I'm surprised I didn't think of this a loooong time ago, but now I believe is an excellent time to strike on this idea. IMO, this may help clear up the relocation picture significantly for those of us average Joes who post on this site. I want an interview with an MLB schedule maker!!!! Sheesh, I'd do it myself if I lived out in Portland, but sadly, I don't yet.

Very good idea, PNB. There would need to be a Portland or Oregon connection, most likely, to do something like this.

Currently I'm considering an umpire for the next interview here, although a very longstanding interview is in the can and simply needs to be transcribed, will be first.

Given the fact that the Red Sox are in the World Series, Johnny Pesky gets first billing

I'll check into your suggestion, however. Would be a very intersting topic.

Does the person need to be from Portland or Oregon or can the person talk about MLB to PDX and what type of team MLB would prefer to have in Portland?

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Originally posted by PirateNBama:
Does the person need to be from Portland or Oregon or can the person talk about MLB to PDX and what type of team MLB would prefer to have in Portland?

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Depends on the individual, PNB.

Costas was not from Portland, but clearly he has a great deal of knowledge as it pertains to the business of baseball, and was well aware of how Portland factored into the discussion. Others have touched on Portland, but the topics were more geared toward straight business of baseball than OSC's effort, and therefore, I use those interviews on Business of Baseball.com. The best example of this is my interview with Andrew Zimbalist.

An interview with a scheduler would need to be geared around Portland as the main topic. If the individual hailed from here, then they could speak to the situation well, or if there were a case where Portland were getting a team and they had poured over the scheduling parameters involving PDX, then it would be something that I could approach for an interview here.

In the context of Portland and Business of Baseball.com and the MLB effort here, I try to see if there are ways to touch on us if I can do so without making the interview come off as a PR piece. Zimbalist knew that I had ties to Portland, but I did not approach him on the topics and he infused Portland into the conversation without me inducing the subject. If I were able to get Angelos, Selig, or Fehr as an interview the same might be done by using questioning revolving around relocation and small to mid-markets, which would touch on Portland.

All in all, I try and get interviews for OSC that point to Portland directly in terms of MLB to Portland, and on BusinessOfBaseball.com the interviews may, or may not, touch on Portland at all.

Hope that helps explain how I go about the interview process, and let's see if we can get the scheduler within these parameters.

Thanks,
Maury

How about interviewing Wally BAckman?

He is an Oregonian, was a great player to watch, and certainly has contraversy surrounding him now.

It would be interesting to hear his opinion on many topics from growing up in Oregon, bringing the "bigs" to Portland, playing with the amazing mid-80's Mets teams, and of course the whole D-Backs FIasco.

Must... finish... Pesky.... Interview...

After... that... will... look... into... this... idea...