A story just moved on the AP wire that said a Birmingham banker wants to buy the Devil Rays and keep the team in Tampa.

I posted the whole story in the new "Portland Devil Rays" section of this site, but figured I'd post a notice here since many of you probably visit here first out of habit (like me).

William Scrushy? Scrushy is a big name in the B'ham area. I kinda wonder why he doesn't buy the
B'ham Bulls (B'ham's minor league hockey team)to keep them from folding or moving. Odd

Oregon rocks

Actually his name is Donald Watkins. From the story: "Watkins runs Alamerica Bank, a commercial bank based in Birmingham, and operates a privately held energy company called Watkins Pencor. He said he would not need help funding a purchase of the team and wanted sole ownership." He also would be the first minority owner.

This just moved on the Associated Press wire:

Birmingham businessman shopping for baseball franchise

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Birmingham businessman Donald Watkins didn't wait for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to put up a "for sale" sign.

The lawyer-turned-entreprenuer phoned the major league baseball team's general counsel, John Higgins, then faxed a letter expressing an interest in purchasing the team. His interest was sparked by a newspaper article last Friday.

"My biggest challenge now is to get a crack in the ownership door," Watkins said. "I'm ready to begin my due diligence."

Watkins runs Alamerica Bank, a commercial bank based in Birmingham, and operates a privately held energy company called Watkins Pencor. He said he would not need help funding a purchase of the team and wanted sole ownership.

Team spokesman Rick Vaughn said Wednesday the Devil Rays would have no comment on Watkins' interest. Forbes Magazine recently estimated the value of the club to be about $150 million.

Watkins, who is black, would be major league baseball's first minority owner.

"That is not what drives me," he told The Associated Press. "That is a beneficial incidental factor. I think it would be nice to have some diversity in ownership circles. It's not a social experiment, not for that kind of money."

The Devil Rays last week said they have discussed retaining an investment banker to advise the club about its alternatives, "including the possible sale of the club."

Managing general partner Vince Naimoli announced last week he would hire a chief operating officer to take over the team's day-to-day affairs. Naimoli said the team is not having financial problems.

Manager Larry Rothschild has already lost his job this season, replaced by Hal McRae after a slow start and three straight last-place finishes in the AL East.

Watkins said he wants to either own the team outright or give his son a part of the franchise. "I wouldn't be interested in joining an existing group of investors," he said.

He said he has studied sports finance to prepare for ownership of a major league baseball or NFL franchise and believes he can "create a winner on the field and in the business office. That's what I would like to do."

Watkins said he wouldn't move the team.

"I'm in it for the long haul," he said. "It's not a quick, in and out opportunity to me. I want to keep it in Tampa."

Yes, I moved it here. Part of the reasoning behind setting up these separate forums was to centralize threads on specific topics. We must be diligent! True, many visit the Professional Baseball in Oregon forum first, but with time, I hope people will check out all the forums for pertinent information.

Portland in the National League.

Okay, I'm with you. Delete my complaint from the main thread then.

the birmingham business man could probably get better attendence at a minor league stadium in birmingham than in tampa, he should think twice about keeping the team there unless they get out of the tropicana dome, no domes