Mike Bojanowski returned to Wrigley late Tuesday to take some photos of the construction project. Here's his report:
These photos were taken Tuesday afternoon from 4:30-5:00 p.m. There was no activity in the triangle lot, but it was busy in the bleachers and outfield. Little difference noted in Platform 14 from yesterday. The excavation behind Gate 10 has been filled and patched. The groundskeeper cottage has had its door removed, perhaps rehab work has begun.Very little of the new lower concourses can be seen from ordinary street level. One area of speculation, just for fun: how much, if any, of the future bullpens will be visible from the concourses? Early indications are none at all. Today there was one open gate at the point where the Cubs bullpen is likely to be located. It reveals a solid inner brick wall, evidently the partition between the concourse and the bullpen beneath the stands. There is also a solid gate within that wall, so it seems unlikely the bullpen will be seen unless the Cubs allow a video camera to show images on the new boards. As Harry used to say, we shall soon know.
Most current ballparks, many of which have bullpens either partly or completely not visible from the stands, do have video cameras inside to show pitchers warming up. In the case of the new Wrigley bullpens, they'll need cameras for Joe Maddon and his coaches (as well as visiting managers and coaches) to see the pitchers warming up, since the bullpens won't be visible from the dugouts, either.
I understand the reasons they're moving the bullpens. One is player safety. Two is to add some more high-priced seats in the current bullpen locations. (Not necessarily in that order of priority.)
But I will miss watching the pitchers come out to the pen and begin warmups. When the bullpens vanish from the Wrigley sidelines, just two big-league parks will have bullpens on the field: San Francisco and Oakland.