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PERSONAL:
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Zobrist was born in Eureka, Illinois, the second of five children to Tom Zobrist, a pastor at Liberty /Bible Church, and his wife, Cynthia. Growing up, Ben was a terrific athlete and relentless competitor, even setting his middle school's high jump record on his first try.
In high school, he graduated in the top 10 in his class while going out for baseball, soccer, basketball, football, cross country and track. Yet no college athletic scholarships arrived. Instead, he planned to attend Calvary Bible College and follow in his father's footsteps by entering the youth ministry.
But a last-ditch chance emerged. A few weeks into the summer after his senior year, Ben's high school baseball coach called and convinced him to attend a one-day tryout being held nearby in front of local college coach. Zobrist slapped down the $50 entrance fee and figured, at worst, it was one more day he'd get to play baseball.
Coach Elliot Johnson offered him a full ride at Olivet Nazarene University, a private NAIA school in Bourbonnais, Illinois.
"I'd been praying a lot about where I was supposed to go, and I just felt like that was God opening the door for me, and that I needed to walk through it," Zobrist said.
So Ben ditched his Bible college plan and set out to play baseball, helping the team reach the NAIA World Seris twice and was named to the NAIA All-America team as a junior. At the same time, a long-running but slow-burning relationship with Julianna, the sister of a girl his teammate, Dan Heefner, was dating, intensified. They started going out in 2004 and two years later were married. He was 24, she was 21.
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Zobrist was 19 years old when he graduated from a high school in Eureka, Illinois—most famous as the place where Ronald Reagan went to college.
Ben was not drafted out of high school. So he spent four years in college, between Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois, where he was a pitcher, and Dallas Baptist University in Texas.
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Asked what some of the Zobrist family Christmas traditions are, Ben said, "Generally, we go the day after Thanksgiving and cut down our Christmas tree together. I didn't get a chance to do it this year with my family, but we've always done that in the past. Then on Christmas morning, we get up and read "The Christmas Story" from Luke 2 in the Bible, then my Dad prays for us and everything before we start opening presents."
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In 2004, Ben signed with the Astros, and scout Rusty Pendergrass, for a bonus of $55,000. Assistant director of scouting Pat Murphy is cautiously optimistic about Zobrist's future.
"There's nothing that really jumps out at you, but Ben has no weaknesses either," Murphy said. "He has Major League average tools across the board. Not any one tool is 'wow' but they're all Major League average. He's a good looking athlete, but he's going to have to come quick," Murphy said. "He runs well. He throws well. He's not a speed merchant, but he's speedy. He's a physical kid with a great makeup, and a faith-based background."
- The bottom line: Zobrist works hard and has several tools. He is a gritty, hard working player. You can tell he loves to play the game. He plays hard and gets his uniform dirty.
"He's a baseball player, and I mean that obviously as a big compliment," Rays' executive vice president Andrew Friedman said in 2007. "He plays the game the right way. He's not extremely flashy, but we think he's an above average shortstop defensively. And we expect him to be able to make the adjustments offensively to have a very good career."
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A lean and fit 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, Zobrist attributes playing basketball growing up for developing his quick feet and learning the value of playing multiple positions. He said it also helped him learn about ball movement, team play and seeing the whole court, which he translated to baseball.
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In the fall of 2005, Zobrist hit .333-1-5 and scored eight runs in nine games for Team USA at the World Cup in the Netherlands.
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Before both 2005 and 2006 spring camps opened, Baseball America had Zobrist as 16th-best prospect in the Astros' organization.
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Ben and his wife, Julianna, live in Eureka, Illinois in the offseason. They got married in December 2005.
Julianna is an accomplished singer. She displays her talent as a Christian rock singer. She grew up the daughter of a preacher, also. She danced and wrote poetry in the eastern Iowa university town of Iowa City, singing in her father's Parkview church with a plan to study music at Nashville's Belmont University.
As of 2012, her career was accomplished as a singer and songwriter, with two CD's, "The Tree" and another that came out in April 2012: "Crazy Fearless."
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Ben and Julianna came together through a long-term, long-distance courtship, started with an email from Ben as a 20-year-old in college. Jules, as he calls her, was a 17-year-old high school junior, and the email culminated with their first real date two and a half years later.
They had a push. One of Ben's friends, married to one of Julianna's older sisters, encouraged him to email her. Months and then years passed with little progress, but a series of serendipitous meetings and connections—which both are convinced were divine intervention—finally brought them together, a few days after her 19th birthday.
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Ben and Julianna were still getting used to having "big league money" at the start of the 2007 season.
