By Ridge Mahoney, Senior Editor
Soccer America Magazine

SHAKING IT UP: So much attention was lavished on the swatting and decapitation of the Landon Donovan pinata at the Quakes-Galaxy match a few weeks ago that little attention was paid to how many other changes the teams had made.

Of the 22 starters, 14 werenÆt on the end-of-season rosters for their respective teams. A few besides Donovan have switched ranks: Danny Califf and Alejandro Moreno have moved north, Todd Dunivant has gone south. But many others are either new to MLS or at least to employment in California.

For the Quakes, only goalkeeper Pat Onstad, defender Eddie Robinson, and midfielder Dwayne DeRosario wore San Jose blue in 2004. Ricardo Clark (Metros), Brad Davis (FC Dallas), Kelly Gray (Chicago), Wade Barrett (AGF Aarhus), Ronald Cerritos (D.C. United), and Mark Chung (Rapids) were acquired by Coach Dominic Kinnear, who eschews the popular notion that foreign imports are necessary to revamp a squad. Barrett came to the U.S. from overseas after playing in San Jose from 1997 to 2002.

''I always had confidence that there was enough talent in MLS that we could bring in some players through trades and with some allocation money and possibly the draft,'' says Kinnear, who spent three years as Frank YallopÆs assistant before taking over as head coach last year.

''I think we did well with all three of those. I could dwell on this guyÆs not here and this guyÆs not here, but if you dwell on it too much the season is kind of going to punch you in the face.''

The Quakes are unbeaten in their last seven; their home form (4-0-4) is impressive, as is usually the case, but in their last two road games they have tied FC Dallas, 2-2, despite playing a man down for 55 minutes, and beaten the Crew, 2-1, last weekend with a goal and assist by Cerritos despite falling behind, 1-0.

''We werenÆt trading to replace players,'' says Kinnear. ''We were trading to get the best possible players we could. I think weÆve been pretty successful at that.''

Starting Friday, the Quakes (7-3-7) play three games in eight days (at D.C. United and Colorado, home against the Metros) leading up to the All-Star break.

SIGNS OF LIFE: Even before drilling Real Salt Lake, 5-1, last weekend, a glimmer of revival had been sensed in CD Chivas USA.

A few spectacular saves by Zach Thornton and another goal conceded on a set play the previous week sent Chivas USA down to a 1-0 defeat in which keeper Brad Guzan saved his second penalty kick of the season. True, the Fire scored its goal and played the final 14 minutes while down a man but at least Chivas USA battled on more-or-less even terms.

CD Chivas USA (2-13-3) will be strengthened in the coming weeks with the arrival of Juan Pablo Garcia, who made his debut for Mexico Sunday in a 4-0 Gold Cup demolition of Guatamala. The striker, who left Atlas last spring after five seasons and signed with MLS July 1, is ineligible to play in MLS until the U.S. transfer window re-opens on Aug. 15.

Under FIFA regulations, a player who was under contract when a transfer window closed — in the case of the U.S., March 31 — canÆt be registered to play by that national association until the window re-opens. To bypass this restriction, MLS and U.S. Soccer would have to cite special circumstances so Garcia could be registered before Aug. 15.

Whatever transfer windows are used in Mexico is irrelevant in this case. Only the transfer windows in the country to which the player is transferring are applicable.