(To subscribers of Soccer America's MLS Confidential: Due to ongoing computer problems, we were unable to distribute via e-mail the Tuesday edition of MLS Confidential. The following is part of the Tuesday edition, which has been posted on our web site for your reading.)

Soon voting will commence for the top honors handed out by MLS.

Here's the point of view of MLS Confidential:

MVP: If this award goes to the player most indispensable to his team, the choice won't be easy.

Landon Donovan has played very well much of the season and is tied for the league lead with five game-winning goals, yet the Quakes were in first place while he was away on Confederations Cup and Gold Cup duty. Clint Mathis has played far too many games as if he's already signed with a foreign team. Damani Ralph and Ante Razov are equally important to the Fire and dependent on each other as well as the incredible defensive work of Chris Armas, Jim Curtin, and Carlos Bocanegra. The value of Carlos Ruiz to the Galaxy can be tracked by the numbers: Ruiz's goal total is down and so is the Galaxy's record. Taylor Twellman's late-season injury hurts his chances.

The race should be between Preki and John Spencer. Preki has contributed to more than half of the high-scoring Wizards' goals and Spencer simply lifts everyone around him by word and deed. Choices: 1) Spencer. 2) Preki. 3) Donovan.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Ralph's scoring has tailed off yet he smashed the rookie record for goals and will finish in the top 10 scorers. He leads a very deep rookie crop.

Ricardo Clark, Mike Magee and Eddie Gaven have all been vital contributors to the Metros this season, with Clark playing the most minutes and most consistently. Nat Borchers has committed the odd rookie mistake but the Rapids ''D'' has looked a lot stronger with him in the middle. Mike Noonan hasn't disappointed anybody in New England, Logan Pause has seen a lot of time in Chicago but not nearly as much as Todd Dunivant in San Jose, who leads all field players in PT on the league's best 'D.'

Choices: 1) Ralph. 2) Noonan. 3) Clark.

COACH OF THE YEAR: This is another tough category yet one with fewer candidates than the MVP.

The Fire was riddled with injuries in 2002, finished 11-13-4, and lost Josh Wolff, Hristo Stoitchkov, Dema Kovalenko, Peter Nowak, and Coach Bob Bradley during the offseason. Under Dave Sarachan, it ran away with the Eastern Conference title.

Frank Yallop also replaced several starters — Wade Barrett, Joe Cannon, Ariel Graziani — and has led San Jose to the Western crown. The Metros don't have a great record but they are a team under Bradley, which wasn't the case last year.

Injuries have decimated D.C. United this season but Ray Hudson has patched up the team with masking tape, a soldering iron, and a fresh selection of bizarre metaphors.

Much praise has been heaped on Tim Hankinson in Colorado. The Rapids won just one of their first nine games and that victory came against a Galaxy team mired in its own early-season malaise. But 'tis true he did stay the course and since the All-Star break the Rapids have churned up a lot of wins.

Choices: 1) Sarachan. 2) Yallop. 3) Bradley.

In the next edition of the Confidential will be covered the Goalkeeper of the Year, Defender of the Year, and Goal of the Year.