Los Angeles Galaxy prepare for expansion draft, protect 11 players

Fresh off their third MLS title in four years, the Los Angeles Galaxy have had to momentarily curtail their celebration and move on to the business of securing their championship nucleus.  With Wednesday's MLS Expansion Draft right around the corner, the Galaxy announced 11 protected players who will remain with the team when expansion clubs New York City FC and Orlando City SC make their selections.

The Galaxy have protected the following players: Leonardo, A.J. DeLaGarza, Omar Gonzalez, Baggio Husidic, Stefan Ishizaki, Robbie Keane, Tommy Meyer, Juninho, Jaime Penedo, Robbie Rogers, and Marcelo Sarvas.

The following players were left unprotected and will be eligible for selection in the 2014 MLS Expansion Draft: Todd Dunivant, Dan Gargan, Alan Gordon, Brian Perk, James Riley, Rafael Garcia, Brian Rowe, Charlie Rugg, and Kyle Venter.

Chandler Hoffman (Generation adidas), Bradford Jamieson IV (Homegrown), Jack McBean (Homegrown), Raul Mendiola (Homegrown), Oscar Sorto (Homegrown), Jose Villarreal (Homegrown), and Gyasi Zardes (Homegrown) are exempt from selection in the MLS Expansion Draft.

One player obviously absent from the lists is Landon Donovan, who retired following Sunday's MLS Cup.

Available Players
Dunivant, Todd
Gargan, Dan
Gordon, Alan
Perk Brian
Riley, James
Walker, Kenney
Garcia, Rafael
Rowe, Brian
Rugg, Charlie
Venter, Kyle

Protected Players
Da Silva, Leonardo
DeLaGarza, AJ
Gonzalez, Omar
Husidic, Baggio
Ishizaki, Stefan
Keane, Robbie
Meyer, Tommy
Pereira, Vitor (Juninho)
Penedo, Jaime
Rogers, Robbie
Sarvas, Marcelo

Homegrown Players exempt from selection
Jamieson, Bradford
McBean, Jack
Mendiola, Raul
Sorto, Oscar
Villarreal, Jose
Zardes, Gyasi

Generation adidas Players exempt from selection
Hoffman, Chandler

By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com and news services