Team logo Cap insignia League titles (0) none Founded 1993 | Previous Double-A (1993–1994) First half titles (1) 1993 Color red and black | |
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Previous leagues Southern League (1993–1994) Previous Minnesota Twins (1993–1994) Ballpark Herschel Greer Stadium (1993–1994) | ||
The Nashville Xpress were a minor league baseball team of the Southern League from 1993 to 1994. They were located in Nashville, Tennessee and played home games at Herschel Greer Stadium, which opened in 1978. They were the Double-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins and were named for trains which ran along tracks beyond the ballpark's outfield wall.
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Previously known as the Charlotte Knights of Charlotte, North Carolina, the franchise was without a home when Charlotte moved up to a Triple-A franchise. After spending two years in Nashville, the team relocated to Wilmington, North Carolina, becoming the Port City Roosters.
The Xpress shared their ballpark with the Triple-A American Association's Nashville Sounds. This marked the first time since the New York Mets and Yankees shared Shea Stadium in 1976 that two teams shared a facility. Baseball America ranked the dual Nashville teams as number one on its list of the "top 10 happenings in minor league baseball."
1993 season
After the 1992 season, George Shinn sold his Double-A Southern League Charlotte Knights franchise to Tom Benson who planned on moving the team to New Orleans, Louisiana. However, the sale was cancelled when John Dikeou, owner of the Triple-A American Association's Denver Zephyrs, moved his team there after being displaced by the Colorado Rockies National League expansion team. Nashville Sounds owner Larry Schmittou offered Nashville's Herschel Greer Stadium as a temporary home for the team. In January 1993, Southern League team owners met to explore all options for the homeless franchise. In the end, they decided to accept Schmittou's offer and place the team in Nashville for one season. A one-year management arrangement was decided upon wherein Schmittou and the Sounds' staff would be responsible for taking care of Shinn's team.
While in Nashville, the team was known as the Nashville Xpress. The nickname refers to the presence of railroad tracks which are located to the east-southeast of Greer Stadium just beyond the outfield wall. The Xpress scheduled its home games during the Sounds' road trips and went on the road when the Sounds played at home. They played in the Southern League as the Double-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins and were managed by former major league catcher Phil Roof. The coaching staff was rounded out with pitching coach Rick Anderson and hitting coach Mark Funderburk, both former Twins players.
The team completed the first-half of the season with a 40–31 (.563) record and won the first-half western division title. They finished the second-half with a 32–39 (.451) record, for a combined 72–70 (.507) record. The Xpress faced the Birmingham Barons, the second-half western division winners, in the best-of-five western division championship series. The Barons swept the Xpress in three straight games, eliminating Nashville from the post-season, the only post-season appearance in franchise history.
Nashville's Oscar Muñoz was chosen as the Southern League's Most Outstanding Pitcher. Outfielder Rich Becker was selected for the post-season All-Star team. Marty Cordova tied for the league lead in extra-base hits (54), and Jeff Mansur tied for the lead in complete games (4).
1994 season
Phil Roof and his coaching staff returned in 1994 for the franchise's second and final season. Despite finishing the year with a 74–66 (.529) record, the Xpress failed to win either half of the season and was left out of the post-season picture.
Right-handed pitcher Brad Radke was named to the post-season All-Star team. LaTroy Hawkins tied for the best winning percentage (.818, 9–2). Pitchers Marc Barcelo and Brad Radke tied with each other and one other player for the lead in games started with 28.
Also in 1994, Greer Stadium saw appearances by Michael Jordan, who was playing for the rival Barons at that time and came to Nashville as a visitor. Had Jordan advanced to Triple-A, he would have played for the Nashville Sounds, which was the White Sox affiliate at the time.
After the season, the club moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, where they became the Port City Roosters for two seasons, before again relocating to Mobile, Alabama, and continuing play as the Mobile BayBears.
Notable players
Of the 60 players who appeared on the Xpress roster during the team's existence, 22 also played at least one game in the major leagues. These players were: