Bruce Baldwin, baseball stadium expert opines

In the Richmond Times-Dispatch sportswriter John O'Connor opens a window into Bruce Baldwin's thinking about building a new baseball stadium in the Richmond area. Yes, the same Bruce Baldwin who served as general manager of the Richmond Braves from 1987 - 2008.

"One of the things that happened in the past is that everybody would get so hooked up on one specific spot that I don't think there were clear eyes. It just became combat," said Baldwin. "It was, 'I like this, I don't like that,' instead of having a little give-and-take about what makes this good in your opinion, and what makes this bad in your opinion, and go from there.

Click here to read the rest of what Baldwin had to say.

Sure, Baldwin has some experience with the issue. But some local baseball fans might wonder about the smell of any advice Baldwin would be willing to offer. Isn't asking Baldwin about anything to do with the best interests of baseball in Richmond a little bit like asking golfer Tiger Woods about what it takes to make a good marriage?

Isn't asking Baldwin about the best place to build a new Richmond baseball stadium akin to asking wide receiver Terrell Owens how to be an unselfish teammate in professional sports?

Doesn't it seem too much like asking Pete Rose how a former baseball star should best go about giving something of value back to the game that gave him every opportunity?