The New York Times | Jon Kelly: A look back at Derek Jeter during his high school days, before he was a household name.

NJ.com | Brendan Kuty: Derek Jeter is actually hitting well over the last homestand of his career.

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch:Brett Gardner hit the Yankees' 15,000th home run and he was pretty happy about it.

New York Magazine | Chris Smith: Take a look behind the public front of Derek Jeter as we get a behind-the-scenes tour of his life.

NJ.com | Brendan Kuty: The Yankees plan to play Derek Jeter every day through the rest of the season.

New York Daily News | John Harper: The plan for Masahiro Tanaka will be determined by how he feels after his start.

MLB.com | Jake Kring-Schreifels:Carlos Beltran will delay his elbow surgery until the offseason.

New York Post | Joel Sherman: With the Yankees nearly done with the Derek Jeter farewell tour, the Mets, Red Sox, Reds, and Tigers are among teams that could be next.

Your Monday morning dose of New York Mets and Major League Baseball news, notes, and links.

Meet the Mets

The Mets had the pleasure of eliminating the Braves from playoff contention yesterday, defeating their rivals 10-2 to complete a three-game sweep. Jacob deGrom was his usual awesome self and appears to be the favorite to win National League Rookie of the Year. Also, New York is now just one game behind Atlanta in the loss column for second place in the division.

Recap Parade:Amazin' Avenue, MLB.com, ESPN NY, New York Times, Post, Daily News, Newsday, Star-Ledger

deGrom was fast out of the gate again, striking out the first four batters he faced and refusing to allow a Brave to reach base until the fifth.

Terry Collins isn't sure if deGrom will get another chance to pitch this season.

With Dilson Herrera on the shelf for the last week of the season, infielder Wilfredo Tovar will be making a big league cameo for the second year in a row.

The Mets' rookies dressed as female superheroes for the team's trip to Washington on Sunday evening. The team Twitter account did its best to make it seem like this was not hazing.

Around the NL East

The Nationals appear primed for the postseason with a sweep of the Marlins that was completed yesterday thanks to a stellar Stephen Strasburg start.

Talking Chop polled their readers and a majority want both manager Fredi Gonzalez and general manager Frank Wren gone before 2015.

Around the Majors

Josh Donaldson kept the Athletics in front of the American League Wild Card race with a walk-off home run to beat the Phillies.

The Cardinals may have lost 7-2 to the Reds on Sunday, but they did manage to clinch a playoff berth when the Pirates defeated the Brewers 1-0.

The Boston Globe has a story on the long history of racial intolerance within the Boston Red Sox organization.

Tampa Bay's Joe Maddon, considered one of the smartest managers in baseball, says it's going to take "a lot of creative thinking" to turn around the lack of offense that the majors have seen lately.

Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka looked pretty good in his first start back from a partially torn UCL.

Corey Kluber continued to prove himself as one of baseball's best pitchers with his second straight 14-strikeout game in a win over the Twins yesterday.

Yesterday at AA

On this date in 1962, the legendary Ed Kranepool recorded his first hit as a Met. Also, today is Wally Backman's birthday!

The general manager has been released after seven seasons at the helm.

Frank Wren has been relieved of his duties as the Atlanta Braves' general manager, the team announced today. After a disappointing campaign in which the Braves cratered and failed to reach the playoffs, changes were imminent in Atlanta. Wren is the first one to take a fall, one day after a demoralizing, playoff-dashing sweep at the hand of division rival New York Mets.

Wren, 56, has been the Braves' GM since 2007. He has led the team to a division title in 2013, as well as two Wild Card berths in 2010 and 2012. Throughout his tenure, Wren has managed to build and maintain a strong farm system in Atlanta. The current Braves' core of Jason Heyward, Andrelton Simmons, Freddie Freeman, Julio Teheran and Craig Kimbrel have all been drafted and/or developed under Wren's reign. His free agent signings, on the other hand, left a lot to be desired. Long-term contracts to Derek Lowe, Dan Uggla, and B.J. Upton have severely hamstrung the Braves' payroll flexibility.

The Braves will look to find a new GM in the offseason. In the meantime, John Hart has been named the interim GM. Hart previously served as the team's senior adviser of baseball operations.

Alderson has run the Mets despite the Wilpons' awfulness for this long, so he's been rewarded with additional babysitting.

The Mets have been a mess under general manager Sandy Alderson, but not because of Sandy Alderson. He's been mostly silent about the Wilpons' poor management of the Mets, however, and has made the most of what little money he's been handed to work with over the years. Knowing that Alderson is capable of keeping his head down and staying quiet while the organization repairs itself in a post-Bernie Madoff world, the Wilpons are reportedly nearing a reward for him in the form of an extension, according to Ken Rosenthal.

The above might undersell what Alderson is capable of; despite his decades in the game he remains a sharp baseball mind who has helped reload the Mets' farm system through the draft and trades since coming aboard after the 2010 season. He's the right person to run the Mets both in the present -- when Madoff's Ponzi scheme and the millions lost to it remain open wounds for the Mets -- and in the future, when he can actually have some money to spend on the free agents and trades that could bring the other New York team back to relevance. As the extension is reportedly for three years according to Andy Martino, Alderson should be around on the distant day when that becomes a reality.

With the slew of young pitching on the roster -- and what should be a healthy Matt Harvey in 2015 -- the Mets might even compete sooner than later. Franchise player David Wright stuck around for what seemed like a below-market deal, and departing veterans Carlos Beltran and R.A. Dickey were turned into key prospects who will help the Mets the next time they matter. Given that's all due to Alderson's handling of a difficult situation, he deserves at least this much from his bungling superiors.

In addition to Alderson, Adam Rubin is reporting that the Mets plan no bringing Terry Collins back for 2015, and that space could open up on the coaching staff for minor-league manager Wally Backman with Tim Teufel moving off of the third base coaching job to become the new hitting coach. That is unlikely to quiet the talk radio cries for Backman to take over as the major-league manager.

After thoroughly rebuilding the farm system over the past four seasons, the Mets GM will stick around a little longer in order to see his efforts hopefully pay off.

Ken Rosenthal tweeted this afternoon that the Mets have picked up the 2015 option on General Manager Sandy Alderson's contract and that the two sides are working out an extension:

Sources: #Mets picking up option for 2015 on GM Alderson and progressing toward extension.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) September 22, 2014

Talk of an extension for the Mets GM has been rumored in recent weeks but this report seems to make it appear on the verge of fruition. Further, Andy Martino of the Daily News tweeted about the possible length of such an extension shortly thereafter:

Sources: Alderson extension will be for about 3 years, but there are details still to be worked out. #Mets

— Andy Martino (@MartinoNYDN) September 22, 2014

Jon Heyman's sources agreed with Martino's in a tweet:

Sandy alderson getting new 3 year deal with mets.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) September 22, 2014

With Alderson's contract looking to be just about settled, the Mets head into a crucial offseason with one large item crossed off their list. The strong pitching of Jacob deGrom and Zack Wheeler, along with the breakout of rookie catcher Travis d'Arnaud, and the development of the team's fireballing bullpen has made it look like the team could take a leap forward next year. With the right moves, coupled with successful returns from team anchors David Wright and Matt Harvey, the team could be a lot more interesting a year from now.

Alderson and manager Terry Collins have guided the Mets to a 301-341 record over their four seasons with the team, a period that has been punctuated by an unprecedented drop in team payroll. The pair will head into their fifth season at the helm of the team looking to make it their first above the .500 mark.

It's not as easy as it might sound.

Earlier today, we learned that the Mets would pick up general manager Sandy Alderson's 2015 option and are finalizing an extension with him. Hired after the 2010 season, Alderson's best trait to date has been his ability to acquire significant minor league players in trades for veterans with expiring contracts: Noah Syndergaard, Wuilmer Becerra, and Travis d'Arnaud for R.A. Dickey, Zack Wheeler for Carlos Beltran, and Vic Black and Dilson Herrera for Marlon Byrd and John Buck.

His tenure has not been perfect, of course, as several of his free agent acquisitions and the trade that sent Angel Pagan to the San Francisco Giants did not pan out. But there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel now, especially if David Wright's season this year can be chalked up largely to his injured shoulder.

Believe it or not, Alderson is the twelfth general manager in Mets history.

Can you name all of them?

