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ATLANTA -- Now that hes about to make his highly anticipated debut with the New York Mets, Zack Wheeler will rely on some advice he got from a minor league coach. Dont look up. "I know its going to be a big moment in my life," Wheeler said Monday, the day before he takes the mound against the first-place Atlanta Braves. "Theres probably going to be some nerves." The 23-year-old right-hander is one of baseballs top pitching prospects and a reason for hope in what is turning out to be another dismal season for the Mets. Heightening the anticipation, hell be making his first start in the big leagues not far from where he grew up in the northwest Atlanta suburbs, meaning plenty of family and friends will be in the stands at Turner Field. Wheeler said hell try to follow a tip he got a couple of years ago from his pitching coach in Class A, former big leaguer Steve Kline, who said all the sights and sounds of a big league park can be a bit overwhelming the first time out. "He said, Whatever you do, dont look up," Wheeler said. "I think he threw up off the back of the mound his first game. Ill always remember that advice." The youngster will be joining a rotation that already includes 24-year-old Matt Harvey, who is having a brilliant year (5-1, 2.04 ERA, 102 strikeouts in 97 innings) in his first full major league season. And, in an interesting twist, Harvey will pitch the opener of a day-night doubleheader before Wheeler goes in the second game. For the Mets, its a chance to show their frustrated fans what they hope will be the centerpieces of a brighter future. "I dont think Im a saviour at all," Wheeler said. "Weve got some great arms here, some great players. We might not be doing too well right now, but I know the talent of these guys. Hopefully well turn it around soon. Im just trying to come up here and help the team any way I can." Wheeler arrived in Atlanta on Sunday and got a chance to hang out with family and three of his friends at the suburban Atlanta home he shares with one of his brothers. "It was a good night, just talking and hanging out and telling some stories," Wheeler said. "We had a good time." Now, its time to get down to business. His first start comes against a power-laden Braves team that holds the biggest lead of any division leader, a team he remembers following as a kid when they had pitchers such as Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and John Smoltz -- though Wheeler downplayed his allegiance to the team hell be facing. "I wasnt a huge baseball fan," Wheeler said. "I liked watching basketball a little bit better. But how could I not watch the Braves growing up? My pop was always watching them. They were always good. But Im not a huge Braves fan like everyone thinks I am." Wheeler was the sixth overall draft pick by the San Francisco Giants in 2009 after being selected as Georgias top prep player his last two years at East Paulding High School. He was dealt to the Mets in 2011 for outfielder Carlos Beltran and started this season at Triple-A Las Vegas, where he got off to a slow start but pitched much better in recent weeks. He was 4-2 with a 3.93 ERA for the Pacific Coast League team. The hard-throwing Wheeler struck out 73 in 68 2-3 innings, but 27 walks were a bit of a concern. Hell be looking to get more pitches over the plate in the big leagues. "I walked a lot of guys in the minors," Wheeler said. "Thats always been a problem with me. I want to come after hitters and throw strikes." New York manager Terry Collins said he told Wheeler the same thing he told Harvey before his big league debut. "Hes only one guy and hes going to go out there every fifth day," Collins said. "I told him if he pounds that strike zone, hell help." Wheeler is just the latest in a long list of players to emerge from the baseball-rich Atlanta suburbs, a group that includes a couple of Braves regulars, outfielder Jason Heyward and catcher Brian McCann. Wheeler, in fact, has worked out with Heyward during the off-season. Theyll be facing each other Tuesday. "Im happy for him," Heyward said. "Itll be fun." Wheeler said it helped to grow up playing in an area that has produced so many big leaguers, and his development was pushed along even more by his time in Las Vegas, where the altitude and baked-out desert infield created conditions that definitely favoured the hitters. "It makes you battle a little bit more," he said. "It puts a little more pressure on you." Hell try not to put too much pressure on himself as a rookie, even though Harvey has already set a high standard. "Ill just go out there and do the best I can," Wheeler said. "People can take it how they want. Hopefully Ill do well and be up here with him for a while." Air Max 270 Ultramarine Pas Cher . Coach Tom Thibodeau says the former MVP will probably start travelling