Rickey still wants to prove himself
May 05, 2003
Many Mets fans may remember Rickey Henderson. Cooperstown sure will when the all-time stolen base king is enshrined there. But the 44-year-old isn't through with The Game just yet, having signed with the Newark Bears of the Atlantic League in order to catch MLB eyes and get back to the majors.
In my conversation with the former Yankees', Mets', Red Sox, Athletics', Padres', Angels' and Mariners' outfielder, his days in Flushing were discussed, including the allegations over his clubhouse card-playing during the Mets' NLCS Game 6 loss to Atlanta (and subsequent release from the team early in the following season).
I asked the 24-year pro why he hasn't been able to catch on in the bigs:
Henderson: That's a question that's deep inside of me, I don't know the answer to. I'm trying to figure out the answer, and coming here to play, maybe I'll get a chance to get back into the big leagues. Maybe I'll find out that answer to 'what did I do wrong?', instead of going out here and giving my best to play this game [again].
Menefee: Do you think the reason is on-the-field or off-the-field? Any reason?
Henderson: I don't know the reason. There's no on-field [issue]. I don't have a problem on the field. You haven't heard anything about me doing anything on-field. And especially off the field, I'm so normal and people think I'm down-to-earth. So I'm not getting into any trouble, or doing nothing bad. You don't hear anything about me doing anything to [tarnish] my name or anything as far as playing baseball. It's just based on sometimes maybe I get it a little good with the media. (laughing)
Menefee: The last time we saw you around these parts, you were playing with the Mets. In 1999, you guys made the playoffs and you were there at the beginning of 2000 before they released you. That team went to the World Series. Do you have fond memories of playing with the Mets? Or is it a bitter part of your career that you leave behind you?
Henderson: I probably leave everything behind me. The first day I played baseball I leave behind me. There's no bitterness about me playing baseball. We had some rough times in New York. We didn't get off on the right foot for the second year. The first year, I thought we played outstanding. I ended up leading the club in batting average and doing the things they wanted me to do, and in the second year, before the season even started, I was a marked guy.
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Henderson: I'd go back and play anywhere. Steve Phillips and the Mets, we didn't have a grudge, even Bobby Valentine.
Menefee: Even if Bobby Valentine were still there, you'd go back?
Henderson: If I had to go back with Bobby Valentine, we'd really have to get an understanding between he wants and what I want. We never got to that point. People say that me and Bobby had a bad time [together]. We never had a bad time. We didn't really go in his office and sit down and talk individually. And I wasn't doing anything that bad. If I was, I think he would have taken me in the office as men and talk and iron it out. But we didn't ever get to that point. And just little things that were going on, the way we were playing and the situation just didn't go right.
Menefee: Do you feel that hurt you? You did go to Seattle and San Diego, but it seemed as though [your Mets tenure] was the end of the great Rickey Henderson reputation and that kind of thing. It seems like things went, from a public relations standpoint, downhill after that.
Henderson: I don't think it went downhill based on the incident that the Mets ended up letting me go over. I didn't understand the reason behind it, so if that had something to do with me playing the game, then I don't know nothing about it. I thought that we, as baseball players, have a job to go out and play baseball and be respectful to yourself and to the public, and kill yourself as a baseball player. I think I did that well.
Menefee: I heard a story that when a guy plays on a team, and they go to the World Series or win a league, that they get a ring for being part of that. Have you gotten a ring?
Henderson: No, I haven't gotten a ring for that. Maybe somewhere down in their heart, they gave me a ring (laughs).
Menefee: But usually a guy, if he's on a team or a roster any day, gets a ring. You know how it is.
Henderson: I know that! I've been on teams that people have been on the roster just to get released, or they go somewhere else, and they still get a ring. I don't know the reason. With Seattle, I had the opportunity to play; I didn't see that I had a problem with my teammates or anything like that. The situation that occurred which ended up [with me leaving the Mets] was based on a home run. I hit a ball that I thought I hit a home run and it hit the bottom of the wall.
Menefee: I remember many people making a big deal out of the card-playing incident in the clubhouse earlier. Do you feel like you never got a chance to live that down, and maybe that's why as soon as you did anything, people were waiting to say, 'Okay, now we can get rid of him?'
Henderson: We never really lived [the incident] down. The card-playing thing should have never occurred. If it should occur, it should occur the first day we open the season. And that's what we did the whole season. I think Phillips, Bobby Valentine and the whole organization got involved with us playing cards because we were winning ballgames. The team was relaxed and having fun and going out and producing on the baseball field, so it wasn't a problem. It was a problem when we ended up losing that sixth game. Then it was a big deal we were playing cards. We were playing cards way before we got to the sixth game.
Menefee: Now that you're here and trying to make you way back to the major leagues, if this does not work out for you, will you try again?
Henderson: I'll keep trying as long as I feel good about myself and I still enjoy coming out here and I'm feeling healthy. I have fun out here. I'll continue playing until I get back to the major leagues. I know that I can play in the major leagues and play with a lot of the guys up there. It's just giving me the opportunity to prove to other teams that I still can play. I didn't really get the opportunity during Spring Training to [catch on] with anybody. If I'm just that bad, and they feel I couldn't play in the big-leagues anymore, give me a chance to go to Spring Training. If I can't play then, you can release me. I ask for that. I'm going to feel good about myself because I tried and competed and it didn't work out. Then I can leave the game, tip my hat, say I gave my best and that was it.
