[翻譯]Mets, Yanks head toward Big Apple first

Mets, Yanks head toward Big Apple first

09/14/2006 11:00 AM ET

By Mark Newman / MLB.com



The Mets and Yankees are on the verge of doing something they have never done before -- win division titles in the same season.

大都會和洋基正準備創下一個史無前例的紀錄 – 兩隊同時獲得分區冠軍



That, of course, leads to the bigger question that many people outside of New York would rather not have to ask: Is it time for another Subway Series?

這個紀錄也讓一個其他大聯盟球隊不想聽到的問題浮出檯面 : 今年的世界大賽又將是另一次地鐵大戰嗎?



Ever so quietly, this past week has seen the two teams in New York grab the best records in their respective leagues for the first time at the end of a day this season since each was 1-0 on April 3.

過去一個禮拜, 這兩支球隊佔據了兩個聯盟的戰績榜首, 自從四月三日兩支球隊的戰績皆為一勝零敗之後, 就不曾出現這樣的狀況了 



It happened on Saturday, as the Yankees' current surge pushed them past a struggling Tigers club that had spent most of the season with the American League's best record. As of Thursday, the Yankees lead the AL with an 88-56 (.611) record -- a season-high 32 games over .500 -- and the Mets have baseball's best record, at 90-55 (.621), after their 7-4 comeback victory on Wednesday at Florida.

上星期六, 近況極佳的洋基隊超越了大半球季都位居美聯戰績榜首的老虎隊, 高居美聯首位, 此時的洋基隊, 有著88勝56敗的成績, 勝負場差32場也是本季新高 ; 星期三晚上以7: 4逆轉擊敗馬林魚隊的大都會, 戰績則為傲視全大聯盟的90勝55敗



When the Yankees beat the Mets in five games in the 2000 World Series, it marked the first Subway Series in October since the Yankees knocked off the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1956 Fall Classic. While New Yorkers are increasingly jazzed about the prospects of a Subway Series happening again next month, the New York teams have to make the postseason berths official and then buck some significant recent trends.

2000年10月的世界大賽是自從1956年洋基擊敗布魯克林道奇隊之後的首次地鐵大戰, 當時洋基以四勝一負的戰績擊敗了大都會, 而現在紐約客們又開始熱切地期待著另一次的地鐵大戰將在下個月發生, 這兩支來自紐約的球隊只有確保自己的季後賽門票才不至於辜負球迷的期望



The initial step appears to be a formality. With their magic number at 2 as of Thursday, the Mets can clinch the National League East on Friday. The Yankees, meanwhile, are cruising toward a ninth consecutive AL East title with a cushy 11 1/2-game lead over the Red Sox. And with a magic number of 7, they could clinch this weekend when they take on Boston in a four-game series.

對這兩支球隊來說, 這並非難題, 大都會的封王魔術數字已經降為2, 他們極有可能在星期五的比賽後拿下分區王座 ; 而洋基隊距離連續第九座分區王座的魔術數字也僅剩7, 目前他們領先分區老二紅襪隊的勝差高達11場半, 如果能在本週末和紅襪系列戰中取得上風, 分區冠軍看來就是洋基的囊中物了



The Mets have won four division titles -- 11 fewer than the Yankees. Here's a look at the circumstances of the Mets' division championship years:

大都會總計贏得四次分區冠軍, 而洋基則15次佔據分區王座, 現在就讓我們回顧一下過去幾次大都會獲得分區冠軍的球季 



• The first year of division play was in 1969, and the Mets won the NL East that year on their way to their first world championship. That same year, the Yankees finished 28 1/2 games behind Baltimore.

• 大聯盟在1969年球季首次採用分區賽制, 贏得該年分區冠軍的大都會, 最終也拿下了球隊史上第一個世界冠軍, 同年, 洋基以勝差落後巴爾地摩28場半的成績結束該球季



• The Mets made it back to the World Series in 1973, losing to an Oakland juggernaut in the Fall Classic. Along the way, the Mets finished 1 1/2 games ahead of St. Louis to win the NL East. Over in the AL, Baltimore was 17 games better than the Yanks.

• 1973年大都會再度打進世界大賽, 但最終輸給了奧克蘭, 該球季大都會以勝差領先聖路易一場半的戰績拿下分區王座, 而身處美聯的洋基隊則落後分區領先的巴爾地摩17場勝差



• In 1986, the Mets dominated the NL East on the way to their second world championship. They finished 21 1/2 games ahead of second-place Philadelphia. That year, the Yankees finished 5 1/2 games behind the rival Red Sox.

