'Tears and perfection' as Mariano says goodbye to Yankee Stadium for the last time (VIDEO)

Mariano Rivera's last ever appearance on the mound at Yankee Stadium lived up to the emotional Exit Sandman hype it was built up to be Thursday night.  The beloved New York Yankees closer threw four outs of no hit ball before Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte — the two other last remaining members of the famed Core Four — came out to make a pitching change with two outs in the ninth.

Rivera smiled when he saw manager Joe Girardi summon both Jeter and Pettitte to make the walk over the infield grass and pull the closer from his familiar perch one last time in front of the sold-out crowd. He broke into tears when his longtime teammates hugged him as cheers and chants of MA-RI-AN-O MA-RI-AN-O filled the Bronx stadium.

As Jeter approached Rivera — after Mo's symbolic relief outing was through— he simply said to the 19-year veteran, "Time to go."

As YES announcer Michael Kay put it, "Tears and perfection."

Rivera then slowly walked to the dugout, tipped his cap to the adoring crowd and embraced his former battery-mate Girardi before walking through a gauntlet of hugs and heartfelt well-wishes from other teammates standing along the bench as the ovation continued.

Farewell Sandman.

Andy Pettitte's retirement signals end of Yankees era

The official statement announcing Andy Pettitte's retirement simply signals the end of a great New York Yankees era. With Mariano Rivera already riding into the sunset, it will leave Derek Jeter as the only remaining member of the original Core Four on the roster next year.

A sad day for Yankees fans and baseball in general.

Statement from Andy Pettitte. pic.twitter.com/OKsDaY5NhH
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) September 20, 2013

Yankees put Jeter on 60-day DL, officially ending his 2013 season: Report

Any hopes of another Derek Jeter comeback this season were quickly dashed Saturday morning when, according to the New York Yankees official Twitter page, the team activated David Phelps and put the shortstop on the 60-day disabled list. The announcement of the moves eliminate the slim chance of Jeter returning to the lineup in any capacity for the rest of the regular season or in postseason play if the team makes the playoffs.

A year after playing in 159 games and leading all of baseball in plate appearances (740), at-bats (683) and hits (216), Jeter's 2013 season comes to an end after just 17 games, spread over three attempts to return from the disabled list due to complications arising out of the broken left ankle the Captain suffered in Game 1 of the 2012 ALCS against the Detroit Tigers.

Sadly, the uncertainty is finally official.

#Yankees reinstate RHP David Phelps from 60-day DL; transfer SS Derek Jeter to 60-day DL.
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 14, 2013

Yankee players make fake chalk outline of body mocking Eduardo Nunez's injury (VIDEO)

A day after Yankees infielder Eduardo Nunez fell to the turf in Toronto, a couple of his teammates made a tape outline of his body on the Rogers Centre infield before Wednesday night's game against the Blue Jays.

At the same spot where Nunez went down on the field, Vernon Wells and Joba Chamberlain made a mock chalk outline of the accident-prone infielder on the turf with athletic tape. There was also a wheelchair placed in front of his locker. Nunez laughed when he saw the wheelchair and immediately accused Robinson Cano and Derek Jeter of having something to do with the prank.

 "I think these guys have to be part of this," Nunez said. "For sure, I’ve got to find out. Do something, too."

"The video is funny," Nunez said of the clip (see below) of him falling down. "I know. Weird things happen to me all the time, I guess. Now it’s funny because I (didn’t) break my knee, but that wasn’t (Tuesday) night. Now I’m laughing."

The pre-game levity didn't last for long. By the end of Wednesday night, Nunez sounded more frightened than bent on prank revenge.

When Nunez tried to run in batting practice before the Yankees’ 7-2 loss to Toronto Wednesday night, pain flared up in his knee again and he was scratched from the lineup. Now he’ll be getting an MRI Thursday and the infielder is worried that he’s hurt badly enough that he could miss a few weeks.

That's no laughing matter to the depleted Yankees infield.

