New York Red Bulls pass on MLS Re-Entry Draft Phase 1

There have been a lot of MLS drafts in 2014 to date: Dispersal, Expansion, Waiver, and now Re-Entry.

For the fourth consecutive draft of the off-season, The New York Red Bulls were not troubled by any direct contribution to the event. The club was passed over in the Expansion Draft, while employing NYCFC as a willing proxy, and has passed on the opportunities provided by all the other varieties of draft the league has magicked up to date - including the Re-Entry (Phase 1) on December 12.

Three players were selected from a field of about 60: Sporting Kansas City's senior 'keepers for 2014, Andy Gruenebaum and Eric Kronberg were snapped up by San Jose Earthquakes and Montreal Impact respectively.

Toronto FC continued its proud history of defiantly ploughing its own furrow: picking up Robbie Findley, a modest performer in recent years (one goal from 16 appearances for Real Salt Lake in 2014) earning north of $200,000 (per the last Players' Union salary report).

The first phase of the re-entry draft offers clubs limited negotiation power. As such, it is generally treated with scant interest by clubs, who may pick up an obvious bargain - like Gruenebaum, a starting-caliber 'keeper who was on less than $100K last season - but generally prefer to wait for the second phase of the re-entry process, when there is greater flexibility for maneuvering attractive targets away from unattractive contracts.

TFC doesn't play by the usual rules.

And RBNY, in common with 16 other MLS teams, picked no one.

The off-season rolls on. Next draft: Re-Entry (Phase 2) on December 18.