OTFATT 2008: Update #4

Previous Updates #1 4/14 68 players remaining #2 5/18 40 players remaining #3 6/8 25 players remaining OTFATT is short for "On the field, all the time." In this post and subsequent updates throughout the season, I'll be keeping track of which MLS players have played every minute of every game (regular season only). This feat has been accomplished a total of 29 times in 12 seasons. Click here for the full list of survivors. With a third of the season to go, we're down to 13 names (7 keepers, 6 field players). Since the last update, two more teams (CHV & TOR) have lost their last player. Probably the biggest shock was seeing Matt Reis getting subbed out this past weekend. Reis had played every single minute of every single MLS regular season match since August 27, 2005 (which was when he got red carded the previous match vs the Rapids). He had played 7,795 minutes in a row (MLSnet link) which was an MLS record. The Olympics also had an effect, causing Michael Parkhurst and Marvell Wynne to fall off. But the big thing to watch out for now is discipline. For many of the remaining players, that's the biggest obstacle from playing every minute. For instance, I have a hard time believing that Bobby Boswell will make it the rest of the season without getting another yellow. The most obvious candidates to make it are Jon Busch, Joe Cannon, Jon Conway, and Kevin Hartman. They all have backups who have yet to play an MLS match. Among field players, I would tab Nat Borchers as the favorite. It really seems like the record of 5 players making it in a single year could be matched or broken this season. Remaining Candidates (13) CHI Busch CLB Carroll, Hesmer DC Simms (2) HOU Boswell (1) KC Conrad (2), Hartman LA Cronin NE Heaps (2) NY Conway RSL Borchers, Rimando SJ Cannon Order of teams being totally wiped out, with last surviving player: 1. DAL-Dario Sala (6/1) 2. COL-Facundo Erpen (6/7) 3. CHV-Brad Guzan (6/14) 4. TOR-Marvell Wynne (7/28)