Cubs' Anthony Rizzo willing to take pay cut for shorter regular season

Steve Gardner | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption This is not baseball weather In the first two-plus weeks of the MLB season, there have been 24 postponed games due to inclement weather.

With so many weather-related postponements already this baseball season, we can add Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo to the list of those calling for a reduction in the number of games.

In his weekly radio appearance on ESPN 1000 in Chicago, Rizzo conceded players would likely have to give something back to keep from playing in the kind of conditions they've seen this season.

"I think we play too much baseball," he said. "Yes, guys are going to take pay cuts. But are we playing this game for the money or do we love this game? I know it's both, but in the long run it will make everything better."

Rizzo went on the disabled list on April 6 with tightness in his back, which he blamed on a bad hotel bed in Cincinnati, but was activated Tuesday in time for the start of the Cubs' series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Game-time temperature at Wrigley Field is expected to be in the upper 30s.

More: MLB would be better with 142-game season

More: How weather forced game in a dome to be postponed

"I think playing in the cold sucks," Rizzo said.

"In a perfect world, we'd start the season later and play a few scheduled doubleheaders going into an off day. As a fan you're going to a baseball game in April, and it's raining, snowing and (with) freezing rain. Is it really that much fun? That's my question."

Follow Gardner on Twitter @SteveAGardner