Bonds to Harper: Try stealing bases after walks

1:18 PM ET

WASHINGTON — When pitchers were intentionally walking Barry Bonds more than anyone else in baseball history, his father had simple message for him.

“It’s your fault,” Bobby Bonds told his son. “You didn’t have to be this good.”

That’s what Barry Bonds thinks when he sees Bryce Harper getting so many free passes to first base. But he also believes the Washington Nationals outfielder and reigning National League MVP needs to diversity his game if opposing teams are going to take the bat out of his hands.

“He’s going to need to learn to steal bases and get to second base and make his teammates’ job easier,” Bonds recently told The Associated Press.

The Chicago Cubs walked Harper 13 times during a four-game series earlier this month, including four times intentionally, and he scored only three runs. Bonds, baseball’s intentional walk king, said too much was being made of Ryan Zimmerman’s struggles batting behind Harper as the Cubs swept the Nationals.

Teammates had bad series hitting behind Bonds, too, when he was intentionally walked. But Bonds remembers what he said to his children during his playing days.

Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis tags out Bryce Harper at second base on April 17. Eric Hartline/USA TODAY Sports

“My kids used to tell me, ‘Daddy, I’m sorry they walk you all the time,'” said Bonds, who led baseball in …

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