To go along with Alderson's three-year extension, you have three minutes to complete the quiz over at Sporcle. As always, you need only type a last name for a correct answer. And please do come back here and share your score and time in the comments! If you're mentioning any answers, you can hide their names in your comments by highlighting them and clicking on the spoiler text tool.

The Washington Nationals are back in the nation's capital for the first game of the final homestand on the regular season schedule. There will be games in October, however, and the tickets for the second NLDS in D.C. in three years sold out quickly.

A total of 45,017 fans purchased tickets for Game 3 of the 2012 NLDS in Washington, D.C., the first postseason game played in the nation's capital since October 7, 1933. The crowd was the largest to attend a game in Nationals Park to that point, though Game 5 of the series on October 12, 2012 set a new mark of 45,966 which stands to this day as the largest crowd in the history of the ballpark which opened in 2008.

Tickets for the second postseason series since the original Washington Senators went to the World Series 81 years ago this fall went on sale to the "general public" on Monday morning at 10:00 AM EDT.

By 10:17 AM EDT the tickets that were available were reportedly sold out.

A message on the Nationals official site broke the news to anyone who wasn't able to secure NLDS tickets in the seventeen-minute window:

"There are currently no tickets available for NLDS home games. Fans may check inventory for these games using the links below as seats may be released for sale if they become available."

The Nats note that the, "Nationals Park Box Office will sell a limited number of Standing Room Only tickets the day of each postseason game, subject to availability. Grandstand seating will not be available for purchase day-of-game during the postseason." There's always the secondary market, of course.

But who's going to miss the Nationals' return to the postseason? Before the Nationals start their second postseason run in the last three years, however, there are seven games to be played, three with the New York Mets starting tonight and four with the Miami Marlins starting with a doubleheader on Friday.

Tonight's game starts at 7:05 PM. How big a crowd will turn out to welcome the 2014 NL East Champions home? We'll see tonight. Until then, links and lots of them, starting... RIGHT NOW!!!:

• THE BIG STORY!!!:

• "It took 17 minutes Monday, but the National League East Division champion Washington Nationals have sold out Nationals Park seats for their homestand in the upcoming National League Division Series playoffs." - "Nats sell out home slate of division playoffs; standing room will be limited, but available" - Bob Niedt, Washington Business Journal

Nats sell out home slate of division playoffs; standing room will be limited, but available http://t.co/4d2CY8uPTa

— WashingtonBizJournal (@WBJonline) September 22, 2014

• "Playoff tickets for the Washington Nationals' National League Division Series (NLDS) home games went on sale Monday morning -- and were sold out in just 17 minutes." - "Washington Nationals Playoffs: NLDS Tickets Sell Out in 17 Minutes" - NBC4 Washington

• NATS BEAT:

• "I've felt better the last month and a half, I would think. I feel very good with my swing." - Bryce Harper - "Harper opens up in conversation with MLB.com" - Bill Ladson, nationals.com

#Harper opens up in conversation with #MLB.com http://t.co/jEOJOCNw2V#Nats#Nationals#MLB

— William Ladson (@washingnats) September 22, 2014

• "Players all know the baseball novel they are living -- like LaRoche knowing it's his last time around with the Nats and thinking this is his best lifetime chance to get a ring." - "Ask Boswell: Redskins, Nationals and Washington sports" - Thomas Boswell, The Washington Post

• "Moving on to New York could give Perez a better opportunity for playing time. Though the Yankees boast Brett Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran in their outfield, their depth at the position isn’t as strong down in the minor league ranks as it is in Washington." -"Yankees claim former Nats outfielder Eury Perez off waivers" - Chase Hughes, Nats Insider

• LATEST POLL: Will Rafael Soriano be a part of the Nats' bullpen in the NLDS?

• VOTE AND CHECK UPDATED RESULTS HERE.

• "We’ve barely grown accustomed to having baseball back in the nation’s capital, as the Nats are approaching the 10th anniversary of their relocation from Montreal." - "Great expectations a good thing for Nationals as playoffs approach" - Deron Snyder, Washington Times

• "You may be saying right now: 'You’re really going to waste a spot on a pinch-running specialist?” My answer: 'Absolutely.'" - "Taking a crack at the Nationals’ postseason roster" - Mark Zuckerman, Nats Insider

• "His slider has showed occasional flashes of its former bite, but not frequently enough to be a go-to pitch." - "Nationals Pastime: Is Soriano pitching himself off the playoff roster?" - Pete Kerzel, MASNSports.com

• "Soriano relies on location and movement to neutralize batters and has survived before with 90 mph cutting fastballs. But his fastball was between 88 and 90 mph on Sunday..." - "Rafael Soriano gets a save, but is he ready for the playoffs?" - James Wagner, Washington Post

• "With just seven games in six days left, the Nationals need to start figuring out their postseason rotation and soon. That leaves just one turn left for all but one of their pitchers..." - "State of the Nats: Final week before playoffs" - Chase Hughes, Nats Insider

Tomorrow is $1 Dog night! $1 hot dogs will be available at all #Nats Dogs stands 'til the 6th, while supplies last. pic.twitter.com/oR334IFro7

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 22, 2014

• "When the team buses pulled up to Nationals Park about an hour later, there were a bunch of visitors waiting for them." - "Nationals Pastime: Nats return home with lots on their side (Perez assigned to Yankees)" - Dan Kolko, MASNSports.com

• Your Daily Message from the Dalai Lama on Twitter (@DalaiLama):

The idea of one side suffering defeat while the other side triumphs is out of date. Instead we have to develop dialogue.

— Dalai Lama (@DalaiLama) September 23, 2014

• NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

• "With a 12.6% whiff rate, the slider is at least average. Brooks has [Treinen] throwing 40 change-ups with a 15% whiff rate, which is very encouraging." - "The Change: Corcino, Treinen, Bonilla" - Eno Sarris, FanGraphs Fantasy Baseball

RotoGraphs: The Change: Corcino, Treinen, Bonilla http://t.co/BvpSxlEt6c

— FanGraphs Baseball (@fangraphs) September 22, 2014

• "So the National League field is set – the Pirates, Cardinals, Dodgers, Washington Nationals and San Francisco Giants all have clinched or boast a better than 99% chance of qualifying." -"Pennant primer: Poor play means MLB races almost over" - Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY Sports

• "The Lerner family,  owners of the National League’s Washington Nationals baseball team, announced that they will not attend any playoff games that take place next week on Yom Kippur, the Washington Post reported last week." - "Sandy Koufax, Redux: Nats Owners Swear Off Yom Kippur Playoffs" - Steve Lipman, The Jewish Week

• "Gio Gonzalez is 3-1 with a 2.79 ERA in his last six starts. He has struck out 29 and walked seven in 38 2/3 innings during that span." - "Series preview: Mets at Nationals" - Adam Rubin, Mets Blog - ESPN New York

Series preview: Mets at Nationals http://t.co/rgwYMSKMHF#NYM#Mets

— Adam Rubin (@AdamRubinESPN) September 23, 2014

• "The Yankees added some depth to their bench on Monday by claiming outfielder Eury Perez off waivers from the Nationals." -"Yanks claim outfielder Perez from Nationals" - Bryan Hoch, yankees.com

• "'With the cooperation of all appropriate parties, we can make progress on improving the pace of play, and we will have recommendations in the very near future for the 2015 season.'" - "MLB names committee to find ways to speed up the pace of baseball games" - Marissa Payne, The Washington Post

• NATSTOWN:

• "Growing cost concerns over a proposed $140 million baseball stadium and a competing suitor for the land could scrap plans to bring spring training to West Palm Beach." -"New obstacles surface for Palm Beach County baseball stadium proposal" - Andy Reid, Sun Sentinel

• "Anyway, it should come as no surprise that the Nationals’ postseason slogan is 'Nothing But October.'" - "Nationals installing ‘Nothing But October’ banners around D.C." - Scott Allen, The Washington Post

Looks like DC is getting a few new adornments! #NothingButOctober#Nats#NLEastChampspic.twitter.com/xuS7gl5VDJ

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 22, 2014

• "Predicting the Washington Nationals 25-Man Roster for the NLDS" - Ryan Sullivan, NatsGM

• "Nats Talk On The Go: Episode 87" - Joe Drugan, The Nats Blog

• "The top Nationals prospects have descended on the team's practice and training facility in Viera, Fla." - "Lucas Giolito and other top prospects begin instructional league today" - Byron Kerr, MASNSports.com