He might be the only starting Major League player, for example, who rented a 16-foot Budget moving truck, packed his furniture into it, hitched his 2004 Malibu to the back, and drove 13 hours straight from Nashville to St. Petersburg with his wife. They unloaded it all themselves into a new apartment.
With a raise to nearly $400,000 this season (about $19,000 take-home pay every two weeks), Zobrist, who grew up modestly, the son of a minister in Eureka, Illinois, is slowly getting used to having money. For the first time, he didn't have to work during the offseason. Previously, he gave baseball lessons to and supervised birthday parties for kids at the Showtime Sports Academy for $25 an hour.
But he said he will never get used to spending it, at least not on himself. Julianna may force him to buy a second suit to go with the one he got off a sale rack at JC Penney, but she laughs aloud at the suggestion of him styling with trendy clothes or accessorizing in heavy bling.
"He's never going to have Louis Vuitton luggage or anything like that," she said. "He's just never going to feel good about spending a lot of money." (Marc Topkin-St. Petersburg Times-2/25/2007)
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In 2007, during Ben's third tour of duty in the Majors, he was hitting only .155. And that is when the darkness set in.
Julianna decided she'd seen enough. She urged Zobrist to give it another shot; if not for himself, then for her.
"Up until that point, I'd never confided in anyone about what was going on," she says. "I look back on it and it's like, 'Wow, I should have told somebody sooner.' Ben's a very stable person, so to see him that gone was really strange. It scared me, honestly."
Julianna called their pastor, Byron Yawn, in Nashville, where the couple lived, and told him about Zobrist's situation. Yawn hopped aboard the next flight out and met the team in Boston, where he counseled Ben about the need to cede control of his fate to God.
"That was the turning point," Julianna says; and Ben agrees.
"I decided, whatever happens, I don't want to be that way," he says. "I was ready to let go of the player and person I'd become—to turn away from those negative thoughts and call them what they were. My circumstances were still awesome. My wife's still with me; I'm healthy. I'd lost perspective.
"Lots of things can trigger depression. What got me out of it was what Christians call repenting (or, change your mind); turn away from the negativity and thoughts that everything was against me. Letting go and saying, 'If the best I can be is a Triple-A player, then I need to take joy in that.' You don't have to view yourself as a failure just because you fail.'" (Ian A. Stewart - Athletics Magazine - May 2015)
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Ben is usually in the front row of Julianna's concerts, as much so he can have an up-close view, as for the moral support it provides her.
"I like to see him because a lot of the songs are about him," she said. "And I like to point at him."
Occasionally, they'll share a stage. Ben does speaking engagements, sharing stories of mixing his devout Christianity with pro sports, life, even having a wife who is a singer.
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Zobrist is constantly thinking angles and planes, whether it's to determine the best way to execute a bunt or estimate routes to run down a fly ball.
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In August 2008, Zobrist shared his math experiences in front of approximately 120 students at Osceola Middle School in Seminole, Florida, as part of the national program Raytheon, created by the group Math Moves U.
"You never know how [math is] going to impact you [or] what you are going to use it for," Zobrist said. "The skills you are using in math you just use, without realizing it, on a regular basis. I gave a few examples [for the students]. But what we do in baseball, you are constantly making calculations in your head of the thing you need to do in the next moment. So hopefully, they see that and they start to put a little more effort forth to those things now."
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Evan Longoria has called Zobrist the "heartbeat" of the Rays.
"He's always upbeat," Longoria said. "He's got a great attitude. He loves being at the baseball field. He's a guy who you can go to and talk to about anything. He's just a fun guy to be around." (July 2011)
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September 20, 2011: Zobrist's wife delivered their second child, Kruse.
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In the 2013 film Ring The Bell, released by Provident Films, Ben plays himself in a cameo role alongside Rick Sutcliffe, John Kruk, Mark Hall (also playing themselves), Ryan Scharoun, Ashley Anderson McCarthy, and Casey Bond.
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Ben lacks chrome. That assessment has been issued by Rays manager Joe Maddon on countless occasions since Zobrist began his ascension toward becoming one of the team's best and most revered players. Turns out, lacking chrome is the ultimate baseball compliment. Translated: Zobrist will never be called a hot dog. He just gets the job done, year in and year out. Accordingly, Zobrist's lack of chrome is accompanied by a lack of recognition. He remains one of the best kept secrets in the Major Leagues, save for one select group.
