[翻譯] Prospectus Q&A: Aaron Bates

[leecher (lecherous)]

July 1, 2007
Prospectus Q&A
Aaron Bates

by David Laurila

Aaron Bates epitomizes the Red Sox hitting philosophy. Boston’s selection in
the third round of the 2006 draft, Bates has Youkilis-like plate discipline
and enough power to rank second in the California League in home runs. A
23-year-old first baseman for Boston's High-A affiliate, the Lancaster
JetHawks, the 6’4”, 230 lb. North Carolina State product is hitting
.317/.449/.590, and has already gone deep 19 times. Bates made California
League history on May 19 when he belted four home runs in the same game.

Aaron Bates 完全展現出 Red Sox 的打擊哲學。身為 Boston 在 2006 年第三輪
選進的新秀，Bates 有著 Youkilis 一般的選球能力以及足以讓他在 California
League 全壘打排名第二的長打能力。一個 Boston High-A 球隊 Lancaster
JetHawks 的 23 歲一壘手，這位 193 公分，104 公斤，North Carolina State
出生的球員擁有 .317/.449/.590 的打擊成績，並已經轟出了 19 支全壘打。
Bates 於五月 19 日的比賽中擊出了四支全壘打，在 California League 的歷史
中寫下了紀錄。

David talked to Bates about his hitting approach, his opposite field power,
and his dreams of World Series glory.

David 和 Bates 談論他的打擊策略，他反方向的長打能力，以及他對世界大賽榮
耀的夢想。

David Laurila: You have a reputation as a disciplined hitter and are leading
the California league in both walks and OBP. Do you feel you’re similar to
Kevin Youkilis as a hitter?

你以選球著稱，而且保送和上壘率都在 California League 中領先。你認為自己
和 Kevin Youkilis 是相同類型的打者嗎？

Aaron Bates: I haven’t heard anyone compare me to him, but I’d be flattered
if they did. I know that he has a tremendous eye and a great approach to
hitting. I’ve always drawn a lot of walks, and recognize the value of
getting on base. On-base percentage is important to me, because if you can
find a way to get on, you’re helping your team.

從來都沒有人拿我跟他來比較，但是如果有人真的這麼做，我會覺得很高興。我
知道他有驚人的選球眼和很棒的打擊策略。而我總是能選到很多保送，並且了解
上壘的價值。上壘率對我來說十分重要，因為只要你可以找到上壘的方法，你就
可以對球隊有貢獻。

DL: You’re second in the league in home runs. Do you consider yourself a
power hitter?

你在聯盟裡全壘打排名第二。你認為自己是個有長打能力的打者嗎？

AB: I have some power, but I consider myself a hitter first--I look at myself
as a disciplined hitter more than a power hitter. You won’t see me taking
wild swings. I feel that I have good bat control and a good idea of what I
want to do at the plate.

我有一些長打能力，但我優先把自己視為一個打者－－我覺得比起有長打能力的
打者，自己更接近選球型的打者。你不會看到我猛力的揮擊。我認為我可以完美
的控制我的球棒，而且對於在打擊時自己想做什麼有著很好的概念。

DL: How much of your disciplined approach is innate, and how much of it is
learned?

關於你的選球，有多少是天生的，又有多少是後天學來的？

AB: I feel like over the years my approach has become more refined. Plate
discipline is more than simply laying off balls and swinging at strikes, it’
s recognizing which pitches you handle well. A disciplined hitter knows how
to stay away from balls he’s likely to roll over or pop up. Even if it means
taking a strike and getting behind in the count, you’re better off waiting
for a pitch you can do something with. You need to understand when you have
to expand your strike zone. So, in that respect, I guess it’s more learned.
Hitting is a lot about being patient and controlling your emotions.

我覺得隨著時間經過我的選球不斷的進步。選球不只是放掉壞球，然後去打好球
，更重要的是知道你可以打好哪一種球。一個選球型的打者知道如何避免去追打
他很可能打成軟弱滾地球或是內野飛球的球路。就算這代表放掉一些好球並且在
球數上處於落後，你等待那些可以下手的球還是比較好的選擇。你必須了解什麼
時候要把好球帶放大。所以，就這方面來說，我想應該是要後天學來的。打擊主
要是關於耐心以及控制情緒。

DL: Is your approach always the same, or does it vary because of the pitcher
you’re facing?

你的打擊策略一直是一樣的，還是會因為投手不同而有所改變？

AB: It definitely changes. What kind of movement a guy has plays a role. You’
re facing right-handers and left-handers, maybe a side-armer once in awhile,
and some guys simply approach you differently. My overall plan doesn’t
change, but as a hitter you need to conform to who you’re facing. Not all
pitchers are the same.

