[翻譯]Yanks Took Long Way to Accustomed Spot

Yanks Took Long Way to Accustomed Spot



By TYLER KEPNER

Published : September 27, 2007 / The New York Times



They started the journey seven months ago, across the bay in spring training at Legends Field. Joba Chamberlain was not invited, Roger Clemens was not signed, Melky Cabrera was not a starter, and Carl Pavano was not hurt.

這段旅程在七個多月前於傳奇球場 (洋基春訓場地) 展開序幕, 當時Joba Chamberlain並未在受邀春訓的名單之中、Roger Clemens也尚未做出重披條紋球衣的決定、Melky Cabrera還只是個替補球員、而Carl Pavano也仍未進廠送修。



So much has changed, the season unfolding in surprising and sometimes painful ways. The Yankees lost 29 of their first 50 games, and kept stumbling into July.

在這段時間內, 發生了太多改變, 隨著時間的推移, 這個球季也成了一段讓人悲喜交加的故事。例行賽前50場比賽中, 洋基吞下了29場敗仗, 他們的掙扎就這樣一路持續到了七月。



“There were times,” Manager Joe Torre said, “when you felt like you’d won the lottery when you won a game.”

"在過去那段時間..." 總教練Joe Torre說道, "贏得一場比賽的勝利對我們來說就像贏得樂透一樣興奮。"



But the bumpy road has brought them to their expected destination, the playoffs, for the 13th season in a row. With George Steinbrenner, their principal owner, watching from a box after lunching with Torre in the afternoon, the Yankees clinched a spot in the postseason Wednesday night with a 12-4 wipeout of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Tropicana Field.

不過儘管例行賽一路走來跌跌撞撞, 洋基最終還是達到了預期的目標, 連續13年取得晉級季後賽的資格。在昨晚那場以12比4於純品康納球場橫掃魔鬼魚的比賽後, 洋基正式確定能至少以外卡身分晉級, 在賽前和Joe Torre一同享用午餐的洋基大老闆George Steinbrenner也坐在包廂中一起分享勝利的喜悅。



“This has definitely been the hardest one,” said Derek Jeter, who went 3 for 5 with a homer. “We scuffled early on, but everybody here knew we had a good team; we were just playing bad. A lot of people counted us out, and everybody sort of liked that.”

"這無疑是我們最感艱難的一年," 昨晚5次打數中擊出包含1發全壘打在內3支安打的Derek Jeter說道, "我們在球季初期的確是相當感到挫折, 不過隊中每個成員都深信著我們的表現不應該只是如此, 我們只是一時狀況不佳罷了。很多人都認定我們這個球季是玩完了, 但是對我們來說, 這樣的經驗也頗為新鮮。"



The Yankees trail the Boston Red Sox in the American League East by three games with four to play, meaning the Yankees will enter the playoffs almost surely as the wild-card team. They have not taken that route since 1997, but history shows that wild-card winners have little, if any, disadvantage.

在例行賽僅剩下4場比賽的現在, 洋基仍然落後美聯東區領頭羊紅襪有3場勝差, 這也代表著洋基幾乎篤定將以外卡身分進入季後賽, 而這也是繼1997年球季之後的頭一遭, 但是過去幾年的經驗告訴我們, 以外卡身分晉級的球隊從來都不是好惹的。 



Six of the past 10 teams to reach the World Series were wild-card winners, including the 2006 Detroit Tigers, who eliminated the Yankees in a four-game division series. This season, the Yankees are on track to play the Cleveland Indians in the first round.

過去5年中10支打進世界大賽的球隊, 有6支是以外卡資格闖入季後賽, 其中也包括了2006年在季後賽首輪就以4場比賽淘汰洋基的底特律老虎。今年的季後賽首輪賽事, 洋基的對手即有可能是來自克里夫蘭的印地安人隊。 



There are four days left to define the roster and the rotation, and to rest Jeter, Robinson Canó (who drove in five runs) and others. The afterglow of the victory was a time to revel, and the Yankees splashed around their clubhouse, spraying Champagne and guzzling beers after an emotional toast from Torre.

洋基球團還有四天的時間去決定季後賽球員名單、並讓部分先發球員獲得短暫的休息。昨晚贏球之後, 他們開始大肆慶祝, 互相噴灑香檳並猛灌啤酒, 在慶祝活動開始前, Torre向全體球員說了段感性的話...



“I said two things: ‘This one means a lot to me,’ and ‘I’m proud of each and every one of you guys,’ ” Torre said. “I wanted to say more, and I couldn’t get it out, and then Jeter started soaking me.”

"我有兩句話要說, 首先, 晉級季後賽對我意義重大; 第二, 我為你們每個人深感驕傲," Torre說道, "我其實還有更多話想說, 但卻一時說不出口, 更別提Jeter已經開始朝我淋下香檳了。"



Alex Rodriguez, who seemed to be at odds with Torre after flaming out in the playoffs last fall, found him as the celebration broke up. He hugged him, and Torre leaned in close. “You took on every responsibility with eyes wide open,” Torre told him, and Rodriguez seemed moved.

