ttle on the cost of Toronto FCs

TORONTO -- The lid has been lifted a little on the cost of Toronto FCs rebirth, with a 2014 player payroll almost quadrupled from last season. Figures released Thursday by the MLS Players Union show that Toronto is home to three of the 12 players in the league making million-dollar-plus salaries in 2014. Seattle Sounders striker Clint Dempsey is the leagues highest-paid player at $6.695 million (all figures U.S.). Two Toronto players are next with U.S. midfielder Michael Bradley at $6.5 million and England striker Jermain Defoe at $6.18 million. Los Angeles Galaxy players ranked fourth and fifth with forward Landon Donovan listed at $4.583 million and Irish striker Robbie Keane at $4.5 million. Two New York Red Bulls are next: French striker Thierry Henry at $4.35 million and Australian midfielder Tim Cahill at $3.625. Montreal forward Marco Di Vaio is the highest-paid Impact player at $2.6 million (eighth in the league) while midfielder Pedro Morales leads the Vancouver Whitecaps at $1.41 million (10th). Torontos Brazilian striker Gilberto earns $1.2 million (12th), making for a total TFC payroll of $16.65 million. That compares to a team total of $4.35 million last season, according to the unions September 2013 numbers. The TFC spending spree is paying dividends with Toronto (3-1-0) currently second in the Eastern Conference standings. The team managed only six wins in 2013 when it went 6-17-11. Tim Leiweke, CEO and president of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, has said the soccer club will lose money this season because of the outlay, however. The other million-dollar-plus earners are Seattle forward Obafemi Martins ($1.753 million, ninth) and Los Angeles defender Omar Gonzalez ($125 million, 11th). All 12 are designated players, meaning that only $387,500 of their pay counts against their clubs $3.1-million salary cap. The union figures do not include performance bonuses. Not do they show instances where players are provided accommodations, which an union spokesman said was rare but can happen. And its safe to assume that Julio Cesar, the Brazilian international goalkeeper on loan with Toronto from Queens Park Rangers, is not having to scrape by on a mere $202,000. QPR is no doubt topping up his bank account big-time. Thanks to the leagues complicated rules, player salaries may be larger than listed by the union. Teams can used so-called allocation money to buy down player salaries, including the cap hit of DPs. MLS rules state: "Clubs have the option of buying down the budget charge of a designated player with allocation money. The reduced charge may not be less than $150,000." Still the union salary figures offer a look at a league of haves and have nots. Mark Bloom, a 26-year-old fullback who has played every minute of Torontos first four games, is listed as making $48,825. On the plus side, Blooms salary was $46,500 last season. The extra money will come in handy now that Blooms wife is expecting their first child. To put Bradleys and Defoes $6-million-plus 2014 salaries in perspective, Toronto Maple Leafs stars Phil Kessel and Dion Phaneuf signed eight-year, $64-million and seven year, $49-million contract extensions, respectively, earlier this season. Phaneuf is making $5.5 million this season while Kessel is getting $5.4 million. Raptors forward Amir Johnson, another member of the MLSE family, reportedly makes the same money as Bradley at $6.5 million. Thats some $6 million more than Toronto Argonauts quarterback Ricky Ray reportedly will make this season and hes the highest-paid player in the CFL. Veteran Canadian international Dwayne De Rosario, who rejoined Toronto FC during the off-season, is listed at $173,000. Thats down from the $645,333 he got last year with D.C. United. Toronto captain Steven Caldwells listed salary is $364,167 while Vancouver skipper Jay DeMerit is at $2457,500 and Montreal captain Patrice Bernier makes $205,000. Canadian international midfielder Will Johnson, who captains the Portland Timbers, is listed at $325,000. Newly acquired Impact striker Jack McInerney is making $294,167 while Vancouver forward Kenny Miller is at $940,000, down from $1.25 million a year ago. Toronto midfielder Jonathan Osorio got a healthy raise, moving to $142,600 from $46,500. Goalie Joe Bendik went to $147,375 from $46,500, only to lose his starting job to Cesar. U.S. international midfielder Graham Zusi, at $398,250, is the highest-paid member of defending champion Sporting Kansas City. But he is also one of six players making more than $200,000 on the roster. Toronto has five players above $200,000. MLS has a ways to go to catch other leagues. Barcelona pays Argentine star Lionel Messi more than $21 million a year, according to Forbes magazine. The MLS union numbers include the players base salary and all signing and guaranteed bonuses annualized over the term of the players contract, including option years. Wholesale Ecco Shoes . - For a general manager who preaches building through the draft, Reggie McKenzie has struggled to find impact players his first two years in Oakland. Ecco Shoes For Sale . Unfortunately for Toronto, that surge was too much to handle as the Stars scored six straight goals and ended the Marlies season with a 6-2 victory on Tuesday. Toronto had built a 2-0 lead on goals by Frazer McLaren and Peter Holland, but Texas charged back with a wild rally late in the second period to spark its trip to the Calder Cup final. http://www.eccocheap.com/. - Justin