"In an attempt to market his top free-agent client to major league baseball's biggest decision-makers, renowned player representative Scott Boras took slugging first baseman Prince Fielder on a brief tour this month to meet with several club owners.

The duo did not meet with Orioles managing partner Peter Angelos. However, one industry source confirmed that Boras and Fielder were in the "Baltimore-Washington area," meaning they likely spoke with representatives of the Lerner family, principal owners of the Washington Nationals.

With the Los Angeles Angels' signing of Albert Pujols in early December, the 27-year-old Fielder, who finished third in the 2011 National League Most Valuable Player voting with the Milwaukee Brewers, is by far the most accomplished player left on the market.

The Orioles maintain mild interest in Fielder but not at what the slugger likely will garner — a long contract expected to exceed more than $20 million per season.

Boras wouldn't confirm which teams and owners he met with this month and wouldn't speak directly about how his clients fit into a specific market.

But on Friday, he talked generally about what Fielder could do for a team that is struggling on the field and at the gate — the Orioles have had 14 consecutive losing seasons and in 2011 drew fewer than two 2 million fans to Camden Yards for the fourth straight year.

"Put Prince Fielder on any team that draws 2 million fans and see what happens," Boras said. "Prince Fielder has proven in Milwaukee that you can add another million fans to the ledger [when he plays there], which means he pays for himself.""