The Chicago Cubs planned on making some moves in the Winter Meetings, and Ben Zobrist planned to find a new team, but the two parties were never connected in speculations heading into this week. In the end, they came together on Tuesday night and agreed to a four-year, $56 million deal.
Zobrist was said to be in serious talks with the New York Mets, which seemed to be the obvious landing spot for the utility man. In the end, it was a reunion with Cubs manager Joe Maddon from their days with the Tampa Bay Rays.
The 34-year-old was most recently with the Kansas City Royals, winning a World Series title with them in October. He began the 2015 campaign with the Oakland Athletics, but was traded over to Kansas City mid-season.
He ended up being the Royals' No. 2 hitter throughout the postseason, and hit .303 with two home runs, six RBIs, 15 runs scored and one stolen base. His best game had to be Game 1 of the World Series, when he went 3-for-6 with two doubles against the Mets.
The two-time All-Star spent his first nine years in the big leagues with the Rays, beginning in 2006, which was coincidentally Maddon's first season.
He is a career .265 hitter, but always find his way on base. In fact, his .355 on-base percentage last season would've tied him with Kyle Schwarber for third on the Cubs' roster. With Oakland and Kansas City, Zobrist recorded a .276 average with 13 home runs and 56 RBIs last season.
Soon after the Zobrist deal was announced, the Cubs sent infielder Starlin Castro to the Yankees for Brendan Ryan and Adam Warren. The move gives New York a replacement at the second base position, but also makes room for Zobrist in the Cubs' young, talented infield.
Zobrist was said to be in serious talks with the New York Mets, which seemed to be the obvious landing spot for the utility man. In the end, it was a reunion with Cubs manager Joe Maddon from their days with the Tampa Bay Rays.
The 34-year-old was most recently with the Kansas City Royals, winning a World Series title with them in October. He began the 2015 campaign with the Oakland Athletics, but was traded over to Kansas City mid-season.
He ended up being the Royals' No. 2 hitter throughout the postseason, and hit .303 with two home runs, six RBIs, 15 runs scored and one stolen base. His best game had to be Game 1 of the World Series, when he went 3-for-6 with two doubles against the Mets.
The two-time All-Star spent his first nine years in the big leagues with the Rays, beginning in 2006, which was coincidentally Maddon's first season.
He is a career .265 hitter, but always find his way on base. In fact, his .355 on-base percentage last season would've tied him with Kyle Schwarber for third on the Cubs' roster. With Oakland and Kansas City, Zobrist recorded a .276 average with 13 home runs and 56 RBIs last season.
Soon after the Zobrist deal was announced, the Cubs sent infielder Starlin Castro to the Yankees for Brendan Ryan and Adam Warren. The move gives New York a replacement at the second base position, but also makes room for Zobrist in the Cubs' young, talented infield.
