MLB

RICKEY TO BIG LEAGUE GMS: DON’T LOSE MY NUMBER

YES, he’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but Rickey Henderson is not done.

If some major league team calls, Rickey still wants to play, be it with the A’s or anybody, one day, one week, one season, whatever; his door is wide open. Rickey is still for hire. Now he just comes with a bronze Hall of Fame plaque.

Henderson and Jim Rice were at a press conference at the Waldorf-Astoria yesterday, the two newest Hall of Famers. After saying he was retired, Rickey went on to add, “but if a club came out and said they needed a left fielder, they needed a guy to get on base and steal a few bases, they can always ring my phone and I’ll come on down and help their ballclub, that’s how much I love the game.”

Rickey at the age of 50 is still the Man of Steal, and if given the opportunity, he incredibly said he would lead the majors in stolen bases.

“I believe today, and people say I’m crazy, but if you gave me as many at-bats that you would give the runners out there today, I would out-steal every last one of them,” Henderson said with typical bravado.

Rickey got specific, noting, “I can go out and steal as many bases as [Jose] Reyes steals.” Reyes stole 56 bases last year.

“I might have lost a step or two, but I learned a step or two in knowledge that I can pick a pitch and walk to second base,” Henderson said.

Satchel Paige pitched in the majors when he was 59. Rickey’s just a kid.

Henderson said he would love to play in the World Baseball Classic for Team USA. If Bernie Williams can come back, why not Rickey?

“What is [the WBC], wrestling?” Rickey said when asked if he would like to play in the WBC. Told it was the World Baseball Classic and games will be played in March, Rickey said, “Can I get in?”

If it were up to me, Rickey, he’d be batting leadoff, but Bob Watson, who is in charge of the team, said, “We’re taking active players. We hope nothing but the best for Rickey, but he’s going to have to sit this one out.”

Jim Palmer tried a comeback in 1991 after entering the Hall in 1990. It didn’t work out and Palmer went back to broadcasting and selling underwear.

Rickey is still selling himself. If he can’t play, he would love to coach. He would love to come back to work for the Mets and have one more run at Reyes, and not just at the card table. The game’s all-time greatest base-stealer said he could lift Reyes to the magical 100-steal mark.

“I would love to work with Reyes, because I think that he is a threat,” Rickey said. “Jose is a base-runner; he is not a base-stealer. He can run and steal a base; the next thing is learning when to get a great jump, what you see off a pitcher to get a good jump. The biggest thing I tried to pass to Reyes was not to be afraid.”

Rickey put fear into the pitcher and got that jump 1,406 times. Omar Minaya was at the press conference to honor Rickey. Minaya said Henderson was a lot smarter player than given credit for.

“When I think of exciting players, I think of Willie Mays and I think of Rickey. Rickey is a winner,” Minaya said.

Noted Rickey, “I don’t think I ever got proper credit about being smart about the game.”

And if Henderson were in his prime today, “I don’t think they could pay me what I’d be worth,” he said. “I did so many things that made me a threat. I played the game because I loved the game.”

He’d still love to play if only some team would call.

kevin.kernan@nypost.com