It’s Tuesday night here at BCB After Dark: the grooviest spot for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in and sit with us for a while. Outside is hot. In here, we’re cool. There are still a few tables available. The hostess will seat you now. There’s a two-drink minimum, but it’s 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.
So last night I mistakenly asked you who should leave the rotation when Matthew Boyd returns this week. The funny/awful thing is, I got the idea for the question when someone asked me it in Minor League Wrap and I gallows humored that someone else would get hurt first. Of course, Edward Cabrera went down with an injury today, so he’s leaving the rotation for Boyd.
But as you voted last night, 66 percent of you said Colin Rea.
On Tuesday night, I don’t do movie stuff. But I always have time for jazz, so that time is now. You can skip ahead if you want.
Tonight we have a video featuring Orkestra Obsolete playing New Order’s “Blue Monday,” only using instruments available in the 1930s. This was from BBC Arts from 2016.
Welcome back to everyone who skips the music.
So the Cubs lost another starting pitcher tonight, which happened while I was writing this. But even before that, two things were true. One, the Cubs are currently in line for a Wild Card playoff berth, even with all the struggles in May. And two, the Cubs need more starting pitching.
We all know who the best starting pitcher on the trade market is: Tigers two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. Any team with Skubal in the playoffs is a threat to win it all. He’s the best pitcher in the majors, or at least tied for the best with Paul Skenes.
It’s also true that any team that trades for Skubal will likely lose him after two months for free agency with no compensation. So trading for him gives you a pure rental of one of the best two pitchers on the planet.
So this article on Yahoo! posted some possible trade offers for Tarik Skubal and they have an offer from the Cubs that they think the Tigers would accept.
Matt Shaw
Pedro Ramirez
Jaxon Wiggins
Kevin Alcántara
That’s almost identical to a deal that was proposed on ESPN a few weeks ago with Matt Shaw thrown into the deal. However, ESPN thought it was a good offer, but that other teams could beat that offer that doesn’t include Shaw.
I have two thoughts on the Yahoo! offer, which has a better chance of being accepted by the Tigers. My first thought is that it’s an overpay. My second thought is that you’re not getting Skubal in trade without overpaying. If you’re familiar with the “winner’s curse,” you understand what I mean.
So this deal would cost the Cubs their best pitching prospect, two important bench players with promise and a decent outfield prospect. None of this is anything the Cubs couldn’t afford to lose, but all of it is a lot. It would certainly thin out the Cubs’ organizational depth.
So tonight, I’m just asking you whether you would make this deal. Let’s be clear–all of this is worth it if the Cubs win the World Series. Getting Skubal wouldn’t guarantee a title, but it seems difficult to see how the Cubs starting rotation pitches well enough to pitch the Cubs to a title without getting someone like Skubal. But I certainly see a path to the title with Skubal. After all, you don’t have to worry about limiting his innings if he’s leaving as a free agent after the season.
So would you trade Shaw, Ramirez, Wiggins and Alcantara for Tarik Skubal?
Thanks for stopping by tonight. We’ve enjoyed hosting you. Please get home safely. Call a ride if you need to. Recycle any cans and bottles. Don’t forget any personal items. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow evening for more BCB After Dark.