"If you ask any manager in the league, they'd be like, 'This is a guy I want on my team,'" Maddon said. Maddon allowed that underrating Zobrist's talents was understandable if one saw him play only on occasion. To be with him daily, you get to see it all and all the little things that he does, and beyond that, all the team things that he does," Maddon said. "This guy is all about winning. That's it. He doesn't care about his batting average. He does only in the sense that if he's not hitting well, that means he's not helping the team."
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During his years with Tampa Bay, Zobrist has played every position except for pitcher and catcher. He draws the line at any discussion about playing catcher but has allowed on occasion that he might be persuaded to get behind the plate in exchange for a turn on the mound. In addition to his versatility, Zobrist can put up quality offensive numbers and has evolved into a team leader.
Zobrist's Christian faith is a major part of who he is, and no doubt that faith has helped him through many of the tough times familiar to a Major Leaguer. He is happy to share his faith with teammates seeking a deeper understanding of his religion, but he is not one to force his beliefs on others. Zobrist is well-respected for the player he is—and the person he is every day.
"He's awesome," rookie Wil Myers said. "Especially for me, he's the guy I hang out with more than anyone here. He's more of a quiet leader than Evan [Longoria] is in the clubhouse. I think he just has everyone's respect here. I think he's a great guy. We have a lot of the same beliefs and backgrounds, so he's one of the guys I try to hang around a lot and get to know better."
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Zobrist addressed the idea of his being a leader, though clearly he does not enjoy talking about himself. "I think the more you kind of move up the grid as far as age compared to guys younger than you, or experienced-wise if you have more experience, it's kind of an unsaid thing," Zobrist said. "If you want to help guys, you try and kind of teach them some of the things you've learned about the game, about this environment, about your business here, things that have worked and things that haven't worked."
Zobrist remembered not exactly being all ears around veteran players when he was younger. "I think there were probably more guys when I first got into the league who wanted to say things to me and did say things to me, but I wasn't paying attention, because you kind of think you have it all figured out," Zobrist said. "You realize later on that you should have been paying more attention to some of those things."
"Eric Hinske and Cliff Floyd went out of their way to help me to prepare to get in the game and be ready. And another [veteran] guy who comes to mind is Gabe Kapler. He was with us for a few years. He had spent a lot of time in the league. And he was definitely one of those guys willing to share his expertise about the things that worked and didn't work."
"I gained a lot of confidence after 2008, but it wasn't a cocky confidence," Zobrist said. "It wasn't like, 'I'm going to do that better next year'; it was more resigned to the fact that I don't know what kind of opportunities I'm going to get in 2009, after 2008. Certainly I felt like I was going to be on the big league club. But I knew that the way the game works, it's a 'What have you done for me lately?' game."
Zobrist has never forgotten what failure felt like. If another player were to ask him advice about playing in the Major Leagues, Zobrist's No. 1 suggestion would be to strive to stay in a present state of mind.
"When you're struggling, you get out of sync very easily," Zobrist said. "Your rhythm isn't there; your patience isn't there. You feel uncomfortable. You feel out of place. When you feel that way, you feel out of place. You're in your own head, and everything else is flying by so quickly that you can't decide even one thing to do, let alone being able to do more than one thing.
"Everybody gets there at times where the game is moving so quickly you can't catch up or you can't grab a hold of the one thing you can control. But when you're in the zone, I think it's more of a feeling like you can control anything you want to control in the game and decide to make that play this way, that way, however you want to do it. You feel like you have a lot more control."
"He's all about team, and I don't even know where we would be without him," Maddon said. (Chastain - mlb.com - 9/20/2013)
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Zobrist is a former counselor for Camp of Champions USA, a Christian summer day camp in central Illinois. He used Christian rap artist TobyMac's song "Ignition" as his entrance song in 2008 and 2009. In 2013, Ben used a song by his wife, "Behind Me," as his entrance song.
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Whether it’s reading to schools in Tampa Bay, giving motivational speeches to youth and adult groups or planning his annual Whiffle ball tournament at his church where he lives in Nashville, Zobrist has used his celebrity to positive effect. He and his wife also authored his autobiography, coming out this spring, that talks in part about how Zobrist had to overcome anxiety and depression to break through to the big leagues.
“You’re not going to find a nicer young man or human being,” Maddon said. “He’s in a different class. There are people that sincerely have great intentions, and others it’s a little bit contrived. His intentions are pure and sincere. It’s not an act. Sometimes it’s like, ‘Come on, this guy’s not that good.’ But he is. There’s not a contrived bone in his body. That’s who he is.”
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In 2015, Zobrist was the first Major League player, since records were available, to play in 200 career games at second base, shortstop, and right field. He's fundamentally sound in left and center, too—and at the infield corners.
