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Rays Team With Ripken To Buy Minor League Team

The Associated Press

Former Baltimore Orioles third baseman Cal Ripken throws out the ceremonial first pitch between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008, in St. Petersburg, Fla.

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TBO.com Staff Report

Published: August 27, 2008

Updated: 08/27/2008 09:34 pm

The Tampa Bay Rays and Ripken Baseball today announced that together they have purchased the team that plays in Vero Beach, FL. The team will be moved to Charlotte County and will play in Port Charlotte, FL starting in 2009.

The team, yet to be named, will serve as the Class A affiliate of the Rays in the Florida State League.

Matt Silverman, President of the Rays, said in a press release, "We are thrilled to be partnering with Cal Ripken and Ripken Baseball on this unique venture. Ripken Baseball is an established and proven minor league operator and the Ripken name is synonymous with success."

Ripken Baseball has hired Joe Hart to serve as the team's General Manager. Hart was formerly the GM at the Nashville Sounds, the AAA affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers in the Pacific Coast League.

Cal Ripken, President and CEO of Ripken Baseball said in the release: "Florida is a baseball hotbed and we have been anxious to have a base of operations here for some time. When the opportunity to partner with the Rays presented itself we jumped at it."

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