Greetings my fellow PSAers. About a week or so ago, I received an E-Mail from one of the 50 finalists of the MLB Fan Cave contest, a fellow Yankees fan named Eddie Mata. To put things into perspective, he is one of 50 finalists out of 22,000 applicants, so needless to say he's already done quite well for himself. In order to make it to the next level, Eddie has to get votes, but more importantly he has to campaign in order to move on. The next stop for Eddie is to try to make the final 30, and head to Arizona for Spring Training. Haha, if my relatives didn't live in Arizona, I'd love to go as well. Enough about my relatives though, as we're here to talk about Eddie.

After the jump is a little bit about Eddie, as well as some questions I asked him...

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Stacey Long of Camden Chat was kind enough to write a preview of the O's for us -

So, the Baltimore Orioles. The only thing you really need to know about them (which I know you all already do) is that they're not good. They're not good enough to win the NL Central, let alone the AL East. And new GM Dan Duquette has done little to help them in their quest to ascend to mediocrity, making a bevy of moves that, while defensible on their own, add up to a whole lot of nothing.

Are you familiar with a little show called The Wire? If you're not, I'm sorry that you are living such a sheltered life. There is one scene in The Wire that has been the running theme on Camden Chat for the moves that Dan Duquette has made this off-season. None of them were rage inducing, but none of them made anyone terribly happy either. They were all, in essence, 40-degree days, as explained by Stringer Bell. That clip, as with every clip from The Wire, is very not-safe-for-work. So I've transcribed below a cleaned up version for those unable or unwilling to listen to such foul language:

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After the news of the Jesus Montero/Hector Noesi for Michael Pineda/Jose Campos trade broke, I immediately reached out to Jeff Sullivan, head honcho of Lookout Landing, the fantastic Seattle Mariners SB Nation site.

Let's get straight to it!

BC: Why should Yankees fans be happy about this trade?

JS: I probably don't even need to give you an answer. By now I'm sure you've figured it out. I understand the emotional blow that comes from watching your team trade a guy like Jesus Montero. I really do. In no small part because the Mariners just traded Michael Pineda. Pineda is just such an absolute treat to watch when he's on. His fastball is a legitimate swing-and-miss pitch, which is rare, and when combined with his slider and his height he just doesn't let righties do anything. Lefties, meanwhile, haven't exactly lit him up. In Pineda, the Yankees have a young #2 with #1 talent, and they have him under team control for five years. So Sabathia's getting older. So Nova doesn't miss bats. So the others are the others. Pineda is a stabilizer now and down the road.

BC: How do Mariners fans feel about this trade?

JS: I can't speak for all of them. I can only speak for one of them! But if I had to guess, I'd say Mariners fans were probably all horrified at first, since Pineda was a top young talent and Montero was a relative unknown. As those fans have come to understand more about the deal, though, they're probably coming around - maybe not to the point where they like it, but to the point where they're okay with it, and they get it. Pineda's hard to lose. The Mariners have more pitching coming. The Mariners did not have bats coming. Mariners fans have been desperately pleading for a big bat, and Montero could be a big bat for a while. Basically, the average Mariners fan now probably has a different opinion than he did shortly after news first broke.

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Jim Abbott is a former pitcher that pitched for the California Angels, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, and Milwaukee Brewers in his ten years in the MLB. Abbott threw a no-hitter for the Yankees on September 4, 1993 vs. the Cleveland Indians at Yankee Stadium.

Abbott is a Michigan man, as he had his number retired by the Wolverines, was born in Flint, and was elected to the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007 for his career at Michigan. Abbott also won the United States Sports Academy's Mildred "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias Courage Award, the Golden Spikes Award, and the Tony Conigliaro Award for his pitching, especially through adversity, as Abbott was born without a right hand.

Abbott now works as a motivational speaker. You can follow him on twitter, and visit his website.

Jim was kind enough to answer questions for Pinstripe Alley, so here is the Q&A!

Brandon C: I see on your website that you are a motivational speaker. What is the main message you tell? Do you tell any particular stories?

Jim Abbott: I have come to enjoy speaking in my post baseball life. Speaking has given me a chance to look back on my playing days and consider exactly what I learned. Because my career didn't follow a smooth arc I have the chance to reflect on both triumph and disappointment.

In the end, that is my message... That we all encounter challenge, but there is a strength and resiliency within us that we find in battling adversity.

Many of my most memorable moments on the playing field came very soon after difficult times. The no hitter I pitched with the Yankees is a good example. I look for those kinds of stories when speaking.

BC: What was the hardest part of making it to the MLB with one arm? Were scouts hesitant to suggest you, and GMs hesitant to sign?

JA: The hardest part of doing anything different is maintaining the optimism and open mindedness that there is a solution to the problem you are facing. ie: there is a way to tie these shoes, switch this glove off and on etc...

The most difficult aspect of making it to the majors was believing I could draw up the mental strength to believe that I could do it, that I was good enough to play with these great ball players.

BC: On your website there is a quote attributed to you saying "Find something you love, and go after it, with all of your heart." Is that what happened with you and baseball?

JA: Yes. But I loved all sports as a kid, not just baseball. I loved competing, I loved being on a team. I loved being in an environment where you had a chance to prove yourself no matter how you went about doing things.

BC: Going back to your no-hitter with the New York Yankees, can you describe that day? Was that the greatest of your career?

JA: Pitching a no hitter with the Yankees was an out of the blue, out of this world experience. I never knew how one day, in which so many things went right, could actually change your life a little bit. I am very excited about a book that I co wrote with Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports.

