Toronto FC's Frei up for rookie of the year
Last Updated: Monday, November 2, 2009 | 4:10 PM ET
By Chris Iorfida, CBC Sports
Toronto keeper Stefan Frei makes a save during a Sept. 19 game against Los Angeles. (Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)Keeper Stefan Frei was the lone member of Toronto FC to be named a finalist for a Major League Soccer award on Monday.
He is being considered for league rookie of the year honours.
The Swiss-born Frei appeared in 26 games with five shutouts and a 1.49 goals-against average for Toronto. The 23-year-old won the league's save of the week honours four times in his first season after playing collegiately at the University of California, Berkeley.
Frei supplanted veteran Greg Sutton as Toronto's No. 1 netminder, a position he held until late in the year when a dislocated finger ruled him out of action.
He could become the second Toronto player to win the rookie award. Midfielder Maurice Edu, now playing in Scotland, won the award in 2007.
The winner will be announced on Nov. 12. Frei's competition includes defender Omar Gonzalez of the Los Angeles Galaxy and D.C. United's Chris Pontius, who plays midfield and forward.
The league's most valuable player award will go to a first-time winner this year. Previous finalists Jeff Cunningham (FC Dallas) and Landon Donovan (Los Angeles), are joined by midfielder Shalrie Joseph of New England.
Cunningham, who previously played for Toronto, led the league with 17 goals.
There are also a couple of familiar names in the coach of the year category. Los Angeles coach Bruce Arena can win for a second time, having previously done so with D.C. in 1997.
Seattle coach Sigi Schmid can do Arena one better, potentially winning the award a third time, each time with different clubs.
Schmid won last year while he was with Columbus, following up a 1999 honour with Los Angeles. Schmid's replacement in Columbus, Robert Warzycha, is the third finalist for coach of the year this year.
MLS will roll out the awards gradually beginning Wednesday with goalkeeper of the year. Kasey Keller (Seattle), Donovan Ricketts (Los Angeles) and Zach Thornton (Chivas USA) will vie for that award.
Keller was nominated for three awards. He was also cited in the fair play and newcomer of the year categories. The first-year Sounders had a lock on the newcomer category, with Keller joined by teammates Fredy Montero and Freddie Ljungberg.
Canadian Pat Onstad is also up for the fair play award. The Houston Dynamo keeper is joined by Steve Ralston of New England.
Brian McBride (Chicago), Ben Olsen (D.C.) and Zach Thornton (Chivas) are up for the comeback player of the year ward, while defender of the year will go to one of Geoff Cameron (Houston), Jhon Kennedy Hurtado (Seattle) or Chad Marshall (Columbus).
