Round Rock Express

The Round Rock Express are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. They are located in Round Rock, Texas, and play their home games at the Dell Diamond.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The team is named for Baseball Hall of Famer and Texas native Nolan Ryan, who was nicknamed "The Ryan Express."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Ryan, along with son Reid Ryan and Don Sanders make up the team's ownership group, Ryan Sanders Baseball.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The Express were established as a Double-A team of the Texas League (TL) in 2000. They won the Texas League championship in 2000. Round Rock was replaced by a Triple-A Pacific Coast League team in 2005. The Triple-A Express carried on the history of the Double-A team that preceded them. With Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Express were shifted to the Triple-A West, which was renamed the PCL in 2022.

History

The ownership group led by Nolan Ryan and Don Sanders began its operations in Round Rock in 2000 as the Dell Diamond opened, moving the Double-A Texas League's Jackson Generals to the new park, affiliating with the Houston Astros and setting attendance records for the Double-A level. By 2003, Corpus Christi had offered the Ryan-Sanders group $20 million to build a stadium and move a professional franchise there, and the ownership group was convinced Round Rock could support Triple-A baseball.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

File:Dell Diamond DM.jpg

An Express game at the Dell Diamond at night

Meanwhile, the Pacific Coast League's Edmonton Trappers franchise, left isolated by the departure of the Calgary Cannons after the 2002 season for Albuquerque, was under pressure from the rest of the league to relocate to the United States. After the 2003 season, the Ryan group purchased the Trappers franchise with plans to relocate that franchise to Round Rock for 2005, once the Corpus Christi stadium would be ready for the Double-A franchise.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Triple-A club would carry on the Round Rock Express identity; the Double-A club would become the Corpus Christi Hooks, and the Ryan group was able to negotiate an affiliation swap with the New Orleans Zephyrs to obtain the Astros' Triple-A affiliation for the newly-arriving PCL club.

In 2006, the Round Rock Express clinched the Southern Division of the league's American Conference with a win–loss record of 85–59. After defeating the Nashville Sounds in five games to take the American Conference championship, they advanced to the PCL championship series, but lost to the Tucson Sidewinders in three straight games.

In 2011, after 6 seasons of serving as the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, and 11 seasons of being affiliated with the Astros overall, the Express became the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. Through the end of the 2018 season, attendance figures have dropped 8% since changing affiliations from Houston to Texas (see table below). Each of the top 9 season attendances all occurred in the 11 seasons the team was affiliated with Houston.

In 2016, Forbes listed the Express as the sixth-most valuable Minor League Baseball team with a value of $40 million.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On September 20, 2018, the Express announced a 4-year Player Development Contract with the Houston Astros.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In conjunction with Major League Baseball's reorganization of the minors after the 2020 season, the Astros opted to discontinue their affiliation with Round Rock, leaving them in need of a new major league affiliate.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref>

The Express later re-affiliated with the Texas Rangers for 2021 and were organized into the Triple-A West.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=JMayo2-12-2021>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Round Rock ended the season tied for second place in the Eastern Division with a 61–58 record.<ref name=MILB2021>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> No playoffs were held to determine a league champion; instead, the team with the best regular-season record was declared the winner.<ref name=MiLB7-14-2021>Template:Cite news</ref> However, 10 games that had been postponed from the start of the season were reinserted into the schedule as a postseason tournament called the Triple-A Final Stretch in which all 30 Triple-A clubs competed for the highest winning percentage.<ref name=MiLB7-14-2021/> Round Rock finished the tournament tied for seventh place with a 6–4 record.<ref name=2021FinalStretch>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2022, the Triple-A West became known as the Pacific Coast League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization.<ref name=PCLrename>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Playing under a split-season format in 2023 in which the teams with the best league-wide records at the end of each half qualified for the playoffs,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Round Rock won the second-half title at 45–30.<ref name=2023halfs>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Overall, the team posted the league's second-best record, 89–60.<ref name=2023BR>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In a single round of playoffs to determine the PCL championship versus the Oklahoma City Dodgers, winners of the first half, the Express were defeated, two games to none.<ref name=2023post>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Season-by-season records

