With tears filling his eyes, Jorge Posada announced his retirement from baseball on Tuesday. Posada began the press conference by reading from a prepared statement, calling his experience as a Yankee “priceless.”

He thanked many in and outside the Yankees organization, including his wife, Laura, whom he called his “rock.” When he got to his teammates, he briefly cried as he spoke about his best friend, shortstop Derek Jeter.

“Hopefully, you won’t miss me that much,” Posada said to Jeter, who was in attendance.

With the Yankees not showing interest in re-signing him, Posada said he didn’t consider signing with any other teams.

“I knew in my heart and I knew in my head I didn’t want to play anymore,” Posada said.

Posada recounted how he entered Yankee Stadium each day with the same thought in his head.

“I quoted Joe DiMaggio’s (famous quote), ‘I want to thank the Good Lord for making me a Yankee,’ ” Posada said.

Posada sat at a dais flanked by his wife and his children, Jorge Jr. and Paulina. To his right were five world championship trophies, four of which Posada helped the Yankees win. Jeter, closer Mariano Rivera, ace CC Sabathia and Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner were among those in attendance.

After Posada finished his opening statement, Diana Munson, the widow of Yankees great Thurman Munson, spoke. She credited Posada for inspiring her to watch baseball again. Posada had considered Thurman Munson, who died in 1979 when the plane he was piloting crashed in Ohio, a hero.

Read the entire story on espn.com