Fringe Stocks: Who's Up and Who's Down

After a mini-break from blogging due to some more pressing matters, I'm back.  Since it seems to be the popular thing to do this week, I was thinking about compiling yet another roster prediction, but at this point I'm just getting a little tired of it.  To be honest, I can't wait until Bob Bradley finally makes his announcement; after that, no more speculation, no more uncertainty, and no more guessing (though I'm sure there will be some second-guessing).  There should really be a World Cup betting line on just how many roster predictions will come out in the coming weeks (of which, one will probably be mine); the number is sure to be astronomical, despite the fact that most of them will surely say the same thing.  But hey, we only get to do this once every four years, so it's understandable I suppose. 

Anyways, instead of contributing to that prediction heap, here's a more focused look at a handful of players whose World Cup status is still very much up in the air and how their respective stocks are rising and falling as we come down the stretch.

----

Stock Rising:

Ricardo Clark

Three weeks ago, Clark was still rooted to the bench in Frankfurt, and his World Cup dreams were very much in doubt as a result.  Questions of form, rust, and match experience abounded, and the rise of Maurice Edu only magnified Rico's plight.  Fast forward to today, though, and Clark is suddenly making a solid case for the ticket to South Africa that many thought he had already earned last year after his strong 2009 with the national team.  Any doubts that Rico wouldn't be sharp enough after months on the bench have been wiped away, as the former Dynamo star has looked solid in his two recent Bundesliga starts; he's held his own, hasn't looked out of place in one of the world's top leagues, and has improved game on game.  He showed the same defensive energy that made him such an important presence in the midfield last year, and he looks set to make one more start in Frankfurt's final league match before international duty. 

At this point, I see him as a lock for a call into camp, and I still believe that he will ultimately be one of the 23 players making the trip to Rustenburg at the end of the month.  The defensive midfielder position is an important one in Bob Bradley's defensive scheme, and if matches over the past year have taught us anything, it's that the midfield takes a pretty big defensive hit without someone like Rico or Maurice Edu in the lineup.  So, adding some cover at a pretty important position (particularly one that could be more prone to card accumulation) would seem logical.  Clark still has some work to do, but I think things are certainly looking up for him.  Even if he makes the roster, though, the starting spot seems to be Maurice Edu's to lose.


Freddy Adu

Now, for all of you Adu haters out there, bear with me for a minute.  I'm not yet advocating that the Aris midfielder be called into camp, but his recent good form in the Greek League has helped get him in the conversation for one of the final spots on the preliminary 30-man roster.  Whether you like his game or not, it's pretty unique compared to much of the player pool, and it appears to be becoming much more well-rounded under manager Hector Cuper.  Freddy has even displayed some good defensive play (gasp!) over the past couple of matches.  We'll see what happens over the next week or so, as Adu and Aris will play two more playoff matches before the May 11th preliminary roster deadline.  Either way, folks should just recognize that Freddy is taking steps forward in Greece, which I expect will help him into the national team rotation in the next cycle, if not this cycle's preliminary roster.  If I had to guess, I'd say that Adu is one of the 30, though I don't see him getting a spot in camp just yet.


Eddie Johnson

Another guy who attracts a lot of hate, Eddie Johnson has also seen his stock rise in recent weeks thanks to his brace against Olympiakos two weeks ago.  With lingering question marks at striker, a lot of options are still in play, and EJ's strong showing against one of the Greek League's best will certainly bolster his case for inclusion.  At this point, I think it may be too little, too late, as the rise of Edson Buddle and Herculez Gomez doesn't leave much room for further experimentation during camp.  Unless he really wows us in those aforementioned Aris playoff games in the coming days, I don't see him on the preliminary roster.  With that being said, his stock is at least on the upswing, a positive sign from a guy who will be addressing his club situation once his loan expires in June.


Edson Buddle

This is an obvious one, and I'm sure some at this point some would go so far as to say that Buddle isn't even a fringe player anymore thanks to his torrid start to the 2010 season.  He's scoring goals of all kinds, making it look easy and showing a knack for making the right run.  Buddle probably had sealed his place in camp a couple weeks ago (though he's not yet headed to South Africa, in my opinion), but his recent brace and assist against Philadelphia just further cemented that status.  I expect him to get a run out in one of the sendoff matches, though I think a lot of Bob's evaluation will happen behind closed doors in training.

----

Stock Falling:

DaMarcus Beasley

Alejandro Bedoya's late charge might earn him a spot in South Africa, but it may be at the expense of a USMNT veteran.  Once again, DaMarcus Beasley's status is in doubt thanks to sparse minutes with Rangers.  Were it not for his strong showing against the Netherlands, I don't think he'd even be in the discussion at this point.  Nevertheless, he is, and his appearance on Saturday against Dundee United didn't do too much to instill confidence in those still on the fence.  He didn't look his sharpest, and he'd be doing himself a big favor if he can turn in something better in one of his team's final two matches of the season (which includes a match against Celtic today at 2:45 ET).  In the end, he'll probably limp into camp (yes, I think he'll get the invite), where his fate will ultimately be determined.

----

Stock Stable:

Herculez Gomez

It's more of a "out of sight, out of mind" case, but Herculez Gomez is neither rising or falling at this point.  He finished up the Mexican League season tied atop the scoring chart, with the break being possibly the only thing that could have stopped his goalscoring run.  He's now currently training with Chivas USA in hopes of staying sharp ahead of what will almost certainly be a call to camp.  Gomez' stock has soared this spring, but now it seems to have leveled off, with the final test of the cycle now lying just a few weeks away. 

----

That's it for now, but stay tuned for a Yanks in Europe post later today, as I recap Sunday's action and today's Old Firm.