NewsThird potential buyer talks to Rangers
Former agent Gilbert meets with officials in Arlington
By T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com
10/28/09 9:41 PM ET
ARLINGTON -- Dennis Gilbert, a former agent who is now a special assistant with the Chicago White Sox, was the third of three potential buyers to meet with Rangers officials at the Ballpark in Arlington. Gilbert, who is heading a group of investors interested in buying the team from Tom Hicks, met with general manager Jon Daniels, club president Nolan Ryan and other officials from the club and Hicks Sports Group on Wednesday. The sessions included a tour of the facility and conferences with officials of the Rangers' baseball and business operations. Meetings were held last week with investment groups headed by Pittsburgh sports attorney Chuck Greenberg and Houston businessman Jim Crane. Gilbert has been a special assistant to White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf since 2000. Prior to that he was a player agent with a list of clients that included George Brett, Jose Canseco, Danny Tartabull and Bret Saberhagen. Gilbert, a former Minor Leaguer who once played for current Rangers bench coach Jackie Moore, was involved in building a ballpark at Southwest College in South Central Los Angeles that serves as the home field for Major League Baseball's RBI (Reviving Baseball in the Inner Cities) program. The ballpark, Dennis Gilbert Field, opened on Jan. 20, 2002. He also maintains his insurance company in Beverly Hills and is one of the co-founders of the Professional Scouts Foundation, which provides aid for longtime baseball scouts. All of the meetings have been described as "routine" and part of the "due diligence" process of completing any sale. The next step could be formal bids or continued negotiations with Hicks. Hicks indicated before the 2009 season that he was interested in selling part or all of the team to help pay off debt with the Hicks Sports Group. No final decision has been made as to whether Hicks will sell the entire franchise or take on investors while retaining a controlling interest. Rangers officials have confirmed the recent meetings but have declined further comment.T.R. Sullivan is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
