Themen über das Spiel! » how his team was so anxious to get started,

NEW YORK -- Steven Matz is tentatively scheduled to return to the New York Mets injury-ravaged rotation Friday night.The left-hander threw a bullpen Wednesday at Citi Field, and manager Terry Collins said he is confident Matz will be able to start against Philadelphia. But before committing to him, the team will wait to see how Matz feels Thursday.If he does take the ball, the rookie will likely be limited to around 50-60 pitches.He hasnt pitched in a month, so weve got to be very careful with how we approach it, Collins said.Right-hander Gabriel Ynoa would be in line to follow Matz against the Phillies. Ynoa made his first major league start Sunday versus Minnesota, allowing one run and striking out eight in 4 2/3 innings.Matz has not pitched since Aug. 14 because of tightness in his left shoulder. He initially was penciled in to return Sept. 1, but was scratched after feeling discomfort when playing catch a day after he threw off a mound.Matz had been pitching with a bone spur in his elbow before going on the disabled list last month. He is 9-8 with a 3.40 ERA in 22 starts this season for the Mets, tied with San Francisco and St. Louis for the two NL wild cards.In another injury update, New York starter Jacob deGrom had surgery Wednesday to reposition the ulnar nerve in his right elbow and is expected to be ready for spring training next year, the team said.Right-hander Matt Harvey also is out for the season following surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome, and Zack Wheeler never made it back this year from Tommy John surgery in March 2015.WHERES WILMER?Collins indicated he is very concerned about infielder Wilmer Flores, who remained out of the lineup with a sore right wrist.Flores has not played since Sept. 10, when he was injured in a home-plate collision at Atlanta. Hes received two injections, the second one on Monday, but still was unable to swing a bat Wednesday, according to Collins.Productive rookie T.J. Rivera started at second base again Wednesday night during a 4-3 loss to Atlanta.Flores is not expected back in time to play Thursday night against Philadelphia lefty Adam Morgan -- a major disappointment for the Mets. Flores is hitting .340 with 11 home runs in 100 at-bats vs. left-handers this season, including .393 with 25 RBI in his last 61 at-bats. His .710 slugging percentage against southpaws is the best mark in the majors among players with at least 85 at-bats.Not to mention, Flores hit a grand slam off Morgan on Aug. 26.BRUCE ON THE BENCHSlumping right fielder Jay Bruce was left out of the starting lineup for the third time in four games, one night after the three-time All-Star was pulled for a pinch hitter in a crucial situation.That move came with a left-handed reliever on the mound. This time, the left-handed-hitting Bruce was benched with rookie right-hander Ryan Weber starting for the Braves. Alejandro De Aza played center field, bumping Curtis Granderson back to right.Bruce struck out as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning. Before the game, he had little reaction to Collins decision to sit him.The results are just not there, and this is a results game, Bruce said. I still plan on being a big part of this hunt for the World Series here. This is just a blip.Acquired from Cincinnati at the Aug. 1 trade deadline, Bruce is batting only .175 with four homers and 11 RBI in 41 games with the Mets. He is hitless in his last 13 at-bats and stuck in a 3-for-39 slide. Yet his 29 home runs and 91 RBI still ranked 10th in the NL in both categories.Obviously, no one likes being booed, Bruce said. But I understand that theyre passionate. They expect a certain level of execution and performance out of me. Nike Vapormax Plus Bleached Aqua . Isner, ranked No. 14, won his eighth career singles title and took the title in New Zealand for the second time after his victory in 2010. The match was similar to Isners quarterfinal victory over fifth-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber which went to three sets, all tiebreaks and contained no breaks of serve. Nike Vapormax Plus Orange . Mickelson barely made the cut but had the best round of the day with nine birdies and an eagle coupled with two bogeys to sit two shots behind leader Craig Lee of Scotland. Lee shot a 69 for a 12-under 204 total. "I just love the fact I am in contention and have an opportunity in my first tournament of the year here in Abu Dhabi," Mickelson said. http://www.vapormaxplus.com/ .B. -- The Baie-Comeau Drakkar took over sole possession of first place atop the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on Thursday with their sixth straight win. Nike Vapormax Plus White . Defenceman Yannick Weber scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and the Canucks breathed a sigh of relief with a 2-1 win on Saturday night. Nike Vapor Max Plus .Y. -- Knicks coach Mike Woodson said Wednesday that J. RIO DE JANEIRO -- The United States womens basketball team was never going to have a scare thrown into them by Senegal in their Olympic opener Sunday.The reigning African champion is 0-for-7 in two trips to the Summer Games. But the contest did at least show that Diana Taurasi wasnt kidding the other day when she looked ahead to the U.S. teams chase for its sixth straight Olympic gold medal and said, We want to dominate the world. The sports world, I mean.Then Sundays game began and Taurasi drilled three of her four 3-pointers in the opening minutes to send the U.S. sprinting off to a 16-2 lead, and the rout was on. The U.S. team finished with seven scorers in double figures and broke its own single-game Olympic scoring record by seven points with a 121-56 win.The Americans 65-point margin of victory was also an Olympic record -- and it could have been worse. Long before the U.S. took a 65-21 into the half, the Brazilian crowd had adopted the smaller Senegalese team and cheered encouragement whenever it did manage to score. Later on, the fans even began booing the U.S. whenever it touched the ball.Next game: U.S. women versus Spain (Monday, 11 a.m. ET)It was a good start, Taurasi said afterward. We know its a long tournament. A long eight games, hopefully. Its good to get the jitters out ... I always say when the opening ceremony ends, thats when the business end starts.Other than the mild surprise of seeing center Brittney Griner in the starting lineup -- she hadnt started a game for the U.S. team during its four-game Olympic tour -- coach Geno Auriemma basically used this game as a soft rollout, a chance to let everyone get a little bit of playing time. All 12 U.S. women played and scoreed as the Americans shot 65 percent from the field.dddddddddddd Nearly two-thirds of their baskets were scored inside the paint.Things will get tougher starting Monday, when the U.S. comes right back to play Spain (10 a.m. ET). Auriemma had spoken for days leading up to Sundays game about how his team was so anxious to get started, he welcomed the idea of playing back-to-back games.Im glad, Auriemma said, because we need to be in game mode, and I think thats going to get us there.Senegal wasnt much of a reliable measuring stick, but the U.S. did show it has assembled a roster that should be able to play whichever kind of game it needs. Auriemma has the players to win a physical game, or a high-scoring one; this team can run-and-gun, shoot 3s and excel in half-court sets. Taurasi is still arguably the best player in the world, and Griner is its most intimidating shot-blocker.Taurasi, Tamika Catchings and Sue Bird are all playing in their fourth Olympic Games, so appreciate them while you can. Because reigning WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donnes and Breanna Stewarts positions on this team signal a changing of the guard is coming soon.Just not quite yet.While Delle Donne called her first Olympic game fun, Taurasi was much harder to please, insisting, There are things we have to work on. Defensively, were still trying to straighten out [a few things].Offensively, she added, the teams timing and rhythm arent where shed like them to be.But Taurasi did get one wish of hers. The USA, which is now riding a 42-game winning streak in Olympic play, again looks like a world-beater. ' ' '