导出博客文章NEW YORK -- Ready or not, Alex Rodriguez will play his final game in pinstripes
this week.One of the most prolific hitters and polarizing figures in baseball
history, the slumping slugger plans to take his final turn at-bat with the New
York Yankees on Friday night and then become a special adviser and instructor
with the team next year.A-Rod and the club made the announcement before Sundays
3-2 victory over Cleveland.This is a tough day. I love this game and I love this
team, he said, often choking up. And today Im saying goodbye to both.The
41-year-old Rodriguez, who sat out the 2014 season while serving a
performance-enhancing drug suspension, will play against Tampa Bay at Yankee
Stadium and then be released following Fridays game. New York will pay him the
remainder of the approximately $27 million hes owed as part of his $275 million,
10-year contract.Rodriguez said the agreement arose out of conversations over
the past few days with Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner. The
two met face-to-face more than once, and A-Rod said he asked for one more chance
to play in front of a New York crowd.Relegated to little more than a spare part
lately, the three-time AL MVP acknowledged the last four weeks have not been
fun.Its been very painful and embarrassing to sit on the bench. Its been
awkward, Rodriguez explained. So from that sense Im very happy that we found
this solution.But he made it clear he still thinks he could contribute on the
field.Of course, I think I can play baseball. You always think you have one more
hit in you, or help the team win one more game, for sure, said Rodriguez, who is
four home runs shy of 700. That wasnt in the cards. That was the Yankees
decision and Im at peace with it.A news release issued by the club indicated
Rodriguez will be released after his final major league game to sign a contract
that gives him a job working with minor leaguers throughout the Yankees farm
system. He will report directly to Steinbrenner, and the deal runs through Dec.
31, 2017.A-Rod said hell go home to Miami following Fridays game, and he thought
his new duties would begin in spring training. He thanked the Steinbrenner
family for the opportunity to stay in baseball.General manager Brian Cashman
acknowledged that Rodriguez has a right to change his mind and pursue any
potential opportunity. And for his part, Rodriguez never used the word
retire.So, if another team offered him a chance to play, would he consider
it?You know, when Hal told me, I just told him: `Give me a few days. I need to
kind of think on this, sleep on it. I have not thought past the pinstripes, and
my horizon is Friday, he said.Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia said when Rodriguez
makes decisions, theyre pretty much final.He played a long time, since he was 18
years old, Sabathia said. I know he has bigger goals and bigger dreams to do
different things.A 14-time All-Star, Rodriguez is hitting .204 this season with
nine home runs and 29 RBI in 216 at-bats. Hes started only once in 15 games
since July 22.Its sad to see Alex going like this, teammate Brett Gardner
said.New York manager Joe Girardi said hed talk to Rodriguez about possibly
playing this week in Boston.If he wants to play in every game, Ill find a way,
Girardi said.When the fourth-place Yankees (56-55) jettisoned veterans Aroldis
Chapman, Andrew Miller and Carlos Beltran leading up to last weeks trade
deadline, they made it clear they were turning toward a youth movement.On
Friday, 36-year-old first baseman Mark Teixeira announced he will retire at the
end of the season.We all want to keep playing forever, Rodriguez said. But it
doesnt work that way.A-Rod trails only Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and
Babe Ruth (714) on the career home run list and joins Boston bopper David Ortiz
as iconic stars apparently in their final seasons this year.As much as hes gone
through, the PED stuff and all the stuff thats kind of happened throughout his
career, hes still one of my favorite players to watch as a child growing up,
Rays outfielder Steven Souza Jr. said. Hopefully we can send him off with a
thank you for a great career.Rodriguez has a $20 million salary this year and is
owed $20 million more in 2017, the final season of a $275 million contract that
was the largest in baseball when he signed it.After spending several days
discussing this plan with Alex, I am pleased that he will remain a part of our
organization moving forward and transition into a role in which I know he can
