[翻譯]Williams' Waiting Game Haunting Camp

Williams' Waiting Game Haunting Camp

By JOEL SHERMAN

Published : February 19, 2007



When Roger Clemens stated he was now 80-20 about playing in 2007, my assumption was that meant he was willing to return for the final 80 games at $20 million since he has always been better at counting money than actually fading from view.

當Roger Clemens表示他只有80-20的機率會在2007年球季再度登板時, 我推測他的本意其實是說, 他願意在季賽剩下80場時後, 以2,000萬（"20"million）美金的價碼回到球場,  因為比起從眾人視線焦點中淡出,  Clemens似乎更擅長數鈔票。



Remember, Clemens already has played three seasons since his pronouncement that he was 99.9 percent certain he would retire. Perhaps he just doesn't understand percentages. After all, his nickname is not short for Rocket Scientist.

別忘了, 在他發表他有99.9%的機率退休的聲明後, 他已經又投了3年球,  或許他只是沒學好"機率"罷了, 畢竟會得到"火箭"這個綽號並不是因為他是個火箭科學家。



Look at it this way, regardless of any Clemens declarations about leaning heavily toward retirement, I still expect him to start more games for the 2007 Yankees than Carl Pavano. Pavano spent 10 offseason weeks trying to rebuild his body and reputation, and less than one week into camp he had to sit out pitchers fielding practice yesterday with "heavy legs." That only made it feel more like the Yanks will ultimately need Clemens.

我是這麼看的, 儘管他表示他目前傾向於退休, 我還是預期他今年幫洋基先發的場次將會多過Pavano, Pavano在非球季期間花了十個星期的時間試圖重建身體和聲望, 不過春訓才剛開始不到一個星期, 他就因為"腳部不適"而被迫錯過守備練習, 這個狀況只會讓人更覺得洋基極度需要火箭的回歸。



Yet Clemens is not the absent player haunting Legends Field these days. As it turns out the quietest Yankee of his generation has had the loudest presence. Bernie Williams, the stealth Yankee, hovers noisily over this organization, raising questions about loyalty, roster construction and simply what is on his mind. The most popular game of camp is not hearts, dominoes or spot the stripper in the stands. It is guessing whether Williams is going to accept the Yankees' minor league invite.

不過缺席春訓的Clemens並不是最讓洋基球團感到頭大的人物, 事實證明, 一向沈默寡言的Bernie, 反而因為他的缺席而讓人更加無法忽視他的存在感。 Bernie Williams, 低調的洋基人, 帶給洋基球團幾個難解的謎團, 關於他的忠誠、球隊名單的規劃、以及他到底心裡在想些什麼。 目前在春訓場地最受歡迎的休閒娛樂不是拱豬、也不是骨牌、更不是去看脫衣舞秀, 而是猜測Bernie到底會不會接受洋基的小聯盟合約。



Joe Torre left a message early yesterday afternoon with Williams seeking an answer. Jorge Posada said the fact Williams had not returned his recent calls had convinced him Williams "won't be here." Torre and Posada are representative of a clubhouse core that adore Williams and want him in camp to try to earn a job. They also say they understand why a prideful man feels he merits more than an audition with no safety net.

Joe Torre在昨天下午留了語音訊息給Bernie, 希望能得到他的答案, Jorge Posada提到Bernie選擇不回他電話,  更讓他確信Bernie將不會出現在春訓場地。  Torre和Posada是球團中希望看到Bernie再度穿上洋基球衣的代表, 並且希望他能至少來到春訓場地幫自己爭取為洋基出賽的機會, 不過他們也表示可以完全理解為何Bernie認為自己應該得到更有保障的承諾。



"As a 16-year veteran, it is tough to come to camp and fight for a job, especially if you are Bernie Williams," Posada said.

"對一個為球隊效力16年的老將來說, 你很難要求他在沒有保障的狀況下來到春訓場地爭取自己的出賽機會, 更何況我們現在談的人可是Bermie Williams啊" Posada說道。



But it is deeper than that. Williams does not want to risk the indignity of enduring the camp and then being told in late March that there is still not a 25-man job for him. That would be a far more humiliating exit, being physically present as a team left for a season without him.

