Advertisement

Rays hope to cash in on Alex Cobb leaving

 
WILL VRAGOVIC   |   Times Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Alex Cobb (53) watches the video board as he's honored before receiving the Paul C. Smith Champion award from the BWAA before of the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. on Friday, Sept. 29, 2017.
WILL VRAGOVIC | Times Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Alex Cobb (53) watches the video board as he's honored before receiving the Paul C. Smith Champion award from the BWAA before of the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. on Friday, Sept. 29, 2017.
Published Nov. 16, 2017

LAKE BUENA VISTA — The Rays were banking on pitcher Alex Cobb declining their one-year, $17.4 million qualifying offer based on the lure of a longer-term and more lucrative deal elsewhere as a free agent.

With that decision official Thursday, now the Rays are hoping he breaks the bank. Or at least the $50 million barrier.

Under MLB's new and complicated compensation rules, the Rays will get a much better draft pick — possibly 50 slots higher — if Cobb signs for more than $50 million, which seems likely. In short, if he gets the $50 million, they get an extra pick at the end of the first round, so in the low 30s. If he doesn't, the bonus selection will be after the competitive-balance picks that follow the second round, so in the high 70s or low 80s.

Though headed for a jackpot, possibly with the Cubs, Cobb said it was "difficult" and "bittersweet" to know he was leaving after spending the first 12 years of his career in the Rays organization.

"The two things that I'll truly miss the most are the friendships I've made and our fans," he said. "The relationships I've built not only with my teammates and coaches but also the front office and staff have played a major part of who I am today.

"I can't express how much I'll miss spending each day with my Rays family."

The 30-year-old right-hander thanked the fans for "unwavering" support as he battled back from several major injuries: "Your words of encouragement meant so much to me during the highlights of my career, but they meant even more during the challenging ones." (full Cobb statement, see tampabay.com/blogs/rays)

The Cobb compensation pick would be one of five in the top 75 or so of the June draft for the Rays, who also get additional picks for not signing 2017 choice Drew Rasmussen and in the second competitive balance round.