"I gotta tell you the story because George isn't here anymore so I can tell the truth, right. I would've been the Yankees, but Steinbrenner got on the phone and he called us, and he told me, 'Barry, we're 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,' and I said, 'Excuse me?' and I just hung the phone up."
"While my agent was incredulous, the Giants called shortly afterward to offer me the deal I'd ultimately take - a $43.75 million contract over six years - and the rest was history."
"The one part that hadn't been mentioned before was that it was Steinbrenner who set it. George isn't here anymore, but I tell people the true story."
Barry Bonds recounted his free agency experience in 1993, revealing that he almost signed with the Yankees. He stated that George Steinbrenner set a strict deadline for signing. Bonds hung up the phone after hearing the deadline, and shortly after, the Giants offered him a lucrative contract. This story, previously told without mentioning Steinbrenner's role, raises questions about why Bonds waited years to disclose this detail. The narrative adds intrigue to Bonds' decision-making process during a pivotal moment in his career.
Read at SFGATE
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