The Chicago Cubs were playing pretend on Tuesday, staging Wrigley Field to give everybody an idea what the ballpark would look like with a 6,000 square ft. jumbotron scoreboard behind the iconic bleachers. Will Byington, a Wrigleyville resident, snapped these artsy photos of a scoreboard mockup in left field (from Waveland Ave.) and bigger advertising signage in right (from Sheffield Ave.). Both are held in place by crains and pulleys.
That's 12 "F's" in right field. What the "F"? Why, Cubs fans have been asking that for years. Perhaps Theo Epstein is giving away part of his big plan to reinvigorate the organization's offensive workings by maximizing the fielder's choice as a tactic.
The Cubs and the City of Chicago announced an agreement earlier this season to renovate 99-year-old Wrigley and build up the blocks next door for $500 million. The mockups are part of the process.
Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune has local reaction:
Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts took in the view from a rooftop on Sheffield Avenue as the mock-up sign in right field was put into position.
“It was what we expected,” Ricketts said, adding he considered the sign to be “minimal” blockage of the view of rooftops.
Ricketts said he is “not panicked” about the pace of the process to get the project done.
“I’m not a panicky person,” he said.
Cubs president Crane Kenney and team marketing partner Wally Hayward watched the work from a rooftop in left field, and Ald. Tom Tunney also was present.
Rooftop owner Beth Murphy said of the sign in right field, “It’s big,” and said she thought it would block the views of some rooftops, but not hers.
The rooftop buildings in left field definitely would have at least part of their view blocked by a new scoreboard. Perhaps the Cubs could compromise and play video on both sides so fans in rooftop buildings won't miss any of the action. Another unlikely possibility: Build taller apartments!
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