In the aftermath of a wild day of baseball news, from Alex Rodriguez's
disappearing act to an impromptu appearance on WFAN in New York and the
blockbuster that saw Ian Kinsler, Price Fielder and millions of dollars switch
hands, the hot stove is burning.
从A-Rod于WFAN电台一番即席谈话，到Ian Kinsler与Prince Fielder的大交易案，棒球新闻
在这疯狂的一天余波荡漾，宛若暖炉正熊熊燃烧。
Yet, for all the talk about Major League Baseball's busy offseason, including
the eventual destinations of top free-agent bats like Robinson Cano and Jacoby
Ellsbury and arms like Matt Garza and Masahiro Tanaka, little time is devoted to
a handful, or more, of arms that have the ability to impact the 2014 pennant
race.
大伙在休季后仍忙碌于许多话题，包含顶级自由球员Cano、Ellsbury、Garza与田中将大的
最终动向，至于少部分的时间就关注在那些能对2014球季具有一定影响力的投手。
Yes, folks, we're talking about relief pitchers. Overpaid, underused and
misunderstood, the high-leverage aces on the open market are well-known
commodities but receiving very little interest when hot stove banter is the
topic of conversation in baseball circles.
是的，我们要谈谈自由市场的后援投手，太贵、过度使用、被误解的、高效率Ace们，这些
知名但却甚少受到关注自由球员。
Days after the San Francisco Giants considered rewarding, via CBS Sports,
left-handed specialist Javier Lopez with a three-year contract, let's take a
look at the the best fits for the top remaining relief pitchers on the
free-agent market.
在Javier Lopez签下13M/3Y的合约留在Giants后，我们看看自由市场还有哪些好的后援投手
1. Joe Nathan (64.2 IP, 43 SV, 1.39 ERA), Detroit Tigers
Every year, one or two player-team combinations stand out as a perfect match on
the free-agent market. This winter, it's an eventual marriage between Joe Nathan
and the Detroit Tigers.
每年，有一到两个球员与球队宛如天作之合般的结合，今年冬天就注定是Nathan与老虎的姻
缘了。
In 2013, Detroit's bullpen struggled during the early part of the season. By the
All-Star break, former manager Jim Leyland settled on a lefty-righty combination
of DrewSmyly and Joaquin Benoit to handle the eighth and ninth innings,
respectively. When new manager Brad Ausmus arrives in Lakeland, Fla., for spring
training, neither are likely to be available to him. Benoit is a free agent and
Smyly is expected to be converted back to the starting rotation.
13年球季初期老虎牛棚不慎稳定，明星赛休兵时，前教头Leyland决定让Smyly跟Benoit当八
、九局的左右护法，但当新上任的Brad Ausmus明年要到Lakeland春训时，这两个恐怕都不
能用了，Benoit已投身自由市场，Smyly则被设定要转做先发。
That leaves an obvious hole at closer for a team on the precipice of a World
Series title. After Wednesday's trade between Texas and Detroit, the Tigers have
around $8 million extra in their 2014 budget to spend on the open market.
那确实在老虎争冠的危急处境下留了一个大洞，但在老虎与游骑兵大交易后，老虎2014年又
有了8M可运用。
Enter the best closer on the market, Joe Nathan. The no-brainer free agent isn't
just good-he might be the second-best closer, behind Mariano Rivera, of this
generation. At the age of 39, he's showed no signs of slowing down and would be
a perfect fit on a contender in Detroit.
在自由市场中，Joe Nathan.不仅是赞，他还可能是这个世代中仅次于Mo的第二把交椅。即
便39岁了，但也没有退化征兆，恰恰适合老虎队。
2. Grant Balfour (64.2 IP, 38 SV, 2.59 ERA), Cleveland Indians
Buoyed by an excellent offseason, including the hiring of the American League
Manager of the Year, Cleveland went from 68-win disaster in 2012 to an American
League playoff berth in 2013. If it can fill holes this offseason, including one
in the back end of the bullpen, a true challenge to the Detroit Tigers in the AL
Central may commence next season.
印地安人经过休季的努力，包含找到了美联最佳教头，从2012年68胜进步到晋级季后赛，如
果新赛季前能把缺点弥补起来，包含牛棚的问题，是足以撼动老虎在美联中区的王座的。
In order for Cleveland to take the next step, it'll need to find a way to finish
games stronger and beat the Detroit Tigers in head-to-head battles during the
regular season.
