31-598: Justin Marshall Ruggiano (born April 12, 1982) is an American former professional baseball outfielder . He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays / Rays , Miami Marlins , Chicago Cubs , Seattle Mariners , Los Angeles Dodgers , Texas Rangers , New York Mets and San Francisco Giants . Ruggiano attended Texas A&M University , where he played college baseball for
62-617: 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
93-743: 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 . The team is named for Baseball Hall of Famer and Texas native Nolan Ryan , who was nicknamed "The Ryan Express." Ryan, along with son Reid Ryan and Don Sanders make up the team's ownership group, Ryan Sanders Baseball. The Express were established as
124-531: A .374 on-base percentage(OBP), and a .909 on-base slug percentage(OPS). On December 12, 2013, the Marlins traded Ruggiano to the Chicago Cubs for outfielder Brian Bogusevic . As a part-time outfielder during the 2014 season he played in 81 games before requiring surgery on his left ankle. Ruggiano finished the 2014 season hitting .281/.337/.429 in 224 at-bats, with six home runs and 28 RBIs. On December 17, 2014, he
155-574: A double and an RBI. After the first game of the season, the Rangers designated Ruggiano for assignment. He was outrighted to the Triple–A Round Rock Express afterwards. He was released on July 26, 2016. On July 30, 2016, the Mets signed Ruggiano to their 25-man roster to replace the injured José Reyes After only six plate appearances with the Mets, Ruggiano was placed on the disabled list with
186-553: A fifth infielder, playing directly behind the second base bag. During the 2010–11 offseason, Ruggiano was designated for assignment . He was again designated for assignment after the 2011 season, and on January 30, 2012, elected free agency. On February 6, 2012, Ruggiano signed a minor league contract with the Houston Astros . On May 26, 2012, Ruggiano was traded to the Miami Marlins for minor league catcher Jobduan Morales. He
217-553: A left hamstring strain . On August 18, Ruggiano returned from the disabled list. After appearing in five games and hitting two home runs, including a grand slam off of Madison Bumgarner , Ruggiano was placed on the disabled list again with a shoulder injury. On December 23, 2016, Ruggiano signed a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants . On May 6, 2017, after playing for the Sacramento River Cats for
248-750: A month, San Francisco purchased Ruggiano's contract, promoting him to the Giants. On June 2, Ruggiano was designated for assignment when Austin Slater was called up from Triple-A Sacramento. He cleared waivers and reported to Triple-A Sacramento. On July 25, Ruggiano opted out of his minor league deal with the Giants. Ruggiano retired in the offseason to become a hitting instructor for younger players at his home in Sunnyvale, Texas . As of February 2016, Ruggiano and his wife, Shelly, lived in Heath, Texas with their children. Following
279-571: A professional franchise there, and the ownership group was convinced Round Rock could support Triple-A baseball. 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
310-465: 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. 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
341-1081: 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, Round Rock won the second-half title at 45–30. Overall, the team posted the league's second-best record, 89–60. 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. Pitchers Catchers Infielders Outfielders Manager Coaches [REDACTED] 7-day injured list * On Texas Rangers 40-man roster ~ Development list # Rehab assignment ∞ Reserve list ‡ Restricted list § Suspended list † Temporarily inactive list Roster updated November 20, 2024 Transactions → More rosters: MiLB • Pacific Coast League → Texas Rangers minor league players The "Play Ball" episode of The Simple Life ,
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#1733085439358372-669: Is often applied as an umbrella term for all leagues — major and minor — under the authority of the Commissioner of Baseball . Operating outside the Minor League Baseball organization are many independent minor leagues such as the Atlantic League , American Association , Frontier League , and the feeder league to these the Empire Professional Baseball League . Japan has had professional baseball since
403-492: The China National Baseball League , Israel Baseball League , and Baseball Philippines . During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, players of black African descent were barred from playing the major leagues , though several did manage to play by claiming to be Cubans or Native Americans . As a result, a number of parallel Negro leagues were formed. However, after Jackie Robinson began playing with
434-666: The National League (founded in 1876) and the American League (founded in 1901). Historically, teams in one league never played teams in the other until the World Series , in which the champions of the two leagues played against each other. This changed in 1997 with the advent of interleague play . The Philadelphia Phillies , founded in 1883, are the oldest continuous same-name, same-city franchise in both Major League Baseball and all of American professional sports. In addition to