"You can't forget about his bat," said outfielder Sam Fuld. "He's certainly a tough at-bat. That's something that you want in the middle of the lineup, obviously. It's a grind to get him out. He's got power, he's got that ability to draw walks."
Zobrist was prepared to play anywhere he was asked to play. "He's a manager's best friend," said Scott Kazmir. Indeed. He's the do-it-all prom king whose talent is exceeded only by his character.
The altruistic Zobrist did everything but catch and pitch in Spring Training 2015. In St. Petersburg, he and his wife, Christian singer Julianna Zobrist, were adored. And when he was traded to the A's, he took out a full-page ad in the Tampa Bay Times to thank the fans and the organization.
"What a great human being he is," said catcher Stephen Vogt. "He's a leader, he's a great person, human being, individual, you name it, and that doesn't even get into the baseball side."
Fueled by a strong work ethic from a young age—parents Tom and Cindi "expected me to give 100 percent no matter what I was doing," Zobrist says—the nine-year veteran has never strayed from these ways. He has thrived on this diligence.
"The first thing that comes to mind when I think of him is how professional he is," said Fuld. "It's amazing how consistent he is, how his work ethic and approach is so solid. It's almost Mariano Rivera-like. You can't put an age on him. He's just so steady." (Lee - mlb.com - 3/30/2015)
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From 2009 to the start of 2015, Zobrist had played in 919 games—ninth most in the Majors—and is tied with Erick Aybar for the lead in hits (910) among switch-hitters. His plate discipline remained fantastic.
"All this guy does is work," said coach Mike Gallego. "It's so impressive. If I was a young player, I would definitely sit back and pay attention to how he goes about his business every day, because it doesn't change."
"Every day, he's working somewhere different during batting practice, doing extra work at every position," said Vogt. "You can't really argue with his success when you've seen the work he puts in."
There have been times when manager Bob Melvin has had three at-bats scheduled for him, and Zobrist will ask for a fourth, or another inning in the field. "He's as consummate a pro as I've run across in the game," said Melvin.
"He's kind of a classic example of a guy who, maybe you see him one game and you don't really appreciate what he can do," said Fuld. "But over the course of a week or a month, you realize just how special of a player he is." (Lee - mlb.com - 3/30/2015)
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You may have noticed that when Zobrist hits a home run, he doesn't toss his bat or flip it. He takes a few steps, then carefully and gently lays his bat on the ground. And he has no idea why. "When I hit the ball hard, especially high and hard, I do that," he said. "It doesn't necessarily have to be a home run. It could be a double. I tend to do that then."
Is it out of respect for his bat? "I don't know why I do that," he said. "I don't try to do it. It's just what I do."
Zobrist guesses he started doing it in about 2008, and it's not because he's trying to avoid showing up the pitcher, either. "I have no idea why I do it," Zobrist said. "I never thought about it. People started telling me about it back in 2008 or 2009, and they were like, 'You realize what you're doing?' And I'm like, 'No. I don't.'"
When Zobrist hits a grounder, he drops the bat immediately. "I get rid of it quicker and start running," he said.
It might be something for psychologists to ponder. "I don't know," Zobrist said. "I don't think there's too much to think about. It's just a habit." (Jeffrey Flanagan is a reporter for MLB.com - 2015)
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Ben returned to Tropicana Field for the first time since getting traded in the 2014 offseason and he felt a "little bit upside down being on the other side of the field." But life is good for Zobrist, one of the most popular players in Rays history who came back as a Royal.
"I think Zobrist had a huge impact not only on the field, but off the field as well," said Evan Longoria, the longest-tenured Rays player. "And he came to be one of the most respected guys on the team and in the community. And he was a leader in this clubhouse. So it's pretty easy to say there should be a standing ovation for him and he should be well received."
The Rays honored Zobrist prior to the start of the game against the Royals with a video tribute on the Tropicana Field scoreboard. Those in attendance paid homage with a standing ovation. Around game time, another familiar face popped onto the field. Julianna Zobrist, Ben's better half and professional singer, performed the "Star Spangled Banner." Ben teased that all would notice a little more weight on her bones since she is pregnant with the couple's third child, due on November 10.
Zobrist received another standing ovation as he came to bat in the top of the first inning and he reached on an infield single overturned by replay. He then doubled in his second at-bat and finished 2-for-4 with a run scored in a Royals' victory. (Chastain - mlb.com - 8/28/2015)
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November 6, 2015: Zobrist and his wife, Julianna, announced the birth of their third child, a girl whom they have named, appropriately, Blaise Royal Zobrist. "What do you name a little girl who so politely waited for the World Series to be won by her daddy?" Julianna Zobrist posted on her Facebook account. "Then so sweetly thanked 800,000 fans at a parade, and the next day hung on while her family packed up and moved back home to Nashville? And then, in a brilliant finish, came to meet the world and say hello the day her mommy's new single 'Alive' is released? You call her a miracle. Or, we call her BLAISE ROYAL ZOBRIST."