为了让印地安人更进一步，需要找一个能终结比赛，并在例行赛能击退老虎的投手。
First, fixing the bullpen. During the 2013 season, only five teams in baseball
posted a worse ERA after the sixth inning, per ESPN. Moving on from the overpaid
Chris Perez ($7.3 mil, 87 ERA+) is addition by subtraction for Terry Francona's
bullpen. The 28-year-old reliever was released by Cleveland in October, per
MLB.com, putting to rest any speculation of the team retaining his rights as an
arbitration-eligible pitcher in 2014.
首先是牛棚战力，13球季只有五只球队在第六局后的ERA有飙升，28岁7.3M的Chris Perez已
在10月被释出，消弭了会行使仲裁权的可能性。
The next Indians closer will likely be an upgrade from the enigmatic Perez from
the moment he arrives in spring training, but finding a personality ready to
take on the Detroit Tigers will be an added responsibility to the job
description. In 2013, Cleveland went 4-15 in 19 head-to-head games with Detroit.
Despite losing 11 games in the standings, the Indians lost the AL Central crown
by just one game.
预期春训时印地安人的终结者会比谜样般的Perez好的多，但要找一个愿意承受老虎强大火
力的投手，这等于是另一项重担，13球季印地安人对老虎是4-15，尽管差了11场，但在分区
王座上仅有一场胜差。
Enter Grant Balfour. If your memory is short, here's a glimpse at the former
Oakland closer in a big game against Detroit. His ability is evident, but
there's something extra about Balfour vs. Detroit that makes him the perfect fit
for the Cleveland Indians.
签下Balfour，如果你记忆力不好，看看先前季后赛他对老虎的表现，他的实力可是品质保
证的，且Balfour打老虎还有更多额外的好处(他没写，但我猜是场上剑拔弩张的张力)。
3. Fernando Rodney (66.2 IP, 37 SV, 3.38 ERA), New York Yankees
The hardest job in New York sports is up for grabs next season. Simply put, the
closer that replaces Mariano Rivera has an impossible task. Greatness isn't good
enough. Dominance will be met with apathy. Every blown save will be scrutinized
through the eyes of fans that just watched the best closer in history toy with
opposing batters for nearly two decades.
洋基新球季最难也最简单的就是找到替代Mo的人选，伟大并不足够，再强的宰制力也会遇到
无情的(球迷)，每一次救援失败都会被球迷放大，谁叫他们过去将近二十年享有了Mo呢！
All of that explains why the Yankees don't plan on just handing the job, per NJ.
com, to David Robertson, the obvious in-house heir apparent to Rivera's throne.
The 28-year-old should have to earn the job. If he can't, competition is
necessary to rescue Robertson from a firestorm of criticism.
为何不交棒给Robertson，让他当Mo的法定继承人就好，所有解释是说这位28岁的投手理应
去接棒，但如果他无法胜任，签一个竞逐终结者角色的投手可让Robertson免于舆论的砲轰
Fernando Rodney, off two highly successful seasons in Tampa Bay, is a perfect
fit. As a free agent, he'll command more on the open market than the Rays can
offer. If he joins the Yankees as a setup man, the opportunity to close could
open up quickly, positioning the 36-year-old to star in a big market.
Rodney过去两季在光芒都很成功，投身自由市场后光芒也没多余银弹留住他，如果让36岁的
他当洋基布局投手，拿下比赛的机会将大增。
At worst, Rodney could pitch well as a setup man before reentering the
free-agent market in a year or two. The path, from Rays closer to Yankees
insurance policy, would be reminiscent of Rafael Soriano's trek from Tampa to
New York prior to the 2011 season. That career arc led Soriano back to a
full-time closing position and $22 million in Washington.
大不了Rodney可以在洋基当一两年布局投手重返自由市场，这样的途径，可回溯2011年
Rafael Soriano从光芒到洋基，最后再到国民拿22M(这边不知作者是否有错，好像是
28M/2Y)。
4. Brian Wilson (13.2 IP, 0.66 ERA), Los Angeles Angels
If Wilson were willing to shave his beard, he would have been listed as the best
option for the New York Yankees in the same capacity as Fernando Rodney. He's
not, per CBS New York, so expect his free-agent options to remain on the West
Coast.
如果Wilson愿意剔胡子的话，他也会是洋基的最佳人选，但显然不会成真，所以还是着眼于
西岸吧。
After dominating (130 ERA+) for the San Francisco Giants from 2006-2011, Wilson
underwent Tommy John surgery in 2012. When his one-year rehab was complete, the
eccentric flamethrower resurfaced with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2013.
