Pirates Legend Ranked Among Most Valuable Free Agents Ever
Much of the Pittsburgh Pirates' downfall can be tied to the departure of one player.
The Pirates had the best player in baseball, left-handed hitting outfielder and all-time home run leader Barry Bonds. But after seven seasons with Pittsburgh and being eliminated in three straight National League Championship Series', including losing two Game 7's, Bonds left in free agency after the 1992 season to sign with the San Francisco Giants.
With Bonds' play after signing with the Giants, ESPN's David Schoenfield ranked him as the third most valuable free agent of all time.
"Bonds, however, was the unquestioned best player when he hit free agency for the first time," Schoenfield writes. "He had been the NL MVP in 1990 and 1992 (and the runner-up in 1991, when he also should have won). With the Pirates in 1992, he hit .311/.456/.624 with 34 home runs, 39 stolen bases and a Gold Glove. And those numbers came before the offensive explosion that arrived in 1993-94. His three-year WAR clocks in as second best among the 59 players."
Bonds only trailed reigning Los Angeles Dodgers slugger and reigning National League MVP Shohei Ohtani and Alex Rodriguez when he signed with the Texas Rangers in 2000.
Bonds led baseball in WAR in his final three seasons in Pittsburgh and won two MVPs in 1990 and 1992 and was the runner-up to Atlanta Braves third baseman Terry Pendleton in 1991. The all-time leader in home runs also hit at least .290/.400/.500 with 25 home runs and 100 RBIs from 1990 to 1992.
Bonds went on to finish his Pirates tenure with 176 home runs, 556 RBIs and he slashed .275/.380/.503. He finished his career with 762 home runs and he's the all-time leader in walks with 2,558. The left-handed hitting slugger is also a seven-time MVP, 12-time Silver Slugger and 14-time All-Star.
After Bonds' departure, the Pirates missed the playoffs fo and finished under .500 in 20 straight seasons. To date, they've still only made the playoffs three times in the last 32 years after Bonds signed with the Giants.
