Would you leave your beloved island home for the chance at a better life?

Maybe you already did.

Many of our friends and relatives made the tough decision to leave, especially in the '90s, sacrificing poi and Sandy's and family Sundays for somewhere else where owning a house is affordable and jobs plentiful (or, at least, where this was the situation until recently).

Some come back, some don't.

Juan Bustabad and Yonder Alonso can relate ... well, kind of.

They can't go home.

They're from Cuba and now live in Florida when baseball doesn't have them elsewhere. Unlike Cousin Kimo in Seattle and Auntie Millie in Vegas, eventually returning to their place of birth is not an option. It probably never will be one.

They're among the many to have fled the communist regime over the past 40-plus years, some in leaky boats, others, like the Alonso family, in tiny airplanes.

These two—manager and first baseman of the Waikiki BeachBoys in Hawaii Winter Baseball—are fortunate refugees. Their talent in the national passion shared by their old and new countries meant better opportunities. The game gives Bustabad a lifelong career he loves, for Alonso, a top prospect of the Cincinnati Reds, millions of dollars and a sunny future.

Not that it's been easy.

Before leaving Cuba a decade ago, Alonso's father, Luis, was a player and coach for one of Cuba's most esteemed teams, the Industriales. In America, both of Yonder's parents worked as many as three jobs while he was growing up.

Juan was 3 when he entered the U.S. with his family via Mexico on July 4, 1965. The date was coincidental, but not 21 years later to the day when Juan officially became an American citizen.

“;I was one of 30,000 people, at the Orange Bowl, the largest group ever in one day,”; he says.

An aunt remains in Cuba.

“;It's a tough life there,”; Bustabad says.

Yonder was 10 when he left.

“;There's no McDonald's; everyone works for their food, sometimes fights for it. There's no easy way out,”; he says. “;I miss the people.”;

Alonso is a slugging first baseman, with can't-miss talent and demeanor, the gait just between swagger and strut, confident but not obnoxious. Batting .305, fourth in the league with three homers headed into last night's game.

He seems to have a clue, at the plate and in life.

“;He's very patient, good eye, good understanding of the strike zone,”; Bustabad says. “;For a power hitter, he's very good at putting the ball in play.”;

Alonso says he enjoys Hawaii, especially since Luis has joined him.

Just one complaint.

“;I used to average 150 to 200 swings before a game, now it's 20 or 30,”; Yonder says. “;There's only one cage and four teams to use it.”;

He deftly but directly deflects more questions about Cuba.

“;I can't talk politics. There's a lot of things I can't talk about and a lot of things I don't know about,”; he says. “;I'm here to play baseball.”;

In some ways we can relate. In others, we can only imagine.