Updated – 3:49pm C.T. – According to a report from the Chicago Tribune, the Cubs have decided not to travel on Saturday which would make a game on Sunday in Houston a near impossibility. Major League Baseball has not announced on where and when the 3 game series will be played.
Updated 5:43pm C.T. – Ken Rosenthal reported that Jim Hendry has told his team to report to Wrigley on Sunday with their bags packed and ready to get on a plane. According to Rosenthal, the Astros are adamantly opposed to the games being played at Miller Park because it would be turned into home games for the Cubs.
While thoughts and prayers remain with those being directly affected by Hurricane Ike, the Major League Baseball schedule is being affected and not only the first two games of Cubs-Astros series in Houston this weekend. There are six double headers scheduled for Saturday for the first time since 1974 and one on Sunday in Philadelphia between the Brewers and Phillies.
The latest on the Cubs is the scheduled workout for today at Wrigley has been changed to a meeting with all of the rain in the Chicago area. Players have been instructed to report to the park at 2:30pm C.T. with their bags packed as they await word from the MLB front offices of where and when they will play their next ballgame. Randy Bush joined Bruce Levine on Saturday morning and said there was “no new news” concerning where the Cubs will play the Astros. Cecil Cooper and Drayton McLane are determined to play the games at Minute Maid Park. A report on Astros.com indicated Minute Maid Park received little damage from Hurricane Ike but 80 percent of the residents in the area have no power.
Miller Park has been mentioned as a possible neutral site for the games to take place on Sunday and Monday (single game on Sunday, doubleheader on Monday) but the question remains if the Astros will be able to fly out of the area….and while the reverse has not been mentioned, if the Astros cannot fly out, how can the Cubs fly in?
The Cubs have not asked for the games to be played at Miller Park as statements from Mark Loretta had indicated.
Bruce Levine reported he spoke with Patrick Courtney with Major League Baseball and hopefully they will have a decision by Saturday afternoon. There is still a possibility the Cubs could fly into Houston for a game on Sunday. Other possible destinations are Tropicana Field, Miller Park and the Metrodome.
Randy Bush told Bruce Levine the team is ready to play and waiting for direction from Major League Baseball. Bush said the players are treating the time off like the All-Star break but would not like to see more than two to three days between games.
Bush added Carlos Zambrano feels good and they are looking forward to seeing Zambrano back on the mound. Bush mentioned he spoke with Rich Harden and he felt good after his start on Thursday against the Cardinals.
Will update when more information becomes available….