The Quakes announced today they have traded forward Quincy Amarikwa to the Colorado Rapids for a second round draft pick in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft. A trade or waiver to make room for Scott Sealy to return to the squad has been expected.

Quincy played in 24 games last season as a rookie, scoring a single goal and earning 2 assists. The 22 year old product of UC Davis came on as a sub for all but one of his 24 games, averaging 25 minutes a match.

Amarikwa’s energy, pace, and skill on the ball, as demonstrated in the last 10 minutes of the Quakes season opener, have made him of the fans’ favorites. An official announcement of the re-signing of Scott Sealy is widely expected.

It would be foolish not to recognize the small victories, and the Quakes can take some credit here. Somehow the Quakes have already gotten the ITC in hand for Ramon Sanchez who signed only this last Thursday, making Sanchez available to play Saturday against DC United.

This is in sharp contrast to the availability of DC United’s recent signing Danny Szetela. Szetela was signed on July 15th but has not been able to play in a match for United yet due to delays in getting his ITC.

Danny & Sanchez should both be available for Saturday’s match, likely facing off in center midfield against each other, if they are brought into the game. New talent, eager to impress their new clubs, these new midfielders going mano-a-mano could make the center of the pitch an interesting place.

Parents are fond of saying, “Life isn’t fair.” I’ve said it to the kids a few times myself. In their expansion return to MLS last season, the San Jose Earthquakes had two saving graces: the midseason acquisition of Darren Huckerby and a solid defense led by longtime Kansas City Wizard Nick Garcia. Injury has kept Huckerby on the sideline for two-thirds of the 2009 campaign, and the Earthquakes vie for the worst defense this year inexplicably led by Nick Garcia’s lapses. Life isn’t fair.

The Earthquakes’ office was busy this week. San Jose sent Garcia to Toronto FC as well as discovery rights to Ali Gerba in exchange for a third round pick in the 2010 SuperDraft. At the same time the Quakes acquired Chris Wondolowski and a conditional draft pick in the 2010 SuperDraft from the Houston Dynamo for forward Cam Weaver. Weaver had one goal and two assists in nine appearances for San Jose. Wondolowski began his MLS career with the Quakes in 2005 and moved with the team to Houston the following year. He has two goals for the Dynamo this season.

“We are happy to bring Chris back home to the Bay Area,” said Quakes’ general manager John Doyle. “He is a hard worker who we think can make a positive impact for us. He understands the game well and should fit in nicely with our team.”

Saturday, the Quakes travel for the second time this year to Seattle to face the newest MLS team. The Sounders should be languishing at the bottom of their league suffering the slings and arrows that must befall an expansion club, but life isn’t fair. The Sounders won their first three and reached 4-2 before they cooled off. Despite this, the Sounders are tied for third in the Western table. They have one of the stingiest defenses in MLS led by US National Team veteran Kasey Keller in goal. With a 0.68 goals against average, Keller is second best after the Dynamo’s Pat Onstad’s 0.64. What’s wrong with this picture?

The first time the Quakes faced Seattle on April 25, the Sounders put San Jose away 2-0. Goals by rookie Steve Zakuani and Brad Evans put the kabosh on the notion that last year’s expansion side would easily handle this year’s expansion side. It was the sixth game of the Sounder’s inaugural season, and Keller hadn’t allowed a goal in 389 minutes, setting an MLS record. (Seattle lost its fourth game, 1-0, after Keller was red carded and then, of course, he missed the succeeding game, also a loss.) Since the beginning of May, Seattle has five ties along with a win and a loss bringing them back down to earth.

The Quakes, meanwhile, are beginning to show some life, if only incrementally. After enduring a five game losing streak, San Jose broke out a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake at home. Then last Sunday the Quakes earned a draw against FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park. The challenge of taking on Dallas in the Lone Star State was compounded because two players were called away for national team duty, and midfielder Ramiro Corrales sat out the game for yellow card accumulation. Add to that the usual injuries, and Quakes’ coach Frank Yallop had to juggle the lineup. Brandon McDonald saw his first appearance for the Quakes at midfield, and recent defensive acquisition Aaron Pitchkolan filled in at midfield as well.

It was one of the odder games this season. San Jose fell behind when David Ferreira put the Hoops on the board in the 29th minute. With the new midfield the Quakes had difficulty with ball control and didn’t generate much offense, but tied it in the 60th minute on an own goal. Dallas defenseman Pablo Ricchetti tried to clear a Shea Salinas free kick but only succeeded in deflecting it into the net. Suddenly a point was possible if San Jose could hold on, something they have been terrible at doing this year. Then out of the blue, Quakes’ winger Arturo Alvarez got a goal in the 82nd minute, and it looked like the Quakes might escape Texas with three points. The Hoops quashed that dream when the San Jose defense had another lapse, and Kenny Cooper netted a goal five minutes later.