• "Twenty-four hours ahead of the official announcement, it looks like the team logos for the 2015 Winter Classic have leaked." - "It looks like Capitals will have brand new logo, uniforms for 2015 Winter Classic" - Travis Hughes, SBNation.com

• NL EAST UPDATES:

•Braves: "Veteran baseball man John Hart, who was brought in by the Braves as a consultant, could take an increased role, as Peter Gammons of MLB Network first reported." - "Braves weigh changes; longtime GM Frank Wren's role appears in peril" - Jon Heyman, CBSSports.com

The Braves have dismissed general manager Frank Wren. John Hart has been named as the interim GM.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 22, 2014

• Marlins: "Hechavarria's bat may never outshine his glove, but this season the Marlins' shortstop made striking strides in the batters' box." - "Miami Marlins: Adeiny Hechavarria made great offensive strides in 2014" - Juan C. Rodriguez, Sun Sentinel

• Mets: "The Mets intend to pick up general manager Sandy Alderson's option for next season and 'are working toward adding years in an extension,' according to multiple people familiar with the matter." - "Source: Mets to Bring Back Terry Collins and Sandy Alderson" - Jared Diamond, WSJ

• Phillies: "Progress is exponential. Consider how far behind the Phillies are after only three years." - "Plotting Phillies' future" - David Murphy, Philadelphia Daily News

Your Tuesday morning dose of New York Mets and MLB news, notes, and links.

Meet the Mets

Good morning, Mets fans! The Mets were off yesterday, but managed to tie themselves for second place, as the Braves death spiral continued. Tonight's game sees the Mets head to Washington, as Bartolo Colon takes on Tanner Roark in a 7:05pm contest.

The big news surrounding the Mets yesterday, was that general manager Sandy Alderson is close to signing a multiple-year extension after the team picked up his option for 2015.

A report has surfaced suggesting that Tim Teufel may be taking over the hitting coach position from Lamar Johnson, and Wally Backman may fill Teufel's position as third base coach.

Mike Puma says that the team may be considering bringing Ruben Tejada back as a backup shortstop next season.

Jay Schreiber and Elena Gustines write that for the first time in several years, there's some suspense in September for the Mets.

Mike Vorkunov wants to know if Travis d'Arnaud should be a Rookie of the Year consideration.

Vorkunov also writes that the Mets may consider using in-season breaks to help their pitchers with innings counts.

Matthew Bowman may be the most unappreciated Mets prospect, in a deep pool of prospects.

Sandy Alderson has been asked to join a committee tasked to look at ways to speed up the game.

Around the N.L. East

Andrew McCutchen's solo homer proved the difference, as the Braves fell to the Pirates 1-0.

The Braves have fired general manager Frank Wren.

Braves fans seem none too thrilled at the idea of Bobby Cox being asked to help pick the team's next general manager.

Craig Calcaterra writes that John Scheurholtz's email about "The Braves Way" is a "big pile of crap."

Cuban defector Yasmani Tomas will be working out privately for the Phillies.

Jonah Keri tells us just how the Nationals got to be as good as they are.

Around the Majors

The Oakland A's are still hanging around at the top, as Jeff Samardzija pitched a gem, and the offense came alive.

The Yankeesare managing to hold onto their slim playoff hopes, as Derek Jeter continues to rake in his final week.

Jeff Sullivan wants to know if the A.L. Cy Young voting will be representative of how close the race actually is.

Eno Sarris writes that there's some correlation between longer games and an increased volume of injuries.

Richard Justice writes that there's something very special going on in Pittsburgh.

Yesterday at AA

Chris McShane tried to melt our brains with a Mets Mind Boggler.

If you see a link you think would be a great addition to Mets Morning News, send a link to our tips address, tips@grission.com, and we'll try to add it in!

Derek Jeter is doing fun, magical things in his final homestand at Yankee Stadium. Enjoy it while you can, Pinstripe Alley.

Comment of the Game

Michael Brown wins the COTG award for callin' it. I was there and I saw it live, so I know it actually happened. It was pretty damn glorious.

Best GIF of the Recap

Just like the Tanaka GIF won the BGOTR award for Sunday's Recap thread, this Pineda GIF posted by Andrew wins yesterday's BGOTR award. If you can't stop staring at it, that's perfectly normal.

Honorable Mod Mention

I'm not sure exactly how we got to this point, but we did and Matt F delivered the goods for the HMM.

Best Comments of the Day

Still nothing special going on in the comments section. Pick it up, PSAers.

• Be honest, which NY Baseball team has the more exciting looking starting rotation for 2015? The Yankees or the Mets?
• Thus far, what is your favorite thing about the 2014 Yankees season?

As always link us you song of the day!

go yankees go mccarthy go jeter

The Dodgers might not want him back, and if that's the case, Ramirez could be headed to the American League.

Hanley Ramirez truly defines the word "enigma." His average fluctuates wildly from year to year, he's an injury risk but can be one of the best hitters in the majors when healthy, and he's once again near the bottom of the league in most fielding metrics after a respectable defensive performance in 2013.

If we've learned anything from Ramirez's 10 seasons in the majors, however, it's that he has potential—perhaps more than any other hitter on the market this offseason. There's no guarantee Ramirez finds himself on another team next season, of course, and it's hard to imagine that the Dodgers lack the necessary funds to keep him on board. But if he hits the open market, Ramirez will make a lot of money, as there will be plenty of teams in need of a new shortstop.

In the upcoming paragraphs, we'll take a look at whether the Dodgers really want to keep Ramirez, where he's likely to go if they don't make an effort to re-sign him, and what his value projects to be on the open market. Grab some popcorn!

Where he's been

The Red Sox signed Ramirez from the Dominican Republic in July 2000 and traded him to the Marlins in 2005 with Anibal Sanchez (and a few other minor leaguers) in the deal that sent Mike Lowell and Josh Beckett to the Sox. The trade worked in Boston's favor, as the latter two players were integral pieces of the Red Sox' World Series puzzle in 2007. (Lowell drove in a career-high 120 runs and finished fifth in MVP voting that year, and Beckett won 20 games—the only time he has accomplished the feat.)

The following year, Ramirez immediately showed what he was capable of, hitting .292 with an .833 OPS, 11 triples and 51 steals on his way to capturing the 2006 NL Rookie of the Year award. He improved his OPS by more than 100 points the following season, the first of four consecutive years with a batting average of .300 or better. During that run, in 2009, Ramirez hit .342/.410/.543 and missed out on the MVP award only because of Albert Pujols' super-human performance that year.

Then came the falloff. Ramirez hasn't made it to the All-Star game since 2010, and in the two years following his impressive run (2011 and 2012), he posted OPS+ totals of 95 and 105, respectively—essentially making him the definition of a league average player.

That all changed in 2013, when Ramirez only played in 86 games but was so productive that he finished eighth in MVP voting for the Dodgers. That led to talk of another potential MVP run this season and a huge contract during the offseason, whether it was with the Dodgers or elsewhere.

Where he is now

Ramirez's revitalization in 2013 created high expectations, and he hasn't been able to repeat his success.

But even with the regression, Ramirez is still an above average hitter and elite shortstop, at least on the offensive side. He leads all qualifying players at his position in on-base and slugging percentage, and he's tied for third in RBIs despite playing in almost 30 fewer games than many of his fellow shortstops.

That latter statistic is more a testament to the strength of the Dodgers' lineup, but the point is that Ramirez is clearly a run producer—something in short supply at the shortstop position.

The ugly flip side of that is Ramirez's poor defensive play. Though always a below average fielder, the Dodgers shortstop has truly outdone himself this year. His -16.7 UZR/150 is the lowest it has been since 2007, according to FanGraphs, and only six players in the majors have been worse by that metric.

American League teams would have the option of sticking Ramirez in the DH slot from time to time, lessening the blow of his fielding troubles. That could make him more likely to switch leagues this offseason, especially considering Ramirez might sign a contract that will take him into his late 30s. By then, he could exclusively become a DH or corner infielder.

Where he's going

First things first: None of the speculation about possible destinations for Ramirez is relevant unless the Dodgers don't want him back, so let's look at the likelihood of an extension.

In February, Ramirez stated his desire to be "a Dodger for life," but it's unclear if the feeling is mutual.

In fact, it probably isn't. Players who aren't durable and have a history of defensive struggles aren't prime candidates for expensive long-term extensions, especially when said players are 30 years old. The Dodgers have had a close-up view of Ramirez's poor play in the field, and they might be tired of his errors and laziness costing the team runs and wins.

