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. 捕手都到哪里去了？球探和高层不停寻找，急切的想要增加这个棒球场上不可或缺位置的 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. 缺少年轻优秀捕手的问题没有马上显现出来，因为红袜很幸运的有一个耐操好用的队长。 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. 春训时，队长将会迎接他当红袜主战捕手的第十年，在红袜的第十一年。 Offensively, Varitek has been better in some years than others. Defensively, he's been a difference-maker every year. 进攻上，队长有几年表现突出。防守上，他每年都为球队带来了改变。 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，当红袜赢向四年内第二个世界大赛冠军时，帅哥GM找到了队长的特殊定位。 "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." "他是一个将带领投手优先於攻击的好捕手，是球队的一大助力。他就像是防止对方进攻的 司令塔。"帅哥GM说。"他拥有资讯，也是个执行者。这对我们帮助很大" 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. 在队长带给这支球队的所有帮助中，最重要的是他在赛前的准备。他会认真翻阅所有打者的 资料，而且和球探及先发投手分享。 "Trust 'Tek" might as well be a team motto, because it's one that virtually every Boston pitcher follows. "相信队长"已经是队上的座右铭，因为这是每个队上的投手遵行的一句话。 A sturdy physical presence, Varitek also remains as one of the best in the game at blocking the plate and preventing wild pitches. 队长强壮的身体让他还是联盟中最会在本垒上阻挡跑者和暴投的捕手。 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. 如果想要对他的防守挑毛病，那就是他在2001年动手肘手术後就不见的阻杀能力。 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，队长还是一个可以把球打得很远的左右开弓打者。 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. 队长今年打了.255，17支全垒打还有68分打点，而且常常在需要的时候打出长打。 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现反差太大。事实上，因为在本垒後方的劳累，这是他无法避 免的。 In 2007, Varitek hit .279 before the All-Star break and .222 after. 明星赛前打了.279但是之後却只有.222 But in the World Series, Varitek hit .333 and drove in five runs. 但是在世界大赛中，队长打了.333而且有5分打点。 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. 如果队长躺平了红袜会变怎麽样？不幸的，之前就已经有两次惨痛的例子。2001/6/7队长 在接一颗界外飞球时弄伤了手肘并且动了手术。红袜之後的战绩惨不忍睹。2006年队长八 月动膝盖手术之後的状况一样悲惨。 All of that brings up an interesting point. Varitek is entering the final season of a four-year, $40 million contract that he signed on Christmas Eve 2004. 所有事情都朝向一个有趣的方向发展。今年是队长在2004年圣诞夜签的4年40M合约的最後 一年。 The Red Sox clearly have no intentions of letting Varitek walk after 2008. It will be interesting to see if the club can reach terms on a new deal with Varitek before the season starts. Agent Scott Boras often advises his clients not to sign deals until they exercise their right for free agency. But considering the unique relationship between Varitek and the Red Sox, an exception could be made. There were indications earlier this offseason that the sides had at least discussed exploring a new deal. 明显的，红袜不会在今年过後放他走。现在就要看看会不会在球季开始前签下延长合约。 经纪人$cott Bora$老是建议球员不要在季初没有自由球员资格时去签延长合约，但是考虑 到队长在红袜队的不可取代性，我们可以预期，红袜会早早做出行动。 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年开始，除了Bard来表演捕逸的那个月外，一直都是贝力爷在当队长的替补。 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. 贝力爷现在还是自由球员，现在还不清楚红袜是否会签这个37岁的老人或是找个年轻的。 虽然贝力爷防守还是很好─尤其是接老蝴蝶的球方面，但是进攻一年比一年糟。 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. 目前球队中最能当队长替补的是Kevin Cash，去年贝力爷不在的时候他扛起了接捕老蝴蝶 的任务。他和球队重签了小联盟合约。虽然Cash的打击连Going Deep都干不到，红袜队还 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用胖子换来的Kottaras曾经是红袜捕手的希望新秀，但是到目前为止还没成真， 因为Kottaras的表现实在太不稳定。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. 在除了队长外没有其他确定性下，红袜真的是很幸运拥有他。 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 捕手还是老样子大问题阿......农场或市场上都找不到合适的人选....... --

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