Eric Gagné shares his side of epic showdown with SF Giants legend

SF Giants legend Barry Bonds has countless memorable home runs he hit in a Giants uniform. One that is right up there with any of his milestone homers came during an epic showdown against Los Angeles Dodgers closer Eric Gagné in 2004.

This matchup pitted the best hitter in the game against arguably the best pitcher in the game. Gagné was the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner and Bonds had been named NL MVP the previous three seasons. It was two greats going at it at the height of their powers.

Gagné recalls epic showdown vs. Barry Bonds

It is worth it to watch the at-bat because you can see the chess match going on between the two legends. Bonds ripped a 2-2 inside pitch into McCovey Cove but it was well foul. Gagné knew he could not go back into the kitchen after that, so the next pitch was a fastball away that Bonds hit over the fence in center field for a home run.

Gagné recently spoke with FanSided about the at-bat and shared his recollection of it. He had nothing but love and respect for Bonds, calling him the greatest hitter of all time. "The fact that I was fortunate enough to face the greatest hitter of all time...You know I was on top of my craft and he was on top of the world."

Gagné also brought up the fact that Bonds did not like it when he threw him a curveball early in the at-bat which stemmed from a conversation they had had prior to the at-bat in which Bonds challenged him to only throw him fastballs and see who could come out on top.

Bonds discussed this in a recent sit-down recollection he did with Giants broadcaster Duane Kuiper where they went over Bonds' most memorable home runs.

Bonds told Kuiper that he told Gagné, "Quit throwing me that rinky dink curveball and all that other stuff. Come at me. You throw 104 miles per hour. Challenge me. Let's go: mano a mano."

Gagné certainly did come after Bonds as he threw a hard inside fastball that brushed Bonds off the plate early in the at-bat which earned him some stank eye, as Mike Krukow would call it, from the Home Run King.

Bonds says that after he pulled the inside fastball at 2-2 into the Cove, his father Bobby Bonds' advice played in his head and he knew the next pitch was going to be away. It was, and he did not miss it.

There is a fun addendum to the story as the next time Bonds and Gagné faced each other, Gagné intentionally walked him. Clearly, getting burned once was enough for the dominant closer.

The at-bat was what baseball is all about. Two guys at their peak with incredible velocity and unlimited power going to-to-toe and playing a chess match. The fact that it was Giants-Dodgers makes it even more memorable.

It is cool to hear both players look back on the at-bat fondly all these years later which shows they had the utmost respect for one another even though they were rivals.

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