The East End Express makes opponents take notice. Next up for the Richmond area sluggers: the Metropolitan Junior Baseball League World Series in Greensboro, N.C.

Manny Acta was fired after the team reached the unofficial halfway mark of the season with a 26-61 record, on pace to clear the 100-loss mark for the second consecutive year.

You are about to read three words you thought you’d never see in this space: I was wrong. Three months ago, I boosted Shockoe Bottom as the inevitable site of a new Richmond baseball stadium and all but urged Mayor Dwight C. Jones to grab a ceremonial chrome-plated shovel and break some ground, already. As it turns out, the stadium proposal was about to have dirt shoveled on it. It died last week when Highwoods Properties withdrew its $363 million redevelopment plan for Shockoe Bottom.

The Braves play in Gwinnett, but this is no lament. A recent Times-Dispatch Public Square focused on a stadium in Shockoe Bottom. Today this space discusses baseball books. We endorse two new ones.

• Michael D’Antonio’s Forever Blue relates “the true story of Walter O’Malley, baseball’s most controversial owner, and the Dodgers of Brooklyn and Los Angeles.“ Revisionism is not limited to the histories of nations or to political biography. Forever Blue corrects the image of O’Malley as the villain who betrayed Brooklyn, the city’s most romanticized borough. Although O’Malley was not a victim by any means, he tried to stay but Robert Moses—New York’s controversial parks director—thwarted his plans.

The presentation of the high school spring sports players of the year and All-Metro teams begins tomorrow with boys tennis.  Thursday: Girls tennis; Friday: Boys Soccer; Saturday: Girls Soccer; Sunday: Softball.

The Richmond Metropolitan Authority will deal with a pair of short-term baseball issues and after that, perhaps be involved with a long-term ballpark plan, RMA General Manager Mike Berry said yesterday. The RMA, which owns and operates The Diamond on behalf of the city and Henrico and Chesterfield counties, is working with the Eastern League to secure one of its 12 Class AA franchises for next season.

Highwoods Properties drops plans for Shockoe Bottom ballpark, Boulevard development. Mayor says while baseball will return to Richmond in the spring, a long-term plan must be developed.

The Eastern League still intends to relocate one of its 12 Class AA franchises to Richmond next season despite yesterday’s withdrawal of the Shockoe Center proposal and its $60 million ballpark. “Nothing changes,“ said Joe McEacharn, Eastern League president. “It’s more information that we continue to absorb. This does not affect our commitment to be there in 2010.“

Donald Fehr announced his retirement yesterday as head of the baseball players’ association after a quarter-century marked by a strike that canceled the World Series, record salaries and finally 14 years of labor peace. Fehr, who turns 61 next month, said he will leave the powerful union no later than the end of March. Fehr recommended that he be succeeded by union general counsel Michael Weiner, the No. 3 official and his longtime heir apparent. The move is subject to approval by the union’s executive board and possible ratification by all players.

In 1998, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire chased Roger Maris’ record for most home runs in a season. The duel rejuvenated Major League Baseball, which had been in decline since a strike had wounded the game. Sosa’s enthusiasm captivated fandom. When Sosa retired in 2007, he ranked sixth on the all-time homers list. The former Chicago Cub now joins a list of a different sort. The New York Times reports that he tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug in 2003.

We love baseball, and hope Central Virginia eventually resolves questions regarding a stadium. We also find much of the debate dispiriting, particularly the implication that the region’s image depends on the construction of a ballpark for a minor-league franchise. A stadium should not be seen as a leading indicator of cooperation and pride, either. The jousting regarding the stadium tempts Richmonders to forget the excellent institutions and events already here, as well as the cultural enhancements to come.

Transformation is the shared theme of two ballpark plans for Richmond. In October, Highwoods Properties proposed Shockoe Center, a development that includes a $60 million ballpark that would transform Shockoe Bottom. A minimum of two years would be required to build that stadium, if the proposal gains city approval. Then, last week, Opening Day Partners presented a $28 million transformation of The Diamond on the Boulevard, a facility that opened in 1985. Just about everything but the field and part of the lower bowl would be demolished and removed, with a modern ballpark constructed on the stadium footprint, according to Maryland-based ODP. The transformed Diamond, says ODP, could be ready for baseball next season if construction begins Aug. 1.

Transformation is the shared theme of two ballpark plans for Richmond. In October, Highwoods Properties proposed Shockoe Center, a development that includes a $60 million ballpark that would transform Shockoe Bottom. A minimum of two years would be required to build that stadium, if the proposal gains city approval. Then, last week, Opening Day Partners presented a $28 million transformation of The Diamond on the Boulevard, a facility that opened in 1985. Just about everything but the field and part of the lower bowl would be demolished and removed, with a modern ballpark constructed on the stadium footprint, according to Maryland-based ODP. The transformed Diamond, says ODP, could be ready for baseball next season if construction begins Aug. 1.

Location: The ballpark would be framed by East Broad Street, North 18th Street, East Franklin Street and Ambler Street.
  Cost: $318 million for the entire project, which involves a $60 million ballpark.
  Ballpark capacity: 8,500.
  Features: Party decks, picnic area, grass berms, walkway around field, 24 suites, playground, computer-gaming area, high-definition scoreboard, Wi-Fi, capability of use for community-oriented events.

Tyler Wilson is a sophomore pitcher for the University of Virginia. He graduated from Midlothian High School in 2007. Tyler will submit periodic blog entries as the Cavaliers experience the College World Series for the first time in school history.