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 dropped to 10-16 since the All-Star break and is three games back for the NLs second wild card. 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) flied out, walked twice, stole two bases and scored a run, playing five innings at third base as he started 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 Wade Boggs Jersey . 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. Cheap MLB Jerseys Authentic .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. http://www.cheapraysjerseys.com/ . Peter Holland and Brad Staubitz were sent to Toronto on Saturday as the Maple Leafs traded defenceman Jesse Blacker and draft picks to the Anaheim Ducks. Cheap Rays Jerseys China .ca NHL Power Rankings for the second straight week, ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche. Wholesale Rays Jerseys . -- Josh Sterk scored once and set up two more as the Oshawa Generals edged the visiting Belleville Bulls 3-2 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. BOSTON -- From afar, Al Horford has always had respect for the history of the Boston Celtics.He made his first visit to the Garden as a rookie in 2007 and found himself drawn to the championship banners that hung above the court.That was the same season that Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen joined Paul Pierce to form the Big 3 and went on to win Bostons 17th NBA championship.As the Celtics biggest free agent signing since then, Horford -- with his four-year, $113 million contract -- is now the centerpiece of the franchise as it chases banner No. 18.He enters the 2016-17 campaign no longer the wide-eyed rookie that arrived in Atlanta nine years ago. Hes now a veteran four-time All-Star that team president Danny Ainge believes can provide leadership to a young core led by Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder. The immediate goal is to help Boston advance past the first round of the playoffs for first time since 2012.I know that Im gonna help our team be better, Horford said. Im gonna try to come in and try to gel as fast as I can and just make sure that were playing at a high level, and that were working every day. And well see what happens.Theres no denying that Horford joins a team that has been on the upswing under coach Brad Stevens. Boston won just 25 games his first season in 2013-14 but have improved to 40 and 48 wins the past two, which have included back-to-back playoff berths.But each of those postseason appearances ended in first-round exits, including a 4-2 loss to Horfords Hawks last season.That loss was marred by a hamstring injury to Bradley in Game 1, as well as nagging injuries which dogged Crowder and center Kelly Olynyk.With all of that behind them, Thomas is anxious to see what this group can accomplish when healthy and with some extra star power.Aside from providing some help defending the rim and rebounding, Horfords shooting ability also should open up the floor more for a scoring point guard like Thomas, and improved shooter like Bradley.The expectation is that Crowder will also be freer to operate with Horford drawing attention in the paint.There is also No. 3 overall draft pick Jaylen Brown, whose athleticissm should fit right in with a group that loves to run the floor.ddddddddddddWe have a pretty good team, a team that could make some noise -- some legitimate noise, Thomas said. If we put it together and play the right way, we can make a lot happen this season. You dont ever want to put a ceiling on it, but we have a really good team I know that.MAKING ADJUSTMENTSProbably the Celtics biggest loss this offseason was the departure of swingman Evan Turner to Portland in free agency. Aside from being a productive sixth man, he also at times triggered their half-court sets when he was in the game. Thats a big loss, Stevens said. A big loss because of the way he handled the ball, the big shots that he made late in the game, his positional versatility defensively, his everyday workman-like attitude in the gym.MINUTES FOR ROZIERThe Celtics were dealt a small blow to their second unit when Marcus Smart suffered a left ankle sprain in their preseason finale. The silver lining is that while hes out, it will almost certainly mean increased playing time for second-year point guard Terry Rozier. Rozier had his best moments as a rookie on the defensive end, but showed a lot of improvement in his shooting during the preseason. He works hard at the game and its no surprise that hes having success, Stevens said. Were going to rely on him.INJURY WATCHOlynyk sat out the entire preseason recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder in May. After not being cleared for contact in time to appear in any preseason games, its possible he could miss a good chunk of games early in the season. It will mean one less body to relieve Horford, but will give the Celtics opportunities to play smaller at times.MARK YOUR CALENDARThe Celtics have a fairly balanced schedule over the first full month of the season, but will play 10 of their first 18 games on the road. Horford will play his former Hawks team three times this season, beginning Jan. 13 in Atlanta.---Follow Kyle Hightower on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/khightower ' ' '