On April 31, Florida Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla was hitting .245 with 4 home runs and 12 RBIs. With the onset of May and a drop from second to sixth in the Marlins lineup, he has not only propelled his team into the National League East lead, but also established himself as a premier Major League and fantasy second baseman.

He provided confirmation of his elite status again Sunday with a two-run homer off of San Francisco Giants starter Pat Misch, his league-leading16th of the season and team record 12th of May.

Entering Saturday’s doubleheader, the 28-year-old was batting .478 with 7 home runs, 14 RBIs and 16 runs in his last 13 games. After Sunday’s performance, Uggla has now homered in two straight games and three of his last five.

Uggla’s career average in April is .234 compared to .332 in May, and his power numbers increase similarly when the calendar turns. He is well on his way to a new career-high in home runs (he had 31 in ‘07), and the stellar production should continue into June and beyond.

Dave DeIuliis will be a senior at Penn State’s School of Journalism. He can be reached at dmd5042[at]psu.edu