BCB After Dark: More Bellinger?

Welcome back to BCB After Dark: the groovin’ get-together for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. It’s another Tuesday night here and we are glad you decided to stop by. I hope you’re doing well. Your name is on the guest list. We’ve got a table reserved for you. Please come in and sit down. Bring your own beverage.

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.

As encouraging as Monday’s win over the Nationals was, that’s how discouraging tonight’s 4-1 loss to the Nats was. The Cubs got a decent start out of Hayden Wesneski and couldn’t do anything with it. They went 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position, which is never good. And it wasn’t like they were facing Jacob deGrom out there either, no offense to Trevor Williams. The only bright side was yet another home run by Patrick Wisdom.

Last night, I asked you if you had to pick one, which Iowa Cub would you want in the major leagues? It was a close vote, but by 50 percent to 44 percent, you want Christopher Morel in the majors before Matt Mervis.

On Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, I don’t do a movie section. But I always have time for music, so if you skip that, now’s the time. You won’t hurt my feelings.

Tonight we have a performance from the first great Miles Davis Quintet—minus Miles Davis. This is a performance from Düsseldorf, West Germany in 1960 when Miles decided to take the day off. Instead, we’ve got Stan Getz filling in as a second tenor sax—which is a little like having Willie Mays take the game off and having Duke Snider fill in for him. You’re not missing that much.

Of course, John Coltrane is the other tenor saxophone here, with Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums.

Welcome back to all those who skip all that jazz.

Al wrote an article earlier today saying that the Cubs should sign outfielder Cody Bellinger to a contract extension. While I don’t necessarily agree with his premise, I do think it’s an interesting piece and worth your time and comments.

Tonight’s question is a follow-up to that article. Not should the Cubs keep Bellinger, but rather will the Cubs sign Bellinger to an extension. It certainly seems like Cody Bellinger has returned to something close to his MVP-form of 2019, but there’s no guarantee that he’ll continue to play on that high level. And it certainly becomes iffier that Bellinger continues to play this well over the next 3-to-6 years. But it certainly seems like at the moment, the Cubs would like Bellinger to stick around, as long as it doesn’t require a long-term commitment.

I think when the Cubs signed Bellinger to a one-year deal this winter, we all assumed it was a one-and-done situation. But as Al’s article demonstrates, his hot start to the season has us all reconsidering that.

There are two ways that Bellinger could remain a Cub next year. One if for the Cubs to sign him to an extension, of course. The other would be for the Cubs to make him a qualifying offer and for him to accept it. Why would Bellinger accept a QO? Well, if he keeps hitting the way he has in April, he wouldn’t. But if he cools off in the second half and/or he suffers an injury that might cost him part of next season, he might. (If he suffered an injury that would cost him most or all of next year, the Cubs wouldn’t give Bellinger a qualifier.)

So, how optimistic (or pessimistic) are you that Cody Bellinger returns to the Cubs in 2024?

Thank you so very much for stopping in this evening. I hope we were all able to get our frustrations out in a constructive manner. Please get home safely. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow for more BCB After Dark.