O's Cobb eager to prove himself in '20 season

BALTIMORE -- The decision for the Cobb family might have been more complicated than most, given how Orioles right-hander Alex Cobb's wife, Kelly, gave birth to their second child on July 3, the day Summer Camp officially opened. There were moments in the months before Everly Pauline Cobb was born, Alex Cobb said Thursday, that the choice whether or not to play was “not too clear to us,” given the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and how Kelly’s pregnancy made her high-risk.

It was only after the family consulted with various pediatricians and neonatal intensive care unit doctors that the Cobbs were reassured. Upon witnessing the health and safety protocols the Orioles implemented at Camden Yards, Cobb came to an even further peace with the decision.

“I feel really comfortable with the way the Orioles are handling everything,” Cobb said. “Everybody was on the same page and felt we were in a good position and would be OK. There is just no guarantee that if we opted out we wouldn’t get it. We feel this is a great opportunity for me, personally, since I missed all of last year.”

The veteran righty’s focus now is on pitching, building up toward the rapidly approaching 60-game regular season and trying to reestablish himself after more than a full year lost to injury. Cobb and the Orioles both hope the result is salvaging some value from the four-year, $57 million deal he signed prior to the 2018 season.

“I’ve got a whole lot to prove,” Cobb said. “I’ve pitched one year out of this four-year deal, really. That one year didn’t go too well.”

Cobb made 28 starts upon joining the O’s in 2018, going 5-15 with a career-worst 4.90 ERA. He made only three starts in '19, missed his Opening Day assignment due to knee and groin issues and underwent season-ending hip surgery in June. It was the latest in a string of injuries that has followed Cobb throughout his career, as he also previously missed two years due to Tommy John surgery.

Now, Cobb is 32 and three years removed from his last productive season, when he went 12-10 with a 3.66 ERA in 29 starts for the Rays in 2017. He wants to prove he can return to the form he showed while with Tampa Bay from 2011-17, when he went 48-35 with a 3.50 ERA in 115 starts.

“It’s very difficult to come back from surgery, so I’ve got a lot to prove, not only to the fan base and to people watching, but to myself,” Cobb said. “I love pitching, and I was pitching at a really high level early on in my career, and I really want to get back to that. It’s really tough when you know your abilities and you’re not reaching them constantly, so if I can get back to that this season, that would be tremendous. If I could just get to a good level where I feel comfortable going into next year, that would be great. I just need to see a lot of improvement, and I need to see that all the work I’ve been putting in is going to pay off.

“Once I get to that point, I’ll be happy with the work that I’ve done. But I definitely need to have some quality results here, just for myself and the organization that gave me such a great opportunity to be here.”

That is part of the reason Cobb is attending Summer Camp, where he is scheduled to throw a three-inning simulated game on Saturday. If he can remain healthy (Cobb was also slowed this spring by blister issues, which now appear resolved), Cobb figures to line up behind projected Opening Day starter John Means in the O’s rotation.

Cobb said he “completely understands” where any player who elects not to play is coming from, citing friends who have done so and saying “they feel they can keep their family safer at home.”

“My mind is at ease with it,” Cobb said. “I feel like we’re making the right decision. I think the season is going to be a really fun one to follow. I think you’re going to see a lot left on the field."