TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Zobrist's Versatility Helps Set Him Apart

ADVERTISEMENT

By TONY FABRIZIO

afabrizio@tampatrib.com

Published: March 7, 2009

Updated: 03/07/2009 12:45 am

PORT CHARLOTTE - Ben Zobrist leaves everyday tasks like car repair and plumbing to the professionals, opting to "stick to the talents God has given me."

But on the baseball field? Well, if you follow the Rays, you know he's the jack of all trades.

The son of a minister and husband of a Christian music artist played six positions last year, making at least one of his 49 starts at second base, shortstop and all three outfield positions, while also appearing at third base.

He has dabbled at first during the spring and looks to have the frame (6-foot-3) and flexibility to back up Carlos Pena. That would leave catcher and pitcher, but maybe not forever, since Zobrist has volunteered his availability as an emergency catcher - emphasis on emergency.

"I really don't dislike playing anywhere on the field, except I don't think I'd like playing catcher every day - just because of the grind on your legs," he says.

Such versatility has given Zobrist, 27, a niche on a team that, when healthy, is set at every starting position except right field, where Gabe Gross and Gabe Kapler are the favorites to win platoon roles.

Having some offense to go with it - he batted .253 with 12 home runs in 62 games last year - has made Zobrist one of Manager Joe Maddon's must-haves.

"When you have a 12-man pitching staff on a 25-man roster, I love the idea that one guy among your players can do a lot of different things," Maddon said. "And I think that's going to become a more pertinent part of Major League Baseball."

As the Rays' 2007 opening-day starting shortstop after arriving from Houston with pitcher Mitch Talbot for third baseman Aubrey Huff in 2006, Zobrist didn't show the offense or defense to keep an everyday job.

He batted .155 and committed six errors in 31 games before rehabilitating his reputation at Triple-A Durham.

The Rays set out to make a "super utility" man out of him last spring, and like seemingly every other move the club made during its magical World Series season, it worked.

But not immediately. Zobrist missed making the opening-day roster because of a thumb fracture and didn't stick until he was called up from Durham for the fourth time on Aug. 5.

"Sometimes it takes young players a while to get acclimated to the major leagues, and I think Ben reached the point last year that he knows he belongs," Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman says now.

While helping the Rays win the AL pennant as baseball's equivalent of a sixth man, he became the final visiting player to hit a grand slam at old Yankee Stadium and earned AL Player of the Week honors in the final week after cracking four home runs against Detroit..

The power was a surprise. Zobrist had never hit more than eight home runs in any full professional season and with 12 in limited duty, he led all major-leaguers listed as middle infielders with an at-bat-per-home run ratio of 16.5.

Zobrist credits Nashville hitting instructor Jaime Cevallos, inventor of the Mkanx training bat, and his brother-in-law, Dallas Baptist coach Dan Heefner, for overhauling his swing and changing his approach at the plate.

"I had been pulling too many balls and started trying the ball the other way a little more, and once I started doing that, I started having much better at-bats, and it wasn't overwhelming for me." Zobrist said.

When a guy can hit home runs and play at least eight positions on the field - by the way, Zobrist was such a good pitcher at Dallas Baptist his senior year, he was nearly drafted as one - there's often a place for him in the big leagues. And who's to say where that might lead?

"I'm not saying he can never be a starter again because he may be, with the addition of the offense," Maddon said. "And it doesn't have to be at shortstop anymore, either. There are other places he can start now because of this experiment.

"So he's turned into a very interesting player."

Reporter Tony Fabrizio can be reached at (813) 259-7994.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT