It seems increasingly clear that Rickey Henderson is going to be the first active player in baseball history to die of old age.

	Rickey Henderson is running out of time in his quest to play for every major league team.

Which actually works out well, since he also apparently plans to be the first man in baseball history to play for every team.

The Boston Red Sox, for whom he is currently toiling, is his, what, eighth team? Yes, eighth. Oakland four times, both New Yorks, Anaheim, San Diego, Seattle, Toronto and now the new, Kumbaya-entranced Red Sox. It takes a great player to manage that. It also takes a player who can wear out his welcome, and Rickey is all of that.

But while he could threaten Gordie Howe's record of persistent hanging around, his chances of hitting every team aren't as great as we all would like. Sure, we'd like to see him inducted into the Hall of Fame with a nine-foot plaque, 30 hats stacked atop each other like a wedding cake in a John Waters movie. Still, tick, tick, tick.

But with his persistence (after all, he is playing for a reported $350,000, which by Rickey's standards is tip money), he ought to give it a go.

He'll have a tough time getting to Minnesota and Montreal if Bud The First has his way. Of course, with that new Forbes report showing that the Brewers came out with the most money after revenue sharing/luxury taxing/redistribution of the change dispenser kicked in, who knows how much longer he can afford this cheapjack commissioner's gig?

Still, Rickey probably will have to hit the Expos and Twins before this season is over to stand any chance, and while Rickey will work for awfully close to the minimum, he's not the sort to work for that 60-cent Canadian dollar. That will take some convincing.

As for the rest of them, well, he'll have to hustle. But who knows running better than Rickey?

	Rickey Henderson Left field Boston Red Sox Profile
	2001 SEASON STATISTICS GM HR RBI R SB AVG 123 8 42 70 25 .227

Arizona: One of only three Pacific time zone teams he hasn't played for, the Diamondbacks are not put off by age and can always use an extra outfielder. It's hot, but it's a dry heat -- good for the chronologically enriched.

Atlanta: He'd have a better chance as a setup man, but he could show Andruw Jones a thing or six about the correct use of speed.

Baltimore: No discernible reason, save the crabcakes.

Chicago Cubs: A tough sell, because of that brick outfield wall. Of course, Rickey hasn't hit an outfield wall in some time, but the threat alone is enough. Plus, the Cubs have traditionally regarded speed as inferior to facility on the accordion as an asset.

Chicago White Sox: He has played for better. He has played for worse.

Cincinnati: The uniform is cool, Ken Griffey can chase down all the gap stuff, and they've gotten rid of the turf.

Cleveland: Nothing really to suggest it as a place for Rickey, except as a what-the-hell stop. Hey, he can't love every place, can he?

Colorado: Thin air makes running a problem, but it sure will help with those leadoff home runs.

Detroit: See Cleveland.

Florida: Everyone should play for Jeff Loria once, just to gain a greater appreciation for Jerry McMorris.

Houston: After Enron, anything looks good.

Kansas City: See Cleveland and Detroit.

Los Angeles: An ideal match, if you still think the Dodgers are stuck for a better idea. And sometimes they still are.

Milwaukee: He and Davey Lopes are contemporaries. As far as that goes, he and Yogi Berra are contemporaries.

Philadelphia: With that stadium, with that turf, with Larry Bowa as the manager, it's hard to see Rickey being very interested. But hey, we're chasing a record here.

Pittsburgh: Next to Aramis Ramirez, Jason Kendall and Brian Giles, he could be the Pirates' best everyday player, which says a lot about both him and them.

St. Louis: Tony La Russa wasn't always a Rickey fan, but he does have a forgiving streak in him. Plus, the Cardinals are a little thin in the outfield.

San Francisco: Dusty Baker would take him as a 25th guy in a heartbeat. Of course, this being Baker's walk year, Rickey won't necessarily have a lot of time to get there.

Tampa Bay: Only after he's gotten to the other 29.

Texas: The Rangers already have John Rocker and Carl Everett, and Tom Hicks doesn't mind spending the odd buck. Rich and open-minded? Rickey can't wait.

And after that, Japan. What, Rickey can't be a Nippon Ham Fighter? Where's your imagination?

Ray Ratto of the San Francisco Chronicle is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.