The shuttling of Houston from the Western Conference to the East doesn't appear terribly significant at first glance, at least to those fans and observers not looking one step ahead.

The refusal by French defender Julian Baudet to report for preseason training with Seattle isn't causing Coach Sigi Schmid too much concern. Nor should it.

Cut from four rounds to three, the 2011 MLS SuperDraft staged Thursday in Baltimore produced a typical mix of early Generation adidas picks and a few surprises. While the draft is just one method by which teams build their rosters, and more pieces have yet to be moved in the two weeks before preseason training begins, here's a quick look at who did what, and why.

The MLS SuperDraft has been cut from four rounds to three, the league is pushing teams to ramp up their academy programs, every signing of a homegrown player is accompanied by fanfare and balloons, and last year the league doubled the number of senior international slots for each roster.

If this is January, there must be a pending loan deal for David Beckham. And as such, there's all manner of hue and cry about whether he should stay or go.