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Now a Cubs second baseman, Zobrist had to battle emotions in December 2015. He was born and went to high school in Eureka, Illinois, a small town about 120 miles southwest of Chicago and 180 miles northeast of St. Louis, in the part of Central Illinois where that Cubs-Cardinals rivalry creates heated debates.
And he was coming off an October 2015 in which he was a key part of the Royals' first World Series championship since 1985—a time when Zobrist's family actually lived in the Kansas City area (though his memories are minimal; he was 4). Despite all that, there he was, agreeing to a four-year deal with the Cubs, of all teams.
"I have family and friends who are strong Cardinal fans, and they are having a tough time since I signed," said Zobrist. "They want to root for me, but rooting for the Cubs is next to a sin. Now they have to suck it up. "One of my best friends, James Miller, managed to find the only Cubs hat that is all red,'' Zobrist said with a grin. "My uncles Neal and Matt were both pretty shook up. My dad is a pastor. He has counseled them." (Ringolsby - MLB.com - 2/28/2016)
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Ben spent a college summer playing in Wisconsin's Northwoods League for Steve Foster, the Rockies pitching coach in 2016. Zobrist considers that summer in 2003 among his fondest baseball memories, and it's also a season that helped him become the player he is.
Zobrist was undrafted after his junior season at Olivet Nazarene University. Midway through that season, he started switch-hitting full time. Foster encouraged Zobrist to continue switch-hitting for his Wisconsin Woodchucks team.
"He said, 'I want to play shortstop and switch-hit,'" Foster said. "And he proved to me he could do it, so I let him. And he was fantastic. Look at the career the guy has had."
After leading the Woodchucks to the league championship and earning team MVP honors, Zobrist transferred to Dallas Baptist for his senior season and became a sixth-round pick of the Astros.
"It kind of helped me transition from the school at I was at the time to Dallas Baptist," Zobrist said. "[Foster] was one of those guys—he just has a great belief in people. He's a great guy to be around."
What Zobrist remembers most from his time with Foster is the end of the season, when the Woodchucks had multiple key players get in off-field trouble, forcing those players to miss the playoffs. Foster promised the team he would shave his head and get a tattoo if the Woodchucks still found a way to win the championship. Sure enough, the Woodchucks won the league on their home field, and Foster got his head shaved immediately after the game. A couple of weeks later, Zobrist said Foster got a tattoo to commemorate the team.
"It was awesome," Zobrist said. "That was still one of the most fun summers I've ever had playing baseball." (Stavenhagen - MLB.com - 4/17/2016)
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On Memorial Day 2016, Ben's wife, Julianna, sang the national anthem before the Cubs' game at Wrigley Field. "She's a pro," Ben said. "It'll be fun to hear her do that on Memorial Day. She's very patriotic."
He has done everything for the Cubs, but doesn't help with the lyrics of her songs. "She's the real talent, I feel, in our family," Ben said. "I'm more of a black and white, straight-laced, try to do it by the book. She's so creative and artistic." (Muskat - MLB.com - 5/29/2016)
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September 18, 2016: Plenty of people ride their bikes to work. It's environmentally conscious and a great source of exercise. Rarely do you see a baseball player do it—in uniform no less. Before the Cubs' game with the Brewers, Ben lived out every kid's "Sandlot"-inspired dream and rode off to Wrigley Field in his uniform. The kicker: He was wearing the shoes to make a kid run faster and jump higher.
Hey, when you've clinched the division for the first time since 2008 and there's still more than two weeks left in the regular season, you deserve to have some fun. (Clair - MLB.com)
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May 2017: Zobrist became the latest Cub to get his own cereal, showing off the boxes of "Zorilla Crunch." The cover of the box shows Zobrist with a bat slung over his shoulder, with the words "2016 Championship Edition."
"That's kind of a dream as a kid, to get your face on a cereal box," Zobrist said. "And they did a great job. I look way better on that than in real life." (Carrie Muskat and Scott Chasen -MLB.com)
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The Cubs honored their first-ever World Series MVP with a bobblehead night. The Cubs fell 4-1, but the first 10,000 fans got to go home with a terrific souvenir.
