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NEW YORK -- Mets second baseman Neil Walker will miss the rest of the season because of surgery for a herniated disk in his back, the latest in a series of severe injuries to strike the defending NL champions this year.Walker made the announcement Thursday before the wild-card contenders played Miami.It just wasnt getting better, he said.Had he continued to play, he estimated he wouldve been at 60 percent. Or, as New York manager Terry Collins said Walker told him Wednesday night, Not sure I can help.Minus Walker, the Mets will use Wilmer Flores and Kelly Johnson at second base. A recent push moved the Mets within 1 1/2 games of St. Louis for the second NL wild-card spot.Walker has been a steady presence in his first season with the Mets, tying a career high with 23 home runs while batting .282 with 55 RBI. Collins often has praised Walker for his production on the field and his leadership qualities in the clubhouse.Walk gave it his best effort, Collins said, later adding, Neils played absolutely great.The switch-hitter, who turns 31 this month, said the success rate for his type of surgery is very high and that the recovery period is three months. He said he expects to be able to continue his career at a fine level after the procedure.No date has yet been set for the surgery.Traded over from Pittsburgh in the offseason, Walker proved to be more than a capable replacement for playoff star Daniel Murphy, who became a free agent and has produced MVP-caliber numbers for NL East-leading Washington.Walker joined third baseman David Wright, first baseman Lucas Duda, ace Matt Harvey and other Mets to be struck by significant injuries this year. Slugger Yoenis Cespedes, shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and several of the clubs young pitchers also have missed time.Though the Mets have adjusted to a shifting roster, Walkers absence leaves a big piece missing, Collins said.Walker had been trying to rest his ailing back lately, playing a few games and then taking time off. He had played just four times in the last two weeks, which included a brief stay on the paternity list.Even so, Walker said doctors told him his condition wasnt improving that way.Walker said he felt OK to swing, but that it was the other things -- diving for balls, sliding, trying to break up double plays -- that had become extremely difficult. He said the back problem has left him unable to have feeling in his toe.No one thing caused him the trouble, he said. Instead, the cause was the culmination of the wear and tear of baseball.Ive played through this for four years, he said.Walker is eligible for free agency after this season ends. He said that aspect of his future didnt enter into his decision, saying it was the farthest thing from my mind.Said Collins: I sure hope we get the opportunity to get him back. Adam Oates Jersey . The 25-year-old Japanese star has officially been posted by his club team, the Rakuten Golden Eagles. Zack Kassian Jersey . 8 Iowa State on Saturday, sending the Cyclones to their third consecutive loss. The Longhorns (14-4, 3-2) got their biggest win of the season with their third in the row in the Big 12. https://www.cheapoilers.com/1045s-randy-gregg-jersey-oilers.html . It says Pocklingtons lawyer filed the appeal Friday in a California court. CTV Edmonton also says Pocklington gave a $100,000 cash deposit as part of the conditions of his bail, and that he will be out on bail until his appeal is heard. Oscar Klefbom Jersey . Walcott is available for Saturdays home match against Southampton as Arsenal looks to extend its two-point lead at the top of the Premier League. The Gunners are currently the second highest scorers in the league but Wenger insists Walcott will add something extra to his team. Ron Chipperfield Jersey . -- When the Florida Panthers fell behind by two goals in the first period to the top team in the NHL, it appeared they were on their way to yet another loss. OAKLAND, Calif. -- Manager John Gibbons watched his struggling Toronto Blue Jays fall behind early, hits some home runs to make things interesting, and give the runs right back. Gibbons didnt attempt to sugarcoat the 9-4 loss to the Oakland Athletics on Monday night afterward, either. "It was less than an inspiring game," he said. "We didnt play a very good game all the way around. We fell behind early, tried to hang around and they blew it open." After a long first inning, Esmil Rogers (3-5) didnt make it out of the fifth in his first career start against the As. He was tagged for a season-high eight runs -- six earned -- on nine hits in 4 1-3 innings. "He wasnt very good tonight," Gibbons said. "This team makes you throw them strikes." Rogers didnt record his first out until the 24th pitch he threw, and needed 35 in all to get out of the first already in a 4-0 hole. That made for a tough night regardless. "The stress is throwing 30-odd pitches in the first inning. I tried to bring it back bit they got me with two outs," he said. "It was my command. I didnt throw any of my pitches consistently for strikes. It was one of those days. Right now I am trying to do anything I can to win but I am still learning." Yoenis Cespedes homered and hit a two-run triple, Josh Reddick added a two-run double and had three RBIs, and the AL West-leading As (63-43) won their fourth straight and seventh in nine to move a season-best 20 games over .500, tied for best record in the AL with Tampa Bay. Edwin Encarnacion hit a two-run homer, while Adam Lind and Brett Lawrie each hit solo shots against A.J. Griffin (10-7), who retired the first 13 batters of the game before Linds one-out drive in the fifth. Lawrie homered leading off the sixth, and Encarnacion connected for his 29th of the year four batters later. But that wasnt enough against Griffin and Oaklands productive offence. The shaggy-haired Griffin, who went 7-1 last year as a rookie, gave up four runs and fourr hits, struck out five and walked two in seven innings to win for the fifth time in his last six decisions.dddddddddddd He was through four perfect innings on 42 pitches. Oakland has matched its best record through 106 games since 1992. "It means weve won a lot of games to this point. Were still in July," manager Bob Melvin said. "You keep trying to pile up the wins, add them up at the end and see where youre at." Jed Lowrie singled home a run and Reddick hit a sacrifice fly in Oaklands four-run first inning. Cespedes led off the eighth with his 16th home run, snapping a career-high 25-game homerless streak for the Home Run Derby champion. "When Im hitting well, I feel like Im contributing my grain of sand, doing my part," Cespedes said. "This team is pretty dangerous when everybody works together." Toronto, last in the AL East, had its six-game road winning streak against the AL West end. Rogers is still searching for some consistency at this stage of the season. "When hes on hes pretty tough, but he can be wild too and this team works you," Gibbons said. "He didnt get away with anything." NOTES: Encarnacion earned AL Player of the Week after batting .520 over seven games with two homers and eight RBIs. ... The Blue Jays dropped to 10-5 vs. the West, losing for only the second time in their last nine to the division. ... The clubs met for the first time this season. Minnesota is the only AL team Oakland is yet to face. "Its a little odd to be playing a team this late in the season for the first time," Melvin said. ... Blue Jays DH Adam Lind returned to the starting lineup after missing Sundays finale at Houston with back discomfort. ... Former As OF Rajai Davis wasnt in the lineup for Toronto a day after matching a franchise record with four stolen bases. "I got lucky," he joked. ... Cespedes hadnt homered since hitting two June 21 at Seattle. Mondays clout also was his first at home in 25 games since May 19. ' ' '