With no actual games to comment on, I don’t have a lot to say. Well, not about that anyway. Instead, I’ll share with you today a few items that have been sitting on the old desk for a while. Maybe you’ll find some of them interesting.

A few months ago, I was approached by a newspaper reporter who was writing a column about baseball blogs. My comments never made it into the final article, but I figured since I spent the time responding to his questions, I might as well put those answers to use. So, for anyone who is curious about blogging and bloggers, here you go:

1. How did you get started with your baseball blog?

   My blog evolved out of a baseball site (Ducksnorts) I started in 1997. I originally created the site to learn more about Web technologies, hone my writing chops, and present people with information that wasn’t being covered by mainstream media.

2. Why do a blog?

   Good question. For me, this all started as a way to learn about the Web. I am a huge baseball fan and have been for a long time, so that seemed like a logical thing for me to write about. And as the blog grew, I began hearing from folks who enjoyed what I was doing. Now the readers really are the driving force. They give me tips, ask me questions, etc. Just knowing that there is an appreciative audience for what I’m doing makes it well worth the effort.

3. How much time do you devote to it?

   During the season I spend maybe 5-10 hours a week directly working on Ducksnorts. In the off-season, it’s about half that. Plus I spend time researching information, tweaking the site, etc.

4. How much response do you get?

   I generally have a few hundred people visiting each day. If I get mentioned at BaseballPrimer.com (for which I also write), that might spike into the thousands. As for direct feedback, there are maybe a dozen or so readers I hear from on a regular basis. Another dozen or so pop in once in a while to say hello.

5. Why do you think blogs are growing in popularity?

   Couple reasons. First, the sense of immediacy. Bloggers can mobilize very quickly. For example, I can go to a ballgame at 7:00, take a bunch of pictures, get home at 10:30, and have a writeup with pictures on the Web by 11:30. In our “on-demand” world, people appreciate that kind of turnaround. Second, the sense of community. I haven’t met in person more than a handful of my readers, but I talk to each and every one of them several times a week. I let them know what’s going on with the Padres, but I also talk about other things that are important to me, such as music, books, and the like. Blogging is an interactive medium. I’m not preaching from the mountaintop, I’m talking with buddies down at the bar. There’s a genuine give and take that I think makes people feel more involved. And when people feel more involved in something, they tend to have a more satisfying experience.

6. What’s the most fun about having a blog?

   Definitely the people you meet. I haven’t been able to get together face-to-face with a lot of my readers, but I do enjoy corresponding with them via e-mail. I actually wish I could devote more of my time to talking to each person on an individual basis, but there are only so many hours in the day and you have to pick your spots. But I really enjoy communicating ideas back and forth with my readers. Blogging is a collaborative effort. Knowing that folks are willing to spend a part of their day at Ducksnorts brings me great satisfaction, and I hope this is something I can continue to do for years to come.

I don’t know if it’s in bad form to publish what essentially amounts to a self-interview, but there it is. On to other things:

• MusicPlasma — This describes itself as a "music visual search engine." Words don’t do it justice. I could spend hours at a time playing with this.
• Across the Seams — Yeah, it’s a blog about the Giants, but dude has a healthy disdain for Roger Clemens, which I can certainly appreciate.
• Interviewing San Diego: Brian Dear — Another San Diego blogger. Favorite color? "They’re all fine with me."

That’s enough for now. Padres are in Houston for the weekend to kick off the second half. Jake Peavy vs Andy Pettitte tonight, David Wells vs Roy Oswalt tomorrow, and Brian Lawrence vs Clemens Sunday. Some good matchups. Should be fun.