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ATLANTA - Nick Markakis walked into the Turner Field home clubhouse on Friday and rattled off the names of Braves players he cheered for as a kid living near Atlanta.Chipper Jones. Andruw Jones. David Justice. Fred McGriff. Greg Maddux. John Smoltz. Tom Glavine.Born in New York, Markakis moved to Woodstock, Georgia, north of Atlanta, when he was 10. He said he remembers his parents taking him to games at old Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.It was fun to watch those guys do things the right way, Markakis said after passing a physical exam that made his four-year, $44 million free-agent deal with Atlanta official.Thats what they preach over here and its something you look for in a team, he said.Now Markakis is the Braves new right fielder.Its going to be fun, he said. Its going to be interesting. What better place to be?Markakis, 31, said he has mixed emotions leaving Baltimore, where he played his first nine seasons.They gave me an opportunity early in life, he said. I cant take that away from them. Its where I started my career, its where I started my foundation and this occupation. I have great memories there, lots of friends. Thats something that can never be taken away from me.Everything I did over there is in my past now. I dont hold any grudge, I dont hold anything back. ... In this job, things like that happen. Im grateful for the opportunity they gave me.Added Markakis: Its a new chapter in my life. Im going to turn that page.He said signing with Atlanta just felt right.The way they handled the whole situation was first class, he said. They made me and my family feel real comfortable. Those are things you look for when you make a commitment to a team. ... They made me feel comfortable and that was most important to me.Markakis, who wore No. 21 with the Orioles, was assigned the No. 22 jersey that had been worn by Jason Heyward, who hell replace in right field. Hall of Famer Warren Spahns No. 21 was retired by the Braves.Heyward was dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals last month in a four-player trade that brought pitcher Shelby Miller to the Braves.The Markakis signing could lead to more moves by the Braves. Left fielder Justin Upton and catcher/outfielder Evan Gattis have been mentioned in trade rumours.The Heyward deal was seen as a sign the Braves are in a rebuilding stage after finishing 79-83 in 2014. Markakis said he studied the roster and said he has faith in a roster that includes starting pitchers Miller, Julio Teheran, Mike Minor and Alex Wood.I saw what they had on paper and I know what guys they have over here and the coaching staff and front office and their fan base, he said. Its going to be fun. Its going to be interesting and Im along for the ride and Im ready to get started.Markakis hit .276 with 14 homers and 50 RBIs in 2014 while winning his second Gold Glove. He is a career .290 hitter and usually hit at or near the top of the Orioles lineup.He met with Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez but said they didnt discuss where he might hit in Atlantas lineup.They just wanted me, he said. I said yes. Ill let them figure the rest out.___Follow Charles Odum on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CharlesOdum Cheap Arizona Coyotes Jerseys .The Canadian teenage golf sensation announced Thursday shell join the LPGA Tour in 2015 instead of attending the University of Florida. Cheap Coyotes Jerseys China .C. -- Kurt Busch put his chances at "70 per cent" at running the Indianapolis 500 this year because of recent developments that have pushed a potential program along. http://www.cheapcoyotesjerseys.com/.Pete Morelli said the back judge threw a flag on Cowboys linebacker Anthony Hitchens on a pass to Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew in Dallas 24-20 wild-card win Sunday. But the head linesman said there wasnt enough contact and that Hitchens was face-guarding, which isnt a penalty in the NFL. Wholesale Coyotes Jerseys . Omar Rahou made the discriminatory gesture several times while celebrating scoring a goal against Romania at Antwerp in January, UEFA said. The sanction was double the five-match ban Nicolas Anelka received from an English Football Association independent tribunal last week for the same act. Cheap Coyotes Jerseys . -- Brendan Leipsic had two goals and an assist and Nicolas Petan extended his point streak to 11 games as the Portland Winterhawks slipped past the Red Deer Rebels 5-4 on Saturday in Western Hockey League action.MILWAUKEE -- The Atlanta Hawks got a confidence boost before the playoffs. The Milwaukee Bucks found out they were being sold. It turned out to be a big night for two teams headed in different directions with the regular season coming to a close. Mike Scott scored 17 points to lead Atlanta in a 111-103 win Wednesday, hours after Milwaukee owner Herb Kohl announced he was selling his team. Mike Muscala added 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting for the Hawks, who rallied from a 12-point deficit in the first half. "I think the defence after the first quarter really picked up. It was where we want it to be and need it to be," coach Mike Budenholzer said. Atlanta is locked into the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and a first-round date with the Indiana Pacers. Scott started for forward Paul Millsap, who was rested to get ready for the post-season. "We feel like we are playing about as well as we have played all year for the most part. So the regular season is done, we will take a couple days and get ready for Indiana," forward Kyle Korver said. Brandon Knight scored 31 points to lead the Bucks, who finished an NBA-worst 15-67. Their dismal season is over, though there is more certainty about the teams future after the prospective new owners said they wanted to build a new arena in Milwaukee. Kohl came into the locker room and addressed the team before the game. Coach Larry Drew thinks his team may have been a little distracted, on top of playing the last game of the year. "I would like to think that the concentration was there, but I think I would be lying if I said it was," he said. "This was a big day with all that has happened." The NBA is expected to approve the estimated $550 million sale to New York investment firm executives Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens, who also committed $100 million toward a new arena to replace the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Kohl, a former U.S. senator, also promised to fork over $100 million for a new facility. Wearing a dark green suit to match the Bucks dominant team colour, Kohll received a standing ovation and watched about four rows from the floor at centre court as his team went out and scored 39 points in the first quarter, a season-high for the opening period.dddddddddddd But Atlanta took control in the second half, even if the team didnt have much at stake. The top goal was to stay sharp but injury-free, and Budenholzer limited the minutes for key players Korver, DeMarre Carroll and Jeff Teague on top of having Millsap sit out. The contest had the up-and-down feel of a playground pickup game at times, especially during a first half in which the Bucks shot 63 per cent to the Hawks 60. Atlanta trailed by as much as 12 in the first half before going up by double digits in the fourth quarter. "We just wanted to end the season playing good basketball," Korver said. Atlantas second unit seemed to have more energy down the stretch in pulling past the Bucks. At one point, Ramon Sessions had his pass deflected in the backcourt and bounce past teammate Jeff Adrien, who momentarily froze. It was enough time for Cartier Martin to track down the loose ball and coast in for an uncontested layup during a 15-4 run that helped Hawks take a 97-87 lead with 6:54 left. Another second half during which the Bucks ran out of steam -- a season-long issue. "We had some rough nights. This is a humbling experience," said forward John Henson, who had 19 points. "I think for me and everybody on this team, Im pretty sure nobody imagined this could have happened." Khris Middleton finished with 16 points and seven rebounds for Milwaukee. Six players scored in double figures for the Hawks. NOTES: The Hawks entered Wednesday having won six straight against the Bucks. ... Teague finished with 11 points, extending his career-best streak of scoring in double figures to 12 straight games. ... Atlanta has reached the playoffs for seven straight years, the longest active streak in the East. ... Drew was the Hawks head coach from 2010-13. ... G O.J. Mayo sat out the finale with a sprained left ankle. 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