the final round of the Classic.

Second baseman Yulieski Gourriel, knocked out of Monday's game against the Dominican Republic with a hand injury after being ruled hit by a pitch, participated in drills and seemed unaffected.

Gourriel's quick recovery did not surprise anyone. Television replays clearly showed that the pitch judged to have hit his right hand struck the handle of his bat, perhaps triggering a bad case of "bee sting" syndrome.

For Gourriel to be removed from that game -- then have the 7-3 defeat end with his spot in the batting order representing the tying run with the bases loaded -- perfectly fit into Cuba's underdog mentality.

It is impossible to misinterpret the greater Classic mission of Cuba, the ruler of international amateur ball now 3-2 in the tournament with wins over Panama, the Netherlands and Venezuela, coupled with losses to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

Team Cuba presumably wouldn't argue with the Cuban media's take on the Classic, and Prensa Latina characterized the tournament field as "The best baseball players that money can buy and a small group that play for the sport of it."

Now that "small group" is one step away from making a giant leap.

Everything about Cuba's reputation suggests Puerto Rico faces a stiff challenge. The Puerto Ricans overwhelmed Cuba, 12-2, on Friday in an opening round game halted by the mercy rule. Beating Cuba two straight is tough enough, but add the ingredient of insult ...

"I think that game is wide-open," said author Peter Bjarkman, an expert on Cuban baseball who has been an attentive spectator here. "But Cuba, historically, is very tough in situations where it is one win away from the next level. Both teams are probably down to the bottom of their pitching staffs."

In a battle of pitching depths, Puerto Rico would appear to have an edge. However, starter Dicky Gonzalez will face Cuba for the second time in six days -- putting the Cubans' reknown for making adjustments to the test.

Yadel Marti and Pedro Lazo, Cuba's top arms, teamed up for Sunday's win over Venezuela.

"Beyond them, their pitching is questionable," Bjarkman said. "They could have a real problem. They have many good young arms, but they lack experience."

Often, Cuba's pitching plans aren't revealed until its time to announce lineups. Leading candidates to start against Puerto Rico include Adiel Palma and Ormari Romero.

Palma, a 35-year-old left-hander who was the pitching stud of Cuba's gold medal run at the 2004 Olympics, has worked only once in relief -- allowing the only two runs in an 11-2 win over the Netherlands. Romero started that game on Thursday and went 4 2/3 inings of two-hit ball.

In any regard, that choice may not be manager Higinio Velez's, anyway. There are subtle little signs that Velez is the personable face of Team Cuba but, rather than call the shots, his role is to execute higher-ups' commands.

There would be nothing revolutionary about such an arrangement. Rather, it would be in the fine tradition of the late Charlie O. Finley of the 1970s Oakland Athletics and of the old George Steinbrenner.

For instance, vigilant reporters noticed that after Gourriel had been "plunked" by Duaner Sanchez, he was checked out only by a trainer and team doctor Antonio Castro Soto -- Fidel Castro's son. The decision to remove him from the game was made by them, without Velez ever leaving the dugout.

Also, the decision for the Cubans to skip the media conference following Monday's game was reportedly announced midgame by the team's press officer, without apparent input from Velez.