[翻譯]Perfect Set-Up

Perfect Set-Up



By JOEL SHERMAN

Published : July 30, 2007 / New York Post



There are questions whether the Rangers are serious about keeping Eric Gagne if they do not get a significant prospect by tomorrow's trade deadline. There are questions whether the Yankees will budge off their current refusal to include a significant prospect. But there seems no question about this: Gagne is exactly what the Yankees need.

沒有人確定如果游騎兵隊無法在明天的交易大限前得到一些潛力新秀時, 他們會不會還堅持Eric Gagne是非賣品; 也沒有人知道洋基究竟會不會願意放棄目前拒絕交易任何潛力新秀的堅持, 不過我們可以確定的是 : Gagne就是目前洋基所迫切需要的球員。



"It would be a very significant upgrade if the Yankees get [Gagne] because of who their other [set-up] options are right now," said an AL executive. "You feel very comfortable against every Yankee reliever before you get to [Mariano] Rivera. You want their starter out of the game as quick as possible."

"看看洋基現有的中繼投手人選, 如果洋基真能將Gagne納入麾下, 那對他們來說肯定是有相當正面的助益, "

一位美聯的球團高層表示, "面對洋基的牛棚時, 只有Rivera會真的讓對手感到頭痛, 於是當你和洋基比賽時, 你會希望他們的先發投手越早退場越好。"



Or this from a scout who recently saw Gagne: "Is he as good as his Dodger days? No. But he is 80 percent of that, which makes him 100 percent better than Kyle Farnsworth."

一位最近才看過Gagne投球的球探也說道, "你問他（Gagne）是否像過去在道奇時一樣犀利？這答案是否定的, 不過他目前至少有當初的八成功力, 而這就足以讓他成為一個比Kyle Farnsworth更好的選擇。"



Another horrid performance yesterday by Farnsworth - with a Tigers scout at Camden Yards to watch him - can only further spur the Yanks' already strong desire to land Gagne. However, they are still finding Texas' asking price too high. And if not the Yankees, where will Gagne go?

Farnsworth在昨天的比賽中又交出一張讓人搖頭的成績單 - 在一個特地來到Camden Yards觀看他投球的老虎隊球探面前 - 他昨天的表現可能也讓洋基想要引進Gagne的慾望益發強烈。目前游騎兵對Gagne的定價是讓其他球團遲遲不敢行動的主因, 除了洋基之外, 還有誰有能力買下Gagne？



The Tigers have seemingly fallen out of the bidding. The Mets are monitoring to see if the price falls. And the Red Sox are interested, but are not among the 12 teams Gagne could be traded to without his permission. Both New York teams are on that list. However, Gagne wants to go only where he can close, mainly because he has $3.65 million left in games-finished bonuses.

老虎隊看來已經退出爭取Gagne的競逐, 大都會隊還在等著游騎兵隊降低售價, 至於對Gagne也極有興趣的紅襪隊, 並不在Gagne合約中註明可以不經球員本身同意就能將他交易過去的12隊名單之中（大都會和洋基都在名單中）。基本上, Gagne只想效力於可讓他扮演守護神角色的球隊, 而主要的原因是因為他的合約中有365萬美金的紅利是依據他擔任守護神的場次而定。



One NL executive theorized that, to keep him away from the Yanks, Boston could potentially offer to pay some or all of that bonus to convince Gagne to waive his no-trade clause and set-up Jonathan Papelbon.

一位國聯球團的高層指出, 如果紅襪想要避免Gagne加入洋基隊, 他們可以做的就是, 表明願意支付Gagne合約中的全部或是部份紅利, 然後說服Gagne放棄合約中的拒絕交易條款, 加入紅襪扮演Jonathan Papelbon的set-up man。



If not given a suitable offer, the Rangers have indicated they might try to re-sign Gagne or keep him and get draft compensation if he leaves as a free agent. However, rival executives believe Texas is motivated to deal Gagne.

如果沒有接到滿意的offer, 游騎兵球團表示他們可能會和Gagne重新簽約, 或是將他留在陣中, 等他選擇成為自由球員時藉此得到選秀補償。不過其他球隊的高層還是相信游騎兵傾向於將Gagne交易出去。



The Yanks have taken their best three pitching prospects - Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy - out of all discussions. They have relented some on Alan Horne, a pitcher who some in the organization think can be a No. 3 starter and others see using his above-average fastball/curve duo as a set-up man. This might come down to how Texas values Horne, or other arms such as Tyler Clippard, Jeff Marquez and Chase Wright.

