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NEW YORK-there Were no tears for CC Sabathia.

They had already been spilled.

Sabathia, still in severe pain a day later, his left arm in a sling, showed a sense of emotion, saying his spirits were buoyed by gracious text messages, glorious tributes, and fan applause.

Still, sitting in front of a room full of reporters before game 5 of the American League championship series, he acknowledged that his 19-year career was over.

Sabathia, who announced for the new York Yankees? Spring training camp this will be his last season, really left a hand on the field.

His prized left shoulder, one leading him into the Hall of fame, finally succumbed to a 90-mph pitch by Houston Astros infielder Aledmys Diaz in the eighth inning.

? I just felt like when I released the ball,?? Sabathia said:?my shoulder kind of went with it.??

The man gave everything he had, leaving the game with absolutely no regrets.

(Photo: brad Penner, USA today Sport)

? He was the ultimate teammate, competitor, gamer,?? The Manager of the Yankees Aaron Boone said he left everything on the field. Left everything he had on the mound.

? I talk about it with our guys every now and then about, ” Give us everything you have. And CC embodied that, and he left it all there last night. ?

? Strangely, it was kind of the perfect way to get out.??

He is one of baseball’s greatest warriors. He pitched at least 190 innings in 11 seasons during his career, won a CY young award with the Cleveland Indians in 2007, pitched on a short rest down the stretch to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to the postseason in 2008, won a World series title with the Yankees in 2009 , and became only the 25th pitcher to win at least 250 games with 300 strikeouts.

He loved the game of baseball, and baseball loved him back.

In Sabathia?s dreams, he would have stood on the mound for the last time in the World series, with the Yankees capturing their second title since his arrival in 2009, but this is real life, not Hollywood.

That’s more than with the Yankees making it official, replacing him on the postseason roster with reliever Ben Heller. Even if the Yankees miraculously recovered from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Houston Astros in the ALCS, they would not be eligible for the World Series.

So that’s where it ends, at Yankee stadium, in front of a sold-out crowd, and the emotional club that was?not quite ready to stay on full reed.

? You can never say a man hasn’t given all his,? Yankees slugger Aaron judge said. ? You had to rip the shirt off to get him out of the mound. He pulled everything out of that hand. It’s a warrior right here.

? That’s why he respects the game so much. He left it all there.?

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What other pitcher would blow his shoulder on the field, stay on the mound in front of George Springer, and throw three more pitches before he just couldn’t stand the pain.

? When I threw those pitches to Springer,?? Sabathia said, ? I couldn’t even look up to see where I was throwing the ball. I just let it go, and whatever happened, happened. ?

? I quit until I couldn’t anymore.??

It’s Sabathia.

It’s his legacy.

? I think everyone understands how authentic and authentic it is,?? Boone said. ? He’s the best. I mean, he’s like you would make him from a teammate’s point of view, from a competitor’s point of view.

? One of the greatest things CC has – and I think it’s one of the greatest things on a person – is it kind of drips with humility. It’s real. That’s who he is.

? Many people can meet in this way. CC is that. And that’s why I think he’s loved up there, but through the sport and really who he comes into contact with.

? But as far as ballplayer, competitor, and teammate, it’s hard to make it better than CC Sabathia.??

The crowd at Yankee stadium, which had been booing its team all night, stopped and gave Sabathia a standing ovation when He grabbed his shoulder, walked off the field Thursday, across the dugout, and collapsed walking down the steps.

Joe Girardi, Sabathia?s former Manager, choked back tears talking about Sabathia on MLB network’s postgame show. Even the Astros clapped their hands out of respect as they watched him leave the field.

? I think that’s what makes me more emotional than the actual trauma,?? Sabathia said. ? Just hearing the fans and the way they cheered me. It just makes me feel good. ? It was just awesome to hear that and get that out. ?

? Makes you super emotional. So many texts, tweets, so many things. It was amazing.??

Sabathia, 39, hopes to stay in the Yankees organization. He works as a special assistant, Advisor, instructor, whatever they want.

The only thing he knows for sure is that he threw his last pitch.

? I told amber (his wife) last night that this was the best way for it to end for me,?? Sabathia said, ?because of the way I am?I’ve had the feeling of loving the bullpen, running out, feeling pretty good. I feel like around July next year, I’ll be like, I think I can step.

? So, knowing that, obviously, the way I feel now, I can?

? It’s kind of a setup.??

It’s not juicy enough for a movie script, but for this man, it’s really the perfect ending.

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