less-experienced youth carrying long-term promise - all part

NEW YORK -- Neil Walker plans to undergo surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back, ending his season and potentially his New York Mets career.Manager Terry Collins announced Walkers intention and said the second baseman would address the subject Thursday.Walker has been nagged by recurring lower-back trouble, which has been causing weakness in a leg and numbness in a foot.General manager Sandy Alderson earlier Wednesday expressed confidence Walker could play through the injury, but the parties subsequently had another doctor review Walkers MRI and the direction changed. Collins said the decision to have surgery surprised him.After all the evidence has been gathered, he thinks thats where hes probably headed, Collins said. ... All of the stuff that has to come together to reach a decision, for me its mind-boggling -- all the different pieces that have to be put in place. Hell give you the whole diagram tomorrow, but were certainly very disappointed that it comes to this. Hes had a tremendous year for us. Certainly he makes the decision, and its in his best interest.Acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates last December for left-hander Jonathon Niese, Walker hit .282 with a career-high-matching 23 homers and 55 RBIs in 412 at-bats.Niese was reacquired from the Pirates on Aug. 1, but since has undergone surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee that likely will end his season, too. Walkers loss means three-quarters of the Mets Opening Day infield is done for the season. Third baseman David Wright underwent surgery to repair a ruptured disk in his neck, while first baseman Lucas Duda has suffered a setback in his attempt to return from a stress fracture in his lower back.Walker is eligible for free agency this winter. It remains to be seen how much the 30-year-old Walkers value will be affected by the back surgery. Its also uncertain whether the injury diminishes the Mets interest in Walker. Alderson recently had expressed an interest in engaging Walkers agent about a potential extension.The Mets have several options to cover Walkers absence. Wilmer Flores and Kelly Johnson, who combined for five RBIs in Wednesdays 5-2 win against the Miami Marlins, likely will share the position. The Mets also figure to promote infielders T.J. Rivera and Matt Reynolds from Triple-A Las Vegas when the Pacific Coast League regular season ends on Monday.The Mets did make a move Wednesday to shore up their late-inning relief. They acquired right-handed reliever Fernando Salas from the Los Angeles Angels for minor league right-hander Erik Manoah. Because Salas was acquired before midnight, he will be eligible for the Mets postseason roster.Salas, 31, was 3-6 with a 4.47 ERA and six saves in 58 relief appearances with the Angels this season. He is eligible for free agency this offseason. The Mets also sent Triple-A catcher Nevin Ashley to the Texas Rangers for cash. Stan Smith Canada Sale . Collaros, 25, was solid last season, posting a 5-2 record as the starter while incumbent Ricky Ray was injured. Collaros also started Torontos 23-20 regular-season finale loss to Montreal — Ray didnt dress because the Argos had already clinched first in the East Division — but was one of three quarterbacks to play that day. Stan Smith Shoes Canada . 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. http://www.wholesalestansmithcanada.com/ . They were putting most of their energy into a record-setting offensive display. Stan Smith Sale .J. -- Josh Cribbs was in the Pro Bowl in February and out of a job six months later. Stan Smith Canada Outlet . Parker had 26 points and eight assists and San Antonio beat Toronto 112-99 Monday night. "We won that game because of Tony Parkers aggressiveness," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "His juice; his aggression all night long. There are many ways of measuring success - Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou does so by looking to the future, even as he reflects on the past.Tuesday nights World Cup qualifier against Thailand falls three years, nearly to the day, since the former Brisbane and Melbourne Victory A-League coach took charge of Australia for the first time.For those who watched the Socceroos 1-0 win over Costa Rica in Sydney on November 19, 2013, Postecoglous vision was unambiguous from the outset.His unapologetic demand for possession-based, attacking football was the key to Australias competitive 2014 World Cup display and delivered the historic 2015 Asian Cup when the nations playing stocks were purportedly near an all-time low.Without the so-called golden generation the Socceroos progressed to the final phase of Russia 2018 qualifying via seven wins in eight matches.Now, on the brink of making a fourth consecutive World Cup, Postecoglou is satisfied and also driven to continue his evolution.It was hard for me to envisage anything at the time of taking over, knowing the immediacy of the World Cup and Asian Cup within the first 12 months of my tenure, he said.You try and project and hope to be in a certain space by the time we have the opportunity to qualify for the next World Cup.That meant weeding out the ageing old guard, and Postecoglou showed he wasnt afraid to do what his predecessor Holger Osieck didnt by controversially calling time on the international careers of many of thoose aged 30 and over from Germany 2006.ddddddddddddIn their place came less-experienced youth carrying long-term promise - all part of a grand plan to add much-needed depth.Were now in that bracket I wanted the bulk of the squad to be in terms of age and relevant caps at international level, Postecoglou said.Because you know if you qualify for a World Cup those kinds of things certainly help to have more of an impact.And in terms of the way were playing ... I think were just about there.The best is certainly yet to come, because a lot of these guys will be key players in the next World Cup cycle as well.Many of those faces are the fruits of a global talent sweep early in Postecoglous incumbency.No future star was missed, including those with dual nationality who could choose which country to play for.In the squad to face Thailand are five who played youth international football for other countries in Brad Smith (England), Apo Giannou (Greece), Milos Degenek (Serbia), Jamie Maclaren (Scotland) and Jackson Irvine (Scotland), while Jimmy Jeggo is also still eligible to play for Austria.Its not about convincing them, Postecoglou said.I think all of them wanted to but sometimes, particularly for guys who leave Australia at a young age and go halfway around the world, if we dont show them a little bit of care and attention they could get lost. ' ' '