11.   Rangers president and general manager Neil Smith said no talks have taken place yet with Mike Barnett, the agent for Wayne Gretzky, regarding a contract extension.

12.   Rangers president Tom Schieffer disagrees.

13.   Rangers president Tom Schieffer moved closer toward finding his general manager by conducting initial interviews with former Houston GM Bill Wood and Orioles assistant GM Doug Melvin.

14.   Rangers president Tom Schieffer said he believes that elite athletes are conditioned early in life to believe that they are different.

15.   Rangers president Tom Schieffer said he is irritated that the attention of the labor dispute has gone from the negotiating table back to the courtroom.

16.   Rangers president Tom Schieffer said the club would not oppose the move even though it prefers to stay in the American League.

17.   Rangers president Tom Schieffer said the team had to shift direction because the rules changed.

18.   Rangers president Tom Schieffer insists that a salary cap is a must and that owners will go to the mat for as long as it takes on that issue.

19.   Rangers president Tom Schieffer said his ownership group has yet to decide whether to vote for a lockout if players get an injunction.

20.   Rangers president Tom Schieffer, who is handling the search, has said he might talk to one or two more candidates.