be on the clock with~

いよいよ最高入札金額を用意した相手がわかりました！それはなんとRangersでした！ここのon the clockはこれまでに松井や松坂のときにも出てきたMLBが好む表現で、「契約交渉に入る、交渉期間に突入する」くらいの意味でしょうか。さてどうなるのか楽しみです。（GP　もとgacha）
ARLINGTON -- The Rangers, with their committed ownership group signaling full-speed ahead, are on the clock with Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish and have 30 days to sign him to a Major League contract.

The Rangers earned the right to negotiate with Darvish by submitting a winning bid of approximately $51.7 million that was accepted by the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters. The Rangers deadline is 4 p.m. CT on Jan. 18. If they can't sign Darvish by then, he returns to the Fighters and the Rangers do not lose the $51.7 million posting fee.

The Rangers go into the process fully committed to signing Darvish, a 25-year-old right-handed pitcher who is considered one of the best pitchers to ever attempt to make the transition from Japan to the Major Leagues.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20111219&content_id=26202356&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb