Peruse the Major League Baseball offensive statistics, and you'll find those home run-hitting, historically lead-footed Boston Red Sox traveling in unexpected circles: They are tied for sixth in stolen bases (40) and are first overall in success rate (85 percent). 仔細瀏覽大聯盟的進攻數據，你將會發現善於打全壘打，但是速度不快的波士頓紅襪隊正 進行著一趟意外之旅: 他們在盜壘排行榜並列第六(40次)，盜壘成功率則排名第一(85%) 。 It's a boon to manager Terry Francona's flexibility to have Jacoby Ellsbury, Coco Crisp, Dustin Pedroia and Julio Lugo on the roster, but the numbers reflect a philosophy that has permeated the organization from the minors through the majors. The Red Sox will run, but only if they're prepared and the odds are in their favor. 這 都是因為總教練Terry Francona能靈活的運用球員名單中的Jacoby Ellsbury, Coco Crisp, Dustin Pedroia與Julio Lugo，但是數字反映出了充斥著這支球團從小聯盟到大 聯盟的一種現象。紅襪隊會盜壘，但是只有在他們準備好了與機會在他們這邊的時後。 "We like to steal bases," said general manager Theo Epstein, "as long as we don't get caught." "我們喜歡盜壘"，總經理Theo Epstein說:"只要我們不被抓到。" The stolen base fell out of favor for a while as more teams embraced the notion that advancing 90 feet wasn't worth the risk of making an out in the process. But a combination of factors -- from declining power production to the scarcity of catchers who throw well -- might be fueling a comeback. 當越來越多球隊接受不值得用增加一個出局數的風險來推進一個壘包的觀念時，使得有一 陣子盜壘不受青睞。但是許多因素的組合 -- 從火力的衰退到捕手傳球普遍不佳 -- 有可 能使得盜壘重新受到歡迎。 Last year the 30 clubs combined for 2,918 steals, the highest aggregate total since 2001. This year MLB is on pace to surpass 3,000 steals, and Boston isn't the only team looking to run. Consider the post-Barry Bonds San Francisco Giants, who rank fourth in the majors in steals, or the Toronto Blue Jays, who are more than halfway toward their total of 57 for the entire 2007 season. 去年30支球隊一共盜壘成功2918次，是2001年球季後最高的紀錄。今年大聯盟有機會締造 超過3000次的盜壘成功，而波士頓紅襪隊不是唯一一支想要盜 壘的球隊。後Barry Bonds 時代的舊金山巨人隊在盜壘項目排名第四，還有多倫多藍鳥隊目前盜壘成功已經超過2007 年球季57次的一半了。 That's welcome news to Phillies coach Davey Lopes, the Zen Master of base-stealing tutelage. Lopes stole 557 bases in the big leagues, and he was sad to see his craft so routinely maligned. 這對盜壘指導大師，費城人隊教練Davey Lopes而言是個歡迎的消息。Lopes的大聯盟生涯 累計557次盜壘成功，他對他的技術被惡名化感到難過。 "We've taken some of the excitement out of our game and made it less appealing to the public," Lopes said. "Now I think you're starting to see the tide switch a little bit. You're seeing more teams emphasizing the stolen base and incorporating it into their games rather than sitting back and waiting." Lopes說:"我們已經使比賽的刺激程度降低了，並且較不重視盜壘。我想現在你將開始見 到趨勢有些轉變。你將見到越來越多球隊強調盜壘，並且運用在比賽中，而不只是坐著枯 等。" So what makes an elite base stealer? Some practitioners rely solely on speed, while others are adept at studying pitchers and picking up little cues and "tells." Some dance off first base and make a show, while others simply get up and go. 什麼是成為一名優秀的盜壘者的要素呢?有些人認為是速度，有些人則認為是對投手的解 讀與抓到時機。有些人會在一壘上作假動作，有些人則是單純的直接轉身起跑。 With the stolen base on the rebound, this week's installment of "Starting 9" pays tribute to the top pilferers in the game. We call it our "Hail to the Thieves" edition. 隨著盜壘重新受到重視，這個禮拜的"Starting 9"要向比賽中最優秀的壘包小偷致敬。我 們稱為"為壘包小偷喝采"。 