"As the Nov. 30 expiration of his contract to buy the Astros creeps closer, Jim Crane said Tuesday that he probably would walk away if Major League Baseball doesn't approve his group's $680 million purchase by that date.

"I'm not saying we wouldn't extend it," Crane said in a meeting with the Chronicle's editorial board. "We'd have to know what the circumstances are. You have to remember, we were told the deal was going to close in August. The cash is in the bank.""