KANSAS CITY -- It makes sense that Cubs utility man Benjamin Zobrist 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 Monday 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."