Barry Bonds knows exactly what to expect when he steps into the box against the iconic Satchel Paige.
The former Yankees shortstop appeared on a panel during MLB’s pregame show Thursday night at Rickwood Field, along with baseball greats Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr., David Ortiz and Derek Jeter, who peppered Bonds with tough questions.
“Tell me right now, what would you do with Satchel Paige?” Jeter asked Bonds.
Bonds didn’t hesitate to tell Jeter he was going to do what he’d done 762 times in the major leagues.
“Me? Not anymore!” Bonds said, pointing to the sky. “You’ve lost your mind, Jeter. Not anymore! Read the story on ESPN.”
Griffey had other ideas.
“I’m drag-bunting,” he said with a laugh, “and we’re going to race first.”
Fox panelists spent much of the pregame show remembering Negro League greats, most notably Willie Mays, whose Birmingham Black Barons called Rickwood Field home during the 1948 season. Mays died Tuesday at age 93.
Bonds mourned the death of his godfather Mays in a social media post Tuesday night, saying he was “devastated” by Mays’ passing.
“I am devastated and overwhelmed with emotions,” Bonds wrote in an emotional post on Instagram. “Words cannot express what you mean to me. You have helped shape who I am today. Thank you for being my Godfather and always being there for me. To my Dad. [Bobby Bonds] Hugs for me.
“Rest in peace Willie. Love you forever. #SayHey”
Mays was honored at Rickwood before the Giants-Cardinals game, with fans chanting his name during an emotional ceremony.
The day before his death, Mays released a statement saying he was unable to travel to Alabama for the game due to health reasons.
“I look forward to going to Rickwood Field this week and being with you all and enjoying the field with my friends. Rickwood has always been a part of my life.”
