Pittsburgh to San Francisco for Barry Bonds

The Pirates took Barry with the sixth overall pick in the 1985 draft. Some front offices weren’t sure about his attitude, but Pittsburgh gambled on production. By 1986, he was in the show. It didn’t take long. Barry Bonds had bat speed you can’t teach, a swing path that knew the laws of physics better than your high school teacher, and a base-stealing instinct like a bank robber who always knew when the guard looked away.

He started off as a leadoff hitter with power, a rare breed. He’d steal 40 bags, hit 20 homers, take his walks, and play Gold Glove defense in left. From 1990 to 1992, Bonds won two MVPs in Pittsburgh and was arguably the most complete player in the game. But his contract was up, and the Giants – his hometown team – offered both the check and the legacy. He came home.

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📷 eric molina from New York City, United States, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons