Mets Welcome Rickey Henderson

The New York Mets aren't shying away from the fact they signed a leadoff hitter who will be 40 next season. They're embracing it.

At a news conference Monday to welcome Rickey Henderson back to New York, the Mets wheeled out a birthday cake to celebrate his 40th birthday.

Henderson, whose birthday is Friday, blew out the candles with little effort and it won't take much more for one of baseball's greatest leadoff hitters ever to improve on the Mets dismal performance at the top of the lineup.

"He was 39 last season and led the AL in stolen bases," Mets general manager Steve Phillips said. "He works very hard to stay in shape and in the lineup."

Phillips filled the hole at the leadoff spot last week, signing Henderson to a $2.3 million, one-year deal with an option for 2000. Despite batting a career-low .236 last season for Oakland, Henderson led the AL with 118 walks and topped the majors in steals with 66, pushing his record career total to 1,297.

"You can say that you slow down with old age, but I still work hard, read pitchers and get good jumps," said Henderson, who played for the crosstown Yankees from 1985-1989. "Base stealing is about getting good jumps not about speed."

He led his league in both walks and steals for the fourth time, a feat accomplished by only three other players, none since 1925. Henderson scored 101 runs, had a .376 on-base percentage, hit 14 home runs and drove in 57 runs in his fourth stint with the Athletics.

Mets leadoff hitters batted .237 with a .321 on-base percentage and 15 steals last season. The team only stole 62 bases, four fewer than Henderson.

"He was one of the most dominating players I managed against," Mets manager Bobby Valentine said. "He might have los a step, but he still has the ability to disrupt minds, as well as defenses."

Henderson, wanted to stay close to home in Oakland, but the A's weren't willing to pay him. So he went looking for a team with a good lineup in hopes of reaching his final career goals -- setting baseball's career record for runs and walks.

He ranks sixth on the runs list with 2,014, with Ty Cobb leading at 2,245. The record is within reach -- trailing by 231 -- though he may have to play beyond this contract to get it.

Henderson is much closer to the walks record with a total of 1,890, third behind Ted Williams and leader Babe Ruth (2,056). With his tight crouch and good eye and knowledge of the strike zone, Henderson probably will need just two healthy seasons to add that record to his steals mark.

"That's why I keep going," Henderson said. "I want to go out and challenge Ty's and Babe Ruth's record. It makes you want to keep playing."

It also makes the Mets confident Henderson will keep himself in the physical shape he needs to be to reach those goals. One of the hardest working players in the off-season, Henderson still runs between four and five miles a day five days a week in the off-season.

"I'm glad we're the beneficiary of that passion," Phillips said. "It keeps him in excellent physical condition. We are looking forward to seeing him on top of both of those categories."

The Mets have been one of the majors' busiest teams in the off-season, spending $163.9 million to keep Mike Piazza, Al Leiter and Dennis Cook, and sign Henderson and Robin Ventura. They have also made two big trades, getting Bobby Bonilla and Armando Benitez and dealing away Todd Hundley and Mel Rojas.

"It's a better group of individuals, now we have to become a better team," Valentine said.

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