Jose Reyes, Mets It's not really trendy to stick up for Reyes these days. He was benched for a lack of hustle last year and has rankled opponents with his over-the-top celebrations. His offense has slipped, and his aggressiveness on the bases can cross the line to either recklessness or boneheadedness or both. He has 12 stolen bases in 17 attempts this season, which is nothing special in anybody's book. 最近為Reyes辯護似乎不太恰當。去年球季他曾因為缺乏積極度而被罰坐板凳，並且因過 度的歡呼動作而激怒對手。他的進攻能力下滑，在壘上太過積極有時讓他顯得很愚蠢。今 年球季他嘗試盜壘17次，成功了12次，這個成績不算出色。 But the overall portfolio is still staggering. Last year Reyes stole 78 bases, most in the majors since Marquis Grissom swiped 78 for the 1992 Montreal Expos. He became the first player since Kenny Lofton of the 1992-94 Cleveland Indians to steal 60 bases in three consecutive seasons. 但是整體成績仍然相當的驚人。去年Reyes盜壘成功78次，這是自1992年博覽會隊的 Marquis Grisson盜壘成功78次後大聯盟最多的紀錄。他也是自1992-1994年印地安人隊的 Kenny Lofton之後第一位連續三年到壘成功超過60次的球員。 Reyes is also efficient. He has a career success rate of 79.6 percent -- better than Lou Brock, Ron LeFlore and Maury Wills, among others. Reyes的效率也很高。生涯盜壘成功率高達79.6% -- 比Lou Brock, Ron LeFlore, Maury Wills與其他人都還要高。 As Lopes points out, the best base stealers do it with a purpose and crave the spotlight. "You're a great base stealer when everybody in the ballpark knows you're running, and you still run and you're successful," Lopes said. 就像Lopes指出的，最棒的盜壘者盜壘是有目的的，並且希望抓住眾人的眼光。Lopes說:" 當球場裡的所有人都知道你將會跑，你也真的跑了，並且成功，這樣你就是一位偉大的盜 壘者。" Rickey Henderson, Vince Coleman and Tim Raines were risk takers at heart, and so is Reyes. He feeds off the buzz in the stands and was born to unnerve pitchers and make catchers antsy. Rickey Henderson, Vince Coleman與Tim Raines都是喜愛冒險的人，Reyes也是。觀眾的 歡呼聲是他的動力，他天生就是要讓投手與捕手感到坐立不安。 Of course, Reyes' swagger was more pronounced when he was hitting .300 rather than .272, but let's not write him off just yet. Remember last spring, when Mets fans were fretting over David Wright's mystifying lack of power? Reyes is 24 years old, and perceptions can change in a hurry. 當然，當Reyes打出3成打擊率時，他的臭屁程度會更勝於.272打擊率時，但是我們先不要 將他抹去。還記不記得去年春季時，大都會隊球迷因為David Wright的火力離奇的消失而 感到煩惱?Reyes才24歲而已，觀念是能很快改變的。 Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners Ichiro shares Theo Epstein's cold-blooded view of base stealing. When Seattle manager John McLaren broached the possibility of a 70-steal season in spring training, Ichiro made it clear that he didn't think the extra bags were worth the extra outs -- not to mention the wear and tear on his body. Ichiro對盜壘的觀點也和Theo Epstein一樣的冷淡。當水手隊的總教練John McLaren在春 訓時提出盜壘成功70次的可能性時，Ichiro很坦白的表示他不認為值得用額外的出局數以 換取額外的壘包 -- 更不用說對他身體的耗損。 "Mac has a tendency to overexaggerate or say big things," Ichiro told Seattle reporters in February. "As a manager, I hope he gets rid of that tendency and becomes more coolheaded." "Mac有過分誇張或說大話的傾向"，Ichiro在二月告訴西雅圖的記者，"身為一名總教練， 我希望他能避免那樣的傾向並且冷靜些"。 Three months later, with Seattle in an offensive rut, Ichiro is 21-for-23 in steal attempts and more inclined to stir the pot. In a 3-2 win over San Diego on Sunday, he singled in the first inning, stole second and third base and scored on a Jose Lopez grounder for Seattle's first run. The sequence was straight out of the McLaren playbook. 三個月之後，隨著西雅圖水手隊處於進攻的高檔，Ichiro在23次盜壘嘗試中成功了21次， 並且有越來越火燙的傾向。在星期天以3:2擊敗教士隊的比賽 中，Ichiro在第一局敲出了 一壘安打，隨即又盜上二壘與三壘，並且在Jose Lopez的滾地球掩護下得到水手隊的第一 分。這個結果完全依照McLaren的劇本在進行。 Ichiro broke Julio Cruz's Seattle franchise record with his 291st career stolen base Sunday. He also holds the American League record with 45 successful steal attempts in a row. Ichiro打破了Julio Cruz所保有的水手隊隊史生涯291次盜壘成功紀錄。他也保有美國聯 盟連續45次盜壘成功的紀錄。 Stylistically, Ichiro's approach mirrors the rest of his game. He's perfectly still around the bag, but you can see the wheels spinning in his head as he dissects the pitcher's move and calculates the odds of success. Once he takes off, he's all business. Ichiro的態度反映在他的其他比賽中。他完全靜止於壘包附近，但是當他在分析投手的動 作與與計算盜壘成功的可能性時，你可以看到他不停的在思考。一但他啟動了，就會不顧 一切的向前衝。 Carl Crawford, Rays The average pitcher delivers the ball to home plate in 1.3 to 1.35 seconds. Your typical catcher releases the ball and gets it to second base in 2.0 seconds. Crawford might make the trip in 3.2, which means no amount of slide-stepping, stepping off or throwing over is going to make a whit of difference. 投手將球投到本壘板平均需要1.3至1.35秒。捕手將球傳到二壘需要2.0秒。Crawford跑上 二壘大概需要3.2秒，這表示投手在滑步，重心轉移與出手不能浪費任何時間。 Crawford's best attribute is the ability to accelerate from a dead stop to "oh my gosh" in a mere step or two. The University of Nebraska football people recognized that gift when they recruited him as an option quarterback. Crawford最棒的特點是能在一兩步就從靜止加速到驚人速度的能力。內布拉斯加大學的足 球員在招收他擔任四分衛時發現了他的天份。 "I don't think Carl is one of those guys who gets great reads off pitchers," said Blue Jays catcher Gregg Zaun. "He just outruns the ball. If he gets the jump he's supposed to get, there's really no defense for it." "我不認為Carl是那些能準確判讀投手的傢伙之一"，藍鳥隊捕手Gregg Zaun表示:"他就是 能跑的比球還快，假如被他搶先一步，那就真的一點辦法也沒有了。" Crawford's speed is a weapon whether the trip is 90 or 270 feet in duration. He has 77 career triples to go with his 289 stolen bases. Crawford的速度是他的武器，不論要跑90呎還是270呎。他的生涯擁有77支三壘安打與289 次盜壘成功。 Hanley Ramirez, Marlins Ramirez's flair for larceny is almost a sidelight to his other contributions. When a shortstop produces 200 hits, 120 runs and a slugging percentage above .500, who expects 50 stolen bases as a bonus? That helps explain why the Marlins just signed Ramirez to a six-year, $70 million contract extension. Ramirez的盜壘天份相對於他的其他貢獻而言，只能算是點綴而已。當一名游擊手能打出 200支安打，跑回120分，並且擁有超過5成的長打率時，誰還會指望他能額外再盜壘50次 呢?這點能解釋為何馬林魚剛和Ramirez簽下6年7簽萬的延長合約。 Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins spends a lot of time glancing out of the corner of his eye when Ramirez is leading off first base. 當Ramirez率先上到一壘時，費城人隊游擊手Jimmy Rollins總是花很多的時間從眼角盯著 他。 "Hanley's fast, but he isn't blazing fast," Rollins said. "But he gets good jumps and good reads, and he doesn't give it away. He definitely knows how to steal bases." "Hanley的速度很快，但是不是快的驚人"，Rollins說:"但是他擁有良好的起步與觀察力 ，雖然他不會顯露出來，但是他就是知道如何盜壘。" At 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, Ramirez is built more like a defensive back than a greyhound, which makes you wonder how long he'll maintain his 50-steal pace. If the Marlins keep him in the No. 3 hole, he'll concentrate more on hitting homers and driving in runs than swiping bags. So far, the shift from the leadoff spot hasn't worked out too well for him. 6 呎3吋，195磅的體格，Ramirez被塑造成強打者而不是在壘間狂奔的選手，這意味著你 將會好奇他還能保持多久單季盜壘50次。