New field gets positive reviews from Cubs, Brewers

For the most part, Wrigley Field's new playing field and drainage system earned good reviews from participants in Monday's season opener.

But a few things will force players and managers adjust.

"It was fine out there today," said Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee. "The grounds crew did a great job. I feel it'll get better as it warms up and the grass grows in a little bit."

White Sox groundskeeper Roger Bossard worked with the Cubs to install new sod and a drainage system to replace the antiquated lawn at Wrigley. The old grass grew thick and tall, eating up grounders. As of now, the grass is short -- and quick.

"Oh, no question," Lee said. "Twice as fast. Much faster than last year."

The old field was "crowned," making it difficult to see the whole field from the dugouts.

"I can see second base from the dugout for the first time ever," said Brewers manager Ned Yost. "I can see my left fielder. The grass is very short and very fast, which is very strange for Chicago, but it looks nice. I think they did a lot of hard work, and it looks good."

The bullpen mounds down the lines look steep, and the grounds crew may work to make the slope more gentler on the back sides.

"The slope is the same, it just starts higher," said Cubs reliever Bob Howry.

Hill works: Lefty Rich Hill said he threw 80 to 90 pitches Sunday in a minor-league game in Arizona. Hill is on track to start Friday against Houston.

"Everything felt well," said Hill, who had command and mechanics issues in spring training. "It's just a matter of going out there and getting after it. That's it. Throwing the ball, repeating that same feeling over and over again. We've got some work to do on the side, and go from there."

Dream come true: Lefty Carmen Pignatiello, a product of the south suburbs, was soaking up his first big-league Opening Day.

"Every player's goal going to camp is to compete for a job," said Pignatiello, who appeared in 4 games last year. "I know toward the middle of camp they were saying they were only going to go with one left-hander. Obviously, that was going to be Scotty (Eyre).

"I just kept pitching. You never know what can happen. Unfortunately, Scotty had an (elbow) injury. Scotty's one of my good friends. I hope he's here soon. You've just got to keep going, and I did. Being a fan, to be here on Opening Day, it's unbelievable. It's a day I won't forget for the rest of my life."

This and that: Carlos Marmol was the Cubs' most effective reliever Monday, with 3 strikeouts in 1⅓ innings … Starter Carlos Zambrano moved into 10th place on the Cubs' all-time strikeout list, passing Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown. Zambrano has 1,047 strikeouts … The extra-inning opener was the Cubs' first since 2001, when they fell 5-4 in 10 innings to Montreal at Wrigley Field.