Since the giveaway was presented by Zobrist's nearby alma mater, Olivet Nazarene University, he volunteered to catch the first pitch from whoever threw it. He assumed that it would just be someone associated with ONU.
Instead, the Cubs stunned Zobrist by bringing out his dad, Tom. Other members of Zobrist's family were there, too, and his wife, Julianna, captured the hug between father and son on her camera.
"What an incredibly special moment! Ben's dad surprised him by throwing out the first pitch to Ben at the game. That is the first time in his entire career they have gotten to do that. And tonight just happens to be my MVPs bobblehead night! Ya know, average Thursday."
After the surprise, Tom Zobrist headed to the mound and fired a strike to his son, something he had never done during Ben's 12 years in the Majors. And it was a perfect strike! (Mearns - mlb.com - 6/8/2017)
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Normally, Ben takes about one month off after the baseball season ends. He doesn't become a couch potato, but is active with his kids and plays some basketball. The 2017 offseason was different, and Zobrist only took a 10-day break after the 2017 season ended. He's seeing the results of the extra work.
A big reason for the new look is that the veteran is healthy. In 2017, Zobrist had to deal with a sore wrist that affected the switch-hitter's swing from the right side. What did he do this offseason?
"I changed some things but not everything," Zobrist said. "For sure, I did the same type of workouts, but I did get going earlier in the offseason. I only took 10 days off instead of a whole month. I spent more time trying to build a foundation for my body. I spent the whole month of November focused on getting in really good shape and having that strong foundation."
He tweaked his back early in Spring Training 2018, which set him back, and early in the 2018 season Zobrist said he finally feels good with his legs. It showed when he ran back to grab a pop up in shallow right and end the second inning. Normally, right fielder Jason Heyward gets that ball. He's also hitting well.
"Hitting's all about rhythm and feel," Zobrist said. "As a switch-hitter, it's hard to find that feel early on. You're two different hitters on two different sides of the plate. Sometimes it takes longer to get into that. I'm really excited about where I'm at now. You just try to keep it going as long as you can." (Muskat - mlb.com - 4/8/2018)
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2016-2017 seasons: Ben used his " walk-up song" opportunity to promote his wife's music, using Julianna Zobrist's rendition of "Benny and the Jets."
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April 10, 2018: Ben's wife, Julianna, sang "God Bless America" prior to the game in Chicago.
"We just enjoy the experience," Ben said. "I don't get nervous, but I get excited that we get to do that together." (Muskat - mlb.com)
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It made sense that Ben would choose Kansas City for his daughter's first baseball game, considering her connection to the city and the Royals.
Zobrist welcomed his daughter, Blaise Royal Zobrist, to Kauffman Stadium on August 6, 2018, as he returned to the place where he captured his first World Series title and welcomed his third child in 2015. Zobrist received a warm ovation prior to striking out in his first at-bat and he logged two hits with a run scored in the Royals' 3-1 loss.
In just a matter of days, Zobrist reached monumental milestones in his personal and professional life in Kansas City. It was just the next day after the World Series championship parade when Blaise was born.
Now a member of the Cubs, Zobrist is happy to look back on the memorable—if not hectic—period in his life, and his daughter's connection to it all. "She was there, even though she doesn't realize it," said Zobrist, a catalyst at second base for the Royals in their title run three years ago. "She was a part of it, and just to know that she was with us even though she doesn't remember it is special for our family."
As for the middle name, it was only fitting that the Zobrists would pick something so tied to that stop in Ben's career. While it may have been brief, it's an experience he'll never forget—even more so now that he has a constant reminder.
"We just loved it," Zobrist said. "We thought it worked for either a boy or a girl, and we were excited to put it in there at some point. Especially once we won, it was just like, you know what? She will never remember, she won't know. But we all will." (Wolf - mlb.com - 8/6/2018)
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A new late-season trend has emerged over the past few seasons: the mid-September Ben Zobrist bike ride across the streets of Chicago. He did it in 2016 and 2017, and completed his 2018 edition this weekend.
In the hours before the Cubs' game with the Reds at Wrigley Field, some Cubs fans were truly taken aback at the sight of Zobrist—in his full Cubs regalia—enjoying a casual bike ride on his way to the ballpark. It created a pretty surreal image, truly. He waved at fans as he went! So, keep an eye out for a Zobrist pregame bike ride ... as it's definitely become a thing. (Garro - mlb.com - 9/16/2018)
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October 18, 2018: If Cubs fans are having a tough time adjusting to life without baseball after the team's abrupt ending in the National League Wild Card Game, they should know the players also are struggling to cope. Ben Zobrist expressed his frustrations in a clever music video that included a note to fans.
