Although the Cubs are currently in Cincinnati for their second series of the 2018 season (and will be heading to Milwaukee for a four-game set soon after that), they’ll be back at Wrigley Field exactly one week from today.
And, whaddaya know … Wrigley Field is looking awfully Wrigley Field-like:
A few more shots of the offseason Wrigley renovation wrap-up. pic.twitter.com/WorCwPo9XX
— Wrigley Aerials (@WrigleyAerials) March 31, 2018
The construction equipment is gone, the tarps are gone, and there’s even grass on the field!
Grounds crews were busy over the weekend – grass is in at Wrigley! pic.twitter.com/rBpg9KRSdy
— Wrigley Aerials (@WrigleyAerials) April 2, 2018
But the biggest (clearly visible) change, by far, is the movement of both dugouts further down the foul lines:
Extended nets. pic.twitter.com/pjScIFQl2Z
— Wrigley Aerials (@WrigleyAerials) March 31, 2018
This overhead shot (and comparison to this time last season) does a good job of showing the difference:
Friday's Wrigley progress and a year earlier – they're on track. (And dugouts have moved about a section down) pic.twitter.com/qZnf8Rklmr
— Wrigley Aerials (@WrigleyAerials) March 27, 2018
As the @WrigleyAerials account points out, the dugouts moved down about a full section, and, as we know, the protective netting around the field was moved to the end of both dugouts, as well.
If you look back at the image in the second to last tweet, you can see that the netting over both dugouts is currently suspended in the air, but you can expect that to be down and secured for Opening Day. It’ll be different and maybe even unusual at first, but it’s worth it and folks will get used to it eventually (if not immediately).
I’m still not sure if I’ll be at Opening Day next week (I think so, but not 100%), but I will be at the games on both Wednesday and Thursday. I can’t wait to see the new look of the park and report back on anything notable.