The Round Rock Express announced plans on Thursday to honor the minor league Baseball franchise's 10-year anniversary . As for who will be managing the team in its 10th season, that announcement probably won't come for a couple more weeks.
The Express has been without a manager since October, when Dave Clark was promoted to third-base coach for the Houston Astros . Clark went 64-79 in his first and oNLy season with Round Rock, the Triple-A affiliate of the Astros. Round Rock owner and CEO Reid Ryan said he expects Astros officials to name a new Express manager before Baseball's annual winter meetings begin in mid-December.
"There are quite a few candidates and there are some we'd like to see here, but in the end it's their call," Ryan said.
The incoming manager will be the third in franchise history. The Express began as a Double-A ballclub in 2000 before moving up to the Triple-A ranks in 2005.
Since 2000, more than 200 players have suited up for the Express, and the franchise has drawn more than six million fans to Dell Diamond in the past nine years.
"It's neat. It just doesn't seem like 10 years, that's the strange thing," Ryan said. "Obviously this means a lot to us because Round Rock opened its arms to our family as did all of Central Texas and enabled us to work in this game that we love."
On Thursday, the team officially unveiled its renovation and celebration plans for the 2009 season.
Dell Diamond will add an elevator, sun shades around the ballpark and a stadium club.
The Intel Club will replace the 300 Win Club and will be built maiNLy in the space where the press box had been. Modeled after similar clubs at the minor league ballparks in Albuquerque, N.M., and Frisco, the Intel Club will seat up to 250 fans and feature two open bars and dining options.
The Intel Club will be accessible to suite owners, and club memberships and daily passes will be available.
"The Intel Club is the jewel in our expansion that we're going to be doing," Ryan said. "But really our attitude is that we're going to continue to listen to the fans and continue to improve the Dell Diamond."
A team spokesman did not disclose the exact cost of the renovations, but called it "a multimillion-dollar project."
A new press box will be built on the third level of Dell Diamond. Ryan expects the construction to be finished by the time the Express holds its home opener against Iowa on April 9 .
Round Rock will mark its 10th year as a franchise with celebrations throughout the season. The team unveiled an anniversary logo on Thursday and will reveal other plans as the season progresses.
The Express also announced a campaign that will let fans vote on a 10-year anniversary team. Once voting on the team's Web site closes on Jan. 20, the selected players will be honored on commemorative coins, given out throughout the season.
danieldavis@statesman.com; 445-3952
