Rojas wants discipline from Mets late in year

MIAMI -- You hear it in every sport: finish. Whether it’s finishing plays in the field or at the plate, finishing plays is a key to success that Mets manager Luis Rojas cannot stress enough as his club heads into the final stretch of a tight postseason race. Entering Wednesday, New York was 3 1/2 games back of San Diego for the second National League Wild Card berth.

It may not be a full-blown problem with the Mets, but rather a source of irritation when not adhered to, especially with the meaning of every game magnified. Whether it’s setting of the feet to make a good throw or swinging at bad pitches, Rojas said he’s seen on occasion over the past four days times when players simply did not finish plays.

Tuesday night was the perfect example. The Mets committed three errors in a 9-4 win over the Marlins. Under normal circumstances, that many miscues would result in a loss. But New York overcame those blunders, partially because Miami committed three errors of its own.

“We shouldn’t give anyone a chance, there’s just no room for that,” Rojas said. “We talk about [finishing] defensively, and we talk about that on the offensive end as well. We’ve got to finish. We’ve got to hit our pitch and stay committed to it. So that’s the message: Control what you can control, basically, finish it and the play will be taken care of.”

Sometimes getting too comfortable can be the mental lapse that leads to an error.

“We get comfortable and we think that we’re going to get to a ball, we’re not moving as fast,” Rojas said. “You’ve just got to give it your best at all times. There’s no excuse for not being your best. You get a ground ball, you’ve got to set your feet right. I’ve seen that a couple times, too, where a guy just doesn’t follow through with the throw and the ball just sinks.”

The grind of a long season could also provide a bit of clarity to the mental and physical breakdowns in the field, though Rojas doesn’t want to use that as an excuse for proper execution.

“It might be a little bit of fatigue, but at the same time, just finish,” Rojas said. “Just be disciplined. Even though we’re confident -- I love that -- you’ve got to finish.”

9/11 remembrance ceremony details
The Mets announced ceremonial details surrounding this Saturday’s 20th anniversary remembrance of 9/11. The club will wear first-responder caps during batting practice and the game against the Yankees. Caps from the FDNY, NYPD, Port Authority Police Department, Department of Sanitation and Department of Correction will all be represented to commemorate their bravery and sacrifice.

The two New York managers from the 2001 season will participate in the ceremonial first pitch -- Bobby Valentine will throw to Joe Torre. More than 14 former Mets coaches and players from the '01 team are expected to attend the game, including Hall of Famer Mike Piazza, who hit the go-ahead home run on Sept. 21, 2001, vs. the Braves at Shea Stadium in the first sporting event in New York City following the attacks.

Organizations represented on the field during the 20th anniversary of 9/11 will be: Tuesday’s Children, The Visionary Network from the 9/11 Museum, Answer the Call New York Police and Fire Widows’ & Children Benefit Fund and The Feel Good Foundation.

First responders will be joined on the field with the FDNY honor guard, NYPD honor guard, PAPD pipe & drum and honor guard, DSNY pipe & drum and honor guard and Department of Corrections and Supreme Court Officers.

The national anthem will be performed by the NYPD Cops and Kids Chorus, while 17-year-old New York jazz recording artist Anaïs Reno will sing "America the Beautiful" and FDNY firefighter Regina Wilson will sing "God Bless America."

The Mets are encouraging fans to take mass transit to Citi Field during the entire weekend series against the Yankees. The Citi Field parking lots will open at 4:10 p.m. ET on Saturday and all ballpark gates will open at 5:10 p.m. ET.

In addition, the Mets Virtual Vault has an extensive collection of videos, photos and stories over the past 20 years commemorating the team’s connection to 9/11, all of which can be found at www.metsheritage.com.