That said, Ramirez is also the best offensive shortstop not named Troy Tulowitzki, and the Dodgers would miss his bat if they let him walk. But uber-prospect Corey Seager might be ready to take over at short sometime next season, lessening the blow of Ramirez's potential departure.

Another point to consider: Third baseman Juan Uribe is only signed through the end of 2015, so if the Dodgers could consider eventually sliding Ramirez over to third and putting Seager at shortstop.

★★★

Ramirez actually turns 31 in December, which means he's much better suited to play for an AL team that can hide him at the DH spot—or one that already has defensive standouts in the infield to help mitigate Ramirez's negative effect.

Historically, teams have overlooked poor fielding if a player can compensate at the plate. But recently, the trend has shifted in favor of defense as more and more teams have learned just how important it is. (For example, Andrelton Simmons would never have dreamed of a $58 million contract in the 1990s or maybe even the early 2000s.) Because of this recent change, many teams will likely pass on Ramirez because they won't believe he's worth the price.

But teams that are desperate for a reversal of fortune and have the checkbook to make that happen will be all over Ramirez if he ends up testing the market. Of course, Derek Jeter's retirement leaves a Hall of Fame-sized hole at shortstop for the Yankees, and Ramirez wouldn't be much of a downgrade from Jeter's defense.

The only issue: While the Yankees always seem to have money to burn, this upcoming season might be different. With payroll commitments numbering upwards of $170 million in 2015 and several key expiring contracts (closer David Robertson, for one), the Yanks might be strapped for cash.

That last statement sounded absurd to type out, because the Yankees never quite seem to run out of money. So while players like J.J. Hardy or Jed Lowrie might be better and more logical fits to replace Jeter (assuming they become free agents), Ramirez is another option if the Yankees are willing to spend the money and deal with more years of defensive turmoil at the six spot.

More likely, the Red Sox will give Ramirez a serious thought and should be considered legitimate candidates to re-acquire the player they originally signed 14 years ago.

But wait! The Red Sox already have Xander Bogaerts, Will Middlebrooks and Mookie Betts in the infield, not to mention Dustin Pedroia and prospect Garin Cecchini. But maybe those players aren't a sure thing.

It's unfair to judge Bogaerts by about a season of experience, but through 625 plate appearances, the Sox infielder has a .238/.299/.362 career line. He likely has a very bright future ahead and could be a stalwart of the Boston infield for years to come, but his success is far from guaranteed.

The came can be said of Middlebrooks, who is hitting .191 this season and hasn't come close to replicating his success from 2012. His three-year OPS+ decline is as follows: 121, 88 and 48, from 2012 to 2014. In other words, there's some uncertainty on the left side of the Boston infield.

The Red Sox are set to go on a huge spending spree, they need to improve quickly, and the potential market lacks elite hitters. Maybe, just maybe, those factors could point the Sox toward Ramirez this winter.

Another possible destination is that other team in New York—the Mets. Though they should have one of the NL's best rotations in 2016 with Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom and Zack Wheeler, the Mets will need offense to complement that pitching. Current shortstop Wilmer Flores (career .292/.334/.440 hitter in seven minor league seasons) has gotten off to a very slow start since he was called up to the majors last season, and their next best option, prospect Amed Rosario, was demoted to Low-A earlier this season.

The Mets don't necessarily project to contend next year, so they could wait it out with Flores and hope he settles in somewhere close to his level of production in the minors. But signing Ramirez would guarantee the Mets a reliable bat at short and give the team an excellent infield of David Wright, Daniel Murphy, Lucas Duda and Ramirez. Additionally, the four previously mentioned pitchers all have high strikeout rates, which makes Ramirez's defensive issues that much less of an issue.

Of course, it's still a stretch. The Mets aren't a financial powerhouse, and they had just the 22nd-highest payroll in baseball this season. But they've ranked near the top as recently as 2011, when the team had the majors' seventh-highest payroll, and we've seen them spend big on infielders like Wright and Jose Reyes. Ramirez to the Mets is an unlikely but very possible scenario.

The Mets have been eliminated from the playoffs. The Nationals are certainly in the playoffs. This is where we find out who the real fans are.

After 156 games of Mets baseball in 2014, the team is still in the cards for a .500 record. It's not close to Sandy Alderson's 90-win "prediction" at the outset of the season, but 81 wins and second place is something that a lot of critics thought would be a pipe dream for the Mets this year.

And yet, here the Mets are, tied for second place in the National League East and with a chance to finish above .500 for the first time since 2008. It's not the most impressive thing in the world, but an 81-win season is something to shoot for as the final days of the season play themselves out. In the Mets' way stand the Nationals, who have already wrapped up the division title.

Washington can still fight for home field advantage in the NLCS, so Matt Williams' squad does have something to play for if the skipper chooses to deploy his best players.

One thing I didn't notice before about the Nationals before is that they don't have a big bopper in the middle of the lineup. I've always known Washington to have a very deep batting order, but it was surprising to see such a solid team without a single regular above an .850 OPS.

The Nats know how to spread it around, though. Adam LaRoche leads a trio of sluggers who have at least 20 home runs in 2014, and three more have hit between 10 and 19. Washington's talented pitching staff has been the team's calling card for a while now, but general manager Mike Rizzo deserves a lot of credit for building a potent lineup that doesn't have any discernible holes. While Bryce Harper gets all the hype and Jayson Werth gets all the money, pieces like Anthony Rendon, Denard Span, and Ian Desmond make sure opposing pitchers never get a break.

The star-studded Dodgers will be many a pundit's pick to win the National League Pennant, so don't overlook this well-rounded Washington team and its incredible plus-128 run differential.

Who's on the mound?

Opposing Bartolo Colon on the mound tonight will be Tanner Roark, the solidly unspectacular 27-year-old hurler who is having a terrific first full year in the majors. It will be interesting to see how Roark fits into Washington's postseason plans. Will the team send a decidedly less effective Gio Gonzalez to the bullpen to make room for the relatively inexperienced Roark? Or will management opt for its four most experienced pitchers and throw Roark into long relief instead? It's hard to go wrong when you have five starters as quality as Washington's set, but I think that Roark has earned the right to start a playoff game.

In Roark's latest start against the Mets he threw a lot of strikes and worked the edges of the zone really well. In other words, he does what he always does. In today's age of rising strikeout totals and Tommy John surgeries, it's nice to see a guy who understands the importance of efficiency. Even though he hadn't locked down a rotation job until the start of the season, Roark is second on the Nationals in innings pitched.

Colon, on the other hand, would do well to not let his two-seam fastball drift over the plate when LaRoche is in the box.

Ouch. The left-handed first baseman has hit five of his 25 dingers this year against the Mets.

Although Gio Gonzalez has been Washington's fifth-best starter in 2014, he's still probably in line for postseason starts because of his left-handedness and strong September. Gonzalez has struggled with walks for most of his career, but this month he has only issued three in four starts. He's also only allowed 10 home runs all season, which helps to explain why Travis d'Arnaud didn't hit a grand slam off of Gonzalez during his last meeting with the Mets.

Los Mets would need all three runs to hang onto a 4-3 win over Washington on September 12.

The final starter for the Nats this weekend will be Doug Fister, a pitcher whose veteran status and rock solid consistency (sub-3.00 ERA in every month since May) are enough to land him in the playoff rotation. That would seem to be the case, but it is worth noting that Fister's strand rate of 83 percent is a career-high and his BABIP of .267 is a career-low. The Nationals should be wary about the guy who they "stole" from Detroit over the winter for such a modest price. Fister's FIP and xFIP are higher this season than they were for the past three, and his ground ball rate has sunk below 50 percent for the first time since 2011.

The Mets will be throwing Dillon Gee against Gonzalez and Jon Niese against Fister. Both pitchers have been useful but far from overwhelming this season. Both got off to good starts, got injured, came back, and pitched a little worse. Both will be a big part of fan discussions in the offseason as we try to determine whom the Mets should keep for 2015 and whom they should deal away.

For now, Niese's stock is a little higher because he has 19 strikeouts, two walks, and five runs allowed in his last three starts and also because he's the only potential 2015 starter who is left-handed.

Don't forget to check out FanDuel.com for fun, one-day fantasy baseball leagues!

