BCB After Dark: A drive into deep left field . . .

Welcome back to BCB After Dark: the hangout for night owls, early-risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. We’re so glad to see you again tonight. Please come in out of the cold. No cover charge, although gratuities are always welcome. Order something warm. Make yourself comfortable.

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.

Baseball is still in a lockout, and that’s what I asked you about last night. I asked when you thought the lockout would end and the plurality of the vote, with 31 percent, was some time in March. Now if it ends in early March, the regular season will probably start on time. If it ends in late March, then we’re looking at a two- or three-week delay to the start of the season. But if you add in all the people who voted that it would end in January (one percent) and February (22 percent), then a majority, of 54 percent, thought that the season would start on time or close to it. However, that also means that 46 percent of you think that there is going to be a long work stoppage and 28 percent of you even thought the workout would last until May or later.

I also asked you about which film I should write about next, either Nightmare Alley (1947 version) or The Night of the Hunter. I will say that from the comments, it seemed to me that you want me to write about both films. So I’m going to write about the winner of the vote tomorrow night and then do the loser next week. That way, everyone wins.

I will add that I have not seen the 2021 version of Nightmare Alley, so it will be interesting to hear from those of you have.

I don’t normally write about movies on Tuesday night/Wednesday mornings, so this is an abbreviated version of BCB After Dark. But I always have time for a jazz track and so we’ll do that now. Those of you who skip that stuff may do so now.

Tonight we’re presenting a superstar lineup of modern jazz greats with the Redman Mehldau McBride Blade quartet.

So with Joshua Redman on sax, Brad Mehldau on piano, Christian McBride on bass and Brian Blade on drums, here’s “Right Back Round Again,” live in concert from 2019. This is an original composition by Redman.

Welcome back to those who skip the music.

Tonight’s question concerns former Cub and current free agent outfielder Nick Castellanos and whether you want him back on the North Side.

I think most of you are familiar with Castellanos, so I’m not going to go into a lot of depth on him. After a poor abbreviated 2020 season with the Reds, Castellanos had another great season at the plate in 2021 and opted-out of his contract, becoming a free agent. Other than that 2020 season (and should 2020 even count?), he’s been a consistent threat at the plate throughout his entire career, but he was never been better than in the two months he spent with the Cubs in 2019. He hits for average and power and while he doesn’t walk a ton, he does get on base at a healthy clip. He’s not a free swinger either and last season he set a career-low when he struck out in only 20.7 percent of his plate appearances.

On the downside, he’s a very poor defensive outfielder, prone to taking bad routes and just clanking the ball off his glove. His arm is strong, so that mitigates his poor defense somewhat. He’s also right-handed, which is not ideal for the Cubs as they are currently constituted, and he’s also going to turn 30 before Opening Day.

I’m going to make two assumptions when I ask you about signing Castellanos. The first is that I’m going to let you assume that the National League will have the DH next season. So that makes his glove easier to live with. But Castellanos also got a qualifying offer and this time, I’m forcing you to assume that the Cubs will lose a draft pick if they sign him. The reason for this, and not for when I asked you about Michael Conforto, is that I don’t think there’s much question about the wisdom of signing Castellanos if there is a DH and no draft pick compensation. Also, you have to assume that Castellanos will only sign for the best offer. I don’t know what that offer will be, but MLB Trade Rumors predicted that he’d get a deal in the five year/$115 million range. So figure he’ll get something close to that.

So with those conditions, should the Cubs sign Nick Castellanos?

Thank you so much again for stopping in. I hope we could make your evening a little more enjoyable for even a little while. I’l have someone get your hat and coat and bring your car around. Drive home safely. Stay warm. And join us again tomorrow night for another edition of BCB After Dark.