The Cubs reportedly extended a multi-year offer to Alex Cobb and got shut down

The Cubs having interest in Alex Cobb isn’t new. It’s one of the rumors that has been swirling around most often during this endless dirge of an offseason, in fact. Cubs, Alex Cobb. Cobb, Cubs. It’s out there.

But since front offices are accidentally on purpose taking their dear sweet time actually making offers or signings this year, there hasn’t been much in the way of progress between these two sides. Publicly at least, since there is now a report that the Cubs privately extended an offer to Cobb and the latter rejected their proposed deal.

On this week’s Cubs Talk podcast, David Kaplan reports that Chicago put a three-year, $42 million offer on the table to see if Cobb would bite and he did not.

And it’s not too difficult to see why he balked at signing that deal. Say it with me now ... he needs more MONEY. This deal is low for Cobb, even when you consider that this offseason is rampant with deals being offered only to force values down so as to make the market easier on teams.

In December, our friends at Bleed Cubbie Blue took a look at what Cobb is asking for and whether that makes sense for what he can offer a team. While his reported asking price is at $20 million a year, it’s not likely he’ll get what he’s asking for in that area. However, a $14 million AAV offer from the Cubs is too far in the other direction and undershooting what a reasonable offer might look like for both sides.

If Cobb’s $20 million figure is simply a negotiating tactic, then he’d be in a good position based on this Cubs offer. Something in the $16-to-$18 million range is a more appropriate number for Cobb, as well as being a number in between what’s been offered and what he wants. Hey, whaddya know, that’s how negotiating works! Groundbreaking.

While there’s no sign of whether the Cubs and Cobb have or have not continued talking since this deal was rejected, it’s still a good fit. Cobb knows multiple people on the coaching staff (including his former manager in Tampa Bay Joe Maddon) and fills a need in the rotation for the Cubs.

Cobb had a 3.66 ERA in 2017, with a 1.221 WHIP and a 113 ERA+. However his 179.1 innings pitched last season is a career high, which isn’t overly inspiring for a pitcher who underwent Tommy John surgery not too long ago and had never even hit 170 innings in a season before that injury.

Players are always going to ask for more than they’re worth, and whether or not you think he’s worth a cool $20 mil, he’s definitely worth more than the low teens. I think this deal ends up getting done because Cobb is still one of the top targets available in this market, and the other option for Chicago is bucking up and paying Jake Arrieta wayyyyyyyy more money to come back to Wrigley...

...which might be the decision they land on in the end. But if they’re already lowballing Cobb, that doesn’t bode well for smooth negotiations with the older-by-two-years Arrieta. Just pay Cobb the money and set your rotation already. It’s January, and we’re all getting bored.