Charlotte County baseball team

MiLB infobox
name = Charlotte County
founded = 2008
city = Port Charlotte, Florida
misc =

uniform
class level = Single-A (1980-present)
past class level=
current league = Florida State League (1980-present)
conference =
division = East Division
past league =
majorleague = Tampa Bay Rays (2009-present)
pastmajorleague = Los Angeles Dodgers (1980-2006)
nickname = Vero Beach Devil Rays (2007-present)
pastnames = Vero Beach Dodgers (1980-2006)
ballpark = Charlotte Sports Park
pastparks = Holman Stadium (1980-2008)
leaguechamps = 1983, 1990
divisionchamps = 1983, 1990
misc6 =
owner = Ripken Baseball
manager = Not yet announced
gm = Joe Hart

The new Charlotte County baseball team is a Single-A Minor League Baseball team in the Florida State League based in Port Charlotte, Florida. The team is the High-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays and is owned by Ripken Baseball. Starting with the 2009 Florida State League season, the team will play its home games at Charlotte Sports Park.

History

The Charlotte County team was formerly known as the Vero Beach Devil Rays and the Vero Beach Dodgers. The Vero Beach teams played at Holman Stadium, the former spring training home of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In August 2008, it was announced that the Vero Beach franchise was sold to Ripken Baseball, which resulted in the move to Charlotte County.

The new High-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays will play its home games at Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte, Florida, the former spring training home of the Texas Rangers. The stadium is currently undergoing more than $27 million in renovations [Charlotte County Baseball Web Site] in preparation of the 2009 Florida State League season.

Pictures of the renovations with descriptions of the future ballpark can be viewed at http://www.charlottecountybaseball.com/news/index.html?article_id=5 [http://www.charlottecountybaseball.com/news/index.html?article_id=5] . A history of Charlotte Sports Park can be viewed at [http://www.charlottecountybaseball.com/stadium/history/ http://www.charlottecountybaseball.com/stadium/history/]

Ripken Baseball announced their purchase of the team on August 25, 2008. The new Charlotte County team will be the third in the Ripken family, joining the [http://www.ironbirdsbaseball.com Aberdeen IronBirds] and the [http://www.greenjacketsbaseball.com Augusta Green Jackets] .

Notable VB Dodgers and Devil Rays

*David Price
*Paul Konerko
*Joel Guzman
*Chad Billingsley
*Mike Piazza
*Blake DeWitt
*Matt Kemp
*Russell Martin
*Rocco Baldelli- played in extended spring training for rehab in 2008
*Miguel Cairo
*Paul LoDuca
*Matt Herges
*Adrián Beltré
*Eric Gagné
*David Ross
*Scott Proctor
*Gary Majewski
*James Loney
*Jason Frasor
*Jonathan BroxtonStaff includedDerrick Hall, Pat O'Conner, Terry Reynolds, Grant Griesser, Trevor Gooby, Tom Simmons,Craig Callan

External links

* [http://www.charlottecountybaseball.com www.charlottecountybaseball.com -- Official web site]
* [http://floridastate.league.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080808&content_id=443310&vkey=news_l123&fext=.jsp&sid=l123 Florida State League News Article]