place in the NL West, completed a three-game sweep of the Mets on Thursday with a 9-0 rout. The Padres, who are in fourth place in the NL Wes

NEW YORK -- With a pair of National League West also-rans visiting Citi Field, this was supposed to be a week in which the New York Mets made up ground in the National League wild card race. But now the San Diego Padres can finish what the Arizona Diamondbacks started and force the Mets into wait-til-next-year mode once again.The reeling Mets attempt to remain on the periphery of the playoff race beginning Friday when the Padres visit Citi Field for the opener of a three-game series.The Diamondbacks, who are in last place in the NL West, completed a three-game sweep of the Mets on Thursday with a 9-0 rout. The Padres, who are in fourth place in the NL West, fell to the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-0 in the rubber game of a three-game series in Pittsburgh.The Mets were outscored 17-5 and gave up 13 stolen bases -- the most in franchise history during a three-game series -- in being swept by Arizona. New York fell to 57-57 and three games behind the idle Miami Marlins in the race for the NLs second wild card.The Mets, who are .500 for the first time since April 20, are 10-19 in their last 29 games, a stretch in which they have not won back-to-back games.Sometimes in this game, you just get beat, Mets utilityman Kelly Johnson said. Sometimes youre just not lucky. You need a little bit of both -- getting the job done, a little bit of luck, a little bit of everything sometimes. And right now were just kind of sliding and not getting much of (anything).Johnson and his teammates got an earful Thursday afternoon from manager Terry Collins, who followed up a fiery press conference in which he appeared to question his players effort by closing the locker room for a meeting that lasted nearly 20 minutes.I know one thing: Theres got to be a passion to come and play, theres got to be a sense of this is what I do for a living -- the people that pay to see me play are going to see my best effort, Collins said. Youre going to get beat, and youre going to get beat bad sometimes. But you need to pick yourself up and move on. Thats what baseball players do.The speedy Padres, who rank third in the major leagues with 99 stolen bases, present a challenge for the Mets, whose catchers have thrown out only 30 of 132 opposing baserunners.The Padres (49-65) have stolen four bases in a game three times in their last 10 contests. On Wednesday, outfielder Travis Jankowski stole home for the second time this month.We run the bases with a ton of aggression, Padres manager Andy Green said We steal a lot of bases -- not always home -- but we take whats there for us.Mets right-hander Logan Verrett (3-7, 4.66 ERA) is scheduled to oppose Padres right-hander Paul Clemens (1-2, 4.61) on Friday. Verrett gave up two runs (one earned) in two innings of relief in his lone career appearance against San Diego on May 5. Clemens faces New York for the first time. Glen Perkins Jersey . -- Brandon Jennings made the most of his first game with the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night. Tyler Duffey Jersey . Brett Kulak and Jackson Houck of the Vancouver Giants were each charged with assault causing bodily harm on Aug. 18, according to the B.C. court services. https://www.cheaptwins.com/552t-cody-stashak-jersey-twins.html .Y. -- Marcell Dareus and the Buffalo Bills defence made life miserable for Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco. Martin Perez Jersey . 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. Fake Twins Jerseys . Didier Drogba gave away the penalty that put Senegal one goal away from a major upset, but the veteran striker will get another chance -- probably his last -- at the World Cup after Salomon Kalous injury-time strike sealed the Ivorians place in Brazil next year.The future of the Italian GP remains unresolved after Bernie Ecclestone admitted there was currently not much action over a new contract. Monza has staged more grands prix than any other circuit but its F1 deal expires after this seasons race in September.The circuit on the outskirts of Milan has yet to agree the financial terms on a new agreement with Ecclestone to safeguard the race beyond 2016, but remain hopeful of doing so. However, Ecclestone insisted his hands were currently tied.Its Italian. A lot of conversations at the moment and not much action, Ecclestone told Reuters.They said to me a few months ago everything is sorted out, we know exactly where we are and its all agreed and no dramas.And now I heard yesterday its become very political...theyll get on with it. Or not. Nothing we can do about it. Its a little bit Italian, says Bernie Ecclestone as Monza contract saga drags on The 1980 season is the only one in F1s 66-year history in which Monza did not stage Italys home race and its association with grand prix rating dates back to the early 1920s.Ecclestone hopes to reach an agreement on 2017 and beyond before the racing season begins in March.Theres no deadline, he said. They can take as long as they like, provided its by the end of this month.ddddddddddddAs a mainstay of the sport, Monza has long been considered one of F1s sacrosanct events, but the traditional European races have felt the financial squeeze amid the sports worldwide expansion over the last decade. Experience Silverstone live Get your 2016 tickets to Silverstone now! Despite the success of Mercedes and four home drivers, the German GP fell off the calendar for the first time in 40 years last season, while France, the birthplace of grand prix racing, has not staged a race since 2008.Silverstones contract to stage the British GP runs until 2027, and after a number of challenging years, the venue is set to announce a profit on last years race after a record 140,000 race-day crowd turned out.The first Barcelona test starts on Monday February 22 and the Sky Sports F1 Digital team will be providing live commentary from dawn until dusk on all four days of both Barcelona tests while Sky Sports News HQ will also deliver live updates from trackside. Also See: F1 in 2016: Line-ups and race calendar Red Bull launch: What to expect ' ' '