Nothing to cheer about

The Anniston (Ala.) Star: Atlanta’s baseball fandom is atwitter over the news that the Braves plan to leave Turner Field after the 2016 season and build a stadium in Cobb County, Ga. Considering the Braves have played in downtown Atlanta since 1966, this is nothing if not a stunning development.

By and large, the Braves are Calhoun County’s MLB team, so the first question must be: What’s this mean for us?

The Braves aren’t leaving Atlanta. They’re not moving markedly farther away from northeast Alabama. In fact, a Mapquest.com comparison showed the proposed site of the Braves’ new home is only three miles farther from downtown Anniston than is Turner Field.

Of course, when it comes to Atlanta’s nightmarish traffic, nothing is that simple. A trip to Turner Field is a straight shot eastward on Interstate 20; the Braves’ future home will include jaunts on I-20 and I-285, the city’s often gridlocked perimeter loop. So we’ll reserve judgment on the real impact on local baseball fans until more details about the Braves’ Cobb County plans come to light.

We’re disappointed that the Braves plan to leave downtown Atlanta. Baseball teams across the country, in the majors and minors, are rediscovering the synergy between urban centers and stadiums. Last year, Birmingham moved its minor-league team from suburban Hoover to downtown. Montgomery’s minor-league park near the Alabama River may be the state’s best.