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06/30/07 8:10 PM ET

Bonds calls for better security

Fan arrested after approaching slugger during Friday's game

Barry Bonds puts his arm around a fan that came on the field during Friday's game. (Ben Margot/AP)
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SAN FRANCISCO -- A day after Friday night's fan incident at AT&T Park, Giants slugger Barry Bonds told a small group of reporters that security at the ballpark needs to be increased for all the players, not just the man who is closing in on Hank Aaron's all-time home run record.

And a Giants spokesman said there will be some adjustments.

"This is about baseball players, all of us," Bonds said prior to the Giants' rematch against the Diamondbacks on Saturday night. "I think you need to go to Major League Baseball and direct that question to them. It's fair for you to ask them what their responsibilities are, not just for me, but to all of us as Major League players.

"This is not my ballpark. I just work here like you all. I'm an employee. All the employees should be protected."

Though the Giants wouldn't go into detail about what changes were immediately being made, club spokesman Blake Rhodes said, "It will be pretty evident."

"We've addressed the situation to provide [better] security for all of our players and employees," he added.

Bonds' comments came after a lapse in security allowed Andrew B. Clapp, 24 and a tourist from Fargo, N.D., to trot out to left field and chat with Bonds during the seventh inning of Friday night's 10-innning, 4-3 loss to Arizona. Bonds casually put his arm on the fan's shoulder and walked him off the field toward the left-field foul line where they were met by security.

Bonds hit his 750th homer an inning later, leaving him five behind Aaron's all-time MLB record of 755.

A spokesman for MLB, reached in Philadelphia on Saturday, said he wasn't aware of any contact between the Commissioner's office and the Giants about the episode.

"It's more of a Giants issue," said Pat Courtney, MLB's vice president of public relations.

MLB and the Giants have been in constant contact, though, about security precautions for All-Star week events, scheduled to be staged at AT&T Park on July 8-10.

As far as Bonds is concerned, since he began his pursuit of Babe Ruth at the outset of last season, MLB has been overseeing his personal security when the Giants are on the road and travel a member of the security detail from the Commissioner's office with Bonds at each game. The ballclub has been in charge during home games and there had been no previous problems.

Away from home, there have been several incidents aimed at Bonds' alleged association with performance-enhancing drugs.

During April of last year, a Phoenix college student was arrested during a game at Chase Field for tossing what was characterized as a tube of toothpaste at the Giants slugger while he was standing in left field. Weeks earlier, on Opening Night in San Diego, Bonds picked up an oversized syringe with his fielding glove as he crossed the foul line walking back toward the dugout. No arrest was made in that case.

Bonds said he felt no danger when he was approached by the shoeless Clapp on Friday night.

"I'll tell you the story," Bonds said. "The guy jumped on the field, had his hands up and was screaming, 'I just want to shake your hand.' I said, 'Fine, come shake my hand.' He said, "Dude, I've got no money. I have no shoes. I've got nothing in life.' I've been down in that neighborhood. I said, 'Let's just walk back together, though, so these guys don't get itchy and throw you down on the ground. And show them that you mean no harm. Hopefully, nothing bad will happen.'"

Clapp was taken to the county jail in San Francisco and charged with public intoxication and trespassing on the field, both misdemeanors.

Asked if he felt safe now in his home ballpark, Bonds said: "I felt safe from him. You come at me one-on-one, you'd better come at me with a lot, Jack. If it's more than one-on-one, then I might start to get nervous. He had his hands up from the get-go. There was no real reason for me to be afraid. He had no shoes on."

Barry M. Bloom is a national reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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