MLN - THE RAW FEED - www.mlntherawfeed.com - MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com - Port Charlotte, FL – 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 Tampa Bay Rays in
the Florida State League.

Matt Silverman, President of the Rays, said, “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 added, “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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