Bonds: Ortiz 'doesn't remind me of myself' at age 40

There are many things that David Ortiz and Barry Bonds have in common.

Both are left-handed hitters, both are members of the 500-home run club, and both had - or are having - notable and successful farewell seasons.

That's about where the similarities between the two icons end in the mind of Bonds, who's known as one of the best all-around players ever. Though he lauded Ortiz's career and his skills, Bonds - the only player in baseball history with at least 500 home runs and 500 stolen bases - doesn't see any of his old game while watching the retiring Boston Red Sox designated hitter.

"No, he doesn't remind me of myself," Bonds, the Miami Marlins' hitting coach, told Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald. "We're two different athletes. Way two different athletes. I had legs, I ran, I stole bases, I did different things on the field that - he was a bigger guy. You know we had different roles."

One role that Bonds and Ortiz now share is that of crafting a dominating season - or in the home run king's case, seasons - after the age of 40. While Big Papi is presumably done after this remarkable year, Bonds continued his productivity for a number of seasons after his 40th birthday, leading the National League in walks and on-base percentage in each of his final two campaigns.

While the 51-year-old is impressed by what Ortiz is doing in his final season - he's pacing the league in doubles, OBP, and slugging percentage entering Monday's action - Bonds is hardly shocked by it.

"David Ortiz has been a great hitter for a long time," Bonds said. "Nothing changes between now and then. He's just 40, or whatever how old he is.

"I did it at 40. (Willie) Mays did it at 40. A lot of players did it at 40."

ELDER STATESMAN: MOST HOME RUNS OVER AGE 40

(Courtesy: Baseball-Reference, FanGraphs)

Bonds' advice to the baseball world would be to just enjoy watching what Ortiz is doing right now, before he's gone.

"You just have to respect it and like it and appreciate it more than try to criticize it," Bonds said. "I mean, it's a beautiful thing that's going on. There’s a lot of beautiful things that are going to happen in this world."