Jeter and Hannah not engaged despite diamond on her ring finger

When Derek Jeter and his girlfriend Hannah Davis stepped out of a Manhattan Starbucks Wednesday morning, it wasn't the Yankee shortstop's slight limp or the swimsuit model's runway strut that caught New Yorkers' eyes— it was the elegant diamond ring on her finger that got their attention.

The stunning 23-year-old Davis was seen sporting a very large diamond on her ring finger. And surely enough — faster than you can say back on the disabled list — rumors immediately swirled that the two may soon be tying the knot.

Fans looking to see the 39-year-old Jeter finally settle down— after a non-stop procession of celebrity girlfriends over the years— including Mariah Carey and Minka Kelly — might have to wait a little longer. 

Word is Jeter and Davis aren't walking down the aisle and, according to E! News, her sparkling accessory isn't an engagement ring after all.

"Hannah is not engaged," said the E! News source. "It's just a ring that she really likes."

In fact, this isn't even the first time that Davis has been spotted sporting the same piece of bling.

Two weeks ago, she flashed the same ring at the after-party for a screening of Lovelace in New York City. She later posted an Instagram photo from the party. 

Yankees Universe is in balance once again. One strain gone, one more to go.

Jeter's girlfriend spotted with big diamond 'engagement' ring on finger

Has Derek Jeter taken himself off the free agent market?

It looks that way after New York's No. 1 bachelor was spotted leaving a Manhattan Starbucks Wednesday morning with his latest girlfriend Hannah Davis — who was sporting a large diamond on her ring finger, according to Confidenti@l of the N.Y. Daily News.

Jeter and the 23-year-old Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, who has been called “the next Kate Upton,” began dating last summer.

A representative for Jeter didn’t return the gossip site's request for comment, but a spokesman for Davis said, “We don’t comment on our clients’ personal lives.”

But the bling is definitely an engagement ring, according to one Diamond District jewelry expert, who told Confidenti@l the piece is “elegant.”

Davis has likely helped Jeter get through his current stint on the disabled list due to a strained calf after a long winter rehabbing his surgically-repaired ankle. All that comforting leaves a lot of time to talk and possibly make long-term plans.

Jeter — who has five World Series rings of his own —was not photographed wearing any adornments on his finger.

Over Jeter’s illustrious 19-year career — on and off the field — the Captain has notched 3,300 hits and what seems like nearly as many A-list girlfriends on his personal roster.  Jeter dating lineup has included Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Mariah Carey, Jordana Brewster, Minka Kelly, Vanessa Minnillo (now Lachey), Gabrielle Union, former Miss Universe Lara Dutta and Adriana Lima. He’s also been linked to Scarlett Johansson.

On Tuesday, the 39-year-old shortstop took batting practice and is expected to head to Tampa at the conclusion of the team’s homestand for further rehab.

With Jeets off the market, it looks like Matt Harvey has his pick of the city.

Derek Jeter mask may give you nightmares

An image of Derek Jeter was spotted in the stands at Yankee Stadium Monday night and like some ominous premonition from a J-Horror film —or the Captain's 2013 season —the ghostly face might have some Bronx Bomber fans leaving their night-lights on at bedtime.

The nightmarish mask with the 3-D effect just mysteriously floats through the air. Check out the GIF below.

Make it go away ... please.

Derek Jeter on return: 'I'll be ready when I'm ready'

Derek Jeter is eligible to come off the disabled list next Sunday, but — after two other failed attempts to get back in the lineup this season — he made no promises that he will be able to do so as he works to recover from a right calf strain.

"I'm confident I'll be ready when I'm ready," he said before Saturday's 9-3 loss to the Tigers. When pressed, he said again, "I'm confident I'll be ready when I'm ready. 

"All I know is what I'm doing today," he said about his return schedule.  "I have to go ride the bike, but I assume [I will run] in the next couple of days."

Since this will be his third attempt at returning to the lineup this season, after a second fracture to his left ankle and a right quad strain, the frustrated Jeter is still reluctant to set a timetable for another debut.