事情的複雜性還遠不只如此, Bernie並不想在春訓場地待了一陣子後, 然後在三月下旬才被球隊通知走人, 冒著這樣被侮辱的可能性前來參加春訓, 這對他來說將是更嚴重的羞辱。



The problem is Williams can only make the club by participating. No one would set a deadline, but if Williams is not on the field for the first full-squad workout tomorrow, his already slim chances drop precipitously. But the haunting questions for management will not disappear, especially if a starting outfielder or Jason Giambi incurs an injury, or Melky Cabrera suffers sophomore struggles. At that point, GM Brian Cashman should expect his fan base to want better answers than Kevin Thompson or Kevin Reese.

不過問題就出在, 如果Bernie想在今年為洋基出賽, 他就一定得參加春訓。 沒有人真的為他設定一個deadline, 不過如果Bernie缺席明天洋基第一次全隊到齊的體能訓練, 那麼他重回洋基的希望將更加渺茫。 Bernie的去留問題對洋基球團管理階層帶來的難題還不只如此, 如果一旦在球季中有任何一個先發外野手或是Giambi掛了傷號, 或是Melky Cabrena遇到所謂的"第二年障礙", 那麼總經理Cashman將可以預期球迷會期待一個比Kevin Thompson或是Kevin Reese更好的解答。



There also are questions already if the Yanks have built their roster properly. The Yanks have two roster albatrosses: Giambi and Mike Myers. No pitcher has ever appeared in as many games (62) and worked fewer innings (302/3) than Myers did last year. Myers' strict left-on-left role motivates the Yanks to carry 12 pitchers. Having just 13 position players now becomes more troublesome when, finally, the Yanks have decided to turn Giambi into a full-time DH.

對於洋基是否選擇了正確的方向建構球員名單的疑問也已經浮上檯面, 而最大的疑問則來自於Giambi和Mike Myers。 史上沒有任何一個投手有Mike Myers去年的出賽場次（62場）, 但總投球局數卻只有30又2/3局的記錄, "以左制左"的策略讓洋基必須在陣中保有12名投手, 因此也只留下了13個空位給其他守備位置的球員, 而這個狀況在洋基決定讓Giambi作為全職DH時又更雪上加霜。



The plan right now is to have Doug Mientkiewicz and either Andy Phillips or Josh Phelps share first, melting away more precious roster spots. I would have signed Darin Erstad, who actually cost the White Sox less. The Yanks say they were not interested because of Erstad's injury history. But Mientkiewicz had back surgery last year. Erstad is no worse than Mientkiewicz as an overall player, his reputation is as a much better teammate than Mientkiewicz and - in a pinch - he is the fifth outfielder.

洋基現在的計畫是讓Doug Mientkiewicz, 和Andy Phillips或是Josh Phelps其中一人共同分擔一壘守備, 這樣的決定更消耗掉不少已經極為珍貴的名額。如果是我的話, 我寧可簽下Darin Erstad, 而且事實上白襪隊付給他的薪水還比洋基付給Doug Mientkiewicz的還少, 不過洋基球團對Erstad的傷病記錄實在不太放心, 於是決定放棄, 但其實Mientkiewicz也才剛在去年動過手術, 整體而言, Erstad完全不比Mientkiewicz遜色, 而且Erstad還是個更好相處的隊友, 更重要的是, 他可以扮演第五外野手的角色。



That would have added versatility for a roster that needs it with Giambi and Myers present, but also would have enabled the Yanks to definitively avoid the Williams mess by telling him there is not even the hint of a job for him. Instead, the door remains open just enough for Williams, even in absentia, to haunt this camp.

洋基的球員名單會因為有了Giambi和Myers而讓調度更具彈性, 而如果洋基球團願意在一開始就告訴Bernie他回到球隊的可能性為零,  那麼目前這些難題恐怕也就不會出現了。洋基現在為Bernie留了一扇門,  雖然Bernie並未現身, 如何圓滿解決此難題將持續困擾著洋基球團。