Dein erstes Forum » uicker than most pitches in the Caribbea

NEW YORK -- After grinding for months to get back into the playoffs, the New York Mets didnt last long.Nine scoreless innings, to be exact. Never pushed a runner past second base.A postseason matchup against Madison Bumgarner spelled their demise, just as it did for other talented teams in recent years. And with a 3-0 loss at home to San Francisco in the wild-card game Wednesday night, New Yorks drive to repeat as NL champion ended quietly.Noah Syndergaard fired zeros for seven pressure-packed innings, but the Mets mustered only four hits. Three of them, by Rene Rivera, T.J. Rivera and Ty Kelly, came from players who werent even on the 40-man roster when the season began.So it went this year for the banged-up Mets, beset by one significant injury after another as a string of unheralded backups filled in admirably. Even after getting eliminated, New York (87-75) felt good about reaching the playoffs in consecutive seasons for only the second time in franchise history (1999-2000).Theres only a few teams that could have come back under the circumstances we came back on, and Im really proud of them, manager Terry Collins said. We overcame a lot of things. So to get here, it took a lot of character. Boy, I tell you. And were disappointed -- but well be able to get healthy and well be back.Every established regular besides outfielder Curtis Granderson spent time on the disabled list, in addition to helpful part-timers Wilmer Flores and Juan Lagares.Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey and Steven Matz went down with season-ending injuries and required surgery, decimating one of baseballs best rotations. Zack Wheeler hasnt made it back from Tommy John surgery in March 2015.In their places, 43-year-old Bartolo Colon and surprising rookies Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman came to the rescue.This organization did a really good job of preparing the younger guys that were going to come in and impact, starting in spring training, so they could feel comfortable with the guys up here that opened, and we could feel comfortable with them, Granderson said.Better luck next year? Sure, you could put it that way.Better health next year, thats what the Mets are counting on as they chase their first World Series championship since 1986. Spring training will feel like the waiting room in a crowded doctors office, everyone at least a little nervous about each scheduled checkup.For now, though, attention turns to an important offseason with a familiar priority: Yoenis Cespedes.Here are some major issues coming up for the Mets:THE BIG BATCespedes has until the third day after the World Series to opt out of his $75 million, three-year contract after one season and become a free agent. The star slugger hit the open market last year but re-signed with New York, the deal structured so he could soon choose to shop his services again. With fewer power hitters available this winter and coming off another productive season (31 HRs, 86 RBI, .884 OPS), Cespedes would figure to attract larger offers this time -- certainly for more money than the $47.5 million remaining on his current contract.Cespedes seems comfortable in New York but has plenty of leverage because the Mets record with and without him the past two seasons shows how crucial he is to their lineup. So what will it take to keep Cespedes, and would the Mets pay a hefty price? General manager Sandy Alderson acquired outfielder Jay Bruce from Cincinnati on Aug. 1 partly as insurance for 2017, but New York needs Cespedes right-handed pop -- especially in an offense so reliant on home runs. The team set a club record with 218 this season.SECOND THOUGHTSSwitch-hitting second baseman Neil Walker (23 homers) had season-ending back surgery and can become a free agent. New York traded second-base prospect Dilson Herrera for Bruce, so its unclear who will start there next year. But the Mets think theyre pretty well covered with Flores and hometown rookie T.J. Rivera, plus a couple of middle-infield prospects on the way. Jose Reyes or Asdrubal Cabrera could probably shift over from the left side if needed.CATCH 22The Mets thought they had an emerging young catcher with pop in Travis dArnaud, albeit one who was injury-prone. But he was unproductive at the plate this season and shaky behind it, losing playing time to veteran Rene Rivera. What do the Mets do about dArnaud?WILL ARMS BE READY?Harvey is a huge question mark following surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome, while deGrom and Matz are supposed to be healthy next spring after elbow operations. The team hopes Wheeler can overcome his setbacks. So will the Mets re-sign the ageless Colon (15-8, 3.43 ERA, team-high 191 2/3 innings) as insurance again? Or will they view Lugo and Gsellman as sufficient (and cheaper) options. With right-handed reliever