season with four double-doubles. Ron

NEW YORK -- Mark Teixeira hugged one teammate at a time as he walked off the field, initially near his familiar spot at first base and then right down the line in the New York Yankees dugout.He tipped his cap to the crowd of 33,277 as the fans offered a standing ovation, patting his chest with his mitt and saying, Thank you.And with that, one of baseballs most prolific switch-hitters said goodbye.Mentally and emotionally, I kind of prepared for it, Teixeira said. It wasnt as weird as I thought it would be.Teixeira was honored by the Yankees during a 12-minute ceremony Sunday prior to his final major league game. He went 0 for 3 in a 5-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles, his hometown team, and was replaced at first base by Tyler Austin with one out in the seventh inning so he could soak up the cheers as he exited, fully composed.I couldnt have asked for anything more but a win, Teixeira said. I got a chance to say goodbye, which was very important.The switch-hitting slugger was given several gifts before the game, with fans still filing in for the season finale on an overcast afternoon. Teixeira waved and doffed his cap as one video board posted Thank you Tex! while the large one in center field displayed his career achievements and rolled through various highlights in tribute.Once the game started, the entire crowd joined in when the Bleacher Creatures chanted Teixeiras name during roll call. And the 36-year-old first baseman soon flashed his Gold Glove form with a fully outstretched, diving play behind the bag to rob Matt Wieters of a hit in the second inning.Teixeira made another nice stop in the fifth, but failed to scoop third baseman Ronald Torreyes short-hop throw in the fourth just before Wieters two-run homer.With his contract set to expire, Teixeira announced Aug. 5 his plans to retire after this season, his 14th in the majors.Because this was my last year with the Yankees, it made it so much easier, he said. Playing my last year somewhere else just wouldnt have felt right. The last few spring trainings have been pretty sad because Ive had to leave my family, and I think thats a sign.Teixeira batted fifth and grounded out twice before flying out to shallow center field in his final at-bat. Over in the Baltimore dugout was manager Buck Showalter, Teixeiras first big league skipper in Texas.Asked before the game how he planned to handle Teixeiras farewell, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he was leaving it up to the three-time All-Star and would look for the perfect way to help him exit.He seems to be in really good spirits, Girardi said. I think this day is going to be filled with every type of emotion.During the ceremony, Yankees players and coaches were perched on the top step of the dugout and they applauded after the highlight reel.With his wife and three children at his side near home plate, Teixeira was presented with a framed No. 25 jersey by Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner and his wife, Christina, as well as general partner Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal.Brett Gardner and CC Sabathia gave Teixeira an encased base autographed by his teammates, and the festivities also celebrated Teixeiras years of charity work with Harlem RBI.Thank you for all you have meant to the New York Yankees, public address announcer Paul Olden said.Drafted fifth overall out of Georgia Tech by the Rangers in 2001, Teixeira also played for the Braves and Angels. He finished his career with the same amount of hits as games played (1,862). He batted .268 with 409 home runs and 1,298 RBI, joining Mickey Mantle, Eddie Murray, Chipper Jones and Carlos Beltran as the only switch-hitters in major league history to reach 400 homers.He knew how to play the game, and that will be missed, Girardi said. Its unfortunate that his injuries, I believe, cut his career short.Teixeira joined the Yankees in January 2009 when he signed a $180 million, eight-year contract. He delivered immediately, helping New York to a World Series title that year and finishing runner-up for AL MVP.He hit a game-ending homer in the playoffs against Minnesota that season -- then created another lasting memory just days before his finale with a walkoff grand slam Wednesday night to beat rival Boston.I told Joe that I wouldnt be able to top what happened on Wednesday night no matter what, Teixeira said. After my third at-bat, I told him I was ready.Teixeira has won five Gold Gloves and three Silver Slugger awards. He is the only first baseman in big league history with at least five Gold Gloves, 400 homers and 400 doubles.Before a string of aches and pains began to take their toll in recent years, Teixeira was very durable. And from 2004-11, he had eight straight seasons with at least 30 home runs and 100 RBI.You can just count on him. And its such an admirable trait, Showalter said. Just a real consistent human being.IN THE FUTURETeixeira said he doesnt think hed be interested in the daily grind of managing or coaching at the major league level, though hed be open to being a spring training instructor down the road. He said he thinks working in television would be a lot of fun.Im not leaving my house tomorrow. I told my wife if its nice out, Ill play outside with the kids, he said. I just want to enjoy doing nothing for a day, and Tuesday Im going to play golf.Im going to stay very busy, thats kind of my nature, he added. Ill always be a Yankee. Air Max 720 Cheap Online . 