Still, it was the Quakes first point away from home this season. It was also the first time this season that the Quakes didn’t lose after giving up the first goal of a game. The team is now 0-6-1 when allowing the first goal. And it was the second game in a row getting points after five previous games with none. When you’re the worst team in MLS, you take whatever moral victory you can.

After missing the last seven matches due to a right quadriceps strain, midfielder Darren Huckerby returned to the field on Sunday against FC Dallas, coming in as a substitute replacing Shea Salinas in the 90th minute. With Huckerby’s return and Garcia’s departure, will the Quakes’ fortunes reverse? While Garcia struggled, it isn’t as though the Quakes have a proven closer to replace him. Ryan Cochrane remains out after ankle surgery. Kelly Gray is a likely starter, or coach Frank Yallop could move newcomers Aaron Pitchkolen or Mike Zaher into the middle from outside defender. Jason Hernandez has performed well as the other central defender, but has been plagued with muscle strains.

With the slight elevation of San Jose’s fortunes and the relative deflation of Seattle’s, will the result be different from the first tilt between the two sides? Not bloody likely, but then life isn’t fair. Look for the Quakes to regroup defensively without Garcia and for Huckerby to breathe some life into the offense.

INJURIES:
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
OUT: DF Ryan Cochrane (L ankle surgery); PROBABLE: Jason Hernandez (R oblique strain); MF Darren Huckerby (R quadriceps strain)

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
OUT: GK Chris Eylander (L medial knee bone bruise); DF Zach Scott (partial tear abdominal muscle); DF Taylor Graham (R metatarsal fracture); FW Jarrod Smith (L hamstring strain); QUESTIONABLE: MF Peter Vagenas (R ankle pain); PROBABLE: MF Osvaldo Alonso (R quad strain)

The San Jose Earthquakes completed a trade with FC Dallas, sending allocation money and a first round pick in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft to FCD in exchange for forward/midfielder Arturo Alvarez. The draft pick in question had obtained Houston’s natural first round pick in the 2009 draft in exchange for forward Kei Kamara on June 24.

The 22-year old Alvarez has scored three goals and added three assists in 16 games this year. Dallas acquired Alvarez on Jan. 14, 2005 from San Jose along with Richard Mulrooney and two draft picks in exchange for Brad Davis, a draft pick, and allocation money. In three and a half seasons with Dallas, Alvarez appeared in 86 regular season games, scoring 11 goals and adding 11 assists.

The Houston Dynamo announced today they have acquired 23-year-old forward Kei Kamara in a trade with the San Jose Earthquakes. In exchange for Kamara, the Dynamo sent San Jose a first-round draft pick in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft and allocation money.

Kamara, a Generation Adidas player, has scored seven goals in three MLS seasons, two with the Columbus Crew and one with San Jose. He scored against the Dynamo earlier this year. A product of Cal State-Dominguez Hills, Kamara was capped four times for Sierra Leone in World Cup qualifying matches in June. The 6-foot-3 Kamara adds size and pace to the Dynamo attack.

“Our goal has been to add depth at forward, and this move accomplishes just that,” Dynamo Chief Operating Officer Chris Canetti said. “We are pleased to bring Kei into our club and expect that he will play a positive role as we head into the second half of the season.”

The Colorado Rapids acquired veteran goalkeeper Preston Burpo and a 2009 fourth round SuperDraft pick in a trade today with the San Jose Earthquakes. In exchange the Rapids sent Jovan Kirovski and Kelly Gray to the Bay Area.

“With the expected absence of Bouna Coundoul and unexpected duration of the injury to Justin Hughes, we needed to address our goalkeeping situation,” said Rapids head coach Fernando Clavijo. “Preston is an experienced ‘keeper in MLS and will help solidify that position for us.”

Burpo has a career goals-against average of 1.18 in 22 games, all with Chivas USA in 2006 and 2007. The Maryland native was traded from Chivas to San Jose in the off season, but has been limited to reserve division action this year behind Joe Cannon. Burpo spent time on the Rapids roster in the early 2000’s, but never saw any game action.

Kirovski joined the Rapids in 2005 in a late season trade with the Los Angeles Galaxy and had scored 12 goals in 61 games. Kirovski had yet to see the field this season. Gray returns to the Earthquakes after playing 20 games for them in 2005 and played 100 minutes in two games for the Rapids this season.

