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.

ATLANTA—In a series of moves yesterday, the Atlanta Braves released 305-game winner Tom Glavine, just when it seemed he was ready to return to the big leagues. Then they announced Tommy Hanson, their top pitching prospect had been called up from Class-AAA Gwinnett and would start Saturday. Finally, the Braves acquired all-star center fielder Nate McLouth from the Pittsburgh Pirates for three prospects. Tommy Hanson, their top pitching prospect, was also called up from Class-AAA Gwinnett and will start Saturday.

You mean we couldn’t have done this in Short Pump or Midlothian? That question came to mind when I read Sunday’s story on the Gwinnett Braves’ new stadium in Lawrenceville, Ga. From what I’ve seen of Dean Hoffmeyer’s photos and video on The Times-Dispatch’s Web site, Gwinnett Stadium looks like a pleasant place to watch a a ballgame. The cheap “seats” on an outfield berm and an encircling ballpark concourse are the most distinctive features at a park whose exterior breaks no architectural ground. Times-Dispatch reporter Will Jones—who caught the last game at The Diamond and the first at Gwinnett—says there doesn’t appear to be a bad seat in the house.

The Gwinnett Braves—who last year were the Richmond Braves—opened their 2009 season in a brand-new stadium in Georgia. On Sunday, you can read about the team’s transition to a new venue in a new state.

More than half of baseball fans surveyed say Alex Rodriguez shouldn’t make the Hall of Fame after admitting that he used steroids. And as for the game’s hallowed records? Those same fans seem to care less and less. An Associated Press-GfK poll released yesterday also showed this: Fans are losing interest in the whole steroids issue. With 553 home runs, Rodriguez is considered likely to break Barry Bonds’ career record of 762. Five of the top 12 home run hitters in history - Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro and Rodriguez - have been tainted by allegations of steroid use.

ATLANTA - The Atlanta Braves reached a preliminary agreement yesterday on a $60 million, four-year contract with Derek Lowe, according to a source familiar with the negotiations. The deal is subject to the pitcher passing a physical. Atlanta also finalized a three-year contract with Japanese all-star pitcher Kenshin Kawakami. A 14-game winner for the Dodgers in 2008, Lowe visited the Braves last week after longtime Atlanta pitcher John Smoltz agreed to a $5.5 million, one-year deal with the Boston Red Sox.