Cubs News: Maddon discusses the unsigned Alex Cobb |
Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon knows that his team can only go as far as the starting pitching will take them in 2018.
Free-agent starting pitcher Alex Cobb is a player that the Cubs have reportedly tried to sign to a three-year contract worth $42 million but he rejected the offer. Maddon said that he doesn't blame Cobb for trying to handle the free agent process in the best way he can. "Because he's a free agent and he's trying to make as much money as he can, which is what he should do. I think that's it...I don't think its any more complicated than he's trying to get the best deal he can." For his career, the 30-year old has a 48-35 record with a 3.50 ERA with 570 strikeouts and 1.22 WHIP. He was 12-10 with 3.66 ERA with 128 strikeouts last season. His 1.22 WHIP was 10th best in the American League. In 2016, Cobb was 1-2 with 8.59 ERA with 16 strikeouts and 1.77 WHIP still recovering from the injury. Cobb had Tommy John surgery back in 2015 as he only pitched 22 total innings that season. In 2013, Cobb had his best year going 21-12 with 2.82 ERA in 49 starts. Cubs President of Operations Theo Epstein doesn't want to give Cobb a fourth year on the deal while Cobb's agents want a much larger value per year or add a fourth year on any deal which they think they can get from some team. Maddon knows that Cubs management is constantly trying to get better as a ballclub. "If I'm the GM or President, I'm always trying to make the group better. I would not doubt that our boys are going to do something else."
