The Texas Rangers are having a face-to-face meeting Friday afternoon with free-agent slugger Prince Fielder at a Dallas-area hotel, USA TODAY has learned.
Fielder and Jon Daniels were both in the hotel lobby together, but it's unknown what other Rangers' officials plan to attend the meeting. Daniels and Scott Boras, Fielder's agent, did not return phone calls.
Fielder, who has hit 230 home runs in six full seasons for the Milwaukee Brewers, is easily the premier hitter on the market after Albert Pujols signed a 10-year, $240 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels. He ranked in the top three among all National League hitters in home runs, RBI and OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage), while being the only player to play all 162 games.
The Rangers, flush with money from their 20-year, $3 billion TV deal signed two years ago, also are trying to sign Japanese free-agent pitcher Yu Darvish. They have until Jan. 17 to sign him, or else he returns to the Nippon Ham Fighters, and the Rangers are returned their $51.7 million posting fee.
It's unknown whether the Rangers are willing to acquire Fielder and Darvish. Yet, with Fielder still unsigned and the Washington Nationals and Seattle Mariners showing no signs to meet Fielder's demands, the Rangers appear wise to jump into the possible bidding.
The Rangers also have an opening at first base with Mitch Moreland being the current first baseman. Fielder would be the ideal left-handed hitter in the middle of their lineup.
The Rangers may not sign Fielder, but it's apparent that by meeting with the big slugger, they're at least quite intrigued about the possibility.
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