1.   And a third posed as a Cuban defector so that he could infiltrate Cuban-American exile groups and send information back to Havana.

2.   And he has made an immediate impact, most importantly in helping Kerrigan break his nagging communications barrier with Cuban defector Rolando Arrojo.

3.   And now the Mets have a dazzling shortstop they got in a lottery of Cuban defectors.

4.   And the Mets jumped at the chance to sign him when he became available in the lottery for Cuban defectors held last October.

5.   As spring training approaches, he has stashed two recent Cuban defectors in San Jose, Costa Rica, for inspection next month.

6.   As the Yankees try to finalize an agreement with Mussina, they have also expressed interest in signing Andy Morales, a Cuban defector.

7.   Cuban defector and Series MVP Livan Hernandez, not surprisingly, was the main attraction.

8.   Cuban defector Lazaro Borrell and second-year players Rashard Lewis and Ruben Patterson will battle for playing time.

9.   Cubas, a Miami-based agent, represents two other Cuban defectors, who learned Friday that they had been granted free-agent status.

10.   East ATLANTA -- After what happened with Hideki Irabu, owner George Steinbrenner told Yankees officials to downplay the hype surrounding Cuban defector Orlando Hernandez.