這一定會有所不同的。一個傢伙的球路有什麼樣的變化占了很重要的原因。你會
遇到右投和左投，或者偶爾會面對一個側投，而且有些人只不過是用不同的方式
來對付你。我整體的策略是不變的，但是身為一個打者你需要針對投手作一些調
整。不是所有投手都是一樣的。

DL: What do you consider the toughest pitch to hit in baseball?

你認為棒球中最難打的球路是什麼？

AB: I think that everyone would have a slightly different answer to that
question, but for me it’s a guy who commands a good fastball. That’s what
gets pitchers to the big leagues, and it’s why Michael Bowden was so
successful here in a good hitter’s park.

我想每個人的答案都會不一樣，但對我而言能控制好速球的傢伙是最難對付的。
而這也是投手們能進到大聯盟的原因，也是 Michael Bowden 能在這打者天堂如
此成功的原因。

DL: As a hitter, how do you approach a pitcher with good fastball command?

身為一個打者，你會用什麼方式去面對能控制好速球的投手？

AB: It goes back to what I was saying about discipline. You have to
understand which pitches you can handle, and you have to wait for them.
Baseball is a game where if you go one-for-three you’re having a good day,
and you have to be able to accept that. If a pitcher throws nine straight
quality pitches to you, you have to just tip your cap to him.

這又回到我剛剛談到的選球了。你必須要了解你可以掌握哪些球路，然後你必須
等待他們。棒球是個你打出三之一的成績就代表你有一場很好的比賽，而你必須
接受這個事實。如果一個投手對你連續投出九顆有水準的球路，你只能向他致敬
了。

DL: It has been said that Ted Williams could see the stitches on the ball as
it was being delivered to the plate. What do you see?

傳說 Ted Williams 可以看到投出球上的縫線。你可以看到什麼？

AB: I have pretty good eyesight--it's 20/10--and I start by looking for the
release point. What I look for is the rotation, to recognize the pitch, and
from there you have to let your natural reactions take over. You have to
almost play like you’re a little kid, just enjoying the game and doing what
comes naturally when the ball is delivered.

我有很好的眼力－－20/10－－而我先嘗試著找出投手的出手點。接著我在判斷出
球旋轉的方式，以認出球種，然後你就得讓自然的反應來接手了。你必須像小孩
打球一樣，享受比賽然後在球來的時後做出自然的反應。

DL: You mentioned release points. Some pitcher’s deliveries are harder to
pick up than others.

你提到了出手點。有些投手的出手點比起其他投手更難以辨認。

AB: Every pitcher is a little different in how he hides the ball, but I think
I pick it up pretty well against most guys. Of course, I’ve never
experienced an at-bat through someone else’s eyes, so I don’t really know
from that perspective how well I read pitches. But one thing I do find is
that balls coming out of the shadows--you know, on a day where the shadow
crosses in front of the plate and the mound--don’t affect me as much as a
lot of guys. They’ll be behind pitches, while I tend to be out front. I’m
not sure if I know why that is.

每個投手隱藏球路的方式都不同，但我覺得面對大部分的投手我都可以辨認出來
。當然，我從來沒有從別人的視野中來打過球，所以我不知道就這方面而言我判
別球種的能力到底如何。但是我知道從陰影中投出來的球－－你知道的，有時候
影子會遮到本壘板和投手丘－－對我並不會造成像大部分人那麼大的影響。他們
會被壓制住，而我則可以將球擊出。我不確定我是否知道為什麼會這樣。

DL: What is your approach in batting practice?

你打擊練習的方式是怎樣？

AB: [In] the first round, I’m mostly just trying to get loose. My effort
level is fairly low, and I’m basically looking to hit line drives up the
middle. Overall, what you’re doing in BP is getting your hand-eye
coordination ready for the game, so I try to be as meticulous as I can with
my approach, which is to make solid contact. I stay away from things like
trying to see how far I can hit the ball. As we get closer to game time, my
effort level increases.

在第一輪的時候，我主要是嘗試著放鬆。我盡量不使力，而我基本在想辦法擊出
中間方向的平飛球。整體而言，你在打擊練習所要做的就是讓眼手協調而可以進
行比賽，所以我對我的方式可以說是斤斤計較，而我的打擊練習是要擊出紮實的
球。我避免去嘗試我可以把球打得多遠。越接近比賽的時候，我出的力也越多。

DL: Which hitting drills in your pre-game routine are most important to you?