"It feels good," Jeter said after playing catch at Yankee Stadium before the team took the field. "I assume [I’ll] run in a couple of days."

As for now, he has no plans to return to the team’s minor league complex in Tampa, and intends to remain with the Yankees at least through this homestand, which ends Thursday before the team heads to Boston. Jeter would be eligible to come off the disabled list Aug. 18 in Boston, although he has a long way to go before he is declared healthy and is being cautious about rushing back.

 "There's nothing I can't do here that I would do down there [in Tampa]," he said.

Jimmy Fallon writes Derek Jeter three new walk-up songs

Derek Jeter made a rare television appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Thursday, talking about his season and sharing some crazy stories from past times with with the host.

The high point came when Fallon enlisted the The Roots' help of to come up some possible walk-up songs for Jeter's return to the Yankees' lineup. The show even placed a home plate in the middle of the stage and had Bob Sheppard's iconic introduction of Jeter to make it seem a little more realistic.

While the first pop-sounding song had the Yankees captain shrugging and saying "It's all right," the second ear-thrashing tune had Jeets wincing, "It made me pop a blood vessel." Number three seemed to catch Jeter's ear.

"That's a good one," he said about the rap-influenced song.

Judge for yourself.

Little Yankees fan falls asleep at game ... wakes up to real nightmare

This young Yankees fan fell asleep during Wednesday night's marathon game against the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field and woke up to nothing less than a New York nightmare.

After Mariano Rivera blew a save in the ninth inning and the game went into extra innings, the little guy dozed off (insert "Enter Sandman" joke here) only to wake up in the 12th-inning to something worse than the Bogeyman — a 6-5 extra-inning loss and a three-game sweep by the Sox over the reeling Yankees.

Watch when the poor guy wakes up and doesn't know what's going on —and probably thought the Yankees' collapse was all a bad dream.

Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez have both, respectively, called this season "a nightmare." Now this kid knows the feeling — first hand.

Jeter likely to land on disabled list again in 'nightmare' season

In a twist of fate nobody could have foreseen a couple of days ago, it looks like Alex Rodriguez has a better chance of being in Monday night's lineup in Chicago than Derek Jeter does.

While Rodriguez defiantly claimed he would be suiting up against the White Sox — despite his impending suspension — Jeter looked totally dejected on Sunday evening after the Yankees 6-3 loss to the San Diego Padres. With the prospect of yet another trip to the disabled list with a strained right calf muscle more than likely, the Yankees' Captain sounded more than just frustrated.

“It’s been terrible,” Jeter said. “It’s been a nightmare. The whole season’s been a nightmare.”

After tweaking his calf last Sunday, Jeter underwent an MRI on Saturday night. The examination revealed a Grade-1 strain. Manager Joe Girardi indicated the team would make a decision on Monday in Chicago. Alex Rodriguez could replace Jeter on the roster. Jeter said he was not sure what tests, if any, he would undergo before the matter was decided.

Jeter compared the pain to a “deep bruise.” He spent Sunday receiving treatment. He indicated he was not available to pinch hit. He rested these past two days, but offered no assurances that his condition had improved.

“The odd thing is there was no play where it happened,” Jeter said. "Usually, you feel it on a particular play. I didn't feel it on any particular play. We got out to Los Angeles and I began to feel it [Sunday] night and [Monday] on the off day."

Jeter already missed the first half of the season with a twice-broken left ankle. He injured his right quad in his first game back, on July 11, and landed back on the disabled list. He could not recall how he injured himself on this time. There was no particular play that caused it, he said.

“I’ve been pretty fortunate in my career not to have to deal with too many things,” the 39-year-old Jeter said. “Now it seems like I’m dealing with them a lot at one time. So I have no choice to move on. Hopefully it heals quickly, and I can get back out there.”

It would have been interesting to compare the response from the Chicago crowd each time A-Rod or Jeets went to the plate.

Girardi still has concerns regarding Jeter's health

It only took a couple of plays from Derek Jeter Friday night to convince Joe Girardi to admit he still has some concerns about his shortstop’s health. After a week into his comeback from a Grade-1 quadriceps strain, Jeter has looked slow on the base paths and awkward at times in the field.

