Before I get to the story, Its no secret that Astros owner Drayton McLane will sell the team after this season, even if it wins a championship. And Ryan will own 2 of the three Astros minor leage affiliates in 2005. But now rumor has it Ryan might buy the Astros in 2005 as part of an ownership group with wealthy restuarantuer Tillman Fertita (owns Joe's Crab Shack, Landry's etc) and millionare baseball fanatic Miles Prentice, who came close to buying the Red Sox, Royals, and Dodgers.
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Feb. 9, 2004, 10:45PM
Ryan may be close to rejoining Astros
Hall of Famer ends Rangers tenure
By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
Astros owner Drayton McLane's hopes of signing Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan to a personal services contract received a boost Monday when the former Astro ended his 15-year relationship with the Texas Rangers.
Barring an unforeseen setback, Ryan will sign a personal services contract with the Astros this month, multiple sources told the Chronicle.
According to a person close to the situation, Ryan has told McLane he will have an answer for the Astros by the middle of the month. It wouldn't be a surprise if the announcement was made today or Wednesday, however.
"I haven't talked to Nolan in about 10 days, but I have certainly talked to Nolan and encouraged him and recruited him," McLane said from his home in Temple. "We certainly have recruited him. ... We've had numerous conversations in the last several months."
Ryan's 10-year personal services contract with the Rangers ended late last year, and McLane wasted little time trying to lure him back to the Astros.
Ryan already has strong business ties to the Astros. Ryan's family and prominent Houston businessman Don Sanders are co-owners of the Astros' Class AA affiliate, the Round Rock Express, which will move up to Class AAA in 2005.
The Ryans and Sanders also are co-owners of the Corpus Christi franchise, which will become the Astros' Class AA affiliate starting in 2005.
Last fall, the Ryans and Sanders bought the Class AAA Edmonton Eskimos, which will be moved to Round Rock in 2005. In all likelihood, the Round Rock Class AAA club will be the Astros' affiliate.
"First of all, the city of Houston would certainly welcome him back as an Astro," said Sanders, who was a minority owner of the Astros from 1980 until 1989. "I think that was one of the big disappointments for Houston baseball fans when Nolan left. It would be a big tie with his relationship with Round Rock as an affiliate. How perfect would that be?
"It was a sad day for Houston Astros fans when (Ryan left to sign with the Rangers). Nolan was one of the greatest players to ever play here. Probably the greatest."
story link........