FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- From the time the Marlins acquired Emilio Bonifacio from the Nationals last fall, they mused about adding his type of speed to the lineup.

 

The way the 23-year-old from the Dominican Republic has performed, chances are that day will be coming soon. Bonifacio is building a strong case to be on Florida's Opening Day roster.

 

 

 

If that comes to fruition, the Marlins will have the chance to place three burners in their lineup -- Bonifacio, Cameron Maybin and Hanley Ramirez.

 

Nothing in terms of the final roster is official yet, but Bonifacio is on a path to make an impact from the time the season opens on April 6 against his former team, Washington.

 

"I like him. I like him in that lineup, someplace," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "He has made unbelievable improvement at third base, a position he didn't play [before]. He's been learning under the gun a little bit. He's done a terrific job learning that position.

 

"We know he can play the middle of the diamond, and we know he can play the outfield a little bit. We may run him out in the outfield and get a little more flexibility."

 

A natural second baseman, Bonifacio is a leading candidate to win the starting third-base job. He started there and led off on Thursday against the Orioles at Fort Lauderdale Stadium.

 

The Marlins also have used him in the outfield a few times, increasing his value to the club.

 

"He's a better baseball player than I thought he was going to be," said hitting coach Jim Presley. "Obviously, he can run. He runs the bases really, really well.

 

"He's going to hit a two-hopper and beat it out. He doesn't hit the ball in the air too much, which is good."

 

A switch-hitter who is more effective from the left-side of the plate, Bonifacio was acquired from the Nationals for Scott Olsen and Josh Willingham.

 

To baseball evaluators, he has game-changing speed.

 

The Marlins are trying to transform from the slugging, station-to-station club they were the past three years to a more speed and defensive-oriented club.

 

"We're suggesting to him, with his speed, he needs to bunt a little bit more," Presley said. "His left-handed swing is a little bit better. From the right-side, we're just trying to get him to stay on top of the ball. This spring, he's been impressive."

 

If Bonifacio is starting at third base, then Florida will switch Jorge Cantu to first base. Wes Helms is an option to back up at either spot. And since Helms is a right-handed hitter, he could start at third against tough left-handed pitchers.

 

Whether Bonifacio becomes a true every day player or a utility player will depend on how much he hits. This spring, he's certainly getting plenty of opportunity. It's not by coincidence that his 60 at-bats entering Thursday were the most on the team, and tied for the 10th most of anyone in the Major Leagues this spring. The team wants him to see as many pitches as possible.

 

"I'm glad we got him, because he's a valuable piece," Presley said. "You're talking about a piece to a championship ball club right there."

 

Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

 

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Well i really wasnt a big fan of his but ive got to see him a couple times now and man hes fast and if he could get on base and play 3rd well that would be awsome. It sure would be nice to have Cameron, Hanley, and emilo at the top but i dont know who would hit in the two hole. Def not hanley.

"I'm glad we got him, because he's a valuable piece," Presley said. "You're talking about a piece to a championship ball club right there."

World's best 25th man!!!

 

.......

 

:|

F**k it, start him at third and cantu at first sanchez and mcpherson can wait in the wings.

Definitely not who I envisioned as our starting 3B...

the way that dallas and gaby have underperformed i wouldn't be surprised if bonifacio was our starting 3B on opening day.

I hope some on here make their mind up, when he first came here, everyone was saying we don't need him, now all of a sudden we want him to be a starter, seem like a weather vane to me.

if he's better defensively at 3B than Cantu, I say stick him in there.

It appears to me the article is saying is that the manager and coaches see value there and are looking for a way to keep him on the major league roster to better tutor and polish the guy vs. sending him to AAA. Amezega or no, it looks like the guy is playing himself onto the team.

Something I read earlier - "one would think Bonifacio has had a strong spring. However, all 12 of his RBI and six extra-base hits have come in three games"

Speed is good, except for when you can't get to first base.

I think what's more surprising is how Gaby and Dallas have squandered their opportunity to lock up jobs. Gaby was practically annointed the new first basemen and Dallas had every chance to make this team as a platoon player or a lefty pinch hitter but yet they've sucked enough that it's opened the door for Bonifacio to win the 3B job and allow them to move Cantu to first. Of course none of that has happened yet but it's looking like a more plausible scenario now.

:banghead

 

 

 

sorry, never been a big fan of Bonifacio. IMO, this is just a way to make the fans believe that they got nothing in the Willingham/Olsen trade. They are hoping Bonifacio shows up and becomes an Amezaga like guy on the team, and with the other guys such as Sanchez and McPherson underperforming, we may have no choice but to see if this kid can be the talented utility guy that Beinfest touted when we traded for him.