如果馬林魚隊持續將他擺在第三棒，他將會更專 注於打出更多全壘打與打點而非盜壘。到目前為止，將Ramirez從第一棒的位置移走還沒 有很大的功效。 Brian Roberts, Orioles Roberts is the quintessential pest once he reaches base. Marlins starter Mark Hendrickson found that out this spring when Roberts stole two bases in an early Grapefruit League game. After Hendrickson expressed his displeasure, Roberts told reporters, "That's what you do in spring training, last time I checked." 當Roberts 上壘時，他是一位令人討厭的傢伙。當Roberts在今年春天的葡萄柚聯盟的一 場比賽中盜了兩個壘包後，馬林魚隊先發投手Mark Hendrickson發現了這點。在 Hendrickson發表了他的不滿後，Roberts告訴記者:"上次我查過了，這就是你在春訓時該 做的事。" In contrast to, say, Ichiro, Roberts attracts everybody's attention as he prepares to take a base. He'll mix in some jumps, starts and "false breaks," and try to build momentum to shave valuable hundredths off his arrival time. One AL coach said Roberts' technique is "head and shoulders" above many players on this list. 和Ichiro相比，當Roberts準備盜壘時，他會吸引大家的注意。他結合一些起跑與假跑的 動作，並且試著減少盜壘所需的時間。一位美聯的教練表示Roberts的技巧遠遠勝過這份 名單上的其他選手。 "He's always looking for ways to push the envelope," said Seattle bench coach Sam Perlozzo, Roberts' former manager in Baltimore. "He's relentless." "他總是不斷的尋找達到極限的方式"，西雅圖水手隊板凳教練Sam Perlozzo說:"他是不會 鬆懈的。"Sam曾是金鶯隊的總教練。 Roberts is also the most prolific stealer of third base in the game. He led the majors with 19 steals of third last year, and is 35-of-38 since 2006. Roberts也是最會盜三壘的跑者。去年19次盜三壘成功領先全大聯盟，自2006年開始， Roberts在38次嘗試盜三壘的機會中成功了35次。 Jimmy Rollins, Phillies During the Phillies' recent homestand, Rollins spent 15 minutes at his locker discussing the ins and outs of base stealing. He addressed the merits of the head-first slide versus the feet-first approach, the attributes of assorted base stealers, and Atlanta pitcher Tim Hudson's alleged penchant for balking when he "breaks" his back leg in his delivery. 費城人隊最近的主場比賽期間，Rollins花了15分鐘的時間在更衣室中談論盜壘的細節。 他提出撲壘與滑壘各自的優點，盜壘者的特性，以及亞特蘭大勇士投手Tim Hudson在投球 時後腿疑似投手犯規的動作。 Stealing bases has fascinated Rollins since he grew up near Oakland as a huge Rickey Henderson fan. Rollins knows he's not a burner in the Michael Bourn mold, so he studies pitchers and taps into Lopes' wealth of knowledge to help get himself an edge. Rollins在奧克蘭附近長大，並且是Rickey Henderson的球迷，這使得盜壘深深的吸引他 。Rollins知道自己不是Michael Bourn這類型的火速男，所以他研究投手與錄影帶，以及 Lopes的大量知識，這使得他持續保有優勢。 Rollins has surpassed 40 steals three times and has a career success rate of 81.4 percent. But when you're 5-8, 175 pounds and play an average of 157 games a year at short, you learn to pick your spots out of self-preservation. Rollins生涯有3次單季盜壘成功超過40次，並擁有81.4%的盜壘成功率。但是當你是一位5 呎8吋，175磅重，平均一年要以游擊手身分上場157場比賽時，你會學會將焦點放在自我 保護上。 "If I'm feeling good on a particular day, I don't care what you're doing -- I don't think you're going to throw me out," Rollins said. "I guess that's how the really fast guys feel all the time." "如果某天我覺得狀況很好，我不會在意你在做什麼 -- 因為我不認為你能將我牽制出局" ，Rollins說:"我想那些速度真正快的傢伙應該總是有這種感覺吧。" Juan Pierre, Dodgers In 1998, Pierre and Chone Figgins were teammates for Colorado's Class A Northwest League club in Portland, Ore. They ate hot dogs by the box because they couldn't afford anything else, and talked wistfully of playing in the big leagues while watching "SportsCenter." 1998年時，Pierre與Chone Figgins曾經是落磯隊位於奧勒岡州波特蘭市的1A球隊的隊友 。他們一起吃好幾盒的熱狗，因為他們吃不起其他東西，並且一邊看著"SportsCenter"節 目，一邊渴望的談論著在大聯盟打球的情景。 Ten years later, Pierre ranks first among active big leaguers with 407 steals, and Figgins is at 215 and counting. Not too shabby for a couple of dreamers. 十年之後，Pierre擁有407次盜壘成功，是現役球員最多，而Figgins則有215次，並且持 續增加。這對這兩位夢想家而言還不算太差。 Pierre, as you might expect, approaches base stealing from every conceivable angle. He spends hours studying video, knows which tracks are the quickest, and works to refine his jumps during batting practice. No detail is too trivial for his consideration. 就像你所預期的，Pierre幾乎能從任何一個角落盜壘。他花了很多的時間研究影片，藉此 了解哪個路徑是最快的，並且在打擊練習時練習讓起跑更完美。在他的認知中沒有任何一 個細節是不重要的。 That 45-for-69 effort in Florida four years ago doesn't look real good in hindsight, but Pierre has become more efficient with maturity and time. 四年前在馬林魚隊，Pierre在69次盜壘嘗試中成功45次的成績，在事後看起來似乎不算太 好，但是由於年紀的增長，Pierre已經變得更有效率了。 Given his .373 career slugging percentage, he needs all the help he can get turning singles into doubles. Juan Pierre的生涯長打率只有.373，他必須盡一切可能的將一壘安打跑成二壘安打。 Chone Figgins, Angels Mike Scioscia's Angels are ultra-aggressive on the base paths, to the extent that they keep detailed charts on their success at advancing from first to third on singles. Mike Scioscia所帶領的天使隊是一支在壘包間非常積極有侵略性的球隊。他們經常成功 的將一壘安打從一壘進佔到三壘。 No player embodies the Angels' freewheeling mind-set more than Figgins. He stole 155 bases from 2005 through 2007, and that total would be higher if not for the 47 games he missed last year because of injuries. 沒有人比Figgins更能代表天使隊積極跑壘的觀念。他從2005到2007年一共盜壘155次，如 果不是因為去年因傷缺席47場比賽，這個數字會更高。 Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter don't run as often these days, so Figgins, Maicer Izturis and Erick Aybar are the Angels' principal threats to steal. The team's 74-percent success rate is middle-of-the-pack, but Scioscia would rather live with a few outs than temper his players' enthusiasm. Vladimir Guerrero與Torii Hunter已經不像以往這麼常跑了，所以Figgins, Maicer Izturis與Erick Aybar成為了天使隊主要的盜壘威脅。這支球隊的74%盜壘成功率排名中 段，但是Scioscia寧願多幾個出局，也不願壓抑球員的熱衷。 Willy Taveras, Rockies Taveras was born on Christmas Day, 1981. He shares that birthday with another, far more accomplished base stealer -- Rickey Henderson. Taveras出生於1981年的耶誕節。他的生日與另一位更厲害的盜壘者 -- Ricky Henderson 相同。 In reality, Taveras is the Brett Butler of his generation. He's the major league leader in bunt hits since 2005, and he beat out a whopping 169 infield hits in the three seasons before this one. 事實上，Taveras可以說是他這個世代的Brett Butler。從2005年球季開始，他的觸擊安 打數領先全大聯盟，在今年球季之前的三個球季，他一共打出了169支的內野安打。 The Astros turned Taveras loose in the minor leagues, and he slashed and ran his way to three 50-steal seasons in a row. He's on a similar pace this year in Colorado, but he'll have to improve upon that .227 batting average if he plans to be more of a threat. 太空人隊沒有給予在小聯盟的Taveras太多限制，於是他便開始猛跑，並且連續三季盜壘 達到50次以上。