In early 2012, no more than a few months before Aledmys Diaz packed a small backpack and walked away from the Cuban national team during a tournament in the Netherlands, Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak delivered a power point presentation to his staff.
It set out to answer his question:
Why weren’t the Cardinals in play for Cubans?
That season Cuban lefty Aroldis Chapman would begin his dominant run as Cincinnati’s closer, and a year later two of his countrymen — pitcher Jose Fernandez and outfielder Yasiel Puig — would finish first and second, respectively, in the National League rookie of the year voting.