哪一項賽前例行打擊練習對你而言是最重要的？

AB: I’m a big tee guy. I have a routine I use every day, getting 20 to 25
swings, and if I get that in I feel I’m ready for the game. Even if it’s a
show-and-go day, where we don’t have time for batting practice, I feel
ready. It’s a comfort thing for me, really--almost like stretching before
you run.

我是個非常仰賴準備的人。我有一套每天例行的準備方式，那就是揮擊 20 次，
而如果我可以做這樣的準備，我就會覺得我已經準備好要比賽了。就算那是一場
很趕的比賽，而我們沒有打擊練習的時間，我也覺得沒有問題。這對我來說是很
舒適的事，真的－－就像你跑步前的伸展一樣。

DL: Many hitters say that hitting is all about the hands and wrists, while
others point to their core or to their head. Which do you feel is most
important?

許多打者認為打擊就是關於手和手腕，其他人覺得是他們的身體或者是他們的頭
。你覺得什麼是最重要的呢？

AB: My legs. I’m a bigger guy, height-wise, and it would be a shame if I didn
’t use them to my advantage. In a way, I guess you could say that’s part of
my core, because I’m really talking about from my knees to around my belly
button. Everyone has a different trigger, and if I use my legs right I can
get to balls in different locations pretty well.

我的腿。我是一個大個子，就身高方面來說，而如果我不運用這方面來取得優勢
的話那我就太丟臉了。就某個方面，我想你可以說那是我身體的一部分，因為我
所指的部分是從膝蓋到腹部下方。每個人都有不同的啟動方式，而如果我可以正
確的運用我的腳，那麼我就可以將球順利的送到不同的地方。

DL: In talking about your power earlier this year, you said, 'It really
depends on where they’re pitching me. It depends on where the mistakes are.'
As a hitter, how do you define a "mistake," and do you feel that the majority
of pitches that a hitter squares up and drives can be categorized as mistake
pitches?

在談到你季初的長打能力時，你說，’這有關於他們面對我時配球的位置。這關
係到失投球出現的地方。’身為一個打者，你如何定義＂失投球＂，而你是否覺
得大部分被打者相中並擊出的球都可以被歸類為失投球呢？

AB: I think a mistake is different for every hitter--each individual player
has different pitches that he can handle or drive well. A pitcher can throw a
pitcher’s pitch, and the hitter can hit it out of the ballpark, yet he can
hang a slider over the plate and strike a guy out. I think the mistake starts
with what pitch is called in relation to the situation and the person up to
bat. It’s kind of like a chess match between the hitter and the pitcher.

我認為每個打者認定的失投球都不一樣－－每個球員能掌握或擊出的球種都不相
同。一個投手可以投出完美的一球，然後被打者把這顆球送出全壘打牆外，但是
他卻可以用一顆失投偏高的滑球去三振另一個打者。我想失投球起因於當時的配
球以及打擊者之間的關係。這有一點像打者及投手間的棋局一般。

DL: You have excellent power to the opposite field. Where does that come from?

你有著很好的反方向長打能力。這個能力是如何產生的？

AB: I’ve had it since I was younger. I hit the ball well the other way when
I was in high school, and it’s a thing where I was taught to have an ability
to do that. I went to a school with a good baseball program, and when I was a
freshman that’s one of the things that was stressed. They expected everyone
to have well-rounded games. Now it comes natural to me. I like to pull the
ball too, though.

我在更年輕的時候就有這種能力了。我在高中時就有不錯的反方向攻擊能力，而
這是我一直被教育著要擁有的能力。我上的學校有很好的棒球訓練計畫，而當我
還是新鮮人時，反方向的擊球能力就是被強調的重點之一。他們希望每個人都可
以有一場完美的比賽。而現在這種能力對我來說已經再自然不過了。不過，我也
滿喜歡拉擊的。

DL: It has been said that good hitters get jammed. Do you think that’s true?

有人說好的打者也會被逼的無法出棒。你覺得這是真的嗎？

AB: Not that you want it to happen, but in a way, I think it is. Mike Wright,
who coaches at San Jose State, talks about that. What he means is that you
want the ball to travel--you want it to get deep so you’re not too far out
in front. If you wait on the ball well you’re not as susceptible to curves
and sliders away. That means you might be late on good fastballs inside--you
get jammed--but overall you give yourself a better chance on more pitches.

這不是你想要發生的事，但就某種程度而言，我認為這是真的。在 San Jose
State 擔任教練的 Mike Wright 談過這個問題。他的意思是你想要把球送出去－
－你想要把球打的深遠所以你的擊球點不會太前面。如果你耐心夠的話，你不會
輕易的被曲球或滑球給騙了。但這代表你在面對內角直球的反應會太慢－－你會
被逼的無法出棒－－不過同時你也讓自己有更好的機會面對更多球路。

DL: You hit four home runs in a game earlier this season. How meaningful is
that to you, and will it impact you in any way going forward?

