[討論] Around the horn: Catcher

[maxspeed150 (夏娜長門親衛隊)]

BOSTON -- Where have all the catchers gone? That's something that scouts and
executives continue to scratch their heads over as they desperately try to
enhance depth at one of the most indispensable positions in baseball.

捕手都到哪裡去了？球探和高層不停尋找，急切的想要增加這個棒球場上不可或缺位置的
深度。

At a time when the lack of quality young catchers has never been more
apparent, the Red Sox are fortunate to have a seemingly ageless rock behind
the plate, not to mention the leader of their team.

缺少年輕優秀捕手的問題沒有馬上顯現出來，因為紅襪很幸運的有一個耐操好用的隊長。

When Jason Varitek reports to Spring Training in February, he will be
embarking on his 10th season as Boston's primary catcher and 11th year with
the club.

春訓時，隊長將會迎接他當紅襪主戰捕手的第十年，在紅襪的第十一年。

Offensively, Varitek has been better in some years than others. Defensively,
he's been a difference-maker every year.

進攻上，隊長有幾年表現突出。防守上，他每年都為球隊帶來了改變。

Last October -- as the Red Sox were en route to their second World Series
championship in four seasons -- general manager Theo Epstein found a unique
way of identifying Varitek's role.

去年十月，當紅襪贏向四年內第二個世界大賽冠軍時，帥哥GM找到了隊長的特殊定位。

"A good catcher who prioritizes the pitching staff over his own offensive
performance is a huge asset to the organization. He's like the command center
of our operation in terms of run prevention," Epstein said. "He takes all the
information and is ultimately the one who puts down the right fingers. It's a
great asset."

"他是一個將帶領投手優先於攻擊的好捕手，是球隊的一大助力。他就像是防止對方進攻的
司令塔。"帥哥GM說。"他擁有資訊，也是個執行者。這對我們幫助很大"

Of Varitek's many assets, the best is probably his game preparation. Varitek
scours through a thick binder loaded with information on each hitter, and he
shares his information during scouting meetings and in individual sessions
with that night's starting pitcher.

在隊長帶給這支球隊的所有幫助中，最重要的是他在賽前的準備。他會認真翻閱所有打者的
資料，而且和球探及先發投手分享。

"Trust 'Tek" might as well be a team motto, because it's one that virtually
every Boston pitcher follows.

"相信隊長"已經是隊上的座右銘，因為這是每個隊上的投手遵行的一句話。

A sturdy physical presence, Varitek also remains as one of the best in the
game at blocking the plate and preventing wild pitches.

隊長強壯的身體讓他還是聯盟中最會在本壘上阻擋跑者和暴投的捕手。

If you want to nitpick and find a weakness in Varitek's defense, it's his
throwing arm, which has never been quite the same since elbow surgery in
2001.

如果想要對他的防守挑毛病，那就是他在2001年動手肘手術後就不見的阻殺能力。

Aside from what he does on defense, Varitek also gives the Red Sox a
switch-hitting bat who is capable of putting the ball out of the park.

除了防守以外，隊長還是一個可以把球打得很遠的左右開弓打者。

Varitek hit .255 with 17 homers and 68 RBIs in 2007, and he has a way of
getting big hits when his team needs it most.

隊長今年打了.255，17支全壘打還有68分打點，而且常常在需要的時候打出長打。

One thing Varitek hasn't been able to avoid in recent seasons is a
second-half decline at the plate. In truth, because of all he does behind the
plate and the energy that takes up, there probably isn't much he can do.

但是他去年的上下半季表現反差太大。事實上，因為在本壘後方的勞累，這是他無法避
免的。

In 2007, Varitek hit .279 before the All-Star break and .222 after.

明星賽前打了.279但是之後卻只有.222

But in the World Series, Varitek hit .333 and drove in five runs.

但是在世界大賽中，隊長打了.333而且有5分打點。

What would happen to the Red Sox if Varitek went down? Unfortunately, they've
gotten that answer twice. On June 7, 2001, Varitek fractured his right elbow
making a brilliant catch on a foul pop. The Red Sox floundered right out of
the American League pennant race without Varitek. Ditto in 2006, when Varitek
underwent knee surgery in August.

