NEW YORK -- His tribute ended by a storm, Alex Rodriguez began his final game with the New York Yankees by hitting a run-scoring double in the first inning Friday night.Rodriguez drove a 96 mph fastball from Tampa Bays Chris Archer into the right-center field gap, scoring Brett Gardner from first base and ending an 0-for-11 slide.The 41-year-old Rodriguez clapped as he came out of the batters box and pumped both arms in triumph as he reached second base without a throw.Skies darkened just as his pregame ceremony began at Yankee Stadium. With Rodriguezs family on the field, public address announcer Paul Olden said: Alex, you spent 12 of your 22 seasons with the Yankees when a loud thunder crack shook the ballpark, as if ordered by a film director.Rain started to fall during a video message from Lou Piniella, Rodriguezs first big league manager, and the festivities ended awkwardly after 10 minutes when a downpour began. Ten minutes later, the clouds started to clear, somewhat symbolic of A-Rods time in New York, and a rainbow came out shortly before the first pitch.With the Bleacher Creatures chanting his name in the first inning during their roll call and the rest of the fans joining in, Rodriguez raised his cap toward them from the dugout. Fans gave him a 30-second ovation when he walked up to the plate in the bottom half.Rodriguez had slept late, ate his egg whites, stretched and took one final trip to the ballpark Stadium as a New York player.The last time I drive up Broadway and through Harlem and through the neighborhoods that have brought so much comfort to me, he said.Rodriguez received an ovation for about 30 seconds. Reggie Jackson accompanied his mom onto the field, and his daughters were escorted by former closer Mariano Rivera, who drew louder cheers than A-Rod. Yankees co-owner Jenny Steinbrenner Swindal presented a base signed by the team and controlling owner Hal Steinbrenner gave a framed No. 13 jersey when the downpour caused the group to hustle off the field.No farewell tour for A-Rod. The Yankees were letting him go in the middle of a season after one final home game.After sitting on the bench unused for much of the past month, Rodriguez was in the lineup as the designated hitter and batting third for his 2,784th and perhaps final regular-season game as a major league player in a career that started with Seattle in 1994, moved on to Texas in 2001 and then New York three years later.The Yankees distributed accolades from Core Four teammates Derek Jeter, Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada, plus Robinson Cano and former manager Joe Torre. But the festivities seemed as much an exile as a celebration.Admitting to plenty of errors in a life that has included a drug suspension, a World Series title, a divorce, celebrity girlfriends, high-stakes poker games and what seemed to be as many photos on tabloid fronts as backs, he leaves without establishing his own era. He was a supporting actor in the Jeter-Rivera epoch, and when the stars left the cast he could not carry the show.Rodriguez has 696 home runs, fourth on the career list behind Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714). But A-Rod is hitting .203 with nine home runs this year, and with the Yankees deciding last month to trade veterans and turn toward youth, there was no place on the field for ol Rodriguez, baseballs last remaining player who experienced a work stoppage.Steinbrenner told him on Aug. 3 the end was at hand, and Rodriguez said last Sunday he had accepted an offer to play one final home game and then become a team adviser through 2017, tasked with mentoring young players.I cant think of anyone else where this has kind of happened, where youve announced on a Sunday that a guy was going to be released on Friday, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.Rodriguezs locker still had two photographs of himself with daughters Natasha and Ella and three more of the siblings together. There were six pair of baseball shoes, three black gloves and two caps, one for batting practice and the other for the game.But that stall was hours from being vacated.He entered in a 4-for-47 funk and started for just the third time in 19 games since July 22. His skills clearly had diminished; since turning 40 on July 27 last year, Rodriguez was hitting .203 (86 for 424) with 19 homers and 47 RBI.Girardi refused to play him in all three games at Fenway Park, his final road trip, and A-Rod admitted his relationship with the manager had been awkward and difficult of late. Girardi turned down Rodriguezs request to play third base in his finale.Yet, Rodriguez said he didnt feel the Yankees were giving him the brush off.With all my screw-ups and how badly I acted, the fact that Im walking out the door, Hal wants me as part of the family, thats hitting 800 home runs for me, Rodriguez said.New York will owe him $7,103,825 for the rest of this year and $20 million for next, the final season of his $275 million, 10-year contract. Having seen his lights go down on Broadway, is Miami 2017 in his future?He has not said he is retiring.Im going to need a long nap and recover and I want to see where life takes me, he said, but right now I think I value wearing this uniform, and for me the Yankees pinstripes is enough.Rodriguez made his debut at Fenway Park on July 8, 1994, at 18 the youngest