Changes to the infield at Wrigley

by gjdow on Mar 30, 2008 10:25 AM CDT Comment 41 comments

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm excited about finally seeing the new playing field at the Friendly Confines in action tomorrow. Since I wanted a preview, I went and checked out the webcam that's inside the ballpark. Here's a representative photo:

For comparison, this is a shot of the old infield from an almost identical angle:

via www.geocities.com

I'm kind of disappointed that the infield itself looks different. I always thought that Wrigley's infield had some unique features: it always looked a little "thin" in terms of where the outfield grass started, it had long "umpire paths" behind first and third (which exist in about a third of all major league parks, but are all shorter than Wrigley's old one), a straight dirt line instead of a rounded one in front of home plate, and even the relatively long "extra dirt" around first and third base.

Oh, and the fungo circles, on either side of the plate.

In short, the old infield had some character to it, and this one doesn't. I know, this is not that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things, but I kind of feel like the Cubs are just getting a cheap copy of everybody else's infield, and its no longer unique to Chicago.

Anyway, there are couple other changes that can be seen from that webcam, should you wish to take the time. The first is that the warning track is not only larger, but it extends all the way around the entire field, including foul territory, so the bullpens consist mainly of dirt in between the mound and the plate. The second major change is that the Cubs added a few rows of seats on the left-field side of their dugout, and it just squeezes the stands in a bit tighter on the field -- it looks like they may have moved the bullpen a bit closer to the foul line to compensate, but it's hard to tell from this angle.

Oh, also, that logo behind the plate is hideous. "Opening Week"? I know that MLB has been doing this for a few years, but, come on -- since when is "opening week" celebrated?

I've spent a decent part of this morning clicking around this webcam, generating personal excitement about tomorrow, opening day. Only one more day to go, folks. =)

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Opening Week....

...this stuff drives me nuts too. Everything has to be overdone these days, over hyped, over promoted etc. Why cant it just be what it is, Opening Day.

Cool views from the cams, thanks. Wonder if we can see practice later? ;)

Let me get back to you, will ya, Charlie? I got a guy on the other line asking about some white walls.

by JB 23 on Mar 30, 2008 10:36 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I was annoying people online complaining about it last night, I think

But, come on - do they need a special patch for every event that they then stick on every player's hat, jersey, undershirt, jockstrap, and then for good measure slam it on the field and the bases, before cutting it into the outfield grass and raking it into the infield dirt?

All of these things can be cool when they're done uniquely, but every... bloody... team... is forced to join in by corporate (er... Major League Baseball). Ruins the uniqueness.

I was glad to see bunting on the camera, though. That's one tradition that will never get old.

by gjdow on Mar 30, 2008 10:48 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Opening Week

Are you telling me that since the 2nd week in October you haven't been looking forward to "Opening Week". It's a good marketing strategy, gets people excited, and it makes these games seem more special to the average fan at the park or watching on TV.

by ak123 on Mar 30, 2008 11:12 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

No, I don't need to be told what to think

by gjdow on Mar 30, 2008 11:18 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, and

Since when has it been "opening week"? It's *always* been "opening day".

It's just so inorganic, it makes me want to puke. Ugh.

by gjdow on Mar 30, 2008 11:19 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

no doubt

lol @ Opening Week. I think all teams had their 1st game whether on the road or at home on the same Opening Day. Now we have the over seas games and the game today then all the games tomorrow so I guess it's opening week now.

Poor Matty Murton....

by Keystone80435 on Mar 30, 2008 11:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sure

I've been looking forward to opening week. But I have not been looking forward to "Opening Week!!!" Opening day may be an event, but opening week is just a bunch of games that don't need a bunch of manufactured drama surrounding them. The games themselves provide the entertainment.

by berselius on Mar 30, 2008 11:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Preach it!

by gjdow on Mar 30, 2008 12:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

To me....

the most obvious difference is the grass itself is not very green. It looks like....it's March or something. One thing that was always unique about Wrigley Field was that on Opening Day, the outfield walls might be drab and bare, the skies might be overcast and cloudy, but the grass itself was a beautiful bright green, and the dirt was a beautiful shade or reddish-brown. I hope the colors come around soon.

Either way, tomorrow is Opening Day. Can't wait. Let's play ball!!

"Don't complain to me about the stormy weather, boys. Just bring the ship into port." --Steve Stone, September 2004

by ctcoff99 on Mar 30, 2008 11:38 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

No...

... it's kind of always been drab like that early in the year. Some years they even painted it green for Opening Day.

It'll look fine. It'll look BASEBALL.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Mar 30, 2008 11:49 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Opening Week

Beyond the attempt to stretch a one day event to a week, the thinking is that now we have a game on Sunday night and that not every team plays on the first Monday. (Although everyone but Boston and Oakland do this year, but that's not always the case.) So is today opening day because of the Nationals? Was last Tuesday because of the games in Japan? And teams that are on the road tomorrow want to have their "Opening Week" ceremonies when they play their home opener.

I think this is much ado about nothing. The important thing is that they're playing baseball, and with all the other intrusive signs in the ballpark (that is, advertising), the festive "Opening Week" sign is about as inoffensive as they get.

It's a girl! Born 1-18-08. 2246 PST. 8 lbs. 1 oz.

by Josh77 on Mar 30, 2008 12:15 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Let's be pragmatic about this:

"Opening Day" is the day your favorite team plays their first game of the season. "Opening Week" is the week in which all of these games occur. Simple. No need to stand on ceremony. After all, it is just a game. I much more concerned with the Cubs winning the very last game of the MLB season than with what MLB decides to call the very first game of the season.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on Mar 30, 2008 12:20 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Loud, sustained applause.

n/t

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Mar 30, 2008 12:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nobody has any response to my nitpicking?

