Ryan on Prince Fielder: 'You never know'

January, 20, 2012
1/20/12
12:03
PM CT
Rangers CEO Nolan Ryan was on with Galloway & Company on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM on Thursday afternoon and, naturally, was asked about the club's interest in Prince Fielder.

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Rangers president Nolan Ryan talks about the Yu Darvish signing and the rumors of possibly signing Prince Fielder.

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"He’s an impressive player," Ryan said. "For his body type, he’s very athletic, very strong. He brings a lot to a ballclub, and so our interest level, if it worked within our budget and we can acquire Prince Fielder, we’d be a better ballcub. Do we have an interest? Yeah, we have an interest. Is it realistic to say we have a shot at him? With what we did yesterday and the position that Scott Boras is taking, it’s pretty hard to think that would develop."

But Ryan conceded that "when you think you’re out of something, you get up the next day and find out opportunities exist."

He noted that the Cliff Lee trade was a prime example. Ryan said the Rangers went to sleep the night before thinking the New York Yankees had a trade with Seattle for Lee basically done.

"We got up the next morning and found out that didn’t develop quite as it had been reported, and we got back on the phone and were able to get it done," Ryan said.

Ryan was asked how much Boras and Fielder would have to come down in their asking price for the first baseman to come to Texas.

"Hard to say because they’ve never made a firm proposal to us," Ryan said. "They talk in generalities and numbers and other people’s contracts, and so you can speculate what it is. One time they’re talking eight years, one time they’re talking 10 years, one time they’re talking about a contract bigger than Ryan Howard’s in Philadelphia."

Ryan added this: "You look at it and find creative ways that might give them a comfort level that they might be willing to come here. I think everybody would like to see him in your lineup. All we can do is see what develops and you never know."

So there you have it. We'll see what happens as the calendar gets closer to spring training and the biggest free agent left on the market still isn't signed.
Richard Durrett joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009. He writes about colleges, the Dallas Stars and the Texas Rangers. Richard spent nine years at The Dallas Morning News covering the Rangers, Stars, colleges, motorsports and high schools.

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TEAM LEADERS

WINS LEADER
Yu Darvish
WINS ERA SO IP
7 2.97 86 60
OTHER LEADERS
BAI. Kinsler .302
HRN. Cruz 11
RBIN. Cruz 33
RE. Andrus 27
OPSM. Moreland .921
ERAD. Holland 2.93
SOY. Darvish 86

DALLAS CALENDAR