Levine: Ben Zobrist's Consistency, Winning Pedigree Will Be Boon To Cubs

By Bruce Levine--

ANAHEIM, Calif. (CBS) -- With so many quality hitters in what appears to be a stacked lineup, the Cubs' most important player may well change from day to day during the 2016 season.

If you ask manager Joe Maddon that question, he will tell you that teams are collective groups of individuals who are all components of winning. As it pertains to these Cubs, one of the game-changers -- who's perhaps being overlooked -- will be second baseman Ben Zobrist, who previously played under Maddon while with the Tampa Bay Rays.

"He brings us consistency," Maddon said. "That is the best way to describe Zo. He gives you good at-bats from both sides of the plate. You put him on defense at a variety of positions, and you know what to expect. He is a really good baserunner, looks like he has not lost his speed. How he co-habitats among the group, he is really easy to get along with. He is consistent, and he is good."

Zobrist brings a great resume to Chicago, including a championship from last season with the Royals. In signing for $56 million over four years, Zobrist passed on more money from the National League champion Mets.

"I did not know what to expect when it came to the fun and other stuff we had during spring training," Zobrist said, reflecting on his first few months with the Cubs. "Joe had some things to keep us loose in Tampa, but nothing like this. We had a mime trying to talk to the guys, live cub bears and all kinds of off-beat things. This was way more off-the-field things than in Tampa. Here it was every day. I had never seen that happen before a stretch on a big league field, definitely a circus at times. That said, it was fun and that is the kind of thing that bring teams together. We get to know each other more off and on the field."

Zobrist hit third for the Cubs in Monday's season-opening win, registering two hits and a run in his debut with the team. The 34-year-old Zobrist had spent his entire big league career playing in front of small crowds in Tampa Bay before traded to Kansas City last summer. After getting a taste of a championship with a rabid fan base there, Zobrist wants to experience the same result with the Cubs.

"I am excited about that," Zobrist said. "We saw it all spring training, what a loyal fan base the Cubs have. These fans are really hungry for championship. As players, that is what we are set on. We are focused on that and hopefully we can bring that to them."

Zobrist can play a variety of positions but was promised a shot at being the primary second base job before signing with Chicago. His positional versatility will most likely come into play late in games, allowing Maddon the freedom to make substitutions elsewhere in the lineup and still be strong defensively.

"I don't think too much about it," he said. "The one thing is the more I play second base, the more I can work on the intricate movements of that position. I am a student of the game. I want to try and get better in every facet of the game. The more I spend at one position, the more I can dive into those details."

Zobrist and shortstop Addison Russell have worked a lot on turning the double play and the other nuances of the infield combo dynamic.

"He has been fantastic to work with," Zobrist said of Russell. "He is an incredible worker and incredibly talented. We got the timing down at the end of spring training. We figured out each other really well. Learning each other's range and how the ball comes out of his hand is the main thing do try and get down. We worked mostly on learning the limits of each others range and throwing angles."

It will be important for Zobrist to avoid distractions in his first year in the big city. Relatives will be making the 140-mile journey from his native Eureka in central Illinois to Chicago on a regular basis.

"My wife is great at keeping distractions away from me during the season," Zobrist said. "That will help us set a good sense of rules for the season. The No. 1 focus for us is making sure I am ready to go do my job and help the Cubs win."

Maddon -- who managed Zobrist for part or all of nine seasons in Tampa -- will do his best to get the most out of this versatile veteran.

"He looks to be in really good shape," Maddon said. "The key now will be to be proactive and and giving him rest. In the past, you let him go until he came to you. I may want go to him at times and ask him how he is feeling."

Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.