Alex Cobb didn't expect his free agency to last well into January.

The market has been slow to move this offseason for a majority of free agents, not just the longtime Tampa Bay Rays right-hander.

"You're full of excitement, you're rushing into this thing like, 'Oh, this is going to be a lot of fun, a great experience,'" Cobb said. "Then somewhere between November and December you realize how slow things are going and you kind of start reading the writing on the wall that this is a little bit of a different offseason than years before.

"Then you go through a little bit of a frustrating moment, frustrated with the process, frustrated with the way things are going. Then you kind of get to the point where you're like, 'Whatever. We're all in this same boat together.' You just kind of change your frame of mind to accepting the fact that this thing is going to go down to the wire and you get comfortable with that."

The Chicago Cubs have still be linked to Cobb despite reports that he rejected a three-year, $42 million deal.