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NEW YORK, N.Y. - Sitting behind a microphone in his New York Mets uniform, Bobby Abreu couldnt help but get choked up as he bid goodbye to the game he loves.Adios, he said, holding back tears.In a news conference Friday at Citi Field, the 40-year-old Abreu announced his plans to retire after the season, ending perhaps one of the most underappreciated careers in recent memory.Used almost exclusively as a pinch hitter in his final days with New York, Abreu thanked the Mets for the opportunity to complete his comeback and go out on his own terms a€” wearing a big league uniform.I feel happy with my career. I feel blessed, Abreu said. For me as a baseball player, I (achieved) all my goals.Abreu was out of the majors last season, but played winter ball back home in Venezuela and went to spring training this year with Philadelphia. After getting cut by the Phillies, the outfielder signed a minor league deal with the Mets and was called up from Triple-A Las Vegas a couple of times.A two-time All-Star who was a model of consistency in his prime, Abreu has quietly put up some marvelous numbers. He owns a .291 career batting average with 288 home runs and 1,363 RBIs. He has 2,469 hits and 400 stolen bases.Known for his sharp eye and patience at the plate, Abreu has drawn 1,475 walks a€” most among active players a€” to help him compile an outstanding .395 career on-base percentage.The only other players in major league history with 200 homers, 1,200 walks and 400 steals are Barry Bonds, Rickey Henderson and Joe Morgan.He was probably a little bit underappreciated. But when its all said and done, I think the numbers are going to speak up for themselves, said Mets manager Terry Collins, who was seated beside Abreu for his announcement.Abreu noted he was happy that Collins, his first major league manager in Houston, also will be his last. And his final games will be against the Astros, who signed Abreu in 1990 and brought him to the majors six years later.Collins and the Mets have credited Abreu with mentoring several of their young Latin players, in particular centre fielder Juan Lagares. Abreu said he would like to become a hitting coach one day.I have a lot of fun with these young guys. Theyre special, Abreu said. Even though Im 40 years old, they make me feel young, being around with them and playing around. And at that point I realized, this game is now for the next generation. And I think I just got done, and that made me decide its time to say goodbye.Abreu was hitting .246 this season with a homer and 14 RBIs in 130 at-bats. He was 5 for 38 (.132) with four walks as a pinch hitter.Omar Vizquel (2,877) and Hall of Famer Luis Aparicio (2,677) are the only Venezuelan-born players with more career hits.Bobby has been a positive influence in our clubhouse from the day he got here. He constantly has talked to our younger players about hitting and how they can get better, Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said in a packet of quotes about Abreu that was distributed by his agent. He has had a long and illustrious career and we are glad he spent a brief part of it in a Mets uniform.Abreu was in the majors from April 22 until Aug. 4 this season. The Mets released him six days later, but he re-signed with the club, returned to Las Vegas and was called up again on Sept. 10.He has not started a game since July 25, but his presence has been felt. Collins said Abreus willingness to work his way back in the minors is a great example for all these young guys who think theyre bigger than the game.The younger we got, the more impact he had, Collins said. I think hes made a big influence. I think his impact is going to be seen and felt by Juan Lagares a lot.Abreu said whether he gets a farewell start this weekend will be up to Collins, who did not reveal his plans. But he said Abreu will certainly get a chance to walk off the field with his head held high. Mario Lemieux Jersey . Lynn was tied for 16th entering the fourth round, six shots behind leader Paul Waring. He started with two birdies and added three more on his last five holes at the Oceanico Victoria course for an 18-under total of 266. Paul Coffey Jersey . The fourth-year guard from Carleton University kicked off his varsity career with rookie of the year honours in 2011, before racking up three straight Mike Moser Memorial Trophies for outstanding player. http://www.penguinsauthenticofficial.com...