It seems baseball is an addiction that Rickey Henderson just can't shake.Henderson's latest comeback isn't as a player, thank goodness, but as the New York Mets' hitting coach.
The rise in the ranks has come quickly for Henderson, who was hired June 20 as a special instructor to tutor Jose Reyes on the art of baserunning.
The decision makes sense on some levels. The Mets have struggled lately, and the presiding sentiment in baseball management seems to be if it looks like it's broken, we'd better fire someone. In this case, previous hitting coach Rick Down was the victim.
Hiring Henderson was the easy choice given his recent work with Reyes, who is without a doubt the cornerstone of the franchise. Also, Henderson played briefly for the Mets (come to think of it, who didn't he play for at one time or another?) in 2000 and for several years with the Yankees, so he is familiar with the New York scene.
On the other hand, Henderson was a certain type of hitter, and he might have a difficult time relating to and critiquing players such as David Wright, Carlos Delgado, and Carlos Beltran. For that reason, my choice would have been former Dodgers' hitting coach, Eddie Murray, who also played for the Mets during his career.
Unfortunately, Omar Minaya didn't consult me before hiring Henderson.
Time will tell if hiring the Man of Steal was the right decision. In the end, I think he'll turn out alright. Baseball is in Rickey's blood, and enthusiasm and a love for the game are key ingredients to success.
One other benefit to signing Henderson: should Reyes go down, the Mets may not have to look far to find a replacement leadoff hitter and base stealing threat. "Put me in, coach!"
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