The Case for Santiago Moreno

Who is telling the truth in this saga?

Today Giovanni Savarese addressed the media for the first time since Santiago Moreno’s transfer request became public knowledge. In the press conference that followed, Savarese talked about a recent conversation that he had with Santi. He said that the Oregonian article about Moreno’s request “surprised” him. He went on to reiterate that Moreno was happy in Portland. 

There are many different schools of thought surrounding this press conference. The vast majority of which concern accusations of dishonesty from Savarese. It is worth noting that Aljaz Ivacic directly called Savarese a “liar” earlier this season. However, since I attended today’s press conference (virtually), there were a couple of things that stuck out to me besides Savarese’s words. 

Savarese is usually very concise and clear with his answers during any media availability. That behavior continued today, but only when Moreno wasn’t the topic of conversation. His main point of surprise was conveyed pretty clearly, but there were several moments of hesitation. To me, he looked like a man who was on the witness stand defending crimes he did not commit. I don’t think Santi’s main beef is with Savarese, and that tracks with Savarese’s comments. I think it’s very reactionary to point at Gio and “he’s the problem” in regards to Santi. Of course, I am ignoring the team’s recent form and the entire past two seasons, but I’m only talking about Santiago Moreno in this article. Gio is not blameless in this situation either, but getting angry at him misses the point of this new saga with Moreno. I think the anger at Gio primarily comes from Santi’s benching in Colorado. 

The main issue in this entire situation is Santi’s contract. I will dig into the specifics of that later, but I must establish it if I’m going to try to put myself in Santi’s shoes. Moreno believes he is worthy of an extension. That’s a valid opinion. It’s also one that I agree with. I have no sources in the Timbers’ front office, but I would imagine that extension talks began prior to the start of the 2023 season. Last offseason, 3 Timbers players signed extensions. Claudio Bravo, Zac McGraw, and Felipe Mora all got new contracts ahead of 2023. Given Santi’s good 2022 season (his first full season in Portland), it makes sense that he would try to get an extension before the next season started. Santi’s current roster designation is a U22 Initiative player. These spots were invented by MLS to encourage teams to find good young talent to develop and then presumably become either a MLS star or sell to Europe (the league takes a portion of every player sale so door number 2 is the most likely reason). The Timbers have been a model club in terms of U22 signings, with Moreno, David Ayala, and Juan Mosquera all proving to be quality players with big futures ahead of them. That’s where the front office enters the picture in this story. I fully believe their main intent is to sell Moreno to Europe. That might explain why an extension didn’t come to fruition in the off-season. Our story adds another variable with Santi’s salary. Here is the current list of yearly salaries for Timbers players. 

This isn’t the full list, but it is a good guide to go off of. Designated Players like Evander, Yimmi Chara, and Sebastian Blanco (his DP status is still a mystery, his salary is definitely DP-worthy but due to roster rules he’s probably high TAM). All of these players are paid like key contributors, yet Santi is towards the bottom between Dairon Asprilla and Claudio Bravo. He certainly offered more to the team last year than players like Larrys Mabiala. If I was Santi, I would also like a raise. There are definitely salary cap reasons to consider, but it’s highly doubtful that Santi and his agent only recently began extension talks. With months of back-and-forth between Santi and the front office, he could take solace in continuing to be a regular starter on the field. As of July 10th, Moreno is tied for the team lead in games played with 21, and all but one (Colorado) are starts. Diego Chara is the only other player who has featured in 21 games, and him and Santi stand alone as players who have played in 20 league matches. With the team razor-thin on the depth chart, Santi’s benching against Colorado was the straw that broke his back. Undervalued by the people who write his checks, and now no longer in the starting lineup. You have to feel for him.

All the details of this situation seem to come across as a contract holdout. Moreno wasn’t at training today even though he is one of the eligible players who can play against Colorado on Wednesday. The timing of this is especially odd. I understand that with the transfer window open he can secure a move away and get the salary that he is desiring. Not showing up to training is a bad move, but the reports surrounding his frustration surrounding the team as a whole definitely provides a reason for it. I don’t know if that move will justify any progress in contract negotiations. It also is unclear whether or not this is a bluff from his agent in order to secure the extension.  In my previous piece on this topic (link here) I implored the front office to pay him. That still remains the correct option in my mind. With his extension taken care of, he will return to the team and continue to play well. I have said all year that Moreno seems to be lacking confidence in the 18-yard box. Maybe I am undervaluing all of the Gio stuff, but in my opinion it isn’t as significant as these contract talks. I am begging Timbers fans to direct most of their anger at the front office. Once again, it’s the men in charge who are letting the head coach take the brunt of the blame for their failures. 

The best way for Santi to convince the front office he is worthy of a raise is to start contributing more. I realize that’s a hard ask given the current state of the team, but even one goal can give him a giant push towards going nuclear again. Missing the Colorado game would hurt his cause even more. He doesn’t have enough historical currency (AKA Legend Points) in stock to get that move just by threatening to be sold. Showing up in Colorado and scoring the game-winner would certainly be one massive statement of intent. Or he is just that desperate to leave. I still believe this is a bluff, but I could also be wrong. The one thing I am certain about is Gio’s role in this saga. It does reflect poorly on Moreno to call out his coach when his underperformance is mostly his own fault, but it is understandable to have frustrations in the heat of the moment. If Gio can be believed (and I do believe him in this instance) Santi’s absence points more to a contract holdout than true frustration with his coach. However, he must rejoin the team. Continuing to prove his worth will get him an extension in no time (no matter how bad the front office seems to be this year).