465-459: The Texas A&;M Aggies baseball team. The Los Angeles Dodgers drafted Ruggiano in the 25th round of the 2004 MLB Draft . The Dodgers sent Ruggiano to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2006, with Dioner Navarro and Jae Weong Seo for Toby Hall , Mark Hendrickson and cash. Ruggiano made his Major League Baseball debut with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2007 . On October 19, 2007, Ruggiano
496-488: The late December 2015 North American storm complex , Ruggiano and his wife volunteered via their church to help in the recovery effort. Ruggiano's brother, Brian, also played baseball for Texas A&M and, like Justin, was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers (in the 23rd round of the 2008 MLB Draft ). A catcher in college, Brian played infield and outfield for four years in minor and independent baseball , spending
527-676: The 1930s. Nippon Professional Baseball consists of two leagues, the Central League and the Pacific League , each with six teams. South Korea has had professional baseball since 1982. There are 10 teams in KBO League . Taiwan has had professional baseball since the 1990s. The Chinese Professional Baseball League absorbed Taiwan Major League in 2003. There are currently 6 teams in the CPBL. Other Asian leagues include three now defunct leagues,
558-577: The 2010 season with the Great Lakes Loons of the Class A Midwest League . Professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada consists of
589-569: The Express as the sixth-most valuable Minor League Baseball team with a value of $ 40 million. On September 20, 2018, the Express announced a 4-year Player Development Contract with the Houston Astros. 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. The Express later re-affiliated with
620-585: The PCL in 2022. 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
651-515: The Texas Rangers for 2021 and were organized into the Triple-A West . Round Rock ended the season tied for second place in the Eastern Division with a 61–58 record. No playoffs were held to determine a league champion; instead, the team with the best regular-season record was declared the winner. However, 10 games that had been postponed from the start of the season were reinserted into
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#1733085439358682-716: 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. 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
713-497: 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
744-631: The major leagues, many North American cities and towns feature minor league teams. An organization officially styled Minor League Baseball , formerly the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, oversees nearly all minor league baseball in the United States and Canada. The minor leagues are divided into classes AAA, AA, High-A, A, and Rookie. These minor-league divisions are affiliated with major league teams, and serve to develop young players and rehabilitate injured major-leaguers. "Affiliated baseball" (archaically, " organized baseball ")
775-669: The major-league Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, the Negro leagues gradually faded. The process of integration did not go entirely smoothly; there were some ugly incidents, including pitchers who would try to throw directly at a black player's head. Now, however, baseball is fully integrated, and there is little to no racial tension between teammates. Between 1943 and 1954, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League fielded teams in several Midwestern towns. Round Rock Express The Round Rock Express are
806-650: 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
837-583: 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. Round Rock finished the tournament tied for seventh place with a 6–4 record. 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. Playing under
868-448: Was added to the roster of the United States national baseball team to play in the 2007 Baseball World Cup . In 2008, he batted .197 for Tampa Bay in 76 at bats. Ruggiano hit his first career home run, a long ball to left field, on June 21, 2008 off of pitcher Wandy Rodriguez of the Houston Astros. Ruggiano became part of a historical play in the 2008 World Series when Rays manager Joe Maddon moved Ruggiano from right field to become
899-643: Was called up to Miami the next day, and Kevin Mattison was optioned to Triple-A. After playing well in June, Ruggiano heated up in July. He ended the first half of the season with six home runs (four in the last six games), 17 RBI, and a batting average of .390. On September 21, Ruggiano injured his shoulder in the fifth inning in a game against the New York Mets. He finished the season batting .313 with 13 homers, 36 RBIs, 23 doubles,
930-428: Was outrighted to the minors and removed from the 40 man roster. On November 6, he chose to become a free agent rather than accept an assignment to the minors. On December 17, 2015, Ruggiano signed a one-year deal with the Texas Rangers . Ruggiano made the Rangers opening day roster with the initial plan of Ruggiano platooning with outfielder Josh Hamilton . Ruggiano started opening day for the Rangers going 1-for-4 with
961-730: Was traded to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for minor leaguer Matt Brazis. He was designated for assignment on June 4, 2015. He cleared waivers and was assigned outright to the class AAA Tacoma Rainiers . On August 31, 2015, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for cash considerations, and on September 1 was added to the active roster. He played in 21 games for the Dodgers in September (mostly starting against left handed pitching) and hit .291 with four homers and 12 RBI. On November 5, he