Angels Lose Out in Henderson’s Return to A’s

The debate continues over who won the Rickey Henderson Trade Wars--the New York Yankees, who dealt him, or the Oakland Athletics, who got him. Whatever the decision, I can name at least one sure loser in the deal: the Angels.

Hear that rumble? That was the balance of power shifting ever so decidedly toward the A’s this season. First, they sign free-agent pitcher Mike Moore to complete their starting rotation and then they acquire the puzzling but potent Henderson to complete their everyday boxscore. A’s Manager Tony LaRussa probably can’t wait to sharpen his pencil, considering that his lineup card could soon read: Rickey Henderson, Dave Henderson, Carney Lansford, Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, Dave Parker, Terry Steinbach, Tony Phillips and Mike Gallego.

Meanwhile, the Angels find themselves prisoners of an offense that depends too heavily on long balls and too little on speed or the ability to create runs. In the end, it will be their undoing.

Henderson, the prototypical leadoff man, could have changed that.

Despite vice president Mike Port’s reluctance to publicly say so, the Angels did propose a trade for Henderson. The pool of candidates probably included reliever Bryan Harvey, starters Mike Witt and Chuck Finley, outfielders Chili Davis and Dante Bichette, perhaps a minor league pitching prospect or two. Who knows the combination (Port, wisely, isn’t divulging that, either), but whatever it was, it wasn’t enough to better Oakland’s offer of relievers Eric Plunk, Greg Cadaret and outfielder Luis Polonia.

Consider the deal. The A’s provided the Yankees with what they needed most, pitching. And by adding Polonia, the Yankees got someone to probably fill Henderson’s spot at the top of the order.

In return, the A’s, who were pitching-rich to begin with, received the game’s premier leadoff hitter. Only 30, Henderson is capable of stealing 100 bases, hitting 20 homers, driving in 75 runs and playing a decent left field. As for the X-factor--the occasional Henderson Funk-a-thons--worry not. Henderson now finds himself with a manager who has a reputation of earning respect and consistent performances out of his players--stars and reserves, alike. He also finds himself in a clubhouse ruled by the no-nonsense Parker and Lansford. And count on this, too: the A’s will find a way to re-sign Henderson, who will be a free agent at the conclusion of the 1989 season.

Opinion is surprisingly mixed on the trade. Some scouts say Henderson is the ultimate head case, that the Yankees did well to trade him while they could. Others are less convinced, saying the A’s gave up very little to get very much.

Mark me down for Opinion No. 2. And in the margin, write, “Henderson all but guarantees the A’s another AL West title.”

This now makes the Angels oh-for-huge deals this year. They couldn’t persuade pitchers Nolan Ryan, Bruce Hurst or Moore to come to Anaheim, nor could they offer a suitable set of players to the Yankees for Henderson. Now then, who to blame?

In Ryan’s case, no one--he simply wanted to stay in Texas. In Hurst’s case, the legend (since revised) of Angel Manger Doug Rader and the past management techniques (also revised) of Port were considered the culprits. In Moore’s case, it was a matter of money.

But Henderson was different. Henderson could have been had and no team could have used him more than the Angels. Brian Downing and Claudell Washington are good, sometimes excellent hitters, but they’re not leadoff men. Henderson stole more bases last year than Downing has had during his entire 20-year professional career; more stolen bases in 1988 than Washington has had during his past five seasons. Remember, too, that Henderson’s steals often turn into runs--and isn’t that what the Angels have been lacking during their recent power outage?

Not that the Angels are in dire straits; they aren’t. After all, they’re only a few games behind the front-running A’s. Nor do you make a trade simply because a divisional opponent swapped players. But when someone such as Henderson, who can fill a glaring need in the Angel offense, becomes available, you do more than watch Plunk, Cadaret and Polonia seal a deal.

The Yankees most likely requested Harvey, maybe Witt or Finley, too, as well as an outfield prospect from the Angels--a stiff price, but, it seems, a fair one considering what Henderson can do in return. And nothing against Chili Davis, but with Henderson’s arrival, the Angels possibly could have used Davis to secure a top-flight closer. Also, Willie Fraser could have returned to the starting rotation on a trial basis.

Now we’ll never know because mum’s the word in the Angel front offices these days. The Angels tried for Henderson, but not enough to satisfy the desperate Yankees. Too bad. This is one trade the Angels are going to wish they had made.