:banghead

 

 

 

sorry, never been a big fan of Bonifacio. IMO, this is just a way to make the fans believe that they got nothing in the Willingham/Olsen trade. They are hoping Bonifacio shows up and becomes an Amezaga like guy on the team, and with the other guys such as Sanchez and McPherson underperforming, we may have no choice but to see if this kid can be the talented utility guy that Beinfest touted when we traded for him.

Yeah I'm still not completly sold on him. If only you could steal firstbase. I think if gaby could just get it goin bonifacio would be a bench guy. u

I hope some on here make their mind up, when he first came here, everyone was saying we don't need him, now all of a sudden we want him to be a starter, seem like a weather vane to me.

 

Like I said before, reminds me of when we got Rabelo last season. When we traded for him lots of people were talking about he was nothing more than a back up C at best, than a bunch of offseason articles about FO seeing him as the catcher, about scouts that do like him, ect ect, he comes into his first ML game with a HR and all of a sudden he's the best catcher ever yadda yadda than reality sets in.

 

Emilio is a bit of a different case based off his age, so he's a lot more likely to do things like improve his plate discipline to make him an above average player. But right now, based off past results and a rather umpressive spring (.266/.301! OBP!/.406/.707 OPS), things aren't looking good for him going into this season.

What the guy is doing now is exactly what he did this winter. He is capable of being cold as a dead tuna or hot as hell, he hit poorly at the beginning of the DWL, then turned it on for weeks straight, then one night in a blow-out he went 0-7 or 0-9 and proceeded to go something like 1 for next 26. Then their extended playoffs started (they are almost half as long as the regular DWL season) he was hot, on fire was at or near the top of every offensive non-ops type stat for six weeks. http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?si...;period=playoff

 

Then he comes into camp and looks like he doesn't know what end of a bat to hold.

 

What I think it is they see a player with potential. Nny is right, his overall numbers for ST aren't great but you have to be blind to not see what he is capable of. The question is, can he sustain it? Is he Luis Castillo V.2 or just another speedy, all glove, no hit guy? He could go 0-for whatever for the next week and it wouldn't surprise me or he could stay on this tear.

the way that dallas and gaby have underperformed i wouldn't be surprised if bonifacio was our starting 3B on opening day.

 

It's a done deal Dude!

What the guy is doing now is exactly what he did this winter. He is capable of being cold as a dead tuna or hot as hell, he hit poorly at the beginning of the DWL, then turned it on for weeks straight, then one night in a blow-off he went 0-7 or 0-9 and proceeded to go something like 1 for next 26. Then their extended playoffs started (they are almost half as long as the regular DWL season) he was hot, on fire was at or near the top of every offensive non-ops type stat for six weeks. http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?si...;period=playoff

 

Then he comes into camp and looks like he doesn't know what end of a bat to hold.

 

What I think it is they see a player with potential. Nny is right, his overall numbers for ST aren't great but you have to be blind to not see what he is capable of. The question is, can he sustain it? Is he Luis Castillo V.2 or just another speedy, all glove, no hit guy? He could go 0-for whatever for the next week and it wouldn't surprise me or he could stay on this tear.

Good question can he sustain it? If he can keep his Ks low i believe he can. He has made contact so far, I just hope he doesnt try to do too much when he hits

I hope some on here make their mind up, when he first came here, everyone was saying we don't need him, now all of a sudden we want him to be a starter, seem like a weather vane to me.

 

Like I said before, reminds me of when we got Rabelo last season. When we traded for him lots of people were talking about he was nothing more than a back up C at best, than a bunch of offseason articles about FO seeing him as the catcher, about scouts that do like him, ect ect, he comes into his first ML game with a HR and all of a sudden he's the best catcher ever yadda yadda than reality sets in.

Emilio is a bit of a different case based off his age, so he's a lot more likely to do things like improve his plate discipline to make him an above average player. But right now, based off past results and a rather umpressive spring (.266/.301! OBP!/.406/.707 OPS), things aren't looking good for him going into this season.

 

yes. Injury is called reality.Not to defend him, but he came to us as a defensive catcher that lacked the bat so far in his career. Expecting anything more from him is equivalent to expecting Baker is going to become a good defensive catcher. Very doubtful.

As has been said here a couple times ... Bonafacio's rise is mostly attributable to the failures of McPherson and Sanchez to impress even a little. I'm not a big fan of a Chone Figgins style of third baseman, but if Hanley or Uggla have any injury problems, Emilio could be particularly valuable. I'm good with Cantu at third and Logan Morrison at first if no one else wants the job.

As has been said here a couple times ... Bonafacio's rise is mostly attributable to the failures of McPherson and Sanchez to impress even a little. I'm not a big fan of a Chone Figgins style of third baseman, but if Hanley or Uggla have any injury problems, Emilio could be particularly valuable. I'm good with Cantu at third and Logan Morrison at first if no one else wants the job.

