The off-season has been busy for the teams in Major League Soccer with players moving in and players moving out. This is the first part of a three-part look at the league's transactions. Today I'll be taking a look at the teams on the East Coast and how they stack up for the upcoming season.

Besides a simple 'IN' and 'OUT' look for players, I'll be using the terms 'Minutes XI Returning' and 'Minutes Gameday 18 Returning'.

photo by Bill Barrett/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

On the verge of losing one of its top defenders, the New York Red Bulls have locked up another for the foreseeable future.

The Red Bulls signed centerback Stephen Keel to a new contract, the club announced on Wednesday.

There was a time when I liked a couple players in the MLS Re-Entry Draft for the Seattle Sounders to pick up in Stage Two and talk into less money. First Bobby Boswell renegotiated with the Houston Dynamo and then Bobby Convey went to Sporting Kansas City at a cut rate (rumors say 200K$). Now the list of available players is absent of the really appealing names.

MLS released the list of players that are available for the Re-Entry Draft next week. Up until Friday team's can still negotiate with their players and potentially reach a deal that would see the player stay with their current club. So fans of Luke Sassano (sorry I'm not sure Shavar Thomas has many fans in KC at this point) don't have to get worried quite yet that the midfielder will not be back.

Photo by Tony Quinn/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

Andres Mendoza may have scored 13 goals in his first full season in MLS, but that didn't stop him from being let go by the Columbus Crew.

At times the subject of controversy due to his behavior, Mendoza was among the players whose options were declined by Columbus on Tuesday.

DC United has a very young roster that Ben Olsen will try to save. (Getty Images)

Moving on today in the expansion draft lists, I really wanted to get to this one yesterday but ran out of time.

DC United just missed out on the playoffs this season. Injuries and poor form down the stretch really hurt them when it mattered most.

Wow! What a match last night! Those last 20 or so minutes were filled with so many highs and lows I'm not even really sure I knew what I was feeling during that time. Absolutely crazy. I will say that D.C. United probably shouldn't play Ngwenya ever again. Ouch...

Anyway, with a draw the Timbers are still hanging in there.

Photo by Jose L. Argueta/ISIphotos.com

WASHINGTON -- After a late flurry of action both ways, two things are clear: The Portland Timbers' postseason chances are still alive, and D.C. United's season is over.

Despite late heroics from MVP candidate Dwayne De Rosario and a number of chances in the waning minutes, D.

By THOMAS FLOYD

WASHINGTON - In 65 minutes Saturday, D.C. United forward Dwayne De Rosario once again showed why he is one of the most prolific attacking talents MLS has ever seen. At 33 years old and playing for his third club this season, he could very well be better than ever.

By JASON MITCHELL

SEATTLE, WA - Seattle answered any questions about whether last week's disappointing loss to Real Salt Lake would be more than a hiccup with a resounding 3-0 win over D.C. United Saturday.

In a clash of the old guard and the new rife with both playoff and Supporters' Shield implications, Seattle (14-6-9) unleashed their characteristic attacking, aesthetically-pleasing soccer in keeping the pressure on league-leading Los Angeles Galaxy.

By THOMAS FLOYD

When D.C. United captain Josh Wolff reaggravated a hamstring injury in the first half of a friendly against Everton on Saturday, coach Ben Olsen looked to a bench that had no natural forwards on it and opted for a throwback, inserting winger Chris Pontius up top.

The New England Revolution ended a nine-game winless streak as goalkeeper Matt Reis stymied D.C. United with a string a super saves.

It was the Revs' (4-9-7, 19 pts.) first win since a 1-0 victory over Vancouver Whitecaps on May 14, while it was their first triumph away from home in 2011 after going 0-6-3 in nine previous road games.

Photo by Brad Smith/ISIphotos.com

FC Dallas and D.C. United may be separated by 12 points in the standings, but if their two meetings this year are any indication, the teams are as even as can be.

Two months after battling to a scoreless draw at RFK Stadium, Dallas (10-5-5) and United (5-5-8) played to another 0-0 tie in Frisco, Texas on Saturday.

By FRANCO PANIZO

The Seattle Sounders are putting together a string of solid results in more than just the MLS regular season.

The Sounders' reserve team remained undefeated after a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy reserves on Tuesday.