The National League Rookie of the Year candidate won't pitch again this season.

Jacob deGrom will not receive another chance to bolster his Rookie of the Year credentials, as the Mets will shut down their breakout starting pitcher for the season, according to ESPN New York. The decision wipes out what could have been his final start of the season at home against the Houston Astros on Saturday.

During a tremendous rookie campaign, deGrom tossed 140.1 innings for the Mets after logging 38.1 frames in Triple-A. The right-handed hurler exceeded his 2013 usage rate by 31.1 innings, prompting the club to end his season. This allows deGrom to exit on a monumental high note. He allowed four earned runs over his last five starts, giving him a 1.06 ERA during that stretch. After registering a career-high 13 strikeouts against the Miami Marlins on September 15, he followed up with another 10 strikeouts in his season finale versus the Atlanta Braves.

A scorching finish gives deGrom a strong chance of edging out Billy Hamilton for Rookie of the Year honors. He'll conclude 2014 with a 2.63 ERA and 1.13 WHIP, amassing 144 strikeouts and 43 walks. While Hamilton's 3.4 fWAR edges out deGrom's 3.1 mark, the speedster is sporting a .253/.295/.358 slash line, absorbing all his value from baserunning and defense. Voters typically don't weigh those factors as heavily, so expect deGrom to become the first Met since Dwight Gooden to take home the award.

Washington Nationals' right-hander Tanner Roark starts against the New York Mets tonight. Gio Gonzalez is scheduled to start tomorrow. Both starters are finishing strong. Matt Williams has a tough decision to make before the start of the NLDS.

Washington Post writer Thomas Boswell made his argument for Washington Nationals' lefty Gio Gonzalez filling out the Nats' postseason rotation behind Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann and Doug Fister (in no particular order) with Tanner Roark going to the bullpen in a late-August chat with readers:

"1) [Roark] was even better out of the pen in '13 than he was starting. So, you assume he can do it. He gives you next extra options for the sixth and seventh inning and for an extra inning game. Like an extra and perhaps even better Stammen. 2) Gio "found" his curve in his last start. He's accustomed to long seasons and >200 IP years. He missed four starts this year so, ideally, he might really be strong in Oct. Same for Fister who still has only 124 IP, not even enough to qualify for the league leaders. Fresh Fister in post-season could be a nice edge. 3) Lots of playoff teams depend on top LH hitters. You may want Gio to start against them."

The WaPost writer went into more detail on the decision, you can read through the link above or HERE.

NatsInsider.com's Mark Zuckerman, in an article today predicting the Nats' postseason roster today, went with Gonzalez over Roark as well:

"Game 4 goes to Gonzalez over Tanner Roark, who certainly has pitched well enough to merit a starting assignment but whose versatility makes him a better bullpen candidate than Gio, who like Strasburg has pitched very well down the stretch."

After starting the second-half by going (0-4) in eight starts, with a 4.43 ERA, 18 walks (3.80 BB/9), 46 Ks (9.70 K/9) and a .273/.344/.388 line against in 42 ⅔ IP, Gonzalez has impressed in four starts this month, going (3-1) with a 3.16 ERA, three walks (1.05 BB/9), 19 Ks (6.66 K/9) and a .208/.238/.313 line against in 25 ⅔ innings.

Nats' skipper Matt Williams said Gonzalez's last start, a seven-inning outing against the Miami Marlins in Marlins Park, was the best outing the left-hander has put together since returning from the first DL stint of his career, when inflammation in his left shoulder kept Gonzalez out of action from May 17-June 18.

"I was really pleased with the way Gio threw it," Williams said.

"He could have gone back out [for the eighth], but wanted to make sure that he's ready for his next one as well. He threw really well. Changeup is really good. Curveball is really good. And a good velocity fastball tonight too when he wanted it. So, that may be the best that I've seen him since he's been back from his mini-stint with his shoulder issue. But he was really good."

Roark started the second-half of his second major league campaign by going (4-3) in nine starts from mid-July through the end of August, over which he put up a 2.73 ERA with 12 walks (1.82 BB/9), 39 Ks (5.92 K/9) and a .232/.274/.355 line against over 59 ⅓ IP.

In three September starts, the 27-year-old right-hander is (2-1) with a 2.33 ERA, two walks (0.93 BB/9), 13 Ks (6.05 K/9) and a .250/.270/.347 line against in 19 ⅓ IP.

After dropping a decision to the Phillies in his first start of the month, Roark held the New York Mets to seven hits and two earned runs in 6 ⅓ IP in Citi Field and then threw seven scoreless on the mound against the Atlanta Braves last week in Turner Field, holding the Nats' NL East rivals to five hits in an efficient 89-pitch outing in which the Nationals clinched the NL East.

"He was good," Williams said after the outing against the Mets. "He ran into trouble there in the last inning, but pitch count was really good. He was throwing strikes, forcing them to put the ball in play. Pitched good for us."

Rafael Soriano's struggles continue... where does he fit in postseason pen?

Photo © Robert Mayer/USA TODAY Sports

"I just felt like I was commanding both side of the plate," Roark told reporters, "letting it go and not holding back and trying to nibble. Just trying to make pitches, not try to make pitches, just trying to go after them, right after them, like I always have."

Neither pitcher is making the decision easy for Williams. Roark makes another start against the Mets tonight in the nation's capital and Gonzalez goes tomorrow in the second game of three with New York in D.C.

Will anything they do in their last two outings change Williams' mind if he's already made a decision?

Is Roark headed to the bullpen. Sounds like a question for a poll...

Ryan Zimmerman is not in the lineup. Anthony Rendon is not in the lineup. Kevin Frandsen is playing third base tonight. The Washington Nationals and the New York Mets start a three-game set in the nation's capital tonight. Here's the Nats' lineup...

New York Mets' starter Bartolo Colon hit a total of three batters in 27 starts and 179 ⅔ IP before his start against the Washington Nationals on September 11th in Citi Field.

Colon hit two Nationals' hitters that night, each time in the at bat after a home run.

The second HBP (on Jayson Werth) got the veteran right-hander ejected from the game in NY.

According to Matt Williams, plan for Ryan Zimmerman was to play today but, he's, "a little bit sore" and will go through some tests today.

— HoldenKushner (@Holdenradio) September 23, 2014

He'd already given up seven hits, two walks and six runs, five earned in 3 IP at that point, in what ended up a 6-2 loss to the Nats that night.

Tonight in the nation's capital, Colon makes his fifth start against the Mets' NL East rivals from D.C. in the first game of the three-game set in Nationals Park.

• Here's the Nationals' lineup for the series opener:

#Nats vs. #Mets: Span CF, Cabrera 2B, Werth RF, LaRoche 1B, Desmond SS, Harper LF, Ramos C, Frandsen 3B, Roark P pic.twitter.com/TdDtwXJdFG

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 23, 2014

The Nationals start this week's series with a 13-3 advantage over the Mets in the head-to-head matchup between the divisional rivals in 2014. The Nationals went 9-1 in Citi Field this season and they're 4-2 against the Mets after six games in Nats Park.

Tanner Roark takes the mound tonight, after holding Mets' hitters to seven hits and two earned runs in 6 ⅓ IP during the series in Citi Field two weeks back. Last time out on the mound, Roark tossed seven scoreless against the Atlanta Braves in Turner Field, leading the Nats to an NL East-clinching win.

Tonight, Roark is back in Washington, where the right-hander is (6-6) in 14 starts with a 2.50 ERA, a 3.58 FIP and a .238/.290/.343 line against in 90 IP in 2014, he's taking on the Mets again.

• BTW: Mets' GM Sandy Alderson had some nice things to say about the Nationals when he talked to reporters including MLB.com's Anthony DiComo before tonight's game:

Alderson on the Washington Nationals: "That's the level to which we have to aspire. There's no reason why we can't be there." #Mets

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) September 23, 2014

• Game Time: 7:05 PM

The closer will go under the knife next Thursday to repair the sports hernia that's been bothering him throughout the second half.

It's been known that Jenrry Mejia has been playing throughout the last few months of the season with a sports hernia. However, instead of the Mets shutting him down, they decided to have him simply pitch through it and undergo surgery to take care of it after the season ends.

We now have a surgery date: next Thursday, October 2, Mejia told ESPNNewYork.com's Adam Rubin.

