By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff
Interesting development out of Houston tonight.
Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle reports that the Astros have received permission to interview Tampa Bay Rays general manager Andrew Friedman.
Friedman is a Houston native. He is also considered one of the top GMs in the game, having built the low-budget Rays into an American League power.
He will probably stay with the Rays. But were he to leave, it could have tremendous consequences within the AL East. Manager Joe Maddon, for instance, is signed through the 2012 season. Would be return to manage under a new GM?
The Rays have a brilliant owner in Stu Sternberg and he has proven to be a good judge of executive talent. But losing Friedman would be a blow.
Just a word of advice to the Rays, if Friedman does take the job, don't let him go to Houston without getting the compensation settled first.