Major League Baseball

Marlins' Bonifacio becoming offensive force

Published Jul. 26, 2011 4:24 a.m. ET

foxsports

Look who has the longest active hitting streak in the major leagues: A Diamondbacks and Nationals castoff who has struggled to secure a roster spot as a utility man with the Florida Marlins.

Suddenly the Marlins can't keep Emilio Bonifacio out of the lineup, and opponents can't keep him off base.

''The guy's unreal,'' says teammate Logan Morrison.

''He's a spark plug, for sure,'' says Mets third baseman David Wright.

''He has done a fabulous job in the last month,'' Marlins manager Jack McKeon says.

Bonifacio has hit in 23 consecutive games, the Marlins' longest one-season streak since 2002. It's a surprising surge by a .263 career hitter, but at age 26 the Dominican shows signs of blossoming into an offensive force.

A switch-hitter, Bonifacio is making better contact this year, especially against right-handers. He's getting deeper into the count and hitting the ball on the ground more, which allows him to take advantage of his excellent speed.

And once on first base, he creates havoc. McKeon has him batting leadoff and running more, and Bonifacio is 17 for 18 on steal attempts during his hitting streak.

Bonifacio leads the NL in July with a batting average of .395, which has hiked his season average to .295.

''The guy is starting to figure it out,'' Morrison says. ''I don't think it's a hot streak. I think this is going to be more of a constant thing.''

Bonifacio showed no signs of slacking off during last weekend's series against the Mets. He went 5 for 12 with three stolen bases and two walks, and scored five times - including once from first base on a single.

''I wish I could run that fast,'' Wright said. ''He reminds me of Jose Reyes on our team in terms of what he brings to the field.''

That's high praise, considering Reyes leads the majors in hitting.

Bonifacio's dynamic play is winning admirers not only on the field, but in the stands. He says fans shout encouragement regarding the streak and remind him of the current number.

''I try not to think about it that much, but you have everybody talking about it - fans and the family,'' he says with a smile.

Bonifacio says he's playing better because he's playing more. He broke into the majors with Arizona in 2007 but has struggled to win an everyday spot in the lineup. He was traded to Washington midway through the 2008 season, then dealt to the Marlins four months later.

Last year Bonifacio divided his time between Florida and Triple-A New Orleans, and he began this season in a utility role with the Marlins. Since McKeon took over as manager on June 20, Bonifacio has started every game.

''It's really good to play every day,'' Bonifacio says. ''It's really fun to be able to help the team. I've gotten an opportunity, and I've got to keep it going.''

McKeon makes the most of Bonifacio's versatility. In just the past eight games he has played seven positions - everywhere but catcher and pitcher. Bonifacio has started at six positions this season, including 23 games each as a left fielder and third baseman, and 20 at shortstop.

Though only 5-foot-11, he has a strong arm. And despite the constant position changes, he has committed just six errors.

''His defense has been spectacular at third base,'' McKeon says. ''And the last road trip we put him a couple of times at shortstop, and he was outstanding there.''

But Bonifacio is at his best on the bases. When he reaches first, he usually doesn't stay there long. Teammates say thanks to their disruptive leadoff hitter, they see fatter pitches.

''He's our igniter, the catalyst,'' McKeon says. ''He gets on, and things seem to happen. He's a very confident little player now that he has a chance to play on a regular basis.''