Girardi: Group effort needed to fill void left by Jeter

"I think there's a number of guys, I really do. But I don't think it will be one leader," Girardi said. "I think it will be a group of leaders. When I played here in the '90s, we didn't really have a captain. We didn't have one guy. We had a lot of guys that did a lot of things and took care of things."

Girardi noted that in 1996, closer John Wetteland was in charge of the bullpen. Wetteland's departure via free agency created a void that was gradually filled by Mariano Rivera's emergence into the closer's role. That is probably how it will go for the 2015 Yankees.

"The transition didn't happen overnight, but pretty quickly, that was Mo's 'pen," Girardi said. "It will happen, but you won't necessarily see it right away."

Naming Jeter captain was George M. Steinbrenner's decision, ordering it to be done in a hastily scheduled news conference while the club visited Cincinnati in 2003. Jeter became the first Yankees captain since Don Mattingly, who held the title from 1991-95.

Prior to that, Willie Randolph and Ron Guidry served as co-captains in 1986-88, following Graig Nettles' tenure from 1982-84. Thurman Munson had assumed the title in 1976, which was shelved for decades in Lou Gehrig's honor after the 1939 season.

Girardi said that if ownership asked him this winter about naming a new captain, "I would say, 'Wait.' I would say, 'Wait to see who you see really becomes the guy.'"

"You're not going to replace Derek Jeter at all," Brian McCann said. "What he produces on a daily basis is incredible. We just need guys to play hard, that's it. And I feel like we did that. We didn't get it done, but it wasn't from a lack of effort."

It has been suggested that McCann and CC Sabathia could be two personalities to step into a more vocal role in Jeter's absence. Alex Rodriguez also held a good amount of influence with younger players before his season-long suspension and could have some impact.

"I don't necessarily think he would say that [he wants] to be [captain], but Alex at heart is a teacher," Girardi said. "He likes to teach the game and where you're supposed to be and how to play a position. He likes to talk about hitting. Alex loves to talk about the game, but I don't necessarily think that he would seek that."

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Yanks have quite a few players with uncertain futures

His time in New York appears to be over -- Ichiro sidestepped a question about his willingness to return, saying, "That might be a question that you shouldn't ask right now" -- but he said that he does want to continue playing.

"Obviously, a lot of things go on that the fans and the media don't see, but what I can say is that the experiences I've had this year will help me in the future," Ichiro said through an interpreter. "It will be somewhat of a support for me because of the experiences I had this year. It will help me in the future."

Ichiro, who turns 41 in October, said that he does not know how many more seasons he would want to play, but said that he feels "great" and would prefer to play in a starting role.

"I don't know where I am going to be, but obviously as a player, you want to play and be in that position," Ichiro said. "If you don't feel that way, I don't know why you play the game. Of course you want to be in that position, but sometimes it doesn't work out that way. Stuff like that happens, too, but you want to be in that position."

There are other questions. David Robertson took over Mariano Rivera's closer role and posted a 39-save season, and the right-hander will be eligible for free agency. Robertson said that thought did not cross his mind as he wore his road gray uniform in the bullpen on Sunday.

"I don't know what's going to happen, we'll just see how things play out," Robertson said. "I did a pretty good job. I wouldn't say it was the best I've ever done, but I did well enough."

Right-hander Brandon McCarthy pitched well after a midseason trade from the D-backs, going 7-5 with a 2.89 ERA in 14 starts. Amid several injury-related questions about next year's rotation, McCarthy has expressed interest in returning to New York.

"There is nothing from my time here that I've seen that makes me think, 'That's a hands off,'" McCarthy said. "The coaching staff and team were great, the facilities, everything is top notch. Nothing turns you off to playing here."

Chase Headley batted .262 with six homers and 17 RBIs in 58 games after being acquired from the Padres and said that his preference would be to play every day in 2015. That may not be possible with the Yankees, where Mark Teixeira is locked in at first base and Alex Rodriguez is expected to return at third base.

"Tremendous people, tremendous players and coaching staff," Headley said. "I've loved every second of being here, and obviously the cherry on top was to play with Jeet in his final months. What a special couple of months. Obviously, I wish we were still playing. If this is the end of my time in the organization, then I've treasured the time. We'll see what happens."

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Jeter's career ends with love, emotion

"It was very, very surreal," said Jeter, his Yankees gray road uniform shed for one last time, replaced by a charcoal gray suit. "Yankee fans travel. Let's get that straight. They travel everywhere we go. But to have fans saying good things about you and have the other team's uniforms and hats on, it was awesome. It's why we play the game. You play the game hard and when you do that I think people have respect for you. They showed me that all year long and I appreciate it."

Watching an entire baseball career is much like sending your child off to college. You are witness to the ups and downs, the growth, the inevitable aging process. And when you are deep in it you think it will always be thus. But in the end, you look back in wonder. How could that all have happened so quickly? It was over in the blink of an eye.

And that's how Jeter went out for good during the third inning of Sunday's 9-5 Yankees win -- in the blink of an eye. A called strike, a ball, a foul into the stands, a high chopper that third baseman Garin Cecchini couldn't handle. As usual, Jeter ran hard down the first-base line, knocking in his 1,311th run with the infield hit.

Jeter said beforehand he wanted to take just two at-bats, but manager Joe Girardi looked toward him from the third-base side dugout with his arms open wide, asking in pantomime what he wanted to do. "Come out" was the answer, and Brian McCann jogged from the dugout as an unlikely pinch-runner.

The afternoon began with a superb ceremony resplendent with former Red Sox captains, plus great captains from other Boston sports teams: Bobby Orr of the Bruins, Troy Brown of the Patriots and Paul Pierce of the Celtics. Jeter had never met any of them. By the time the hugs, handshakes and ovations were finished after Jeter's last hit and he was back in the dugout, the clock read 2:27 p.m. ET and his 20-year Major League Baseball career was over. Just like that.

"I felt like the time was right," Jeter said. "I felt like I was all over the place Thursday in New York and by the time I got here I was ready. I was ready for my career to be over with. I was happy I was able to come here and play for a couple of games, but I'm ready for this to be the end."

Jeter finished as the top Yankee in all these categories: 3,465 hits, 2,747 games played, 544 doubles, 358 steals and as the only Yankees to play 20 contiguous seasons in New York. He is also second behind Babe Ruth with 1,923 runs scored and the all-time Major League leader with 200 postseason hits and 111 runs. His regular season hit total is sixth on the all-time Major League list and the most of any shortstop. These are all major accomplishments, not to mention the five World Series rings and seven American League pennants. But for Jeter, putting on the pinstripes was more than enough.

"For me, I'm happy to be known as a Yankee -- that's all I ever wanted to be, the shortstop for the New York Yankees -- and I had the opportunity to do that for parts of 20 years," he said. "To be remembered as a Yankee is good enough for me."

Girardi said he was obligated on Sunday morning to tell Jeter that with two more hits he'd have 150 on the season tying Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker and Pete Rose. That trio all had 18 seasons with 150 or more hits. It made no difference to Jeter, who smacked a solid liner snared by Boston shortstop Jemile Weeks in the first inning. No matter, he was locked in at taking only two at-bats.

"I've never been into the numbers," said Jeter, content to finish tied with Hank Aaron at 17 seasons with 150-plus hits. "So why should I start now?"

Jeter certainly was about the excitement and turmoil of the last six days. On Wednesday, the Yankees were eliminated from playoff contention. On Thursday night he played his final game at Yankee Stadium and one of few in his career in the Bronx that had no meaning as far as postseason consideration was concerned. Still, the house was packed and the hometown fans electric, chanting his name incessantly as the innings faded away and Jeter began to face the realization that his career was basically over.

His walk-off, game-winning single put a punctuation mark on an evening that will long be remembered in Yankee history.