洋基已經將農場中三位最具潛力的投手新秀 - Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain和Ian Kennedy - 排除在交易籌碼之外, 不過對於Alan Horne - 洋基球團中有些人將其設定在第三號先發、也有人認為以他的速球和曲球品質他有機會扮演稱職的set-up man - 洋基球團似乎就不那麼緊抓不放, 交易能不能成局, 主要就看游騎兵隊如何定位Alan Horne還有Tyler Clippard、Jeff Marquez和Chase Wright。



"I don't think [the Rangers] want multiple players as much as they want one premium guy," an NL assistant GM said.

"我認為游騎兵隊傾向於對方用一個頂級球星作為交易籌碼, 而非多位球員的套裝組合。" 一位國聯球隊總經理說道。



An AL assistant GM said: "They are not looking to give [Gagne] away. If they can get a solid prospect for him, they would move him."

一位美聯球隊的副總經理也說道, "他們（游騎兵）並不想把Gagne拱手讓出, 除非能因此得到一個極具潛力的新秀, 他們才會決定交易Gagne。"



The Yanks would probably have to be convinced Gagne would be comfortable as Rivera's set-up man. But if they were and they were convinced he was healthy, Gagne would fill their biggest need - reliability leading to Rivera. Gagne had Tommy John surgery in 2005 and missed the beginning of this season with a bad back. Still, he has 16 saves in 17 tries, a .192 average against and a 2.16 ERA. As a Dodger, Gagne was known as "Lights Out" from 2002-2004, converting 84 straight saves at one point and winning the 2003 NL Cy Young, thanks to a 98-mph fastball and one of the most devastating changeups ever.

洋基球團可能還得說服Gagne扮演Rivera的set-up man, 要是Gagne真能點頭答應並且保持健康的話, 他將會填補上洋基陣中目前最明顯的缺口 - 一個在Rivera登板前可信任的中繼投手。Gagne在2005年球季動了Tommy John手術並且因為背痛而錯過了今年開季幾場比賽, 儘管如此, 在17次救援機會中他還是拿下了16個救援點, 將對方打者的打擊率壓到僅有.192, 防禦率則是2.16。在效力於道奇隊時, Gagne扮演著"熄燈者"角色, 在2002到2004年球季中, 他有連續84次救援成功的驚人記錄, 還贏得了2003年Cy Young獎的肯定, 這得歸功於他時速高達98英里的速球以及可說是棒球史上最具破壞力的變化球。



"He knows how to pitch, knows how to get outs late in a game and still gives opponents uncomfortable at-bats," an AL executive said.

一位美聯球團高層說道,

"他懂得如何投球, 懂得如何在球賽將近尾聲時登板投球, 卻還是讓對方打者在打擊區內感到相當不自在。"



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The Yanks are planning to have Chamberlain make a few bullpen appearances at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as a potential prelude to promoting him in a relief role. In his first pro season, Chamberlain has made 15 starts and worked 84⅓ innings.

洋基球團計畫讓Chamberlain在3A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre扮演中繼投手的角色, 希望藉此評估他在大聯盟中扮演同樣角色的能力。



"Our guys saw Chamberlain last week and said he was the best pitching prospect they have seen all year," an AL executive said. "If he were a five-year veteran there is no doubt with this stuff that he would be pitching in the majors. So here you have the chance to pitch him in the majors while also limiting his innings. You get value both ways. The Yanks should absolutely do that."

"我們的人在上周看到Chamberlain時表示Chamberlain是他在今年球季中所看過最好的投手潛力股,"

一位美聯球團高層說道, "如果Chamberlain是個效力球團五年左右的老將, 以他的球質來說, 他肯定有在大聯盟投球的能力, 所以當你現在有機會讓他在大聯盟場上磨練、同時又可有效控制他的總投球局數時, 對球團來說是一舉兩得的決定, 我想洋基隊應該要這麼做。"



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A team that had been interested in Farnsworth said: "the Yanks are still valuing Farnsworth [in trades] as being a better-than-average pitcher. But he is not pitching that way."

一個對Farnsworth感到興趣的球團相關人士說道, "在交易市場中, 洋基仍然將Farnsworth定位為一個表現高於平均的投手, 不過很顯然地, 他目前的表現看起來並非如此。"