Fernando Salas and lefty specialist Jerry Blevins both potential free agents, New York might need to address a hole in the seventh inning, too.MY CAPTAINLongtime third baseman David Wright had season-ending surgery in June to repair a herniated disk in his neck, one year after he was diagnosed with spinal stenosis and missed most of 2015. Wright looked awfully thin during pregame introductions Wednesday. He says he plans to come back, but can the captain still play at age 34 next season? Reyes and Flores could provide coverage at third base.Tyler Lydon Nuggets Jersey . Takahashi, who had a 10-point lead after the short program, received 268.31 points after the free skate to finish 15 points ahead of second-place Nobunari Oda. Michael Porter Jersey . Vettel, who has already clinched his fourth straight F1 title, enters the finale with a chance to equal Michael Schumachers 13 victories in a year and match the record of nine consecutive wins by Alberto Ascari in the 1952 and 1953 seasons. http://www.nuggetsproshop.com/Thomas-Welsh-Nuggets-Jersey/ . Terms of the deal were not immediately available. The 26-year-old finished last season with Clevelands Triple-A affiliate in Columbus after signing with the Indians in August. Paul Millsap Jersey . After a lengthy wait, persistent rain finally forced the postponement of the Nationals game against the Miami Marlins on Saturday night. The teams, and a few thousand fans, waited nearly four hours from the 7:05 scheduled start time before an announcement was made shortly before 11 p. Paul Millsap Nuggets Jersey . He was followed closely by David Clarkson, donning red, seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, leaping off the bench in defence of Kessel during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres, will cost him the first 10 games of the regular season.Jason Holder, the West Indies captain, has said he is focused on performing the role assigned to him in the side with bowling as his first priority, but has admitted he would prefer batting higher up the order. Holder has taken 22 wickets in 15 Tests at an average of 44.27 and scored 675 runs at 29.34, with a century and four fifties. So far, he has played all his Tests as a bowling allrounder, and has never batted higher than No. 7.In his most recent Test, against India in Kingston, Holder bowled 34.2 overs, conceding only 72 runs but picking up only one wicket, and scored an unbeaten 64 to help West Indies save the match on the last day.For me, I just try to do whatever the team requires, Holder said on the eve of the third Test against India in St Lucia. Currently, Im playing as a bowling allrounder, I think my first priority is to bowl. I was very pleased with the way I bowled in the last Test, particularly. I didnt think I got enough wickets, the wickets column wasnt as fruitful as I wanted it to be.Having said that, the beauty about my spell, for me, was remaining patient. I think on another day, you may get two or three more wickets. For me, [its important] just contributing to the teams cause, just make sure every time I bat I score some runs, at least steady the ship. Most of the times, when Ive batted in recent times, Ive been under a bit of pressure, I think that brings out the best in me. I like those situations when I am being heavily relied on. You just knuckle down and play a memorable innings.Ideally, I would love to move up the order and bat higher up for the West Indies in the future.dddddddddddd I guess I have to just keep doing my job and when I get the opportunity, make the most of it.Expecting the pitch in St Lucia to provide pace and bounce, Holder said West Indies were likely to play an extra seam bowler.If you look at the pitch here, there seems to be a little bit of grass, Holder said. Theres a strong possibility that we may have a change in terms of our bowling department, we may think about the extra seamer. Thats pretty much it.This wicket here, over the years, has played quicker than most pitches in the Caribbean. For me, I think its the best cricket pitch in the Caribbean in terms of carry and assistance for the quicker bowlers. So, theres a strong possibility that you may see an extra seamer.In West Indies second innings in Jamaica, each of the batsmen occupying the four slots from No. 5 to No. 8 went past 50, with Roston Chase scoring an unbeaten hundred. The top order, though, failed - and not for the first time in the series - leaving West Indies 48 for 4 at one stage.For me, if I look back at the first two Test matches, the difference is that the top order hasnt really been getting in, Holder said. I think they need to work a little harder in getting in. Once they get in, the likes of [Darren] Bravo and [Kraigg] Brathwaite and [Marlon] Samuels, we all know what they can do once they get a start. Its just about just getting a start, and get themselves going and carry it on from there. ' ' '