Toronto FC picks up options on 12 players, declines 4 including Earnshaw

TORONTO – Toronto FC has picked up the contract options on 12 players and declined four others, including leading scorer Robert Earnshaw.

Earnshaw had eight goals in 23 games for Toronto last season, including a two-goal performance in his second game that earned him MLS player of the week honours.

Toronto announced Friday it picked up the options on goalkeepers Joe Bendik, Chris Konopka, Quillan Roberts; defenders Gale Agbossoumonde, Mark Bloom, Ryan Ricther; midfielders Kyle Bekker, Reggie Lambe, Jeremy Hall; and forwards Bright Dike, Emery Welshman, and Andrew Wiedeman.

The three other players TFC declined were Bobby Convey, Darel Russell, and Michael Thomas.

Nine players are already under contract for the 2014 season, including defenders Jonas Elmer, Ashtone Morgan, Doneil Henry, Richard Eckersley, and Steven Caldwell and midfielders Matias Laba, Jonathan Osorio, Manuel Aparicio, and Alvaro Rey.

“We are writing a new story for TFC, and it begins with our current players,” Toronto GM Tim Bezbatchenko said in a statement. “We have not had a solid core group like this in a long time, and this core is prepared and excited about taking this club to the next level. We will continue discussing the possibility of returning next season with those players whose options were declined.”

The three players now out of contract are forwards Danny Koevermans and Justin Braun and goalkeeper Stefan Frei.