Chicago ? So now they wait.

The Cardinals checked in to the Four Seasons Hotel on Thursday night, pawns of a labor dispute that had a strike deadline at midnight but still could be settled in time to rescue today’s schedule.

Reliever Steve Kline was among the participants in an early afternoon conference call of player representatives but handed off to Andy Benes shortly into the session. Benes had little comment about the call except to convey little optimism.

“We’re going to have to wait and see,” Benes said. “Beyond that, I can’t really say much.”

The Cardinals initially believed they would be free to disperse this morning if no agreement was reached by Thursday night’s deadline. That had changed by Thursday afternoon. Benes confirmed it would be possible to move today’s 2:20 p.m. CDT game to an evening start if an agreement could be reached this morning.

The Players Association has told players that if there is no agreement they should not to go to stadiums because of the potential for hostile fan reaction.

The Cardinals-Cubs game is the only one scheduled to start in the afternoon, only increasing scrutiny of their arrangements. Many players typically bring their families to Chicago but have altered plans this time.

“It’s like a merry-go-round or a roller coaster,” said Kline. “Sometimes you go up and sometimes you go back down. I’m not really sure what’s going to happen. My gut feeling is we’re either going to play or we’re going to walk.”

Said second baseman Fernando Vina, “I don’t think anybody wants a strike. I’d like to be optimistic. But if it comes to that, we do what we have to do.”

A strike probably would affect next winter’s free-agent market, which could include Cardinals Scott Rolen, Chuck Finley, Dave Veres, Andy Benes and Woody Williams.

Yet those considerations have not affected the thinking within the Cardinals clubhouse.

“It’s not about me, it’s about the union,” Rolen said before the Cardinals lost 7-0 Thursday to the Cincinnati Reds. “It’s not about one person. It’s not about personal goals. It’s about believing in the guys on your team and getting something done that’s beneficial to everyone.”

Various scenarios began circulating before the team left Cinergy Field on Thursday. Some believed it possible that this weekend’s series could be postponed with a settlement returning the game to the field Monday. Lost weekend series could be tacked onto the end of the schedule.

Williams is exasperated by the process he first witnessed in 1994 while a second-year player with the Toronto Blue Jays. “I don’t know why,” he said, “it has to come down to the last minute every time when they have so much time to get it settled.”

Center fielder Jim Edmonds might arrange a charter flight for himself and some teammates back to St. Louis. Others considered renting cars to make the 4-hour drive.