Astros receive permission to interview Rays GM Friedman  —  The Astros have received permission to interview Tampa Bay Rays general manager Andrew Friedman, according to officials with knowledge of the organization's thinking.  —  Although the club has asked to interview “a handful” …

Valentine or Lamont: Red Sox face style decision  —  What Ben Cherington and the Boston Red Sox brass must decide - and presumably they will in the coming hours - is if the big theater that comes with the big personality is worth hiring Bobby Valentine over the more staid and predictable Gene Lamont.

Nats show interest in Fielder, others  —  All that talk about the Nationals not wanting free-agent first baseman Prince Fielder?  —  Don't believe it.  —  The Nationals are showing serious interest in Fielder and view Cuban outfielder Yoennis Cespedes as a potential Plan B, according to major-league sources.

Orioles' top affiliate will have a new manager in 2012  —  The Orioles' top affiliate will have a new manager in 2012.  Ron Johnson, a long-time minor-league skipper who spent the past two seasons as first base coach for the Boston Red Sox, is expected to take over as the manager of the Norfolk Tides, the Orioles' Triple-A affiliate.

MLB announces Cardinals' playoff share award  —  ST. LOUIS  • Major League Baseball announced this afternoon that the revenue generated by the sport's postseason created a pool of more than $57 million, and that each St. Louis Cardinal scheduled to receive a full playoff share will get a check for $323,169.98.

Pirates May Consider Offers For Andrew McCutchen  —  7:03pm: A high-ranking Pirates person told Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that the team hasn't entertained offers for McCutchen to this point and has no plans to do so.  Kovacevic's piece strongly suggests McCutchen is staying in Pittsburgh.

Tal Smith disappointed with manner of firing, wants to stay in baseball  —  While not much a believer in titles, deposed Astros president of baseball operations Tal Smith saw a pretty good sign that change was barreling toward his desk when Jim Crane named George Postolos the president and CEO of his would-be ownership group.

Garza to the Red Sox makes sense  —  ESPN's Buster Olney reported on Twitter today that the Cubs are open to trading Matt Garza.  —  Here's a crazy idea that just might work: send a few prospects to the Cubs for Garza as compensation for Theo Epstein.  —  Garza alone is way too much compensation …

Talkin' Cooperstown on Clubhouse Confidential  —  It gives me great pleasure to announce that I'll be debuting on MLB Network's Clubhouse Confidential on Tuesday at 5:30 PM Eastern.  For the uninitiated, Clubhouse Confidential is a cutting-edge attempt to put advanced statistics in the television spotlight …

Unhappy with Ronny Paulino, NY Mets looking for new backup catcher  —  Mets looking to replace backup backstop on bench and behind plate  —  Mets manager Terry Collins and catcher Ronny Paulino are on same side in this discussion, but do not always see eye-to-eye , and that could be one reason …

Contact Us  —  Registration … The Pirates have shown preliminary interest in right-hander Aaron Cook, according to a source.  —  They are one of about a half-dozen teams to check in on the free agent.  —  The teams' interest in Cook is in the beginning stages of the process.

‘Serious interest’ in Red Sox DH David Ortiz from other teams  —  Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz has choices now.  —  The free agent is receiving “serious interest” from more than one team, an industry source said today, indicating that Ortiz has more than one offer already.