I bumped into Craig Cheek, the founder of the Portland Diamond Project, the other night at Autzen Stadium.

Cheek is a Washington State product. He was a guest of Cougars’ athletic director Pat Chun, hanging out with the WSU contingent there for its game against the Ducks. And at one point, Cheek ventured off to say hello to his old Nike boss, Phil Knight.

Knight typically hangs one level down on the press-box side, in a suite alongside the University President. And I wondered as I observed the gears moving behind the scenes just how important the month of November will be for the MLB to PDX effort.

Well it’s finally here.

The World Series is over. Baseball’s Winter Meetings are scheduled for December 9-12. The future of the A’s in Oakland and the Rays in Tampa is up in the air. And so November becomes a vital month for the organization that aims to bring MLB to Portland.

The Portland Diamond Project has been quiet lately, hasn’t it?

There’s an ongoing petition drive that now has more than 40,000 signatures. There’s a line of people like this columnist who would plunk down deposits on season tickets. There was a World Series viewing party, too. But we don’t have a fresh indication from Rob Manfred, the commissioner of MLB, that Portland remains a viable option for relocation or expansion.

In fact, weeks ago when the playoffs started, Manfred fired a missive at the City of Oakland, threatening that the A’s could be moved. But he didn’t use Portland as the threat. After all, we don’t have a suitable venue for them next season. He instead used Las Vegas, where the Raiders are currently building a stadium. That went over in Portland only slightly better than it went over in Oakland.

Did MLB just threaten Portland with losing the A’s too?

Or was Manfred using Las Vegas because that threat comes especially loaded?

MLB’s Vice President of Communications, John Blundell, didn’t reply to a request for an interview in October. He’d previously told me, in May, “MLB is currently working with Tampa Bay and Oakland on their local stadium situations. Beyond that, there is nothing to say at this time.”

Well, November becomes the time to say something.

The World Series went seven games. That was great for baseball. But the sport needs new cities -- young, vibrant, underserved ones. A city that will draw rabid, engaged fans for 81 home dates and become an MLB success story.

But Portland needs to hear something this month.

Not just from MLB, but from the Portland Diamond Project, too. What’s the plan? What’s the status of the real estate development play? Does MLB really want to expand? Is Portland still top of that list? And what of the real estate development plan for the Terminal Two site?

I spoke with Chris McGowan, head of Vulcan Sports, after the Trail Blazers’ opening night. I was particularly interested in the ownership plans of Jody Allen, who is positioning herself very much like she wants to keep the team, at least for a while. But is she interested in developing the Rose Quarter and creating an entertainment district? There’s a lot of development whispers, particularly about the Lloyd Center Mall.

McGowan said, “There’s no active plan in motion I am aware of.”

November is an important month, see.

It’s when the A’s slowly come to grips with the fact that Oakland isn’t ever going to build a baseball stadium for them. It’s when MLB talks about expansion as part of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. But I’d also like to hear more from the Portland Diamond Project about its ongoing efforts.

Was the MLB to PDX group under a playoff gag order from Manfred?

I hope so.

And I hope it ends for all involved in November.