With players from Venezuela, Japan, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico, as well as a 20-year-old rookie Panamanian shortstop, the Mets are the center of baseball’s melting pot….

According to baseball, 27.7 percent of the 833 major league players on opening day (a total of 231, including 83 on the disabled list) were born outside the 50 states, representing 14 countries and Puerto Rico. The Dominican Republic has the most, with 86; followed by Venezuela (58), Puerto Rico (21) and Japan (14).

There are more Mexicans (12) than Cubans (7), and more Australians (4) than Koreans (2).

– David Waldstein, the New York Times.

The cited MLB study is noted in just about all the papers today, so I look prescient for mentioning the 7 Nation Army scenario again yesterday. Massive ups to Joaquin for reminding me about that.

Just off first impressions, it’s interesting to see that so few Puerto Ricans are on Major League rosters. I guess my perspective is skewed by following the Mets, who have four guys from Puerto Rico.

I’m going to try to get my hands on a copy of the study, or at least some more information from it. I wonder if it compares year-to-year data of MLB players by birth, as I’m interested to see if and how there’s a way to demonstrate that the game is spreading out around the world.

Also, apropos of nothing, the phrase, “According to baseball,” makes me laugh.