06-11为巨人立下汗马功劳后，12年动了Tommy John，一年复原期过后，又为道奇飙出不寻
常地火球了。
In a small sample, Wilson profiled as a different, yet effective, pitcher than
before injury. Despite a noticeable drop-off in velocity, the 31-year-old
reliever posted career-best ground-ball (56.3) and xFIPrates, per Fangraphs, for
the Dodgers. If Wilson can regain some of his velocity in 2014, along with
generating ground balls at a rate of 50 percent, he could be the steal of the
free-agent market.
样本虽不多，但Wilson表现跟受伤前完全不同，且更有效率，尽管球速不若以往，但滚地球
比(56.3)跟xFIP(Fielding Independent Pitching)却是生涯最佳。如果2014年球速能找回
来，维持滚地球比在五成，签下他的球队会是自由市场的神来一偷。
While the Angels do have Ernesto Frieriunder contract, his ERA (3.80) was below
average and his 3.9 BB/9 rate is too high for any manager to be comfortable with
. If the Angels plan on making a run at the postseason in 2014, they'll need a
stable arm at the end of games. Wilson, despite only throwing 15.2 total innings
since 2011, can be that arm.
当天使Ernesto Frieri防御率3.80高于平均值，且每九局3.9个四坏偏高得让教头不放心，
若14年天使想要竞逐季后赛，他们需要一个更可靠的投手，Brian Wilson虽然自2011年后例
行赛只投了15.2局，但他足以胜任。
5. Joaquin Benoit (67 IP, 24 SV, 2.01 ERA), Seattle Mariners
For some reason, there is a negative connotation around Benoit as a star relief
pitcher. Perhaps it's due to a journeyman career, Detroit's unwillingness to
hand him the closing job until midseason in 2013 or the fact that he's not a
"proven" closer, but, when looking at the numbers, it's ridiculous.
就某些层面来看，大家对Benoit是不是一个明星级的后援投手，都语带保留，或许这跟他的
短期工生涯有关(不知道作者是指伤病还是其他? 刚刚看Benoit数据也还好，除了09没打，
近四年都有吃60局以上)。老虎一直到13年季中才把他扶正为终结者，或许他不是一个已"证
明自己"的终结者，但看看数据，你就知道那是无稽之谈。
Over the last four seasons, spanning Benoit's time in Tampa Bay and Detroit, he
's posted a 2.53 ERA in 259.1 innings pitched. How good is that number? Unless
we're talking about David Robertson, Grant Balfour or Brad Ziegler, it's better
than any other reliever in baseball (with at least 250 IP) over that span.
过去四季以来横跨光芒到老虎，Benoit 259.1局的投球是2.53的防御率，这成绩有多好？除
非提到David Robertson、Grant Balfour或Brad Ziegler，这足以打败其他过去四季并投超
过250局的后援投手了。
2010-2013 超过250局的后援投手
Reliever IP ERA
David Robertson 255 2.36
Grant Balfour 254.2 2.47
Brad Ziegler 260.2 2.52
Joaquin Benoit 259.1 2.53
Tyler Clippard 323 2.73
Jim Johnson 256.1 2.77
Luke Gregerson 272 2.78
Craig Breslow 257 2.84
Wilton Lopez 279.2 3.03
Jonathan Papelbon 263 3.05
Even if we threw in star reliever like Craig Kimbrel or Aroldis Chapman, both
with less than 250 innings since 2010, Benoit's numbers would still stand out
among MLB relief aces.
即便是Craig Kimbrel跟 Aroldis Chapman，从2010算起他们俩也没各吃下250局，所以
Benoit在后援里算很突出了。
For a team like the Seattle Mariners, attempting to turn rebuilding into winning
in 2014, Benoit would be a perfect fit. As the franchise attempts to find bats
this winter to complement a good, young pitching staff, close games are to be
expected again next season. If a pitcher like Benoit can close those games,
Seattle might be a .500 team for the first time since 2009.
以水手来说，试着在14年重建，Benoit是很合适的人选，当球队也在找好的棒子来匹配他们
的年轻投手时，比分接近的比赛明年应该会再次上演，如果Benoit能胜任，水手应可从09年
后再次回到五成胜率。
新闻来源:http://ppt.cc/Io0p
第一次翻MLB外电，请大家参考
另话说Benoit表现虽然不俗，但季后对OAK与BOS还是让人心惊惊啊