"Look, you can't top what happened on Thursday," Jeter said. "I don't care if I came to Boston and I hit a home run in every single at-bat, hit four home runs while I was here. For me personally, I couldn't top what happened. New York has been a special place for me. The way that game ended, you couldn't have written that script. I wouldn't have bought into it."

Frankly, the trio of games at Fenway this weekend became an afterthought and Jeter knew it. Still, he took four at-bats as a designated hitter -- two each on Saturday and Sunday -- finishing with a pair of infield singles. As promised after the game on Thursday night, he never spent another second at shortstop, tallying 2,674 games played at that position.

The Red Sox put on a show, all three games were sold out and Jeter obliged.

"When I got here I was ready, ready for my career to be over with," he said. "I thought about not playing here. But I said I would play. A lot of fans told me that they came a long way to [see] these last games. I thought it was right to play here. You can't take that memory of what happened in New York away from me. I don't care if I played another three weeks. It's always going to be there. It's never going anywhere."

Neither is the memory of Jeter's entire career. Talk about impact. That's why the fans of Fenway were still chanting his name long after he was gone.

Barry M. Bloom is a national reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog, Boomskie on Baseball. Follow @boomskie on Twitter. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Cashman contacts A-Rod regarding his return in '15

"He's going to plan on working with our staff in Tampa at some point this winter," Cashman said. "He looks forward to reintroducing himself in a positive way for us going forward."

Cashman said that he does not know what to expect, production-wise, from Rodriguez in 2015 because of his "unique circumstance." The Yankees will dispatch strength and conditioning coach Matt Krause to assess Rodriguez's health in the near future, but Rodriguez already has taken a physical for insurance purposes.

"He passed a physical," Cashman said. "He's a go, physically fit to compete, now it's about getting him back into shape so he's a quality player."

Cashman said that the main reason he reached out to Rodriguez about 10 days ago was to gauge his willingness to play in winter ball, which would have made further paperwork necessary. Since then, they have remained in some level of contact.

"The main thing I needed to do was know how much time I was going to invest with our insurance companies to find out if winter ball was an option," Cashman said. "I needed to find out the coverage on that aspect of it.

"I don't have to waste my time on that because winter ball's not an option. He's obviously going to continue his workouts and be worked out by our personnel, both strength and conditioning as well as our field staff, as we prepare for Spring Training."

Cashman said that Rodriguez and the Yankees have had professional interactions in recent weeks and are trying to focus on the future. Rodriguez is owed $61 million by the club over the next three seasons.

"The process we went through, it wasn't a healthy process for anybody involved," Cashman said. "But the process had finality and now it's about moving forward. Simple as that."

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Girardi proud of players, but disappointed in club's results

"I told you all along I was proud of them, but I just wanted to let them know what we expect next year," Girardi said after Saturday's 10-4 loss to the Red Sox at Fenway Park. "None of us are happy that we're not playing next week.

"These guys played hard. It is unfortunate. You go through an offseason and they work hard in training and when you don't get there, if you don't have disappointment, something is wrong."

The report also said that Girardi wanted to see a hungrier attitude from his team, which went 11-12 in games that were deemed to be "must win" leading up to their mathematical elimination Wednesday.

"The bottom line is that we didn't execute well enough in certain situations, and we have to do better," Girardi said. "That's the thing, whether it's getting a runner over and in, making a pitch when you need to make a pitch. We were in a lot of close games.

"If we could have won five or six more, you might be playing next week. We were in so many, you definitely have some you can remember."

The meeting shifted in tone when the players, led by CC Sabathia, were permitted to present Jeter with several gifts marking his final game in the Bronx. The players offered Jeter a painting of The New Yorker's Sept. 8 cover, depicting Jeter waving goodbye, and a watch.

Jeter has spoken about that gift, saying that it tweaked his emotions: "I almost lost it and I had to turn around," he said after Thursday's walk-off hit to beat the Orioles.

Girardi was irked that details of what was supposed to be an in-house meeting had been leaked to the media, and said that he chose Thursday's game to hold the meeting because he wanted to have it at Yankee Stadium, rather than in the cramped visiting clubhouse at Fenway Park.

It is not out of character for Girardi to hold such a meeting near the end of the season.

"I address the team after every year," Girardi said. "Sometimes I do it the night we either make it or are eliminated. I've done it different ways. I chose to do it [Thursday] to let them know what we expect and get ready. I was direct in the message I wanted to get across. As you well know, that is my personality."

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One final baseball hurrah for the Yankees' captain

He feels an obligation. Will his heart be in it? That's a tough one. If we're being brutally honest, you probably know the answer to that one. Because it's Derek Jeter, he'll try to get there. That's what pros do.

He'll go through all the routines one final time, and at some point, it's sure to hit him that now it is really over. After Sunday, there'll be only memories.

Don't expect an outpouring of emotion. He's probably beyond that sort of thing, having arrived here in the wee hours of Friday physically exhausted, emotionally spent. He wrote the perfect ending on Thursday night with that walk-off single at Yankee Stadium and especially with the outpouring of emotion and celebration that followed.

Who could ask for one more thing from this guy?

Commissioner Bud Selig understands. He was so touched by that ending he had trouble sleeping. He finally grabbed a piece of paper and began scribbling the names of the best players of every generation.

Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth. Joe DiMaggio and Stan Musial. Jackie Robinson and Frank Robinson. Willie Mays and Henry Aaron. For a couple of months now, Selig has told us again and again that it had been an honor to watch Jeter all these years and that what Ted Williams meant to one generation, Jeter means to this one.

So after Jeter wrote one of the great endings any player has ever written, nothing he could do this weekend at Fenway Park could come close to that. No one should have blamed him for leaving just that way. Ted Williams homered in his last at-bat at Fenway Park in 1960, then didn't play during a three-game road trip to Yankee Stadium.

Anyway, Jeter did take Friday off and said he would serve as the Yankees designated hitter on Saturday and Sunday. When Yankees manager Joe Girardi checked with him on Saturday morning, Jeter said he was good for two at-bats.

He got warm ovations before both. He once more heard his name chanted. Red Sox starter Joe Kelly struck him out with a 99-mph fastball in the first inning, then Jeter beat out an infield chopper in the third for his 3,464th hit. He sprinted through first base and appeared to be limping when he returned to the dugout.

His day was over. Girardi said he would again check with Jeter before filling out his lineup card on Sunday. When Jeter was asked if he would play Sunday, he said, "Yep."

Does it matter? It ended in a larger way on Thursday. He gave us all he had. He has done that for 20 seasons. He did it in May the same way he did it in October. He prided himself on that. He never thought he had the most talent, so he determined early on to never be outworked.

"He was always prepared," Girardi said. "He always wanted to play. As a manager, that's all you can ask."

Greatness can be defined a hundred different ways. For Jeter, it was about being conscientious and smart and taking advantage of every single gift he'd been given. He had plenty of physical gifts, but he's special because he maximized them and because he did the game -- and his franchise -- proud off the field, too.

If he were any other player, he might not have even tried to play again.

"If it was me, I'm not sure what I would have done," Girardi said.

From the moment Jeter announced in February that this season would be his last, baseball fans have understood this day would be here sooner than they could have imagined. That's what Sunday represents. One of the great players to ever play the game will put some kind of finishing touch on his career.

Jeter's legacy is secure, and Girardi used the word "sadness" to describe this ending.

"You never want to see a great player leave," he said.

Maybe Jeter summed it up perfectly a couple of days ago.

"I wouldn't change a thing," he said.

Richard Justice is a columnist for MLB.com. Read his blog, Justice4U. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Unsure of future, Kuroda seeks advice from Pettitte

It offered him encouragement and inspiration to keep going, and so as Kuroda wrapped up a 199-inning campaign with eight frames of two-run ball against the Orioles, he told Pettitte that he was proud to have pushed himself for another year.