Table key

League	The team's final position in the league standings
Division	The team's final position in the divisional standings
GB	Games behind the team that finished in first place in the division that season
Template:‡	Class champions (2005–present)
Template:†	League champions (2000–present)
§	Conference champions (2005–2020)
*	Division champions (2000–present)
^	Postseason berth (2000–present)

Season-by-season records

Season	League	Regular-season					Postseason			MLB affiliate	Template:Abbr
		Record	Win %	League	Division	Template:Abbr	Record	Win %	Result
2000 ^ * Template:†	TL	83–57	.593	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	7–3	Template:Sort		Won First Half Western Division title Won Western Division title vs. El Paso Diablos, 3–2 Won TL championship vs. Wichita Wranglers, 4–1<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Houston Astros	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2001 ^ *	TL	86–54	.614	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	3–4	Template:Sort	Won First Half Western Division title Won Western Division title vs. San Antonio Missions, 3–2 Lost TL championship vs. Arkansas Travelers, 2–0<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Houston Astros	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2002 ^	TL	75–65	.536	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	2–3	Template:Sort	Won First Half Western Division title Lost Western Division title vs. San Antonio Missions, 3–2<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Houston Astros	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2003	TL	46–94	.329	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Houston Astros	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2004 ^ *	TL	86–54	.614	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	1–4	Template:Sort	Won First and Second Half Western Division titles Won Western Division title Lost TL championship vs. Frisco RoughRiders, 4–1<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Houston Astros	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2005	PCL	74–70	.514	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Houston Astros	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2006 * §	PCL	85–59	.590	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	3–5	Template:Sort	Won American Conference Southern Division title Won American Conference title vs. Nashville Sounds, 3–2 Lost PCL championship vs. Tucson Sidewinders, 3–0	Houston Astros	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2007	PCL	61–81	.430	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Houston Astros	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2008	PCL	64–79	.448	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Houston Astros	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2009	PCL	63–81	.438	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Houston Astros	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2010	PCL	57–87	.396	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Houston Astros	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2011 *	PCL	87–57	.604	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	1–3	Template:Sort	Won American Conference Southern Division title Lost American Conference title vs. Omaha Storm Chasers, 3–1	Texas Rangers	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2012	PCL	69–75	.479	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Texas Rangers	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2013	PCL	73–71	.507	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Texas Rangers	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2014	PCL	70–74	.486	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Texas Rangers	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2015 * §	PCL	78–66	.542	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	5–3	Template:Sort	Won American Conference Southern Division title Won American Conference title vs. Oklahoma City Dodgers, 3–0 Lost PCL championship vs. Fresno Grizzlies, 3–2	Texas Rangers	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2016	PCL	71–72	.497	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Texas Rangers	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2017	PCL	66–72	.478	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Texas Rangers	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2018	PCL	65–73	.471	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Texas Rangers	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2019 * §	PCL	84–56	.600	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	3–5	Template:Sort	Won American Conference Southern Division title Won American Conference title vs. Iowa Cubs, 3–2 Lost PCL championship vs. Sacramento River Cats, 3–0	Houston Astros	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2020	PCL	Season cancelled (COVID-19 pandemic)<ref name=2020can>Template:Cite news</ref>								Houston Astros	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2021	AAAW	61–58	.513	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	6–4	Template:Sort	Won series vs. Tacoma Rainiers, 3–2 Won series vs. Sugar Land Skeeters, 3–2 Placed 7th (tie) in the Triple-A Final Stretch<ref name=2021FinalStretch/>	Texas Rangers	<ref name=MILB2021/>
2022	PCL	79–71	.527	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Texas Rangers	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2023 ^	PCL	89–60	.597	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Won second-half title<ref name=2023halfs/> Lost PCL championship vs. Oklahoma City Dodgers, 2–0<ref name=2023post/>	Texas Rangers	<ref name=2023BR/>
2024	PCL	71–77	.480	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Texas Rangers	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Totals	—	1,743–1,663	Template:Winpct	—	—	—	31–36	Template:Winpct	—	—	—

Dell Diamond attendance

File:Dell Diamond Southwest Entrance 2017.jpg

The Round Rock Express play home games at the Dell Diamond.

