Cubs, White Sox fans excited as teams begin workouts for shortened season

CHICAGO - Chicago's summer without baseball is coming to an end. Both the Cubs and White Sox held their first official workouts Friday in anticipation of a 60-game season scheduled to start later this month.

FOX 32's Dane Placko talked to fans both North and South.

"Oh my God! I can't wait. I've been hurting!" one man exclaimed.

Fans gathered outside Wrigley Field just to be near a little baseball cheer.

"Just walking around the park and watching players come in feels a little bit back to normal. It's nice," said Cubs fan Mike Pech.

A sign welcomes back fans at Murphy's Bleacher Bar, where the baseball buzz is growing.

"It's great to have baseball back. That's part of the reason I moved down here was to have that feeling of the Cubs right next door,” said Cubs fan Matt Long.

On the South Side was a similar scene at Guaranteed Rate Field, where the White Sox practiced inside as Bridgeport neighbors caught some baseball vibes outside.

“It's always a signal to us that summer's starting when we hear the ballpark coming alive. It was very different this year obviously but we're very excited it's starting now,” said Sox fan Julie Marcus.

It is good news for Grandstand Sports in Bridgeport, which like many businesses depends on ballpark traffic.

"Baseball is our life. We live for baseball. It's all we do. So when this hit us right before Opening Day it was probably the hardest thing our family has gone through,” said Stephanie Ganal, owner of Grandstand Sports.

Initially, fans won't be allowed inside the ballparks when the games resume in about three weeks. But that could change later in the season depending on the COVID numbers.

Rooftops will be allowed to operate at 25-percent capacity. But there's no doubt opening day will still be a party in Wrigleyville.

"I think the atmosphere is still gonna be lovely on the outside here. I think you're still gonna see people coming around. I mean a home run ball is still gonna hit Sheffield or Waveland,” said Pat Curth of Murphy’s Bleacher Bar.