The exuberant closer became the youngest player in Mets history to reach 25 saves and currently sits at 27 with six games to go in 2014. He enters tonight's game with a record of 5-6 and an ERA of 3.77 to go along with his save total, having started seven games earlier in the season before becoming the full-time closer in May.

As we've mentioned before here, there's no guarantee that Mejia will still be the Mets' closer in 2015—Bobby Parnell, set to return from Tommy John surgery, could return to the spot, with Jeurys Familia also being floated as a possibility. But Mejia will have plenty of time to heal up during the offseason and should be ready to be a part of the Mets' bullpen in any form next season, barring an unforseen setback.

The Washington Nationals continued their season-long dominance of the New York Mets, improving to 14-3 against their NL East rivals with a 4-2 win tonight in the nation's capital that featured more solid work from Tanner Roark and another Adam LaRoche home run.

Welcome home, NL East Champs! Top 5:

5. Quick Recap: Wilmer Flores doubled to right on an 0-2 fastball from Washington Nationals' starter Tanner Roark, and New York Mets' center fielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis sent a 2-1 heater into the Nats' bullpen on a bounce for an RBI ground-rule that gave the visiting team a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning tonight in Nationals Park.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis drove in Wilmer Flores with an RBI double to put the Mets on top in the 5th. Watch: http://t.co/cViRPt8i13#NYMvsWAS

— New York Mets (@Mets) September 24, 2014

The Nationals tied it up in the bottom of the inning, however. Kevin Frandsen reached on a grounder to first when Mets' starter Bartolo Colon failed to get over to cover first in time and after a sac bunt by Roark, Michael Taylor, who was in the game after Denard Span left it following a tumbling catch in center, doubled to right to bring Frandsen in and make it 1-1...

WATCH: The #Nats just put up four runs in the fifth, starting with this double from @Taylor_Michael3: http://t.co/HurvS5XjGb

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 24, 2014

Jayson Werth walked with two down in the fifth to put two on for Adam LaRoche, and LaRoche crushed a 1-0 fastball, sending a three-run home run into the right field bullpen for a 4-1 lead.

WATCH: And then @e3laroche brought home three more with his 26th bomb of the season. #CurtainCall: http://t.co/mNluQJcRoz

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 24, 2014

The Mets loaded the bases in the seventh on a single by Wilmer Flores and double by Curtis Granderson off Roark and a walk to Eric Campbell by Nats' lefty Ross Detwiler. Ruben Tejada hit a sac fly to right in the next AB, bringing Flores in to make it 4-2 after six and a half.

That's how it ended. Nats 4-2 over Mets.

The #Nats are proud to call @IanDesmond20 our nominee for the 2014 Roberto Clemente Award. He was honored tonight: pic.twitter.com/PcurSfm7cJ

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 23, 2014

4. The Myth of Row-Ark:Tanner Roark's third start of the year against the New York Mets on September 11th in Citi Field, which saw him give up seven hits, a walk and two earned runs in 6 ⅓ IP, left him (4-0) in five games and four starts against the Nats' NL East rivals in his career over which he's put up a 3.04 ERA, 10 walks (3.38 BB/9), 18 Ks (6.08 K/9) and a .265/.330/.378 line against in 26 ⅔ IP.

After the outing, the 27-year-old right-hander was asked what it was that has allowed him to have so much success against the Mets.

"Good scouting reports," Roark told reporters. "[Wilson Ramos] knows them pretty well and just [executed] my pitches."

"I just felt like I was commanding both side of the plate," Roark said of his solid work that night.

"Letting it go and not holding back and trying to nibble. Just trying to make pitches, not try to make pitches, just trying to go after them, right after them like I always have."

Roark followed that outing up with seven scoreless innings on the mound against the Atlanta Braves in Turner Field which left him (6-4) in 12 second-half starts with a 2.63 ERA, a 3.70 FIP and a .234/.273/.353 line against in 78 ⅔ IP.

Roark's 13th start of the second-half of his second major league campaign began with leadoff double...

1st: Mets' leadoff man Matt den Dekker took the first pitch of the game from Tanner Roark to right for a leadoff double. Daniel Murphy popped out to Bryce Harper in foul territory in left. Travis d'Arnaud took a 1-2 fastball outside for a called strike three and out no.2. Lucas Duda stepped in with a runner on and two outs and popped out to third to end a nine-pitch opening frame.

2nd: Wilmer Flores grounded out to short. Curtis Granderson sent a fly ball to left field where Bryce Harper caught out no.2. Kirk Nieuwenhuis lined to short right with two down, but Jayson Werth made a sliding grab to end a 12-pitch second that left Roark at 21 pitches.

WATCH: Jayson Werth kicked the #Nats homestand off with a little #webgem action in RF: http://t.co/G67evoAuC4

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 23, 2014

3rd: Ruben Tejada grounded out to third to start the top of the third inning. Bartolo Colon sent a groundout out to third as well. Matt den Dekker sent a line drive to center that Denard Span caught on the track before tumbling into the wall. 12-pitch frame for Roark, 33 total after three.

Oh, @thisisdspan. You NEVER disappoint in CF. #GoldGlovehttp://t.co/Dp8DCiCTHUhttp://t.co/QmJwQRaYkS

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 24, 2014

4th: Daniel Murphy grounded out to Adam LaRoche and Tanner Roark got over to cover. Travis d'Arnaud fisted one out to short for the second out of the frame. Lucas Duda's fly to right ended an eight-pitch inning after which Roark was up to 41 pitches with 12 straight batters set down.

5th: Wilmer Flores doubled to right on an 0-2 fastball up in the zone outside. Curtis Granderson popped up over the infield for the first out of the inning. Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit a 2-1 fastball to right and it bounced into the Nats' bullpen for an RBI ground-rule double that made it 1-0 Mets. Ruben Tejada's fly to right allowed Nieuwenhuis to take third, but Bartolo Colon popped up to short to end a 22-pitch inning. 63 pitches for Roark after five.

6th: Matt den Dekker grounded back to the mound. Daniel Murphy lined out to center for out no.2. Travis d'Arnaud's grounder to short ended a quick, 14-pitch, 1-2-3 sixth. 77 total.

7th: Lucas Duda lined to center for the first out of the seventh. Wilmer Flores lined a single to left with one down. Curtis Granderson hit a gapper to right-center to move Flores around to third. That was it for Roark...

The line on Tanner Roark tonight: 6.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K -- 86 pitches, 58 strikes. Season ERA down to 2.85. pic.twitter.com/YBqCmglmks

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 24, 2014

• Tanner Roark's Line: 6.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 86 P, 58 S, 7/3 GO/FO.

3. Bartolo "HBP" Colon:Adam LaRoche's first-inning home run off Bartolo Colon during the September 11th game between the Nationals and Mets in Citi Field was followed by a HBP on Nats' shortstop Ian Desmond.

Tonight’s pitching matchup: Bartolo Colon (14-12, 4.02 ERA) vs. Tanner Roark (14-10, 2.85 ERA) #NYMvsWASpic.twitter.com/FgKJ1AVPq9

— New York Mets (@Mets) September 23, 2014

When Anthony Rendon homered off Colon in the fourth inning, sending a two-run blast out to left field, the Mets' right-hander hit Jayson Werth in the next at bat and was ejected by home plate umpire John Tumpane.

After the game, Nats' skipper Matt Williams was asked by reporters if he thought the HBPs were intentional?

"Well, I don't have a clue," Williams said diplomatically. "I know that Bartolo has got fantastic control. And he hit [Desmond] early in the game, skimmed him with a pitch and then lost one and hit Jayson. So I don't have an opinion one way or the other, all I know is that he has exceptional control. So, we deal with it and move on."

"I didn't talk to Bart about it," Mets' skipper Terry Collins said, "but we'll just leave it at that."

Collins was ejected for arguing on his pitcher's behalf.

That start left the 41-year-old, 17-year veteran (1-3) in four starts vs the Nationals this season, with a 4.13 ERA, four walks and 19 Ks in 24 IP in which Nats' hitters have put up a combined .284/.320/.516 line.

In his career, before tonight, the right-hander was (2-4) in six outings against the Nationals/Expos, with a 3.07 ERA, six walks and 23 Ks in 41 IP in which he's held opposing hitters to a .280/.310/.459 line.

Colon followed the start against the Nats up with a 7 ⅔-inning outing against the Miami Marlins in which he gave up 12 hits but just one run, leaving him (6-4) in 11 second-half starts with a 4.06 ERA, a 3.32 FIP and a .282/.311/.410 line against in 68 ⅔ IP.

