Fire cuts ties with 4 players

The Fire lost midfielders Peter Lowry and John Thorrington in Wednesday's MLS expansion draft.

The Fire also announced it released forward Collins John and defender Krzysztof Krol.

Thorrington, 31, had 8 goals and 2 assists in almost four seasons with the Fire, most famously scoring an extra-time goal in the last game of the 2007 season against Los Angeles to lift the Fire into the playoffs. He is a fiery player seen as a leader on the team, but Thorrington missed most of the 2010 season with injuries, playing only 397 minutes.

Thorrington went to the Vancouver Whitecaps with the last pick of the expansion draft. With a base salary of $177,000, fifth highest on the club in 2010, the Fire might have been thinking about letting Thorrington go even if he hadn't been picked Wednesday.

Lowry, 25, had 5 goals in three seasons with the Fire after being drafted out of Santa Clara. He was picked by the Portland Timbers in the seventh round.

Lowry and Thorrington were part of a crowded midfield that includes Freddie Ljungberg, Nery Castillo, Baggio Husidic, Calen Carr, Patrick Nyarko, Marco Pappa and Logan Pause, though some of those players also play forward.

The Fire added defender Dasan Robinson to its protected list after Lowry was taken.

John battled serious health issues during his one season in Chicago and scored just 3 goals with 1 assist in 17 appearances. Krol, on a one-year loan from Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok, lost his job at left back when the Fire reacquired Gonzalo Segares. He played in 19 matches, starting 17.

Thorrington's pick means Fire coach Carlos de los Cobos, technical director Frank Klopas and director of player personnel Mike Jeffries have a good amount of money under the salary cap with which to acquire new players. Brian McBride's retirement takes his $378,000 salary off the books. John's salary was $160,000, and C.J. Brown also retired. His salary was $95,760. Krol earned $100,000.

Ljungberg and Castillo, the Fire's designated players, were unprotected but were not picked because of their high salaries. Ljungberg is out of contract but is expected to re-sign with the Fire.