FAQ: Boston Red Sox
I stopped paying attention when the Cleveland Indians took a 3-1 series lead
in the American League Championship Series. I thought for sure the Indians
were a lock to go to the World Series. What happened?
问：当印地安人在美联冠军赛以3比1领先红袜的时候我就关电视了，我以为印地安人
赢定了，发生啥事了？
Well, the Red Sox have shown a few times now that you should never count them
out. Boston won 96 games during the regular season, so piecing together a
three-game winning streak to close out the ALCS wasn't an impossible feat. In
2004, Boston climbed out of a 3-0 hole to defeat the Yankees in the ALCS.
This time around, the Sox took the final three games to clinch their second
AL pennant in four seasons, sending the Tribe back to Cleveland without a
Series crown for the 59th year in a row.
答：嗯，红袜兵团再次证明了他们不能被小看。他们在例行赛赢了96场，所以在冠军赛
三连胜尻倒对方也不用太意外。2004年他们则是在0胜3负的劣势下三连胜肛了死对头
洋基。今年是红袜近四年来第二次拿下美联冠军，也让印地安仔距离上一次世界大赛冠
军的日子推进到59年(注：印地安人上次WS冠军是1948年，并于1954、1995、1997的WS
中落败)
So the Red Sox are pretty much regular participants in the World Series?
问：那红袜算是世界大赛的常客囉？
They're making it seem like that lately, but Boston's recent run is a far cry
from previous eras in club history. Prior to 2004, Boston hadn't won a World
Series since 1918, despite four other trips to the October finale. The Red
Sox have made the playoffs six times in the past 10 seasons, which is the
club's best stretch since winning the World Series four times between 1912-18.
答：这几年好像如此，但在这之前却有着令人流泪的过去。1918到2004年之间他们不曾尝
过世界大赛冠军滋味，尽管在这86年之间有四次打入WS。但袜子军近10个球季有六度晋级
季后赛，这也是自1912-1918四度拿下WS冠军后球队的最佳表现。
I don't remember the Red Sox playing in the postseason last year. Did they
just barely make it into the playoffs this season?
问：我想不起来红袜去年季后赛在干嘛(因为他们根本没打)，他们今年是怎么晋级的啊？
Actually, Boston captured the division title in the AL East by two games this
year, knocking the Yankees into second place. It was the first time since
1995 that the Sox won their division and the first time since 1997 that New
York didn't take the East crown. It was quite a turnaround from last year,
when Boston finished third in the division with 86 wins.
答：事实上红袜今年以两场胜差击退洋基拿下美联东区冠军，这是1995年之后首度夺冠，
也是洋基从1997年后首次未能拿下美东冠军。对照红袜去年例行赛以86胜76败位居美东第
三名，今年的96胜66败可说是一大进步。
So what changed that put Boston over the top this year?
问：哇～(by DJ Denis)红袜今年怎么变这么厉害啊？
One difference was that Boston's starting rotation had three pitchers with at
least 15 wins this year and the club's bullpen was the best in the league.
The starting staff was paced by right-hander Josh Beckett, who put himself in
the mix for the AL Cy Young Award by going 20-7 with a 3.27 ERA for Boston.
The Red Sox also avoided major injuries this year, unlike last year when they
lost captain Jason Varitek to knee surgery in August and had a bunch of other
core players out at the same time.
答：一个关键在于红袜先发轮值中有三位15胜以上的投手(Dick-K15胜、老蝴蝶17胜、北
极20胜)，而且他们有全联盟最坚强的牛棚。先发部队由Beckeet领军，他季赛20胜7败、
防御率3.27的表现让他有机会角逐美联赛扬奖。红袜军成员今年也没有严重的受伤，不像
去年他们的队长Varitek在八月动了膝盖手术，以及其他主力一堆伤兵。
For a team that trailed 3-1 in this series, the Red Sox set a bunch of LCS
records en route to their comeback, didn't they?
问：ALCS从1胜3负落后到逆转胜，红袜是不是又创造一堆联盟冠军赛纪录了？
Too numerous to mention, but here are some highlights: most runs scored by a
team in an LCS, 51, breaking the record of 45 set by the Yankees in 2004;
most RBIs by a team, 48, breaking the Yankees' record of 44; highest batting
average by a team in an LCS, .318, eclipsing Atlanta's .309 in 1996; team
slugging percentage in a seven-game series, .521, obliterating the .484 set
by the Cubs in 2003.
答：纪录一堆咧，这里列几个比较重要的：联盟冠军战最多得分(51分)，打破洋基于2004
年缔造的45分；最多打点(48分)，打破洋基的44分；单一球队最高打击率：3成18，胜过
1996年勇士队于NLCS的3成09；七场比赛长打率5成21，远高于小熊在2003年NLCS的4成84。
But didn't the Red Sox hit into a ton of double plays?
问：不过红袜不是也打了一堆双杀打？
Sure, but who cares with the way they score runs. They set the LCS record by
hitting into 14 twin-killings, obliterating the record of 10 set by the
Orioles in 1997. They also have already eclipsed the record for hitting into
most double plays in an entire postseason wth 20, passing the 17 St. Louis
hit into last year. And Julio Lugo has hit into four, setting the ALCS record
and tying Pedro Guerrero, who hit into that many in the 1981 NLCS.
答：西滴！但只要能猛灌分数就好啦！他们创造了联盟冠军赛最高的双杀打记录(14支)，
超过97年金莺的10支。红袜打者总计打出了20支DP，也超过了红雀去年的17支。其中
乳沟兄打了四支DP，平了1981年NLCS中Guerrero的纪录。
I seem to remember hearing Beckett's name a few years back. Wasn't he on the
Marlins team that beat the Yankees in the World Series in 2003?
问：我好像这几年一直听到Beckett的名字，他不就是2003年率领马林鱼宰掉洋基的那个
家伙？
He sure was, and Beckett picked up the Most Valuable Player Award for that
series after sealing the victory with a shutout in Game 6. Beckett maintained
his postseason poise this October, going 3-0 with a 1.17 ERA, 26 strikeouts
and just one walk over three starts.
答：没错就是他。北极兄当年在第6战完封对手的优异表现让他拿下了WS的MVP。今年他仍
然保持可怕的猛度，目前战绩3胜0败，ERA1.17，26次三振，1次保送。
Didn't Boston first baseman Kevin Youkilis have a monster series?
问：红袜一垒手Youkilis在这个系列是不是打出了怪物般的成绩啊？
If not for a guy named Beckett, he would have been the series MVP. Check this
list of records Youkilis set or tied: hits (14), tied the record; runs scored
(10), set record; batting average in a seven-game series (.500), set record;
slugging percentage in a seven-game series (.929), set record; singles in a
seven-game series (9), tied record.
答：如果没有Beckett，你杀先生应该是这系列赛的MVP。Youkilis创造或追平的纪录包
括：最多安打(14支平记录)、最多得分(10分破纪录)、打满七场的最高打击率(5成破纪
录)、七场最高长打率(.929破纪录)、七场最多一垒安打(9支平记录)。
What about Daisuke Matsuzaka? Didn't the Red Sox hand him some huge contract
to convince him to come over from Japan? How'd he do this season?
问：红袜花了大把银子签下松坂，他的表现有那个身价吗？
Yeah, the Red Sox wound up dishing out roughly $103 million