Hours before arriving at AutoZone Park for a bird-on-bird exhibition game, the Cardinals finalized the purchase of the Memphis Redbirds, their longtime Class AAA affiliate.

The purchase gives the Cardinals the chance to keep their affiliate rooted in Memphis for the possibility of the next 27 years, at least.

The Cardinals and their Class AAA roster arrived in Memphis this afternoon for a 6:35 p.m. St. Louis time exhibition game, the final tuneup before Monday's season opener at Cincinnati. The Cardinals have brought 33 players to Memphis on the major-league roster, and manager Mike Matheny has indicated that they will leave with only the 25 they intend to take into the regular season.

The purchase of Memphis was agreed to several months ago, and the deal was closed within the past 24 hours the club announced Friday.

The purchase price was $15 million.

By owning the Memphis Redbirds affiliate -- an entering into a lease for the ballpark with the City of Memphis -- the Cardinals now own three of their top four minor-league affiliates: Class AAA Memphis, Class AA Springfield, and High-A Palm Beach. The Cardinals also own their Gulf Coast League affiliate and they run an academy with a team in the Dominican Republic.