Return to Richmond: Play Ball!

Last week officials announced that the Connecticut Defenders of the Class AA Eastern League will relocate to Richmond. Next April an ump will yell, "Play ball!" -- and local fans will be able once again to root, root, root for the home team. The much anticipated news came as something of a relief.

The move resembles a successful stint by a middle reliever. The ultimate outcome relies on a closer. We hope Mariano Rivera is warming up. Pro baseball's long-term future in Central Virginia depends less on the action on the field than on action regarding the stands. The Defenders (who will take a new name) will open the 2010 season at The Diamond. Although improvements will enhance the venue, a new stadium seems essential. And Richmonders have heard plenty about that for lo these many years.

Much of the previous discussion focused on development in Shockoe Bottom. Backers produced impressive designs, failed to generate confidence. The citizenry never rallied. We often have praised The Diamond's neighborhood as a prime location for a sports/entertainment district. Movie-goers rave about the nearby "Bow-Ties." The Boulevard and its environs serve as a natural gateway to the city -- especially to the Museum District. The area is easily accessible for suburbanites -- i.e., the families that form an important segment of the fan base. Critics question the site's potential. We continue to like The Diamond, but are not wedded to a specific solution.

The point is to develop a stadium that best suits . . . baseball -- which is to say, best suits the fans. Economic development would be a welcome byproduct. It should not be the prime mover. Despite its attractive renderings, the Shockoe option collapsed in part because baseball appeared to be a vehicle for promoting something else. Many will dispute that statement. So be it.

The issue concerns baseball, which happens to be our favorite professional sport. But even fans as devoted (or as mad) as we have to admit that the summer game is not Armageddon. Central Virginia's reputation will not rise or fall on the location or architecture of a ballpark. Regional cooperation is not at stake.

Let us say again that we want Richmond to have an appealing stadium. Baseball is a wonderful thing. Certain cities have lovely ballparks that please boosters and win awards. The parks often have improved their surroundings. Have they promoted better schools? Richmond lacked minor league baseball for a season. Did that void lead locals to wish they lived in, say, Memphis or Toledo? Or even world-class Gwinnett?

The return of baseball will enliven languid nights. We anticipate meeting you at The Diamond. And go -- well, go whatever the team will be called!