First Brett Favre, and now this? Even Cal Ripken, Jr., he of 21 seasons in only one jersey, knows a good thing when he sees it.

It has been our contention that the Rays season has to be more insulting to the Orioles and the Blue Jays, than to the Red Sox and Yankees. In a division where opportunities to break through are rare, the O's and Jays have long hoped to be the team that would finally break the stranglehold that the two Evil Empires held over the AL East. Instead it was the Tampa Bay Friggin' Devil Rays. That has to really sting.

And in the same season, the Orioles' favored son is seen wearing a Rays jersey in Tropicana Field, throwing out the first pitch in the middle of a pennant race. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA....err, we mean, that's awful.

We would love to use the "pulled the plug" analogy, but the Orioles' season has been dead for a while now. All the above picture does is add insult to a franchise that hasn't had a winning season since before the Rays were born.

Ripken was in town to finalize the purchase of the Vero Beach Devil Rays by The Ripken Group. The high-A, Florida State League franchise will be moved to Port Charlotte next season.

Rays, Ripken join to buy Class A team [MLB]

In a move that surprises nobody, the Rays have begun the process to move their Florida State League franchise from Vero Beach to Charlotte County in 2009. Charlotte County is the home of a minor league park that is receiving a $27 million renovation and will be the new home for the Rays Spring Training beginning in 2009.

What is surprising is that ABC-7 is reporting that the group that has proposed to purchase the Vero Beach franchise is led by Cal Ripken Jr..

"The Ripkin Group - they have a very good reputation, obviously. Anytime you have Cal Ripkin, Jr. high up in the organization, they have a very solid reputation," said Jim Ferguson, media relations director for minor league baseball.

Ripkin has reportedly had his representatives ask permission from the Fort Myers Miracle to explore the possibility of another Florida State League team in Southwest Florida. The Miracle couldn’t comment because of tampering rules, but Ripkin's groups told us, "Things are in the works" and to "check back in about 30 days."

"There is nothing set in stone yet. But it is something we've been exploring and it would be a logical piece of the puzzle," said Vaughn.

Ferguson added, "It takes a while and it's a lot of paperwork, but generally they get approved."

The Charlotte County franchise would be the third team owned by the Ripken Baseball Group which also owns the Abderdeen IronBirds and the Augusta Green Jackets. They have a goal of owning 10 franchises by 2015.

It seems only fitting that Cal Ripken jump on the Rays bandwagon considering the Orioles will be residing in the Rays usual last place in 2008.

RAYS MAY MOVE MINOR LEAGUE TEAM TO SWFL [ABC-7]