Sounders in running for 2009 season MLS awards

October 27, 6:33 PMSeattle Soccer ExaminerDavid Falk

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GOAL.com writers discuss their choices for end of season MLS awards.

Seattle Sounders FC are in the running for a handful of Major League Soccer yearly awards for their performance in the 2009 season. Here's a list of the Sounders candidates in various areas.

MLS Best XI: Which Sounders have a legitimate shot at making the "Best Eleven" roster? In order from best chance to least, Freddie Ljungberg, Kasey Keller, Osvaldo Alonso, Fredy Montero, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado.

MLS Coach of the Year: This is an award that really comes down to Sigi Schmid and the LA Galaxy's Bruce Arena. Since Schmid won it last year with Columbus, I'd bet on Arena this time.

MLS Comback Player of the Year: I don't know that Seattle has a real horse in this race, but our candidates would have to be Tyrone Marshall and Nate Jaqua. Marshall recovered from a bad year in Toronto and Jaqua 'came back' from Austria to have a career scoring year. This award will go to Zach Thornton, Chivas USA's goalkeeper.

Defender of the Year: Our main candidate would have to be Jhon Kennedy Hurtado.

Goal of the Year: Since MLS takes its pool of candidates from the voted-by-fans Goal of the Week, we already know the Sounders' have at least six nominees. None of them will win it, though. The Sounders goal of the year didn't win Goal of the Week: Fredy Montero's long-range miracle in New England.

Goalkeeper of the Year: Kasey Keller is a top contender for this award, and might take it since his work has come on an expansion team. Zach Thorton is another likely winner.

Golden Boot: Jeff Cunningham of FC Dallas wins it. Fredy Montero finished third.

Fair Play Award: A player with a lot of minutes and very low yellow card count. Hmmm...

Humanitarian of the Year: Kasey Keller should be Sounders FC's nomination, I'd think.

MVP: Seattle's nominee is again Keller. Ljungberg's late spurt is too late for this award. Top contenders are Jeff Cunningham of FC Dallas, Landon Donovan of LA, and Shalrie Joseph of New England.

Newcomer of the Year: This seems to be the very best chance for a Sounders seasonal award, going to Freddie Ljungberg, or Fredy Montero.

Rookie of the Year: Omar Gonzales of the Galaxy seems to be the popular choice. Seattle's Steve Zakuani may get a few votes as well.

What do you think? Does Sigi have a shot against the LA press? Can Kasey overcome the year of Chivas USA's Thornton? Let me know in the comments section below.

 The Sounders do have two goals up for the final "Goal of the Week" vote. You can vote for Evans or Jaqua here.