How close was Barry Bonds to calling Yankee Stadium home?
Well, according to MLB's all-time home run leader, closer than you might think.
As the San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees opened the MLB season on Wednesday night, Bonds joined the Netflix broadcast booth to break down half an inning of the action. But as the conversation strayed to Bonds' free-agent process back in 1992, which saw him sign with the Giants, the seven-time MVP dropped some news that fans in the Bronx likely would have preferred remained a secret.
"I got to tell you a story, because George (Steinbrenner) isn't here anymore, so I can tell the truth," Bonds began.
"I would have been a Yankee, but Steinbrenner got on the phone, and he called us, and he told me, 'Barry, we're going to give you the money, (make you) the highest-paid player... but you have to sign the contract by two o'clock this afternoon.'"
Bonds, who was coming off a 34-homer, MVP campaign for the Pittsburgh Pirates, was caught off guard by the request from the then-Yankees owner.
"I said, 'excuse me?' and I just hung the phone up," Bonds shared.
The rest is history, as Bonds ultimately signed a record six-year, $43.75-million deal with the Giants before spending the next 15 seasons of his career on the West Coast.
"By the time I walked down the street to get lunch (after Steinbrenner's call), I said, 'let me just think about this,' Bonds continued. "(Then) the Giants called me, and I said, 'I'm going home.''"
Of course, things turned all right for Bonds in his home state with the Giants, racking up 586 homers and five more MVPs — although his career accomplishments will forever be muddied by his connection to the use of anabolic steroids.
The idea, however, of Bonds getting to spend the back half of his career in pinstripes, with the short porch in right field beckoning for his lefty swing, would have been terrifying for fans across baseball. Bonds ultimately broke Hank Aaron's all-time home run mark in 2007 and finished his career with 762 big flies — a record that may prove to be untouchable.
As far as sliding doors moments go, Bonds' call with Steinbrenner might be one of the most fascinating "what ifs?" in MLB history.