Lamar Neagle was largely responsible for improving Seattle to 7-0-0, as he assisted on Nate Jaqua's opener before scoring off a penalty kick at the 30-minute mark.

Joseph Ngwenya and Academy player Collin Martin scored in the final 21 minutes to seal D.C. United's two-goal comeback in the club's 2-2 draw with the New England Revolution in MLS Reserve League play on Tuesday.

Kenny Mansally scored twice for the Revs (0-2-1), doing so from the penalty spot and off a free kick, the latter of which put New England ahead, 2-0, in the 65th minute.

Apologies for the long silence. The dust is beginning to settle1, so I'm just going to try to get back into the routine swing of things by making a few observations...

1. Okay, okay. I hear your digital consensus: Pontius has been playing quite well of late. Still, every so often, I'm tempted to throw something at the screen when his ambitions outstrip his talent.

Just a couple more games until the Portland Timbers tie the record for the longest unbeaten streak at home in a new MLS stadium. This was a record that was first established back in 1996 when the Los Angeles Galaxy opened up the season (and league) with an astonishing 7-0-0 run. The Timbers are currently at 5-0-0 and will hopefully add one more to that tally after tomorrow's game against D.

The summer friendly season kicked off today when DC United hosted Eredivisie champs Ajax at RFK stadium. Ajax, a week after their impressive 3-1 win over FC Twente, trotted out five starters from last week's match and played a total of ten starters from a week ago. DC was without the services of Charlies Davies and Josh Wolff, but still trotted out a first team lineup that included defender Perry Kitchen in the midfield and one-time midfielder Brandon Barklage as a center back.

WASHINGTON, DC – Vurnon Anita's 87th minute goal earned Dutch champions Ajax a late 2-1 win over D.C. United in a friendly match at RFK Stadium on Sunday evening. Anita's goal broke a 1-1 tie after Miralem Sulejmani and D.C. forward Blake Brettschneider traded goals in the first friendly pitting an MLS club against an [.

By AVI CREDITOR

WASHINGTON --Vurnon Anita's goal in the 87th minute broke a 1-1 tie and gave Dutch champion Ajax a 2-1 victory over D.C. United in an international club friendly in front of 10,728 at RFK Stadium Sunday evening.

Anita took on rookie defender Ethan White, cut back to his left foot and tucked his low shot from inside the area inside the far post

D.

Frustrated.

That was the word of the night for both teams that took the pitch at RFK Stadium on Saturday night. It began with Charlie Davies, who with Bob Bradley as one of the almost 13,000 in attendance had a chance to show that he was well on his way back to being USMNT fit.

As the Colorado Rapids see the revolving door at forward continue with injuries, the team keeps finding a way to pull a point.

On Saturday in Washington, D.C., Drew Moor found the net off a set piece in the 23rd minute off a free kick from Jamie Smith. Moor's strike appeared it would be enough in the first half as the Rapids controlled play and D.

As the Colorado Rapids see the revolving door at forward continue with injuries, the team keeps finding a way to pull a point.

On Saturday in Washington, D.C., Drew Moor found the net off a set piece in the 23rd minute off a free kick from Jamie Smith. Moor's strike appeared it would be enough in the first half as the Rapids controlled play and D.

Photo by Jose L. Argueta/ISIphotos.com

By THOMAS FLOYD

WASHINGTON -- Threatening for an equalizer early in the second half against the Colorado Rapids on Saturday, D.C. United seemed poised to draw even one way or another, despite the loss of forwards Charlie Davies and Josh Wolff to first-half injuries.

Tonight our defense is once again put to the test as they face one of the quickest producing newcomers to MLS, Charlie Davies. The boys also put up their undefeated streak of five games, looking to extend it to six. There will be a gamethread going up about an hour before the match is slated to begin, and I will do my best to make sure it's updated with the score and action as it happens (thank you MDL).

Photo by Jose L. Argueta/ISIPhotos.com

By THOMAS FLOYD

WASHINGTON - After 17 months of anticipation, Charlie Davies' return to top-flight action was, in one way, anticlimactic.

Having not played a first-team minute since suffering life-threatening injuries in a horrific October 2009 car accident near Washington, Davies pulled off his warm ups and prepared to enter D.

