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The Ironbirds logo also shares Ripken's No. 8 and his blue eyes. (Roberto Borea/AP)

The Aberdeen (Md.) Ironbirds were introduced at a news conference held at Camden Yards. The team's name is inspired by Ripken's consecutive games-played streak and its affiliation with the Orioles.

"It's been a very exciting and interesting process looking for the right name," Ripken said of the search, which has been ongoing since Ripken Baseball purchased the Utica (N.Y.) Blue Sox franchise with the intention of moving it to his hometown.

The team's logo is a silver airplane that features an orange No. 8 on the tail and a big blue eye near the plane's nose. The story goes that a young boy named Ted was the one who suggested the name and Ripken Baseball ran with it.

"An airplane is probably a little bit of a stretch, but it ties in with the Proving Grounds," said Ripken of the Aberdeen military center where the design and testing of ordnance material took place after World War II started.

"The minor league experience should be a fun one, and you should have fun with the logo," he said. "We just came into a really nice, friendly character, and we knew we were on to something."

Thursday marked the third time Ripken has been at the Yard since retiring last season. On Opening Day he sat in a private suite. On Thursday, Ripken was all business, even though he jokingly introduced himself as a "former baseball player."

The Class-A Ironbirds will continue to play in the New York-Penn League, which plays a 76-game short-season schedule that opens June 18 at Ripken Stadium. The stadium is part of "The Aberdeen Project," a baseball complex that will house a replica of Camden Yards and a baseball academy, among other things.

The Orioles and the Braves are the only Major League teams to have seven minor league affiliates. Baltimore's affiliates are the Gulf Coast League Orioles (Rookie level), Bluefield Orioles (Rookie, Appalachian League), Delmarva Shorebirds (Single-A, South Atlantic League), Frederick Keys (Single-A, Carolina League), Bowie Baysox (Double-A, Eastern League) and Rochester Red Wings (Triple-A, International League). The Aberdeen team will be classified between Bluefield and Delmarva.

The deal to buy the team had been reported to be in the works since ground was broken in October 2000 for the Aberdeen Project.

"As we continue to build our minor league system, the addition of a team in Aberdeen is a bonus step in the process," said Orioles Vice President for Baseball Operations Syd Thrift.

Becky Dubin Jenkins is an editorial producer for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.