A’s Unsuccessful in Shopping Henderson : Baseball: A proposal to send disgruntled outfielder back to New York is turned down by the Yankees.

The New York Yankees Thursday rebuffed the Oakland Athletics’ attempt to send outfielder Rickey Henderson back to New York. The A’s, shopping Henderson around the American League, had hoped the Yankees might be interested because of Henderson’s former association with the team and principal owner George Steinbrenner.

However, as in the case of Jack Clark last week, Steinbrenner left the decision to general Manager Gene Michael. Michael cited Henderson’s contractual situation and the Yankees’ well-stocked outfield as reasons he dismissed the overture.

“I told them we’re not going to go that way,” Michael said. “We’d have to make a drastic move to do that. He’s good, but we’re talking about a player who’s in the last year of his contract. It’s going to be tough for a ballclub to consider him.”

Said Steinbrenner: “We’re pretty well set.”

The Yankees are satisfied with their outfield of Paul O’Neill, Bernie Williams and Danny Tartabull.

Henderson, who is unhappy about the A’s unwillingness to extend his four-year, $12-million contract beyond this year, asked that they negotiate with him or trade him. The A’s seem eager to accommodate his trade request but are not optimistic it can be done. Henderson hit .283 with 15 home runs and 48 stolen bases last season.

“We’re exploring the possibilities. But this is a process we’ve gone through before at his request. There has been little or no interest,” A’s General Manager Sandy Alderson said. “Obviously, most clubs, including our own, consider attitude as important as talent, and it’s obvious his attitude is getting in the way of his ability.”

Henderson had a few disputes with Yankees management, most notably in 1987, when Steinbrenner said Manager Lou Piniella believed Henderson was “jaking it.” But Steinbrenner, whose club traded Henderson to the A’s for Luis Polonia, Greg Cadaret and Eric Plunk -- none of whom are with the current Yankees -- said, “I never had a problem with Rickey Henderson. He gave me 100 percent. The time they said he was jaking it, we had him checked out, and he had a severe hamstring pull.”

The A’s hold repeater rights on Henderson, meaning they can offer him arbitration at year’s end. However, Alderson’s comments indicate they might not be inclined to do that, meaning he would become a free agent at year’s end.

The Yankees will announce in a news conference Saturday that Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson will join the front office, Steinbrenner said. Jackson will serve Steinbrenner as an adviser. “I think Reggie is a pretty good judge of players and people,” Steinbrenner said. “I’m not looking for Reggie as a public relations move. He’s got to be part of the decision-making process.” ...

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