The San Jose Earthquakes announced today the team had signed defender Eric Denton. The former Santa Clara University All-American returns to the Bay Area to continue his professional career after an impressive preseason with the Quakes.

“Eric is a veteran player who has an excellent left foot,” said Earthquakes General Manager John Doyle. “He has had a strong MLS career and he provides good depth for us in the squad. It is nice to bring Eric back to where he played his college soccer.”

The Falls Church, Va., native had a solid MLS career that began in 2000 with D.C. United. He has appeared in 160 games with 148 starts, while scoring five goals and notching 19 assists from 2000-2006. He did not play in 2007.

Denton, 30, most recently played for the Colorado Rapids, appearing in 53 games in 2005 and 2006 and helping the team reach back-to-back Western Conference Finals. He notched one goal and seven assists playing mostly as a left back for the Rapids. His five assists in 2005 were a career high.

From 2002-04, he excelled for the Columbus Crew after being selected in the 2002 MLS Dispersal Draft by the Crew. He was named the team’s Defender of the Year in 2003 after starting 25 games and scoring two goals and recording one assist. The following season, he helped the Crew to one of the club’s best seasons in club history, as they finished the year with an 18-game unbeaten streak to win the MLS Supporter’s Shield.

Prior to joining the Crew, Denton spent half a season with the now defunct Tampa Bay Mutiny, playing 13 games and recording two assists. He was traded to the Mutiny from D.C. United, where he played in 2000 and 2001. He scored his first career goal for D.C. against the Earthquakes on Apr. 12, 2001.

A two-time All-American at Santa Clara, he appeared in 83 games for the Broncos. He led the team to the 1999 NCAA Championship Game before losing to Indiana University.

Fact File

Eric Denton #2
Position: Defender
Height: 5-9
Weight: 155
Born: Feb. 8, 1978 in Falls Church, Virginia
Hometown: Manteca, Calif.
College: Santa Clara
Last Club: Colorado Rapids (MLS)

The San Jose Earthquakes announced today the team has acquired midfielder Ronnie O’Brien from Toronto FC in exchange for a first round draft pick in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft and allocation money.”Ronnie O’Brien adds a proven offensive threat to our team,” stated John Doyle General Manager of Soccer Operations of the San Jose Earthquakes. “He has a great engine with a mind to go forward. His attacking mentality will keep opposing defenses honest and create a lot of opportunities for us.”

During his six years playing in MLS, O’Brien has played 114 regular season games and seven post season games. He has scored 12 goals and recorded 39 assists. For his efforts, he has participated in the MLS All-Star game four times and been named to the MLS Best XI team twice. O’Brien also has international experience playing for the Ireland U-18, U-19 and U-21 National Teams, winning the European Championship with the U-18 side.

Last season in 2007 O’Brien started 13 games for Toronto FC making his appearance on May 12 against Chicago and taking part in team’s first ever victory. He started the 2007 MLS All-Star that faced Celtic in Colorado playing 80 minutes before being subbed off L.A. Galaxy legend Cobi Jones.

The native of Bray, Ireland made the all-star team three consecutive seasons from 2004-2006, while earning MLS Best XI honors in 2004 and 2005. His best year came in 2005 when he netted six goals and had 12 assists for Dallas. He was the only player in MLS to reach double figures in assists all three of those seasons, finishing second in the league in assists all three years.

He signed with Dallas midway through the 2002 seasons and played 11 games, scoring two goals and recording two assists to help them reach the playoffs that season. His 2003 season was wiped out after breaking his tibia just three games into the season. He returned to play the final three matches of the year. He scored one goal that season.

O’Brien played in Europe from 1999-2002. He spent the 2001-02 season with Dundee United in Scotland, playing in 13 matches and scoring one goal. In 1999 he played for Juventus in preseason games and one InterToto match, entering in the 77th minute of Juventus’ 5-1 in over Russian club Rostselmaschl on April. He trained with players like Zinedine Zidane, Alessandro Del Piero and Edgar Davids. He was then loaned to to Lugano in Switzerland for six months, Crotone in Italy’s Serie C for six months, and Lecco also in Italy’s Serie C.

O’Brien began his professional career at the age of 18 with Middlesbrough in the English Premier League, coming from Ireland , where he played for Wolfe Tone, Wayside Celtic, St. Joseph ‘s Boys, and Bray Wanderers. He spent two years with Middlesbrough before signing a five-year contract with Juventus of the Italian Serie A.