"Before the game yesterday, we talked about Andy's last outing last year in Houston," Kuroda said through an interpreter. "One thing I can say is, the fact that I was able to stay in the rotation the full year without getting injured, that's one thing I can say that fulfilled me."

Now happily retired for the second time, Pettitte told Kuroda that he "really is content" with how his career wrapped up, and that, too, may offer Kuroda some direction for how to handle his future.

Kuroda has entertained thoughts of retirement in each of the past few years, only to return on one-year contracts, but said this past winter prompted his most serious contemplation. He will turn 40 in February and is not sure if he would be interested, should a contract be offered.

"Right now, I cannot imagine what the answer is going to be," Kuroda said. "I'm just relieved I was able to finish the season without getting hurt. If -- and this is a big if -- there are such talks, then I'd have to ask myself and think deeply whether I'd be able to produce."

Manager Joe Girardi said that he wanted to give the Yankee Stadium crowd a chance to salute Kuroda on Thursday, urging him to walk to the foul line before the ninth inning so he could hear an ovation.

"He didn't want to do it, I think out of respect for what was going on, but Hiro's meant a lot to our organization as well and has been a really good Yankee and a really good role model as well," Girardi said.

"This guy takes the ball every [fifth] day. You think about the injuries we went through to our rotation. The oldest guy is still standing. That's because of his preparation and how hard he works. I really wanted to honor him, but he really didn't want to do it."

If Thursday was Kuroda's Yankees finale, he proved to be a most reliable investment for the team coming off his first four big league seasons with the Dodgers. In 97 regular-season starts for New York, Kuroda posted a 3.44 ERA and a 1.155 WHIP along with a 38-33 record that would have been helped markedly by better run support.

"I feel really proud to wear the Yankees uniform for the three years," Kuroda said. "To have that experience, to pitch in a game like yesterday, I feel really proud of it."

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Emotionally spent Jeter takes rare break

"I'm not playing," Jeter said. "I don't know if I could play tonight if I wanted to play tonight. I haven't slept much. I don't think I really slept, maybe a couple of hours. It's been a wide range of emotions the last few hours."

He'll be back in the lineup as the designated hitter on Saturday and Sunday to finish off his career only out of respect to the Red Sox and the fans of Boston. After grounding a game-winning, ninth-inning single through the 3.5 hole between first and second base in his last New York at-bat to defeat the Orioles on Thursday night, there's not much Jeter has left.

"That's as good as it gets, I think, for me. It's one of those special days that I'll always remember. I can't think of a better way to end my career at Yankee Stadium. You couldn't have scripted it any better," he said adding, "I'm playing here because I have respect for this rivalry, for Boston and their fans. If it was anywhere else I don't know if I would play."

And that's a good thing, even with Jeter out of the lineup on Friday, a packed house at Fenway chanted his name beginning as the Yankees batted in the top of the third inning and on and off throughout the 3-2 Yanks win. The chants were faint in comparison to what occurred during the game on Thursday night at Yankee Stadium, but they resounded in his honor just the same.

"I remember coming here in the All-Star Game in '99 and the car that was dropping us off went to the wrong entrance," he recalled. "I was out of the car walking to the stadium and I thought [the Red Sox fans] were going to kill me, they were all over me. So it's funny how things have changed."

Jeter said he was a jangle of emotions on Thursday night, so dazed that he's looking forward to watching the game with family and friends so he can appreciate what happened. He doesn't remember much of it. He remembers ducking into the clubhouse and into restrooms to privately choke back tears. It's not that he didn't openly want to share those emotions, he just didn't think he could.

"I didn't say it was important [for people] not to see it," he said. "I just thought it was important for me to hold it together. I think once I lost it, that was it, I'm done. So I tried to hold it together."

It began with gifts from his teammates in the clubhouse before the game, a painting and a watch. Jeter had to hide his eyes. Then it was the top of the eighth inning with the Yankees clinging to a three-run lead. Fans chanted his name and the TV cameras showed various tight shots of the emotions welling up as he tried to concentrate from his station at short. For the first time ever on a baseball field, Jeter was overwhelmed. The stadium had become a cauldron of electricity building to a crescendo as the last innings, the last at-bats peeled away.

"That's accurate," he said. "I told you, I had to stop myself from crying when I was on the field. I've never really felt like that before. The emotions changed quickly, but that started before the game even began. It just built up and built up. If they would have taken me out of the game, I probably would have lost it. All the reflection and the -- I don't want to say sadness -- but the reflection changed to excitement after the hit. That's why after the game I was pretty excited. It was no longer time to be sad."

So many issues had to conspire for Jeter to come up with a runner on second in the bottom of the ninth -- the two Orioles homers and three runs that tied the score during the top of the inning, Orioles manager Buck Showalter allowing reliever Evan Meek to pitch to Jeter with one and first base open. That was certainly against the book.

But it was destiny, wasn't it? Buck knew it. Girardi knew it. Jeter's first manager and last skipper wanted to give him one last chance. And in the heat of the moment, Jeter was able to block it all out, slapping the first pitch to the opposite side.

"It was difficult, but I was able to [block it all out] it for two or three seconds," he said. "I was only in there for one pitch. It was hard. It was. For a moment, I don't know, man. I got lucky, I guess."

Barry M. Bloom is a national reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog, Boomskie on Baseball. Follow @boomskie on Twitter. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Yanks open Jeter's final series with win over Sox

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RANDOM DRAWINGS: Approximately thirty (30) minutes following the final out of each Postseason Game, five (5) potential winners will be selected by random drawing from among all eligible participants who claim valid Potential Winning Bingo Cards for that Postseason Game in accordance with these Official Rules (the "Drawing"). Subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with the terms of these Official Rules, the potential winners will be declared official winners of the Sweepstakes (each, a "Winner" and collectively, the "Winners"). Odds of winning a Prize will depend on the total number of Bingo Cards issued and the total number of valid Potential Winning Bingo Cards claimed for each applicable Postseason Game. Limit one (1) Prize per person, per family and per household.

PRIZES:  A maximum of two hundred fifteen (215) prizes (each, a "Prize" and collectively, the "Prizes") will be awarded (i.e. five (5) Prizes per each Postseason Game with a maximum of forty-three (43) Postseason Games), as follows:

For up to twenty-two (22) Postseason Games during the 2012 Wild Card Games and the 2012 Division Series, each Winner will receive one (1) Postseason.TV subscription for the remainder of the 2012 MLB Postseason. Approximate retail value ("ARV") of each such Prize: $4.99.

For up to twenty-one (21) Postseason Games during the 2012 League Championship Series and the 2012 MLB World Series Championship, each Winner will receive one (1) MLB.TV Offseason Package subscription. ARV of each such Prize: $24.99.

Total ARV of all Prizes: $3172.85.

For the avoidance of doubt, no Prizes will be awarded in connection with any 2012 MLB Postseason game that is not played because it is not necessary.

PRIZE CONDITIONS: All Prize details to be determined in the sole discretion of Sponsor. Each Winner is fully responsible for any and all applicable federal, state and local taxes (including income and withholding taxes). Postseason.TV subscriptions are subject to blackout and other restrictions - see www.postseason.tv for complete details. All costs and expenses associated with the Prize acceptance and use not specified herein as being provided including, but not limited to, any and all expenses incurred by accepting the Prize are the sole responsibility of the Winners. The Prizes are non-transferable and non-assignable, with no cash redemptions except at Sponsor's sole and absolute discretion. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute any Prize (or any portion thereof) with one of comparable or greater value at its sole and absolute discretion.