 

Still too early for him to be in the majors

As has been said here a couple times ... Bonafacio's rise is mostly attributable to the failures of McPherson and Sanchez to impress even a little. I'm not a big fan of a Chone Figgins style of third baseman, but if Hanley or Uggla have any injury problems, Emilio could be particularly valuable. I'm good with Cantu at third and Logan Morrison at first if no one else wants the job.

 

Why? Bonifacio's ascendancy at third has to do with his talent being displayed as he learns the position which would have happened whether or not McPherson or Sanchez were playing well.

 

From day one the Marlins said they were going to try him at third, they tried him at third and he's excelled. The playing time is really because Cantu has been at the WBC and the extended spring training schedule. From everything that's been written this has been the plan all along. I think what it really is none of us here thought the Marlins were really as serious about him at third as they said they were.

 

Most people (and maybe me a little because I thought after three seasons of playing the outfield in winter ball he was going to wind up out there) saw those early comments as a justification for the trade, was in actuality based on what the talent evaluators "saw" in him that perhaps was missed in Washington or by baseball generally.

 

I know what you're getting at BTW and I'm not really disagreeing. I think we all just missed the fact the Marlins FO meant what they said when they said it.

from ESPN's Buster Olney:

 

Marlins' Bonifacio adapting nicely to hot corner

 

Saturday, March 28, 2009

 

The Marlins' coaches have been running this drill for Emilio Bonifacio, as he learns how to play third base: One coach kneels by a bucket of balls and flips pitches in front of a coach standing in the batter's box at home plate, and the coach with the bat whacks ground balls at Bonifacio, one after the other, rapid fire.

 

And Andy Fox, the Marlins' infield coach, watches and makes suggestions, helping to oversee a transition that has gone well. Bonifacio has been a middle infielder for most of his life, but he has adapted so well to third base that it appears he is the front-runner to hold down the job once the season begins. "I think he's really benefited from the long spring training this year," said Fox, on Friday. "He is such a great athlete, and he can make the adjustment." The Marlins were the worst defensive team in the majors in 2008, and so fielding a new third baseman who has merely weeks of experience might not seem like a way to improve. But Bonifacio has worked so hard at his new position, Fox said, that "he has shortened the learning curve." Because the view into the hitter from third base is dramatically different than in the middle infield, the coaches have used the flip drill to acclimate Bonifacio to the speed of the ball reaching the third baseman, and the extra milliseconds that a third baseman sometimes has to knock the ball down and gather his body and throw. Bonifacio's throwing style reminds Fox of that of Omar Vizquel; he doesn't have a powerful arm, but he gets rid of the ball quickly, in time to nail the runners going down the line. "He's got a real good clock [in his head]," said Fox. And Bonifacio has also been able to make some plays on grounders over the third base bag, along the line, which Fox views as the toughest challenge for someone playing the position. "He probably leads the team in innings played down here," said Fox. "He has worked his tail off."

 

Bonifacio is hitting .284 in 67 at-bats, as well, albeit with few walks.

 

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index...%3dolney_buster

 

...there's a bit more to the article surmising the Marlins Open Day lineup and a couple of short hops re: Lindstrom and Nolasco starting OD but if you want to read the whole thing go to the link above.

Buster Olney has Hermida in RF, clearly he's not up to date.

As has been said here a couple times ... Bonafacio's rise is mostly attributable to the failures of McPherson and Sanchez to impress even a little. I'm not a big fan of a Chone Figgins style of third baseman, but if Hanley or Uggla have any injury problems, Emilio could be particularly valuable. I'm good with Cantu at third and Logan Morrison at first if no one else wants the job.

 

Why? Bonifacio's ascendancy at third has to do with his talent being displayed as he learns the position which would have happened whether or not McPherson or Sanchez were playing well.

 

From day one the Marlins said they were going to try him at third, they tried him at third and he's excelled. The playing time is really because Cantu has been at the WBC and the extended spring training schedule. From everything that's been written this has been the plan all along. I think what it really is none of us here thought the Marlins were really as serious about him at third as they said they were.

 

Most people (and maybe me a little because I thought after three seasons of playing the outfield in winter ball he was going to wind up out there) saw those early comments as a justification for the trade, was in actuality based on what the talent evaluators "saw" in him that perhaps was missed in Washington or by baseball generally.

 

I know what you're getting at BTW and I'm not really disagreeing. I think we all just missed the fact the Marlins FO meant what they said when they said it.

For whatever its worth, there was also no chance of Bonifacio becoming the 3B in DC, so I can understand why this wasn't foreseeable.

I will be very upset if Bonifacio is in the opening day lineup.