While the San Jose Earthquakes brass was busy searching for a new General Manager — ultimately selecting Jesse Fioranelli — the duo of head coach Dominic Kinnear and interim GM Chris Leitch went forward with the off-season as if it was business as usual. The pair went on scouting trips to evaluate prospective recruits, and they began making inquiries with teams and agents as to player availability.
But in the public eye, it appeared the Quakes were sitting on their hands, waiting for the GM hiring to be completed. Homegrown player signing Nick Lima and Re-Entry Draft selection Olmes Garcia were the only two roster building moves completed ahead of Fioranelli’s arrival.