Zobrist is Cubs' Mr. October
Self-aware veteran matches Ruth with
3 hits in consecutive Series openers
The Cubs second baseman/outfielder also has a hankering for history.
He made that Tuesday night during Game 1 of the World Series.
By virtue of his three hits in the Cubs' 6-0 loss to the Indians at Progressive Field, Zobrist joined Babe Ruth as the only players in baseball history to have three hits in consecutive World Series openers.
The 35-year-old had three in last year's opener for the Royals, and he's 6-for-10 with four doubles in his last two Game 1s of the Fall Classic. Ruth pulled off the feat in 1927 and 1928 with the Yankees.
“I mean, we're basically … the same guy,” Zobrist said with a laugh Wednesday night before he had two hits in his first three at-bats in Game 2.
“Me and the Babe have that record together.
“It's funny, but yeah, it's definitely something down the road you'll look back and realize, ‘Wow, that's pretty crazy you shared a stat with somebody like that.' ”
Zobrist is no stranger to October baseball. He reached the World Series in 2008 with the Joe Maddon-led Rays and helped the Royals win it last season.
He batted .303 with two home runs, six RBIs and a .880 OPS in the postseason last year.
Entering Game 2, Zobrist was hitting .225 with three RBIs and a .614 OPS in this year's playoffs.
But as Maddon often preaches, Zobrist's value goes beyond surface numbers.
Exhibit A was on display early when Zobrist coaxed Indians starter Trevor Bauer into using 11 of his 29 first-inning pitches on him. Zobrist fouled off six before flying out to left field for the second out.
His two-out single to center field in the third extended the inning ahead of Kyle Schwarber's RBI single, which scored Anthony Rizzo and pushed the Cubs' lead to 2-0. His run-scoring triple to right field in the fifth made it 3-0 before he crossed the plate on another Schwarber single.
It was Zobrist's first RBI in 11 World Series games.
“I wouldn't say I feel locked in at the plate,” Zobrist said. “I feel like I'm battling more than anything. I've hit the ball decent this postseason. I haven't gotten a lot of hits. A lot of balls that I've hit hard have been at people.”
Maddon said part of Zobrist's success is that his at-bats are “the same all the time.” That approach has had a direct effect on younger players who, Maddon said, always are watching and learning from Zobrist.
“They watch how he's never in trouble at the plate,” Maddon said. “Two strikes don't bother him. He accepts his walks. I anticipate over the next couple of years you'll see our young guys working those same kind of at-bats.”
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