RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 3 sourcesARLINGTON, TEXAS - JULY 5: Casey Mize #12 of the Detroit Tigers pitches against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at Globe Life Field on July 5, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s Wednesday night here at BCB After Dark: the hippest spot for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. We’re so glad you decided to stop by. Come on in and cool off with us. The dress code is casual. There’s no cover charge. 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.
Last night I asked you how optimistic were you about Alex Bregman . You seemed pretty optimistic as 59 percent of you said you were “somewhat optimistic” and 29 percent said you were “very optimistic.”
Here’s the part where we listen to jazz and talk movies. Please enjoy responsibly.
Tonight we’re honored to feature an ensemble of legends in Copenhagen in 1971. Playing tonight are Sonny Stitt on sax, Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Thelonious Monk on piano, Al McKibbon on bass, Kai Winding on trombone and Art Blakey on drums.
I don’t really have a movie to talk about tonight. I did watch When in Rome on TCM, the 1952 film that stars Van Johnson as a priest on a pilgrimage to Rome and Paul Douglas as the escaped convict/conman who impersonates him to escape the police dragnet. It’s one of those “religion” films of the 1950s that were fairly innocuous but also a way of differentiating the freedom-loving and religious NATO countries from Godless communism. The only thing to really recommend it is that Douglas is so charming as the escaped convict. Otherwise, it’s pretty predictable and unremarkable. But Douglas meant it wasn’t a waste of 78 minutes to watch it.
But with Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey everywhere, I thought I’d ask you to name your favorite “Sword and Sandals” films. The term “sword-and-sandals” was originally used to describe the kinds of films made by the Italian film industry in the 1950s about Greco-Roman myths and history. Think the Hercules series of films that starred bodybuilders like Steve Reeves. But it later was used to describe any film set in the Roman Empire or Ancient Greece or Egypt. That includes all the religious films about the life of Christ or his followers.
So are you entertained by Gladiator ? Do you shout “I am Spartacus” whenever you see Kirk Douglas on the screen? Does the chariot race in Ben-Hur thrill you? Do you thrill to the Spartans of 300 ? Did you love the Ray Harryhausen animation in Jason and the Argonauts or Clash of the Titans ? (Man, I did when I was young. I still love it.) Or maybe you just laugh your head off at Monty Python and the Life of Brian .
It would be especially good if you’d recommend a lesser-known film for the rest of us to seek out.
Tonight is the last After Dark before the Trade Deadline. I was going to ask you about this proposed deal by Dan Szymborski of Fangraphs who had the Cubs sending outfielder Kane Kepley and right-handers Dominick Reid and Mason McGwire to the Marlins for Sandy Alcántara. But if you want proof that Al and I don’t coordinate, he published a piece that had a proposal on an Alcantara deal earlier today . And you’re probably all talked out on Sandy Alcántara.
So since we won’t meet again until after the Trade Deadline, I thought I’d just ask you who you think will be the newest starting pitcher for the Cubs on Monday. There’s no question the Cubs are going to try to get a starting pitcher by Monday. If they don’t, it would be a major bit of malpractice. Now it’s possible that the best deal the Cubs could swing would be someone like Michael Soroka last year which turned out to be a disaster but only because he got hurt. He’s actually pitched very well this year for the Diamondbacks.
Al has had several articles on possible starting pitching targets. The Feed polling software only allows six options and one has to be “none of the above,” so I’m going to have to pick five choices.
Which one of these five starters do you think is most likely to be a Cub on Monday?
Sandy Alcántara
Reid Detmers
Casey Mize
Freddy Peralta
Robbie Ray
I didn’t put Tarik Skubal in the mix because I don’t think the Cubs have the kind of trade capital the Tigers would want for him. I do think Mize will come cheaper. I didn’t put in Foster Griffin because the Nats are only two games out of the Wild Card and because I can only pick five choices.
Others I didn’t include because of the polling limitations are Clay Holmes, Kevin Gausman and José Soriano. In Soriano’s case, I also didn’t include him because I don’t think the Angels are willing to trade him.
So who will be the next Cubs starter?
Before we go, I do want to mention that with the Trade Deadline on Monday, there may or may not be an After Dark on Monday. If the Trade Deadline is busy, there won’t be one. If it’s relatively quiet (as in, the Cubs got most of their business done on Saturday and Sunday), then there will be. But we’ll keep you updated as the Trade Deadline passes.
Thank you for stopping by tonight. Have a great rest of your week and weekend. Get home safely. Don’t forget any personal items. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again next time for more BCB After Dark.
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