Alex Cobb occupies his own distinctive place in the Orioles' contract continuum: signed for this year and three more as the team's prized free agent this offseason, and responsible for helping the rotation be a bridge to whatever's next after the pending exodus of star position players and relievers.
Much has been made of the multiyear commitment he and the Orioles made to each other, as well as the team's caution in bringing along its $56 million pitcher after his late-March signing.
But what everyone needed was a night like the one Cobb had Tuesday at Citi Field in the Orioles' 2-1 win over the New York Mets (27-31).