A few days ago, Express CEO Reid Ryan (Nolan Ryan’s son) made this announcement on the minor league team’s web site:

“The Round Rock Express have acquired Billy Ray “Rojo” Johnson. The right-handed pitcher will be in uniform for Thursday’s 7:05 p.m. CDT game against the Nashville Sounds.

“Johnson, who was born in East Texas but was raised in Venezuela, recently had his prison sentence commuted. He served time for running a smuggling ring that imported rare and illegal species of reptiles into the United States from South America during the mid-to-late 1990s. Thursday night’s game marks Johnson’s first in American professional baseball after a storied career in the Venezuelan leagues.”

If only Bill Veeck was around to see this…

As an aside, Casey Daigle, one of the real Round Rock pitchers, is married to softball star Jennie Finch. Not only would Jennie be a better pitching option than Rojo, but more importantly, she’s a little easier on the eyes. Get your act together, Express…