“As we’ve talked about, he’s coming back from a leg injury,” Girardi said after a 7-2 loss to San Diego on Friday. “And I’m not so sure it’s 100 percent. But he’s trying to grind through it for us.”

Jeter responded to his manager's remarks in predictable fashion.

“I am alright,” he said after going 1-for-4 in the loss. “Like I told you, if I play, you don’t hear anything about it. I played. So I’m good.”

The first play involved a slide into third. Jeter appeared to drag his buckled right leg as he lunged into the base as he went first to third in the first inning. He chalked up the result to a last-minute decision to slide.

“It didn’t look too good,” he said with a grin. “I was going to stand up, but I tried to slide to slow down.”

The second play occurred in the seventh inning. Jeter fielded a grounder from catcher Nick Hundley and attempted to make a play at second. But he stumbled in his delivery and flung an errant throw past the bag allowing outfielder Logan Forsythe to reach safely.

"It wasn’t an awkward step," Jeter said. "He was running on the play, and he got there a little quicker than I thought. I tried to rush it, but threw it high. But it wasn't being awkward."

Jeter made his fourth straight start at shortstop after being activated from the disabled list. Since hitting a dramatic home run and single in his first game back, Jeter was 0-for-9 until a first inning single Friday night.

As usual with the Captain, this is one battle Girardi isn't going to win.

Jeter homers on first pitch he sees during first game back with Yankees (VIDEO)

It didn't take long for Derek Jeter to test out that pesky quad strain and, as usual, he did it in grand style by homering on the first pitch he saw from the Rays Matt Moore on Sunday at Yankee Stadium.

Even fresh off the DL, the Captain still has a flair for big moments — just look back at his record during the playoffs and the game when he got his 3,000th hit. But on this Sunday, with thousands of forlorn Yankee fans' eyes focused on the returning Jeter, he did it again by lifting the ball over the right-center field fence just when the slumping team need it most.

Maybe it's that familiar introduction of No. 2 by Bob Sheppard that got him pumped, but Jeter did what no Yankee has done in the last 10 games and something no right-handed Yankee batter has done since June 25 — hit a home run.

After high-fives all over the dugout, Jeter even came out for an abbreviated curtain call.

The shortstop started for the first time since July 11, when he suffered a quadriceps strain in his only Major League game of the season after a broken ankle sidelined him for all of April, May and June.

Suddenly, things are fun and exciting again in the Bronx.

Matsui signs one-day contract and retires as a Yankee

Hideki Matsui signed a one-day minor-league contract with the New York Yankees early before Sunday's tribute honoring the popular former player with a Bobblehead Day against the Tampa Bay Rays. Shortly after, Matsui then signed his retirement papers during a pre-game ceremony on the field so he would retire as a New York Yankee.

The pre-game festivities included a video tribute to Godzilla on the Yankee Stadium center field video board, a ride in a golf cart down the third base line, and a matted and framed 2009 No. 55 Yankees jersey presented to Matsui by Derek Jeter. His mother and father joined the 2009 World Series MVP on the field. Matsui capped off the ceremony by throwing out the first pitch.

Hideki Matsui signs 1-day contract with #Yankees: pic.twitter.com/cjfLJHcNYq
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 28, 2013

Matsui played 11 seasons in MLB, seven with New York. The left-handed slugger hit .282/.360/.462 with 175 home runs.

Yankee fans might be even happier than Matsui that he retired in pinstripes. He is still one class guy.

Jeter's secret sim game goes well, will be in Yankees lineup on Sunday

It sounds like Derek Jeter's top-secret simulated game went off without a hitch. According to reports, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he expects Jeter to be activated from the disabled list and in the Yankees lineup on Sunday.

Girardi revealed that Jeter played in the sim game today at the Richmond County Bank Ballpark on Staten Island at the same time that the Yankees were being shut out by the Tampa Bay Rays, 1-0, on Chris Archer’s two-hitter in the Bronx.