position player to start a big league game since 1978. A-Rod began his final night with .295 batting average, 3,114 hits and his 2,085 RBI, second to Aarons 2,297 since RBI became an official statistic.With no more batting practice to take, he planned to watch the Yankees on television Sunday. But not Saturday,I may have a couple cocktails tonight, so I may not wake up by game time tomorrow, he said.Deon Lacey Jersey . The team said Saturday that Lopez was hurt during its 121-120 overtime loss at Philadelphia on Friday. The Nets said they would issue another update next week after consultation with their doctors. Julian Stanford Jersey . Sgt. Eric ONeal says most of the arrests at Monday nights game were for public drunkenness, though one person was taken into custody on suspicion of trying to steal a seat from the stadium. http://www.wholesalebillsjerseys.com/?tag=youth-kyle-peko-jersey . The next step is a better finish. Bae played bogey-free Friday on another gorgeous day at Riviera for a 5-under 66, giving him a one-shot lead over Aaron Baddeley and Robert Garrigus going into the weekend. Nick Easley Jersey . Argentina winger Ezequiel Lavezzi and France midfielder Blaise Matuidi scored, with star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic setting up both despite having a poor game by his high standards. Forward Eduardo gave Ajaccio the lead in the sixth minute after being set up by right winger Benjamin Andre, and the Corsican side looked comfortable in the first half, with the lively Johan Cavalli causing problems with his probing runs from midfield. O. J. Simpson JerseyVirat Kohli and Steven Smith are both very successful young batsman-captains.Its interesting to debate which is more important: the batting or the captaincy?Theres one major reason why most captains are batsmen rather than bowlers. Its easier for them to separate their primary skill from the leadership role. A batting captain has little else to concentrate on, when hes batting, other than scoring runs. Its only when a declaration is in the offing - and then only if hes at the crease - that he has to concern himself with other matters. When the batsman-captain is on the field, he can concentrate solely on bowling changes and field placements.Not surprisingly, a few of the captains who have been good bowlers have enjoyed great leadership success. Richie Benaud and Imran Khan are two who readily leap to mind. Imran believed that to be a good captain you must understand bowling, and its hard to refute his logic. In the cases of Kohli and Smith, they are at least part-time bowlers, which helps them understand and have sympathy for what the bowler is trying to achieve.This is where a captain can veer off the rails. Its not his job to tell the bowler what he should be doing and where to place his field. Thats not a sign of a strong captain, rather of one lacking understanding. The captain only need ask a bowler how hes trying to dismiss the batsman and the field placings should then easily fall into place.Field placement, especially as it relates to a spinner, is something that needs to be sorted out prior to going onto the field. Its counterproductive for captain and bowler to be having serious debates over where the field should be while the match is in progress. For a captain who understands bowling - and especially in relation to spinners - the original placing of the field and any resultant changes should come fairly naturally. If it doesnt then the bowler and the team are in trouble.Both Kohli and Smith have been more successful batsmen after they assumed the role of captain. This indiccates the selectors have chosen wisely, as its crucial to anoint a player who will be buoyed, rather than weighed down, by the extra responsibility.ddddddddddddThis makes the Indian and Australian method of choosing the captain far better than the one England employed in the days of amateur and professional players. Back then, England often chose the captain (usually an amateur) first, followed by the rest of the team. Nowadays its commonplace to appoint the captain from the chosen XI.Both Kohli and Smith have successfully managed the priority of being batting captains. Never forget that making a mountain of runs is a sure way to lead by example. Kohli has displayed the ability to lift his already high standard in times of need, and there was no better example than his second-innings century against Australia at Adelaide Oval. Not only was it an inspirational innings, it firmly declared his hand as a captain who would try to win the game for as long as humanly possible.Even when his team was going through a horror patch of five successive Test losses, Smith remained the sides most consistent batsman. His defiant 48 not out in Hobart, when everyone around him succumbed to the relentless South African attack, was a great example of a captain who refused to wilt.One area where Kohli has shaded Smith is in the handling of spinners. Under his leadership R Ashwin has prospered as the leader of Indias attack. In contrast, there have been times when Nathan Lyon has struggled to the point where his selection was in doubt until he produced a much-improved effort in Adelaide.It should be a fascinating contest between these two evolving captains when they clash in early 2017. 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