Henderson for Hire? Jason Michael Barker

Who needs a lead-off man? One Mr. Rickey Henderson might be available in the coming days if published reports that the Mets placed him on unconditional waivers Monday are true. Keep in mind that the report comes from that cranky old Bostonian of the four-lettered network, however, plus the fact that Henderson was in the Mets' starting line-up on Tuesday night.

All over the country Tuesday, fans argued whether their favorite team should pick up Henderson if he comes available. I know first hand that it happened here in Seattle both over email and sports radio, and it happened in various baseball Usenet groups on the Internet as well.

On one hand, you've got the greatest lead-off man of all-time -- a guy who draws walks, gets on base, steals bases, scores runs. On the other, you've got a 41-year old player with diminishing skills who played cards in the clubhouse during Game Six of the NCLS last season and who has been regarded as a "clubhouse cancer" for years now.

There don't appear to be any fans on the proverbial fence when it comes to Henderson, at least not that I've heard -- either you love him and want him on your team, or you think he's the devil incarnate and want him nowhere near it.

I've written about Henderson twice in the past couple months, both in comparing him to Tim Raines (another player I think should be in the Hall of Fame when his time comes) and mentioning him along with Barry Bonds as two players who have been underappreciated throughout their careers. As such, I won't cover the merits of having Henderson on your team in this space.

What I will say, however, is that if some team gives Henderson a shot and can keep him happy -- by playing him regularly, batting him at the top of the order and not constantly pulling him for a defensive replacement -- I expect that team will be rewarded with a productive player for the remainder of the year.

Getting back to the transaction side of the Henderson story for a minute... even if the reports are true and he has indeed been placed on waivers by the Mets, there's no guarantee he'll wind up with your team. Here's a quick look at what has to happen before Henderson is actually available.

Assuming he was placed on waivers Monday, Henderson's waivers will expire Wednesday at 2 p.m. Eastern Time according to published reports. Until that time, any team can claim him for a $20,000 price tag plus his $2M salary, with National League teams getting preference over American League clubs and teams with worse records having the advantage over clubs with better records. If Henderson is claimed, the Mets can always pull him back from waivers and either keep him or try to work out a deal with the claiming club.

If every team in baseball passes on Henderson, the Mets can then place him on "release waivers," at which time other teams can claim him for just $1. The rules giving National League teams and teams with worse records still apply. If every team passes again, the Mets can then simply release Henderson, making him a free agent.

At that point he'd be free to sign with any team in baseball, and believe you me, there are more than a few clubs that could use his services at the top of their line-up. An American League team might make the most sense, as Henderson could split time between left field and designated hitter to reduce the wear and tear on his body. The Yankees could be a good fit in that regard.

And there are others as well. The Mariners have been looking for a lead-off man for years. Texas has an injured outfield corps and could use someone at the top of their order as well. Perhaps Detroit GM Brian Smith will see Henderson as a last ditch effort to save his job (and possibly Juan Gonzalez). The Dodgers desperately need an improvement over Todd Hollandsworth and Mark Grudzielanek at the top of the lineup.

Where will Rickey land? Who knows. I don't think he's ready to hang it up yet, however, because he's closing in on the all-time lead in both runs scored at walks -- another season or two could put him over the top.

about the author

Jason Michael Barker still remembers that fateful day when he was caught playing "Go Fish" in the dugout at a Little League game. Tell him how he could have turned that skill into a major league contract at jmb@strikethree.com.