SCOTTSDALE, Arizona — The most interesting part of this photoset, to me, are the flagpoles that have appeared on the upper center-field bleachers on either side of the Wrigley Field scoreboard.
I’d imagine that’s where the World Series banner will be raised on April 10. Since there are several flagpoles, the Cubs likely will put flags there for the 1907 and 1908 championships as well.
You can also see as part of this set, the team preparing to re-sod the field after heavy equipment was there for most of the winter. The Cubs sent out this information about re-sodding and other work preparing for Opening Night:
With Opening Night quickly approaching, we will begin gearing up for normal operations in the ballpark. A series of activities, including light and sound verification, sound system tuning and left and right video board technical rehearsals will begin in early April leading up to Opening Night Monday, April 10. Similar activities will be held in early April at the Park at Wrigley, the community gathering space adjacent to Wrigley Field.
There will be an increase in truck traffic around Wrigley Field, specifically on Clark Street and Sheffield Avenue, to reflect the approach of the new season. Sod delivery and installation will begin Monday, March 27, and is expected to be completed Friday, March 31. This work requires periodic impacts to vehicular traffic on Sheffield Avenue between Waveland Avenue and Addison Street from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Crew members will be present to help traffic flow. Following the sod installation, reconstruction of the right field corner and the field access gate will begin, increasing activity on Sheffield Avenue from Waveland Avenue to Addison Street.
So as you can see, with the home opener just 15 days away, a week from tomorrow (Monday), they’ll be ramping up work considerably starting over the next few days. I have no doubt they’ll be ready to go when the Cubs face the Dodgers on April 10.
UPDATE: Here’s what BCB’s David Sameshima sent me on his visit.
I arrived at Wrigley Field during a break in the weather. The weather forecast was gray, cool and wet this weekend. I saw that the barricades were still out in the street, in front of the ballpark, at Clark and Addison. This was creating backups in traffic, at this intersection. both streets have been narrowed, so there were no turning lanes. All it took was one car making a left, or right turn, to back up traffic.
I only made one quick visit in front of the ballpark, to photograph the work taking place. The brick layers were cutting bricks, creating a cloud of red brick dust in the air. Walking along Clark Street, I saw the columns were taking shape in the plaza. They were taking taking triangular shape. I don't know if they will all have the same shape, but the column at the south corner of the plaza is definitely triangular.
Traffic was backed up on Clark Street, due to concrete being pouring in the middle of the street, and also along the sidewalk in front of the plaza building. I then saw that a crane was also lifting panels to the top of the plaza building. It was then I noticed that the "clock tower" had been filled in, only it wasn't a "clock tower."
Walking around to look in on the bleachers, I noticed two flag poles mounted along the Waveland Avenue side of the upper center field bleachers. I moved around to the Sheffield Avenue side, and saw the same thing. I figure that they must have been added to display the World Series Championship flag. There are four poles, so we will soon see which four flags will be displayed. 1907, 1908, 2016 and ? The flag yard arm has also been replaced for the W flag, but no flag was being flown.
Moving over to the right field corner, they appear to have started work to replace the gap in the corner, used for construction equipment to access the field.