ARLINGTON, Texas -- Texas Rangers CEO Nolan Ryan said the club can't afford to wait most of the offseason on free agent outfielder Josh Hamilton to make a decision.

"What you're going to have to do is I don't think you can sit around and say, 'We have to wait and see what happens with Josh,' " Ryan said to a small media gathering Wednesday at Rangers Ballpark. "We'll get a feel here shortly where we think that might be going, but also we have to be out there seeing what opportunities are out there, whether there's opportunities to improve the club.

"If you sit back and wait, you might miss an opportunity you might regret or feel like you could have done something and didn't get it done."

One of those opportunities could be Zack Greinke, the top free-agent pitcher on the market. The Rangers have four spots lined up in their rotation and are looking for another pitcher to add near the top of that staff.

"I think because of the need of pitching, there's going to be an awful lot of interest," Ryan said of Greinke. "When I look at him, I think he has a real feel for pitching. He's a command guy. He has a really good changeup."

Ryan heaped praise on Greinke, noting he feels the right-hander could stay healthy on a long-term deal.

"When I look at him, I don't get concerns about breaking down because he has a good delivery and it's effortless and he has a feel for pitching," Ryan said. "You'd probably feel stronger about him as far as a longevity candidate than maybe some of the power guys. That's my initial thoughts when I watch him."