NOTIFICATION:  Each potential winner will be notified at the e-mail address, postal address and/or telephone number (in the sole discretion of Sponsor) provided at the time of entry (the "Prize Notification"). In the event that any potential winner does not respond to any such Prize Notification within three (3) days of the date of issuance or declines the Prize for any reason, a disqualification will result, the Prize will be forfeited and, at Sponsor's sole discretion and time permitting, an alternate potential winner may be randomly selected from among all remaining eligible entries. Each potential winner may be required to submit his/her valid social security number and/or other identification to Sponsor and may be required to execute, have notarized and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Release of Liability and, unless prohibited by law, Publicity, within five (5) days of date of issuance. Failure to submit any identification required by Sponsor or to return the required documents within the specified time period, noncompliance with these Official Rules or the return of the Prize (or any portion thereof) or Prize Notification as undeliverable may result in disqualification and Prize forfeiture and, at Sponsor's sole discretion and time permitting, may cause an alternate potential winner to be randomly selected from among all remaining eligible entries.

WAIVER OF LIABILITY/PUBLICITY RELEASE:  By participating in the Promotion and submitting an entry, each entrant agrees to (i) be bound by these Official Rules, including all entry requirements, and (ii) waive any and all claims against Sponsor, the other MLB Entities, Facebook, Apple, Inc. and each of their respective parents, affiliated companies, subsidiaries, officers, directors, employees, agents, licensees, distributors, dealers, retailers, printers, representatives and advertising and promotion agencies, and any and all other companies associated with the Promotion, and all of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives (collectively, "Released Parties") for any injury, damage or loss that may occur, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from the participation in the Promotion or from the receipt or use of any Prize (or any portion thereof) or any travel or activity related to the receipt or use of any Prize (or any portion thereof). By entering this Promotion, each entrant gives his/her express permission to be contacted by Sponsor by telephone, e-mail and/or postal mail for Promotion purposes. Each Winner, by acceptance of the Prize, grants to Sponsor and each of its designees the right to publicize such Winner's name, address (city and state of residence), photograph, voice, statements and/or other likeness and prize information for advertising, promotional, trade and/or any other purpose in any media or format now known or hereafter devised, throughout the world, in perpetuity, without limitation and without further compensation, consideration, permission or notification, unless prohibited by law.

GENERAL CONDITIONS:  All decisions of Sponsor, including the determination of winners, are final and binding on all matters relating to this Promotion. Released Parties are not responsible for stolen, late, incomplete, illegible, inaccurate, misdirected, lost, misrouted, scrambled, damaged, delayed, undelivered, mutilated or garbled entries, transmissions, e-mail or mail; or for lost, interrupted or unavailable network, cable, satellite, server, Internet Service Provider (ISP), wireless network, website, or other connections including those through and/or by any website, availability or accessibility or miscommunications or failed computer, satellite, telephone, cable or wireless transmissions, lines, or technical failure or jumbled, scrambled, delayed, or misdirected transmissions or computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties; any error, omission, interruption, defect or delay in transmission, processing, or communication; non-delivery; misdirected, blocked, or delayed e-mail notifications; printing, typographical or other errors appearing within these Official Rules, in any Promotion-related advertisements or other materials; or any other errors, problems or difficulties of any kind whether human, mechanical, electronic, network, computer, telephone, mail, typographical, printing or otherwise relating to or in connection with the Promotion, including, without limitation, errors or difficulties which may occur in connection with the administration of the Promotion, the processing of entries, the announcement of the Prize or in any Promotion-related materials, or the cancellation or postponement of any Major League Baseball game, event or exhibition. Released Parties are also not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by website users, tampering, hacking, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Promotion. Released Parties are not responsible for injury or damage to participants' or to any other person's computer related to or resulting from participating in this Promotion or downloading materials from or use of the website. Persons who tamper with or abuse any aspect of the Promotion or website or attempt to undermine the legitimate operation of the Promotion by cheating, deception or other unfair playing practices, or intend to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other entrant or any representative of Sponsor or who are in violation of these Official Rules, as solely determined by Sponsor, will be disqualified and all associated entries will be void. Any attempt to deliberately damage the content or operation of this Promotion is unlawful and subject to legal action by Sponsor and/or its agents. Sponsor shall have the sole right to disqualify any entrant for violation of these Official Rules or any applicable laws relating to the Promotion, and to resolve all disputes in its sole discretion. Released Parties (i) make no warranty, guaranty or representation of any kind concerning any Prize (or any portion thereof), and (ii) disclaim any implied warranty. Sponsor's failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.

Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel or suspend the Promotion (or any portion thereof) should virus, bugs, unauthorized human intervention, or other causes corrupt administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper operation of the Promotion (or any portion thereof). In the event of such cancellation, Sponsor may elect to identify the Winners and award the Prizes by way of random drawing from among all non-suspect, eligible entries received up to the time of such cancellation. Sponsor also reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify these Official Rules for clarification purposes without materially affecting the terms and conditions of the Promotion.

CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY ANY INDIVIDUAL, WHETHER OR NOT AN ENTRANT, TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEBSITE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROMOTION OR UNDERMINE THE CONTENT OR LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THIS PROMOTION MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR WILL DISQUALIFY ANY SUCH ENTRANT, AND SPONSOR AND/OR ITS AGENTS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS' FEES) AND OTHER REMEDIES FROM ANY PERSON OR PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ATTEMPT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

In the event of dispute as to the identity or eligibility of any potential winner based on an e-mail address, the winning entry will be declared made by the "Authorized Account Holder" of the e-mail address submitted at the time of entry provided he/she is eligible according to these Official Rules. The "Authorized Account Holder" is defined as the natural person to whom the applicable Internet service provider or other organization (such as a business or educational institution) has assigned the e-mail address for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address.

As a condition of participating in this Promotion, each entrant agrees that (A) any and all disputes, claims, controversies or causes of action arising out of or relating to this Promotion, or any prizes awarded (each, a "Claim"), shall be (1) arbitrated on an individual basis only, and shall not be consolidated or joined with or in any arbitration or other proceeding involving a Claim of any other party, and (2) settled by binding arbitration in New York County, New York before a single arbitrator appointed by the American Arbitration Association in accordance with its then governing rules and procedures, and judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered by any court having jurisdiction thereof; and (B) under no circumstance will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim, punitive, incidental, consequential or any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses. These Official Rules shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, U.S.A, applicable to contracts entered into and performed exclusively in that State.

Apple, Inc. is not a sponsor of, or responsible for conducting, the Promotion. All entry data provided in connection with this Promotion is provided to Sponsor and not to Facebook. This Promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.

WINNERS' LIST:  For a list of winners (available after December 1, 2012) mail a request and a self-addressed stamped envelope to be received by January 15, 2012 to: MLB.com Bingo Winner's List c/o MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 75 Ninth Ave., New York, New York 10011, Attn: Sweepstakes Department.

SPONSOR: The Sponsor of this Promotion is MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 75 Ninth Ave., New York, New York 10011.

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14.24 | 0 komentar | Read More

Jeter's farewell played out just as fans imagined

He hadn't scripted any of it. He couldn't have. As he said later, "I was a mess." He'd gone up the tunnel behind the Yankee dugout a couple of times during the game, away from his teammates, and cried.

He almost broke down driving to Yankee Stadium for this final home game, and then when his teammates presented him with a painting and a watch before the game, he turned away.

He was breathing deeply and biting his lip for a good portion of the night. At one point, he wished his manager, Joe Girardi, would simply come and get him.

Anyway, after it ended, after it ended the way we all figured it might end, with Jeter winning one more game for his Yankees, he went back on the field alone. There with 48,613 chanting his name, he knelt one final time at shortstop, the position he will never play again, the position he defined so elegantly for 20 seasons.

He wanted to get the view from there one last time and to say a prayer of thanksgiving for his amazing life and career. That's the thing he kept coming back to after the game. He wouldn't change a thing.

He said some other things he hadn't said very often. He said he never had as much talent as some other players, but that he'd succeeded because he outworked everyone and because all he ever cared about was winning.

Almost no one gets to write the perfect ending in sports. Athletes very seldom leave on their own terms. Rather, the game tells them when to go. They often leave broken of body and spirit.