I spent like twenty minutes obsessing over the minor differences to the infield dirt, and nobody has anything to say? =P

by gjdow on Mar 30, 2008 12:43 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The silence, in this case,

is deafening.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on Mar 30, 2008 12:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's really tough to be a geek sometimes

by gjdow on Mar 30, 2008 12:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Preaching to the choir.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on Mar 30, 2008 1:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agreed with a lot of your points

It also occurs to me that they were really concerned with doing a massive job against remarkable challenges, constraints and deadlines. In such situations, attention to detail, and style, is often overlooked in order to just "get it done". They may come back later and add the fungo circles, and the extra long "umpire paths" (I never knew they had a name!), once they get a chance to catch their collective breath.

Why does everybody stand up and sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" when they're already there? ~Larry Anderson

by JohnM on Mar 30, 2008 1:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It wasn't being overlooked.

The field was done by Roger Bossard, the White Sox groundskeeper. It looks exactly like the infield at the Cell.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Mar 30, 2008 1:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

They are indeed similar

Looks like the dirt circles around 1st and 3rd base are a bit larger at the Cell, and the new Wrigley diamond has a bit more dirt in front of 2nd base, but otherwise...yup, pretty much the exact same diamond.

Ew.

by gjdow on Mar 30, 2008 1:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Haha, I dunno if they have an official name

That's just what I call 'em.

by gjdow on Mar 30, 2008 1:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Webcam saw Billy and Ernie

Thanks for posting the link to the camera...while browsing I happened to see Billy and Ernie talking on the sidelines around 12:45...interesting....

by Southside Cub Fan on Mar 30, 2008 1:28 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Warning Track

I'm really bugged by the warning track along the foul lines in the outfield. I thought that was a great feature of Wrigley Field, that the grass ran all the way up to the walls in those areas.

I'm sure no corner outfielder that's ever played there would agree with me.

by cronoj on Mar 30, 2008 1:42 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Yup

I'm sure no corner outfielder that's ever played there would agree with me.

LOL, very true -- that's why it doesn't bother me so much. =)

by gjdow on Mar 30, 2008 1:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Doesn't mean it'll stay exactly that way

Some of the niche' like items may come back (ump area, fungo circles). Look at Comerica and sensory deadener in AZ, they have the dirt path from the plate to the mound. Used to be that way 100 years ago almost everywhere, now only 2/30 teams have it.

I'm gonna like the flat surface above everything and to boot; don't forget this: 4' more warning track in the OF. Fonzie will be happy. Should help the domer too.

Next time I take my next ballpark tour with out of town friends/relatives (annual thing now) it'll be nice to sit back on the benches and see the entire OF walls.

by blackhawk24 on Mar 30, 2008 1:43 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, but those have been there since those parks opened

By the way, I don't like the home-plate shaped home-plate dirt at Comerica, but I do appreciate its grasp at individuality.

by gjdow on Mar 30, 2008 1:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't like...

... the dirt path to the mound at Comerica and Chase Field. It's a phony attempt at "tradition".

It makes somewhat more sense in Detroit, which has had a team for over 100 years, than it does in Phoenix. I wish they'd get rid of those.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Mar 30, 2008 1:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

What don't you like about them?

I like the variety they give to the game as a whole, like the extra dirt paths to the dugout at Miller Park and Shea Stadium, or the dirt down the foul lines at Minute Maid Park.

by gjdow on Mar 30, 2008 2:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I guess I just think that every diamond should have its unique look

Makes the game as a whole more interesting.

by gjdow on Mar 30, 2008 2:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

There's nothing wrong with unique.

I just think the dirt path is phony "history".

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Mar 30, 2008 2:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Fair enough

Although I think we can forgive Arizona for not having a dirt path on their ballfield before 1998. ;-)

by gjdow on Mar 30, 2008 2:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

True.

That's part of the point, that the Dbacks are trying to "pretend" they have history before 1998.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Mar 30, 2008 2:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

All I have to say about unique

is to stand at home plate and...1: Glance around from left (355' away) to right (353' away). 2: Look straight out about 500' away and 100'+ above the ground.

That is unique. NOWHERE else in the majors will ever have that and I am so glad we have that at 1060 W. Addison.

by blackhawk24 on Mar 30, 2008 3:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Check out the ugly MLB-mandated slogans painted on the field at the Juice Box!

Ewwwwww

by gjdow on Mar 30, 2008 2:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

cubs on the field right now..

...pretty cool

Let me get back to you, will ya, Charlie? I got a guy on the other line asking about some white walls.

by JB 23 on Mar 30, 2008 1:56 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

See main page for photo.

n/t

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Mar 30, 2008 1:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

One other thing

It's tough to tell from the photo, but it looks as if the warning track now goes all the way to the wall, instead of leaving a few inches of grass.

by gjdow on Mar 30, 2008 2:10 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I believe that's correct.

n/t

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Mar 30, 2008 2:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The color difference

I am pretty sure that the gloomy skies are contributing to the washed out color of the field. Watching what appears to be Brewers BP, it looks pretty ridiculously cold there right now. Several people in ski caps, including (i think) Fielder and Weeks.

In the middle of a good time, Truth gave me her icy kiss. Look around, you must be joking. All that way, all that way for this -Oysterband

by Ross on Mar 30, 2008 3:56 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs