NoMuzikNo:zilchide

本季第六勝，目前與Webb韋伯並列美聯勝投首位，防禦率3.00~這種輝煌的成績若持續到季後賽前
我實在是無法想像今年將會是多麼精彩的一年，衝吧！

Wang gets Yankees back on track
BY JIM BAUMBACH | jim.baumbach@newsday.com11:48 PM EDT, May 2, 2008

Forget the youth movement with the Yankees' rotation. They need to find a way to clone Chien-Ming Wang.

忘了啥［青年向上運動］吧，洋基真正該做的是，找出方法複製王建民。

With their offense hitting the snooze button and the rest of their pitching staff struggling, Wang has become just about the only sure thing the Yankees have. Imagine for a second where they'd be without him.

打線睡到底，其他先發又常爆，王已經快要變成洋基唯一可信的人了。花一秒鐘想一下，沒了小王，洋基現在在哪？

Against the Mariners on Friday night, Wang allowed only one run, three hits and two walks in six innings, helping the Yankees break their three-game losing streak with a 5-1 win. Wang extended his record to 6-0, leads the American League in victories and notched his 11th straight win when starting after a Yankees loss.

星期五晚上對抗水手的比賽，王投六局失一分，被打三安，兩次保送表現，幫助洋基最終以5-1取勝，並中止三連敗。王的紀錄進展至6-0，領先美聯群倫；值得一提的是，這是王連續11次在洋基敗場之後取勝。

Manager Joe Girardi knocked on his wooden desk when that streak was mentioned to him. He said he didn't know about it, but he clearly wasn't surprised.

有人對吉拉迪提到這個紀錄，他不由得拍了下桌子。他說他不知道有這回事，但他絕對不驚訝。

"We've won 15 games, and seven of those games are his," Girardi said. "So he's been pretty important to us."

吉拉迪表示：「我們贏了15場，有七場是他先發的，他當然重要無比啊！」

Wang was the perfect pitcher to go for the Yankees on Friday night; they were in need of a strong outing almost as much as they were in need of a victory. Wang is 22-6 when he starts after a loss, and the Yankees are 27-7 overall in those games.

王絕對是星期五比賽洋基方的完美先發；畢竟除了要求投手表現好之外，洋基還迫切需要一勝。洋基敗戰之後，王先發的紀錄是22-6，而王面臨這種狀況的總共紀錄是27-7。

The Yankees' offense, with help from the Mariners' shoddy defense, gave Wang a 3-0 lead after two innings. He did exactly what Ian Kennedy couldn't do the night before: make an early three-run lead stand up.

洋基打線靠著水手糟糕的防守幫忙，在前兩局就給了小王三分的優勢。而小王也做到了甘迺迪總統沒做到的：他沒被刺..呃..，他保住了領先。

Hideki Matsui's two-out RBI single to leftfield in the first inning and Melky Cabrera's two-run double in the second was
all the offense Wang and the Yankees needed. Morgan Ensberg's RBI single and Jose Molina's sacrifice fly in the eighth provided a cushion.

馬祖以一局下兩出局後的左外野打點安打，以及牛奶人二局的兩分二壘安就是洋基和小王需要的一切了。至於八局的得分，算是特別招待吧。

Kyle Farnsworth, Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera each threw a scoreless inning to complete the four-hitter.

放火，喬巴，李維拉各投了無失分的一局，比賽也中止在給對方四安的成果。

Wang may not talk too much in the clubhouse, but he's easily one of the most popular players on the team. It's almost as if everyone gets a rise whenever he pitches.

在隊裡王也許話不多，但他很容易變成最受歡迎人物。只要他主投，感覺上所有人都會士氣上升。

"He's our guy," Rivera said.

李維拉說：「他是我們的人物。」

"As soon as we put some runs up, the guys in the bullpen, we know it's going to be a short night and so you better
be ready fast," Chamberlain said.

「只要我們能早早得分，牛棚的人都知道，比賽一定結束得很快，所以最好快點準備好。」喬巴表示：

"You know you're going to be active in the field," Girardi said. "You're going to be moving around, making plays. Players like that."

吉拉迪說：「所有人都知道場上會有點忙碌，會需要到處跑一跑。球員都喜歡這樣。」

That was especially true on an unseasonably cold, breezy night. There was a 16-mph wind blowing from left to right and the temperature was in the mid-40s, so the Yankees were more than happy to be active.

尤其在這種反季節的寒冷夜晚，風在吹，溫度不過40度（華氏），所有洋基人當然更喜歡能動一動了。

The only sign of worry on this night came when Wang called Molina to the mound in the fifth and Molina called Girardi
out. Wang had a cramp at the base of his right thumb, but within seconds, it went away. He pitched the sixth, but Girardi then replaced him with Farns.worth. "We figured it was best to get him out," he said.

今晚唯一值得擔憂的是，第五局王招換補手到投手丘。王的右手大拇指根部似乎有點抽筋，不過很快就好了。他仍然投完了第六局，不過第七局是由方火中繼。吉拉迪說：「我們覺得讓他先下去休息比較好。」

Wang said his hand did not bother him after that lone incident in the fifth.

王之後表示，第五局的狀況並未造成任何問題。

In addition to praising Wang, the Yankees should send a thank-you card to the Mariners for helping out.
Seattle made four errors in the first three innings, and two of the Yankees' runs were a direct result of them.

除了讚美王之外，洋基應該送一張好人...呃...感謝卡給水手。洋基得到的分數，至少有兩分是水手失誤送的。

Derek Jeter scored the first run on Matsui's single, but Jeter was on base only because Yuniesky Betancourt misplayed a routine grounder to his right with one out.

馬祖以的安打讓丁特得了第一分，不過丁特能上壘，靠的是水手失誤。

In the second, Ensberg reached when Adrian Beltre booted his grounder and would have been out on a strike-him-out,
throw-him-out play if Jose Lopez hadn't dropped Jamie Burke's throw. After a single by Alberto Gonzalez, Cabrera hit Erik Bedard's first pitch over third base and down the leftfield line for a two-run double and a 3-0 lead.

第二局水手失誤加上牛奶人的二分二壘打，讓洋基3-0領先。

They weren't the cleanest runs scored, but for a team that came in hitting just .241 (59-for-245) with men in
scoring position, 12th in the American League, they saw it as progress.

分數來得不算乾淨俐落，不過對於得分圈有人的平均打擊率只有241的隊伍而言，至少可以拿個進步獎吧。
（得分圈有人的打擊率美聯第12，靠，美聯才幾支隊伍啊！）

"That's what you have to do," Girardi said, "especially against a guy like Bedard."

「這就是我們該做的，尤其是面對貝達德這樣的對手！」吉拉迪說：

轉載自 PTT/CMWang/rogerli

網址：http://0rz.tw/8142b

大聯盟本季首位第三勝投手，一整個就是爽，還有甚麼能比的上王建民在芬威大展身手更讓人興奮的呢？
我覺得這是他幾年來最精彩的季初表現，今年來破個紀錄吧！！加油！！
PS.補一張照片，這兩個人未免也.......尤其是喬巴這個火球男，那表情未免也太"舒坦"了點吧！

A Stoic Presence Silences the Red Sox
By TYLER KEPNER Published: April 12, 2008
http://tinyurl.com/3orzf9

BOSTON — He has never thrown a no-hitter, like Clay Buchholz, or had a shutdown performance in the World Series, like Josh Beckett. He never captured the imaginations of Yankees fans as an electrifying rookie, like Phil Hughes, and he is not as accomplished as Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte or Curt Schilling.

他不像Buchholz那樣投過無安打比賽，也不像Beckett那樣宰制世界大賽，他也不像Hughes那樣，從菜鳥時期就被賦予期待且充滿想像，他的成就還比不上Mussina、Pettitte，或者是Schilling。

But there is no pitcher in the majors with as many victories as Chien-Ming Wang since the start of the 2006 season. He is efficient and dependable for the Yankees, a quiet, stoic and steady presence in their rivalry with the Boston Red Sox. When the teams met at Fenway Park on Friday for the first time this season, it was Wang who took over.

但王是自2006年球季至今，全大聯盟拿到最多勝的投手。對洋基來說，現在的王不僅有效率而且相當可靠，在與紅襪的對抗上，他的表現沈穩低調，卻非常值得信賴。在週五於芬威球場兩隊本季首次相遇的這場比賽裡，王主宰全場。

Wang pitched a two-hitter in a 4-1 victory before 37,624 fans, the largest crowd at Fenway Park since World War II. Jason Giambi homered for the Yankees and José Molina doubled twice, but Wang was the star.

在二戰以來芬威球場湧進最多觀眾（37624名）的這場比賽裡，王投出兩安打的比賽，帶領洋基贏得4比1的勝利。Giambi為洋基擊出全壘打，Molina也打了兩支二壘打，但是，王才是這場比賽的主角。

“He’s become the ace of our staff, there’s no doubt about it, and tonight he pitched as well as anybody could pitch,” Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman said. “He seems to be refining his repertoire on how to attack hitters, and that’s a great thing. Right now, he’s at the top of his game.”

洋基經理Cashman談到：「毫無疑問，王已經是我們的王牌了。今晚表現絕佳，很難有人可以比他表現更好。他彷彿經過再進化一般，焠煉出更多技巧來攻擊打者，這真是一件好事。現在，他的表現真是太棒了。」

Wang used 93 pitches to silence the Red Sox, who had seen 212 pitches Thursday against Detroit. He faced two batters over the minimum, and for eight and two-thirds innings, Boston’s only hit was a fifth-inning homer by J. D. Drew that just eluded Bobby Abreu at the wall in right-center field.

王只用了93球就封鎖住紅襪的打擊，他們週四晚在面對老虎的比賽裡，可是足足打了212個球。整場比賽王也只面對29位打者--比最低限度多兩個；而在八又三分之二局的比賽裡，紅襪僅僅在五局由Drew擊出唯一的一支安打，那是支恰巧閃過Abreu手套出牆的右外野全壘打。

Coco Crisp added a bunt single with two outs in the ninth, but Dustin Pedroia lined to left to end the game. It was the fourth career complete game for Wang, who is 3-0 so far and 41-13 over the past three seasons. He called this start the best of his career.

九局下兩出局後，Crisp終於又打出一支觸擊安打，但是後續的Pedroia的擊球直飛左外野手手套，結束了這場比賽。這是王生涯的第四次完投，他目前三勝零敗，總結過去三季一共41勝13負。王也覺得這是他生涯目前為止最好的一個開季表現。

“I feel especially good about this one because I threw it in Boston, and before, I didn’t do very well in Boston,” Wang said through an interpreter. “So I think this is my best game so far.”

透過翻譯，王說：「我感覺特別滿意，因為今晚的對手是紅襪，而我過去對紅襪的表現並不好。所以我也覺得這是我目前為止投得最好的一場比賽。」

The Yankees and the Red Sox are known for lengthy games, with pitchers nibbling at the corners of the strike zone, hitters swatting fouls and managers churning through bullpens. On Friday, though, Wang neutralized the Red Sox by pounding the zone with sinkers and four-seam fastballs.

眾所周知基襪大戰總是特別冗長，球投得邊邊角角，打者總是打一堆界外球，而教練也常常動用大批牛棚。然而在週五的這場比賽裡，王靠著他的伸卡球與四縫線速球，讓紅襪的這些動作變成徒勞無功。

“They just didn’t look comfortable,” Giambi said. “Boston is almost an exact mirror team as us — guys who take a lot of pitches, take their walks and do a lot of damage by hitting home runs. He threw a lot of strikes and caught them off-guard.”

「他們看來很不好過，」Giambi說：「紅襪隊幾乎就是我們洋基隊的翻版，我們謹慎選球，靠保送上壘，然後揮出全壘打重擊對手。但王投了很多好球，一一解決了他們。」

Wang came into the game with a 6.17 earned run average at Fenway, largely because of the sluggers Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, who had combined for a .538 average off him. Because of that — and because of the playoff beating he took from the Cleveland Indians last fall —Wang had vowed to change his approach this season.

王過去在芬威球場的表現並不好，防禦率6.17，特別是Ramirez與Ortiz這兩支大棒子合起來打擊率高達五成38。此外，尤其是去年季後賽面對印地安人隊的表現，讓王下定決心本季必定有所改進。

He worked on his slider and changeup in spring training, and though his results were poor then, he used the slider effectively Friday, striking out Ramirez with it in the seventh inning.

春訓時，他特別加強原本表現並不好的滑球與變速球；在週五的比賽裡，他有效地利用滑球在第七局三振了Ramirez。

Wang said he also used more four-seamers than usual, attacking Ortiz with that pitch in the first inning, when Ortiz struck out.His next time up, Ortiz swung at a first-pitch sinker and bounced into a double play.

王提到他比平常用了更多的四縫線速球，用來對付Ortiz，並且在第一局三振了他，而在下一次遭遇時，Ortiz第一球就揮棒，打到了他的伸卡球，造成雙殺。

“We didn't take anything away from him,” the pitching coach Dave Eiland said. “We just added some things to complement him.”

投手教練Eiland說：「我們並沒有改正他什麼，我們只是為他加了點東西，讓他顯得更完整。」

Buchholz, who pitched a no-hitter last September in his previousFenway start, held the Yankees to one hit through four innings. But he walked three in the fifth, and Molina's first double drove in a run.

去年九月在芬威球場先發的Buchholz曾有過無安打的表現，而今晚面對洋基前四局也僅被擊出一支安打。但是到了第五局，他投出三次保送外加Molina的第一支二壘安打，讓他丟掉了一分。

It was a long half-inning, and when Wang returned, he was not sharp. His pitches flattened as his arm angle dropped, and the Red Sox smashed four fly balls. Drew's came with two out and backed Abreu to the warning track.

那半局拖得很長，當王回到投手丘時，狀況有點不穩。他球威盡失，手臂的角度也不對，這一局紅襪就打了四個飛球，包括兩出局後，Drew的飛球讓Abreu退到了警戒區。

Abreu is rarely smooth around walls, and when he leaped, his right shoulder hit the padding on the fence. That brought down his glove a few inches, and Drew's ball grazed the fingertips before landing in the Red Sox bullpen.

Abreu幾乎已經貼著全壘打牆，而當他躍起時，右肩撞到了欄杆。這使得他的手套低了一點，而Drew的飛球就從他的指尖上飛了過去，落到了紅襪的牛棚。

Abreu said he should have made the catch, and he felt bad for missing it. The feeling grew worse as the game went on, the “1” staying stuck in the Red Sox hit column until the very end.

Abreu說他應該可以接到這球的，因此他感到很沮喪。而隨著比賽的進行，眼看紅襪計分版上的安打數始終只有「1」，這種感覺還越來越糟，一直持續到比賽將近結束的時候。

“I saw the innings going and going,” Abreu said. “A lot of things went through my head.”

「眼看著一局一局過去，」Abreu說：「好多想法在我腦海中翻來覆去。」

The Red Sox, meanwhile, rued their missed opportunities in the fifth. Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis had also flied out to Abreu, and Jason Varitek mashed a ball to the warning track in center. But only Drew's went out.

同一時候，紅襪也在懊悔他們沒有把握住五局的機會。Ramirez 與Youkilis的飛球都被Abreu接殺，甚至後來的Varitek也打出中間方向的深遠飛球，但只有Drew的那球夠遠飛了出去。

“There were times in the game when he threw his two-seamer middle, and then it went away and we just got it not quite off the barrel,” Red Sox Manager Terry Francona said. “The game plan was to get it up and stay in the middle of the field, and we did at times. We had nothing to show for it.”

紅襪教練Francona說：「在比賽裡有時候王會投出腰際部位的二縫線球，我們是打中了，但是卻沒辦法把球送出去。計畫是希望把球往上打然後出現落地安打，我們偶而可以做到。但我們今晚沒有表現。」

Buchholz left after six innings with the score tied, 1-1. His replacement was Mike Timlin, who had missed the first 10 games with a lacerated right ring finger. Giambi — 1 for 20 this season, 2 for 17 in his career against Timlin — was the first hitter he faced.

Buchholzw投完六局下場時是一比一平手，然後由傷癒歸隊的Timlin接手，他由於割傷右手無名指，休息了十場比賽。而他面對的第一個打者則是Giambi，本季目前二十個打數只打出一支安打，生涯對戰Timlin也只有17支2的表現。

“I just tried to hit it hard, nothing special,” Giambi said. “I was just trying to put it in play, because I knew he had good success against me.”

Giambi說：「我只是盡力去打，沒什麼特別的。我只是想把球打出去而已，畢竟我也知道Timlin對上我的表現不錯。」

With a full count, Giambi did much better than he hoped. He launched a fastball onto a platform next to the center field cameras, breaking the 1-1 tie.

然而，Giambi的表現比預期還要好。他把一個快速球打上了看台，就在中外野的攝影機旁，打破了一比一的僵局。

It put a lead in the hands of Wang, a pitcher the Yankees are thrilled to have at the front of their rotation, with no apologies.

這帶給王一分領先，而這位洋基極為倚重也無可取代的卓越投手，也沒有讓大家失望。

我只能說，加拿大雖然實力可敬，但未免也太賤了一點！
我老媽用著無比激動的聲音，嘶聲力竭地大喊：我這一生死都不要去加拿大玩了，他們很老肝耶！

總之，中華隊加油
無敵鐵金剛葉君樟和羅國輝是真男人！

09/08/2007 2:30 AM ET
Seeing Joba live a 'blessing' to father
Unable to travel far, elder Chamberlain enjoys son's dominance
By Conor Nicholl / MLB.com

KANSAS CITY -- Harlan Chamberlain started crying.

He had watched his son, Joba, "hundreds of times" in person. He played catch
with him every day when Joba was growing up, watched him in high school and
junior college. He saw him become the ace at the University of Nebraska and
help the Cornhuskers reach the 2005 College World Series.

But he had never seen him like this -- watching him pitch in a Major League
game, live, from the stands. Harlan, who has polio, is confined to a
wheelchair.

He doesn't travel often and has watched his son pitch for the Yankees only on
Major League Baseball's Extra Innings television package. But when Joba and
the Yankees came to Kansas City, Harlan had to make the trip from his
Nebraska home.

And when Joba entered the seventh inning of Friday's game against the Royals
at Kauffman Stadium, Harlan became emotional.

"I will never forget this night," Harlan said. "September 7, 2007. To
actually be here was pretty neat. It was a real blessing."

Joba continued his incredible scoreless streak, tossing two shutout innings.
He allowed just two singles and still hasn't allowed a run in the Major
Leagues. Through 11 appearances, Chamberlain has tossed 14 1/3 scoreless
innings. These two, though, were actually a little bit easier for
Chamberlain.

"We had a tight game going on and it is a situation where I want to be in,"
he said. "Doesn't matter what is going on. It is a big game for us no matter
who we are playing."

About six hours before his son appeared in the game, Harlan pulled into
Kauffman Stadium. Along with family members and friends, Harlan made the
three-hour trip from Nebraska to Kansas City.

He reached Kauffman about four hours before first pitch and spent time with a
Sports Illustrated photo crew, met Yankees manager Joe Torre and talked with
lefty Andy Pettitte's father.

Joba was certainly happy to see his father -- as well as most of the state.
Joba and Royals third baseman Alex Gordon are longtime friends, teammates and
Cornhuskers legends.

In 2005, Chamberlain went 10-2 with a 2.81 ERA and Gordon won the Golden
Spikes Award as collegiate baseball's player of the year.

Neither player knew how many tickets he asked for. Chamberlain couldn't even
estimate the number -- "I haven't even counted; I just put my name and number
next to a list" -- and Gordon received a barrage of phone calls and text
messages asking for tickets.

Because the Cornhuskers football team is traveling this weekend, this
Yankees-Royals series is the must-see event for many Nebraskans. Harlan put
the number of Cornhuskers fans in attendance on Friday night at 10,000.

However, no fan was likely happier than Harlan.

"I think that if you stand, like, 35 feet away, you can probably see his
smile," Joba said with a smile and laugh.

Harlan has always helped Joba. He taught him all he could about pitching.

"What I know about pitching will fit in a thimble; what I don't know will fit
in the Smithsonian," Harlan said.

But Harlan did teach his son one piece of advice -- advice that helped Joba
hone a dominating fastball.

"'If you throw a curveball, I will take you right out,' and he never did,"
Harlan said. "A kid growing up, a curveball is not something that he needs to
be throwing.

Harlan saw Joba take his talent to Nebraska, win 16 games in two seasons and
be picked as a supplemental first-rounder in the 2006 First-Year Player
Draft.

When -- on Aug. 15, 2006 -- his appendix failed, it appeared that Harlan may
not be able to see his son pitch again.

"When your appendix blows up at 54 years of age, there is a lot of other
stuff that happens," Joba said. "When a 21-year-old man's appendix blows up,
you are in and out of the hospital, but when you are a 54-year-old man who
has polio ..."

Harlan's body didn't react well to painkillers. But he kept fighting, didn't
give up. He wanted to continue living -- and continue watching his son play.

"A year later, he is finally back to where he was, and he is finally 100
percent," Joba said.

Harlan could watch his son skyrocket through the Minors. First, there was the
4-0 record and 2.03 ERA in seven starts at Class A Tampa. Then, 66 strikeouts
in 40 innings at Double-A Trenton. Finally, 18 strikeouts and one walk in
eight shutout innings for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

And then the Majors. Harlan watched his son pitch 10 games and throw 12 1/3
shutout innings.

"I knew he would always make it," Harlan said. "I felt in [my heart] that he
would always make it, but to move this fast, it is always surprising. He has
jumped right in and become a part of it, and the rest is history. Now we just
make new history."

Harlan saw on TV the incredible ovations and "Joba, Joba" chants his son
received at Yankee Stadium. He wanted to see his son play in person, and this
weekend offered an opportunity.

When he arrived at Kauffman Stadium, Harlan was greeted by Torre and his
son's teammates. Torre approached Harlan, who extended his hand. Torre asked
Harlan to call him "Joe."

"When each of the players came up and introduced themselves to me, it meant a
great deal to me," Harlan said. "It was indeed an honor to meet [Torre]."

Harlan enjoyed another incredible experience when his son came in to protect
a 3-2 seventh-inning lead. Joba threw 98-100 mph consistently and pitched a
scoreless seventh.

"I understand somebody told me that he hit 100 six times and 101 once,"
Harlan said. "That is bringing [it] up. It amazes me, whether it is Joba, or
[Carlos] Zambrano or [Joel] Zumaya."

In the eighth, Chamberlain faced his former teammate, Gordon, with one out. A
few days ago, Gordon told him to throw him a first-pitch fastball. That is
exactly what happened.

It was 100 mph. Gordon swung and missed.

"I got my first pitch to hit, and I was swinging," Gordon said. "You can't
let those go by against a guy with this kind of talent."

Gordon eventually singled, but Chamberlain finished the inning with no
damage. After Mariano Rivera closed out the ninth, Chamberlain met his dad
and family, capping a night his father would never forget.

Conor Nicholl is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not
subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


你會誤以為自己走進NBA名人堂，當你最近觀看洋基球賽，滿場球迷對著一名壯碩的中繼投手，狂喊「賈霸！賈霸！」而他的姓是張伯倫（Chamberlain），跟那位單場得分破百的NBA傳奇球星一樣。

他就是王建民的新隊友，Joba Chamberlain，八月七日升上大聯盟至今，出賽四場共投六局，只被擊出兩支安打，無失分，送出兩次保送、九次三振，78個投球數，49個好球，自責分率是完美的0.00。先把手套放在投手丘地上，背對本壘板靜默祝禱後，轉身面對大聯盟的最強打者，及滿場「Joba Chant」的奇景。新秀朱馬亞對上洋基打者，一再飆出162.5公里的速球。

賈霸‧張伯倫，這名年僅二十一歲的菜鳥投手，高三才當上先發投手，棒球啟發全靠罹患小兒麻痺的爸爸哈倫．張伯倫速球可達99英哩，刁鑽滑球上看91英哩，甚至比許多投手的速球更快，他的故事更單純、更感人，更讓人哀傷，也讓人更有勇氣。Joba Chamberlain生長於內布拉斯加的林肯市，但他擁有Winnebago印第安保留區的原住民血統，那正是他父親Harlan Chamberlain的原鄉，Joba也是美國原住民有史以來，選秀最高順位的大聯盟新人。

Joba原名Justin，當他兒時，跟著父親回到林肯市北方107英哩的Winnebago保留區，一名牙牙學語的姪子無法正確發音，人前人後叫他「Joba！Joba！」整個家族開起玩笑跟著如此喚他，他不但不以為意，還決心改名，從此他證件上的名字就變成Joba Chamberlain。而今，他已是整個Winnebago保留區的英雄，不時會有族人上來向他要簽名，然而，故事開始卻不見得如此美好。

當Joba還在蹣跚學步時，他的父母就已離異，他的父親Harlan罹患小兒麻痺再監獄工作27年養3口，左半身癱瘓，只能以輪椅代步，張伯倫還是嬰兒的時候，父母親就離婚，哈倫帶著兩個孩子住在只有兩個房間的屋子，一間給女兒住，他和兒子住一間，父子倆同睡一張床。哈倫1991年哈倫有電動摩托車代步，行動更自如，不僅帶兒子去打棒球，還招募其他孩子一起加入。東北高中棒球隊教練柯魯拉還記得，當年幾乎每天都看到哈倫帶著8歲的矮胖兒子到學校打球，後來球隊就讓張伯倫擔任球僮，主客場比賽老爸都會跟著去。



張伯倫第一個工作：洗廁所
張伯倫在高二正式加入球隊，高三才成為先發投手，靠著超重的體型，球速又快又重，因投球局數不多，未受到球探注意。畢業後他沒有和隊友一起念大學，而是選擇到公園管理處上班，每天整理草地，負責清理廁所，每小時支領8美元的薪水。很多人認為張伯倫的棒球生涯走到終點，唯一拒絕接受的是老爸哈倫。張伯倫說：「爸爸總是說我是最好的球員之一，叫我要有耐心。但我從來不相信他所說的，因為他是爸爸，總是會對兒子這麼說。」

從公園清潔人員到大聯盟投手，張伯倫生涯最大的轉捩點是內布拉斯加一所NCAA第二級大學，看過他投球之後，願意提供給他獎學金。張伯倫利用冬天厲行減肥，體重掉了30磅 (約13.6公斤)，變成較適合的225磅 (約102公斤)。之後他轉學到第一級的內布拉斯加大學，擔任兩季的先發投手，去年在新人選秀會在第41順位禮被洋基挑走。

兒子上了大聯盟，最開心的莫過於老爸哈倫，他說：「他不僅是位好球員、好投手，最重要的是，他是個好人。」哈倫以一句話帶出這家人的親密感情，「我從來沒有一天不對孩子們說我愛他們，他們也會每天對我說，愛我。」

Harlan原本是一名監獄管理員，退休後在球場擔任帶位員，他最大的娛樂與成就，就是陪著小Joba玩接傳球。Joba家附近有個棒球場，Harlan在家中準備了足夠的手套及球具，一有機會就召集附近的小朋友打棒球，Harlan則坐在輪椅上當裁判；當沒有球賽時，即使是嚴寒的冬天，「只要不是零下一百度」，他們父子就會到院子裡練習接傳球。

Harlan告訴記者，他沒有辦法用左手，只能用戴著1972年破舊手套的右手，接住兒子的球，然後脫下手套，用右手丟回給Joba；隨著兒子投過來的每一球越來越重，當Joba八歲時，Harlan已經接不住兒子的球。而記者發現，Joba家鋁質的外牆上，有上百個凹洞。棒球似乎是維繫這對父子的主要重心，雖然物質上，他們過得很艱困，Harlan必須靠著典當，才能養活兩個孩子。但Joba認為，父親的際遇與態度，給他很重大的啟發，「他受到某些限制，但是，誰不須面對一些限制？他從未怨天尤人，他接受現實並坦然過活，不像有些人，總是會誇大自己的處境。」

在走進洋基球場前，Joba也非一帆風順，他曾經只是林肯高中籃球校隊的球僮，部分原因是他重達272磅，「他實在太大塊了。」他的高中籃球教練，解釋Joba無法進球隊的原因。而今，他仍然有230磅。但他的命運轉捩點是，有天他接到內布拉斯加大學-康寧市分校教練的電話，要他填補棒球隊薄弱的投手群，打電話給他的棒球隊教練戴伊（Damon Day）說，「當時，我並不知道有天他會變成里維拉的設局投手，我只知道他會投好球，讓打者出局。」

但Joba因為表現優異，被內布拉斯加大學的校隊挖角。2006年，他被洋基以第四十一順位選中，一年內，從1A連跳四級，直衝大聯盟，就連洋基負責農場系統的Mark Newman也說，在他十九年的經驗裡，從未有人一年連跳四級，就算是Jeter也不曾。而今，只要在洋基主場出賽，無論是第幾局，都能聽見五萬人的大合唱：「Joba！Joba！」Joba本人說，這有點瘋狂，但他會盡量讓球迷的熱情，變成他投球的力量。一樣是洋基新人，相較於興奮溢於言表，在休息室滿場飛奔，「似乎想向每一位球星索取簽名」的Shelley Duncan，Joba只是安安靜靜坐在球員休息室裡，彷彿他已經來了一百年，幾乎看不出興奮或緊張；托瑞認為，對於一名新人而言，這是個好現象。


Joba在內州的學弟學妹，正計畫在九月七日到九日之間，當洋基在堪薩斯皇家主場比賽時，到球場為Joba加油，因為堪薩斯是距離Joba家鄉最近的球場。而他的父親Harlan，直至現在都只能透過網路，在MLB.com觀看兒子上場投球，這位不良於行的父親說，他希望等到健康允許、醫生點頭時，能親自前往洋基球場，摸一摸兒子身上的條紋制服。

9/8號這場洋基隊皇家比賽中...洋基以作客方式出戰皇家...JOBA來到了投手丘..依然以99英里的速球壓制皇家...成功完成中繼任務..他的父親HARLAN掉下了第1滴不驕傲的眼淚.....


張爸真的哭了！


參考資料
http://btplus.net/redirect.php?tid=1911346&goto=lastpost
中時部落格.紐約郵報

這廣告不是我在說～真的有夠賤的，但又賤的很好笑！
AT&T這一系列的Dropped Call廣告，主題都是手機收訊不良的窘境
但看到這個結果，洋基迷應該都很HIGH吧！
火箭人那變態的大幅度變化球，實在值得一看再看！

雖然最近幾場比賽，洋基的球員像瘋子一樣一直上演煙火秀，但A-rod總是旁觀者的角色
在經歷了多天連續28個打席沒有全壘打之後～
他成為史上第22位達成500轟的打者，同時榮登最年輕達到此殊榮的球員：32歲又8天！
苦主是剛從國聯轉到美聯來的皇家隊投手Kyle Davies
全場都HIGH翻了～恭喜Alex Rodriguez所締造的輝煌成績，讓我們繼續見證他將在往後創下的驚人創舉吧！
PS.片末著名的A-Rod小卡布阿Q人肉三明治又出現了！他們實在是超可愛的球員！

先看一下同樣曾經在大聯盟打拼，也同為台南人的陳金鋒，對於這次王建民拒訪的看法：


我只能說，以往讓人感覺不太善於言詞的鋒哥～上面訪問的這一席話，真的讓我由衷的尊敬起他來
"我覺得我們每個人都虧欠他(王建民)，因為他今天的成就是他自己去努力來的，可是我們卻分享他的光榮與榮耀"

這句話真的讓我很感動也感觸良多
長久以來，我一直都為生在台灣而感到驕傲
台灣的美景美食和濃厚的人情味，以及自由和繁華，都是讓人很珍惜的地方
但唯一一點讓我感到不齒和羞愧的：就是台灣的糟糕媒體......
為了搶收視率，不斷用灑狗血聳動又混淆視聽的方式來24小時轟炸台灣人的眼睛和耳朵
不守規矩又不報導事實，不崇尚專業也不思進步向上，一窩峰的八卦性格只願意到處道人長短～
一整節新聞往往不但沒有提供視聽者有用的資訊，反而是一堆Gabage in Gabage out的無聊廢物
不但訪問報導時曲解原意，編輯下標題更是胡亂一氣，當中誤植偽物之多，實在讓人很搖頭
更糟糕的是，它們往往都不懂得反省
只要有反彈的聲浪一出現，媒體們就最愛搬出妨礙新聞自由的無恥擋箭牌～
然後若無其事的繼續殘害國民的身心

聯合報TVBS東森中天三立全部都糟糕到一個無法形容的境界
你要說我一竿子打翻一艘船也無所謂
一個品牌的形象是最重要的，一個會讓老鼠屎壞了一鍋粥的媒體該想的應該是如何對自己自律
而不是辯解自己的行為，或是認為那只是一小部分或是一點點錯誤而已
今天的台灣媒體會到達一個像過街老鼠人人喊打的情況～好歹你們也該要有自覺了吧！
看著最近王建民拒絕台灣媒體的系列報導後，我真的是一整個感到絕望
我想沒有自律能力的話那最起碼也要有自省的勇氣吧！這個不是台灣的小學生上課就會學到的東西嗎？
還是說難道我有記錯？

或許媒體又要搬出說，有怎樣的視聽者就有怎樣的媒體
那很好，我就是不看你的新聞不聽你的廣播不讀你的報紙，我也鼓吹我的朋友這樣做！
或許真的要改變這樣的狀況真的要很久的時間，但是我試著這樣做
因為每當我看到記者問著從火場中倉皇逃出的生還者說："你家被這場火勢波及了，那你現在的心情怎樣？"
"某某某，他真的有兩個爸爸，是個養子嗎？"
"現在積水已經到達記者的胸口了(其實他是跪在水裡面)"~聽到這個我的心裡面就一整個度爛！

我堅信有一天，這些爛媒體一定會被人唾棄到抬不起頭來
如果你恰巧是一個媒體工作者看到這篇文章
希望你不符合我上面所提及的任何一項糟糕的形象
若我恰巧幹譙到你，那不好意思，請你自己想一想吧
如果王建民拒絕台灣媒體的這一個打擊還不能敲醒你們
依舊紛紛自慰性的反駁回擊，甚至是踢皮球裝可憐搬出新聞自由和球迷的權益
那我也只能說，身為一個王建民的球迷，我以他為榮，我也以身為一個台灣人為榮
所以我支持他的決定，我並不缺你們的報導，反正那些新聞往往錯誤百出讓人嗤之以鼻～
這樣的話不看又何妨，我寧願查Dr. Eye 看外電英文消息，花多一點時間也值得！

王建民，加油！！

The Yankees extended their win streak to four,courtesy of brilliant pitching by Chien-Ming Wang
王建民今早對抗小魚隊，用了103球奪得本季第九勝，希望今年能夠擁有精彩的紀錄，加油！

我的夢想

愛知縣西春井郡豊山國小   6年2班    鈴木一朗

    我的夢想，就是成為一個一流的職業棒球選手。
    因為這樣，我一定要參加國中、高中和全國大會的比賽。
    為了能活躍於球場，練習是必要的。

    我3歲的時候就開始練習了。
    雖然從3歲到7歲練習的時間加起來只有半年，但從3年級到現在，
    365天裡，有360天都拼命的練球。
    所以，每個禮拜和朋友玩的時間，只有5-6個小時。我想這樣努力
    的練習，一定可以成為職棒球員。

    我打算國中、高中時闖出一番成績，高中畢業後就加入職棒球隊。
    我想加入的球隊是中日龍和西武獅。以選秀制度加入球隊，目標
    契約金1億元以上。我有自信，不管是投球或是打擊。

    去年夏天，我參加了全國大會。
    看了所有的投手後，我確信自己是大會的NO.1，而打擊方面，我在
    縣大會的4場比賽中，打出3支全壘打。
    整個賽程累計打擊率0.583。連我自已都很滿意這個成績。

    然而，我知道棒球不只是光靠一年的成績就可以論輸贏的。
    所以，我會持續地努力下去。

    如果我成了一流的球員，能出場比賽的話，
    我要送招待卷給那些曾經照顧我的人，讓他們幫我加油。
    總之，我最大的夢想，就是成為職棒選手。

下面是老師用紅筆給的評語

擁有一個遠大的夢想，志氣很高真的很棒呢。
只要能以“我的練習不輸給任何人”自豪的話，鈴木君的夢想一定會實現的。加油喔。

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
聽說強者鈴木一朗的背後，有一個偉大的男人，就是他的父親
所以從小的棒球訓練都是父親給他的
恭喜此次日本幾經波折終於獲得第一屆WBC的冠軍
雖然過程中一朗的發言引起許多爭論和聲浪
但他終究利用自己的實力向大家證明了自己的一流身價
今年MLB的賽季繼續加油吧！

  南韓英雄李承燁與太座的合影

  人家都說今年第一屆的世界棒球經典賽
  實在是有夠經典的了，天天都有令人驚 
  奇的比賽!