Jeter is going out on his own terms. He believes in his heart he can still play baseball at a high level. But he's leaving because he's ready to do something else with his life. Which didn't make it easier.

He'd been fighting his emotions the last few weeks, knowing it was almost time to say goodbye. When this day arrived, it was almost overwhelming. So his 1,390th regular-season game in the Bronx might have been his most difficult.

Guess what? It was perfect. It was perfect in tone. It hit all the right notes. He was surrounded by fans who love him, by his parents and people like Joe Torre and Mariano Rivera, who've meant so much to him.

Best of all, he heard the cheers and saw the standing ovations, and he allowed it all to wash over him.

Here's the part of the evening that will surprise no one. Jeter played like a champion. No big deal there. Been doing the same stuff for 20 seasons.

He slapped a run-scoring double off the left-field wall in the bottom of the first inning and got another run home with a broken-bat grounder in the seventh.

And in the bottom of the ninth inning, in his last at-bat at Yankee Stadium, with the game tied, he grounded a run-scoring single to right field to drive in a run and give the Yankees a 6-5 victory over the Orioles.

During his final at-bat, he kept nervously adjusting his batting helmet, one of his signature habits. When he got the hit, he sprinted to first base with his hands in the air as teammates poured out of the dugout to mob him. It was a wild, emotional celebration, one that seemed almost too hokey to be scripted.

And then he attempted to say goodbye. It was surreal from the beginning. Players from both teams were watching from the top step of the dugout from the first inning on.

Afterwards, Jeter admitted to being physically exhausted and emotionally drained. He said he'll play some in Boston this weekend, but only as a designated hitter. He said he would play because he owed it to the fans in Boston who care so much and want to see him play one final time.

He just won't play shortstop again. That's the thing he wanted to leave at Yankee Stadium on Thursday. That seems fitting, an appropriate closing of one chapter. He'll get another sendoff at Fenway Park on Sunday. He'll stop again and attempt to comprehend the moment.

Baseball fans will be a long time grasping that we'll never see Derek Jeter play baseball again. But they also understand how blessed they've been, and on Thursday night, he reminded us of that fact one final time.

He did it with style and grace. He made a couple of superb defensive plays. He delivered offensively, too, one final time at home. He kept saying he'd been so lucky. Here's hoping he understands those of us who got to watch him play feel the same way.

Richard Justice is a columnist for MLB.com. Read his blog, Justice4U. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

14.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Final home game is Jeter's last at shortstop

"I don't know about tomorrow. I'm not sure. I will play, but I hope that people can respect my decision on that. I've only played shortstop for my entire career, and the last time I want to play it is tonight."

Manager Joe Girardi said that he would allow Jeter to make the decision on how much he wants to play once the Yankees were eliminated from the postseason. Girardi, like many people around the Yankees, assumed Jeter would certainly decide to play every game he can.

Girardi, however, knew how quickly a player's mind could change. He was certain that Mariano Rivera would decide to play center field at some point during his final three games in Houston last season, but after the way Rivera's final game at Yankee Stadium ended, the closer wanted that to be the final image of his career.

Jeter has been asked the question about playing the final three games in Boston several times during the last month, which he always side-stepped with an answer questioning why he would not. But when the Yankees were mathematically eliminated from postseason contention on Wednesday, things changed, and he started responding that he would make that decision when those games in Boston drew nearer.

The 40-year-old decided prior to Thursday's game that it would be his last playing the position he grew up wanting to play since he was 4 or 5 years old. After Jeter drove home the game-winning run, Jeter ran back out onto the field and kneeled, taking it all in from short for one last time in his career while being showered with adoration.

"It was above and beyond anything I'd ever dreamt of," Jeter said. "I mean, I don't even know what to say. I've lived a dream. This is, since I was 4 or 5 years old, and part of that dream is over now."

Jamal Collier is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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14.24 | 0 komentar | Read More

Jeter's hit is big relief for Yanks closer Robertson

Soon enough, Jeter would rewrite the happy ending with a signature walk-off single to right field, bailing out Robertson's blown save.

"[I went] from pretty much the all-time low to all-time high," said Robertson. "Thankfully the game was still tied and we weren't losing. So I could live with myself at least a little bit. That was a heartbreaker though to give up two home runs to two good hitters, but it worked out. I was really down, but now I can walk away and go to sleep tonight."

Robertson, however, had done something similar for a previous Jeter milestone.

During the July afternoon Jeter collected his 3,000th hit in 2011, part of a five-hit day for the shortstop, Robertson came in to preserve a 4-3 lead in the eighth inning. But Robertson allowed a run to score, setting up Jeter's fifth and go-ahead hit in the bottom of the inning.

"[Rivera] closed it out," Robertson said. "So jokingly, [tonight Mariano] slaps me on the back and says, 'Hey, you're the best setup man in the league, you set him up again.' That's what kind of guy he is. But it was a really hard outing to take at first and then, all in all, we won the game."

In the middle of the ninth, Robertson admitted he went into the tunnel to unleash some anger away from the cameras. Moments later, he saw Jeter had a chance to come up and win it. He watched the hysteria. His frustration quickly turned into elation.

"It kind of seemed like something out of a book," Orioles starter Kevin Gausman said. "We tie it up off their closer, and you kind of look up there and 'Who's coming up to bat? All right, maybe he'll be up with a guy on base.' Sure enough, he comes up and there's a pinch-runner on second base. Just kind of perfect to end up his career here at Yankee Stadium."

On any other night, Robertson might have replayed those pitches to Jones and Pearce over and over in his head. But for once, he could smile, even be grateful, for blowing a lead in the ninth inning.

"It created another Derek Jeter moment," Robertson said. "As much as I wished I wouldn't have created it, I'm glad it happened."

Jake Kring-Schreifels is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

14.24 | 0 komentar | Read More

Stage set for Jeter's farewell to home fans

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HOW TO PARTICIPATE:  Upon successful registration, follow the instructions provided to receive one (1) virtual bingo card (the "Bingo Card") for each game of the 2012 MLB Postseason played during the Promotion Period (each, a "Postseason Game"). In addition, during the Promotion Period, participants may utilize sharing functionality available via the Promotion upon completion of a successful Contest (the "Sharing Functionality") to receive two (2) additional Bingo Cards. For each eligible individual any entrant notifies or makes aware of the Promotion who clicks on a valid link made available via the Sharing Functionality identifiable as having come from the entrant, such entrant shall receive two (2) additional Bingo Cards (for a total of three (3) Bingo Cards). No additional Bingo Cards will be received other than through verified Sharing Functionality. There is a limit of three (3) Bingo Cards per person and per e-mail address per Postseason Game. Each Bingo Card shall include a 5x5 grid that includes twenty-five (25) tiles (each, a "Tile"). Each Tile will include one (1) randomly selected game outcome for the active Postseason Game. For example, a participant could have a "Josh Hamilton Double" Tile on their Bingo Card which would be automatically marked in the event Josh Hamilton hits a double during a Postseason Game. Any eligible participant who receives a Bingo Card that becomes marked with five (5) Tiles in a vertical, horizontal or diagonal row (each, a "Potential Winning Bingo Card") may be a potential Prize winner, subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with the terms of these Official Rules. (See the Prize Claim Section below for more information.) For purposes of this Promotion, MLB game outcomes will not be updated to reflect any official MLB statistics changes or corrections that may occur after the completion of any Postseason Game. Once each Postseason Game is final following completion of the final out of that game, it will be final for purposes of this Promotion. In the event any Postseason Game is cancelled, postponed or suspended, all Bingo Cards will be void for that game and Sponsor reserves the right to award the applicable Prizes by way of random drawing from among all eligible participants as of the time of such cancellation, postponement or suspension.

