We can talk about Rickey Henderson’s greatness all day and never grow bored with it, but I promise to keep it short today.
There’s an aspect of his career that has been glossed over: Most people forget there was a time that more than a few people – perhaps due to not so closeted racism, flat out stupidity, or both – thought Rickey was lazy and tended to turn his effort on and off.
If that seems ludicrous now, it’s because it was.
Let’s start with the Mets.
Rickey, played for the Mets in 1999 and the start of 2000 in his age 40 and 41 seasons. He played in 152 games for the Metropolitans, and over those 152 games scored 106 runs, and posted a .416 OBP and 117 OPS+.
They released him on May 13th because they didn’t like his attitude.
Then manager Bobby Valentine said at the time “I didn’t think I could compromise my principles anymore.” Long time New York baseball team water carrier Bob Klapisch wrote “the Mets miscalculated in believing they could keep Rickey hustling”.
Joe McEwing was inserted into the lineup the game following Rickey’s release and then Mets GM noted that McEwing was the type of player “who will never be accused of not hustling after a fly ball”.
It’s worth noting that Mike Piazza said, “I thought he was a good teammate” and Derek Bell called Rickey “the greatest teammate I ever had – I learned more from Rickey in 30 minutes than I did the rest of my career.”
Regardless, Klapisch finished his thoughts on Rickey by writing “Years from now, it’s likely people will remember him only for the card game, and the whining, and the lack of enthusiasm on the bases.”
Lack of enthusiasm on the bases.
Well, Rickey moved to Seattle in 2000, stole 31 bases and scored 58 runs in only 92 games for the Mariners. In the ALCS against the Yankees, he reached base four times and scored twice in the three games he appeared in.
Joe McEwing would play 87 games for the Mets in 2000, mostly in left field and would score 20 runs and put up a negative WAR, which is really hard to do – but he sure did hustle!
Timo Perez – ironically, best remembered for his lack of hustle – and Benny Agbayani went on to lead off for the Mets in the World Series against the Yankees. Between them they scored one run in five games.
Bobby Valentine, Steve Phillips and Bob Klapisch still have people who take their thoughts on baseball seriously.
If you think I’m picking on the Mets, I am, but as I said, it’s mostly due to my desire to keep this short. I’ve written previously about the Yankees trading an in his prime Rickey Henderson for Greg Cadaret, Eric Plunk and Luis Polonia for similar reasons.
Rickey Henderson played 25 years in the Major Leagues. He played in 3,081 games. He played a style that you know left him banged up and sore for long stretches. He never officially retired from baseball.
It’s hard to imagine someone could love to play baseball more than Rickey – and he was regularly accused of being lazy.
I’m not a sociologist, but I implore you to consider this the next time you feel a player is being lazy, or should be “held accountable” particularly if it’s a non-Caucasian player.
Also, I’d like to see you name ten post integration players who were better than Rickey Henderson, because you can’t.
Leave a comment below, or yell at me on the “My Baseball Page” on Facebook and BlueSky.
Recommended reading: Of course, “Rickey: The Life and Legend of an American Original” by Howard Bryant.
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