You may have heard Carl Shimkin’s appearance as a recent MLBlogger of the Week on MLB Radio’s "Under the Lights" show. He probably knows more baseball than any other New York City taxi driver, and his thoughts about the Mets and Major League Baseball in general are chronicled at Inside Pitch. Here are Nine Questions with today’s featured Spheroid:

1. Why do you blog?

My LOve, LoVe, love of baseball. As a young writer, I find it gives me an immediate audience for my stories and a way to disseminate my secret Cabbie knowledge of the game. Blogging is one way I learn further about topics that interest me. I’m also vain enough to believe that my opinion and analysis are invaluable. Goooooo Mets!!!!

2.  What was your favorite post?

My research and analysis are my bread and butter (fantasy tips, player & team scouting reports, inside-the-game breakdowns, editorials, etc.) but my favorite topic is the history of the game. As a storyteller, I’m always a ****** for a good baseball story. For that reason, I would say that the three most enjoyable posts I have written were: The invention of the Catcher’s Mask; my story about Henry Chadwick (the first great American Sportswriter) as part of my "Fathers’ of Baseball" series; and my story about the birth of the NY Yankees, The Baltimore Yankees. All my historical posts can be read in the HISTORY & TRIBUTES or HALL OF FAME categories of my blog.

Inside Pitch also covers some Football and anyone who is a NY Jets’ fan would probably get a kick out of my direct letters to Herm Edwards last season in my Dear Herm posts.

3. What was your strangest blogging experience?

Well,  I had a fare in my cab who actually read my blog (without me telling them about it first). I played along and never told him I was the author of the blog.

4. Favorite blogs, including at least one in the MLBlogosphere:

I enjoy so many MLBlogs. The Baseball Collector is very humorous and he’s a good storyteller. Dugout Diary with Joe Boesch always has a nice angle on baseball topics. Since I’m always researching foreign players, I read some pretty obscure sites like Japanbaseballdaily.com (non-MLBlog) where you can read all the info on Japanese players.

5. What would you be doing if you weren’t blogging?

Probably running up my phone bill, talking baseball to my friends until their ears bleed. Thank God for blogging.

6. Where do you think the blogosphere is headed?

For me, the blogosphere is becoming a great tool for independent journalism. It allows me to accrue a readership for my sports column, but also acts as a portfolio for prospective employers. I think the most exciting aspect of the blogosphere is its inclusiveness. It really gives a voice to the "people."

7. Your most memorable Major League moment(s):

The second Yankee game I ever attended was Ron Guidry’s 18K game against the Angels. Afterwards, my brother and I got to go behind the scenes and cavort in the clubhouse. Willie Randolph and Mickey Rivers were real
mensches, they treated us as if we were their own kids. I’ll never forget asking Mickey if he remembered us from the last time when he gave us his autograph during batting practice. His eyes looked up for a moment reaching into his memory, and it was pretty obvious that he didn’t remember us, but nonetheless he broke into a big smile and said, "Of course, long time no see." He peppered us with lots of funny questions as he laughed and played around with us and then he brought us up to Willie and introduced us to him as ”my good friends, Tony and Carl."

8. What is the one thing people here don’t know about you?

That when I’m not driving a cab or blogging, I datacast Minor League games for MiLB.com.

9. Happiness is . . .

. . . when I see a new comment on my blog.

Please join Carl at Inside Pitch this season, and send your own responses to these (or other questions) to us so we can show off your MLBlog as a future Spheroid.