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Zobrist finding groove at the plate

MIAMI -- Ben Zobrist slowly seems to be finding what has been lost in the batter's box. He has hit in four consecutive games -- three of which he's hit in the leadoff spot -- and he carried a .247 batting average into Thursday night's action.

Like all Major League hitters, Zobrist understands that success with the bat is a fleeting experience.

"Obviously, the confidence is there," Zobrist said. "It's frustrating, though. It always seems like it takes a long time to get into that sync, find that rhythm. That's just the way it's been for me that last couple of years. I'm doing my best to try and make that not take as long as it does. But it is what it is.

"At least I've still been able to be productive to help the club. And we've been hitting the ball really well as a club. It's nice we've got guys who have been hitting so well that we can still score a lot of runs."

Zobrist struggled the first two months of the 2012 season before finding an approach that sustained him the rest of the season.

"You just do the same thing as long as it's working for you," Zobrist said. "At some point, it runs out -- for me anyways."

Zobrist noted that the shelf life of a good swing thought can last as long as two months.

"That's about as long as one particular swing thought has lasted for me," Zobrist said. "But then you work on the same things in the offseason and rarely does it transfer. For me, it's a moving target. It always does [have an expiration date].

"I think it's just because naturally your body, you know things move from order to disorder. You have to try and find that balance in there that not only enables you to take the right swing, but also see the ball and swing at the right pitches. That in itself can be hard enough because of the caliber of pitching we're facing on a nightly basis."

Bill Chastain is a reporter for MLB.com.
Read More: Tampa Bay Rays, Ben Zobrist