The late-night/early-morning spot for Cubs fans asks which under-25 Cubs pitcher has the brightest future.
It’s Tuesday night here at BCB After Dark: the hippest happening for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Please come on in and join us. We’re always glad to welcome a friend. There’s no cover charge this evening. We still have a few tables available. 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.
The Yankees staved off elimination tonight by beating the Dodgers 11-4. So we get at least one more baseball game this year.
Last night, I asked you if you think the Cubs should pursue free agent closer Kenley Jansen. You all were pretty much against it, with 67 percent of you saying “Nay!” Only 11 percent said “Yay! and the other 22 percent were “meh” on the subject.
On Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, I don’t normally do a movie essay. But I always have time for jazz, so those of you who skip that can do so now. You won’t hurt my feelings.
Tonight we continue our collection of Halloween jazz with a version of “Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead” with Tierney Sutton on vocals, Emmet Cohen on piano, Julian Lee on tenor sax, Philip Norris on bass and Kyle Poole playing the drums.
This version swings. It’s from Halloween season of 2023. So last year.
I’m going to assume you know what movie this song is from. It was written by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg.
Welcome back to everyone who skips the music. But not those who skip to the music, I guess.
Tonight I’m going to ask you which Cubs pitcher, age 25 or under, do you think is going to have the best career with the Cubs?
OK, I’m putting in a caveat here. I’m not including Porter Hodge. Why? Because he’d easily win the vote. Hodge was an under-the-radar minor leaguer that us prospect heads would say to keep an eye on coming into last season, but I don’t think any of us predicted that he would post an 1.88 ERA over 43 innings and claim the closer’s job by the end of the season. Today’s question is about pitchers who haven’t established themselves yet at quality major leaguers. Hodge has already shown himself to be be one.
The other qualification here is that the pitcher has to have already made their major league debut. So no Cade Horton or Brandon Birdsell.
So the candidates are:
Ben Brown
Luke Little
Jack Neely
Daniel Palencia
Jordan Wicks
Brown may have had the best season of the five pitchers in the poll, but he also missed the last half of the season with a neck injury that was never really fully explained.
Brown spent time in both the bullpen and the rotation, but Wicks was pretty much a pure starter. Wicks has been promising at times, but has also struggled with injuries. He hit the injured list three times last year with a forearm strain and an oblique strain. When he returned in September, he got hit hard.
Little, Neely and Palencia are relievers. Little is a big left-hander who relies on a mid-90s fastball. He also had the best ERA (3.46) of the three relievers, although he does have some control issues.
Right-hander Palencia has an upper-nineties fastball that touches 100 at times. He also has a 90 mph slider. But he has trouble throwing both pitches for strikes. In 14 2⁄3 innings last year, Palencia struck out 16 and walked 12.
Neely came over from the Yankees at the Trade Deadline in the Mark Leiter Jr. deal. He had a poor major league debut against Detroit, giving up four runs in one inning, but pitched reasonably well after that. The right-hander throws his mid-90s fastball and 87 mph slider about equally.
So which of these 25 or under pitchers do you think will have the best career with the Cubs?
Thank you for stopping by this evening. We’ve enjoyed spending time with you. Please get home safely. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow night for more BCB After Dark.