Baltimore Orioles Legend Part of New Ownership Group

The Baltimore Orioles' new ownership group includes a franchise legend.

A major bombshell dropped on Tuesday night with the news that the Baltimore Orioles are being sold. John Angelos has reportedly agreed to sell the franchise to a group led by David Rubenstein and Mike Arougheti, two private equity billionaires, for a cool $1.725 billion.

It goes without saying that this is great news for Orioles fans.

Angelos had been notoriously stingy since taking the reins in 2020, ranking near the bottom of the league every year in payroll despite sharing a division with the deep-pocketed New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.

Not surprisingly, Baltimore hasn't won a playoff game since 2014.

No more Angelos feels like addition by subtraction, especially when you consider who else is part of the new ownership group.

Cal Ripken Jr. is part of the ownership group, sources say. https://t.co/OS5lAW35wS

— Andy Kostka (@afkostka) January 31, 2024

According to Andy Kostka of the Baltimore Banner, sources say the new ownership group includes Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr.

It's unclear how much of a stake Ripken has or how involved he'll be in this role, but his presence alone should excite Baltimore fans. 

Ripken has represented the organization with class and dignity since the Orioles drafted him in 1978. He gave everything he had to Baltimore for 21 seasons, playing an MLB-record 2,632 consecutive games and leading the O's to their most recent championship in 1983 over the Philadelphia Phillies.

It goes without saying that Ripken knows a ton about baseball and what it takes to win. It's important to have a guy like that in the room, even if he's not the one calling the shots.

Ripken has been the face of the Orioles for a long time. Now he finally has the title to match.