Yankees' Mark Teixeira plans to retire at season's end

(AP) -- Mark Teixeira plans to retire at the end of the season, announcing his decision during a tear-filled news conference Friday at Yankee Stadium. "I gave you everything I had," he said to Yankees

News 12 Staff

Aug 6, 2016, 12:39 AM

Updated 2,827 days ago

Share:

Yankees' Mark Teixeira plans to retire at season's end
(AP) -- Mark Teixeira plans to retire at the end of the season, announcing his decision during a tear-filled news conference Friday at Yankee Stadium.
"I gave you everything I had," he said to Yankees fans in the televised announcement, his voice cracking. "It wasn't always enough."
Slowed by injuries, the 36-year-old switch-hitting first baseman is batting .198 with 10 homers and 27 RBIs. A three-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove winner, he is in the final season of a $180 million, eight-year contract. His 404 home runs are fifth among switch-hitters, trailing only Mickey Mantle (536), Eddie Murray (504), Chipper Jones (468) and Carlos Beltran (415).
"My body can't do it anymore," Teixeira said.
When he arrived at spring training in February, Teixeira said "I'd love to play five more years. My body feels so good. Why not play until 40?"
But he was slowed early this season by a bulging disk in his neck and was on the disabled list from June 4-25 with a right knee cartilage tear, an injury that has caused manager Joe Girardi to schedule repeated off days since his return.
"My neck hurts almost every day. The knee thing popped up," he said. "It all kind of dawned on me that's not in the cards."
Teixeira made his decision around the time of the All-Star break.
"My body can't do it anymore," he said.
At the start of the news conference, Teixeira anticipated breaking down as he spoke about the end of his career.
"Teixeiras are criers by the way, if you don't know that yet," he said.
He was taken by Texas with the fifth overall pick in the 2001 amateur draft and made his big league debut with the Rangers two years later. He was traded to Atlanta in July 2007, dealt to the Los Angeles Angels the following year and signed with the Yankees in January 2009.
He helped New York win a World Series title in his first season, hitting .292 with 39 homers and 122 RBIs and finishing second behind Minnesota's Joe Mauer in AL MVP voting.
Teixeira didn't appreciate the accomplishment at the time.
"The Yankees win the World Series all the time," he thought to himself. "We'll probably win three or four more."
Teixeira was limited to 15 games and a .151 average in 2013 after tearing the tendon sheath in his right hand while with the U.S. team at the World Baseball Classic. He had surgery that July 1 and missed the remainder of the season, then hit .216 with 22 homers and 62 RBIs the following year, when the hand was still regaining strength and he was slowed by a hamstring injury.
Fully recovered, he made the All-Star team again in 2015 but fouled a pitch off his right leg Aug. 17, played two more games in pain and then found out he had fractured his shin. He finished the season with a .255 average, 31 homers and 79 RBIs.
Greg Bird, a 23-year-old who missed this season following shoulder surgery, is projected by the Yankees as Teixeira's successor.


More from News 12
1:55
Large fire at 2-story Bensonhurst building leaves home destroyed

Large fire at 2-story Bensonhurst building leaves home destroyed

2:13
Temperatures cool off heading into the weekend for NYC

Temperatures cool off heading into the weekend for NYC

1:59
Community members affected by Bushwick fire regroup, attempt to move forward

Community members affected by Bushwick fire regroup, attempt to move forward

1:41
New survey highlights challenges for migrants

New survey highlights challenges for migrants

1:55
PS 331 in Borough Park to be renamed in honor of slain Detective WenJian Liu

PS 331 in Borough Park to be renamed in honor of slain Detective WenJian Liu

0:43
2 City Council committees hold joint hearing on sexual harassment policies

2 City Council committees hold joint hearing on sexual harassment policies

4:14
'We lost something good'. FDNY says large fire destroys Bushwick supermarket, leaves 55 people homeless

'We lost something good'. FDNY says large fire destroys Bushwick supermarket, leaves 55 people homeless

Diocese of Brooklyn: 3 Catholic academies to close at the end of the school year

Diocese of Brooklyn: 3 Catholic academies to close at the end of the school year

2:03
New exhibit at Brooklyn Museum unveils new photos taken by Beatles' Paul McCartney

New exhibit at Brooklyn Museum unveils new photos taken by Beatles' Paul McCartney

0:32
NYPD: Suspect driver wanted for assaulting 59-year-old man in Williamsburg

NYPD: Suspect driver wanted for assaulting 59-year-old man in Williamsburg

0:23
Police: 2-car Prospect-Lefferts Gardens crash leaves person hospitalized

Police: 2-car Prospect-Lefferts Gardens crash leaves person hospitalized

0:36
Live Nation Concert Week offers $25 tickets to over 5,000 shows

Live Nation Concert Week offers $25 tickets to over 5,000 shows

2:22
Do you constantly reuse the same username and password? 6 steps to help safeguard your online accounts

Do you constantly reuse the same username and password? 6 steps to help safeguard your online accounts

1:27
Kingsboro Psychiatric Center workers demand their bosses get fired due to bullying, nepotism

Kingsboro Psychiatric Center workers demand their bosses get fired due to bullying, nepotism

1:53
Crowds gather again at Stony Brook University following night of 29 arrests during pro-Palestinian protest

Crowds gather again at Stony Brook University following night of 29 arrests during pro-Palestinian protest

1:51
RFK announces he has enough signatures to appear on NY ballot

RFK announces he has enough signatures to appear on NY ballot

1:46
Tenants weigh in on possible rent hikes for rent-stabilized homes

Tenants weigh in on possible rent hikes for rent-stabilized homes

1:38
Parks Department held community input meetings over new construction of skate parks

Parks Department held community input meetings over new construction of skate parks

1:27
Power restored in Manhattan Beach following 18-wheeler truck crash

Power restored in Manhattan Beach following 18-wheeler truck crash