在去年季後賽的低潮後和Torre之間似乎存有心結的A-Rod, 在慶祝活動一開始時就找上了Torre, 他給了Torre一個擁抱, 而Torre也靠在他的耳邊對他說, "你全心全意地投入並且將所有責任一肩扛起," Torre的一句話讓他深覺感動。



“This feels like home,” said Rodriguez, who can opt out of his contract after the World Series. “It’s hard to believe that I played for another two organizations. So much has happened to me — adversity, some success — I feel like anything but New York would feel kind of weird for me now.”

"這裡就像是我的家一樣, " 在今年世界大賽結束後可以選擇提前終止合約的A-Rod說道, "我很難相信自己曾在除了洋基之外的球隊效力過, 在紐約的這段日子中, 有逆境也有成功, 對現在的我而言, 離開洋基而效力其他隊伍是難以想像的。"



Rodriguez admitted to seriously doubting the Yankees would have anything to celebrate this season. As a turning point, he mentioned the Aug. 7 game in Toronto, when Clemens got ejected by retaliating against the Blue Jays for hitting Rodriguez.

A-Rod也承認他自己也曾經對洋基是否能在本球季晉級季後賽感到懷疑, 如果真要選擇一個本季的轉捩點, 他的答案將會是8月7日在多倫多迎戰藍鳥的比賽, 在那場比賽中, Clemens因為想幫A-Rod出一口氣而刻意向對方球員投出觸身球, 進而被主審驅逐出場。



“I think that was a day we all came together,” Rodriguez said.

"從那天開始, 我感覺全隊都被無比的向心力凝結在一起, " A-Rod這麼解釋著。



But that game was significant for another reason: it was the major league debut of Chamberlain, the phenom who worked a scoreless inning Wednesday and will pitch again Thursday as the Yankees prepare him to work in consecutive playoff games.

不過那場比賽之所以關鍵的原因還不僅僅如此, 那天也是Chamberlain在大聯盟首次亮相的日子, 這個有著無窮潛力的新秀在昨晚的比賽中讓對方無法越雷池一步, 洋基將讓他在今天晚間的比賽再次出場, 提前讓他適應季後賽時可能面臨的工作量。



The emergence of Chamberlain, 22, solidified the bridge from the starters to closer Mariano Rivera. Andy Pettitte, who is 10-3 in the second half, had heard about Chamberlain, but he had no idea how important he would be.

Chamberlain的橫空出世, 也讓洋基大幅補強了連結先發投手和Mariano Rivera的橋樑。下半季繳出10勝3敗佳績的Andy Pettitte雖然早在之前就聽說過Chamberlain這號人物, 但是當時的他對Chamberlain究竟會扮演如何舉足輕重的角色毫無概念。



“They were telling me there’s a kid down there that’s pretty special, but I don’t care how great I thought he was going to be, nobody knew he was going to do what he’s done,” Pettitte said. “You can’t expect that out of anybody. He’s a wonderful find.”

"他們時常跟我提及這個特別的小伙子, 但是對我而言, 在他真正得到表現機會前, 去預測他會有多大的成就是完全沒有意義的, " Pettitte說道, "他的表現遠遠超出了大家的期待, 真可說是天上掉下來的禮物。"



Chamberlain and another rookie, Shelley Duncan, were perhaps the most aggressive clubhouse partiers, dumping bottle after bottle over teammates’ heads, romping in delight.

Chamberlain和同為菜鳥的Shelley Duncan, 可說是昨晚的慶祝活動中最具攻擊力的兩人, 他們兩人在隊友頭上澆下了一罐又一罐的香檳, 整個晚上都興奮地嘻鬧著。



After Torre’s hug with Rodriguez, Chamberlain lumbered over and did the same thing, saying thank you. Torre smiled and feigned annoyance. “Just stop bothering me,” he said, shooing Chamberlain away. 

在Torre和A-Rod的擁抱結束後, Chamberlain也靠了過來, 給了Torre一個表達其謝意的擁抱, 不過此時的Torre卻故作生氣貌地對他說, "離我遠一點," 試圖將居心不良的Chamberlain趕走。



Torre pointed to Pettitte, who was doing an interview as the celebration wound down, and beamed with the pride of a father. He has been through many celebrations with Pettitte and others, like Mike Mussina, who later raised a glass with Torre and the coaches in the manager’s office.

Torre指了指正在接受訪問的Pettitte, 臉上滿是身為父親的驕傲神情, 他和Pettitte及其他球員曾一起經歷過許多次勝利後的狂歡, 稍後他更和Mussina以及教練團一同在總教練辦公室中舉杯慶祝。



Mussina’s saga — from late August on, at least — was the Yankees’ season in microcosm. He looked finished for three starts and was banished to the bullpen. Given another chance, he recaptured his form.

Mussina的浴火重生 - 尤其是從八月底開始的那段時間 - 可被看作是洋基在本季例行賽表現的縮影。他 (Mussina) 曾經在連續三場糟糕的表現後被從先發輪值中除名, 不過在球隊決定再給他一次機會後, 他用優異的投球內容證明了自己。



“He put the ego aside,” Torre said. “You either go one way or the other. You either quit or get through it.”

"他將自己的尊嚴暫時拋下," Torre說道, "對他而言只有兩條路可走, 一是承認失敗, 一是克服逆境。"



Mussina got through it. So did the Yankees. The season ends Sunday, but they will play on.

就像洋基一樣, Mussina最終還是克服了逆境。



本季例行賽在周日就將告一段落, 不過對洋基而言, 布幕尚未放下。