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The New York Yankees did pretty well in the 1990s, but they actually could have been even better.
That’s because, according to MLB home run king Barry Bonds, he almost ended up in the Bronx.
However, owner George Steinbrenner, known for his rather hasty decisions, gave Bonds an ultimatum that discouraged him.
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Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants points toward the sky as he crosses home plate after hitting a three-run home run during the first inning of the game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. (James Keivom/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
“George’s not here anymore, so I can tell the truth, right? He would have been with the Yankees, but Steinbrenner got on the phone, called us, and said, ‘Barry, we’re going to give you the money, the highest-paid player at the time, but you have to sign the contract at 2 in the afternoon,'” Bonds said on the Netflix broadcast. “And I said, ‘Excuse me?!’ And I just hung up the phone.
“And I went to lunch, and Dennis Gilbert, my agent, said, ‘Do you know what you just did?!’ I was like, ‘Did you know what he just said?!’ I just said, ‘Forget it.’ When I walked down the street to go to lunch, I said, ‘Let me think about this.’ The Giants called me and I said, ‘I’m going home.'”
So instead of the Bronx, Bonds headed to the Bay Area and went to the San Francisco Giants, still the highest-paid player in MLB history at the time.
Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants talking with Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees while on base during the AT&T Field game in San Francisco, California. (Brad Mangin/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
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Bonds had just earned his second MVP in three years, establishing himself as the game’s best player, all while Steinbrenner was suspended from Major League Baseball and unable to run day-to-day operations (he was still handing out paychecks and his suspension was lifted the following March).
Even though Bonds headed to San Francisco, the Yankees were still able to build their dynasty, as Gene Michael brought in the Core Four of Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte. Add Bernie Williams and Paul O’Neill to the mix, along with further moves by Bob Watson and Brian Cashman later, and you have four World Series titles in five years.
New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada and Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants watch as Bonds’ three-run home run hits the stands during the first inning of the game at Yankee Stadium. (James Keivom/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
New York perhaps could have used Bonds after the turn of the millennium, as he won four straight NL MVP awards, while the Yankees failed to regain another title until 2009.
