If Keith Hernandez has his way, he’ll be back on SNY for years to come.
The longtime Mets analyst and franchise icon is currently without a contract after finishing his 20th season in the booth with Gary Cohen and Ron Darling.
“Well, we haven’t begun negotiations, but we will,” Hernandez revealed to The Post’s Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman on “The Show” podcast. “And I am not ready to retire. If I do another three years, they’ve always been three-year deals, and then the three-year deal will take me to 75. I just turned 72 and I’m ready to do another three.”
That’s good news for fans of what many consider to be the best booth in the business.
Hernandez came aboard with SNY in 2006 after working Mets broadcasts for MSG and has won three Emmys (2009, 2012 and 2015) for his efforts.
His colorful analysis, emphasis on the “fundies” and willingness to talk about off-the-field things have endeared him to fans throughout the years.
Of course, his pop culture status — thanks, “Seinfeld” — have only cemented his standing among baseball fans.
The San Francisco native played 17 major league seasons, 10 with the Cardinals before coming to Queens in a 1983 trade. A sure-handed first baseman — he won 11 Gold Gloves to with two Silver Sluggers and five All-Star appearances — he won the 1979 NL MVP and was a member of the fabled 1986 World Series-winning Amazin’s squad.
Should he get his wish and return to the SNY booth, he also knows what he wants to see when its time to get back on the field.
“This team is kind of fun to watch. We’ll see,” he said. “And it’s going to be curious to see what transforms in the off season, what they do to what moves — I think they’re going to make some moves, I think some people are going to get traded. It would be nice to get a No. 1 starter, but where are you going to find that? If you’re going to go for [Tarik] Skubal, it’s going to cost you a arm and a leg. I always say pitching is the name of the game.