  先是亞洲區域賽韓國靠著李承燁的全壘
  打一分之差將日本擊敗，夢幻的美國隊
  也在首戰對加拿大輸球，更扯的是前天
  美日大戰發生了疑似主審作掉日本的疑
  義事件，今天更是發生了連南韓教練自
  己都不相信的事情：韓國隊靠著優異的
  守備以及堅強的牛棚陣容，再加上這幾
  場殺紅眼的兩門長程大砲，李承燁與崔
  熙涉的兩隻全壘打，狠狠的賞了號稱
  MLB夢幻陣容美國隊一個7：2的大大耳
  光，真的讓大家都傻了眼！！

  這也讓南韓成為WBC開打以來唯一一支
  五連勝的球隊，當中的最大功臣可以說
  是連續擊出四支全壘打，累計共五支長
  程砲的李承燁沒屬了。
  其實他之前邁向MLB的旅途其實走的並
  不順遂，於是轉往日本發展，然而在這
  次的比賽中他真的是大放光芒，也許賽
  後有希望順利進軍MLB也不一定。

PS. 放這張照片的理由是： 給大家看一下，李承燁的老婆是個大美人喔！！

這張照片真是～哈哈～繼春訓第一場被全壘打震撼教育之後
馬上投出好內容的四次三振，希望能夠在今年球季有突破10勝的好表現，然後千萬別再受傷了
聽說今年的投球姿勢有作改變，好像是出手點變高了有點高壓的感覺
希望sinker球威還是一樣犀利帶有尾勁！王建民加油！！我會守著公視支持你的！

本日背水第四戰紐約洋基主場3:2逆轉勝洛杉磯天使!!


明天關鍵第五戰就看穆帥發威啦!!

希望明天鑽石打線能夠大爆發阿!!!我超想看白襪和洋基大戰~~
只要兩億元打造的黃金陣容棒子發揮起來.....
晉級美聯冠軍戰絕對沒有問題啦!!
A-Rod 該醒醒了喔!!!!



說句實在話我還頗喜歡Joe Torre的

























Experts' Take: Veteran resolve
專家意見:老將建功

YES Network Online
October 9, 2005

Editor's note: Following each playoff game,
YES Network's analysts will dissect the finer points of the game.

Michael Kay

For me, Jorge Posada was the player of the game. Posada is one of the old
guard when we talk about resiliency. In the fourth inning, he had two
caught stealings. He threw perfect strikes to second base, one on Chone
Figgins, and one that got away from him a little bit and he gunned down
Vladimir Guerrero, who ill-advisedly tried to steal second base. Posada
also had three walks, a double and scored the winning run. He had great
base running in that inning - that's always been a knock on Posada - but he
got a great break off third base on Derek Jeter's ground ball to third.
Before that, he took third on the throw home on the Ruben Sierra single.
SEE YA KAY說
對我來說 Jorge Posada是這場球賽的MVP 當我們談到反彈力
他是球隊裡的老守衛之一 在第四局 他抓到兩次盜壘
他完美地傳球到二壘 一次抓到Chone Figgins 讓他出局
一次是Vladimir Guerrero有欠考慮試圖盜向二壘
Posada在進攻上 有三次被保送 一支二壘安打 而且還跑回勝利的一分
在Derek Jeter擊出三壘方向滾地球時 他掌握了很好的離壘時機
在那之前 當Ruben Sierra打出一壘安打時 他衝了三個壘包回到本壘

This series is not tied at 2-2 because the Angels have run wild on the base
paths. Jorge Posada has done a great job in his three starts.
這個系列要不是天使隊run wild on the base paths(這這這...看不懂) 不會被追平
Jorge Posada在他的三次先發中已經完成偉大的工作

I thought that in Game 4, the advantage went to the Angels because with
the rainout, they had their bullpen in full gear. Now that it's going to
Game 5, Mike Mussina has five days of rest between starts -- the advantage
goes to the Yankees.
我認為在Game 4時 優勢在天使這邊 因為下雨延賽 讓他們的牛棚又重新加滿油
現在進入Game 5 Mike Mussina在先發間有五天休息  優勢跑到洋基這邊

The Angels have to be looking at this and saying, "We let a sleeping giant
get up." They had a chance to kill them and they couldn't do it. In a short
series like this, one quick victory turns things around.
天使隊必須要注意這個說法 "我們讓沉睡的巨人甦醒"
他們本來有很好的機會宰了他們 但他們並沒有做到
在像這樣的短系列賽中  一個快速的勝利會改變些事情

Another thing that sends a red flag to me is that the Angels said Bartolo
Colon could not pitch in Game 4 under any circumstance. If he wasn't able
to pitch on normal rest Sunday, what would make them think he'd pitch any
better with another day of rest?
對我來說另一個值得注意的是關於天使隊說Bartolo Colon在任何情況下都不會在
Game 4上場  如果他沒辦法在正常休息的星期天上場(應指已投一休四)
那麼他們憑什麼認為多一天休息 會投得比較好

David Justice

Ruben Sierra is a guy who has a lot of experience. Sitting on the bench, he
has one opportunity to do something good for the team, and he comes through.
The fact that he's a switch hitter with some power makes him very valuable
to this ball club. Opposing teams can't match up against him.
Ruben Sierra是一個很有經驗的傢伙  平時坐板凳待命  他上場就要掌握機會
為球隊做出貢獻  他很有爆發力 是個扭轉情勢的打者 他對球隊很有價值
對方無法壓制他

Plus, he's a very good fastball hitter and he's not a wild swinger. He can
be patient. In his pinch-hit at-bat, he got a pitch over the middle of the
plate that he could handle, and hit the line drive. Earlier in the year,
when he was out with the hamstring problem, it affected the Yankees.
Now that he's back, the job that he can do, not many players can do it.
此外 他是個快速球打者 他不是個狂野揮擊者 他可以有耐心
當他代打時他挑了個他可以處理本壘板中間位置的球 打成穿越安打
在今年早些時間 當他有hamstring問題 那影響洋基隊
現在他回來了  他可以做到的 並不是很多球員可以做到的

In Game 5, both teams expected this series to go this far, so I don't see
an advantage either way. But because Mike Mussina had the one good outing,
and then the bad outing where he went one inning, he has a short leash.
If Joe Torre doesn't like what he sees early on, he will pull him. Aaron
Small is rested; he could be the first man out of the bullpen.
在Game 5 兩方都走到這步 因此我不認為哪邊有優勢
但是因為Mike Mussina會有一場好球 下一場忽然一場大局 他要拉緊皮帶
如果Joe Torre早先看到他不喜歡的現象 他會把他拉下來
Aaron Small 已經休息過了 所以他會是從牛棚出來的第一個人

Everyone is available. Randy Johnson could be a guy you use for one inning.
The last thing Joe Torre is going to do is say he's unavailable. Johnson
could enter the game in whatever the situation calls for.
每個人都可以 上去投球
Randy Johnson也是可用一局的人
Joe Torre最後一件要做的事是說 RJ不能投Game 5
因為他要投 現在這個狀況下 大家所期望的下一場比賽
(嘿嘿嘿 大家都知道Torre指的是什麼吧...)
-----------------------------------------------

轉載自PTT/NY-Yankee/rresonance文章(感謝!!)