"It always takes me a few weeks to process the season and begin the offseason," Zobrist said in an Instagram post. "Here are my thoughts ... along with a unique way of making light of the postseason that should have been . . ." With the help of pitcher, filmmaker and good friend Tim Dillard, Zobrist's post is accompanied by a video in which the veteran infielder lip-syncs to Mumford and Sons, "I Will Wait for You."
Zobrist is shown watching the Brewers and Dodgers play Game 5 of the NL Championship Series and taking swings in his living room against Los Angeles starter Clayton Kershaw. He's also shown sadly holding his glove. It's obvious. Zobrist just wants to be playing. He wrote a long note to his followers as well:
"Maybe you feel the way I do," Zobrist said in his post. "It was a very quick and abrupt ending to a good season for us. It leaves a sour taste in my mouth. But let's not forget all the good that happened. This game and this team gives us something to pass the time, to express our love and passion, to feel the joy of the wins and the pains of the losses, and it calls us to unity when we so easily can be divided about so many other things. Each game is a microcosm of life.
"The game itself is not Life, but it helps us deal with life in a way. I'm thankful for even the painful losses at the end. The game can be a great teacher. I felt privileged to play with this team and play for our fans all year. We were stretched and we great in new ways as individuals and as a group and that is always a good thing. We strive to win championships, but more often, the process is the goal. We will be stronger because of all that we went through this year.
"What will I do now? I will travel and watch my wife crush her book tour. I will be in and out of Chi-town. I just got back home to Franklin, TN. I will find joy in raising and watching my kids grow and continue becoming their own person. I will rest and begin preparing for next season. I will work hard in mind, body, and spirit. I will help other players with @patriotforward and @showandgo. I will focus on personal growth and charitable endeavors, and become a better man, teammate, friend and player.
"To Baseball and Fans: For the next 5 months until I play next year ... "I will wait for you." The "Show and Go" reference is a podcast that Zobrist, Dillard, a baseball coach and a personal trainer have combined on which is aimed at young ballplayers interested in learning the game behind the game.
Zobrist's wife, Julianna, has a new book called "Pull It Off: Removing Your Fears and Putting on Confidence." As for Zobrist himself, he's coming off an impressive comeback season in which he batted .305. He'll just have to wait until next year to play. (C Muskat - MLB.com - October 18, 2018)
UGLY DIVORCE
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May 15, 2019: Ben Zobrist is really having an awful time right now. The Cubs second baseman is going through an ugly divorce in which he’s accused his wife, Julianna, of “inappropriate marital conduct.” Zobrist has taken an indefinite leave of absence from the Cubs while he sorts out his personal issues.
Ben and Julianna Zobrist have been married for 14 years and have three children together. They both filed for divorce in separate courts. While Julianna didn’t give a reason for seeking a divorce in her filing, Ben did. He claimed his wife “has been guilty of inappropriate marital conduct which render further cohabitation impossible.”
She’s a professional singer in the “Christian pop” genre. She has even sung the National Anthem and “God Bless America” before games her husband has played in. Ben also has used her songs as his walk-up music when hitting. (Ryan Phillips - The Big lead)
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May 8-September 1, 2019: Zobrist was on Major League Baseball's restricted list in order to tend to a family situation.
July 2019: He informed the Cubs that he wanted to try to return this season, and the club worked with Zobrist on mapping out a plan. Barring any setbacks, and if Zobrist convinces Chicago that he is able to play at a high level after missing three months, he might return in time for September.
"He is focused on his home and his kids and getting back with the Cubs," Maddon said. "And that's all that matters to him right now. So, I respect that, and I know him well enough to know that's exactly what he's doing". (J Bastian - MLB.com - August 9, 2019)
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September 1, 2019: Ben Zobrist's focus has always been on his family over everything else, and his decision to be away from the team for nearly four months made that apparent. After being reinstated from the restricted list by the Cubs, Zobrist hopes he can still help the club down the stretch.
“I’m excited to be back. I’m excited to be back in the clubhouse with the guys,” Zobrist said. “Wrigley Field is a special place, so any time you get a chance to be here, I don’t take it for granted.”
Zobrist, 38, has been away from the team since May 8 while going through a divorce and has been with his children at his home in Nashville during the absence. While the decision was a surprise for many, it was an easy one for him to make.
“I knew, at that moment, there was no way I could be here and be focused while I was here,” Zobrist said. “I didn’t want to give half-effort while I was here and think about where my head and heart really were. So I knew for a period of time I needed to fully put myself back in Nashville, back at home with my family doing everything I could to keep my family together.
