NEW YORK -- Mark Teixeira knew this would be difficult. Twenty seconds after he started to speak, his voice cracked.That didnt take long, did it? he said.A three-time All-Star first baseman whose career has been interrupted by injuries for much of the last five years, Teixeira announced during a tear-filled news conference Friday at Yankee Stadium that he plans to retire at the end of this season.I gave you everything I had, he said to Yankees fans during the televised announcement, then stopping for 15 seconds to regain his composure. It wasnt always enough.The 36-year-old is batting .198 with 10 homers and 27 RBI, and his 404 home runs are fifth among switch-hitters, trailing only Mickey Mantle (536), Eddie Murray (504), Chipper Jones (468) and Carlos Beltran (415).A five-time Gold Glove winner, he is in the final season of a $180 million, eight-year contract. He is most proud of reaching 30 homers and 100 RBI in eight consecutive seasons from 2004-11.As the season went on, I just kind realized that my body cant do it anymore, Teixeira said as teammates looked on. If Im going to grind through seasons not being healthy, Id rather be home with my family. Id rather do something else. And I miss my kids way too much to be in a training room in Detroit rather than being at their dance recital or their school play.When he arrived at spring training in February, Teixeira said Id love to play five more years. My body feels so good. Why not play until 40?My neck hurts almost every day. The knee thing popped up, he said. Its been a struggle for me to stay on the field consistently the last three, four years now. And so it just all kind of dawned on me that thats not in the cards.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.Teixeira first thought about retiring after he spoke to his father in San Diego at the time of his 400th home run on July 3. He finalized his decision when talking with his family during the All-Star break.He didnt want to hide his decision when asked in the next two months about possible trades by the rebuilding Yankees or impending free agency. He anticipated breaking down as he spoke about the end of his career.Teixeiras are criers by the way, so if you dont know that yet, he said.He was taken by Texas with the fifth overall pick in the 2001 amateur draft, made his big league debut with the Rangers two years later and, hoping to emulate Baltimores Cal Ripken Jr., played in 507 consecutive games during a streak that ended in 2007. He was traded to Atlanta that July, dealt to the Los Angeles Angels the following year and signed with the Yankees in January 2009.Succeeding Don Mattingly and Tino Martinez at first, Teixeira helped New York win a World Series title in his first season. He hit .292 with 39 homers and 122 RBI and finishing second behind Minnesotas Joe Mauer in AL MVP voting.I was like, oh, Yankees win the World Series all the time. Well probably win three or four more, he thought to himself. But you realize how difficult it is.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 RBI 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 RBI.Greg Bird, a 23-year-old who missed this season following shoulder surgery, is expected back for the Arizona Fall League and is projected by the Yankees as Teixeiras possible successor. Girardi anticipates Tyler Austin, who turns 24 next month, also can challenge for the job during spring training.Teixeira hosted a show on the Yankees YES Network two years ago called Four Territory. He doesnt want to think about future jobs just yet.Ill miss hitting the home run, he said. I wont miss the early workouts in spring training. I wont miss leaving my family. I wont miss being on the training table getting treatment. Im not going to miss any of that stuff. But, yeah, from 7 to 10 oclock, Ill miss that time. But that will fade eventually.Andre Roberson Thunder Jersey . - Oakland Raiders running back Rashad Jennings was speaking to a group of local high school students earlier this week when the conversation turned to the importance of being prepared when opportunities in life arise. Detlef Schrempf Jersey .ca look back at each of the Top 10 stories of 2013. Today, we look back at Boston Strong - a citys recovery from tragedy. https://www.thunderrookiesshop.com/Kevin-Durant-City-Edition-Jersey/ .Y. - New Orleans forward Anthony Davis was chosen Friday to replace the injured Kobe Bryant in the NBA All-Star game that will be played in his home city. Luguentz Dort Thunder Jersey .Y. - Rob Manfred was promoted Monday to Major League Baseballs chief operating officer, which may make him a candidate to succeed Bud Selig as commissioner. Detlef Schrempf Thunder Jersey . At a Manhattan federal court hearing, attorney Jordan Siev said his law office has gotten more evidence nearly every day to support its lawsuit accusing MLB and Selig of going on a "witch hunt" to ruin Rodriguezs reputation and career. He said the defendants went "way over the line.LIVERPOOL, England -- It was natural to put Ross Barkleys nasty challenge on Jordan Henderson down to emotions running high in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.Look deeper, though, and it might just have been the moment when months of pent-up frustration inside the Everton midfielder came to a head.Compared by many to England great Paul Gascoigne because of his technique, build and playing style, Barkley has long been viewed as one of English soccers most talented players. Much is expected of him by Everton fans desperate for Barkley -- a local lad attached to the club since the age of 11 -- to help the northwest club revive its glory years of the 1980s, when the Merseyside rivals were the countrys dominant forces.Barkley is 23 now and should no longer just be regarded as one for the future. It is all about the here and now for Everton manager Ronald Koeman and the teams supporters, and Barkley hasnt developed as many would have hoped.Go to a game at Goodison Park and what quickly becomes apparent is the heightened sense of expectation when Barkley gets the ball -- and the loud groans of disappointment when something he tries doesnt work. Everton supporters can be among the most passionate in England but they can also be among the most demanding, and Barkley appears to be lacking confidence and struggling under the weight of pressure.Hence the ugly lunge on Hendersons right ankle in the second half of Evertons 1-0 loss against Liverpool on Monday that earned him a yellow card -- a red probably would have been merited -- and sparked a melee on the field.Maybe over-praised by Roberto Martinez in his time as Everton manager from 2013-16, Barkley has found Koeman to be a harsher judge.Sometimes I expect more from Ross Barkley, Koeman said this month after dropping the playmakerr from the team for a match against Manchester United.dddddddddddd He needs to accept it. He needs to show it on the training pitch.After also criticizing Barkley this season for his tactical indiscipline, Koeman has dropped the player for games against Manchester City and Watford, too. In the final months of last year, Barkley was in the form of his career but now he is in and out of the Everton team at a time when his future is up for debate, with 18 months left on his contract.Barkley is also being overlooked by Englands national team, with Dele Alli, Adam Lallana and Wayne Rooney preferred as options in the No. 10 position behind the striker. Barkley played at the 2014 World Cup, went to this years European Championship -- albeit, without playing a single minute -- and now is out of the squad completely.At a time when Barkley should be growing in stature, hes in decline as far as appearances for club and country is concerned.He is young, but he is not because he has been playing four years in the first team, Koeman said. It means you are not a talent anymore, and need to show what you can do.Barkley is well-built, impressively two-footed and can worry opposition defenses with his powerful, driving runs. Much of his time off the field is spent watching footage on YouTube of Zinedine Zidane and Gascoigne, his favorite players growing up, as well as contemporary stars in his position such as Mesut Ozil.To be at the level of those kinds of players, Barkley needs to start being more consistent, more prolific -- he has two Premier League goals this season -- and less error-prone.That might even require a move away from Everton to kick-start his career. ' ' '