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The New York Yankees did pretty well in the 1990s, but they could have been even better.
Indeed, according to Barry Bonds, the king of MLB home runs, he almost ended up in the Bronx.
However, owner George Steinbrenner, known for his rather rash decisions, gave Bonds an ultimatum that put him off.
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Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants points to the sky as he crosses home plate after hitting a three-run homer in the first inning of the game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. (James Keivom/New York Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
“George’s not here anymore, so I can tell the truth, right? I would have been with the Yankees, but Steinbrenner got on the phone and called us and said, ‘Barry, we’re going to give you some money – the highest paid player at that time – but you have to sign the contract by 2 o’clock this afternoon,'” Bonds said on the Netflix show. “And I said, ‘Excuse me?!’ And I just hung up.
“And I went to lunch, and Dennis Gilbert, my agent, they were like, ‘Do you know what you just did?!’ I’m like, ‘Did you know what he just said?!’ I just said, “Forget it.” As I was walking down the street to go to lunch, I said, “Let me think about that.” “The Giants called me and I said, ‘I’m coming home.'”
So instead of the Bronx, Bonds headed to the Bay 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 talks to Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees while on base during the game at AT&T Field in San Francisco, California. (Brad Mangin/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
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Bonds had just won his second MVP in three years, cementing himself as the best player in the game, while Steinbrenner was suspended from Major League Baseball and unable to manage day-to-day operations (he was still delivering paychecks and his suspension was lifted the following March).
Despite Bonds’ departure for San Francisco, the Yankees were still able to build their dynasty, since Gene Michael called upon the Core Four consisting of Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte. Add Bernie Williams and Paul O’Neill to the mix, plus more moves from Bob Watson and Brian Cashman later, and you get four World Series titles in five years.
New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada and San Francisco Giants Barry Bonds watch Bonds’ three-run homer go into the stands during the first inning of the game at Yankee Stadium. (James Keivom/New York Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
New York perhaps could have used Bonds after the turn of the millennium, as he won four straight National League MVP awards while the Yankees couldn’t bring home another title until 2009.