“That was my focus. That’s where my heart was at the time and that’s where my heart remains. I’m here now, because I feel that in my heart while I’m here at the field can put 100 percent into it and I can really get after it with my teammates. I’m looking forward to that push right here down the stretch.”
Prior to the series finale against Milwaukee, Zobrist told reporters that he returned to the team briefly in June to keep his teammates updated and aware of what had been going on in his personal life. Despite not knowing if or when he would return, being upfront with “the guys” on where things stood was also a no-brainer.
“That was of primary importance, to tell them how I was and just asking for them to be patient with the process personally for me and, if I could, try to get back with them,” Zobrist said. “They don’t need me by any stretch of the imagination, but they always made me feel wanted. That they wanted me back … that’s all you want from your teammates.”
Those teammates have sung Zobrist's praises for the last several months. During the highs and lows of the 2019 season, when looking for something that has been missing, the 2016 World Series Most Valuable Player’s name has often come up first.
“It’s good to have him. I’ve been saying the whole time, since we found out that he was going on a rehab assignment, that we were all excited,” Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant said. “He’s the veteran. He’s done it for a while. It’s just good to have him.”
“He came in to say hello to me. He looks great,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “He’s a very self-aware man. When he [left the team] it did not surprise me in the least. I didn’t know if he’d be back or if he’d just say, ‘This is it.’ The way he’s done all of this, that’s just who he is.”
Zobrist’s long-awaited return to the Cubs comes at a time when the team could use his calm demeanor, veteran leadership and skills on the field. (R Dorsey - MLB.com - September 1, 2019)
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Ben -- a free agent in the winter of 2020 -- has not taken his time on the North Side for granted.
"It's the big leagues of the big leagues," Zobrist said. "That's the way the fans make you feel here, the front office, the organization, the way everything's run. It's the top of the top. It's hard to beat the experience of being a Chicago Cubs player, especially when you walk out on that field."
The question on everyone's mind now is whether Zobrist will step onto a baseball field in 2020. On September 23, 2019, Zobrist did not want to spend any time discussing his future. The Cubs had a game to win and, hopefully, a playoff spot to chase down. That said, Zobrist did say that the past few weeks have shown him that he is capable of playing next season, if he decides against hanging up his spikes.
"I think I could, yeah," said Zobrist, who was named World Series MVP after the Cubs' 2016 triumph over the Indians. "I think, physically, this month helped me know that physically I'm not behind, necessarily. I feel like I can keep up."
Zobrist was asked what factors will drive his decision. "I don't know," he said. "I'm trying not to think about that right now. I've got a lot of time once the season's over to think about that." (Bastian - mlb.com - 9/22/19)
- June 21, 2021: Zobrist has filed a lawsuit against his former pastor Byron Yawn, alleging that he had an affair with his wife Julianna Zobrist and defrauded his charitable foundation, all while serving as his spiritual counselor and confidant.
According to the lawsuit, Zobrist is seeking $6 million in damages due to “breach of fiduciary duty and intentional infliction of emotional distress.”
Zobrist, who last played for the Cubs in 2019, says in the lawsuit that he and his wife met Yawn while attending Community Bible Church, located in Nashville. The suit says that Yawn served as their pastor, and was also accepted into their lives as a “spiritual mentor,” providing pre-marital counseling for the couple in 2005. (Chicago News Station)
TRANSACTIONS
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June 2004: The Astros chose Ben in the sixth round, out of Dallas Baptist University.
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July 11, 2006: The D'Rays sent 1B Aubrey Huff to the Astros, acquiring Zobrist and P Mitch Talbot.
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April 23, 2010: Ben and the Rays agreed on a three-year contract extension worth up to $30 million. The first three years of the extension are guaranteed; the team holds options for the 2014 and 2015 seasons.
Tampa Bay had a $7 million club option for 2014 with a $2.5 million buyout. If that is exercised, the Rays can exercise a $7.5 million club option for 2015 with a $500,000 buyout.
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November 2, 2013: The Rays picked up the $7 million option on Ben for 2014.
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October 31, 2014: Tampa Bay exercised the $7.5 million option for 2015.
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January 10, 2015: The A's sent C John Jaso, INF Daniel Robertson, OF Boog Powell, and cash to the Rays; acquiring Ben Zobrist and Yunel Escobar.
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July 28, 2015: The A's sent Zobrist and cash to the Royals, who sent RHP Aaron Brooks and LHP San Manaea to the A's.
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December 8, 2015: Ben signed a four-year, $56 million contract with the Cubs.
- Oct 31, 2019: Ben chose free agency.
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