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. Nike Air Max 720 Canada . Pirlo limped out of Sundays 1-0 win over Udinese after just 13 minutes. Juventus says Pirlo underwent tests on Monday which revealed he has "a second-degree lesion to the collateral medial ligament in his right knee. http://www.airmax720canada.com/ . The Vancouver coach and an announced sellout crowd of 18,910 watched in dismay as the Canucks lost 7-4 to the New York Islanders on Monday night by squandering a 3-0 lead in the third period. Nike Air Max 720 Sale Canada . -- The plastic that was taped across the lockers in Oaklands clubhouse came down and the champagne that was on ice went back into the cooler. Clearance Air Max 720 . The 18-year-old American had five birdies in her bogey-free round for a 17-under total of 196. Lee held the overnight lead but mixed three birdies with two bogeys for a 70. MIAMI -- DeMarcus Cousins went into the fourth quarter with no personal fouls. By the end of regulation, he had fouled out.And with that, Miamis home dominance over Sacramento continues.Goran Dragic scored 25 points, Tyler Johnson had seven of his 22 in overtime and the Heat beat the Kings 108-96 on Tuesday night -- Miamis 15th consecutive home win over Sacramento, the longest such current streak in the NBA.Remarkable, isnt it? Sacramento coach Dave Joerger said of Cousins six-foul final quarter, one that included three offensive fouls -- the last of those waving off what would have been a go-ahead basket with 30.6 seconds left.With Cousins reduced to spectating, the Heat outscored the Kings 17-5 in overtime.I think it was good for us to go through another emotional game, said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, whose team stopped a two-game slide. In the second half emotions were running high. A lot of frustration, a lot of elation, a lot of everything in between.Rudy Gay scored 30 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for Sacramento. Cousins also scored 30 for the Kings.Hassan Whiteside got his fourth double-double to start the season, 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Heat -- and drew the last foul against Cousins. Dragic added eight rebounds and eight assists, and Dion Waiters scored 20 points for Miami.Whiteside and Cousins were very careful with their words after the game when asked about fouls.Good, hard, competitive game, Cousins said.Said Whiteside, who was in foul trouble throughout the second half: I dont want to speak on that, because the NBA is going to take my money.The Heat wasted an 80-71 lead in the final six minutes of regulation.Gay went on a personal 7-0 run to turn a five-point deficit into an 89-87 lead on his jumper with 1:48 left. The Heat tied it twice from there, meaning the Kings lost two leads -- and then their star, too.ddddddddddddWe needed this one, Whiteside said.TIP-INSKings: Cousins was suspended for both Kings-Heat games last season, the second of those for exceeding the leagues 16 technicals-in-a-season limit. He picked up a tech Tuesday as well, already his third this season. ... The Kings shot 38 percent.Heat: Whiteside, who had an uncle succumb to prostate cancer on Monday and said playing Tuesday was difficult, is the second Heat player to start a season with four double-doubles. Rony Seikaly did it twice. ... The Heat are 4-2 on Spoelstras birthday; he turned 46 on Tuesday. They have played on Nov. 1 in each of the last four years.DUNK DIFFICULTYWhiteside and Cousins had some dunk difficulties in the third quarter. Whiteside went up for a two-hander early in the quarter, only to get it blocked by Cousins and wind up on his backside. About a minute later, Cousins had an open look at a dunk of his own and got stuffed by the front of the rim.HASLEM DEBUTSHeat captain Udonis Haslem got his first playing time of the season -- and officially making this his 14th Heat season, the most anyone has spent with the franchise. Among current players, only Dirk Nowitzki (19 seasons, Dallas), Tony Parker (16 seasons, San Antonio) and Manu Ginobili (15 seasons, San Antonio) have been with only one team for longer.UP NEXTKings: Visit Orlando on Thursday. Sacramento will be playing for the third time on this five-game, seven-day trip.Heat: Visit Toronto on Friday. Its Miamis first trip there since losing Game 7 of last seasons Eastern Conference semifinals. ' ' '