BCB After Dark: Where will the magic happen?

Welcome back to BCB After Dark: the late-night dive spot for night owls, early-risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Glad you could join us tonight. I hope it wasn’t too cold for you out there. We’ll take your hat and coat. I hope you brought a warm beverage, if that’s what you want. Make yourself at home. No tie required.

BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.

Last time I asked you where free agent shortstop Corey Seager would sign, as apparently the market for him is heating up and he very well may sign before the December 1 expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement. In a narrow victory, 31% of you thought that Seager would stay with the Dodgers. That’s just barely ahead of the 28% of you who thought Seager would sign with the Yankees. The Cubs were in third place in the voting with 23%.

On Wednesday night/Thursday morning, I don’t do a full edition of BCB After Dark with a film essay. I do, however, have time for a jazz video. If you want to skip that, now is your time to jump to the poll question at the bottom.

Tonight I have a very good performance of the Modern Jazz Quartet on the BBC in 1964. So without further ado, here is John Lewis on piano, Milt Jackson on vibes, Percy Heath on base and Connie Kay on drums, along with a special appearance by Brazilian guitarist Laurindo Almeido.

Welcome back to those who skip the music. Today’s guest needs no introduction. He is simply known around here as El Mago, although his mother calls him Javier Báez.

As you know, Báez is a free agent after the Cubs traded him to the Mets at midseason. According to recent reports, the market for Báez is a lot hotter than some people predicted it would be. The latest team connected to Báez is the Red Sox, who would most likely slide Xander Bogaerts over to third base, or just let him leave as a free agent after next season.

But the Red Sox aren’t the only team that have been connected to El Mago. Both the Mets and the Cubs have reportedly made contact with his people, and both the Tigers and the Mariners are in the market for a shortstop and they may be interested in someone a little cheaper than Seager or Carlos Correa.

Then there are the Yankees. If Seager ends up back in LA and the Yankees don’t think Carlos Correa is a good fit for the Bronx (as rumored), then might they turn to Báez? They badly want a new shortstop.

I don’t need to tell you about Báez’s strengths and weaknesses, but apparently a lot of teams are very interested in his combination of defense and power and are willing to overlook all the strikeouts.

So where do you think Javier Báez will play in 2022?

Thanks again for stopping by. Drive home safely. Call an Uber if you need to. We’ll get your hat and coat. Stay warm. I hope you’ll stop by again tomorrow night when we’ll have another edition of BCB After Dark.