Making Contact: A-OK

Yahoo! Sports' MLB analyst Ryne Sandberg steps to the plate every week to respond to readers' emails.

To be considered for next week's "Making Contact" column, be sure to include your first and last names as well as your city and state.

Ryne's comments are in italics.

RICKEY HENDERSON ("4-for-4: Barry, Rickey and the Rocket," May 10, 2005)

Hey, what's wrong with playing the game you love, regardless of level? How many NBA retirees are playing in city leagues? So Ricky makes a few coins along the way. More power to him. In this day and age, when the dollar rules and allegiances are fleeting, it's great to see a guy playing because he likes to play. Cooperstown will wait. Have fun in the meantime, Rickey!

Mark Van Saun
Keene, N.H.

I doubt anyone will ever profess to truly understanding Ricky Henderson, but this may be a relatively pure example of someone who really just loves to play baseball. It has been the focus of his entire adult life. He is still fit and still competitive at the level he is aspiring to play. His motivation may just be to play.

Mark Dixon
Old Lyme, Conn.

I find your comments on Rickey Henderson extremely offensive. He is helping himself by continuing to play baseball. It's the game he loves and the only "work" he's ever known. What does the Hall of Fame have to do with anything? How can anyone question Rickey's decision to continue to play? They'll be plenty of time for HOF glorification after Rickey has shuffled off this mortal coil. For now, let him continue to excel at what he does best – without question.

Daniel Harris
Yarmouth, Maine

I mentioned about how guys will play until teams have to rip the jersey off their backs. That is exactly the love of the game I'm talking about. But I don't understanding Rickey having to go to the minor leagues all over again. It was tough enough the first time around.

I believe Rickey should hang them up, but if he isn't going to play at the highest level, I believe he isn't doing all this for himself. I read an article on him a year or two ago that showed his passion for the game and his desire and willingness to show young ballplayers how to succeed in the business. You have to applaud him in his efforts, right? How many guys are out there today looking to help others? I admire his drive and think he should continue doing what he does. Who knows? Maybe he will foster the next Rickey Henderson somewhere down in the minor leagues. God Bless him.

Scott Meushaw
Baltimore, Md.

Hey, I'm all for Ricky Henderson returning to baseball. What does he have to prove? Nothing, but he is still a great athlete and deserves to play. I hope to see more ballplayers in humans have come in the past 100 years when men can still play pro sports nearly 50 years old.

Tom Sellick III
St. Clair Shores, Mich.

I'm sure you've received a thousand corrections on this, but Rickey is not in fact delaying his Hall of Fame election by playing Class A ball in San Diego. From the Hall of Fame official Web site: "Player shall have ceased to be an active player in the Major Leagues at least five (5) calendar years preceding the election but may be otherwise connected with baseball." So as long as he's not getting the call by a MLB team, his five-year clock remains ticking.

Greg C.
Norfolk, Mass.

I stand corrected on that. Thanks for clarifying. But Rickey has said that he's hoping to get another shot with another major league team. So if he does play one game in the majors this year, that sets him back another five years on the Hall of Fame ballot. That was my point.

DODGER CONSPIRACY?

Why all the love for San Diego, San Francisco and Arizona in the NL West? Sure, they have a chance to win the division, but most analysts think it's a foregone conclusion all these teams are better than the Los Angeles Dodgers. I'm not sure what teams they're watching, though. The Padres have two good starters and a terrible defense and they can't hit in Petco. San Francisco has awful pitching and age and injury concerns. Arizona has a mediocre offense and a shaky bullpen. … Most analysts are quick to point out all the flaws the Dodgers have, but seem quite willing to overlook or minimize the flaws of the other teams in the division, let alone the league.

Scott Yager
Boston, Mass.

Surprise, surprise! Ryne once again takes an opportunity to take a shot at the Dodgers, saying they are the team in the NL that can easily be caught. In fact, every team in both leagues can be caught. … I'm just trying to figure out why, when Ryne gets a chance to take a shot at a team, the Dodgers are always first on his list.

Mike Street
Adelaide, Australia

Arizona is only percentage points behind the Dodgers and San Diego has climbed within 1½ games. The Giants have a veteran team and established themselves as winners the last few years, so it's hard to count them out. All in all, I tip my hat to what the Dodgers have done thus far. I once again have high praise for the job that manager Jim Tracy does with that team on a daily basis.

MILWAUKEE'S BEST

I grew up a Milwaukee Brewers fan and, for the first time, I am sort of excited about the team. Do they have a chance to reach the playoffs or is this just another fast-start tease from the crew?

Zachary Johnson
Madison, Wis.

I don't see how they can make the playoffs. If they make the playoffs, it would be as a wild card because I don't see them catching the Cardinals in the NL Central. But the NL West is going to be competitive and the NL East will be tough, too. The most important thing is that some young players are getting good playing time in Milwaukee. Who knows? After one more offseason and some nice pickups, they could be knocking on the door next year.

