[新聞] Yankees can't afford series like Toronto

[HIPOP4EVER (LET'S GO YANKEES!!!)]

From Yes site
http://0rz.net/dc1DX

07/24/2006 1:59 PM ET
By Glenn Giangrande

Losing three of four to a potent division rival like Toronto is not the end of
the world, but the Yankees' series against the Blue Jays demonstrated just how
tough it will be for the eight-time defending champions of the American League
East to qualify for the postseason.

4場比賽輸給勁敵藍鳥3場並不是世界末日，但這個系列賽卻顯示出今年對於這支想要連續
衛冕美東冠軍的球隊有多困難。

At the time of this article's publication, only 2 1/2 games separate them from
Boston in the divisional race. The Yankees also trail by that margin in the
wild card hunt as they pursue the defending world champion White Sox, who were
swept in the Bronx earlier this month before dropping four of their next five
games. The standings paint an optimistic picture, but the schedule is not as
cooperative.

在截稿日之前，洋基和紅襪的勝差只有2.5場。洋基在外卡戰中也緊追著月初遭到洋基
橫掃的白襪隊。戰績勾勒出美好的遠景，但接下來的賽程表可就不是這麼一回事了。

Beginning August 1st, the Yankees will play a grueling stretch of 30 games in
31 days, mostly against elite competition. They'll see Toronto again in the
Bronx. Detroit will come looking to make a statement after losing three of
four to the Yanks earlier this year. Chicago will have its chance for revenge.
Tack on the five-game series with Boston to go along with a six-game West Coast
trip, and it is clear that the fate of the Yanks could be decided in the Dog
Days of Summer.

8月1日開始，洋基將在31天內打累死人的30場比賽，面對的大多是勁敵。他們將會在主場
碰上藍鳥，今年和洋基戰4場輸3場的老虎也會前來尋仇，然後也會碰上白襪隊。外加要和
紅襪連戰5場，以及連續6場在西岸的比賽。很顯然的，洋基們的命運將在今夏最炙熱的時
後決定。

With the calendar turning closer to October, pitching will continue to be the
most important factor in determining whether or not the Yankees make it to
their 12th straight postseason. A lot has been made about the struggles of
their relievers this season, but even after Sunday's blowout loss, the club
still owns a 3.81 bullpen ERA — fifth best in the American League. Kyle
Farnsworth has allowed just one run over his last 10 innings of work while
frequently hitting triple digits on the radar gun. Left-handed hitters remain
perplexed by Mike Myers and Ron Villone. In what could be the biggest lift
for the 'pen, Scott Proctor appears to have put his problems behind him.
Since getting five straight days of rest in mid-July, the righty has recorded
11 strikeouts over six scoreless frames.

愈接近10月，投手仍然會是決定洋基是否能連續12年打入季後賽的重要關鍵。今年球季我
們可以看到不斷奮鬥的中繼戰力，即使在禮拜日被打爆後，中繼投手群仍然有著全美聯第
五---3.81的團隊防禦率。放肆火在過去的10局只掉了一分，Myers以及Villone仍然能有效
的壓制住左打。Scott Proctor似乎已經把他的問題丟到腦後，一整個提升了牛棚的戰力。
自從在七月中連續休息五天後，Proctor已六局未失分，且投出了11次的老K。

"I'm just kind of in a groove now," Proctor said after Saturday's 5-4
come-from-behind win at Rogers Centre. "It's just a matter of...knowing what's
working for you. I'm staying back and throwing the ball, hitting my spots and
hitting with all my pitches. You're hoping when that happens, you're going to
get guys out. If not, you need to check your stuff."

"我只是和平常一樣。"Proctor在禮拜六洋基以5比4贏球後說道。"就只是...知道你自己
該作的工作罷了。我待在牛棚練投，聚精會神的投著每一顆球。我期待著當我一上場，
我就要讓打擊者出局。如果放了點小火，我就必須檢討自己。"

While the main components of the relief corps have been on point lately, the
starters have had some problems. Despite being the two most consistent pitchers
on the staff this year, Mike Mussina and Chien-Ming Wang continue to show that
they are susceptible to the big inning. Moose still allows circumstances beyond
his control — like close umpire calls or errors behind him — to snowball, and
Wang can be noticeably rattled if batters reach base. Those matters are just
part of why the Yankees have lost 26 games this year in which they once held a
lead. The duo has more than 20 wins between them, so there has certainly been
more good than bad from both Mussina and Wang, but a loss of focus is magnified
now, since every game the Yankees play now carries playoff implications.

當中繼投手群最近已完成了備戰，先發投手卻出了問題。儘管今年最穩的兩大投手穆帥
以及小王持續的在場上證明他們有能力吃下非常多局，但穆帥仍未能掌控全局，而小王
在壘人有人的時候也常顯慌亂。但這些情事僅是導致洋基今年在領先的局面下輸掉26場比
賽的一小部分。這兩人勝場數加起來超過了20場，所以他們對球隊的貢獻遠超過自己砸鍋
的場數。然而這些缺點已經被點出來了，接下來攸關季後賽的每一場比賽都要特別注意。

Could Randy Johnson join Mussina and Wang as a reliable starter? For most of
the first half this year, Joe Torre never knew which Johnson he was getting —
the dominant future Hall of Famer or the 42-year-old with the flat slider. It
has been a different story over the last month though. In striking out 11
Seattle Mariners on July 19 — a season-high in Ks — Johnson turned in his
sixth quality start over his last seven outings. Take out the lone bad game in
that stretch, when he allowed eight runs to the Mets on July 1, and the Big
Unit has posted a 2.51 ERA dating back to June 14. Last year, Johnson went 8-2
after the All-Star break, holding opponents to a minuscule .208 batting average
; the Yankees will need him to have the same post-break surge in '06.

RJ能夠和穆帥以及小王一樣是個稱職的先發投手嗎？今年上半季大多數時間，Torre從來
不曉得RJ到底怎麼了--這位準名人堂選手，卻有著無力的滑球。但在過去一個月期間，情
況完全改觀。7月19日對水手的比賽，RJ締造了本季最多三振次數---11次，並在過去7場
出場中拿到6場的優質先發。撇開RJ在7月1日對大都會失掉8分的比賽不談，大個兒自6月14
日到現在繳出了2.51的防禦率。去年，RJ在明星賽後繳出了8勝2負的成績，讓對手的打擊率
只有2成08；洋基在今年將會需要RJ去年下半季的表現。

Regardless of what moves the club makes at the trading deadline, the Yankees
will add talent as time passes and injured players return from the disabled
list. Robinson Cano is hoping to come back from his strained left hamstring in
early August. Hideki Matsui's recovery from a broken left wrist has encouraged
him to shoot for a return later that month, ahead of his original target time
of September. Gary Sheffield is eyeing a September 1 return from his wrist
injury on. All three need to hit the ground running. If they are all good to go
upon re-entering the lineup, they will provide the consistent offensive support
the team has lacked, which would help the mindset of Yankee pitchers when they
happen to be on the mound without their best stuff.

不管洋基在交易大限前作了什麼更動，洋基將會有從DL傷兵名單中歸隊球員。Cano可望在
八月初歸隊，松井左腕的復健狀況良好，也可望比原定的九月歸隊來得早些。老薛預定
在9月1日歸隊。這三個都必須作復建賽，假使他們全都復原且回到打線中，那麼將能提供
持續且穩定的進攻火力，也能幫助球隊在中繼不穩時發揮打擊戰力。

Speaking of pitchers, Octavio Dotel's chances of helping the Yanks this year
are in peril due to repeated setbacks in his recovery from Tommy John surgery,
but if Carl Pavano can shock fans by returning to active duty, he might be able
to supplant Jaret Wright as the fourth starter and provide the Yankee rotation
with some sorely needed depth.

說到投手，Dotel手術後的復發讓他今年幫助洋基的機會泡湯，但如果Pavano如有神助的
突然歸隊，他也許就能取代Wright當作第四號先發，並提供洋基投手輪值必要的幫助。

The Yanks have other issues that need to be addressed too, most notably the
woes of Alex Rodriguez. However, Torre wants his club to focus on the two
most important statistics in baseball: wins and losses.

洋基還有其他的問題亟待克服，尤其是Arod的問題。然而，Torre還是希望球隊把重心
聚焦在勝負之中。

"We're concerning ourselves with our record," Torre said after the Yankees
completed their sweep of the White Sox. "I think once we get to the last month
of the season, then we can start measuring our chances with our competition and
who we play and who they play and stuff like that."

"我們只在乎自己的成績。"Torre在洋基橫掃白襪後說道。"我認為只有到球季的最後一個
月，我們才會開始去考量我們的對手或是我們的機會等等。"

But before the Yanks get there, they'll have to make it through August.

但是在洋基到達最後一個月之前，他們將必須撐過這個八月。

--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) 
◆ From: 61.217.210.10
→ HIPOP4EVER:八月將會戰到暗無天日。
推 asdfzx:八月好硬啊~(抖)  誰說老虎下半季會鳥掉的?
推 sheff:希望他們的roger是真的到下半季就無力 這樣就有機會
推 RollingWave:我說的....但還沒發生...囧
→ RollingWave:他們證明了盲劍客團也能得分- -b
→ RollingWave:而投手都沒炸..yet
→ asdfzx:但是好處就是直接對決 不需要別人幫忙搶區冠或外卡
推 birdy590:結果軟下來的是白襪, 這也不是壞事就是了
推 BJRyan:放肆火 XD
推 evi1:如有神助 XD
推 tsming:薪水小偷有神助也不會回來:p
→ matthewgo:GOD...好恐怖的賽程表..