• 1986年球季, 戰績笑傲國聯東區的大都會拿下了隊史上第二個世界大賽冠軍, 他們領先分區老二費城的勝差高達21場半, 同年, 洋基隊在分區戰績中落後紅襪隊5場半



• The Mets' other division title came in 1988. The Yankees faded down the stretch, finishing only 3 1/2 games behind the Red Sox but in fifth place nonetheless.

• 大都會在1988年球季再度拿下分區冠軍, 同年洋基雖然僅落後紅襪3場半但卻只能名列分區第五



So, a little piece of history-making appears inevitable, barring a Yankees collapse, and that brings us to the Subway Series question -- and the obvious roadblocks. 

以上的歷史資料除了告訴我們在那幾年洋基戰績不振的事實, 也讓一個有關於地鐵大戰的疑慮浮上檯面



The Mets and Yankees would have to be the last two left standing of eight postseason teams, and it is extremely rare for both teams posting the best overall record in their respective leagues to meet in the World Series. The last time it happened was in 1999, when the 98-win Yankees swept the 103-win Braves. 

首先, 大都會和洋基必須確保自己是八支進入季後賽的球隊中得以存活下來的最終兩隊, 兩支分區戰績最佳的球隊要同時進軍世界大賽是頗為少見的現象, 上次發生如此狀況要回溯到1999年球季, 當時98勝的洋基最終擊敗了103勝的勇士隊



Then there is the Wild Card factor, perhaps the biggest potential fly in a New Yorker's ointment. Each of the last four World Series has featured at least one Wild Card. It was Houston last year (swept by the White Sox), Boston in 2004 (sweeping St. Louis), Florida in 2003 (beating the Yankees), and two Wild Cards in 2002 as the Angels beat the Giants in seven. When the Yankees lost the dramatic 2001 World Series to Arizona in seven, they were representing the AL instead of a Seattle team that had dominated the regular season with 116 victories. 

接下來還得考慮外卡因素, 這或許也是紐約客的最大隱憂, 過去四年的世界大賽中, 至少都有一方是以外卡資格進軍季後賽的球隊, 去年的太空人, 前年的紅襪, 2003年的馬林魚, 而2002年更是由兩支外卡球隊, 天使和巨人來角逐世界冠軍, 2001年世界大賽中洋基戲劇化地輸給了響尾蛇, 不過值得注意的是當年代表美聯角逐世界冠軍的是洋基隊, 而非例行賽拿下驚人116勝的水手隊



Wouldn't it be ironic if Mike Piazza got in the way of a Subway Series? The way things stand now, that memorable figure in the 2000 World Series would travel with the Padres to open an NL Division Series at Shea Stadium. In the ALDS, if the season ended today, the Yankees would have to deal with Johan Santana and a Twins club that has mystified everyone this season. 



如果Mike Piazza成了阻擋地鐵大戰成真的絆腳石, 那將是多麼諷刺啊 ! 假如現在的排名持續到球季結束, 這個在2000年地鐵大戰中讓人難忘的球員和他的海盜隊就將成了大都會在國聯分區系列戰中必須跨越的第一道關卡, 而洋基則將要面對Johan Santana和讓人跌破眼鏡的雙城隊



Just as Wild Cards frequently seem to develop a battle-tested, survivor persona heading into the postseason, teams that clinch their divisions early often have a hard time maintaining that dominant edge after the celebration. In fact, last year the White Sox became the only team this decade to win the World Series after leading their league in regular-season victories. And they were pushed till the end, because the Indians almost overtook them in the final week of September. 

外卡資格戰一向被視做是殘酷的實戰考驗, 最終生存下來的球隊才得以進軍季後賽, 相較之下, 早早拿下分區冠軍頭銜的球隊, 似乎很難在慶祝之後還繼續保持其前進的能量, 事實上, 衛冕冠軍的白襪隊是近十年來唯一獲得世界大賽冠軍且同時還是例行賽中聯盟戰績最佳的球隊, 而他們之所以能支持到最後, 還得感謝一路追趕甚至幾乎在九月最後一週超越他們的印地安人隊



The Mets have looked very much like a cruise-control team lately, and when the Marlins were holding a 4-0 lead in Tuesday's game, that seemed an inescapable truth. But they came back to tie it late on Carlos Delgado's three-run homer, and then pulled out a victory that has to mean something even to a runaway division leader.

最近大都會的表現就像是標準的大幅領先症候群, 尤其當他們在前晚的比賽中一度以四分落後給馬林魚隊時, 這項指控看起來更是牢不可破, 不過當Carlos Delgado的三分全壘打幫助大都會追平比數, 甚至進一步的拿下勝利時, 這對這支戰績遙遙領先的球隊有著重大意義



"There's still plenty of games left, but our short-term goal is to win the division," Mets third baseman David Wright said.

