One clubhouse rumor Thursday had the Cubs moving their weekend series with Montreal to Wrigley Field because of the collapse at the Expos` stadium. Another had the clubs playing a double-header Friday. Both apparently are unfounded.
Montreal officials continued to work on the assumption that the series would go on as scheduled. The Cubs may have been responding to a report that the Quebec minister of tourism, Andre Vallerand, has to formally approve the ballpark`s reopening Friday at 11 a.m. Chicago time. His approval is expected. But that did little to ease the concerns of players after a 50-ton slab of concrete fell from the Olympic Stadium roof last week, forcing the Expos to move home games to New York and Philadelphia.
”I`m not real excited about playing there,” said player rep Joe Girardi. ”They`ve had a history of problems up there, especially with the roof.”
Added Doug Dascenzo: ”It won`t do any good to wear a helmet if 50 tons falls on you.”
– A mess: The Expos had other problems Thursday, namely the resignation of General Manager David Dombrowski, who took the same post with the expansion Florida Marlins. Uncertainty about the schedule didn`t help. ”Isn`t this ridiculous?” manager Tom Runnells told reporters in Philadelphia Thursday.
”I`m the manager of the team, and I don`t even know where or whether we`re playing tomorrow.”
– A wash: Thursday night`s rainout in N.Y. was the Cubs` first this season. No date was announced for a makeup, but both clubs are off Oct. 3. The night before, Cubs play in Philadelphia, the Mets in Pittsburgh.
The Cubs decided to skip Shawn Boskie`s turn in the rotation. He was to pitch Thursday.
– Unmet: The Cubs need one win over the Mets to equal their best record against New York since divisional play began in 1969. The Cubs went 12-6 in 1984 and are 11-6 this year, 7-1 in Shea Stadium. They`re 13-4 at Shea the last two seasons.