Howard Johnson Retires

Howard Johnson’s comeback attempt with the New York Mets came to an end Wednesday as the infielder announced his retirement.

Johnson, 36, met with General Manager Joe McIlvaine and Manager Bobby Valentine, and the team made clear Johnson wouldn’t make it as a player with the Mets this season. McIlvaine said he wouldn’t mind offering Johnson a coaching job.

Johnson signed a minor league contract Feb. 10 and hit .129 in 31 at-bats this spring with one home run and two RBIs.

After three seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Johnson played nine years with the Mets. He won World Series titles in both leagues, in 1984 with Detroit and in 1986 with New York. His 209 NL home runs are the most by a switch-hitter in league history.

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Rickey Henderson has tried to put on a good face about being squeezed out of San Diego’s outfield picture, but now he’s growing impatient that he hasn’t been traded.

“I’ve been going with the flow, but I’m getting tired of the flow now,� said Henderson, who probably will open the season as San Diego’s fourth outfielder.

Henderson, 38, figured he would have been traded by now.

“If I knew it was going to come to this, I probably would have been talking about it sooner,� he said. “I’m frustrated. I need to know what I’m going to do, where I’m going to be.�

The Padres have been unable to trade Henderson because of his salary.

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The Florida Marlins traded outfielder Joe Orsulak and right-handed reliever Dustin Hermanson to the Montreal Expos for utility man Cliff Floyd. Floyd, 24, was beaten out for a starting job by rookie Vladimir Guerrero. . . . Texas Ranger starting left fielder Rusty Greer will have his right shoulder reexamined by a team doctor after injuring it when he crashed into the outfield wall during a game Tuesday night.