Double-A team hunkers down with big league Braves

ATLANTA (AP) After making a harrowing escape from Montgomery, Ala., and Hurricane Katrina Monday, the Class AA Mississippi Braves hunkered down at a hotel near the Atlanta Braves&#39; Turner Field Tuesday, unsure if their season was over.<br> <br> The team bused to Atlanta from Montgomery after Monday&#39;s game was canceled ``None too soon for me,&#39;&#39; said Mississippi manager Brian Snitker. ``The wind and the rain were unbelievable. The bus was rocking in the wind.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Snitker said due mainly to reports of widespread power outages in the Jackson, Miss., area, the team&#39;s games Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were canceled. Tentative plans are to return Thursday for a Friday game, but Snitker was skeptical.<br> <br> ``The people who work there live there,&#39;&#39; Snitker said. ``Who knows what they&#39;ve been through?&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Mississippi Braves Stadium is in Pearl, Miss., a suburb of Jackson.<br> <br> Snitker said the hitters&#39; background in centerfield has been damaged at the Pearl park, but otherwise he thinks the field would be playable.<br> <br> ``I don&#39;t know if there would be any place for the other team to stay,&#39;&#39; he said. ``We&#39;re all going to go back to powerless homes.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Added Snitker: ``We&#39;ll go back Thursday and we&#39;ll probably regroup and make some plans.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Because he and his players all rent apartments or homes, Snitker emphasized he was more concerned about residents in the Pearl and Jackson area.<br> <br> Snitker said the Mississippi team has remaining road series scheduled at Carolina and Raleigh but said ``I don&#39;t think we would travel that far if we can&#39;t play in our stadium.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Added Snitker: ``It wouldn&#39;t be a monumental thing if we didn&#39;t play any more this year.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> At 28-34, Mississippi has been eliminated from playoff contention in the second half of the Southern League season. Mississippi was second in the South Division in the first half of the season.<br> <br> Because rain forced the Atlanta Braves&#39; game to be postponed Monday, a doubleheader is set for Wednesday. That&#39;s good news for the Mississippi Braves, who need the diversion and have been provided tickets.<br> <br> ``It gives them something to do, and I don&#39;t think they make enough money to go out and eat or do much,&#39;&#39; Snitker said.<br> <br> The Mississippi players also planned to attend Tuesday night&#39;s game, according to Snitker.<br> <br> (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)