-crosby-jersey/. -- Keith Aulie has joined the Tampa Bay Lightning. Paul Martin Jersey . -- The Chicago Bears agreed Tuesday to a one-year contract with defensive lineman Israel Idonije and are bringing him back for a second stint. Tom Barrasso Jersey . The $145.7-million Tim Hortons Field was slated to open this month, a year before it was to host all 32 mens and womens soccer competitions. The delay has forced the Hamilton Tiger-Cats football team to use a smaller facility for the first two home games of the season.TORONTO - Just days after locking up star point guard Kyle Lowry, the teams top offseason priority, the Raptors are following suit with restricted free agent forward Patrick Patterson. Although the deal cannot be made official until the free agent moratorium period is lifted on July 10, Patterson has agreed to a three-year, $18 million extension to remain in Toronto, sources confirm to TSN.ca Friday afternoon. Patterson, 25, was acquired in the seven-player deal that sent Rudy Gay to Sacramento in December and played a significant role in the Raptors resurgence last year. One of the leagues premier reserves at his position following the trade, the fourth-year forward appeared in 48 games for Toronto, starting seven, and averaging 9.1 points, 5.1 rebounds while shooting 48 per cent from the field and 41 per cent from three-point range. As a restricted free agent, the Raptors could have matched any offer Patterson received on the open market but retaining him was a priority for general manager Masai Ujiri and something he moved on quickly after agreeing to terms with Lowry late Wednesday night. Patterson figured to draw a fair amount of interest from teams around the league after jumpstarting his young career in Toronto. Although he struggled to begin the year with the Kings, Patterson emerged as a versatile, two-way player that can stretch the floor at the power forward position. He became especially valuable as starter Amir Johnson began to wear down, battling a myriad of injuries late in the season. Patterson, often the first player off the bench last year, is expected to have a bigger role with the Raptors in 2014-15 and beyond. Toronto had a record of 42-22 following the early-season trade that made Patterson a Raptor, finishing the campaign with a franchise-best 48 wins and division title en route to a seven-game, first round defeat in the playoffs. Shortly after extending the contract of head coach Dwane Casey in May, Ujiri expressed his desire to keep his team, one that exceeded all expectations a year ago, together going forward. "As far as Im concerned, keeping our core group going forwward, with Kyle Lowry, Greivis Vasquez and Patterson and Nando, those guys are priorities for us," the Raptors GM had said.dddddddddddd "And if you want to build, I think a team where we have young players, we have to build continuity. When free agency comes, we have to attack our guys first." With that goal in mind the next order of business will be retaining Vasquez, also a restricted free agent, expected to be done soon. In an effort to create the cap space required to complete a deal with the back-up point guard and perhaps add another piece while maintaining future flexibility and avoiding luxury tax penalties, the Raptors have also traded veteran sharpshooter Steve Novak to the Utah Jazz, reports Yahoo Sports. Toronto will send a future second-round selection to the Jazz as a sweetener and take back the non-guarantted contract of guard Diante Garrett, who will be immediately waived, in order to unload the $7.2 million Novak is owed over the next two years. After the Lowry and Patterson signings are made official and assuming guards Julyan Stone and Dwight Buycks are also waived (their deals are non-guaranteed if voided before July 7 and July 22 respectively), the Raptors will have roughly $62 million committed to 10 players under contract for next season, not including Vasquez, free agent guard Nando De Colo and rookies Bruno Caboclo, Lucas Nogueira or DeAndre Daniels. Even after signing their rookies and inking Vasquez to a new deal, the Raptors should be able to use most of their mid-level exception to address another need on the roster and remain under the salary cap. Aided by the trade of Novak, Toronto should have max or near max cap space next summer, with only Lowry, Patterson, DeMar DeRozan, Jonas Valanciunas, Terrence Ross and this years rookies on their books for the 2015-16 season. Novak was acquired in the trade that sent Andrea Bargnani to New York a year ago. The 31-year-old forward and three-point shooting specialist averaged 3.3 points in 54 games with the Raptors last season, his eighth in the NBA. 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