“眼前仍然有許多比賽要進行, 獲得分區冠軍是我們的短程目標” 大都會的三壘手Davis Wright說道



The Mets followed up Tuesday's victory with another comeback on Wednesday. Delgado once again tied the game late, forcing it into extra innings with a two-out pinch-hit single in the ninth. The Mets finished off the Marlins with three in the 11th, dispelling any notions their momentum had slowed.

繼週二的勝利後, 大都會在昨晚再度演出逆轉秀, Delgado藉由九局上半兩人出局時的代打機會幫球隊追平比數, 讓比賽進入延長賽, 最終大都會在11局上半拿下三分贏得比賽的勝利, 有力地駁斥了關於他們已經鬆懈下來的批評



"We take every game seriously," said Wright. "Our competitive nature is to try to win as many games as possible. We're looking forward to getting ready for the playoffs and finishing the regular season strong."

“每一場比賽我們都相當看重” Wright說道

“我們的競爭天性讓我們想要贏得更多比賽, 我們期待著能強勢地結束例行賽並且盡快為季後賽做好準備”



The Yankees, meanwhile, have been an imposing sight for a while now, and never more so than in the "Boston Massacre II," when they swept five games at Fenway Park and assumed total control of the AL East. Bobby Abreu's trade-deadline acquisition has already paid off handsomely -- the right-fielder collected six RBIs in the first inning of Tuesday's blowout victory over Tampa Bay. Hideki Matsui finally returned to the lineup in that game and proceeded to go 4-for-4. With Gary Sheffield perhaps ready to return to action during the homestand, the Yankees' biggest problem now seems to be how to find playing time for all that talent.

在此同時, 洋基隊也持續其強盛的氣勢, 尤其是在連續五場比賽橫掃紅襪隊的波士頓大屠殺後, 美聯東區看來已經在洋基掌握之中, 在交易截止日前引進的Bobby Abreu已經開始為球隊做出顯著的貢獻 – 這位右外野手在週二橫掃魔鬼魚的比賽中, 光是在第一局就打下了六分打點, 傷後復出的松井秀喜也擊出了四支安打, 而Gary Sheffield看來也即將在最近幾場主場作戰中復出, 對洋基而言, 目前最大的難題是該如何讓所有優秀球員都能分配到上場時間



"It's going to be a little crowded, but it's certainly going to make us a deeper ballclub," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "I don't really think of anything that's not today. It doesn't do me any good if I'm trying to make a plan and can't go through with it. I'll just wait until everybody's healthy and they're all ready to play and decide on something."

“我們的陣容將會變得有些擁擠, 不過我們的板凳深度也將無疑地加深” 總教練Joe Torre說道

“我並不會對未來的事情多做打算, 因為要是事情無法按照我的預期發展, 那對我並沒有任何好處, 我所能做的, 就是等待大家的身體都恢復健康, 並且做好比賽的準備 “



No one can be considered a postseason lock in this modern era of Major League playoff baseball, where Wild Cards play as if they have nothing to lose and where the mighty fall on a frequent basis. So don't even bother asking members of either New York club about where all of this might be heading or the possibility that this could wind up in another dream finish for the City that Never Sleeps. 

在當今的大聯盟, 尤其是當所有外卡球隊都像是沒有明天般地渴望求勝時, 沒有球隊敢肯定自己能在季後賽的激戰中生存下來, 所以我們也不需要浪費時間去訪問兩支紐約球隊中的球員, 想要知道他們認為自己的球隊有多大機會能幫這個不夜城拿下另一個世界大賽冠軍



Ask New York fans, though, and one would have no trouble getting an answer. It's what they are waiting for. Torre managing for the Yankees against his former coach Willie Randolph. Pedro Martinez pitching at Yankee Stadium again -- against Johnny Damon. Alex Rodriguez and Wright on the same stage at third base. Wondering whether the AL's home-field advantage would really mean that much in a seven-game series distributed around one big city. 

不過有個問題我們肯定可以從紐約球迷口中得到解答, 那就是他們對自己支持球隊的期望, Torre帶領著洋基面對之前屬於他手下教練團中一員的Willie Randolph; Pedro Martinez再度在洋基球場出賽, 而打擊區上站著的卻是前隊友Johnny Damon; A-Rod和Wright兩位明星三壘手的正面較量...令人好奇的是屬於美聯的主場優勢屆時到底還存不存在



One look at today's regular-season standings shows the reason why New Yorkers are starting to talk about it more and more, and it looks as if some history is about to be made on the way to an event that will decide everything.

看看現在兩聯盟的戰績排行, 我們就可以很清楚地了解為什麼紐約客開始熱烈地討論著地鐵大戰的可能性, 而通往地鐵大戰的路上, 也將有許多歷史紀錄等待被改寫