如果隊長躺平了紅襪會變怎麼樣？不幸的，之前就已經有兩次慘痛的例子。2001/6/7隊長
在接一顆界外飛球時弄傷了手肘並且動了手術。紅襪之後的戰績慘不忍睹。2006年隊長八
月動膝蓋手術之後的狀況一樣悲慘。

All of that brings up an interesting point. Varitek is entering the final
season of a four-year, $40 million contract that he signed on Christmas Eve
2004.

所有事情都朝向一個有趣的方向發展。今年是隊長在2004年聖誕夜簽的4年40M合約的最後
一年。

The Red Sox clearly have no intentions of letting Varitek walk after 2008. It
will be interesting to see if the club can reach terms on a new deal with
Varitek before the season starts. Agent Scott Boras often advises his clients
not to sign deals until they exercise their right for free agency. But
considering the unique relationship between Varitek and the Red Sox, an
exception could be made. There were indications earlier this offseason that
the sides had at least discussed exploring a new deal.

明顯的，紅襪不會在今年過後放他走。現在就要看看會不會在球季開始前簽下延長合約。
經紀人$cott Bora$老是建議球員不要在季初沒有自由球員資格時去簽延長合約，但是考慮
到隊長在紅襪隊的不可取代性，我們可以預期，紅襪會早早做出行動。

Since 2002, Varitek has been backed up by Doug Mirabelli. The only exception
to that was in the first month of the 2006 season, when the Red Sox dealt
Mirabelli to the Padres, only to reacquire him later.

2002年開始，除了Bard來表演捕逸的那個月外，一直都是貝力爺在當隊長的替補。

Mirabelli is currently a free agent, and it's unclear if the Red Sox will
bring the 37-year-old backup catcher back or look for a younger alternative.
Though Mirabelli remains strong from a defensive standpoint -- particularly
at handling Tim Wakefield's knuckleball -- his offense has declined in the
past few years.

貝力爺現在還是自由球員，現在還不清楚紅襪是否會簽這個37歲的老人或是找個年輕的。
雖然貝力爺防守還是很好─尤其是接老蝴蝶的球方面，但是進攻一年比一年糟。

The one in-house candidate to be Varitek's backup is Kevin Cash, who held his
own while catching Wakefield during Mirabelli's disabled-list stint last
August. Cash was recently re-signed to a Minor League deal. However, Cash is
probably even a step below Mirabelli offensively, but the Red Sox do like his
makeup and defensive ability.

目前球隊中最能當隊長替補的是Kevin Cash，去年貝力爺不在的時候他扛起了接捕老蝴蝶
的任務。他和球隊重簽了小聯盟合約。雖然Cash的打擊連Going Deep都幹不到，紅襪隊還
是需要他的防守。

After acquiring George Kottaras in a trade for David Wells on Aug. 31, 2006,
the Sox were hoping they had themselves a bright catching prospect. But that
hasn't quite materialized yet, as Kottaras has been inconsistent in the Minor
Leagues. He hit .241 with nine homers and 39 RBIs at Triple-A Pawtucket last
season.

前年8/31用胖子換來的Kottaras曾經是紅襪捕手的希望新秀，但是到目前為止還沒成真，
因為Kottaras的表現實在太不穩定。去年在3A的Pawtucket打了.241 9HR 39RBI

With all the uncertainty behind Varitek, it only reinforces how fortunate the
Red Sox are to have him.

在除了隊長外沒有其他確定性下，紅襪真的是很幸運擁有他。

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捕手還是老樣子大問題阿......農場或市場上都找不到合適的人選.......

--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) 
◆ From: 218.167.172.198
推 TsukimiyaAyu:連Going Deep都幹不到!!!!!!!
推 allwin:其實今年隊長的打擊是全隊的大斷層吧！LOB隊長不是浪得虛名
→ ya00216:隊長是對的！
推 MauriceLM:Wow!!  thanks !!
推 albertjet:Cash is Going Deep this year!
推 Carmelo3:除了Bard 不要忘記Javy的歡樂盜壘秀....
推 phoenixtwo:感覺隊長越來越像西武的細川亨..
推 bj26bj:推細川亨XD
→ maxspeed150:但是隊長不會點阿XD
推 phoenixtwo:要點...應該沒有人比細川更專業了
推 warchiefdodo:細川亨:哼哼哼
推 bj26bj:不過細川打框只有G,隊長應該還沒那麼慘吧
推 phoenixtwo:2005細川特殊紀錄...最多犧牲打27次..兩聯盟最多