ARLINGTON – Amid increased internet chatter Wednesday that Tom Hicks’ sports group – Hicks Sports Group – financial woes are deepening and that the club has borrowed money from MLB’s rainy-day fund, team officials took a strange approach.

They went silent.

The chatter arose Wednesday after a local blog reported hearing on a national radio broadcast the team had borrowed $15 million from MLB to make its most recent payroll obligations and to fund ongoing operations. Asked about the reports, Hicks referred questions to team spokesman John Blake, who said the team would have no comment on the financial situation. Club president Nolan Ryan declined to comment after the Rangers’ 9-7 win over Los Angeles, which pulled them within a half game of the Angels in the AL West.

Club sources, however, said the team has paid its employees for the most recent pay period and that Hicks remains in control of the organization.  According to a source familiar with the situation, the Rangers are continuing normal operating procedures and have financial resources to sign both draft picks and international free agents. The source, however, did not mention the possibility of increasing payroll at the trading deadline.

According to a source, a scenario has been in place for several weeks that would have allowed the Rangers to borrow from the MLB fund. It would not mean MLB would take control of the club, but under those circumstances, it’s likely MLB would have much more say on spending matters. The Rangers top two draft picks, LHP Matt Purke and RHP Tanner Scheppers, are both demanding bonuses well in excess of the current MLB-recommended “slotting” system.

Since late March, when Hicks announced a willingness to sell a minority stake in the club, the problems have widened. Hicks went into default over an interest-only payment on a $525 million loan to his U.S. based sports operations. Earlier this season, he acknowledged a willingness to sell a controlling interest in the team and has talked to potential investors such as Ryan, Houston-based Don Sanders and car dealer David McDavid. In June, the Rangers laid off a little less than 10 percent of their front office staff in an attempt to further trim costs.

Last week, GM Jon Daniels said he had not explicitly been told the club would be unable to add payroll at the deadline, but the Rangers were proceeding as if taking on extra financial commitments was not a viable option. The Rangers did not get involved in trade talks for versatile former Ranger Mark DeRosa, who Cleveland traded to St. Louis last week. DeRosa was still owed about $3 million in salary at the time of the trade.

The most provocative assumption made in the story is that Hicks could lose control of either the Rangers or Stars or both. I’ve been told repeatedly by sources within HSG that there is zero chance of that happening. Hicks said nearly two weeks ago that he has been in close contact with commissioners from both MLB and the NHL regarding HSG’s decision not to make the payment and the leagues approve of his plan to re-negotiate the loans. The leagues would also offer a significant level of protection against any foreclosure attempts.

Here’s the statement from Hicks that was just recently sent out:

“You may have read yet another news story about the current situation involving HSG’s efforts to renegotiate their loans. This time the story appeared in the Wall Street Journal. There is nothing new in this story. As has been previously reported, HSG missed its most recent quarterly interest payment. As a result of that payment default, HSG’s lenders have now sent the expected and normal default notices to HSG. But nothing has changed at the baseball and hockey clubs while the negotiations continue at the HSG level. Both Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League have strong protections for their franchises when discussions such as these are underway. These are complex negotiations and there are some very smart people working on them. As an owner and lender to HSG, I am working to negotiate something that will make economic sense going forward for me, HSG and its lenders. The current situation simply does not make economic sense. As these negotiations progress I will keep you posted.”

Hicks currently controls 95 percent of the teams, but said he is willing to relinquish up to 49 percent of the Rangers and Stars. He said few major market clubs are completely controlled by one owner.

“I look at it as a way to improve things in a bad economy,” Hicks said. “It’s something we’ve been looking at quietly for the last couple of months. I don’t think it’s a big deal.”

Hicks said the deal would not have any impact on the teams’ payrolls.

But he is looking at adding some heavy hitters – and some big time arms. He acknowledged that he’d like for club president Nolan Ryan to get “more involved.” Ryan recently hosted his minor league franchise ownership partner Don Sanderes in Surprise.

And Wednesday, Hicks hosted Dallas real estate investor Ray Washburne, who is in the process of closing a $150 million deal to buy Highland Park Village shopping center.

Hicks said, however, he is not seeking an investment from former U.S. President George W. Bush, a former Rangers partner and current Hicks neighbor.

“The guys I’m looking for have really, really deep pockets,” Hicks said. “We just want [President Bush] to be a fan and show up at as many games as he can.”

Hicks said he anticipates retaining between 51 and 60 percent of the two teams. Selling off 40 percent of the Rangers alone could be worth $200 million. Hicks declined to discuss his estimated value of the club, but it could exceed $500 million. According to Forbes magazine, the Rangers were worth $412 million last year and ranked 16^th of the 30 MLB franchises. San Diego, which was just sold for more than $500 million, was ranked 19^th in the same survey.

Any deal for part of the Rangers or Stars would not include any portion of Hicks’ 50-percent control of Liverpool Football Club, the English Premier League soccer team in which he shares ownership with Montreal Canadiens owner George Gillett. Locked in a standoff with his partner, Hicks can’t afford to sell any portion of the team or risk turning himself into a minority owner.

Pursuing a deal for parts of the Rangers and Stars may simply return Hicks to the status he held when he first purchased the Rangers in 1998 to go along with his control of the Stars. Hicks said at that time that he held only 55 percent of the two teams.