New Mets hitting coach: "This is Rickey, calling on behalf of Rickey"

[Cornell Fiji]

Rickey Henderson was named the new Mets hitting coach.

Yes, that is the same Rickey Henderson who was playing poker in the clubhouse with Bobby Bonilla during the extra inning game 6 of the '99 NLCS.

Yes, that is the same Rickey Henderson who, while playing with the A's once asked teammate Billy Beane where he had been for the past month (he had been sent down and recalled a month later).

Yes, that is the same Rickey Henderson who, while playing for the Mets, referred to Steve Phillips as "yo, GM." On the radio today Steve said that he was confident that Ricky had no idea what his name was.

The Mets hired Rickey Henderson as their new hitting coach.

Yes, that is the same Rickey who, in June 1999, when Henderson was playing with the Mets, he saw reporters running around the clubhouse before a game. He asked a teammate what was going on and he was told that Tom Robson, the had just been fired. Henderson said, “Who’s he?”

Who was Tom Robinson?... The Mets hitting coach.


So lets hear it boys, what are some of your favorite Rickey Henderson stories?


edit: Spelling

[nutshot2]

My favorite was when he used to spell his name Rickey.

And when he almost fell down the opposing team's dugout steps while watching a homer and taunting them.

[Triumph36]

all Rickey Hendersons speaking through Rickey Henderson combining into one Rickey Henderson...

[TheNoodleMan]

The Olerud helmet story is so good that I don't even care that it isn't true.

[slothinator]

[ QUOTE ]
The Olerud helmet story is so good that I don't even care that it isn't true.

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you sure? It has to be true. Only Rickey Henderson could be that unobservant of his teammates.

My favorite Rickey quote, early 90's while in Oakland; "I could play harder if they paid me more money".

[Jeremy517]

[ QUOTE ]
Are you sure? It has to be true. Only Rickey Henderson could be that unobservant of his teammates.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe he's just covering, but Olerud says it never happened.

[Mike Gallo]

[ QUOTE ]
The Olerud helmet story is so good that I don't even care that it isn't true.

[/ QUOTE ]

The story went that a few weeks into Henderson’s stint with the Mariners, he walked up to Olerud at the batting cage and asked him why he wore a batting helmet in the field. Olerud explained that he had an aneurysm at nine years old and he wore the helmet for protection. Legend goes that Henderson said, “Yeah, I used to play with a guy that had the same thing.”
Legend also goes that Olerud said, “That was me, Rickey.”

Henderson played with Olerud on the Blue Jays and the Mets.

[Quadstriker]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The Olerud helmet story is so good that I don't even care that it isn't true.

[/ QUOTE ]

The story went that a few weeks into Henderson’s stint with the Mariners, he walked up to Olerud at the batting cage and asked him why he wore a batting helmet in the field. Olerud explained that he had an aneurysm at nine years old and he wore the helmet for protection. Legend goes that Henderson said, “Yeah, I used to play with a guy that had the same thing.”
Legend also goes that Olerud said, “That was me, Rickey.”

Henderson played with Olerud on the Blue Jays and the Mets.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm going to have to second the fact that this is so freaking awesome, I don't care if it's true.

This thread is gold.

[metsandfinsfan]

My favorite is when he taught jose reyes how to walk in spring training
or when he mentored roger cedeno into being a good ballplayer ... and when ricky left cedeno sucked
and when the mets hired him to be a coach so that players can learn how to play the game hard

[mo42nyy]

metsandfinsfan
youre 100 percent right
i never liked the guy when he was playing but his impact on cedeno was obvious
there have been a lot of guys faster than henderson who couldnt run the bases worth [censored]