Arizona State legend Barry Bonds reflects on Yankees deal that never happened
Apr 20, 2007; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants left fielder Barry Bonds (25) smiles while walking back toward first base during the 1st inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at AT&T Park in San Francisco, CA. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports Copyright (c) 2007 Kyle Terada SAN FRANCISCO — Arizona State legend and one of baseball’s most accomplished figures, Barry Bonds, recently revealed how close he was to changing the trajectory of his career — and the sport’s history. June 29, 2007; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants left fielder Barry Bonds (25) hits his 750th career homerun off of Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Livan Hernandez (not pictured) during the 8th inning at AT&T Park in San Francisco, CA.
Bonds is six homeruns away from breaking the career homerun record set by Hank Aaron, 755. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports Copyright (c) 2007 Kyle Terada Speaking during the broadcast of the Opening Night game between the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants on Netflix, Bonds reflected on a moment early in his professional journey that could have taken him to the Big Apple. “I would’ve been a Yankee, but George Steinbrenner got on the phone and he called us, and he told me, ‘Barry, we are going to give you the money to make you the highest paid player at that time, but you have to sign the contract by 2 o’clock this afternoon,” Bonds said, according to the broadcast.
“And I said, ‘Excuse me? ,’ and I just hung the phone up. ” The revelation offers insight into the mindset that shaped Bonds early on — a player unwilling to be rushed, even when a franchise powerhouse was on the other end.
It also highlights the impact of timing and agency in contract negotiations for a young player emerging from a strong collegiate foundation, as he did at ASU. Bonds’ connection to Arizona runs deep, as he developed into a five-tool talent and built the discipline and confidence that would define his career in MLB. His early days in Tempe set the tone for a career that would include seven MVP awards and the all-time home run record.
Sept 24, 2007; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds (25) gives a couple pointers to a teammate during batting practice before the game against the San Diego Padres at AT&T Park in San Francisco, CA. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports During his time with ASU, Bonds earned Sporting News All-American honors in 1985, helped lead the program to two College World Series appearances, set a tournament record with seven consecutive hits, and was later inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame. It is his work with the Sun Devils that helped place the program on the national radar, as developing talent of his caliber is no easy task.