What should Rangers do about Prince Fielder?

Now that Yu Darvish will be officially part of the payroll for the next six years, the attention of the Texas Rangers and their offseason plans turns to the possibility of signing free agent first baseman Prince Fielder.

Is it possible? Sure. Probable? Likely not.

I remain intrigued by the Fielder situation, though. There was a reason he visited Dallas last Friday to visit with general manager Jon Daniels and team president Nolan Ryan at the Four Seasons. There's a certain level of interest there. Plus, why hasn't Fielder signed with another team yet? Sure, he has money-sucker Scott Boras representing him, but I just find it interesting. Maybe he was waiting for the Darvish scenario to play out.

The other reason for the intrigue is because Fielder's landing spot seems to directly affect the future of Josh Hamilton, who will become a free agent after the 2012 season. It doesn't seem possible to have the money to pay Darvish, Fielder and Hamilton (and Adrian Beltre, who's already on the books; Mike Napoli after 2012; Nelson Cruz and Ian Kinsler after 2013; Elvis Andrus after 2014). Something's gotta give.

The only way it seems possible to land Fielder in Texas is on a five- or six-year creative deal with an opt-out clause for either side. In this scenario, Fielder would really really want to play in Texas.

Hamilton is going to be in Texas either way in 2012. Somehow adding Fielder would give the Rangers one of the best lineups of all-time. Can you imagine something like this, even if it's only for the 2012 season?

1. Ian Kinsler
2. Michael Young
3. Josh Hamilton
4. Prince Fielder
5. Adrian Beltre
6. Nelson Cruz
7. Mike Napoli
8. Julio Borbon/Craig Gentry/David Murphy
9. Elvis Andrus

Yiiiiiikes.

There's a growing part of me that wants to see this lineup take shape in 2012, even if it means losing Hamilton after the season. If Hamilton, who will enter his age 31 season, is demanding a contract like Jayson Werth signed last season with the Nationals (seven years, $127 million), it's just too big a risk.

Texas would probably let Hamilton walk in that scenario, despite being one of the most admired and accomplished players in team history.

Hamilton has played four seasons in Texas, but he's only been healthy throughout the majority of one of those seasons. Combine that with his drug and alcohol problems from the past, and seven more years is just too much. The most I'd feel comfortable on a Hamilton extension is four years, and that's pushing it. Three seems about right, but it's doubtful he'd take such an offer.

So we're left to wonder what team Fielder, in the prime of his career at age 27, will come to terms with in the coming weeks.

The Rangers can't seem to be interested in a lucrative eight-year deal with Fielder approaching $200 million. If Fielder wants to play in Texas so badly, though, something creative could get worked out.