CHICAGO – When the Cubs released a video last week of the new bullpens under the Wrigley Field bleachers, they highlighted a "fun feature" in which fans could watch pitchers warm up behind a glass window.
It was seen as a concession to critics who complained the switch from the field to an enclosed area would deprive fans of ever seeing the pitchers getting ready for the game, a longtime Wrigley tradition.
They even put a sign on the glass outside the Cubs' bullpen reading: "Please do not disturb the Cubs. Kindly keep your paws off the glass."
But so far, the Cubs pitchers and their opponents have warmed up in privacy. A green metal barrier has been pulled down over the bullpen windows all week.
"If they're bothering you, hitting on the glass like you're at the zoo, maybe lower the [barrier] down," Jake Arrieta said. "It's going to take a little adjustment period."
The biggest adjustment has been going from a warm, quiet room to a chilly, noisy field.
"It's a little weird, kind of being quiet in there when a bunch of crazy stuff is going on outside," John Lackey said. "But it wasn't that big of a deal."
Chicago Tribune