Turner is at his best with runners in scoring position, and he delivered again in a big spot for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Discount Ecco Shoes . Unlike last year when nobody got in, there have been estimates of as many as five getting voted in this time around and as few as one, Greg Maddux. Wholesale Ecco Shoes Free Shipping . Bibeau, Torontos sixth-round pick at No. 172 overall in last years draft, was named the outstanding goaltender of the 2014 MasterCard Memorial Cup.Toronto FC enter their busiest month of the Major League Soccer season sitting in a great position. With 20 points from their first 12 matches they are fourth in the Eastern Conference. They are within striking distance of the summit, with multiple games in hand on the teams above them as they head to the Windy City to face the Chicago Fire on Wednesday night, live on TSN and TSN Radio 1050. The Reds conceded a late goal to drop a couple of points in New York on Friday in their first game back from the World Cup break, but the 2-2 draw at Red Bull Arena extended their unbeaten run to five matches, their longest run without a defeat in almost two years. It is six years since the only other time Toronto FC managed to take 20 points from their first 12 matches. Last year it took until their 22nd match to reach that mark. So there is much to be positive about as the Reds look to climb the standings during a hectic month ahead. The Form: During their five match unbeaten run, Toronto FC have won three home games and drawn twice away from home. Both of their ties on the road came against teams that are expected to be challenging for the playoffs come the end of the season. First, they showed resilience to fight back late in the game despite being a man down at defending champions Sporting Kansas City, and then last Friday the late goal went against them as they drew 2-2 in New York. For far too many seasons in Major League Soccer, Toronto FC have traveled away and shown very little ability to collect points. But things have changed. Yes there have been a couple of dismal days this season like the defeat at Real Salt Lake, but there have also been wins at Seattle and Columbus as well as the recent draws. This is a team that now has the quality and belief to go anywhere in MLS and get a positive result. The Big Question: Will Jermain Defoe keep scoring? Defoe now has eight goals in nine MLS appearances and theres no reason to believe his goal-scoring touch will disappear anytime soon.  Toronto FC paid mega bucks to sign him from Tottenham Hotspur in January, and so far Defoe has been worth every cent. His movement and instinct in-front of goal is as good as any other player in Major League Soccer. He took his goal superbly against New York Red Bulls and has now scored in each of his last three matches. He has five goals in his last five MLS games. With Defoe on the pitch, Toronto FC are in every game. The Lineup: With Gilberto struggling with a hip flexor injury, it coulld be an unchanged lineup for Ryan Nelsens men.dddddddddddd. The Brazilian seems to be the only injury concern for Nelsen right now, and until Michael Bradley returns from the World Cup, the eleven against New York is pretty much as strong as it gets for Toronto. Dominic Oduro made his first start for the club against the Red Bulls following his move from Columbus and is likely to start against his former team. Oduro looked lively for the Reds and set up Defoe for TFCs first goal. With Collen Warner, Jonathan Osorio and Jackson completing the midfield, there is plenty of MLS experience. The mid-season additions of Warner and Oduro have really strengthened the Reds midfield. With Gilberto expected to miss out, Defoe and Moore should once again start as the pairing up front. The Opposition: Under new head coach Frank Yallop, it has been a slow start to the season for Chicago Fire. The former Canadian international joined the Fire at the end of last season but his side has found it tough to win games in the opening quarter of the year. They havent lost many, but they head into Wednesdays game sitting bottom of the Eastern Conference. The Fire have secured 14 points from 14 matches, with just two wins, but they have drawn eight times. They lost their final match before the World Cup break 3-2 at home to Seattle Sounders, and will now be without defender Jon Kennedy Hurtado who was sent off in that match. Chicago are without a win in their last four matches since securing impressive victories at New York (5-4) and home to Sporting KC (2-1). Former Toronto FC forward Quincy Amarikwa is having a good season and is the Fires joint leading scorer along with rookie Harry Ship, who scored both goals in the loss to Seattle. Yallops team can also call upon Major League Soccers reigning MVP Mike Magee. The Odds: The history books are on Chicagos side. Toronto FC are without a win in their last eight matches against the Fire dating back to May 2010, and the Reds have never won in Chicago on their seven previous visits. In fact, in 16 all-time meetings, TFC have won just three times. But if there was ever a time for Toronto to put things right in Chicago, it is now. Torontos road form is much improved over past seasons and the Fire have been inconsistent so far this season. However, the wise money would be on a scoring draw. Where To Watch: Join me with Jason de Vos and Kara Lang for Chicago Fire against Toronto FC live on TSN on Wednesday at 8:30pm ET, 5:30pm PT. ' ' '