Photo by Tony Quinn/ISIphotos.com

D.C. United repeated as champions of the Carolina Challenge Cup, sewing up the tournament with a 2-2 draw with Toronto FC on Saturday.

Charlie Davies opened the scoring in the 12th minute for D.C. (and followed it up by doing the stanky leg), only to have Dwayne De Rosario and Maicon Santos answer with goals in the 19th and 28th minutes, respectively, for Toronto, which had Adrian Cann return to action for the first time since he walked out of training camp in a contract dispute.

Charlie Davies' early goal and Joseph Ngwenya's second-half strike earned D.C. United a 2-2 draw with Toronto FC tonight in Charleston, South Carolina to help the Black-and-Red to their second consecutive Carolina Challenge Cup win. United has 7 points through ...

Charlie Davies' early goal and Joseph Ngwenya's second-half strike earned D.C. United a 2-2 draw with Toronto FC tonight in Charleston, South Carolina to help the Black-and-Red to their second consecutive Carolina Challenge Cup win. United has 7 points through ...

Chris Pontius and Joseph Ngwenya scored on either side of halftime to lead D.C. United to a 2-1 win over the host Charleston Battery in their opening match of the 2011 Carolina Cup. United jumped out to an early lead ...

Chris Pontius and Joseph Ngwenya scored on either side of halftime to lead D.C. United to a 2-1 win over the host Charleston Battery in their opening match of the 2011 Carolina Cup. United jumped out to an early lead ...

Photo by ISIphotos.com

In light of the series of player moves that have happened this offseason, most notably this past week, a number of Major League Soccer teams have improved themselves significantly - at least on paper.

Although not many of the playoff stalwarts did much tinkering heading into 2011, some of the league's worst teams have appeared to take large steps in closing the talent gap, which should make for a pretty exciting season, one whose opening game is less than a month away.

D.C. United have announced that they have acquired forward Charlie Davies. The Black-and-Red have signed the striker to a loan deal from French side FC Sochaux for the 2011 season. The club used its position in the MLS allocation ranking to acquire the forward.

"We are really pleased to have concluded a deal that will bring Charlie to United," D.

Photo by Hugo Ivan Munoz/DC United

Charlie Davies passed all his tests, and he'll be a member of D.C. United in 2011.

The club announced that it has signed Davies to a 12-month loan from FC Sochaux, and it will be holding a press conference this afternoon at RFK Stadium to introduce Davies to the media.

By THOMAS FLOYD

The optimism surrounding Charlie Davies' trial with D.C. United seems to increase by the day.

In a development that is sure to please U.S. national team and United supporters alike, Davies notched two goals and an assist during the Black and Red's 4-0 win over the Trinidad and Tobago Under-20 national team Saturday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Black-and-Red will face Ventura County Fusion, UCSB, and Chivas USA during West Coast trip
Washington, D.C. (February 9, 2011) - D.C. United announced today an updated preseason friendly schedule for its trip to Ventura, Calif. beginning February 16. The Black-and-Red are currently training in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

By AVI CREDITOR

To date, perhaps no team has had as active a preseason than the Houston Dynamo. And the club has barely hit the training pitch.

With the team breaking ground on its new downtown stadium last week and the club being shifted to the Eastern Conference (for this season at least), change is in the air in Houston.

Good morning one and all. Over the weekend the Sounders Academy teams swept Arsenal of California. The U-18 team secured a 2-0 shutout while the U-16 team went 3-1. Drew White and Darwin Jones were the goal scorers for the U-18 team. The U-16 team won on goals from Miles Rodriguez-Nelson, Chad Radulovich and Austin Sweeney.

- Jason Davis
Charlie Davies just made it a bit harder for D.C. United to say no to a loan deal. Davies scored and provided an assist to Joseph Ngwenya in United's 5-1 victory over the Canadian U-20s in Fort Lauderdale. Even considering the competition, United can't ask much more of Davies than to spark the offense when given the chance during his week-long evaluation period.

photo by Hugo Ivan Muñoz/D.C. United

Charlie Davies played his first full scrimmage with D.C. United on Monday and contributed a goal and assist in 74 minutes to help D.C. top the Canadian Under-20 national team, 5-1, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Newly-acquired D.