The ballpark is the home field of the Yankees' minor league affiliate the Staten Island Yankees.

Jeter’s whereabouts had been kept top secret by Girardi and the Yankees. He revealed Jeter's visit to Staten Island when asked at his post-game press conference at Yankee Stadium.

The 39-year-old captain tested his strained right quadriceps with eight at-bats against an unnamed Staten Island Yankees hurler, according to the Yankees manager.

He ran from first to third, from second to home, and if he feels OK on Sunday he will be in the lineup against Tampa Bay, said Girardi.

“If he comes in and feels good, he will play for us,” Girardi said. “It’s obviously someone we’ve been waiting for for a long time. We had him for one day and we won that game. Hopefully, that ratio continues.”

@RealMichaelKay The Captain is in Staten Island!!! #JeterComeback pic.twitter.com/xeWHCA7H2H
— Donny DFINE (@DonnyDFINE) July 27, 2013

The Staten Island Yankees are scheduled to host the Brooklyn Cyclones Saturday night at 7.

There is no chance that Jeter will be in the Staten Island lineup.

Jeter and Soriano hug it out at Yankee Stadium

After Friday's trade of Alfonso Soriano back to the Bronx was finalized, who was one of the first Yankees to hug it out with his old teammate? None other than the Captain himself —Derek Jeter.

Soriano will be in the starting lineup Friday night against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium.

See, you can go home again.

Reunited! The Captain and Soriano hug it out. pic.twitter.com/3DE9STf6v5
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 26, 2013

Alfonso Soriano is welcomed back to the @Yankees by teammate Derek Jeter on @Cisco #BallparkCam. pic.twitter.com/nNKbuXrqYx
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 26, 2013

Mets seemingly take jab at A-Rod and Jeter's quad injuries via Twitter

It seems like someone posting at the New York Mets Twitter account poked a little fun at the New York Yankees' injury woes with a reminder to loosen up before their games.

A tweet from the team’s official account Monday night seemed to take a shot at their cross-town rivals by posting a picture of the Mets players stretching before Monday night’s game against the Braves, with the words:

"Don’t forget to stretch those quads before coming out to CitiField!"

The Mets claim it was an honest mistake, realized it was creating a stir and immediately deleted the tweet.

The big news surrounding the Yankees Monday was Alex Rodriguez’s expected return from the DL list being stalled by a recent quad injury. A-Rod, trying to return from offseason hip surgery, was diagnosed with a Grade 1 strain this weekend. A quad injury also shelved Derek Jeter for the second time this season after he played in just one one game.

The Mets said the tweet had nothing to do with the Yankees. "There was no ill will or intent," a Mets spokesman said. "The person who sent the tweet had no idea about the Yankees’ injuries."

Sure. And there's that bridge spanning the East River which is up for sale too.

A-Rod's comeback stalled; Headed back to Tampa because of Grade 1 quad strain

It seemed like it was all coming back together for Alex Rodriguez and he was only a weekend away from rejoining the Yankees in Texas Monday night.  On Sunday, things fell apart once more for the rehabbing A-Rod and now it's not whether the troubled Yankee third baseman will play for the Bombers this season, but if he’ll ever suit up for the club again.

In an ominous sign for the Yankees’ $275 million superstar, Rodriguez traveled from his final scheduled rehab game in Scranton to New York, where an MRI taken on his left quadriceps revealed a Grade 1 strain, according to a team press release. 

Instead of making his highly publicized return to the Yankees in Texas Monday — something Yankee GM Brian Cashman said Friday was the team’s "expectation ... as long as we get through the weekend OK" — Rodriguez remained on the disabled list and will head to Tampa. 

"I am extremely disappointed with the results of the MRI and am hoping to be back as soon as possible and continue with my goal of coming back and helping the Yankees win a championship," Rodriguez said in a statement.

Rodriguez sustained the injury while sliding into second base on Friday night. He played as the designated hitter the next night. He went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Yet he sounded positive on Sunday morning. He said he expected to "strap it on Tuesday."

