfilled fans.
Dave Martinez

Good points on both ends. Yes, a communistic society is what has gotten MLS to where it is, but the free market has to be let in more. Chris idea is actually very plausible. What can be the problem with that logical next step in maturing this process?
Chris

I completely agree. I think the discovery signing is supposed to promote a competitive balance or something. But isn't that what the salary cap is for? The discovery signing process is redundant.

And along the same lines of allowing bigger markets to pursue bigger players, I thought about that for a bit...

I would allow each club to aquire more than 2 designated players... but only though loan. That way it would work as sort of a revenue sharing mechanism. Big market clubs could aquire more stars, but would need to pay for it and distribute revenue downwards. And because its a loan and not a straight trade, the smaller market clubs wouldn't be priced out of re-aquiring a DP spot if they want to use it. They would just need to wait out the loan. The cap hit for the DP would need to be lowered as well because right now having two DPs (or more for that matter) is too big of a cap hit.

But that wouldnt be necessary for a while from now since most of the DP spots in the league are unused anyway.
NoLayupRule

MLS is the most backwards-assed league. Its like they are trying to shoot themselves in the foot.

I think all the stupid rules are intended in part to keep lesser markets from succumbing to the powers of the larger markets and in part to keep anyone from starting to overspend creating an arms race that could lead to bankruptcy ala NY Cosmos

Overall this sounds nice but in the US we need stars and flash to get the league off the ground. We are not creating a sport like basketball and giving it 20 yrs to take hold. We are competing with leagues all over the world and we have a fanbase thats built in but not loyal yet.

Time to put aside the communist methodology and allow bigger markets to pursue players on their dollar and with the possibility of improving this mediocre league. We have great fans but we are starved for talent. And aged Ronldos, Beckhams and even Henry/Rilquelmes wont cut it.

Allow NY, Mas, Chi and LA to make runs on major names. Bring in stars and pay them to stay.

Give us a game MLS and stop the impossible to understand or follow rules and salary structure.

That rant completed I have no idea who to suggest as discovery players
Dave Martinez

Nope. That goes for everyone. Like I said, theoretically, we can "discover" Messi. I dont get it. Never will.
Chris

Thats so weak, I was under the impression discovery signing applied to developmental players not senior roster players.
Dave Martinez

Kandji was a discovery that the Bulls used allocation money to sign.
Chris

Does this apply to all signings from outside the MLS? Did RBNY have to do that when they signed Kanji?