Well, that’s a surprise … not!

The Texas AirHogs, a baseball outfit that this past season split its home schedule between Amarillo and Grand Prairie, has decided to take its game solely to the Metroplex.

The AirHogs aren’t going to play in that rat-trap of a so-called ballpark called Potter County Memorial Stadium.

The reason reportedly is that visiting teams coming here were too repulsed by the lousy condition of the stadium and of the field on which they had to play hardball.

Hmmm. Do you suppose that maybe, perhaps, possibly that Amarillo would be served better by having a shiny new ballpark in, say, its downtown district?

Oh, wait! That’s coming along, yes?

The multipurpose event venue, a $45 million ballpark to be built next to City Hall, received voters’ endorsement a year ago. The City Council has proceeded with efforts to lure a Class AA baseball franchise to the city. They have a franchise in mind, the San Antonio Missions, which is looking for a new place to play ball once the Alamo City secures a Class AAA franchise to take its place.

I remain cautiously optimistic that the city can pull this deal together.

As for the AirHogs, good riddance.

That cockamamie notion of splitting its home games between two communities didn’t serve anyone in Amarillo worth a damn.

There might be an interim period where minor league baseball fans will have do without some ball while the MPEV gets built and the city works out the details of landing a legitimate minor-league franchise.

My optimism is still springing eternal that it will come to pass.