10 Questions

Henderson on longevity, stealing bases, and being Rickey

Rickey Henderson broke into the major leagues in 1979. AP

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Just when you think Rickey Henderson is finally done, Rickey pops up again. He's back in spring training again, at age 43, this time around with the Boston Red Sox. This marks the start of the 24th season in the big leagues for the all-time leader in stolen bases, runs scored, walks and home runs by a leadoff batter, a man who reached 3,000 hits last season and is destined for the Hall of Fame. Rickey sat down with our John Donovan for 10 Questions.

Q: OK, Rickey, say someone comes up to you tomorrow and says "That's it, Rickey. That's enough. No more ball for you." What are you going to do?

RH: Go home. Relax. Play with my kids. Look, I don’t take this game as this is the only thing I do in life, or this is the only thing I want to do in my life. I enjoy the game, that's probably why I'm still playing. But when it's over with it's over with.

Q: You think you could still steal some bases when you're, I don't know, 52?

RH: I could. I know I could still do it right now. I still think I'm the best around. The kid that I said was the top dog if I got out of the game, Roger Cedeno? He could be a great basestealer. But most of the guys nowadays, it's about hitting home runs. The game has changed.

Q: So Cedeno is the guy who could be most like you?

RH: Yeah. He's dedicated himself to wanting to do that. When you want to steal bases, when you want to create something out there, you gotta give up something at the plate. If you're willing to do that, to be patient and not try to hit it out of the park, then you're going to have success out there. Not being patient up here [pointing to the plate] is not going to get you out there [first base] so you can have success.

Q: It's pretty clear no one's going to touch your stolen base record for a long, long time -- if ever. Does it bug you to see that a skill such as that has taken a backseat in the game these days?

RH: It don't hurt me. It don't hurt me at all. When I came in, nobody was stealing bases like that. So it's like baseball is going in a circle.

Q: How have you played for so long?

RH: I train myself to do it. I don't want to be achin'. When I get to achin' like I saw Tony Gwynn, and Cal [Ripken] with his back and all that, when I get that way, then I'm gone. But I've been blessed.

Q: You think people are finally starting to appreciate Rickey Henderson?

RH: I hope so. I don't think they have had as much as they maybe should. I don’t know why. I didn’t ever think I was a bad person. I really did nothing outside the game that made me some reckless kind of guy. I really don’t think the media got to know Rickey. I still don’t think they know me. Maybe it was me. At the beginning of my career, I was so dedicated to the game, so focused in the game, I didn’t let nothing interfere. I didn’t feel like I needed the media. I didn’t' feel like I needed to explain myself. But I never dogged no one. Maybe I didn't want to talk, but I never dogged no one…

Q: Considering some of your accomplishments, maybe you didn't need the media after all. What do you think?

RH: Well, as you get older, you learn that this is their job. No matter how I feel. But, yeah, I guess it didn't cost me.

Q: What's your relationship with the younger players?

RH: All the young kids love me so much, 'cause they know I can help. I'm not one off those guys that, "Hey, I'm big, I can't help you."

Q: Let's talk about the Rickey image. What about that famous incident with you playing cards in the clubhouse during the game while you were with the Mets?

RH: We played cards every day. The GM, Bobby Valentine and all them, when we were winning, they wanted us to play. They came around and watched us. It relaxed us. It was a good thing. But then we lost. I played my butt off for them. But they had something to say. They needed a scapegoat. But I don’t get upset. I don't understand it, but I don't get upset.

Q: People have always had the idea you're all full of yourself. You have to think it has something to do with the "Rickey" thing, don't you, always referring to yourself by your first name?

RH: People say you talk about yourself, to yourself. I tell them I remind myself. I can go out there and swing at a pitch, and instead of me saying "C'mon now, hit the ball," I say "C'mon, Rickey, get your ass in the game." That just carried over. I'm always saying Rickey do this and Rickey do that. The guys get a kick out of it. If my teammates get a kick out of it, if we're relaxed, that's good. I'm just having fun.

 

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