在球季初你曾經在一場比賽裡打出四支全壘打。這對你來說有多大的意義，而這
對你的未來有任何影響嗎？

AB: It was definitely special for me. Hitting one home run in a game is a
wonderful feeling, but I never imagined I would hit four. After the game I
had to take a second in the dugout to soak it all in. I felt our team played
with a lot of emotion that day after we had lost by 30 the night before.
[Editor’s note: Lancaster lost to Lake Elsinore 30-0 on May 18, the worst
defeat in franchise history.] I was just happy we were able to come back and
win the game. The magnitude of the night didn’t set in until I got into the
locker room and people started calling for interviews. As for the future, I
don’t think it will affect me one way or another. I approach every game the
same way, and I just try and play as hard as I can every day.

這對我來說當然是十分特別的。打出一支全壘打的感覺很棒，但我從來沒有想過
我可以在一場比賽中就打了四支。賽後我還得在休息區裡花上一點時間才能完全
接受這個事實。我覺得那天我們球隊打得十分激動，因為昨天我們才以 30 分的
差距落敗。［編者註：Lancaster 在五月 18 日以 30 - 0 輸給 Lake Elsinore
，是球隊歷史上最大的敗仗。］我當時只覺得我們能拿回這場比賽真的是太棒了
。而直到我進到更衣室然後一大群人要訪問我時，我才了解這個晚上的重要性。
至於對於未來，我想這不會對我有任何影響。我以相同的方式面對每一場比賽，
並且我每一天都盡全力去比賽。

DL: If you found a magic lamp, and a baseball genie gave you three wishes,
what would they be?

如果你找到神燈，然後一個棒球精靈給了你三個願望，你會許什麼願望？

AB: For one, I’d love to run like Ichiro, because my batting average would
go way up. With a weapon like his speed, your margin for error when you hit
the ball is a lot different. Great hitters like Albert Pujols don’t beat out
many infield hits, but Ichiro does. Second, I’d like to have the discipline
of Barry Bonds. His ability to identify balls, and lay off pitches, is
unparalleled. That’s a part of my game that is pretty solid, but he’s in
another world. My third wish would be to have a long career with the Red Sox.
I’d like to play for them for 15 or 16 years and win a couple of
championships.

其中一個願望是，我想要跟 Ichiro 跑得一樣快，因為這樣我的打擊率會直線上
升。有像他一樣的速度，對手產生失誤的機會將會大不相同。像 Albert Pujols
這樣偉大的打者是沒有很多內野安打的，但是 Ichiro 有。再來，我想要擁有
Barry Bonds 的選球能力。他辨識球種以及放掉不好打的球路的能力是沒有人可
以比擬的。而這也是我在比賽中做的很確實的部分，不過他卻又是在另一個世界
的人。我的第三個願望是可以在 Red Sox 有一個很長的職業生涯。我想為他們打
15 或 16 年的球並且贏下幾個世界冠軍。

DL: Let's say that someday you’ll deliver a game-winning hit to win a World
Series for the Red Sox. Against which team will it come?

如果有一天你為 Red Sox 在世界大賽打出了致勝的安打。你想在面對哪一隊時打
出這支安打？

AB: You know what? I’ve actually thought about that a lot. It’s something
you daydream about when you play this game, and I believe in visualization--I
believe that you can make things happen by imagining them. I’d love for it
to be against the San Francisco Giants. That’s who I grew up with, and I’d
love to be part of a Red Sox team that played them in the World Series.

你知道嗎？事實上關於這個情境我已經想過很多次了。這是你在做白日夢時常常
想到的，而且我相信夢想－－我相信你可以藉由夢想一些事情來實現他們。我想
面對的對手是 San Francisco Giants。那是伴我一起成長的球隊，而我想作為
Red Sox 的一員在世界大賽中面對他們。

DL: I understand that your dad snuck you into Little League before you were
old enough. What are your thoughts on cheating in baseball?

我知道你父親在你年齡未滿的情況下把你偷渡進 Little League。你對在棒球運
動中作弊的行為有什麼看法？

AB: My thoughts are that anything illegal, or anything that’s against the
rules, is wrong. For one thing, the better you can evaluate players as a
fan--and I’m a fan--the better you can appreciate the game. If you cheat, it
’s dishonest to yourself, your teammates, and the fans. And the fans are
important, because they’re the ones who come to see you play and ultimately
pay your salary. The last thing you want is for a kid to love you, and then
come to find out that you’re not what he thought you were.

