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The New York Yankees fared pretty well in the 1990s, but they actually could have been even better.
That’s because, according to MLB’s home run king Barry Bonds, he almost wound up in the Bronx.
However, owner George Steinbrenner, known for his rather rash decisions, gave Bonds an ultimatum that turned him off.
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San Francisco Giants’ Barry Bonds points skyward as he crosses home plate after hitting a three-run homer during the first inning of game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. (James Keivom/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
“George isn’t here anymore, so I can tell the truth, right? I would’ve been with the Yankees, but Steinbrenner got on the phone and called us and told me, ‘Barry, we’re going to give you the money — the highest-paid player at that time — but you got to sign the contract by 2 o’clock this afternoon,” Bonds said on the Netflix broadcast. “And I said, ‘Excuse me?!’ And I just hung the phone up.
“And I went to go get 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.’ By the time I walked down the street to go get lunch, I said, ‘Let me just think about this.’ The Giants called me, and I said, ‘I’m going 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.
San Francisco Giants Barry Bonds talking to New York Yankees Derek Jeter while on base during game AT&T Field in San Francisco, California. (Brad Mangin/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
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Bonds was fresh off his second MVP in three years, cementing himself as the game’s best player, all while Steinbrenner was suspended from Major League Baseball and was unable to run the day-to-day operations (he was still giving the paychecks, and his suspension was lifted the following March).
Despite Bonds heading 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 other moves by 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 as Bonds’ three-run homer sails into the stands during the first inning of game at Yankee Stadium. (James Keivom/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
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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 were unable to bring back another title until 2009.
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