The Yankees weren't so optimistic later that afternoon.

"He’s going to be out for a while," said manager Joe Girardi after an 8-7 loss to Boston in 11 innings. 

"So we’ll just deal with it, and continue to play."

Rodriguez’s 20-day rehabilitation assignment expired on Sunday. He cannot play in minor-league games. The Yankees could petition Major League Baseball to allow Rodriguez to begin another 20-day assignment, because of the new injury.

But for now, he’ll be relegated to simulated games at best. For the Yankees, Rodriguez remains a $100 million problem. What, exactly, does he have left? Girardi admitted to pondering the question.

"I think we’re all a little anxious to see how he looks physically, and how he’s moving," Girardi said. "Was this surgery as successful as the other one [before the 2009 season]? From the other one he came back great, and moved fine."

"I am anxious to see him," added Girardi. "He hasn’t played in a while, and he’s almost 38. You kind of want to see what you’ve got."

The injury is the same kind that sent Derek Jeter back to the DL after a one-game comeback. The Yankees captain is still nursing a Grade-1 quadriceps strain experienced in his first game back on July 11 and the team doesn't want to see a repeat scenario with A-Rod.

"You hope for the best,” Jeter said. “I don’t have enough information on that. I hope he doesn’t have what I have."

You can't blame Girardi for suddenly developing a case of quadrophobia.

"We’ve had to deal with it all year," Girardi said. "So it’s not like it’s not par for the course."

Jeter returns to 15-day DL with Grade 1 quad strain

It might be one of the briefest comebacks in New York sports history after Yankees captain Derek Jeter returned the disabled list after partially appearing in one game after spending the previous nine months on the DL and in rehab.

The team announced via Twitter that Jeter will once again be placed on the 15-day DL on Friday, retroactive to July 12, due to a Grade 1 right quad strain and can only watch this weekend's big series against the Boston Red Sox from the dugout.

#Yankees place SS Derek Jeter on 15-day DL with Grade 1 right quad strain (retro to July 12); select INF Brent Lillibridge from Triple-A.
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 19, 2013

To fill Jeter's spot on the 25-man roster, the Yankees signed infielder Brent Lillibridge to a Major League contract and selected him to the 40-man roster from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. A corresponding 40-man roster move will be announced later Friday, the Yankees said in a statement.

Jeter was injured while running out a ground ball against the Royals on July 11, his first game of the season. The 39-year-old shortstop had missed the entire regular season to that point while recovering from two fractures in his left ankle.

Manager Joe Girardi said last week that the Yankees were planning to evaluate Jeter on Thursday or Friday, giving him time to rest before seeing if he was ready to play. Jeter is eligible to return July 27 against the Rays at Yankee Stadium.

Derek Jeter's forged signature shows up on NYC politician's petition

If you believe a local New York City politician's petition, Derek Jeter has given up his Trump Tower penthouse to live at a rundown, six-floor walkup on Lafayette Ave. in the South Bronx.

It would be convenient. Since it's only a one-stop ride on the No. 4 train to Yankee Stadium.

According to the petition, Jeter's new neighbors include New York Giants defensive tackle Rocky Bernard and sportscaster Joe Buck as well. 

That is, if you don't question the list of signatures submitted by embattled City Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo.

Arroyo’s political team gathered 3,863 signatures — far more than the 450 she needs to make the ballot for her re-election bid.

Coincidental maybe? But her challenger is disputing 3,437 of the signatures.

Two pages in particular are Exhibit A and B in the challenge.

One page is filled with signatures that appear to be forgeries, including those of Jeter, Bernard, and Buck — though it is unclear if the Buck signature is meant to be the sportscaster or the fictional character at the center of iconic New York film, “Midnight Cowboy.”

Another page of signatures collected by a different campaign staffer features identical handwriting on every line.

Residents of the Hunts Point think the petitions are blatant forgeries.

"I've never seen Jeter here," said resident Juanita Velasquez. "Only on my wall."