The 12th start of the second half for Colon began with a scoreless 19-pitch first in which he worked around a leadoff single and a two-out walk. Colon needed just nine pitches to retire the Nationals in order in the second, leaving him at 28 total after two.

Another 1-2-3 frame in the third left the Mets' starter at 35 pitches overall after three.

Adam LaRoche singled to left with one down in the Nats' fourth and Ian Desmond walked in the next at bat, but two outs later, Colon was through a 24-pitch frame at 59 total after four.

Kevin Frandsen reached on an infield single when Colon failed to cover first on a grounder to Lucas Duda in the first at bat of the fifth. Roark bunted Frandsen over/gave up an out and Michael Taylor doubled him in with a sharp grounder by first base. 1-1 game. Jayson Werth walked with two down to get Adam LaRoche to the plate and LaRoche crushed a 1-0 fastball, sending a three-run home run to right field. 4-1 Nats. 23-pitch frame for Colon, 82 overall after five.

Adam LaRoche HR gives him 6 HR and 18 RBI in 14 games vs the Mets this season

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 24, 2014

The Nationals went down in order in a six-pitch, 1-2-3 bottom of the inning that left him at 88 overall.

• Bartolo Colon's Line: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 Ks, 1 HR, 88 P, 53 S, 9/1 GO/FO.

2. Nats vs Mets: Through 16 games this season, the Washington Nationals held a decisive 13-3 advantage over their NL East rivals from New York, with a 9-1 record in the ten games contested in the Mets' home and a 4-2 mark when they've met in the nation's capital. The final series of the season between the two teams started with the Nats holding a 95-85 advantage over the Mets since baseball returned to the nation's capital in 2005.

The Nationals entered the three-game set with a 32-28 edge over the Mets in Nats Park since it opened in 2008.

The Nats win in the series opener left them 14-3 against the Mets this season with two games left against New York this week.

1. The Wrap-Up: Ross Detwiler took over for Tanner Roark with runners on second and third and pinch hitter Eric Campbell at the plate. A walk to Campbell loaded the bases for Ruben Tejada, who worked the count full and lined out to right for a sac fly. 4-2.

Aaron Barrett took over with two on and two out in the Mets' seventh. Bobby Abreu stepped in as a pinch hitter and walked to load'em back up. Anthony Recker stepped in with three on and two out and popped up to first to end the frame.

Carlos Torres threw a quick, scoreless bottom of the seventh.

Tyler Clippard took the mound in the top of the eighth. Daniel Murphy grounded out to first. Travis d'Arnaud sent a high fly to left field... Bryce Harper tracked it to the wall and missed it. Ruled an error instead of a triple. Lucas Duda lined out to left in the next at bat and d'Arnaud didn't bother trying to score as Harper threw a laser to Wilson Ramos. Wilmer Flores stepped in with two out and a runner on third and went down swinging.

Josh Edgin came out for the bottom of the eighth. Ian Desmond reached base on a sharp grounder to first that Lucas Duda knocked down but bobbled. Desmond stole second with Bryce Harper up and took third when the throw from d'Arnaud bounced into center. Harper K'd swinging for out no.2. Daisuke Matsuzaka came on to face Wilson Ramos, and struck the Nats' catcher out to end the eighth.

Here comes @DrewStoren to pitch the ninth for the #Nats.

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 24, 2014

STOREN WARNING!!: Nats' closer Drew Storen came on in the ninth looking for save no.10 of 2014. Curtis Granderson took a backdoor slider for a called strike three. Eric Campbell fell behind 0-2 and went down swinging in at the ninth pitch he saw. Ruben Tejada singled through short with two down. Bobby Abreu stepped in as the potential tying run and worked the count full before grounding out to short. Ballgame.

Nationals now 92-64

A four-run fifth—which began when Bartolo Colon failed to cover first base on a grounder—was enough to doom the Mets to a listless loss in the series opener in Washington.

Washington starter Tanner Roark held the Mets offense in check until the top of the fifth, when Kirk Nieuwenhuis belted an RBI double. The Nats responded immediately in the bottom half with a game-tying RBI double of their own from Michael Taylor—a run that was set up when Colon failed to cover first on a grouner—then took the lead on a long three-run homer by (who else?) Adam LaRoche. The Mets scraped out another run on a Ruben Tejada sac fly in the seventh but could bring in no more, losing their 14th game to Washington this season. But hey, who's counting?

Full recap to come.

GameThread Roll Call

Nice job by amazins8669; your effort in the GameThread embiggens us all.

A three-run blast by Adam LaRoche (of course) was enough to spell doom for the Mets, in their fourth loss to Tanner Roark and their 14th to the Nats this season.

Earlier today, the Mets announced both GM Sandy Alderson and manager Terry Collins would return next year. Given their team's murky financial situation (which Alderson insists is "flexible," a carefully chosen adjective that could mean anything), both men should be judged on their ability to prevent serious harm. Each has made their share of mistakes (Chris Young, bunts and such) but none that have hamstrung the team in the long term. That is setting the bar pretty low, granted, but by this measurement Alderson and Collins have each done a decent job at their respective positions.

Alderson's new contract extension means he will mold this team for at least another three years. With the Mets in Washington, the GM made sure to note that "the Nationals are the measure by which we are evaluated." On the surface, this could simply mean that the Nats are now the class of the league. He may have also meant this in the sense that if they hope to contend, the Mets—who we have to assume are flat broke until they prove otherwise—will have to build a winning lineup in the same slow, unglamorous process used by the Nats since their relocation to Washington.

However you choose to take Alderson's words, tonight's game, like every other game played against Washington this year, proved the Mets still have quite a way to go.

Matt den Dekker tucked a double down the right field line to start the proceedings, but Nats starter Tanner Roark shrugged it off by retiring the next twelve batters in order, with some help from this defense. The top of the second ended with a nifty diving catch by Jayson Werth, while the third concluded with Denard Span running down a den Dekker fly and crashing into the fence in the process. (Span left the game after that frame, a potentially costly injury for the playoff-bound team.)

Bartolo Colon followed a similar path on his initial innings. He allowed a leadoff single and issued a two-out walk in the first, but stranded both runners, then set the Nats down in order in the second and third. Like Roark, Colon also benefited from his defense, as Daniel Murphy fielded and fired an Asdrubal Cabrera bunt attempt to end the bottom of the third. He gave up a single a walk with one out in the fourth but escaped danger, ending the frame with a strikeout of Wilson Ramos.

All remained quiet until the top of the fifth, when the Mets finaly reached base again via a leadoff double by Wilson Ramos. One out later, Kirk Nieuwenhuis knocked him in with a ground-rule double in the right field corner. But after this brief hiccup, Roark picked up where he left off by setting down the next two batters, then retiring them in order once more in the sixth.

Given a lead, Colon rewarded himself by failing to cover first as Lucas Duda made a diving stop on a Kevin Frandsen grounder, resulting in an infield single. It's impossible to say what might have happened if he'd covered the base, but it is possible to say that his outing went south quickly in the immediate aftermath of the play.

After Roark bunted Frandsen over, Michael Taylor (sub for the injured Span) drove him home by sneaking a double past Duda. One out later, Colon looked out of sorts while walking Werth, who he'd struck out in his previous two at bats. If you know that Adam LaRoche was the next batter, then you probably already know that he crushed a three-run homer to deep right field because that's what LaRoche does against the Mets, today and every day, now and forever.

The Mets efforts to launch themselves back into this game fell short. In the seventh, a one-out Flores single was followed by a Curtis Granderson double off the scoreboard in right, and also brought Roark's evening to an end. Lefty Ross Detwiler was the first line of defense out of the Washington bullpen, and he loaded the bases by walking pinch hitter Eric Campbell, which permitted Rubjen Tejada to bring in a run with a sac fly. Then, a fast-moving game got real un-fast, as the Nats brought in a new pitcher, Aaron Barrett, who walked pinch hitter Bobby Abreu to load the bases again. Barrett was replaced by the fourth pitcher of the inning, Jerry Blevins, who got another pinch hitter (Anthony Recker) to pop out and finally end the inning.

