Why Steven Beitashour is a great signing

Steven Beitashour made all of $49,612.50 last season playing for San Jose. He is set to make a sight more than that in 2014 playing for the Whitecaps ("upwards of $200k", says MLS writer Ben Jata), and deservedly so.

Some people are questioning that amount, and in a salary cap league, all salaries should be judged on their value (though not necessarily on their replacement cost - the contract/trading system in MLS renders that difficult at best). So let's take a look at what the value of a good right back is in MLS. Or rather, in the Western Conference, because it's easier, quicker, and within my realm of knowledge.

Team	Player	Games	Minutes	G	A	Salary
CR	Marvell Wynne	28	2315	0	2	285,000.00
LA	Sean Franklin	33	2736	1	4	248,333.33
VW	YP Lee	32	2747	0	6	231,100.00
PT	Jack Jewsbury	26	2240	0	1	194,750.00
RSL	Tony Beltran	25	2230	0	1	166,800.00
FCD	Zach Loyd	25	2132	0	0	136,997.50
CHV	Mario de Luna	30	2637	1	0	120,000.00
SS	DeAndre Yedlin	31	2710	1	2	53,500.00
SJ	Beitashour	27	2426	1	3	49,612.50

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Notes:

1. Salary is the guaranteed salary as published by the MLS Players Union. 
2. I apologize for relying on goals and assists, but it's the most accessible data.
3. Kellyn Acosta took over for Zach Loyd in Dallas, but Loyd had twice the starts on the season.

So a fairly wide range of salaries for starting right backs, but in general those are likely a higher wages than many people would guess at. Basic conclusion seems to be that a good starting right back in this league is going to cost you $150-250k, and the player acquisition mechanisms and restrictions mean you'll likely have to overpay (one way or another) to get one in the first place.

What jumps out at me when looking at that list is that the quality of fullbacks in this league is not that high. Is Beitashour one of the best right backs in MLS? Well, yes, but that's mostly because there isn't a ton of quality in the league. He's certainly very good at this level.

Beltran is the best of the group, and deserves a higher salary. Both Beltran and Beitashour are solid, very good players, nothing too spectacular, but smart, organized, athletic, etc. Franklin is a little flashier at times, but I rarely notice him when I watch LA - I wondered at his salary when I first noticed it last season, and LA was probably smart to let him go. Yedlin shows promise, and in a couple years I think he'll be the best right back in the league. Expect him to get a significant raise soon.

Lee was a joy to watch in 2012, but his drop-off in 2013 was significant. Jewsbury is not a natural right back, but is smart and effective, and knows his limitations. De Luna, we barely knew ye... Wynne has has phenomenal recovery speed, but $285k for a fullback with questionable ball skills is a really poor use of cap space. Kellyn Acosta will be one to watch in Dallas - he's just 18, and I think won the starting job from Loyd on merit.

Clearly Beitashour was being criminally underpaid. What's interesting is that apparently San Jose tried to renegotiate his salary up but he wouldn't. And now he's getting a huge pay raise. The Whitecaps will pay somewhere in that $150-200k range, and all of a sudden a ridiculous off-season doesn't look so bad.

UPDATE: If you haven't yet, go read Ben Massey's comprehensive look at Beitashour's career so far:

http://www.maple-leaf-forever.com/2014/01/29/those-steven-beitashour-statistics-in-full/