Willie McCovey says Barry Bonds is the greatest hitter he's ever seen

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Willie McCovey is a first-ballot Hall of Fame first baseman. The Giants legend bashed 521 home runs and won the 1969 National League MVP. 

Not only was he an all-time great, McCovey played with and against some of the greatest to ever grab a batter. McCovey was teammates with Willie Mays and played against legends such as Stan Musial, Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron and many more.

None of the above was the greatest hitter McCovey has ever seen. 

"He is the best. Barry [Bonds] is the best," McCovey said Wednesday on KNBR

Bonds is the all-time (762) and single-season (73) home run leader but McCovey turned to his mental side when asked what made his so great, first turning to his vision, which was just one part of what helped Bonds become the all-time leader in walks at 2,558.

"Well I guess his knowledge of the strike zone," McCovey said. "He hit left handers as good as he hit right handers, and there was no pitcher that I saw that gave him problems. I don't care how good of hitter you is, there's always some pitcher that's gonna give you problems. 

"Barry, I don't know of any pitcher that gave him problems." 

For his career, Bonds hit .303 with 535 home runs against right-handed pitchers (6,496 at-bats) and .289 with 227 home runs vs. left-handed pitchers (3,351 at-bats.) The two pitchers Bonds faced the most in his career at-bats wise are Greg Maddux (right-handed) and Tom Glavine (left-handed). Bonds batted .265 with nine home runs in 132 at-bats against Maddux and .309 with five home runs off of Glavine in 97 at-bats. 

Both pitchers have been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

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