今年Taveraz在落磯隊的步調和以往差不多，如果他希望能更有威脅性， 他必須試著提高只有.227的平均打擊率。 Newcomers Division Michael Bourn, Astros "There are three stages of speed: Fast, really fast and Mike Bourn," said Jimmy Rollins. Jimmy Rollins說:"速度分為三個階段: 快，真正快與Mike Bourn。" The long-term question is, will Bourn reach base consistently enough to take advantage of his speed? You wouldn't know it by his .196 batting average with Houston this season. 長遠的問題是，Bourn是否能持續的上壘以發揮他的速度優勢?當他今年球季在太空人隊打 出.196打擊率時，你將無法得到答案。 Before Bourn left Philadelphia in the Brad Lidge trade, Lopes told him that base stealing was his ticket to a long and lucrative future in the game. 當Bourn在與Brad Lidge的交易中離開費城人隊之前，Lopes告訴他盜壘將是他在比賽中獲 得長遠與有利前途的關鍵因素。 "I told Michael, 'Run to the bank. That's your moneymaker,' " Lopes said. "If Michael hits, he will be the dominant base stealer in the game. Without question." "我告訴Michael，'盜壘將會是你的搖錢樹'"，Lopes說:"如果Michael能打出安打，毫無 疑問的他將是比賽中最具有優勢的盜壘者。" Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox Ellsbury was a menace on the base paths at Oregon State, and he picked up lots of valuable pointers in the minors from Red Sox development consultant Tommy Harper. He's likely to return the favor one day by breaking Harper's single-season franchise record of 54 stolen bases. Ellsbury是奧勒岡州在壘包間最有威脅性的選手，他在小聯盟時從紅襪隊發展顧問Tommy Harper得到了許多指點。Ellsbury很可能會以打破Harper的54次隊史單季盜壘紀錄來回報 他的恩惠。 Ellsbury, who was successful on his first 25 steal attempts in the majors, is more about speed than refinement at this point, but he's a quick learner. Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills said he soaks up knowledge "like a sponge." 在大聯盟前25次盜壘嘗試皆成功的Ellsbubry，此時似乎是靠著他的速度，而非細膩度， 但是他是一位學習快速的選手。紅襪隊板凳教練Brad Mills說他吸收知識"就像海綿一樣" 。 Said Epstein: "He has all the ingredients of a great base stealer -- quick burst, raw speed, efficiency in his actions, fearlessness and instincts." Epstein說:"他擁有所有優異盜壘者的要素 -- 快速啟動，速度，有效率的動作，大膽與 直覺。" Not to mention exceptional timing. With his first postseason steal last fall, Ellsbury won a free taco for everyone in America as part of a Taco Bell "Steal a Base, Steal a Taco" promotion. 更不用說的是優異的起跑時機。隨著去年秋天他的首次季後賽盜壘成功與Taco Bell的 "Steal a Base, Steal a Taco"這句促銷廣告詞，他為所有的美國人贏得了一份玉米餅。 Carlos Gomez, Twins Another pure burner. The folks who plan the All-Star Game festivities could do worse than a match race featuring Bourn, Gomez, Carl Crawford and Joey Gathright. 另一位十足的火速男。有人說明星賽的慶祝活動可能還沒有由Bourn, Gomez, Carl Crawford與Joey Gathright所參加的賽跑比賽精采。 "He's a 90 runner," a National League executive said of Gomez. That's pretty impressive considering the scouts' rating scale only goes from 20 to 80. "他是90分的跑者"，一位國聯的經理這麼形容Gomez。在從20到80分的球探評比中讓人感 到非常印象深刻。 Others of Note Rafael Furcal, Dodgers; Eric Byrnes, Diamondbacks; Ian Kinsler, Rangers; Kaz Matsui, Astros; Curtis Granderson, Tigers; Grady Sizemore, Indians; Omar Vizquel, Giants; Carlos Beltran and David Wright, Mets; Johnny Damon, Yankees; Nate McLouth, Pirates; Rickie Weeks, Brewers. 原文 http://dwz.tw/5ea2 -- Gary says... http://www.gary711.net http://gary711.idv.st --

※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 118.171.161.23 ※ 編輯: supergary 來自: 118.171.161.23 (05/27 06:28)