Ryan doesn't renew contract with Rangers

[Max Power]

05:56 PM CST on Monday, February 9, 2004
By EVAN GRANT / The Dallas Morning News

Citing a desire to stay closer to his home in Georgetown, Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan has decided not to renew his personal services contract with the Rangers.

Ryan, under contract to the Rangers as a player or consultant the past 15 years, met with owner Tom Hicks on Monday after more than six weeks of thought on an offer to be more involved with the club.

"It’s just a matter that with everything going on in my life, I was going to have a hard time committing to what the Rangers wanted me to do,’’ said Ryan, who pitched for the Rangers from 1989-1993 and recorded two no-hitters and his 5,000th career strikeout. "It’s just tough with my schedule. I want to stay closer to home.’’

Ryan did, however, acknowledge that he was still considering an offer from the Houston Astros, for whom he pitched from 1980-88. While Ryan and Hicks acknowledged that the legend may continue making occasional public relations appearances for the Rangers, Ryan said a working relationship with the Astros might be a "natural.’’

Ryan recently moved from just outside of Houston to Georgetown, Texas, close to the minor league he owns, the Round Rock Express. The Express is Houston’s Double-A affiliate and is expected to become a Triple-A club in 2005. Ryan would also own the Astros’ Double-A team in Corpus Christi.

"I could just walk across the parking lot from my office to the stadium to be involved whenever it was requested of me,’’ Ryan said from his office Monday afternoon. "Will I have a relationship there? Possibly. It’s a natural that if I develop a relationship with another club, it would be Houston.’’

Hicks had sought to have Ryan more involved than just the 20-25 annual appearances he made on the club’s behalf during the 10-year personal services contract. He asked Ryan to spend more time in uniform during spring training, to be a uniformed instructor for a couple of days a month during the season, and to be involved in the sales and marketing of the Rangers.

Hicks had even gone so far as to offer Ryan a chance to invest and own 1 percent of the club, which according the most recent Forbes Magazine survey, would have been equal to more than $3 million.

"I’ve put a lot of time into this, so, yes, as a businessman who made a very serious financial proposal, I’m disappointed,’’ Hicks said. "But as a fan, I understand. Nolan doesn’t just belong to one club. He belongs to baseball.’’

[Murphy3]

It should be a nice fit for Ryan and the Astros if that is the direction he chooses to go.

[Drbio]

Hate to see hi mgo, but this does not surprise me at all. I believe Nolan when he says it is because of the reasons above, but I also think that it has to do wth the fact that his good friends Rusty Rose and George W. Bush are no longer wiht the team.

[NYCdog]

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........