2003 Round Rock Express: Highlights from the season
September 2, 2003 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release
The Round Rock Express experienced something new Sunday that they've never felt before: a season without a post-season. Manager Jackie Moore will also get the chance to be a part of something he's missed for several years: the start of dove hunting season.
While the 2003 season wasn't exactly what the team had hoped for, the campaign was not without its fair share of positives and superlatives.
The year began with Mike Gallo serving as Round Rock's primary setup man in the bullpen. It ends with Gallo as a setup man with the Houston Astros. The diminutive left-hander has become a situational specialist for the first-place Astros and will be a valuable part of the Houston pitching staff as the Astros try to hold off the Cardinals and Cubs in the National League's Central Division pennant race.
After a relatively average 2002 season, second baseman Chris Burke took a monumental step in 2003 and positioned himself near the top of the list of the best Houston prospects. Burke ended the year second in the Texas League in hits (165) and fourth in batting average (.301) and had hitting streaks of 15, 12 and ten games and never saw his batting average dip below 300 after April 12.
On top of that, Burke was named the Texas League's mid and post-season All-Star teams and played in the prestigious Futures Game in Chicago in July.
Outfielder Anthony Acevedo joined Burke in the Breakout Club. In his first action at Double-A, Acevedo finished in the top three on the team in nine offensive categories, including batting average (.283), home runs (11) and RBI (56).
Shortstop Tommy Whiteman was more often than not in the top three with Acevedo, pacing the Express in home runs (13) and RBI (70).
On the mound, the incredible final two months from Chad Qualls was the biggest highlight. After having a relatively "normal" first half of the season, Qualls began the month of July with a July 4 shutout of the El Paso Diablos. He followed that up with the best stretch by any Express pitcher since Kirk Saarloos in 2002. Over his final 11 starts, Qualls was 5-3 with a miniscule 1.94 and struck out over a batter an inning.
While Qualls' explosion was somewhat expected, the sudden ascensions of D.J. Houlton to Triple-A and Greg Powell to the starting rotation came out of left field, so to speak.
In his first year at Double-A, Houlton adapted to the level wonderfully. In 18 starts before being promoted to New Orleans, he befuddled the Texas League to the tune of a 3.47 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 109 innings and firmly established himself as a part of the Astros' plans for the future.
Powell also made a quiet rise in the eyes of the Astros. After starting only ten games the previous two years, Powell was thrust into the rotation in May and responded beautifully. Highlighted by a complete game shutout of San Antonio in early August, Powell teamed with Qualls to provide the base of the Round Rock rotation in the second half and allowed three or fewer runs in 11 of his 18 starts.
While the Express' primary focus was on building for the future, for three days in July, Round Rock hosted a former NL MVP. Jeff Kent, on a rehab assignment, played three games for the Express, including a key part of an emotional win over San Antonio July 12.
In the midst of what was at the time the biggest series of the year, Kent hit a first inning home run to lift Round Rock to an important win in front of an electrified Dell Diamond crowd.
Off the field, the Express was once again a complete success. A Double-A record 685,973 fans came to The Dell Diamond this year, marking the fourth time in as many years that Round Rock has broken the all-time record and making a statement about the loyalty and quality of Express fans.
2004 will bring some changes. Construction on the left field home run porch will begin soon, allowing more fans to experience The Dell Diamond and from a new perspective. Some players will be gone. Some will be back. However, the Round Rock Express will continue to offer the best sports entertainment value in the nation.
Pacific Coast League Stories from September 2, 2003
- Terrmel Sledge Named PCL Batter of the Week - Edmonton Trappers
- 2004 Round Rock Express Schedule Unveiled - Round Rock Express
- 2003 Round Rock Express: Highlights from the season - Round Rock Express
- Isotopes Win PCL Central Division Championship - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Sox Split Doubler header with Omaha - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- Beavers End Season with 5-1 Loss - Portland Beavers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
