As I was watching the Card's disgraceful melt down against the Pirates, I was also trying to keep an eye on the last 30 minutes of the Chicago/Toronto MLS match. Once again, it looked like a helluva lot of good attacking soccer was on display. It has been very hit and miss for me getting to watch the MLS this year, but what I have seen has been damned exciting and the parity has to put a smile on the face of league officials.
There are few things harder to keep track of than an MLS side in their off-season, at least for me. Despite the fact it takes place roughly during the time the MLB Hot Stove season is in full swing, it is nowhere near as easy to follow along with as baseball. Part of it is how disconnected MLS is with the international soccer calendar. St. Louis City SC is still digesting the moves it made last summer even though those players have already played important games for the club. It is all weird and disjointed, and I always feel like I am playing catch-up. Happily, the moves made in the off-season this year were not numerous. German Timo Baumgartl comes over from Europe as an option at center back, which is good because that was a position that was a little rocky for City last season. Given his own troubles over the last few seasons (cancer and uneven play in the aftermath of that), a spell with City can give Baumgartl a chance to have a re-set. Given his pedigree and the fact City si...
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