The book is about my life, but we use the 9 innings of the no hitter as the structure of the chapters. We tried very hard to recreate that day, I hope people will like it. It comes out in April.

After the jump there is more, including questions about the former and current Yankees teams.

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I reached out to David P. from YankeeSource on the recent news that the Yankees won the bidding for Hiroyuki Nakajima. David scouts the Pacific Rim, primarily NPB and Taiwan but also spends time in Latin America prior to International Free Agent signings.

Brandon C: Were you surprised the Yankees signed Hiroyuki Nakajima, and do you think they even intended to win the bidding?

David P: Yes. The Yankees never had strong interest in Nakajima from the start and there were stronger rumors that the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Mets had greater interest. I spoke to two Yankee scouts who believe that the Yankees were surprised when they found out they were the winning bid. I think they bid on Nakajima but didn't expect to win at $2 million. Most projections had the bidding up to 5-7 million. This one was a surprise indeed.

BC: Can you give us a scouting report of Nakajima? Do you like the move?

DP: Nakajima has a live bat with power but doesn't project to hit more than 15 homers if he was a regular. He can take the ball to all fields and has the ability to find the gaps but he can also look bad on outside pitches because of a tendency to bail out on pitches and get pull-happy. The one good sign was this past season where he hit well with the introduction of the new NPB ball that suppressed a lot of the offensive numbers around the league this year. I think Kevin Long could help Nakajima shake his bad tendencies and refine his hitting approach. I compare him to a more powerful version of Scutaro offensively with less patience. Defensively, he is just average. He doesn't profile as a shortstop and most scouts, myself included, believe he would be a good second/third baseman. I think that's where he fits on the Yankees, a utility infielder with the ability to play 2B/SS/3B.

I love his makeup, following the Lions for years he's a lively character who enjoys playing the sport and has a passion and drive to win. His teammates always speak highly of him and I think his outgoing nature will help him if he comes to New York. I like the move, he's an affordable gamble to take and if the Yankees can sign him for a cheap deal they have a durable utility infielder for a few years and one who may have some trade value if he proves that he can be a decent starter in the league. I personally would have preferred to see Nakajima get a starting role on another team because he does have ability.

BC: What do you think ends up happening with Nakajima? Will he sign/play for the Yankees?

DP: There was a hesitation from Nakajima for playing on the East Coast. Maybe the utility role might also hinder his interest. Nevertheless, the Yankees have a good chance of signing Nakajima. He has a strong interest in the MLB and this is a great opportunity to play for one of the best organizations in the game. The Lions are already preparing on life after Nakajima with strong rumors of pursuing former major leaguer Esteban German.

Follow after the jump for more

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Colin Curtis is an outfielder on the Yankees 40-man roster. Curtis spent 2011 rehabbing from an injury, and is ready to go for the 2012 season. You can follow Colin on twitter here.

Brandon C: You missed the 2011 season with injuries, are you set for the 2012 season and feeling better? Rehab done?

Colin Curtis: Yes, missing the season was hard but thankfully I am healthy now. I am playing winter ball to get ready for 2012.

BC: Did any particular player help you grow accustom to the MLB life when you were promoted?

CC: The Yankees do a great job of preparing their players and teaching them what to expect. As for helping me I would say that the whole team is great at helping everyone get acclimated.

BC: Your first MLB hit was a pinch-hit off of Chad Qualls of the Diamondbacks, take us through the emotions of that at bat?

CC: My first hit off Chad Qualls felt like any other at-bat until after I saw the ball go over the center fielders head and then I realized that I had accomplished something that I had been dreaming of since I was a little kid.

BC: Later in the season you hit your first home-run, also a pinch-hit off of Scott Shields, after Brett Gardner was ejected. Was it difficult to go up, with a 0-2 count, and be comfortable at the plate?

CC: I think that going into an at bat 0-2 is difficult for anyone to be extremely comfortable. The only positive is that it doesn't give you a chance to over think things.

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Mark Simon writes for ESPNNY, covering the Mets and Yankees. Simon also co-hosts the Baseball Today podcast, and his primary work is as a Baseball Research Specialist for ESPN Stats & Information.

Mark was kind enough to answer ten questions about the Yankees, stats, and more for us!

Mark Simon writes for ESPNNY, covering the Mets and Yankees. Simon also co-hosts the Baseball Today podcast, and his primary work is as a Baseball Research Specialist for ESPN Stats & Information.

Mark was kind enough to answer ten questions about the Yankees, stats, and more for us!

Brandon C.: Do you see the Yankees making a big trade this off-season?

Mark Simon: I think they have one big move in them this offseason, and then maybe some minor tinkering to have some third base insurance for A-Rod, maybe some outfield depth, and a lefty reliever. The big move almost surely would be a starting pitcher, unless they decided to jettison Swisher. I can't see any circumstance in which they'd have a different starting position player at any of the other spots.

BC Do you believe 2012 will be Mariano Rivera's last season?

MS: I'll say 2013, but 2012 wouldn't shock me. I think David Robertson will inherit the role when Mariano Rivera is done.

BC: If you're in charge of the Yankees, what moves do you make this off-season?

MS: I would either trade for an ace or build up starting pitching depth to the point of having 6 starters that you're really comfy with (right now, you probably have 4). I think if you can get a potential No. 2 starter (Garza or someone of his ilk) without giving up Montero, you should pursue.

BC: Do you think the Yankees can make the playoffs with their current rotation? Win the World Series?

MS: Playoffs, yes, absolutely. Ask me about the World Series on Opening Day, once I can get a better look at the completed rosters for the Rangers, Red Sox, and Phillies.

****

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