Alex Cobb in radio interview: "I just want to go play"

Orioles right-hander Alex Cobb made just three starts last year due to injuries, and he's hoping the coronavirus pandemic won't keep him from seeing the mound this year.

Cobb was a guest on the "Vinny and Haynie Show" on 105.7 FM The Fan on Tuesday and said he hopes to get back to playing as soon as possible.

"As a player, at this point, even though we've been home for probably a month or so, I'm itching just to go play ball," said Cobb. "So, I don't care what it looks like. I don't care what drastic measures we need to take. I just want to go play. And I know every guy has an opinion of why it won't work and what is wrong with the ideas. But I'm very encouraged by at least hearing the ideas leaking out of the eagerness on both sides to get something going, to do something. Obviously, we need to foresee what the immediate future will look like, but you have to start planning right now for when this sorts itself out to hit the ground running."

The day before spring training was shut down on March 12, O's manager Brandon Hyde told reporters that Cobb would miss a start due a blister on his right hand. But Cobb said during this interview that he was able to throw five innings in a simulated game on March 12. He had been scratched from starting the game that night versus Minnesota. As it turned out, spring training got canceled that afternoon and there was no game that evening in Fort Myers.

Cobb said a friend owns a gym in Arizona where he has been working out four times a week, and he said he's been throwing off a turf mound five to six times a week. Cobb has a catching buddy in Arizona.

"We're staying socially distant, 60 feet, 6 inches apart at all times from each other," Cobb said. "For the most part, I've been able to stay in shape."

He added that he was excited for the 2020 season during spring training and the Orioles team was showing good team chemistry when camp was halted.

"Up to that point, things were exciting," Cobb said. "I don't know if it was I was away for a full year or the group of guys we had this year, but what a fun locker room we had this spring training. Everybody was getting along together, joking on each other. Playing loose and having fun. Everybody is itching to get back to be part of that group."

Click here to listen to the interview with Cobb on 105.7 The Fan.

Because you asked: The other day I published a list of the Orioles' all-time leaders in offensive Wins Above Replacement (oWAR). The top three are Cal Ripken Jr. (78.1), Eddie Murray (51.9) and Brooks Robinson (47.7).

But some of you asked for more specific context. For instance, who had the most oWAR per game? Rather than go by game, I went by career plate appearances. For what it's worth, I divided career PA into career oWAR as an Oriole. That produced a fraction that I multiplied times 100 to produce a stat we could read like a slugging percentage or an OPS. In fact, it probably falls somewhere between the two.

I'm not sure what it exactly means, but here is a list of the top 23. Why 23? I went with Orioles that have 15 or more oWAR for their Baltimore careers.

1.045 - Frank Robinson
0.840 - Bobby Grich
0.692 - Chris Hoiles
0.676 - Miguel Tejada
0.644 - Eddie Murray
0.627 - Manny Machado
0.621 - Don Buford
0.609 - Ken Singleton
0.606 - Cal Ripken Jr.
0.554 - Boog Powell
0.541 - Adam Jones
0.511 - Rafael Palmeiro
0.510 - Doug DeCinces
0.509 - Melvin Mora
0.505 - Brady Anderson
0.467 - Brian Roberts
0.466 - Davey Johnson
0.451 - Al Bumbry
0.405 - Brooks Robinson
0.397 - Nick Markakis
0.368 - Rick Dempsey
0.344 - Paul Blair
0.333 - Chris Davis

Some of the results were interesting. Buford seventh? Well, he did amass 17.5 oWAR in just 2,820 plate appearances, which is the fewest of the 23 players. Dempsey ahead of Davis? Well, Dempsey has almost as many career oWAR (15.4 to 15.1) and has that total in 500 fewer plate appearances. And as you may have heard, Davis' offense fell off in recent years.