It was tough to win a head-to-head battle against 2004 Barry Bonds if the Giants slugger did not know what was coming (even if he strongly suspected he knew at all times). Imagine trying to outduel a tipped-off Bonds on the basis of pure stuff? That's what Dodgers closer Eric Gagne attempted to do on one summer night in 2004, and though he lived to tell the tale, he was forever changed (and bested).
Dodgers Way caught up with Gagne at the National Sports Collectors Convention over the weekend, and eased him into discussing this likely sore spot (aka, we ducked as the question was asked, like a closer tracking an absolute Bonds nuke).
Thankfully, Gagne was more than willing to share his side of the moment, which we now know was made all the more incredible by the backstory.
Coming off a Cy Young win (and at the outset of a highly impressive follow-up season), Gagne and Bonds brought a shared history — and a friendly wager — to the field when they faced off on this April night.
"We had a little bit of ... not a bet, but a wager on it, like, 'Hey, next time I face you, you're gonna throw a fastball'," Gagne revealed to Dodgers Way. "After the first couple pitches, he gave me a look after a curveball, and then we kind of went mano-a-mano after that."
Dodgers Cy Young closer Eric Gagne recalls friendly wager that fueled Barry Bonds showdown
If you hear Bonds tell it, he did more than just shoot Gagne a look — he deked him mid-at bat, following familial advice to yank a very, very hard foul to trick a confident pitcher into attempting to throw one on the outside part of the plate.
Bonds pulled off the final coup here, getting the best of Gagne when both players were at their absolute peaks.
"The fact that you're in the big leagues from Montreal, I never expected to be there," Gagne reflected. "And the fact that I was fortunate enough to face the greatest hitter of all time ... that was the best time I've ever had. I was on top of my craft, he was on top of the world."
