Once again, Zobrist is great and under the radar. (US Presswire)

The Rays are surging toward the playoffs once again, having won eight straight games. It's gonna be tough to make the postseason, as they trail the last wild-card spot by two games with only six remaining in the season. Still, they have a shot, and the seemingly always-unheralded Ben Zobrist is a huge reason why.

It's true Evan Longoria is the Rays' superstar position player and the most important member of the lineup. It's also true the Rays' lifeblood is their pitching staff, led by Cy Young frontrunner David Price and dominant closer Fernando Rodney. But they wouldn't be where they are without Zobrist's usual, under-the-radar production.

Offensively, Zobrist fills up the stat sheet. If you only look at the triple-crown stats, he's not overly impressive -- .270 average, 18 homers, 71 RBI -- but we're all evolved enough by now to look deeper, right? Zobrist has 38 doubles, seven triples and 14 stolen bases. He also has drawn a whopping 91 walks, helping to give him an impressive .375 on-base percentage.

Defensively, Zobrist remains one of the most valuable players in the league based upon his versatility. Entering the season, he hadn't played shortstop since 2009, but he's now the Rays' everyday shorstop. He's also gone through spells of being a regular second baseman and right fielder this season, and he's more than adequate at all three spots.

Simply, the Rays can plug Zobrist in almost anywhere and they'll get quality work both offensively and defensively. And as they have gotten real hot in this late surge, Zobrist has been as integral as anyone.

During the Rays' eight-game winning streak entering Friday night, Zobrist is hitting .346/.455/.577 with three doubles, a homer, three RBI and five runs. But he has been hot for almost two months. Since Aug. 3, Zobrist is hitting .322/.395/.522 while taking over a defensive position that he hadn't played in three years (his first action at shortstop this season was Aug. 9).

So while Price, Rodney and Longoria rightfully get their due, don't forget about how much value the unheralded Zobrist brings to this team. He's every bit as important to their postseason chances.

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