PRIZE CLAIMS: In the event you receive a message within MLB.com Gameday notifying you that you have a Potential Winning Bingo Card, you must claim your Potential Winning Bingo Card by following the onscreen instructions provided by no later than ten (10) minutes following the end of the applicable Postseason Game to be eligible for the Drawing (defined below). Failure to claim your Potential Winning Bingo Card within ten (10) minutes following the end of the applicable Postseason Game will render the Potential Winning Bingo Card void and result in Prize forfeiture.

ALL POTENTIAL WINNING BINGO CARDS ARE SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION BY SPONSOR WHOSE DECISIONS ARE FINAL AND BINDING. AN ENTRANT IS NOT A WINNER OF ANY PRIZE, EVEN IF THE PROMOTION SHOULD SO INDICATE, UNLESS AND UNTIL ENTRANT'S ELIGIBILITY, THE POTENTIAL WINNING BINGO CARD AND ENTRANT'S COMPLIANCE WITH THESE OFFICIAL RULES HAVE BEEN VERIFIED BY SPONSOR AND ENTRANT HAS BEEN NOTIFIED THAT SUCH VERIFICATION IS COMPLETE. SPONSOR WILL NOT ACCEPT SCREEN SHOTS OR OTHER EVIDENCE OF WINNING IN LIEU OF ITS VALIDATION PROCESS.

RANDOM DRAWINGS: Approximately thirty (30) minutes following the final out of each Postseason Game, five (5) potential winners will be selected by random drawing from among all eligible participants who claim valid Potential Winning Bingo Cards for that Postseason Game in accordance with these Official Rules (the "Drawing"). Subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with the terms of these Official Rules, the potential winners will be declared official winners of the Sweepstakes (each, a "Winner" and collectively, the "Winners"). Odds of winning a Prize will depend on the total number of Bingo Cards issued and the total number of valid Potential Winning Bingo Cards claimed for each applicable Postseason Game. Limit one (1) Prize per person, per family and per household.

PRIZES:  A maximum of two hundred fifteen (215) prizes (each, a "Prize" and collectively, the "Prizes") will be awarded (i.e. five (5) Prizes per each Postseason Game with a maximum of forty-three (43) Postseason Games), as follows:

For up to twenty-two (22) Postseason Games during the 2012 Wild Card Games and the 2012 Division Series, each Winner will receive one (1) Postseason.TV subscription for the remainder of the 2012 MLB Postseason. Approximate retail value ("ARV") of each such Prize: $4.99.

For up to twenty-one (21) Postseason Games during the 2012 League Championship Series and the 2012 MLB World Series Championship, each Winner will receive one (1) MLB.TV Offseason Package subscription. ARV of each such Prize: $24.99.

Total ARV of all Prizes: $3172.85.

For the avoidance of doubt, no Prizes will be awarded in connection with any 2012 MLB Postseason game that is not played because it is not necessary.

PRIZE CONDITIONS: All Prize details to be determined in the sole discretion of Sponsor. Each Winner is fully responsible for any and all applicable federal, state and local taxes (including income and withholding taxes). Postseason.TV subscriptions are subject to blackout and other restrictions - see www.postseason.tv for complete details. All costs and expenses associated with the Prize acceptance and use not specified herein as being provided including, but not limited to, any and all expenses incurred by accepting the Prize are the sole responsibility of the Winners. The Prizes are non-transferable and non-assignable, with no cash redemptions except at Sponsor's sole and absolute discretion. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute any Prize (or any portion thereof) with one of comparable or greater value at its sole and absolute discretion.

NOTIFICATION:  Each potential winner will be notified at the e-mail address, postal address and/or telephone number (in the sole discretion of Sponsor) provided at the time of entry (the "Prize Notification"). In the event that any potential winner does not respond to any such Prize Notification within three (3) days of the date of issuance or declines the Prize for any reason, a disqualification will result, the Prize will be forfeited and, at Sponsor's sole discretion and time permitting, an alternate potential winner may be randomly selected from among all remaining eligible entries. Each potential winner may be required to submit his/her valid social security number and/or other identification to Sponsor and may be required to execute, have notarized and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Release of Liability and, unless prohibited by law, Publicity, within five (5) days of date of issuance. Failure to submit any identification required by Sponsor or to return the required documents within the specified time period, noncompliance with these Official Rules or the return of the Prize (or any portion thereof) or Prize Notification as undeliverable may result in disqualification and Prize forfeiture and, at Sponsor's sole discretion and time permitting, may cause an alternate potential winner to be randomly selected from among all remaining eligible entries.

WAIVER OF LIABILITY/PUBLICITY RELEASE:  By participating in the Promotion and submitting an entry, each entrant agrees to (i) be bound by these Official Rules, including all entry requirements, and (ii) waive any and all claims against Sponsor, the other MLB Entities, Facebook, Apple, Inc. and each of their respective parents, affiliated companies, subsidiaries, officers, directors, employees, agents, licensees, distributors, dealers, retailers, printers, representatives and advertising and promotion agencies, and any and all other companies associated with the Promotion, and all of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives (collectively, "Released Parties") for any injury, damage or loss that may occur, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from the participation in the Promotion or from the receipt or use of any Prize (or any portion thereof) or any travel or activity related to the receipt or use of any Prize (or any portion thereof). By entering this Promotion, each entrant gives his/her express permission to be contacted by Sponsor by telephone, e-mail and/or postal mail for Promotion purposes. Each Winner, by acceptance of the Prize, grants to Sponsor and each of its designees the right to publicize such Winner's name, address (city and state of residence), photograph, voice, statements and/or other likeness and prize information for advertising, promotional, trade and/or any other purpose in any media or format now known or hereafter devised, throughout the world, in perpetuity, without limitation and without further compensation, consideration, permission or notification, unless prohibited by law.

GENERAL CONDITIONS:  All decisions of Sponsor, including the determination of winners, are final and binding on all matters relating to this Promotion. Released Parties are not responsible for stolen, late, incomplete, illegible, inaccurate, misdirected, lost, misrouted, scrambled, damaged, delayed, undelivered, mutilated or garbled entries, transmissions, e-mail or mail; or for lost, interrupted or unavailable network, cable, satellite, server, Internet Service Provider (ISP), wireless network, website, or other connections including those through and/or by any website, availability or accessibility or miscommunications or failed computer, satellite, telephone, cable or wireless transmissions, lines, or technical failure or jumbled, scrambled, delayed, or misdirected transmissions or computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties; any error, omission, interruption, defect or delay in transmission, processing, or communication; non-delivery; misdirected, blocked, or delayed e-mail notifications; printing, typographical or other errors appearing within these Official Rules, in any Promotion-related advertisements or other materials; or any other errors, problems or difficulties of any kind whether human, mechanical, electronic, network, computer, telephone, mail, typographical, printing or otherwise relating to or in connection with the Promotion, including, without limitation, errors or difficulties which may occur in connection with the administration of the Promotion, the processing of entries, the announcement of the Prize or in any Promotion-related materials, or the cancellation or postponement of any Major League Baseball game, event or exhibition. Released Parties are also not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by website users, tampering, hacking, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Promotion. Released Parties are not responsible for injury or damage to participants' or to any other person's computer related to or resulting from participating in this Promotion or downloading materials from or use of the website. Persons who tamper with or abuse any aspect of the Promotion or website or attempt to undermine the legitimate operation of the Promotion by cheating, deception or other unfair playing practices, or intend to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other entrant or any representative of Sponsor or who are in violation of these Official Rules, as solely determined by Sponsor, will be disqualified and all associated entries will be void. Any attempt to deliberately damage the content or operation of this Promotion is unlawful and subject to legal action by Sponsor and/or its agents. Sponsor shall have the sole right to disqualify any entrant for violation of these Official Rules or any applicable laws relating to the Promotion, and to resolve all disputes in its sole discretion. Released Parties (i) make no warranty, guaranty or representation of any kind concerning any Prize (or any portion thereof), and (ii) disclaim any implied warranty. Sponsor's failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.

Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel or suspend the Promotion (or any portion thereof) should virus, bugs, unauthorized human intervention, or other causes corrupt administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper operation of the Promotion (or any portion thereof). In the event of such cancellation, Sponsor may elect to identify the Winners and award the Prizes by way of random drawing from among all non-suspect, eligible entries received up to the time of such cancellation. Sponsor also reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify these Official Rules for clarification purposes without materially affecting the terms and conditions of the Promotion.

CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY ANY INDIVIDUAL, WHETHER OR NOT AN ENTRANT, TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEBSITE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROMOTION OR UNDERMINE THE CONTENT OR LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THIS PROMOTION MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR WILL DISQUALIFY ANY SUCH ENTRANT, AND SPONSOR AND/OR ITS AGENTS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS' FEES) AND OTHER REMEDIES FROM ANY PERSON OR PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ATTEMPT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

In the event of dispute as to the identity or eligibility of any potential winner based on an e-mail address, the winning entry will be declared made by the "Authorized Account Holder" of the e-mail address submitted at the time of entry provided he/she is eligible according to these Official Rules. The "Authorized Account Holder" is defined as the natural person to whom the applicable Internet service provider or other organization (such as a business or educational institution) has assigned the e-mail address for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address.

As a condition of participating in this Promotion, each entrant agrees that (A) any and all disputes, claims, controversies or causes of action arising out of or relating to this Promotion, or any prizes awarded (each, a "Claim"), shall be (1) arbitrated on an individual basis only, and shall not be consolidated or joined with or in any arbitration or other proceeding involving a Claim of any other party, and (2) settled by binding arbitration in New York County, New York before a single arbitrator appointed by the American Arbitration Association in accordance with its then governing rules and procedures, and judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered by any court having jurisdiction thereof; and (B) under no circumstance will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim, punitive, incidental, consequential or any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses. These Official Rules shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, U.S.A, applicable to contracts entered into and performed exclusively in that State.

Apple, Inc. is not a sponsor of, or responsible for conducting, the Promotion. All entry data provided in connection with this Promotion is provided to Sponsor and not to Facebook. This Promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.

WINNERS' LIST:  For a list of winners (available after December 1, 2012) mail a request and a self-addressed stamped envelope to be received by January 15, 2012 to: MLB.com Bingo Winner's List c/o MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 75 Ninth Ave., New York, New York 10011, Attn: Sweepstakes Department.

SPONSOR: The Sponsor of this Promotion is MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 75 Ninth Ave., New York, New York 10011.

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Fenway perfect backdrop for Jeter's sendoff

Unlike all those other Red Sox-Yankees moments, this time, there'll be no loser. No pennant will be blown, no division lost. Rather, it will be a celebration of one man's life and times.

Beyond that, it will be a celebration of baseball. In the end, that's what Jeter represents to so many of us. He has played this great game at its highest level for 20 seasons. He has also represented so much more than simply playing well. He has been about team play and hard work and also about charity and social responsibility.

So when Jeter plays his final big league game this weekend, presumably Sunday at Fenway Park, it will be a moment for the Yankees and Red Sox alike to embrace.

Red Sox fans will show up and pack the place as usual. Yankees fans will be there, too, in big numbers. Red Sox fans will cheer Jeter in a way they've never cheered him before. Bet on that. While they've booed him through the years, the boos have never been more than half-hearted.

Jeter has joked about all the terrible names he has been called in Boston, but the truth is, he understands what that has been about. That's a Yankees-Red Sox thing, bred into New Englanders from an early age.

Here's the dirty little secret he has probably already figured out. These are great baseball fans. They love their Red Sox, but they love the sport, too. And they respect greatness. They appreciate Jeter in the same way they appreciate Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz.

Respect cuts along similar lines, regardless of the uniform. With both teams out of contention, with both teams in transition, Jeter may represent something more to Red Sox fans.

When they see him, they'll remember their finest hour, rallying from a 3-0 deficit in the 2004 American League Championship Series. That season ended with Jeter bitterly disappointed and with the Red Sox breaking the 86-year-old Curse of the Bambino to win the World Series.

Jeter has played 281 games against the Red Sox in the regular season and 19 more in the postseason. He has played 151 at Fenway Park. Baseball is a personal sport, especially in a place where the fans are close and the relationship to the players is so intimate. That's why Red Sox fans surely feel they know the guy.

They've simply seen so much of him, the way he plays and carries himself, his grace in victory and defeat. At some point, they had to believe they had him figured out.

They knew he was made of the right stuff, that he was impossible to really dislike and that he did the game proud in so many ways.

This isn't the way opposing players are usually treated. Then again, nothing has been typical for Jeter the last few weeks. On Wednesday afternoon at Yankee Stadium, fans stood and cheered each time he stepped into the on-deck circle.

When he grounded out in the eighth inning of a 9-5 loss, they stood and chanted his name, demanding a curtain call. He declined, saying postgame that he wasn't going to do anything to disrupt teammate Chase Headley's at-bat.

Jeter has noticed what's happening around him, has admitted it feels strange. He would like to focus on the games, but we would like to tell him thanks. This is one of those unique moments.

That's also why we love this game. No other sport delivers the way this one does, in terms of passion and historical context. Here's hoping that someday Jeter looks back on the whole thing and understands the place he holds in the hearts of minds of baseball fans -- not just in New York, but all across the country. Including Boston.

Richard Justice is a columnist for MLB.com. Read his blog, Justice4U. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

14.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Stoic Jeter starting to feel weight of moment

Now every at-bat comes with a standing ovation. A routine groundout on Wednesday was followed by a sellout crowd chanting his name and demanding a curtain call.

Normalcy? Forget about it.

"I'm aware of it," he said. "You can't help but notice. I catch myself looking around sometimes. I've always tried not to do that, but I've caught myself a couple of times doing it, so I'm well aware of it."

Wednesday's loss eliminated the Yankees from postseason contention, and while Jeter attempted to answer the usual questions about himself, he kept returning to the fact that he's not going to the postseason for only the second time in his 20-season career.

He was injured last season when the Yankees missed the playoffs. When he was healthy, they'd missed only in 2008. But they rebounded to win the World Series in 2009.

"It's tough," Jeter said. "It's what you play for. It's a rough feeling. It should be a rough feeling for everyone in here. We didn't play well enough. Put a lot of work into an offseason and see it as a good opportunity to go to the playoffs, and unfortunately we're not going. It's something that, for the guys that are coming back and will continue to play, it's a feeling that you shouldn't like, and you shouldn't want to get used to it."

Now the focus will be strictly on Jeter. He'll play his final home game on Thursday night against the Orioles and then decide how much he'll play this weekend at Fenway Park.

He declined to even speculate on the weekend, saying he simply wanted to get through his final home game. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he'll try to figure an appropriate way to finish Jeter's career at Yankee Stadium.

For Mariano Rivera's last game, he had Andy Pettitte and Jeter go to the mound and remove him. Girardi said that was a spur-of-the-moment idea and had mulled some ideas for Jeter.

"I've talked about how special it is to put a uniform on, how special it is to put on a Yankee uniform," Girardi said. "It's very difficult to take it off. I think tomorrow will be kind of a culmination of all the love he's been shown and all the appreciation he's been shown during the course of this year and in his career and I think it'll be something we'll remember for a long time."

Asked about going through his routine for home games one last time, Jeter said, "I don't know. That's a better question for tomorrow, I guess. I don't know."

And when reporters pressed on how much, if at all, he intended to play this weekend, he said, "Buddy, we just lost. Respect the fact that we just lost, and we're not going to the playoffs. I can't think about Boston. Right now I'm disappointed. We've got a game to play here tomorrow. I can't think about Boston."

Jeter's teammates and especially his manager, were more willing to see the larger picture. They understand why Jeter has been special, and they also understand the reaction to him.

