The updated MLS salary list came out late last week. From that, we have identified the top five MLS men who are delivering well beyond their salary range.
(MORE: MLS Top Five overpaid players)
The under-compensated players listed here appear in alphabetical order:
San Jose right back Steven Beitashour, $49,000: We are not hearing as much about the lively right back this year; his 2012 MLS All-Star season was the more heralded “breakout season.” Plus, San Jose isn’t having the same kind of signature season. But none of that makes Beitashour, a fringe national team talent, any less of a bargain
San Jose center back Victor Bernardez, $100,000: If Bernardez was not the best defender in MLS last year, he was in the top 2 (along with Omar Gonzalez). He’s still a big presence back there, although the team in front of him isn’t as strong.
Colorado left back Chris Klute, $46,000: Consider that highly paid playmakers Javier Morales, Federico Higuain, Graham Zusi and others all have 6 or 7 assists. Now consider that Klute (pictured, on the left), the second-year Rapids defender, has seven himself. That’s fantastic production from a left back, and even more prodigious considering Klute is just 23 years old.
New England center back Jose Goncalves, $104,000: New England thought they had a pretty good shepherd for the back line when they signed the Portuguese veteran, who had experience in Switzerland, Germany and Scotland before joining MLS this year. But who
New England goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth, $84,000: Good goalkeepers around MLS generally fall into the 150,000-200,000 range. Shuttleworth has displaced longtime Revs starter Matt Reis, and he backstops one of the league’s top defenses, all at this discounted rate.