整個帥ㄚ!! 雖然球隊輸球...但是投球內容依然令人激賞!!加強季後賽經驗，明年肯定站穩先發啦!! 
王建民的中文簽名!!

 

連結封王的那一刻!!

精采的雙殺守備
無奈....

六局下半，一出局滿壘，球數一好兩壞，
然後：
      就是這一球！令人扼腕...
     (再怎麼看都是好球說...) (╯‵__')╯  ～ ┴─┴
     (兩好兩壞變成一好三壞！)

最後保送，擠回一分...Orz
 
來自 New York NYYFans.com Message Board 球迷的 Art Collections (Part.1) 
來自 New York NYYFans.com Message Board 球迷的 Art Collections (Part.2)

Bombers leading with their Chien
Rookie tries on Red Sox for size

BY ANTHONY McCARRON
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

John Cox had watched Chien-Ming Wang pitch twice in a college tournament
in Taiwan, but the scout was supposed to fly to Osaka, Japan, before
the end of Wang's tournament to look at accomplished Japanese prospects.
But Wang's smooth delivery, his "big, great body," and the way he got
stingier when runners reached base tugged at the Yankees' Pacific Rim
scout and he stayed to watch the righthander finish the tournament.

John Cox當年來台灣看了王建民在春季聯賽的兩場比賽，而在聯賽結束前，他原
本應該是要飛到大阪觀察日本的新秀。但是因為王建民那順暢的投球動作、高壯
的身材，以及壘上有人時他沈著的態度，使得洋基球探對他產生濃厚的興趣，並
留下來看完王建民在聯賽的比賽。

"I said the hell with it, I'll see those other guys another time.
Thank God I did," Cox says now, chuckling.

「我當時心裡還咒罵這麼一來還得另外找時間去日本一趟」「謝謝老天爺，幸好
我那時留下來了」Cox笑著這麼說。

Wang pitched tremendously and Cox knew the 6-foot-3, then-20-year-old
could be a prospect. In one sequence, his teammates made two errors
behind him, with Wang's Physical Education College team in Taipei,
clinging to a 1-0 lead. Wang struck out the next two hitters to
escape. His fastball had been clocked most of the game at 88-90 miles
per hour. During the threat, he threw several at 94, Cox says.

王建民當時投的非常好，Cox馬上知道這個6呎3吋，即將滿20歲的小伙子極具潛
力。Cox說，有一場比賽，王建民北體的隊友發生了兩次失誤，當時，球隊僅僅
以1：0領先，而他馬上三振了接下來的兩位打者，解決了那個危機。當時，他的
快速球一般大約在88～90英哩間，但是面對危機，他卻投出好幾球94英哩的速球。

Afterward, Cox followed Wang out to the parking lot to get a better
look at him. "I can't speak to him, but I'm going to get up closer,
see how big his hands are, see how big he really is. I'm thinking,
'Wow, this is better than I thought,' " Cox recalls. Wang was bigger
than pretty much every other player at the tournament. Cox asked
Gordon Blakeley, then the Yankees' director of international scouting,
to scout Wang's next start in three days. About a month later, after
some international intrigue, Wang was a Yankee.

後來，Cox為了好好的觀察王建民，於是在賽後跟著他到了外頭的停車場，Cox
回憶道：「我雖然無法和他交談，但我想要更近距離的看看他的手有多大、身材
有多壯，親眼見到之後，我當時想『哇，這甚至比我想的還要更好』」。王建民
比當時聯賽中其他的球員都更高大。Cox要求後來的洋基太平洋區球探主管Gordon
Blakeley在三天後王建民的再次先發時來看看他的投球，一個月之後，經歷了一
場國際性的搶人大戰，王建民最後穿上了洋基的球衣。

Fast-forward five years and one shoulder surgery later and the
25-year-old Wang is unexpectedly one of the most vital members of the
Yankee pitching staff. Summoned out of the minors in April as the Yanks
tried to patch up an ailing rotation, Wang has become perhaps their
most consistent starter and wowed his teammates with his soft-spoken
poise.

我們把時間快速推移到五年後以及中間經歷一次肩膀手術的現在，25歲的王建民
，在所有人都沒有預期到的情況下，成為洋基先發投手群中最重要的一個角色，
為了填補洋基殘破的先發投手陣容，他在今年四月從3A被召上大聯盟，目前不僅
或許是已成為陣中最穩定的先發投手，也讓隊友們對他優雅冷靜的態度大表讚嘆。

The Yankees still have injury problems among their starters, so Wang
figures to be just as important in the second half of the season and
could challenge for the American League's Rookie of the Year award.
Joe Torre tabbed him to start the Yanks' second game after the All-Star
break, Friday at Fenway, in the cauldron of the Yankee-Red Sox rivalry.

洋基的先發投手群仍然為傷所困中，所以預料王建民下半季時在陣中的角色將一
樣的重要，甚至還有機會角逐今年的美聯新人王。Torre已經排定他在明星賽後
的第二場比賽先發主投，將在本週五於強大的壓力下在Fenway球場對上紅襪隊。

While Wang's teammates know plenty about his ability, several said they
know little about him. Wang spends most of his clubhouse time alone,
sitting at his locker when he is not working out. Wang's first language
is Mandarin, but he has worked on his English and is confident enough
to both conduct a brief interview with a reporter and communicate with
catchers about pitching mechanics and game situations.

儘管他的隊友清楚他在場上所具備的能力，但也表示對於私底下的王建民瞭解並
不多。沒出賽時，他在休息室裡多數都是獨自坐在衣物櫃旁。王建民的母語雖是
中文，不過他正在努力加強英文能力當中，目前他已經有自信能夠以英語回答記
者的訪談，在場上時也能夠和捕手溝通投球動作以及場上的狀況。

"I don't really know much about him," said catcher John Flaherty. "But
the communication factor has not been an issue with him if you talk
slowly. Off the mound, though the conversations aren't intense. You can
joke around with him. He's a good teammate."

洋基捕手Flaherty表示：「我對他瞭解的並不多」「雖然在場下他的話不多，不
過如果講的慢一些，跟他溝通並不會是一個問題，你還可以開他的玩笑，是一個
很好的隊友。」

Wang nearly didn't become a Yankee, which is where the international
intrigue comes in.

在當年那一場國際爭奪戰中，王建民差一點就不是今天你我都知道的洋基人。

Before he completed his deal, Wang was sitting in his home in Tainan,
Taiwan, wearing a Seattle Mariners cap. His parents wore Mariner caps,
too. The Mariners are the only team with an area scout in Taiwan,
according to Seattle's director of Pacific Rim operations, Ted Heid,
and they were confident they were going to sign the pitcher they began
following in high school, long before other teams.

就在交易即將底定前，王建民坐在台南家中時已經是帶著水手隊的帽子，甚至連
他的雙親也是。水手隊是唯一在台灣設有球探的球隊，據水手隊太平洋區球探事
務的主管Ted Heid說，他們當時很有把握即將要簽下王建民，他們從他高中時就
一直追蹤注意這個投手，比其他球隊早了很多。

Eight other teams were interested, including the Dodgers, the Braves
and the Red Sox, but they shied away when they heard about the Mariners'
offer, which Heid says "was on the north side of one million, by quite
a bit." But while Wang seemed ready to join the Seattle organization,
his first agent wasn't done shopping around.

