These days, we don't think much about Cuba as a provider of major league baseball talent; other than the rare exception of a Hernandez brother or a Contreras, there simply aren't many natives of our neighboring island to the south who make the big leagues any more.

But that's all about politics. And the truth of the matter is, a lot of very fine players throughout big league history have been born in Cuba; no less than 150, in fact, still the fifth most of any country in the world outside the USA, and half again more than the larger and friendlier Mexico, the most recent country visited for Baseball's Hall of Names.

But Cuba? Sure, how would you like a team that looks like this? ...

Things are a lot easier when Mr. Glavine is not starting.

The farm affiliates went 2-4, and fell victim to the post-7th inning stretch letdown twice. 

The farm affiliates ran the table for a 6-0 record on Friday night with late rallies, dominant pitching performances and timely hitting.

You should know that I am cheering for the Mets this season. If the Blue Jays can't win it (they certainly could, and it would be my preferred outcome) - then may the crown be taken by the Amazin's. Why? Well, it's all about this veteran first baseman...

No, not that guy.

There was no happiness to be derived from sweeping the free-falling Braves last night. There was only a sense of completing a long overdue project by doing a somewhat superficial job on the easiest of subjects. However, AJ’s start was the story of the evening.

Here's my $.02 on the current state of the Blue Jays world (which is now worth $.018 US, thanks to the ever-rising Canadian dollar).

The Jays narrowly avoided losses at every level yesterday thanks to one team which ruined the possibility of a minor-league organisational sweep. While the Jays won’t be as disappointed as they were to not sweep a major league series until late June, a series of abysmal offensive performances don’t inspire a lot of confidence in a system often called weak in impact bats. So which team managed to play the role of saviour? Read on to find out.

When I asked myself who was under-represented in Photo of the Day so far, the answer was pretty clear: B.J. Ryan!

So here's Bo Junior, delivering a pitch:

The curse of Magpie is really doing a number on the Braves.

Syracuse and Lansing did not play, Dunedin and Auburn wished they didn't and Pulaski puts up an 8-spot to start 2006. New Hampshire scored two runs off Jesus Colome, but he still got credit for the win. You'll see how if you read on.

Okay, we've gone enough days without a Bengie Molina photo.  So here's the man himself, telling the rest of the guys out there on the field what to do next:

Auburn had their first game of the season last night taking down the Muckdogs.  Overall, the affiliates were 2-2 on the night.

Neither Toronto nor Atlanta had won an interleague game this season prior to last night, and in the late innings both teams looked eager to go to 0 – 7.

So remember that picture from last week of Aaron Hill sliding into second?

This is the next frame in the sequence, with Hill on the bag and Omar Infante catching the late throw: