Baseball notebook: Collins steaming after Mets’ latest loss
Terry Collins sat in the Citi Field interview room and answered the first question after the New York Mets’ latest embarrassing defeat, a 9-0 wipeout against Arizona on Thursday that dropped them back to .500 for the first time since April.
The manager spoke for 3 minutes, 27 seconds, his voice rising with emotion, his hands gesturing, tapping his chest and the table in front of him during a brutal assessment of his players’ desire and professionalism.
“Starting tomorrow we’re going to get after it here and those who don’t want to get after it, I will find somebody else who does,” he said, “because in Las Vegas there’s a whole clubhouse filled with guys who want to sit in this room and I’ll find them. That’s all I got to say.”
Following that threat to call up players from the minor leagues, Collins arose, walked back down the corridor to his clubhouse and held a team meeting that lasted about 20 minutes.
The Mets were swept in the three-game series by the last-place Diamondbacks. New York – missing injured Yoenis Cespedes, Lucas Duda, David Wright and Jose Reyes – managed five runs and 17 hits in the series. They have the lowest batting average in the major leagues at .236 and were shut out for the ninth time.
“I don’t care who’s not here. There are no excuses here,” Collins said. “These are major league baseball players. I don’t care where they came from. I don’t care how they got here. The names on their back and on the front of their uniform say they’re a major league baseball player. It starts with them.”
New York dropped to 10-16 since the All-Star break. As 57-57, the Mets are down to .500 for the first time since a 7-7 mark.
A-Rod won’t be in field for finale
Alex Rodriguez has been turned down in his request to play the field for his final game with the New York Yankees.
Manager Joe Girardi said A-Rod wouldn’t be at third base Friday night at Yankee Stadium against Tampa Bay. Rodriguez hasn’t played in the field this season.
“We thought about it but he hasn’t done any work,” Girardi said.
Clearing the bases
Colorado’s David Dahl has matched a modern-day major league record with a hit in each of his first 17 career games after getting a single in the first inning Thursday at Texas. It was the outfielder’s 17th game since the Rockies promoted him from the minors July 25. Chuck Aleno began his career with a 17-game hitting streak in 1941 for the Reds. … Cubs reliever Pedro Strop will be sidelined four to six weeks with a torn meniscus in his left knee after being injured in a game. Strop has a 2.89 ERA in 50 appearances. … Royals DH Kendrys Morales dropped the appeal of his one-game suspension and sat out of Thursday’s game against the White Sox. Morales was penalized after being ejected Aug. 2. … The Cardinals have placed first baseman Matt Adams on the 15-day disabled list with left shoulder inflamation. St. Louis recalled outfielder Randal Grichuk from Triple-A Memphis. Adams is hitting .249 with 12 home runs and 44 RBIs in 95 games.