There are plenty of connections between the Chicago Cubs and pitcher Alex Cobb.

The right-hander has spent all six years of his career with the Tampa Bay Rays, a team that current Cubs manager Joe Maddon ran for the first half of that time period. Cobb's pitching coach in Tampa Bay, Jim Hickey, joined Maddon's Chicago staff in the same role earlier this month.

According to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times, it's why Cobb and the Cubs share mutual interest in each other this winter. ESPN's Jesse Rogers confirmed that Chicago reached out to Cobb when free agency began and had preliminary discussions with his agent, Danny Horwits, at the recent GM meetings.

Cobb posted a 3.66 ERA and 128/44 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 179 1/3 innings last season for the Rays -- his first full year back on the mound since undergoing Tommy John surgery.

The 30-year-old received a one-year, $17.4 million qualifying offer from the Rays earlier this month.

In an interview with MLB Network Radio, Cobb was complimentary of both Maddon and Hickey. "I don't hide the fact that I've got the most respect for Joe Maddon and what he did for me coming up as a player," Cobb said.

Rogers believes that a four-year deal makes sense for Cobb and the Cubs, although he notes that the sides have not exchanged numbers yet.

Cobb earned $4.2 million last season with Tampa Bay.

-- Nick Ostiller