How is it that the Brewers go on a seven-game winning streak and get almost no attention, but when the New York Yankees go on a three-game win streak, it's a big deal. The Brewers have a reputation for being a sub-par team, so you would think that when they have some success they would get some attention.

Sina Almassi
Brookfield, Wis.

I mentioned the Brewers as the team "on the rise" in this week's rankings.

RANKINGS RANTS ("Power Numbers: National pride," May 9, 2005)

How about a little love for the San Diego Padres? Sure, they were thrashed by the Cardinals on Sunday, but that was the only game they lost in a four-game set … in St. Louis. You have St. Louis ranked No. 2. Any other team that comes onto the Cardinals' ballpark and takes three out of four from them ought to at least be considered "on the rise."

Dan Lyddy
Lafayette, Calif.

In regards to the team "on the rise" in your latest rankings: I know San Diego will forever be a thorn in your postseason career, but they had won six of seven games to move to three games above .500 for the first time all season (which included taking three of four from St. Louis at Busch Stadium). It kind of makes a mockery of your take on Milwaukee being the team "on the rise" with the Brewers' mediocre "climb back to .500." Incidentally, San Diego is playing in arguably the toughest NL division and is now threatening L.A. for first place. Just a thought.

Jason Payne
Los Angeles, Calif.

All along, I've picked the Padres as one of the teams to fight for the NL West title. But they did get off to a slow start and are just now beginning to play better baseball. They will certainly be challenged by the Marlins this weekend. As for my playoff past with the Padres: In 1984, the Padres did spoil my dreams of going to a World Series, but even so, the last six years I've teamed up with Steve Garvey on a roving softball team. Occasionally, I'll give him a bad throw at first base, though. I'll even throw one in the dirt on purpose.

I do not understand how you can put the Baltimore Orioles in this week's four spot behind the Cardinals and Dodgers. Over their previous 10 games, the Cardinals were 5-5 and the Dodgers were 6-4, but the O's remained 7-3 and 3-1 without Sammy Sosa (through Monday night's games). Plus over the past week the O's became the second team to reach 20 wins. I think that you being a former Cub must have given you some National League bias to pass up the O's for the Cards and Dodgers. Could you please explain your logic to me?

Tony Scott
Pearland, Texas

My logic is that I picked the Cardinals to win the competitive NL Central. I also picked the Yankees, followed by Boston, in the AL East. With that in mind, I have been surprised by Baltimore's play up to this point. It makes me wonder if they can keep it up. But I sure do like the offensive pop they bring to the ballpark every day.

ASK RYNE

When you were playing in the field during long, warm, drowsy days or cold, biting nights, did you have tricks, or devices, you used to keep your concentration up? Was it difficult to keep your attention centered on the game?

Jamie Reynolds
Fairfax, Calif.

I learned early in the minor leagues that, while on defense, you have to anticipate the ball coming to you on every pitch. So I was always ready to move. I was able to see the swing and follow the flight of the ball. That allowed me to get good jumps on the ball and not be surprised if a ball was hit to me – regardless of the conditions. I felt that, anytime I relaxed on a baseball field, the ball would find me and eat me up and cause me to have an error or make a mistake. At Candlestick Park, one of the most miserable places to play in the summer because of the cold temperatures, I hit .370. I was able to block out the conditions and I knew that the infielders were miserable out there. I got a lot of hits with that strategy.

CUBS CORNER

I'm really curious to know which teammates you admired the most (both on the field and off) during your Chicago Cubs career. Who had the most influence shaping you into the player you became?

Frank Panganiban
Glendale Heights, Ill.

When I was a rookie, Larry Bowa, who played next to me at shortstop, kind of took me under his wing and showed me the ropes in 1982. He also showed me how to have a good pregame routine, which I maintained my whole career, by taking ground balls and making all the throws. Andre Dawson was a player I admired as a teammate and as an opponent. He was an every-day performer with all the tools and he was a first-class gentleman on top of it. His 1987 MVP year was the best year I ever saw from one of my teammates.

I don't have a question, but I just wanted to say "Thanks." My family and I drove 11 hours from the Mississippi gulf coast to St. Louis to see you in late April at the Tri-Star show. You had, by far, the best attitude of the players and ex-players we saw and seemed appreciative, which was not a common quality that weekend. … Instead of watching cartoons after school like normal kids, I grew up watching you, Andre Dawson and Shawon Dunston play day games. It remains one of my favorite childhood memories. I just wanted to write and say thank you.

Kevin Ford
Ocean Springs, Miss.

I appreciate your comments. I do enjoy being among the fans reminiscing about my years with the Cubs. I realize that there are Cubs fans from all parts of the country and it's nice to run into them and talk a little baseball.