Andres Torres took Colon's spot on the mound in the seventh and tossed a scoreless frame. Josh Edgin got the call in the ninth and watched Duda misplay a grounder that allowed Ian Desmond to reach safely with one out. Desmond then stole second and advanced to third when d'Arnaud's throw sailed into center. Edgin fanned Bryce Harper and gave way to Daisuke Matsuzaka, who struck out Ramos, thus keeping the deficit at 2 runs.

While the Mets relievers were putting up zeroes, though, the Mets batters were doing the same, despite a golden opportunity in the eighth. After Tyler Clippard came on to pitch that inning, New York got a break when Bryce Harper couldn't quite line up a long fly ball off of Travis d'Arnaud's bat, his misjudgment putting the catcher on third with one out. (Initially ruled an error, the official scorer later deemed a triple, as well he should.) The Mets gave this break right back when Duda lined out to Harper and Flores struck on a high hard one.

Drew Storen offered few such opportunities in the ninth, as he struck out Granderson and Campbell to start the inning. Tejada snuck a single past third base, but Storen induced a grounder from Bobby Abreu to end the game. This marked the Mets' fourth loss to Tanner Roark this season, and their 14th to the Nationals in 17 games. I know what you're saying: Only 14?

To return to my earlier point about Alderson's remarks (in improv, this is called a callback!), I'd like to point out that the Nats relocated to DC 10 seasons ago. If we take 2009 as the Mets' first real In The Wilderness season, it means we have at least 4 years to go. And that assumes the Mets have even Nats-level money to spend, which is a Big If right now. By then, though, Alderson will be gone and the Mets will be someone else's problem. Considering the path the Wilpons have put the franchise on, the Mets will probably be in someone else's city, too.

SB Nation GameThreads

* Amazin' Avenue GameThread
* Federal Baseball GameThread

Win Probability Added

(What's this?)

Big winners: Kirk Nieuwenhuis, 13.4%; Wilmer Flores, 4.5%
Big losers: Bartolo Colon, -26.1%; Lucas Duda, -13.5%
Teh aw3s0mest play: Kirk Nieuwenhuis RBI double, top fifth, 13.5%
Teh sux0rest play: Adam LaRoche three-run homer, bottom fifth, -32.7%
Total pitcher WPA: -22.9%
Total batter WPA: -27.1
GWRBI!: Adam LaRoche three-run homer, bottom fifth

The Dodgers have a very deep lineup that can hurt you from any spot.

The Los Angeles Dodgers might be the best hitting team in baseball. Ok, their LA counterparts, the Angels, have the highest team wRC+ in baseball. But, they have the advantage of the designated hitter. If the DH is removed, the Dodgers are in a virtual tie with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates own a 116 team wRC+, while the Dodgers sit at 115, and they have scored 15 runs more than Pittsburgh.

The point is that Dodgers are healthy, and they can beat you in a myriad of ways. They have speed, power, and on-base skills. Also, with Hanley Ramirez rounding into shape and Matt Kemp recovering his old form at the plate, they are healthier than they've been all year.

Dee Gordon provides most of the speed in the Dodgers lineup. Entering this season the 26 year-old infielder had managed a woeful .256/.301/.312 slash line in nearly 700 plate appearances. But, given the Dodgers dire second base situation, he won the starting job out of Spring Training. He came out of the gate hot and has put together a solid .288/.325/.376 season. In addition, he's swiped 64 bases, which leads the major leagues. Gordon has +9.2 base running runs. As a team, the Dodgers have just 2.6, so he's responsible for the surplus. Carl Crawford has nabbed 22 bags and +3.9 base running runs, and Ramirez has stolen 14 bases.

Adrian Gonzalez and Kemp supply most of the power, and Yasiel Puig is no slouch in that department either, though he's sloughed off after a red-hot first half of the season. Scott Van Slyke has slammed 11 home runs in limited playing time and owns a .240 ISO, the best mark on the team. Hanley Ramirez also brings home run power. As a team, their position players have a .144 ISO, which ranks 11th in the major leagues. Considering that they play half their games in the cavernous Dodger Stadium, that number is better than it looks. Kemp's shoulder is no longer bothering him, and in the second half he's hitting a remarkable .304/.363/.580 with 15 home runs and a .277 ISO.

The Dodgers' team on-base percentage of .339 is the second highest in the major leagues. Justin Turner, who was non-tendered by the New York Mets in the offseason, leads the team with a .395 mark. He's been extremely valuable to the Dodgers infield, which has seen Ramirez and Juan Uribe miss time with injuries. Granted, Turner is playing way over his head, as his .401 BABIP will attest, and prior to this year he's never posted an OBP higher than .334. But, for now, the Dodgers are reaping the benefits of his extended hot streak.

Puig has dramatically improved his plate discipline, and his OBP sits at a lofty .385. He's dropped his overall swing rate by six percentage points and his chase rate by nine points. After an ugly month of August, he appears to be rounding back into form and is batting .301/.393/.438 in September. Overall, the Dodgers have 11 players that have received at least 200 plate appearances and produced an OBP better than the MLB average of .314. Among NL teams, only the Mets and Pirates have a higher team walk rate.

Oh, and let's not forget pitcher Zack Greinke, who has a 7.7 percent walk rate and a .143 ISO. Dodgers pitchers have a .163/.208/.209 batting line. They are one of just three NL teams with a positive wRC+ from their pitchers, and with a 19 wRC+, no group of pitchers has hit better.

In September, the Dodgers have been unstoppable. Their position players own a .300/.361/.474 line. Only the Orioles can match their 26 home runs, and only the Angels have surpassed their 117 runs. Crawford has a 217 wRC+ in 18 games, and six others hitters have at least a 160 wRC+. Even Andre Ethier has gotten in on the fun, with a .467 OBP in a pinch hitting role.

The Dodgers have a deep and balanced lineup. Yes, they have a trio of overpaid outfielders in Kemp, Crawford and Ethier. At least one of them will be on the bench in the playoffs. But, few teams have the kind of depth to stash above-average offensive players on the bench. When October rolls around, this will be one tough team to knock off, and that's not just because they have Clayton Kershaw.

. . .

Stats courtesy ofFangraphs

Chris Moran is a former college baseball player at Wheaton College and current third-year law student at Washington University in St. Louis. He's also an assistant baseball coach at Wash U. In addition to Beyond The Box Score, he contributes at Gammons Daily. He went to his first baseball game at age two. Follow him on Twitter @hangingslurves.

Your Wednesday morning dose of New York Mets and Major League Baseball news, notes, and links.

Meet the Mets

Choose Your Recap: Amazin' Avenue Short, Long, MLB.com, ESPN NY, Star-Ledger, NY Post

Sandy Alderson is back through 2017 and the extension for the GM is the right move. Now will the Mets give him some money to spend? Can he catch the first place Nationals? Here's the transcript of his conference call with the media. Alderson said the team will announce next year's coaching staff at the end of the season but it will not include Tim Teufel moving to hitting coach.

The Mets have shut down Jacob deGrom before his last start of the year. It's been a great season and in Mets history, an elite rookie season.

Jenrry Mejia is going to go under the knife on October 2nd to fix his sports hernia. Juan Lagares will avoid surgery but he won't play again this season. Same for Dilson Herrera and Vic Black.

The NL Rookie of the Year race between Billy Hamilton and Jacob deGrom isn't really a race.

Ex-Met pitcher Collin McHughreflected on his tenure in New York.

Toby Hyde shared the Mets instructional league roster and schedule.

Around the NL East

The Bravesfell to the Pirates 3-2, while the Marlinsblanked the Phillies 2-0.

Atlanta has offered their GM job to John Hart, who has taken over as the interim GM. At Talking Chop, Scott Coleman writes that Bobby Cox needs to go away.

Around the Majors

The Pirates clinched a playoff spot for the 2nd straight season.

Felix Hernandez got rocked and the Mariners lost their fourth straight game, putting a playoff spot in doubt.

Yasiel Puig took exception to Madison Bumgarner hitting him with a pitch and the benches cleared.

It's been a nightmare season for the Rangers and now Jurickson Profar is going to be shut down with shoulder instability.

The Giants are boycotting beat writer Andrew Baggarly because of something he wrote.

Want to see Derek Jeter's top 10 career highlights reenacted with Legos? If not, you definitely want to watch Keith Olbermann's takedown of Jeter.

Yesterday At AA

Aaron Yorke previewed the series with the Nationals.

If you read an article or find a link that you think would be a great addition to a future edition of Mets Morning News, please forward it to our tips email address tips@grission.com and we'll try to add it in.