"I think about what New York fans want," Girardi said. "It just makes me think about what they're asking of their team. They're asking for players to give them everything they've got, they're asking them to do it the right way and be tough. And I think Derek has all three of those qualities. They don't want to hear any excuses. You never hear Derek make any excuses. You watch the way he's done it 20 years. He's done it the way fans appreciate it. Obviously, he's been a very good player, but he's also done it the way the fans want from their New York Yankees."

As Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira said, "One of the great blessings of my baseball career has been being able to play with Derek Jeter. I tell everybody, he deserves it all -- the accolades, the recognition, the farewell tour. Because he's a great player, on and off the field. He's been such a great ambassador for the game of baseball. You can see what baseball's done the last 20 years, and the growth -- Derek Jeter's a big reason for that."

Richard Justice is a columnist for MLB.com. Read his blog, Justice4U. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

14.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Yanks pitchers set club mark with 1,319th K

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McCarthy fans eight batters 1:00

9/23/14: Brandon McCarthy pitches 5 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on 11 hits and no walks while striking out eight batters

By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com | |

NEW YORK -- David Robertson fanned Jonathan Schoop in the top of the ninth inning of Tuesday's 5-4 Yankees loss to the Orioles, marking the 1,319th strikeout recorded this season by Yankees pitchers to establish a new single-season franchise mark.

The total surpasses the 1,318 strikeouts recorded by the 2012 Yankees staff. New York entered play on Tuesday 10 shy of that franchise record, with Brandon McCarthy recording eight strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings to close the gap.

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Dellin Betances struck out two batters in the eighth inning, tying the record by freezing Nick Hundley looking at a called third strike.

Masahiro Tanaka leads the Yanks' staff this year with 139 strikeouts, while Hiroki Kuroda is second with 137. Betances has 135, giving him the all-time single-season franchise record for strikeouts by a reliever.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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{"content":["rivalries_east" ] }

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Yankees' hopes slim, but Jeter keeps hitting

MLB.COM BINGO

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HOW TO PARTICIPATE:  Upon successful registration, follow the instructions provided to receive one (1) virtual bingo card (the "Bingo Card") for each game of the 2012 MLB Postseason played during the Promotion Period (each, a "Postseason Game"). In addition, during the Promotion Period, participants may utilize sharing functionality available via the Promotion upon completion of a successful Contest (the "Sharing Functionality") to receive two (2) additional Bingo Cards. For each eligible individual any entrant notifies or makes aware of the Promotion who clicks on a valid link made available via the Sharing Functionality identifiable as having come from the entrant, such entrant shall receive two (2) additional Bingo Cards (for a total of three (3) Bingo Cards). No additional Bingo Cards will be received other than through verified Sharing Functionality. There is a limit of three (3) Bingo Cards per person and per e-mail address per Postseason Game. Each Bingo Card shall include a 5x5 grid that includes twenty-five (25) tiles (each, a "Tile"). Each Tile will include one (1) randomly selected game outcome for the active Postseason Game. For example, a participant could have a "Josh Hamilton Double" Tile on their Bingo Card which would be automatically marked in the event Josh Hamilton hits a double during a Postseason Game. Any eligible participant who receives a Bingo Card that becomes marked with five (5) Tiles in a vertical, horizontal or diagonal row (each, a "Potential Winning Bingo Card") may be a potential Prize winner, subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with the terms of these Official Rules. (See the Prize Claim Section below for more information.) For purposes of this Promotion, MLB game outcomes will not be updated to reflect any official MLB statistics changes or corrections that may occur after the completion of any Postseason Game. Once each Postseason Game is final following completion of the final out of that game, it will be final for purposes of this Promotion. In the event any Postseason Game is cancelled, postponed or suspended, all Bingo Cards will be void for that game and Sponsor reserves the right to award the applicable Prizes by way of random drawing from among all eligible participants as of the time of such cancellation, postponement or suspension.

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RANDOM DRAWINGS: Approximately thirty (30) minutes following the final out of each Postseason Game, five (5) potential winners will be selected by random drawing from among all eligible participants who claim valid Potential Winning Bingo Cards for that Postseason Game in accordance with these Official Rules (the "Drawing"). Subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with the terms of these Official Rules, the potential winners will be declared official winners of the Sweepstakes (each, a "Winner" and collectively, the "Winners"). Odds of winning a Prize will depend on the total number of Bingo Cards issued and the total number of valid Potential Winning Bingo Cards claimed for each applicable Postseason Game. Limit one (1) Prize per person, per family and per household.

PRIZES:  A maximum of two hundred fifteen (215) prizes (each, a "Prize" and collectively, the "Prizes") will be awarded (i.e. five (5) Prizes per each Postseason Game with a maximum of forty-three (43) Postseason Games), as follows:

For up to twenty-two (22) Postseason Games during the 2012 Wild Card Games and the 2012 Division Series, each Winner will receive one (1) Postseason.TV subscription for the remainder of the 2012 MLB Postseason. Approximate retail value ("ARV") of each such Prize: $4.99.

For up to twenty-one (21) Postseason Games during the 2012 League Championship Series and the 2012 MLB World Series Championship, each Winner will receive one (1) MLB.TV Offseason Package subscription. ARV of each such Prize: $24.99.

Total ARV of all Prizes: $3172.85.

For the avoidance of doubt, no Prizes will be awarded in connection with any 2012 MLB Postseason game that is not played because it is not necessary.

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Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel or suspend the Promotion (or any portion thereof) should virus, bugs, unauthorized human intervention, or other causes corrupt administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper operation of the Promotion (or any portion thereof). In the event of such cancellation, Sponsor may elect to identify the Winners and award the Prizes by way of random drawing from among all non-suspect, eligible entries received up to the time of such cancellation. Sponsor also reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify these Official Rules for clarification purposes without materially affecting the terms and conditions of the Promotion.

CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY ANY INDIVIDUAL, WHETHER OR NOT AN ENTRANT, TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEBSITE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROMOTION OR UNDERMINE THE CONTENT OR LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THIS PROMOTION MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR WILL DISQUALIFY ANY SUCH ENTRANT, AND SPONSOR AND/OR ITS AGENTS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS' FEES) AND OTHER REMEDIES FROM ANY PERSON OR PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ATTEMPT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

In the event of dispute as to the identity or eligibility of any potential winner based on an e-mail address, the winning entry will be declared made by the "Authorized Account Holder" of the e-mail address submitted at the time of entry provided he/she is eligible according to these Official Rules. The "Authorized Account Holder" is defined as the natural person to whom the applicable Internet service provider or other organization (such as a business or educational institution) has assigned the e-mail address for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address.

As a condition of participating in this Promotion, each entrant agrees that (A) any and all disputes, claims, controversies or causes of action arising out of or relating to this Promotion, or any prizes awarded (each, a "Claim"), shall be (1) arbitrated on an individual basis only, and shall not be consolidated or joined with or in any arbitration or other proceeding involving a Claim of any other party, and (2) settled by binding arbitration in New York County, New York before a single arbitrator appointed by the American Arbitration Association in accordance with its then governing rules and procedures, and judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered by any court having jurisdiction thereof; and (B) under no circumstance will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim, punitive, incidental, consequential or any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses. These Official Rules shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, U.S.A, applicable to contracts entered into and performed exclusively in that State.

Apple, Inc. is not a sponsor of, or responsible for conducting, the Promotion. All entry data provided in connection with this Promotion is provided to Sponsor and not to Facebook. This Promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.

WINNERS' LIST:  For a list of winners (available after December 1, 2012) mail a request and a self-addressed stamped envelope to be received by January 15, 2012 to: MLB.com Bingo Winner's List c/o MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 75 Ninth Ave., New York, New York 10011, Attn: Sweepstakes Department.

SPONSOR: The Sponsor of this Promotion is MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 75 Ninth Ave., New York, New York 10011.

Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are proprietary to the MLB Entities. All rights reserved.

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