NEW YORK -- New York Mets second baseman Neil Walker will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a herniated disk in his lower back.Walker said the microdiscectomy procedure will require a three-month recovery time and has a high success rate. Walker contemplated trying to complete the season, but was strongly advised while seeking a third medical opinion on Wednesday that the disk condition would have worsened, resulting in additional leg weakness.It was a very difficult decision, Walker said Thursday afternoon. There were a lot of factors that were involved -- the way the team was playing, the way I felt. I did everything I could. Twice I played a couple of days, tried to give myself a couple of days off, and the biggest issue with it was that it was hitting a nerve. I still cant feel my toe. Thats caused just a chain reaction.Acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates in December when the Mets determined they did not wish to extend a multiyear offer to Daniel Murphy, Walker hit .282 with a career-high-matching 23 homers and 55 RBIs in 412 at-bats this season. He is eligible for free agency this offseason, but insisted that played no part in the timing of the surgery.That was the farthest thing from my mind. My thought process has always been to help the team on the field, do whatever I can to help the team, said Walker, who expressed receptiveness to re-signing with the Mets.General manager Sandy Alderson and manager Terry Collins had expressed confidence as recently as Wednesday that Walker could play the remainder of the season with the disk issue as long as he received regular rest. The second and third medical opinions seemingly were more forceful in advocating immediate surgery than the initial recommendation from Mets doctors.After two or three eyes on the MRI, some of the best back specialists in the world, theyve told me that the best course of action is to get it done now, Walker said. The success rate of this is very high. Its something a lot of guys have gone through. So I feel very confident in my ability to return from this in good shape.Put it this way, I would have been playing probably at 60 percent, Walker added. With the way my back felt, it wasnt the swinging from either side. It was below the waist. It was the sliding, the diving, the leg weakness. At this time of year, with the possibility of breaking up double plays, diving for balls, trying to score from first, I just didnt feel like its the right thing for me to do, and to do to the team. And playing one day and taking a couple days off, or playing two days in a row and taking a day off, as much as I was willing to do that, after talking to the doctors, they felt like that was not a good thing to do.Collins said he expects Wilmer Flores and Kelly Johnson primarily will handle second base minus Walker.Neil has played absolutely great, Collins said. He had a little bit in the middle of the season where he struggled for a while. What he did early, he carried us in April and early May. Who would have expected all of the home runs? And then the way hes played lately. ... He had a great year for us. I sure hope that we get the opportunity to get him back. Nike Air Max Shoes Wholesale China . 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. 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"Its about time," St-Pierre told reporters at a promotional event in Montreal on Friday. "I think its a good thing. RIO DE JANEIRO -- Ashleigh Johnson and KK Clark joined a couple of Brazilian dancers for a samba lesson. Maggie Steffens grabbed an American flag for the party on the pool deck. One by one, the players draped their gold medals around the neck of grieving coach Adam Krikorian.The U.S. saved its best for last, and Italy never stood a chance.Johnson made nine saves, Kiley Neushul scored three goals on four shots and the United States routed Italy 12-5 on Friday for its second straight Olympic gold medal in womens water polo.To play as well as we did today in that moment and that atmosphere in a gold-medal game when youve been thinking about this for the last four years is just, its a dream come true, Krikorian said.Makenzie Fischer and Rachel Fattal each had two goals for the Americans, who stretched their win streak to 22 games with their sixth victory in Rio de Janeiro by a combined score of 73-32.I think we really did change the game, said Johnson, who was voted the top goaltender of the tournament. We played completely different than the games ever been played before. Really fast, intelligent, its really fun to watch and its great to play.Russia took home the bronze, beating Hungary 19-18 on penalty shots. Its the first womens water polo medal for Russia since 2000.Neushul and Steffens each gave Krikorian a big hug as they left in the final minute, and Neushul patted him on the head. When the final seconds ticked off, Krikorian walked over to congratulate Italy coach Fabio Conti, and then was tackled into the pool by a couple of his jubilant players.In another Olympics dominated by U.S. women, Steffens -- the MVP and probably the best player in the world -- and her teammates shined as brightly as any of them. The water polo tournament shifted to the Olympic Aquatics Stadium following the swimming competition, and the array of Pac-12 stars that dominate the U.S. roster picked up right where Katie Ledecky and company left off, wearing down their opponents with superior speed, athleticism and strength.The U.S. women were the overwhelming favorites all along -- and they played like it. The 12 goals and seven-goal margin were records for the Olympic final.USA is, in this moment, a team of another universe, Conti said.The Americans pounded Brazil 13-3 before outslugging Hunngary 14-10 in the semifinals.dddddddddddd They held the lead after 23 of their 24 quarters and trailed for a total of only 44 seconds -- in the first quarter against Hungary on Wednesday.Its one of the best teams Ive ever been a part of, and Ive been a part of some really amazing teams, Neushul said. The team is so versatile, so many different threats. We have speed. We have size. We have athleticism, and I think this team was one of the first teams to display all those different styles in one team.By the time Krikorian and the U.S. staff hit the pool for a celebratory swim, the Americans possessed each of the major crowns in womens water polo, adding a second Olympic gold to their world championship, World Cup and World League Super Final titles.The scene after the final was the top of an emotional roller coaster for Krikorian, who rushed home before the United States first game to be with his family after the sudden death of his brother Blake, a former water polo player at UCLA and beloved Silicon Valley entrepreneur.Before departing for California, Krikorian met with his players and urged them to make the most of their Olympic experience. He returned in time for an opening 11-4 victory over Spain, and then nearly broke down in tears while talking about his brother after the win.Blakes 49th birthday would have been Thursday, and Krikorians wife, Anicia Mendez, surprised him in Rio to be there with him for the sad day and then the final.Its not about me and its about the team, and that has actually helped me and thats made it actually fairly easy, he said, and that doesnt take away from the love I have for my family or my brother. Its more of a sign of respect and love that I think we all have for each other.Krikorian brushed away any talk of winning it all for him and his family, insisting Blake himself would think it was a ludicrous notion, but his players pledged their support for their mourning coach. And they delivered with their play -- all the way to the gold medal.Thats what were about, Steffens said, is going out there, having fun and playing the best water polo we can.---Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap cheap falcons jerseys cheap ravens jerseys cheap bills jerseys cheap bears jerseys cheap bengals jerseys cheap cowboys jerseys cheap lions jerseys cheap texans jerseys cheap colts jerseys cheap jaguars jerseys cheap chiefs jerseys cheap rams jerseys cheap dolphins jerseys cheap vikings jerseys cheap saints jerseys cheap giants jerseys cheap jets jerseys cheap eagles jerseys cheap steelers jerseys cheap 49ers jerseys ' ' '