with the team in the next few weeks. Rose tore the meniscus in his right knee at Portland in November and was ruled out for the remainder of the season by the Bulls. Air Max 270 React Rose Pas Cher . The team said Saturday that Lopez was hurt during its 121-120 overtime loss at Philadelphia on Friday. The Nets said they would issue another update next week after consultation with their doctors. http://www.airmax270reactpascher.fr/fausse-air-max-270-2021/fausse-air-max-270-2020.html . Jordan Lynch, the all-purpose Heisman Trophy finalist from Northern Illinois, failed to make it into that exclusive club. Air Max 270 React Doré . The Cleveland Indians, Tampa Bay Rays, and Texas Rangers all won on Sunday meaning the Rangers will host the Rays in a play-in game on Monday. Air Max 270 React Noir Pas Cher . But the quarterback hopes to stay involved in football after officially calling it quits Tuesday. "Id love to look at those opportunities as they arise," Pierce said in an interview from his Winnipeg eatery. MANCHESTER, England -- FIFA has disbanded its anti-racism task force, declaring the work complete despite ongoing concerns about discriminatory behavior at matches in 2018 World Cup host Russia.FIFA wrote to members of the task force to say that it has completely fulfilled its temporary mission and is hereby dissolved and no longer in operation.I wish I could say that I am shocked by the decision, but unfortunately I am not, task force member Osasu Obayiuwana told The Associated Press on Sunday. The problem of racism in football remains a burning, very serious and topical one, which need continuous attention.I personally think there remained a lot of very serious work for the task force to have done -- the 2018 World Cup in Russia being one such matter. But it is evident the FIFA administration takes a different position.The task force was established in 2013 by then-FIFA President Sepp Blatter and headed by Jeffrey Webb, a vice president of world soccers governing body until he was arrested in 2015 as part of the American investigation into soccer corruption.Webb, who pleaded guilty to racketeering charges, was replaced exactly a year ago as task force chairman by Congolese federation president Constant Omari, who also sits on FIFAs ruling council.We never had a single meeting under his chairmanship, Obayiuwana said. I wrote him, more than once, asking for when a meeting would be held. But I never received a reply from him.Obayiuwana, a journalist, broadcaster and qualified lawyer, received the letter from FIFA on Friday announcing the end of the task force and shared its contents.The FIFA Task Force Against Racism and Discrimination was set up with your help on a temporary basis to develop recommendations for FIFA, wrote Gerd Dembowski, FIFAs diversity and anti-discrimination manager.We are therefore delighted to inform you that all of the task forces recommendations have been implemented and all resulting projects are ongoing.FIFA told task force members thatt it may solicit further advice .dddddddddddd.. if required.Former FIFA presidential candidate Tokyo Sexwale used his speech before the election that saw Gianni Infantino elected in February to call for the anti-racism task force to become a permanent committee.Racism is going to be with us for a long, long time, Sexwale, a former anti-apartheid activist, told the FIFA Congress. It cant just be a committee that comes ad hoc.But in a letter to members of the task force explaining its termination, FIFA highlighted successes including the introduction of an anti-discrimination monitoring system at matches, the launch of a Good Practice Guide , starting a team of footballing legends and a new diversity award. Fatma Samoura, FIFAs first female and first African secretary general, will present the award on Monday at the SoccerEx convention in Manchester.FIFA also told task force members that its own initiatives actually exceed the working groups recommendations -- trumpeting its Say No to Racism campaign, womens leadership conferences and programs in Russia. There are less than nine months until Russia stages the Confederations Cup, the warm-up event for the 2018 World Cup.Earlier this month, European soccers governing body, UEFA, ordered Russian club Rostov to close a stadium section for a Champions League game as punishment for the racist behavior of fans.The most recent research from the Moscow-based SOVA Center and the UEFA-affiliated FARE Network reported a surge in the number of racist displays by Russian soccer fans, with most cases going unpunished. Researchers logged 92 incidents of discriminatory displays and chants by Russian fans in and around stadiums in the 2014-15 season, against a total of 83 for the previous two seasons combined.---Rob Harris can be followed at www.twitter.com/RobHarris and www.facebook.com/RobHarrisReports ' ' '