RSL whittles away at training roster

For the six players Real Salt Lake released from training camp Wednesday, they probably knew their bubble-burst was inevitable. After all, RSL won a measly five games last year, and throughout the offseason the club promised significant changes.

It backed those promises by parting ways with Clint Mathis, D.J. Countess and Brian Dunseth, and on Wednesday continued its offseason wholesale changes by releasing Tiger Fitzpatrick, Melvin Tarley, Michael Lookingland, Sergio Flores, Luke Kreamalmeyer and Jake Besagno.

Midfielder Robert Scarlett is also no longer with the team, but the team is retaining rights in hopes of trading him. Otherwise, the Jamaican international will be released on March 1.

Fitzpatrick, 27, played in 18 games last year, including six starts. Fitzpatrick's fate in many ways was sealed when the team acquired Douglas Sequeira in an offseason trade with Chivas USA. That increased the number of holding midfielders on Salt Lake's roster to four, and coach John Ellinger opted to keep Kenny Cutler instead of Fitzpatrick as Sequeira's backup.

"If I don't make the team, it's definitely not the end of the world, because I know my capability and my talent, and I feel like I've done well enough to move onto another MLS team," said Fitzpatrick last week.

Scarlett, 27, started in eight of nine games for Real after joining the team last August, but his fitness was always an issue in the final 15 minutes of games.

Scarlett was in a battle with Diego Walsh (Brazil) for the last of four senior international roster spots. Even though Walsh and Scarlett play different positions, Ellinger was more inclined to keep Walsh, who came into camp as one of the fittest players on the team.

Scarlett's value has always been that he's a fast left-footed midfielder, but Seth Trembly proved himself to be more valuable at that position during training camp.

Just like Scarlett, Tarley was a late-season addition to RSL last year, and he played in the final nine games of the season. Despite taking 22 shots last year, he only scored once, and his production wasn't any better this preseason as he failed to score. Tarley's case for a roster spot took a hit with the emergence of trialist Atiba Harris (2 goals, 1 assists) as well as supplemental draft pick Jeff Rowland (1 goal).

With opening day just six weeks away, Real Salt Lake's lineup is starting to take shape.