flourish, Steinbrenner said in a statement.Rodriguez led the Yankees to their
2009 World Series title, but its been a tumultuous tenure since he arrived
before the 2004 season in a trade with Texas.And right up until Sundays surprise
announcement, his time in pinstripes has been filled with drama.He won his
second and third AL MVP awards with the Yankees but has been a pariah to some
since his 2009 admission that he used performance-enhancing drugs with the
Rangers.Starting in 2008, Rodriguez made six trips to the disabled list in six
seasons.Major League Baseball suspended him on Aug. 5, 2013, for the remainder
of that season and all of 2014 for violations of baseballs drug and labor
contract, caused by use and possession of numerous prohibited
performance-enhancing substances and attempting to cover up his violations.On
Sunday, Rodriguez said hes been to hell and back, and made every mistake in the
book.Asked how hes managed to repair his relationship with Yankees management,
he smiled and said: I have no idea. I wish I knew.I do want to be remembered as
someone who was madly in love with the game of baseball, Rodriguez said. And
also, Im going to be hopefully remembered for someone who tripped and fell a
lot, but someone that kept getting up.Rodriguez returned from hip surgery and
played while appealing the suspension, and the following January an arbitrator
cut the penalty to all of the 2014 season.A-Rod made a successful return last
year, when the Yankees made him a full-time DH, but his offense slid late in the
season. He hit .250 with 33 homers and 86 RBI overall.His slump continued at the
start of this season when he hit .185 with four homers and eight RBI in April.
He batted .130 in May and was on the disabled list because of a strained right
hamstring. His average rose to .267 with two homers and 13 RBI in June before
dropping.Mechanically, I just never felt like I caught up, Rodriguez said. I
thought I would have a strong finish and a stronger year next year, but again,
that wasnt in the cards.Rodriguez started his big league career with Seattle in
1994 and signed a $252 million, 10-year contract with Texas before the 2001
season. When the Rangers decided to trade him, a proposed deal to Boston fell
through before he was traded to New York. He agreed to shift from shortstop to
third base with the Yankees, who already had Derek Jeter at shortstop.A-Rod
opted out of the contract after the 2007 season, became a free agent and signed
his $275 million deal with the Yankees.---AP Baseball Writers Ronald Blum and
Ben Walker, and freelance writer Mark Didtler in St. Petersburg, Florida,
contributed to this report.
Dennis Byrd Womens
Jersey . Thats about all he can do right now, so hes trying not to think
about when he might be able to play again for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Joe Klecko
Jersey . Ibaka equaled a career high with 20 rebounds, adding four blocked
shots and 15 points as the Thunder smothered the Milwaukee Bucks offence in a
92-79 victory Saturday night.
http://www.jetsrookiestore.com/Jets-Wesley-Walker-Jersey/
. But what about the officials? Every sport has officials and they also have
stories about hard work and sacrifice but their accomplishments are seldom
recognized by anyone outside their inner circle.
Dennis Byrd
Jersey . -- There were so many positives from the Orlando Magics first
victory of the season that it was hard for coach Jacque Vaughn to stop praising
his players.
Mark Gastineau
Youth Jersey . - The Washington Redskins have cut defensive lineman
Adam Carriker and punter Sav Rocca. STOKE, England -- Bournemouth won away in
the English Premier League for the first time this season after ending Stokes
recent revival with a 1-0 victory on Saturday.Nathan Akes 26th-minute header was
enough for Eddie Howes team to grab all three points -- and its first league win
in four matches -- as Stoke looked off the pace in the first half.The hosts
improved after the break but blew the chance to extend their unbeaten run to
seven league matches for the first time since December 2012 when Bojan Krkic
crashed a penaltyy against the crossbar at the start of the second
half.dddddddddddd.Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe wanted his players to show they
were a better side than the one which slumped to successive defeats to
Middlesbrough and Sunderland prior to the international break. They did just
that with a solid and well-drilled performance.After 12 rounds, midtable
Bournemouth has 15 points, two more than Stoke. ' ' '
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