[ Does Anyone Still Doubt That Wang Is an Ace? ]

還有人懷疑阿民不是王牌嗎?
By Tyler Kepner

New York Times 專欄作家 Tyler Kepner 在阿民2安完投勝紅襪後寫了這篇文章.
(給它翻了一下)


Since Chien-Ming Wang lost twice in the division series last season, there's been a curious notion floating around among fans that he is not an ace. After Friday’s two-hitter in a 4-1 victory over the Red Sox, are there any doubters left?

自從王建民在去年首輪季後賽中吞下兩敗後, 球迷間就一直存在著王建民是否算得上王牌的爭論, 然而在週五2安打完投勝紅襪後, 還有人懷疑嗎?

When you mention pitchers like Johan Santana, Roy Halladay, Jake Peavy, Josh Beckett and C.C. Sabathia, you really ought to mention Wang. He is in their class.

當提到像 Johan Santana、Roy Halladay、Josh Beckett 和 C.C. Sabathia 這樣的投手時, 你不應該漏掉王建民, 他和他們同一個等級.

"If you think about it, why wouldn’t you?" Derek Jeter said. "He won almost 20 the last couple of years. People want to judge him on strikeouts. The bottom line is he gets people out."

Derek Jeter說: "如果你想過這個問題, 你不該忽略他?", "他過去兩年幾乎都拿了20勝, 人們認為他三振能力差. 但他總是能讓對手出局."

Since the start of the 2006 season, Wang is 41-13 with a 3.54 earned run average. No pitcher has as many victories. He has demonstrated a desire to diversify his repertory, to throw more sliders and four-seamers, and maybe a few changeups (though he threw none Friday).

從2006年球季起, 王建民交出了41勝13敗, 防禦率3.54 的成績, 沒有任何投手能拿下這麼多勝投, 他展現了使球路多樣化的企圖, 投更多的滑球和四縫線直球, 也投了少量的變速球 (儘管在週五比賽中並沒投變速球).

This is something Wang can do. Sal Fasano, who caught him in the minors, used to rave about how readily Wang mastered new pitches. Remember, Wang did not even throw a sinker when the Yankees signed him in 2000, and now his sinker is one of the best in baseball.

這就是王建民的能耐. 在小聯盟和王建民搭配過的捕手 Sal Fasano, 曾大力讚揚王建民能毫無困難的練就新球種, 別忘了, 2000年洋基簽下他時, 王建民甚至還不會投伸卡球, 而現在, 他是全聯盟最佳伸卡球投手之一.

"I feel very good when he goes out there, because you know he’s not going to beat himself," Manager Joe Girardi said. "He’s going to give guys an opportunity to make plays behind him, he’s going to locate, and he’s going to be down in the zone. He doesn’t walk people and he doesn’t usually have high pitch counts. You feel very comfortable."

總教練 Joe Girardi 說: "每當他上場時, 我感到相當放心, 因為你知道他不會被輕易打敗," "他讓隊友的守備來完成出局數, 他控球精準, 壓低球路, 他不保送對手, 而且他用球數一直很精簡, 看他投球讓人覺得舒服."

That is how teams are supposed to feel when a true ace starter takes the mound.

這就是真正的王牌在投手丘上時, 他的隊友會有的感受.

(轉載自 New York Times, 原文連結)


阿民是不是王牌?
相信台灣人如我一般從未懷疑, 就算洋基能買到山塔那也不會改變!