As a general rule of thumb, Real Salt Lake general manager Garth Lagerwey wants to avoid experimenting at the first-team level with three critical positions on the field — goalie, central back and holding midfield.

It's a big reason why RSL first-round draft pick Jean Alexandre has only made a pair of very brief substitute appearances totaling seven minutes this year.

"If you have players that you draft in wide positions, it's much easier for them to come in because the mistakes they make don't crucify the team. But if you play a young goalkeeper, a young center back or a young holding midfielder right down the spine of your team defending your goal, if they make a mistake the whole team can be penalized for that," said Lagerwey. "It's very difficult to build young players' confidence in those circumstances."

The coaching staff still very much believes in the bruising Alexandre despite his lack of playing time, which is why they continue to find him playing time elsewhere.

On loan last weekend with the Austin Aztex of the USL First Division, Alexandre turned in a pair of 90-minute performances while also scoring a goal. Even though the Aztex lost both games, Alexandre was happy for the minutes.

"It's been good because throughout the whole season it's tough for me to get minutes, so it's good for me to go out and get 90-minute games and get my fitness up a little bit," said Alexandre. "It definitely helps every time you get a chance to play — you get more comfortable on the ball and you get to make decisions in the game."

More than anything else, RSL's coaching staff likes the role reversal Alexandre experiences at the minor league level.

"Instead of being the rookie who the older guys direct, now the situations are reversed and he has to be the big dog down there and he has to help organize his teammates," said Lagerwey.

That doesn't necessarily come naturally for the soft-spoken midfielder from Haiti, but thanks to practical game experiences like he had with Austin, he's slowly learning.

Alexandre figures to get even more experience next month when the Haiti National Team calls him up to participate in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Haiti is in the same group with the United States, Canada and Honduras.

"You can't get any bigger than that in North America," said Alexandre.

BIG MAN ON CAMPUS: RSL defender Nat Borchers has received his fair share of heckling from teammates this week thanks to his goal against the L.A. Galaxy last weekend.