當時還有另外八支球隊對王建民有興趣，包含了道奇、勇士、紅襪等，但在他們
聽到Heid提出的價碼至少在一百萬美元以上後就陸續退縮了，就在王建民看來已
經準備成為水手的一員時，他那時的第一個經紀人卻並未停止推銷阿民。

"There were other teams that had scouted him, but no one else was close,
" Heid says. "We thought we had him done. While we were close, the
agent got involved and said (to the Yankees), 'Here's the Mariners'
offer, can you beat it?'

Heid說：「當時還有其他球隊也在注意他，但沒人像我們那麼接近他」「我們認
為我們已經得到他了，就在那時，他的經紀人介入了這件事，並且告訴洋基：『
這是水手隊出的價碼，你們能不能比他們高？』」

"Gordon (Blakeley) made it clear that he wasn't going to lose this guy.
We knew we couldn't compete, so we bowed out gracefully and flew home.

「Gordon（洋基球探主管）很明確的表示他一定要得到王建民，我們知道我們無
法爭的過洋基，於是我們只有退出這場爭奪戰」。

"It's a classic, the Yankees win. And my hat's off to them."

「這是很典型的結果，就是洋基獲勝，而我們只能在一旁託帽致敬。」

The Yankees say they signed Wang for $1.9 million, though Heid says
the package that beat the Mariners was closer to $2.12 million,
including money for Wang's education. Originally, Cox thought the
Yankees could get Wang for $1 million.

洋基表示他們花費了190萬美元簽下王建民，不過Heid說洋基最後擊敗對手的全
部價碼大約接近212萬美元之譜，包含支付王建民的全部學費。但Cox原先認為洋
基約只需100萬美元就可以得到王建民了。

"To be honest," Heid says, "he's a much better pitcher now than I
ever projected. He commands both sides of the plate with his two-seam
fastball. We thought he'd just be a guy with a slider, but he's been
better than that. He's taken advantage of his opportunity because of
his poise."

Heid表示：「老實說，王建民比我看過其他任何的新人都來的更好，他能把他的
two-seam速球控在好球帶的兩側，我們原先以為他大概是個不錯的slider投手，
但他似乎比那還要更好，而因為他冷靜的特質，讓他在機會來臨時更加具有優勢
」。

Wang's poise is the first thing that Torre and Flaherty talk about.
Flaherty worked almost exclusively with young pitchers while catching
for Tampa Bay and says Wang's cool is unusual and helps him make
adjustments if he struggles early in a game.

王建民的冷靜是Torre和Flaherty在談到他時最先提到的一點。Flaherty還在Tampa
Bay當捕手時，專門與年輕投手配合，他說王建民的冷靜實在是非常的少見。假如
比賽不久王建民就陷入困境，他總是幫王建民迅速的調整狀況。

"I don't think people realize how difficult that is for young pitchers,
" Flaherty says. "Even if his stuff isn't good, he can compete. That's
something you see a veteran, like (Mike) Mussina, do."

Flaherty說：「我不認為其他人知道這對一個年輕投手來說有多困難」「即使他
狀況不佳，還是能夠與對手周旋，這是像Mussina這樣的老手才做得的到的事」。

Wang says he doesn't know where the calm comes from. "I just think of
pitching," he says. "If you give up a hit, you think of the next batter
and try to get him out."

王建民說他不曉得他冷靜的特質是因何而來，「我腦中只想著投球」「如果被打
出安打，我想的就是如何解決下一個打者」。

Perhaps he's unfazed because he has pitched on big stages. As a member
of Taiwan's national team, he has pitched with an entire country
watching. Lawmakers recently urged citizens to E-mail the Yankees and
ask for Wang to remain in the rotation when injured pitchers return.

也許是因為他曾歷經一些大比賽使得他毫無所懼，做為中華隊的一員，他經常都
是在全台矚目的情況下投球。最近，台灣的立法委員還發起一人一信給洋基的活
動，要求當洋基陣中那些受傷的投手回來時，也能讓王繼續留在大聯盟的先發輪
值中。

"The times he pitched on the national team, the games were on TV and
everyone there was watching," says Wang's current agent, Alan Chang.
"The whole country is proud of him."

王建民現在的經紀人Alan Chang說，「每次他代表中華隊出賽時，每個人都會盯
著電視上的轉播」「全國民眾都以他為榮。」

"The time difference between here and there is 12 hours, so when he
pitches for the Yankees at 7 p.m., the games are on television in the
train stations. People are late to work on the days he starts."

「台灣和紐約兩地的時差是12小時，當王建民在紐約時間當地下午七點出賽時，
正是台灣的上班時間，人們為了看他出賽的轉播而遲到。」

Wang thought he'd spend his entire career in Taiwan. Playing in the
pro league at home was all he wanted when he started playing
competitively at 11. "But I signed with the Yankees and I liked the
style of American baseball," Wang says. "My college coach told me the
Yankees were America's top team."

王建民以前認為他的一生將在台灣度過，當他11歲開始投球時，唯一的企盼就是
將來能在台灣的職棒舞台出賽，「但當簽約來到洋基後，我發現我很喜歡美國的
棒球文化」「我大學的教練告訴我洋基是美國最頂尖的球隊」王建民這樣說。

That started him on the odyssey that has him in the majors. He missed
the entire 2001 season because of shoulder surgery, something that
shocked most in the organization, given his clean and easy delivery.
He also had a shoulder strain in 2003.

這也讓他開始踏上追求大聯盟的漫長旅途。因為肩膀動手術，讓他錯過2001年一
整年的球季，這件事同時也震驚了球團許多人，但手術結果卻在未來讓他能更俐
落、輕鬆的投球；而在2003年時，他也經歷過肩膀的拉傷。

But he overcame the injuries to be in a position to help the Yankees
when they needed it. Now he's easing into life as a Yankee. He had his
wife of nearly two years, Chia-Ling Wu, live in an apartment in New
Jersey. Asked if he's adjusting, he says, "Sometimes when you're
driving, you get lost."

但他戰勝了手術，在洋基需要他的時候，在先發陣容裡佔有一席之地。現在，他
更融入在洋基的生活，結婚將近兩年，他目前和老婆吳嘉玲住在New Jersey的公
寓中，被問到他是否已經適應這一切，他回答：「開車有時會迷路啦...。」

Wang often relaxes by watching DVDs. "Scary movies," he says, smiling.
On a recent Yankee off-day, he and his wife went to Times Square. "It
reminded me of Taiwan," he says.

王建民通常都是藉著看DVD來放鬆自己，「主要是驚悚片」，他笑著說。在休息
日時，他和他美麗的老婆會來到紐約的時代廣場，王建民說：「因為這裡讓我想
起台灣」。

"Being in New York, he's starting to feel more comfortable," says Neil
Allen, the Yankee bullpen coach who was Wang's pitching coach last year
at Triple-A Columbus. "I think when he first came over here, he might
have been lonely. But years have gone by, his English has gotten better
and there are so many different cultures in New York.

洋基的牛棚教練，同時也是去年王建民在3A時的投手教練Neil Allen說：「在紐
約，他已經覺得越來越自在舒服了」「我想，當他第一次來到這裡時可能會覺得
寂寞，不過這麼多年過去了，他的英文也越來越好了，而且在紐約有那麼多不同
的文化匯集。」

"If you can come through Norwich, Connecticut and Tampa and Columbus,
this is a cakewalk."

「如果你能一路熬過Norwich、Connecticut、Tampa、Columbus，那在這裡不會有
什麼問題的。」

Originally published on July 13, 2005