NEW YORK -- 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 were going to get after it here and those who dont want to get after it, I will find somebody else who does, he said, because in Las Vegas theres a whole clubhouse filled with guys who want to sit in this room and Ill find them. Thats 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 last-place Diamondbacks rolled to a three-game sweep, rattling Noah Syndergaard with four more stolen bases and breaking open the game in a six-run sixth inning against Jon Niese that included Chris Owings bases-loaded triple.Fourteen of New Yorks last 15 batters made out, and the Mets -- 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 dont care whos not here. There are no excuses here, Collins said with intensity. These are major league baseball players. I dont care where they came from. I dont care how they got here. The names on their back and on the front of their uniform say theyre a major league baseball player. It starts with them.New York, which began the day 2 1/2 games back for the NLs second wild card, 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.You owe a responsibility to the fans, our fan base, the organization and to yourself to respect for this game to come out and grind it out, whether its hot or whether its freezing cold, and thats where its got to start, Collins said.Yes, some guys are having a bad time. You cannot say woe is me at this level. You cannot do it. Everybodys too good here. Nobody feels sorry for you, `cause everybodys been humbled and those who get out of it stay here a long time. Those who dont you keep looking up and they keep getting a little time here and a little time there but they dont stay. I want the ones who can stay, he said.Players understand the Mets, having raised fan expectations after reaching the World Series last year, expect the team to reach the postseason once again.Obviously he feels that pressure on himself from the outside in terms of us going out there to perform and being able to be victorious in any situation possible, outfielder Curtis Granderson said, so of course hes going to have some situations where hes not going to be as happy as you would expect him to be and after a loss.Collins singled out second baseman Neil Walker for his hustle and attitude.Its about keeping positive, keeping the blinders on moving forward on a daily basis with energy and playing hard, Walker said of Collins message.Syndergaard (9-7) swiped an arm in the air after right fielder Jay Bruce failed to catch Gosewischs opposite-field triple down the line, which gave the Diamondbacks a 2--0 lead, then threw up his arms in frustration when Arizona pitcher Braden Shipley (2-1) singled up the middle through a drawn-in infield for his first big league RBI.Syndergaard allowed three runs and eight hits -- including three doubles and a triple -- and is 0-4 in his last six starts. He described the mood of the team as optimistic, kind of down right now, plagued by injury.Arizona stole 13 bases in the series, the most in a three-game series against the Mets. Runners have swiped 36 bases in 40 tries against Syndergaard this year and are 51 for 56 against him in his career, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Mets have allowed a big league-high 102 steals, including 20 off rookie Steven Matz, who is second behind Syndergaard.Its real easy for the baserunners to predict when Im going to home and when Im going to able to pick off. Its really mechanical, Syndergaard said.Fans booed the sloppy Mets, who allowed Arizona to steal bases without throws and also had an error, wild pitch and run-scoring passed ball.Theres got to be a passion to come and play, Collins said. Theres got to be a sense of this is what I do for a living, the people who pay me to play are going to see my best effort.TRAINERS ROOMMets: 3B Jose Reyes (oblique) was to start a rehab assignment with Class A Brooklyn on Thursday.UP NEXTMets: Logan Verrett (3-7), 0-1 in five starts since the All-Star break, is to start Fridays series opener against San Diego and Paul Clemens (1-2). Cheap Penguins Jerseys . Hey!" The lower tier of the School End of Queens Park Rangers Loftus Road was packed solid with a very festive-sounding Chelsea choral section in this particular part of South Africa Road London, W12. Custom Pittsburgh Penguins Jerseys . The judges scored it 48-47, 48-47, 49-46 for Jones (19-1). It was the champions closest call. Despite the loss, it was a remarkable show by the confident Swedish challenger, who had the best of the early rounds and then hung on in the fourth and fifth. https://www.cheappenguinsjersey.com/ . Ibaka equaled a career high with 20 rebounds, adding four blocked shots and 15 points as the Thunder smothered the Milwaukee Bucks offence in a 92-79 victory Saturday night. Stitched Penguins Jerseys . -- Aldon Smith believes he is on the path to being sober for good. Penguins Jerseys China .Y. -- Sabres forward Drew Stafford has witnessed plenty of turmoil during his eight seasons in Buffalo. GREENVILLE, N.C. -- East Carolina officials say the school will not tolerate further protests after some band members kneeled while others performed the national anthem before a game.Band director William Staub, School of Music director Christopher Ulffers and College of Fine Arts and Communication dean Christopher Buddo issued a joint statement Monday.They say they regret the actions taken by the 19 members who took a knee during the ceremonies before the game against Central Florida last week.They say they expect the members of the Marching Pirates will learn from this experience and fulfill their responsibilities. They call the protests hurtful to many in our Pirate family and disrespectful to our country.Fans booed the protestors after the anthem was completed, and Chancelllor Cecil Staton quickly issued a statement affirming the band members right to express themselves.ddddddddddddThat statement came after athletic director Jeff Compher said his department is working with the university and the school of music after the incident. Compher said in a statement Monday that there have been ongoing conversations between the music and athletic departments and the university and says hes confident that there will be a positive resolution in the future.Coach Scottie Montgomery, who was in the locker room with his team during the anthem, says he was made aware of the situation and trusts the university to handle it properly. ' ' '