[翻譯]Kevin Millar says Red Sox play second fiddle to Yankees
Kevin Millar says Red Sox play second fiddle to Yankees
By ROGER RUBIN
Published : September 19, 2007 / New York Daily News
He is stretching in foul territory, but the look on his face says his mind is elsewhere. Kevin Millar is considering a question, the kind that he used to love when he played first base for the Red Sox.
Kevin Millar正在場邊做著伸展動作, 不過他的心思卻早已飄到九霄雲外, 此時他腦中正在思考著一個問題, 一個當他身穿紅襪球衣非常喜歡思考的問題...
How does he see the race between Boston and the Bombers shaping up?
紅襪和洋基究竟誰佔優勢?
"Boston's got a real good team. When they are at full strength and (Josh) Beckett and (Jonathan) Papelbon pitch, that's as tough as you can get," he said. "But right now I think the Yankees are the team that's scary.
"紅襪隊是支陣容相當整齊的球隊, 當球隊狀況處於高檔、而先發和救援投手又分別為Beckett和Papelbon時, 他們可說是無懈可擊," Millar說道, "不過就目前的狀況看來, 洋基更令人感到畏懼。"
"I don't know if they can make up four games in 12 days, but come the playoffs, that's not the team you want to be running into."
"我不知道他們最終能否在球季的最後12場比賽中追上4場勝差, 不過一旦進入季後賽, 洋基將是你最不想面對的對手。"
Millar is well acquainted with baseball's biggest rivalry. He played for Boston from 2003-05, which means he saw the highest highs - winning the 2004 ALCS and World Series - and the lowest lows - dropping the 2003 ALCS on Aaron Boone's home run.
曾經在2003年到2005年間效力於紅襪隊的Millar, 對這棒球史上最知名的世仇對決可說是再熟悉不過了, 他曾和紅襪一同享受勝利的果實 - 在2004年球季贏得世界大賽冠軍, 也曾和紅襪一同遭受失敗的打擊 - 在2003年美聯冠軍系列戰被Aaron Boone打出再見全壘打。
"I think any time you have Boston and New York contending, it's good for the sport," he said. "We're talking about two big, important clubs."
"每當這兩支球隊狹路相逢時, 無論結果如何, 對棒球運動本身都是有正面助益的, " Millar說道, "這可是兩支聲名遠播的球隊。"
Millar sees the Yankees as the more dangerous club because they are the hotter team. The Bombers were 43-21 since the All-Star break going into last night's game "and if you look back at the teams that have won the wild card, they've done well," Millar said. "The Angels, Marlins and Red Sox all won because they were playing the best at the end of the season and got the wild card. And this isn't football: the home-field advantage doesn't really exist in baseball.
Millar認為和紅襪相比, 洋基是支更具危險性的球隊, 主要的原因就是洋基的近況好的嚇人。在明星賽後, 洋基繳出43勝21敗的佳績, "而且回頭看看前幾年的季後賽戰績, 靠著外卡進入季後賽的球隊往往有較好的表現, " Millar說道, "天使、馬林魚、紅襪都是如此, 他們都因為在球季後半段表現較佳而拿到外卡資格, 而最終也如願獲得世界大賽冠軍。棒球不比美式足球, 主場優勢對棒球來說並不是那麼明顯。"
"It's going to really come down to who is pitching the best, and that's where the Yankees have taken the big steps. Adding (Joba) Chamberlain and (Phil) Hughes has made a huge difference. Chamberlain especially. Is there a team in the American League that doesn't need a boost in the bullpen? They got a big one."
"勝負的關鍵主要取決於投手表現, 而洋基也在這方面獲得大幅提升, Chamberlain和Hughes的加入讓洋基如虎添翼, 尤其是Chamberlain更是扮演重要角色。你說有哪支美聯球隊不需要加強牛棚戰力?而洋基的戰力提升最為顯著。"
Millar said the biggest difference between the teams has to do with health. Boston has been without Manny Ramirez for 19 games and Millar says "that makes a big difference. We're talking about one of the best righthanded hitters in the game."
Millar認為現在兩隊最大的差別在於球員的健康程度, 紅襪隊陣中的Manny Ramirez已經連續缺席19場比賽, 而Millar認為"這(Manny缺陣 )對紅襪帶來莫大的影響, 他(Manny Ramirez )可說是現今棒球場上最具威脅性的右打者之一。"
"If the Red Sox are at full strength when the postseason starts, they've got as good a chance as anybody," Millar said. "Does anybody know if they will be?"
"如果紅襪能在季後賽開始前將球隊整體戰力調整到巔峰, 他們就有極大的機會贏得世界大賽冠軍, " Millar表示, "不過問題在於, 他們能及時恢復健康嗎?"
The reason Millar thinks the Yankees strike fear into other teams is that they have the correct blend of talent and experience.
Millar認為洋基之所以令人感到畏懼的主因在於, 陣中的球員不只有天賦、更有經驗。
"You look at (Derek) Jeter and (Jorge) Posada and (Mariano) Rivera and that's a team that knows how to get it done," Millar said. "That's a team that will be banking on guys who have gone through it before.
"當你有Jeter、Posada及Rivera在陣中時, 你就知道該如何完成任務, " Millar說道, "陣中球員的寶貴經驗將會讓洋基獲益良多。"
"That's why you don't want to mess with the Yankees. They're hot and they've traveled the road before."
"這就是為何沒有人想對上洋基的原因, 他們不僅近況極佳、更有著豐富的季後賽經驗。"
While he may not see the Yanks catching Boston for the division title, he also doesn't see the Tigers catching the Bombers to swipe the wild card.
即便Millar不認為洋基最終會超越紅襪拿下美聯東區王座, 但是他也不認為老虎隊有在美聯外卡排行榜上超越洋基的機會。
"It's a good team in Detroit, but the Yankees are in the driver's seat," Millar said. "Detroit's not getting in unless the Yankees falter. The way they're playing, I don't see it."
"老虎隊無疑是支好球隊, 但是目前掌控大局的卻是洋基, " Millar說道, "除非洋基表現失常, 要不然老虎隊應該是沒有超越的希望, 而且照目前的狀況看起來, 我不認為這樣的事情(洋基表現失常)會發生。"
多謝介紹這篇文章。:)
回覆刪除無疑,在洋基和紅襪的競爭中,來自局外人(但也算半個局內人)的觀點是很有參考價
值的。這是一篇很有意思卻被多數人(和台灣媒體)忽略的報導!