We have all read local articles suggesting that Real Salt Lake is standing pat with their current roster.  Sure there were a few garden variety trialists that showed up to rookie camp yesterday, but no signs of anything serious.  Maybe we should take these articles at face value and assume that the roster we will see on opening day will be largely the roster we have today plus a little tweaking down at the bottom of the roster.

However, I have a hunch – not a terribly informed one, but one built in the context of a number of discussions and observations that I have had over the past couple of months, and even the past couple of years.  This hunch tells me that there are often things percolating beneath the surface that we aren’t always aware of.  This hunch tells me that there may be more to this story.

Here are a few of the more solid things that I can relate to you, much of the rest is “feeling” and “speculation” on my part:

1) Garth Lagerwey feels that the closer you get to the season the better values you can find.  By necessity the team is a bargain shopper at this stage.

2) It’s also sometimes wise to let the current roster sort itself out.  While this team has relatively little sorting out to do – a camp with Pablo Campos, Abe Thompson, Fabian Espindola, Nelson Gonzalez and a few rookies involved will reveal where they are each headed.  There will be a natural sorting out that will occur over the next few weeks.  Once that’s done, the needs (and particularly the magnitude of the needs) will become more apparent.

3) Negotiations can happen fast, or they can stretch out as both sides explore alternate options.  The final resolution will occur when either side has a pressing need to bring the situation to closure.  It’s possible that RSL has some options hovering around, but haven’t wanted to press the issue.

We all know about the recent extension of the CBA deadline to Feb 12th.  Until the salary cap and other details are clarified a team like RSL might be unwise to make a move if their roster is mostly set.  They may have only one option at a roster addition.  To “overshoot” may require subsequent roster adjustments that have a negative impact if the cap is reduced.  To “undershoot” is perhaps even more damaging, as you may locked into a lower level player than you could have had once an increased cap is in place.

So could RSL be standing pat with this roster? Sure. Could they have things in the works, but be waiting until the final details of the CBA are set before they act on them?  That’s anybody’s guess, but my hunch tells me to bet on the latter.