The MLBlogosphere welcomes John Nemo, an accomplished writer who is taking a "novel" approach to his MLBlog that he just started today. Lovers of baseball fiction can gradually read The King’s Game or skip over to his website and order it as an e-book or in print. Leave John a comment and tell him what you think of the work, and maybe talk some Twins ball.

Todd at Canadians Are People, Too (comma ours)  came up with an interesting list of facts through the first few weeks of the regular season, and you might want to comment there or blog your own. That’s a good opportunity to make sure that all MLBloggers know about Press Pass notes. Those are the same daily game notes that Major League beat writers (this one included in the past) have always received as printouts in the press boxes, and they are a valuable tool for your blogging. All you need is an MLB.com registration, and you have one if you’re blogging here.

Skim through them, and it’s amazing the kinds of facts you will come across. One that especially sticks out from the past week is this one in the Astros’ Press Pass notes: Houston just reached .500 as a franchise for the first time since late April of 1962. It makes you think of all those years when the Colt .45s became the Astros and then wore the rainbow jerseys in the days of Nolan Ryan and Jose Cruz and then nurtured talent like Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell before finally reaching their first World Series last October. Given the current state of Houston’s team, those collective days under .500 probably are going to be far in the past soon. . . .

Having MC Hammer around the MLBlogosphere looks like it is going to be a lot of fun. He uses his Sidekick to blog frequently for the Google folks at mchammer.blogspot.com, and he wanted an MLBlog for his baseball-only postings. So enjoy that perspective from a bigtime entertainer who knows plenty about baseball going back to his days as batboys for Reggie and Rollie and the great A’s of the 1970s. It is another example of how MLBlogs don’t necessarily have to be your only Internet presence, but a way to reach a concentration of baseball fans and promote a pre-existing blog or website if you wish. Another notable figure from the Bay Area, Cards manager Tony La Russa, does the same with his ARF Blog to guide people to his Animal Rescue Foundation site. Orioles Insider is another example.

Hammer talks about why he thinks the Cubs will rebound from their latest misfortune, Derrek Lee’s extended absence. Crawly’s Cub Kingdom gets the award for best posting headline of the day in light of that same subject, and Rob’s Ramblings now is convinced there is indeed a curse. Cubs-Cards has become one of the best rivalries in sports, and it will be interesting to see how Chicago responds in its first-ever series at new Busch — without their top hitter. . . .

Speaking of Lee, this time next week, MLBlogs are going to be filled with one topic. The All-Star ballot comes out late each April, and it will be interesting to see what Lee’s absence will mean to the NL first-base voting. Will Berkman be the one challenging Sir Albert? Will the Cardinals’ first baseman be the top vote-getter this year, now that he is being anointed in some corners as the best player in the game? Get ready for another wild stretch of voting. It will be even more fun this year, because you will get all those online votes as usual and now you will be able to blog about every vote you submit. Won’t be surprised to see a batch of ASG voting blogs pop up in the MLB template. Feel free to start building the buzz here. . . .

There’s still no defense for base on balls. . . .

The Mets are in San Diego now, and David Wright said in his latest MLBlog post that he is going to look over your comments during this West Coast swing. Better hurry if you still want to help him name his MLBlog. Getting it Wright is the working title, kind of like when you first film a movie. Mollie at Daddy Raised A Cardinals Fan knows that better than anyone here, and leave her a comment as well to keep her company while they’re on a new set this week. . . .

Can’t wait for May 1. Why? Johnny Damon comes back to Fenway for the first time, and Roger Clemens becomes eligible to re-sign with the Astros . . . with Red Sox, Rangers, Yankees and retirement other options on his plate. It’s just getting interesting around here . . .

The Baseball Collector is closing in on 2,800 balls . . . is there a Hall of Fame for that stuff?