Mailbag: It's crunch time in baseball Beat reporter Jim Street answers Mariners fans' questions By Jim Street / MLB.com The final month of the regular season has arrived, and the Mariners need some good karma the rest of the way to reach the playoffs for the first time since their 116-win season in 2001. 最後一个月，是好是坏都是看这个月 The roster has been enhanced with some additions from the Minor Leagues, and that could lead to some decisions as to the makeup of the 2008 team. Hang on for the stretch run and keep sending in those questions that you want answered. We'll do our best to respond to as many as possible. 球员名单也随扩编名单增加，让猪头麦有更多机会让新人坐板凳 I've recently been looking at the expanded standings and noticed the elimination number. How exactly do you figure that out? -- Kara M., Richland, Wash. 谜样的数字怎麽算？ When determining the elimination (or magic) number, remember that each game actually counts as two. In other words, if the first-place team wins a game and the second-place team loses a game on the same day, the elimination and magic numbers would have a two-game swing. As of Saturday morning, the Angels had an 80-54 record and the Mariners were 73-60. If the Mariners won their remaining 29 games, they would finish with a 102-60 record. The Angels would have to win 23 of their remaining 28 games to finish with a 103-59 record. Therefore, the Mariners' elimination number is 23 -- any combination of Angels wins and Mariners losses totaling 23 would mathematically eliminate Seattle from the American League West playoff race. 剩下的赛程，假如长翅膀全败，我们全胜还追不到的话 那个数字就是谜样数字 Can a Major League Baseball team request a new team of umpires? It seems with the questionable calls during the recent Mariners-Angels series, all the hoopla surrounding corrupt referees in basketball and bad football calls during the Super Bowl with the Seahawks, that it's rather suspicious. -- Mike V., Seattle 裁判如果不公平，可以要求换到整组吗？ MLB teams can request just about anything, and there have been occasions when a particular umpiring crew would not work games the requesting team plays. But those are rare occurrences. Game officials are assigned by MLB, and more times than not, they do an excellent job. Don't read anything more into the recent "questionable" calls than the fact that umpires make mistakes, just like the players. However, the umpiring crew that worked the Mariners-Angels series made more "questionable" calls than usual and did not seem to be at the top of their game. That was unfortunate, because it was such an important series and it deserved better. 就像7-11赠品一样，一次想要换到整组是不容易的 I watch nearly every game on MLB.TV and any broadcast that airs here in Arizona of the Mariners, but I somehow missed the origin of the "rally fries." I was hoping you could clue me in on how and when this came about this season. Thanks. -- Christopher C., Tucson, Ariz. "rally fries."是个啥东西？ During a TV broadcast earlier in the season, the cameras showed a fan dropping his French fries while trying to catch a foul ball. Mike Blowers, a former player and now a TV analyst for the Mariners, sent the fan a replacement order of fries. Fans began showing up with "rally fries" signs, and the Mariners would seem to score in the innings the fries were delivered, thus the "rally fries" name. （其实我这个乡民也是看热闹的，这个真的看不太懂） How do you see Adam Jones and Wladimir Balentien fitting in with the Mariners in 2008, and what does that mean for Raul Ibanez and Jose Guillen? Also, does Mike Morse have a future with the Mariners, or is he an "AAAA" player? -- Dave N., Kent, Wash. AJ跟Balentien未来是否可以当任大副跟二副？ The future for Adam Jones is extremely bright, and I would expect him to be in the lineup next season. But the question is: where? The Mariners currently are discussing a contract extension with Guillen, who has proven himself this season to be sound of body and mind. He has emerged as a go-to guy in the lineup and the clubhouse, so look for Guillen to return in '08. AJ未来一定是大副，不过要取决於现在这两个要不要下船 Ibanez is signed through the '08 season and will make $5.5 million in the final year of his contract. And you know all about Ichiro Suzuki, who will be in center field for at least the next five seasons. Balentien might have to spend one more season in the Minor Leagues before getting his first MLB shot, or he could be involved in a trade that could land the Mariners a young starting pitcher. As we all know, there is no such thing as an "AAAA" level, and Morse would be a nice addition for a team that needs outfielders. Unfortunately for him, the Mariners aren't one of those teams. Balentien的话很有机会当二副 虽然他已经都有掌船的技巧，不过要有爱！ Morse目前看起来就是谈判筹码，没办法 一台船只能永远都只能有一个船长、一个大副、一个二副 （不过倒是需要很多苦力 XD） If a batter asks for and is granted a timeout and the pitcher follows through with his pitch and hits the batter, is the batter given first base? -- Loren E., Yakima, Wash. 要求暂停动作时，如果投出死球算吗？ Nope, because time had been called; the "pitch" doesn't count. It may hurt for a little while, but the batter must get back in the batter's box and continue his at-bat. 如果暂停了，当然不算，只能算打者衰 Which Mariners are up for free agency at the end of the season? With that, who are some possible free agents we could be looking at who would be a good fit for the ballclub? -- Brian W., Ephrata, Wash. 猪头B的明年会找谁上船？ Guillen is the only position player that could become a free agent at the end of the season, but negotiations on a contract extension are ongoing. As far as the pitchers are concerned, right-handed starter Jeff Weaver figures to return to the free-agent market, along with right-handed reliever Rick White. It's too early to tell who the Mariners might pursue in free agency, but don't expect a potential top-of-the-rotation pitcher to be available. 桂莲应该是最近的目标，织织国王排在後面 （棍，怎麽都没有大牌的排队） Do you think prospect Brandon Morrow may become a starter for the Mariners? And if he does, by when do you think it will happen? -- Brandon E., Woodinville, Wash. Morrow会转当SP吗？ Morrow was both a starter and reliever at the University of California-Berkeley. The Mariners envision him as a future member of the starting rotation and that could happen as soon as next season. But before that happens, a quality setup right-handed reliever to bridge the late-inning gap to closer J.J. Putz must be found. If Mark Lowe can come back strong from elbow surgery, that would allow Morrow to move into the rotation. 只要Mark Lowe回来，Morrow就会转，因为我们要找个人保护丁丁 What time does Game 1 of the Sept. 26 doubleheader against the Indians begin? -- Steven C., Las Vegas 为啥9.26要跟笑脸人打两场 The opener is scheduled to start at 4:05 p.m. PT, with the nightcap beginning 30 minutes after the first game. 因为我们开季玩雪玩得太开心！ What's up with Jose Lopez? Last year, he was an All-Star, but this year, his offensive numbers have decreased. Should Mariners fans be concerned now and/or for the future? -- Aiden E., Bethesda, Md. Lopez今年怎麽了？ You aren't the only one asking that question, and no one seems to have the answer. Lopez seemed to get fatigued in the second half of last season, so efforts have been made to give him more rest this year. His decision-making on certain plays recently also have been baffling, to say the least. For the team to be as good as it can be, Lopez has to turn it up a notch or two, because he is a better player than he's shown. But remember, Lopez is still young -- he'll be 24 in November -- and playing in pressure games in September should help him down the road. 他才24岁，让他慢慢适应吧 不是每个人都可以像是王建民没神经 There have been whispers about Seattle being a dark horse for Alex Rodriguez's next team. Can you see this happening? -- Zachary G., West Linn, Ore. Arod有可能回来吗？ Not a chance. So whomever is whispering that to you, tell them to stop. Rodrigu ez will never play another game for the Mariners. Period. 目前看来不太可能 Can you give me the reason why the letter "K" is used to define a strikeout? -- George P., Coeur d' Alene, Idaho K跟倒K有啥不同？ The "K" comes from a scoring system devised by New York journalist Henry Chadwick in the 1860s. Since he had already used the letter "S" to indicate a sacrifice, he chose the most prominent letter in strike for a strikeout. A backward "K" is used for a called third strike. 就是拿香跟挥空，反正都要死 --

※ 发信站: 批踢踢实业坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 218.175.50.101