A closer look at Zobrist

There is usually minimal action in between Christmas and New Year's when it comes to the baseball hot stove. Most, if not all, teams close their offices during this time, allowing their employees to be with their families and take some rare vacation time. That doesn't really apply to general managers and their top lieutenants, however, and agents don't typically take much of a break this time of year, either. So while this is a quiet period in the MLB offseason, it isn't void of any action. The Nationals made a move recently, signing Dan Uggla to a minor league deal the day after Christmas, and yesterday, the Rays agreed to terms with infielder Asdrubal Cabrera on a one-year deal worth a reported $8 million. That deal could also end up impacting the Nats. As I mentioned yesterday, the Rays now have an abundance of middle infielders with Cabrera in the fold. He joins shortstop Yunel Escobar and second baseman Ben Zobrist as established players that Tampa Bay has under contract for 2015, leading many around the game to speculate that either Escobar or Zobrist could now be on the move. Escobar is under contract through 2016 with a team option for 2017. Zobrist, however, only has one more year of team control under his deal, and he was viewed as a heavy trade candidate even before the Cabrera acquisition. Those who watch National League baseball on an everyday basis might not know too much about Zobrist, so here's a brief breakdown of what he's brought to the table for the Rays in recent seasons. Over his last six years, Zobrist has put up a strong .270/.364/.437 slash line, with a 123 OPS-plus and an average of 17 homers and 16 stolen bases per season. Those numbers haven't dropped off much recently, despite the fact that Zobrist turned 33 in May. He hit .272/.354/.395 in 146 games in 2014, with nearly as many walks (75) as strikeouts (84). He's primarily played second base in his career, but also has lots of experience at shortstop and all three outfield positions, and has also played some at each of the corner infield spots. Zobrist is a quality player, but his versatility only adds to his value. ESPN.com's Mark Simon pointed out yesterday that only two players have been worth 4.5 WAR (according to Baseball Reference's calculations of the statistic) in each of the last six seasons. Those players are Miguel Cabrera and Ben Zobrist. Decent company for Zobrist to be in. It's probably clear by now that I really like Zobrist's game, and feel he would be a very strong addition to this Nationals team. Nats general manager Mike Rizzo will surely inquire about Zobrist now that the Rays have three potential starting middle infielders. The question is how interested the Rays actually are in moving Zobrist, and what it will take to acquire him. MLBTradeRumors.com took a look at the teams that could have a need for Zobrist, and because of his versatility, the list is long. The Rays could receive many calls on the veteran switch-hitter, which only strengthens their position and could increase their price. If the Nats are committed to keeping Jordan Zimmermann, Ian Desmond, Doug Fister and other soon-to-be free agents to go all-in in 2015, could they prioritize Zobrist and make a full run at the title this upcoming season? Possibly. But they might also find the cost too steep for another player who will hit free agency next winter, and choose to go another direction when it comes to looking for their starting second baseman. We shall see. As the calender gets ready to turn, I would just like to wish all of you a very Happy New Year. Thanks, as always, for reading and following along throughout 2014, and hopefully 2015 has even better things in store for us all.