To our readers: Thank you for taking part in our Mailbag Monday this week. Star Tribune beat writers received many questions about the teams and leagues we cover, and each writer selected at least a couple of questions to answer. Look for a question and answer about each team in Wednesday's Star Tribune.
Q. Heard there is another MLS team now in on acquiring Emanuel Reynoso. Is that true? If so who is the other club? -- @Kmarlow0713
Interesting, isn't it? That Twitter chatter out of Buenos Aires has been out there for a couple weeks now. Yet in this world where everything eventually leaks, nobody has named that other MLS club. My instincts from doing this the last 35 years is that it's a leak by Boca Juniors as a negotiating tactic seeking at least a $12 million transfer fee. The Loons had filed for and received his priority discovery rights, but I haven't been able to get a definitive answer how long that can last until another MLS team is allowed to pursue.
Q. What are the players up to? How are they staying fit? -- @atinklenberg
Best I can tell, they're self-distancing at home. MLS has told players to remain in market until further advised. The league's next update should come Friday. They're not allowed to train as a team, or individually at their Blaine facility unless it's physical therapy for an injury supervised by the team's medical staff.
Players worked out at their own apartment's gym when the state closed fitness centers, but most of those have been closed now, too. Jan Gregus, for one, ran stairs at his high-rise apartment building. Many have been getting outdoors for runs as they can, but it's tricky trying to stay fit given an unprecedented situation like this.
Many of them, such as Tyler Miller and Ethan Finlay, have taken to social-media videos. Last wek Miller dressed up in a red Christmas suit and tie for the #StayAtHomeChallenge while juggling a roll of toilet paper with his feet. Miller also got out to see a little of Minnesota; he posted something from Taylors Falls recently.
Finlay has played keepaway from his dog Lola with a soccer ball and done pushups alongside the little fella, among other things.
The team's training staff has come up with a plan for some players and issued some fitness challenges and nutrition ideas. I'll hopefully have more on that for a story soon.
Q, Any idea how long it will be before MLS gives up the idea of playing a full season? -- @nathan3e
The league last Thursday said it "remains focused" on playing a full season even after it took the CDC's recommendations and postponed all games into mid-May. That still gives time for this pandemic situation to change by then. If the CDC changes its recommendations beyond its original eight-week timeline, or if that mid-May date gets extended, then MLS almost certainly takes another look at it. The league's next update is expected to come Friday. -- @nathan3e
Q. What's going on regarding any transfers in or out, including Reynoso? Any known plans for the summer window? -- @PatrickCaugh
For now, it seems like everything's on hold until there's clarity about when the season will resume. Adrian Heath vows they'll play on quite happily with Kevin Molino at the No. 10 attacking midfielder spot. But he has an injury history, and that hamstring injury in the first half at San Jose was a reminder. The search for an upgrade at that position will go on probably into the July window, if it's not Reynoso by then.
