Bonds offers advice to Harper after historic spike in walks

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Barry Bonds has been there and done that when it comes to team's being too feared of his bat to even let him get a swing in.

Even with all his historical numbers in taking his base, Bonds never had a game like Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper had recently. In a 4-3 loss vs the Cubs on Sunday, Harper was walked six times -- three of which came intentionally -- and was also hit by a pitch once.

Harper set a major league record reaching base seven times in one game without recording one official at-bat. 

“I’ve been walked plenty of times — three times in a game, four times in a game,” Bonds said to the Miami Herald. “But six times, that’s a lot.”

Bonds holds the record for career walks at 2,558 free passes and is also the leader with 688 intentional walks. To put those numbers in context, Albert Pujols is second all time with 297 intentional walks. 

How does the 23-year-old Harper deal with all the walks as the reigning NL MVP?

“He’s going to have to stay disciplined — a lot,” Bonds said

Cubs manager Joe Maddon used a bold strategy in staying completely away from Harper with his ace and NL Cy Young award winner Jake Arrieta on the hill. And it paid off. Nationals first base Ryan Zimmerman was slotted behind Harper in the lineup and went 1-for-7 on the day and left 14 men on base. 
 
"It can backfire on you. It’s the price you’re going to pay," Bonds said on Maddon's strategy. "They just got Zimmerman on a cold weekend. Doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to work all the time."
 
The Cubs walked Harper 13 times in their four-game sweep of the Nationals
 
Harper is currently hitting .260/.434/.620 with 10 home runs and has walked 32 times in 32 games played. He leads the league with nine intentional walks.
 

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