It's been the most unpredictable, up-and-down MLS season in recent memory, and maybe of all-time. Calling anything before the season's done is only for the stoutest of heart.
And hey, that's us! So with what will probably be the wildest final week in league history remaining, we're dishing out our awards picks. Foolish? Maybe. But as the Romans said, audentes fortuna iuvat!
See the full awards schedule here!
<strong>Editor</strong> |
<strong>Score</strong> |
<strong>Comments</strong> |
<p class="rtecenter"><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/GregLalas_0.jpg" style="width: 50px; height: 50px;"><br><strong>Greg Lalas</strong><br><em>Editor-In-Chief</em></p> |
<br><p class="rtecenter"><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/jaime-penedo" target="_blank"><strong>JAIME PENEDO</strong></a><br><b>LA Galaxy</b></p> |
<p>With all due respect to Ricketts and Nielsen, what the Panamanian has done to resurrect the Galaxy's season deserves more than a plaque. He's consistent, an organizer, and – always important in LA – entertaining.</p><ul><li><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/video/2013/10/20/save-penedo-makes-big-stop-wondos-header" target="_blank"><b>SAVE: Penedo crushes Quakes' hopes</b></a></li></ul> |
<br><p><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/freedman_2.jpg" style="width: 50px; height: 50px;"><br><strong>Jonah Freedman</strong><br><em>Managing Editor</em></p> |
<p class="rtecenter"><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/donovan-ricketts" target="_blank"><strong>DONOVAN RICKETTS</strong></a><br><strong>Portland Timbers</strong></p> |
<p>Timbers fans may be stuffing the ballot box when it come to Save of the Week (he has 10 this year!), but it's hard to not to appreciate what the big Jamaican means in the Rose City. Highlight saves and chart-topping stats aside, the 2010 GotY has been a rock of a presence while the Portland backline has been a revolving cast of sieve-like characters at times – and he's already at a career high in minutes played.</p><ul><li><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/video/2013/08/25/save-ricketts-makes-huge-stop-johnson-keep-portland-it" target="_blank"><strong>SAVE: Ricketts gets a finger to it</strong></a></li></ul> |
<em><strong><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/valencia_1.jpg" style="width: 50px; height: 50px;"></strong></em><p class="rtecenter"><strong>Kristel Valencia</strong><br><em>Editor FutbolMLS.com</em></p> |
<p class="rtecenter"><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/jaime-penedo" target="_blank"><strong>JAIME PENEDO</strong></a><br><b>LA Galaxy</b></p> |
<p>Coming in halfway through the season and being a true difference maker in the net is not easy, especially if your job is to replace a disastrous 'keeper in a team like the Galaxy. But that’s exactly what the Panamanian star did in LA. That great save on Kekuta Manneh’s shot in his second game with LA was the icing on the cake that got everyone heads spinning.</p><ul><li><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/video/2013/08/24/save-manneh-shakes-woodwork-penedo-huge-stop-rebound" target="_blank"><strong>SAVE: Penedo turns into Superman</strong></a></li></ul> |
<p class="rtecenter"><em><strong><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/Doyle_2.jpg" style="width: 50px; height: 50px;"></strong></em><br><strong>Matt Doyle</strong><br><em>Armchair Analyst</em></p> |
<p class="rtecenter"><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/nick-rimando" target="_blank"><strong>NICK RIMANDO</strong></a><br><strong>Real Salt Lake</strong></p> |
<p>Ricketts and Rimando were Nos. 1 and 1A, but for me, Rimando gets the nod for the higher win percentage, higher save percentage, and pinpoint distribution that starts so many RSL attacks. He's not a goalkeeper – he's a soccer player.</p><ul><li><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/video/2013/09/13/save-rimando-comes-big-corner-kick" target="_blank"><strong>SAVE: Rimando has Jedi reflexes</strong></a></li></ul> |
<p class="rtecenter"><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/AndrewWiebe_0.jpg" style="width: 50px; height: 50px;"><br><strong>Andrew Wiebe</strong><br><em>Editor</em></p> |
<p class="rtecenter"><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/donovan-ricketts" target="_blank"><strong>DONOVAN RICKETTS</strong></a><br><strong>Portland Timbers</strong></p> |
<p>Ricketts’ career was in limbo when he arrived in Portland. Had he lost the sharpness, the ability to change games that made him so valuable to the Galaxy? He’s answered any and all doubts, singlehandedly delivering points to his side with a number of jaw-dropping saves and simply dominant performances. Though the backline was in flux most of the season, Ricketts still helped lead the Timbers to the second-best defensive record in MLS.</p><ul><li><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/video/2013/07/14/save-donovan-ricketts-massive-save-juninho-fk" target="_blank"><strong>SAVE: Juninho's free kick tipped over</strong></a></li></ul> |
<p class="rtecenter"><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/JasonSaghini_1.jpg" style="width: 50px; height: 50px;"><br><strong>Jason Saghini</strong><br><em>Director of Video</em></p> |
<p class="rtecenter"><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/donovan-ricketts" target="_blank"><strong>DONOVAN RICKETTS</strong></a><br><strong>Portland Timbers</strong></p> |
<p>After last season, I thought he was washed up, so I was not expecting to see the dominant performances of old that he's brought this year. He's made some massive, clutch saves throughout the year but he's also done very well to keep an organized defense with different backlines in front of him.</p><ul><li><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/video/2013/07/14/replay-ricketts-huge-stop-zardes" target="_blank"><strong>SAVE: Ricketts quick off his line</strong></a></li></ul> |
<p class="rtecenter"><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/Borg_0.jpg" style="width: 50px; height: 50px;"><br><strong>Simon Borg</strong><br><em>Senior Editor</em></p> |
<p class="rtecenter"><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/donovan-ricketts" target="_blank"><strong>DONOVAN RICKETTS</strong></a><br><strong>Portland Timbers</strong></p> |
<p>Remember the Ricketts who dominated in MLS with the Galaxy? Well, he's been reincarnated in Portland, battling through injury knocks to make big save after big save for a Portland team which now plays with the same swagger that their goalkeeper does.</p><ul><li><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/video/2013/10/06/save-ricketts-huge-double-save-keep-%E2%80%98caps-board" target="_blank"><strong>SAVE: Ricketts with a huge double-save</strong></a></li></ul> |
<p class="rtecenter"><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/Rosano_2.jpg" style="width: 50px; height: 50px;"><br><strong>Nick Rosano</strong><br><em>Editor</em></p> |
<p class="rtecenter"><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/donovan-ricketts" target="_blank"><strong>DONOVAN RICKETTS</strong></a><br><strong>Portland Timbers</strong></p> |
<p>This might be the toughest choice in this year's awards voting with the likes of Penedo, Rimando, Nielsen and Irwin all boasting strong cases. But Ricketts gets the nod for his hugely impressive 1.00 goals-against average (second-best among starters behind SKC's Nielsen), dominant aerial presence and ability to consistently shine even as Portland's defense was decimated by injury early on in the season.</p><ul><li><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/video/2013/09/14/save-ricketts-clears-out-booming-shot-alvarez" target="_blank"><strong>SAVE: Ricketts papers over defensive mistake</strong></a></li></ul> |
