After 22 seasons, Leiter says: I'm done

Only twice in Al Leiter's pitching career did he get tears in his eyes on the mound. One was when he was taken out of Game 5 of the 2000 World Series after 142 pitches, knowing he had given all he had. The other was the Yankees' exhibition game yesterday, when he knew pretty much the same thing.

Leiter retired yesterday and wanted to make one last appearance. So he walked in from the bullpen with Yankees spring training instructor Gil Patterson, who was his first pitching coach 22 years ago, warmed up to Springsteen music, retired the Indians' Eduardo Perez on a 3-and-2 grounder and walked off to the rest of his life. "Whatever," he said, "that will be." Continue