| |  | |
| Henderson |
PEORIA, Ariz. – The San Diego Padres tweaked their offer to
Rickey Henderson, bumping his base pay by $50,000 to $300,000 if he
makes the big league club.
Henderson, 42, accepted the minor league deal on Monday. The
career stolen base leader must still play his way onto the roster,
and if he does, he'll earn $100,000 more than the major league
minimum.
|
Rickey: A's failed me
|
|
Rickey Henderson on Sunday expressed his disappointment with A's general manager Billy Beane for giving him the cold shoulder in his comeback bid, the Sacramento Bee reported.
"I wrote Billy a letter, and he didn't respond," Henderson told the newspaper during the Padres' 9-8 exhibition win over the Giants. "That hurt. I left word with the A's, but they didn't get back.
"It was a surprise to me. I just wanted an opportunty. Inviting you to camp is better than not saying anything. Whatever happens, I'm a happy man. They're giving me a chance."
Henderson has played for seven teams in a 22-season career that has included four stops in Oakland.
Henderson, 42, is so disappointed by the A's snub, baseball's career stolen-base king hasn't ruled out entering the Hall of Fame in a Padres cap when the inevitable time comes.
"Right now, there's no saying what I'd do," Henderson said.
|
"This deal shows how much Rickey Henderson wants to play
baseball," general manager Kevin Towers said Tuesday, Henderson's
first full day with the club. "It's not about money. It's about
the opportunity to play."
Henderson spent three hours working out at the team's complex
Monday, which was a day off for the rest of the team.
The Padres had offered Henderson $250,000, without incentives.
The contract did include the Padres' standard package for awards
such as making the All-Star team or winning Gold Glove or Silver
Slugger awards.
The deal originally called for Henderson to make $100,000 if he
was named comeback player of the year, but the Padres reduced that
bonus to $50,000 and increased his base pay by $50,000.
On Nov. 2, the Mariners declined Henderson's $3.01 million
option, instead giving him a $260,000 buyout.
Henderson, considered the greatest leadoff hitter in baseball
history, needs three walks to break Babe Ruth's record of 2,062 and
68 runs to break Ty Cobb's record of 2,245.
He also needs 86 hits to become the 25th player in baseball
history to reach 3,000.
The Padres envision Henderson as a backup outfielder or
pinch-hitter, but certainly aren't ruling out a starting spot.
"Rickey understands what his role would be if he makes the
club," Towers said. "His great passion for the game and
experience can only be a plus."
Henderson has played 22 seasons with the Athletics, Yankees,
Blue Jays, Padres, Angels, Mets and Mariners.
He's played 2,856 games, hit .282 with 282 home runs, 1,052 RBI
and 1,370 stolen bases.
Last year, he hit .233 with four homers, 32 RBI and 36 steals
in 123 games for the Mets and Mariners.
He leads all active players in seasons played and trails only Cal Ripken Jr. among active players in games played and at-bats.
Only new teammate Tony Gwynn and Ripken have more hits among active
players.
Although Gwynn knows he will be yanked in the late innings of
games to protect his surgically repaired left knee, he could
benefit from the signing of Henderson.
With Henderson on the bench instead of the recently released
Ruben Rivera, the Padres' outfield would gain little from
late-inning defensive changes.
Gwynn said he doesn't have a problem with plans to rest him.
"Being productive is what changes the table a little bit," he
said Tuesday before going 2-for-3 as the designated hitter in a 3-1 win
over the Chicago White Sox at Tucson. "If you're in there and
you're productive, then they have to keep you in there. And if
you're not, that makes it easier for them to sit you. I'm sure
Rickey's coming in thinking the same way."
In his last four games, Gwynn, 40, is 6-for-10 with a home run.
Overall, he is 11-for-23 this spring, a robust .478.
While Gwynn remains a great contact hitter, he knows Henderson
has a wider variety of tricks.
"That's what you do as you get older; you try to find other
ways," Gwynn said. "For him, it's a lot easier to take that walk,
get on base, cause some havoc, work the pitchers to give the guy
hitting good pitches to hit. He can still steal a bag, score some
runs.
"For me, it comes with the lumber. It's like riding a wave. If
you've got something that works, you've got to ride it. I don't
know what the playing time is going to be, but whatever it is, I'm
going to be ambitious."
Regardless of their approach, Gwynn cautions doubters not to
bury him or Henderson just yet.
"People are writing us off already," Gwynn said. "That's
fine. That's part of the challenge. If people think you can't do
something, or in our case can't do it anymore, then we've got to
prove them wrong. There's only one way to do that." Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories | |
ALSO SEE
Ratto: Have glove, will travel
|
