Emilio Bonifacio was 21 years old and in Class A, playing for the Lancaster Jethawks, and he earnestly asked his manager a question. "Skip, did you ever play in the big leagues?" he inquired.
"Yeah, a little bit," said Brett Butler, a veteran of 17 seasons, 2,375 career hits and 558 career steals. "If you listen, I can show you some things that can help you."
Bonifacio didn't realize it at the time, but he had much in common with his manager. He, like Butler, had the ability to set the tone for his lineup with aggressiveness on the bases, and in time, as Butler worked with him while he was in the Diamondbacks' organization, he became more adept at putting the ball in play and piling pressure on the infielders.
But after a while, Butler came to believe that Bonifacio more closely resembled another speedy young infielder he once had worked with -- Jose Reyes.
"He has characteristics and a personality that are a lot like Reyes," said Butler, now the manager of the Triple-A Reno Aces. "He transcended all cultures in the clubhouse.
"He is teddy bear-ish. Everybody loves him. I've never heard a bad word said about Bonifacio."
It is evident that teammates love the energy Bonifacio generates with his baserunning arrogance. In 2005, as a 20-year-old, Bonifacio batted .270 in the Midwest League. What Butler wanted Bonifacio to focus on was putting the ball in play on the ground, rather than driving the ball. He made a rule for Bonifacio: At least once a game, the middle infielder was to attempt a bunt. If Bonifacio didn't drop a bunt on his own in his first three plate appearances, Butler would order him to bunt in his last plate appearance.
But little arm-twisting was required because Bonifacio listened and asked questions and put in the effort to improve, going out to the ballpark for early work in the middle of the afternoon to bunt from both sides of the plate. If Bonifacio -- whose speed is comparable to Reyes' speed, Butler says -- could get either middle infielder to move, to change position as they tried to adapt to how quickly he got down the line, it could be a great thing for him, Butler told him.
Some fast runners are afraid of getting thrown out, but Butler found Bonifacio to be overly aggressive at times, wanting to run all the time, without enough consideration for the circumstances. However, Bonifacio adjusted.
And now he has adjusted again, in the aftermath of his trade to the Marlins. Bonifacio was moved to third base at the outset of spring training as the Marlins tried to find a place for him to hit, and he has thrived early this season, hitting .386 and scoring 12 runs in eight games. His speed has been game-changing, and the Marlins have burst out in front in the National League East, beating the Nationals, Mets and Braves on the way to an 8-1 start.
There are talent evaluators who think that eventually, opposing pitchers will stop throwing fastballs over the plate to Bonifacio and will start getting him out by pounding fastballs inside to him, mixing the hard stuff with off-speed stuff away.
"When you're in the big leagues, it's the adjustment to the adjustment to the adjustment," Butler said.
So the questions linger. When will pitchers adjust? And how long will it take for Bonifacio to adjust to the new way pitchers are working him? Maybe it started Thursday, when he went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts.
Or maybe not.
The Marlins now are 8-1 after thumping the Braves and closing out a sweep, Joe Capozzi writes.
Cody Ross busted out in a big way, writes Juan Rodriguez.
• Geoff Jenkins remains unsigned and continues to work out in Arizona, preparing for his next opportunity, said Damon Lapa, his agent. "He definitely wants to play," Lapa said. "I just think he's being constructively selective." Jenkins, 34, was released by the Phillies near the end of spring training. He batted .246 with nine homers in 2008, doing most of his damage against right-handed pitchers. With the Yankees having just lost Xavier Nady -- possibly for the year -- he might be a fit for New York, although general manager Brian Cashman might prefer a right-handed hitting outfielder to replace the right-handed hitting Nady; Jenkins bats left-handed.
• Washington manager Manny Acta is on the hot seat. If he were to be let go, the dismissal might be one of the more senseless in recent decades. As one rival general manager said the other day, "Can Manny Acta manage? I have no idea. How could you tell, considering the teams he's been given? How could you know anything about how he does his job?"
• From the opening of Yankee Stadium: A special opening day in the Bronx was spoiled, writes Tyler Kepner. The prices in the new park ranged from $5 to $2,625, Joshua Robinson writes. The old mystique is gone, writes Bill Rhoden. An emotional and quiet George Steinbrenner watched the first game and was applauded, Jack Curry writes. Curry's review of the park, in the same story: "It's beautiful." Joel Sherman found the new place far too quiet and wonders whether the Yankees squandered a home-field advantage.
• Looks like Milton Bradley might be facing a suspension, Paul Sullivan writes.
For the rest of Buster's blog, including the link between Sweet Lou and Governor Blago, how well David Price is doing in the minors, Ian Kinsler and the Hall of Fame, and how unstoppable the Dodgers might become, please sign up for ESPN Insider. 