BCB After Dark: Looking for a temp

Welcome back to BCB After Dark: the happening hangout for night owls, early-risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. It’s good to see you stop in again. I hope you’ve brought some friends. We’ve still got a few good tables available, so please seat yourself tonight. Bring your own beverage. No jacket or 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.

The Cubs whacked the Brewers tonight, 8-3. I had some family stuff to do tonight so I missed the middle innings. The last play I saw before I left was Suzuki’s home run, which was magnificent.

Now let’s go Cubs and win your fourth-straight series tomorrow.

Last night, I asked you if the Cubs should pursue shortstop Xander Bogaerts in free agency this winter. By a vote of 48 percent “nay” to 39 percent “yay,” you’re against the idea. However, Bob Nightengale reported today that “several executives” expect Bogaerts to be a Cub next season. So there’s probably no chance he ends up in Cubbie blue.

I don’t do a movie essay on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, so you can go back and read my thoughts on 1776 if you missed it last night. But there’s always time for jazz, so those of you who want to skip that can do so now.

In honor of the Cubs playing at American Family Field this week, I’m featuring the music video for “Swing State,” the title track from the new album by Wisconsin musical legend, pianist Ben Sidran. (Although one born in Chicago, I should add!) If you’re not familiar with Sidran’s career, he was in a band at the University of Wisconsin—Madison with Steve Miller and Boz Scaggs when they were all students there in the early-to-mid sixties. But when Miller and Scaggs left Madison to earn their fame in the Bay Area scene, Sidran stayed behind and finished his degree. He’s since been a sideman and even a producer for both of those rock stars (and several others) on occasion in the years since, but mostly he’s released his own well-regarded jazz albums as a side pursuit to his career as a music scholar, writer and educator.

Anyway, this is the title track from his most-recent album, released just this year. It’s Ben dancing around the desert to his own music.

Welcome back to everyone who skips all that jazz.

There was some crappy news in tonight’s win as Kyle Hendricks left the game with a sore shoulder. He’s the second Cubs pitcher in this turn through the rotation to go down as Alec Mills went on the injured list after his start on Saturday.

So what is the Cubs’ rotation right now? Justin Steele, Keegan Thompson and Adrian Sampson? A three-man rotation? I know that Marcus Stroman and Drew Smyly are on rehab assignments, but I’m not sure either one (and probably not both) are ready to return yet. When they come back hopefully David Ross’ problem will be solved, but there’s probably going to be one or two starts in there that need an emergency filler.

So assuming that Hendricks is going to have to at least miss his next start, who do you think should make it? Or which of these pitchers listed do you think is most-worthy of getting a start while Mills and probably Hendricks is out?

Thank you for stopping by. I hope we’ve made your day a little more pleasant. Be sure to tip your waitstaff. If you need anything from us before you leave, please don’t hesitate to ask. And please join us again tomorrow night for another edition of BCB After Dark.