我的看法是任何違法的事，或者任何違反規定的事，都是錯的。就其中一個方面
來說，一個球迷越能正確的評價一個球員－－而我是一個球迷－－他就越能享受
比賽。如果你作弊，那就是對你自己，對你的隊友，對你的球迷不誠實。而球迷
十分重要，因為他們是來看你比賽的人也是最終給你薪水的人。你最不想要發生
的事是，一個崇拜你的小孩，發現你並不是他想像中的那一個人。

DL: What about your dad sneaking you into Little League?

那你對你父親偷偷把你送進 Little League 的事情又有什麼看法？

AB: To be honest, I don’t think he looked at it as cheating. The age limit
was seven, he signed me up when I was five, and I turned six on opening day.
I was big enough, but it wasn’t like I was too old--I was too young. To use
an analogy, when Kirk Gibson had the big home run against Oakland in the
World Series, the A’s had no problem with him doing it on one leg. I was
starting off at a disadvantage, not an advantage.

老實說，我不認為他覺得那是作弊。那裡年齡的限制是七歲，他在我五歲的時候
讓我加入，而我在開幕時就已經六歲了。我已經夠大了，但當時的情形並不是我
年紀太大超過限制－－我年紀太小了。這個情形就像是，當 Kirk Gibson 在世界
大賽中面對 Oakland 敲出關鍵的全壘打時，A's 不會去質疑他為何在只有一隻健
康的腳的情況下擊出全壘打。當時的我只佔有劣勢，而並不是優勢。

DL: You lost your dad a few years ago. What did he mean to your development
as a baseball player, and to your love of the game?

幾年前你失去了你的父親。他對你成長成一位棒球選手，以及你對比賽的熱愛有
者什麼樣的意義？

AB: My dad and I were extremely close. He drove me to countless practices and
was always there watching me play. When I was 13, I played in two baseball
leagues. One of the leagues was an hour away, so he would drive me to the
first game, watch the game, then drive me to the next game right after. I
also lived an hour and twenty minutes from my high school, so he would
usually drive me to school in the morning and pick me up at night. We would
use that time each day to talk about life and baseball. It was throughout
those years that I truly started to understand by watching him what the word
dedication meant. He would work at night so he would be free during the day
to watch me compete. As for my love for the game, it has been just as strong
since the day he snuck me into Little League when I was five. I am very
grateful my parents always supported my dreams and aspirations. Although, I
was only 20 years old when he passed away, I am very lucky to have had a role
model like him growing up.

我父親和我非常親近。他載我去過無數次的練習而且就在那兒看著我打球。當我
13 歲的時候，我在兩個聯盟裡打球。其中一個聯盟要一個小時的路程，所以他要
先載我到第一場比賽，看完比賽，然後再立刻載我去下一場比賽。同時我住的地
方離高中要一個小時又二十分鐘的路程，所以他通常要在早上載我上學，而在晚
上接我回家。我們會利用那些時間聊聊生活以及棒球。而那些年以來，藉由看著
他讓我知道奉獻的真正意義。他願意在晚上工作，以換取白天的空閒時間來看我
打球。至於我對比賽的熱愛，在我五歲時他將我偷渡到 Little League 時就一直
如此的強烈。我非常感激我父母對我的夢想及抱負永遠的支持。雖然，在他過世
時我只有 20 歲，我覺得有他當我成長的榜樣真是幸運。

DL: If you were to meet someone who had never heard of Aaron Bates, nor had
they heard of the game of baseball, how would you explain each one to them?

假如你遇到一個從來沒有聽過 Aaron Bates 的人，而他也從來沒有聽過什麼是棒
球，你會怎樣跟他介紹呢？

AB: I’d describe myself as a laid-back back guy who’s also a baseball
player. As for the game itself, I’d tell them that it’s a form of
entertainment for fans. It’s a game. But it’s also a great game that’s
exciting to watch. I wouldn’t recommend it as something they’d rather see
on TV, though--I’d tell them to come out to the park to watch it. That way
they’d get to see just how great the atmosphere can be.

我會說我是一個很好相處的人，同時也是一個棒球選手。至於關於棒球比賽，我
會說那是娛樂球迷的一種方式。那是一種競賽。但是那也是一種令觀眾感到刺激
的競賽。不過我不會說那是一種你寧願在電視上看的節目－－我會要他們親自來
球場見識一番。如此他們才可以感受到這裡的氣氛有多麼的棒。

David Laurila is an author of Baseball Prospectus. You can contact David by 
clicking here or click here to see David's other articles.

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