Season average attendance<ref>[1] thebaseballcube.com, Round Rock Express Team Pages, 2000-2004.</ref><ref>[2] milb.com, PCL Attendance Tables, 2005-Present.</ref>

Season	Average	Games	Total attendance	Affiliation
2000	9,430	70	660,110	Houston Astros (Double-A)
2001	9,554	70	668,792	Houston Astros (Double-A)
2002	9,573	70	670,176	Houston Astros (Double-A)
2003	9,799	70	685,973	Houston Astros (Double-A)
2004	9,847	70	689,286	Houston Astros (Double-A)
2005	9,726	72	700,277	Houston Astros (Triple-A)
2006	9,413	72	677,706	Houston Astros (Triple-A)
2007	9,466	70	662,595	Houston Astros (Triple-A)
2008	9,286	72	668,623	Houston Astros (Triple-A)
2009	8,707	72	626,899	Houston Astros (Triple-A)
2010	8,408	71	596,985	Houston Astros (Triple-A)
2011	8,587	72	618,261	Texas Rangers (Triple-A)
2012	8,389	71	595,584	Texas Rangers (Triple-A)
2013	8,181	72	589,042	Texas Rangers (Triple-A)
2014	8,390	71	595,700	Texas Rangers (Triple-A)
2015	8,623	69	595,012	Texas Rangers (Triple-A)
2016	8,627	71	613,226	Texas Rangers (Triple-A)
2017	8,724	70	610,681	Texas Rangers (Triple-A)
2018	8,809	70	616,636	Texas Rangers (Triple-A)
2019	8,542	70	597,928	Houston Astros (Triple-A)
2020	Season cancelled (COVID-19 pandemic)<ref name=2020can/>			Houston Astros (Triple-A)

Attendance ranking by affiliation (through 2018)

Rank	Average	Affiliation	Seasons	Games	Total attendance
1	9,311	Houston Astros	12	849	7,905,350
2	8,540	Texas Rangers	8	566	4,834,142

Notable alumni

• Yordan Alvarez (born 1997), MLB designated hitter and outfielder
• Josh Banks (born 1982), MLB pitcher
• Richard Bleier (born 1987), MLB pitcher
• John Buck, MLB catcher
• Roger Clemens, MLB pitcher
• Chris Davis, MLB first baseman
• Morgan Ensberg, MLB third baseman
• Joey Gallo, MLB outfielder and first baseman
• Mike Gallo, MLB pitcher
• Craig Gentry, MLB outfielder
• Keith Ginter, MLB onfielder
• Jason Hirsh, MLB pitcher
• Josh Jung, MLB third baseman
• Roy Oswalt, MLB pitcher
• Humberto Quintero, MLB catcher
• Myles Straw, MLB outfielder
• Taylor Teagarden, MLB catcher
• Hunter Pence, MLB outfielder
• Willy Taveras, MLB outfielder
• Kyle Tucker, MLB outfielder
• José Urquidy, MLB pitcher

Popular culture

The "Play Ball" episode of The Simple Life, a reality television series starring young wealthy socialites Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, took place during an Express game. The show aired on July 21, 2004, as the 15th episode of the show's second season.<ref>List provided by the Texas Film Commission: Katie Kelley, Office Manager - Texas Film Commission, Email, July 23, 2009</ref>

The team made headlines in 2010 when it "signed" Billy Ray "Rojo" Johnson, described in a press release as an East Texan who grew up in Venezuela and had run-ins with the law. In reality, Johnson was actor Will Ferrell, who briefly took the mound at Dell Diamond to promote his nearby charity golf tournament.<ref>[3] MLB.com, "Will Ferrell pitches, entertains in Round Rock", May 7, 2010.</ref>

External links

• Official website

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