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Hey, Pags! While growing up in Boston, you used to hate the Yankees, right? - Erick C.

Pags: When I was growing up in Boston, it was very normal to hate the Yankees, especially after the few fights the teams had. The saving grace for me was that even before I was drafted by the Yankees my dad loved Billy Martin and liked the Yankees more than the Red Sox.

Pags, could you comment a little on what it was like to play for Yogi Berra, Billy Martin and Lou Piniella? - Matt B.

Pags: I grew up in a house full of arguments, so I was somewhat prepared for what I had to face in New York. Something I came to realize is that when scolded and punished a lot, it usually means it's being done for your own good. It usually shows that people care and only want the best for you. I never felt Billy or Lou disliked anything I did even when their tempers flared up; I felt hat's just how they expressed themselves.

Pags: "You dumb-ass daego. Can you please get more than one hit today" was something I heard on a regular basis from Billy. I'd reply, "Billy, but why do you say that. I have Irish blood in me as well." His response was always the same: "you're only in the lineup because you're Italian!"

Pags: Yogi was the quiet one of the three, but he never missed a trick and wasn't afraid to call you into the office if you needed to be straightened out.

Pags: In the end, I felt right at home with all the communication. Billy and Lou were more vocal. They always expressed themselves immediately and didn't care who was around. They never held anything back. Players want to know where they stand and as a player for Billy, Lou or Yogi, you always knew how they felt about you. I was fortunate and very lucky to have played for such great men.

The Yankees took you in the 6th round of the 1981 draft - four rounds after they took John Elway and three rounds before they took Fred McGriff. Any thoughts on that? Did you cross paths with either of them in the minors? - Matt B.

Pags: In 1981 I was in instructional league with Freddie and came up through the minors with him. I ended up playing against him at the major league level. He is a great and soft spoken guy - and a terrific player. I was in camp and played on the same spring training team as Elway in 1982. I remember his throwing arm most as he would throw rockets to third base from right field. Both guys were big. The Yankees appeared to have a strategy of drafting big, strong corner outfielders and first basemen: Elway, McGriff, Pasqua, Buhner, etc. More importantly, the Yankees drafted good guys.

By Mike Pagliarulo of www.DugoutCentral.com