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As he prepares to leave the Rays, how will you remember Alex Cobb?

 
Rays manager Joe Maddon, left, takes the ball from Alex Cobb in the seventh inning of the AL wild-card baseball game against the Cleveland Indians on Oct. 2, 2013, in Cleveland. [AP Photo/Tony Dejak]
Rays manager Joe Maddon, left, takes the ball from Alex Cobb in the seventh inning of the AL wild-card baseball game against the Cleveland Indians on Oct. 2, 2013, in Cleveland. [AP Photo/Tony Dejak]
Published Nov. 16, 2017

Presuming Alex Cobb declines the Rays' one-year, $17.4-million qualifying offer by 5 p.m. today, he has pitched his last game for Tampa Bay.

Cobb has received preliminary interest from "lots of teams" already, agent Dan Horwits said. The Cubs and Twins have been mentioned most. Cobb could get a deal in line with the $70-million Ian Kennedy got over five years from the Royals or the $80-million Mike Leake got from St. Louis.

RELATED: Alex Cobb not ready to contemplate likely end to Rays career

Wherever he lands, it will mark a significant change for one of the Rays' top pitchers over the past half-dozen seasons.

Cobb, 30, has known nothing but Tampa Bay since joining the organization in 2006 as a fourth-round pick from Vero Beach High. Over 12 years he evolved, despite a series of injuries, into a good leader and a great example.

"He's as fierce a competitor on his start day as anybody I've ever been around," third baseman Evan Longoria said. "It's always nice to play behind guys like that."

RELATED: Alex Cobb bracing for his final day in a Rays uniform

Cobb, who made his Rays debut in 2011, compiled a 47-35 record and 3.49 ERA in 114 starts over seven big-league seasons. His highlights include a 2013 wild-card win in Cleveland.

Still, it's tempting to think about what might have been had injuries not gotten in his way.

Cobb missed the last seven weeks of his rookie season due to surgery to remove a blood clot and part of his top right rib. Two months in 2013 after being hit in the head by a line drive and sustaining a concussion. And, most dramatically, all of 2015 and most of 2016 because of Tommy John elbow surgery.

"He's had a real successful career, it's just extremely unfortunate that he missed the time that he did miss," former Rays pitching coach Jim Hickey said. "And it's extremely impressive how he came back from each one of those injuries, all three of which could have been career-enders."

RELATED: Alex Cobb bracing himself for possible farewell season with Rays

Cobb also earned raves as a good teammate, whether it was teaching Jake Odorizzi his split-finger changeup a couple of springs ago or preaching to the young pitchers about the pressures of September games.

"One of the best teammates you could ever ask for," Odorizzi said.

How will you remember Cobb's days with the Rays?