代代流傳的絕學 ─ 蝴蝶球的傳承 - 美國職棒

HOW STEVEN WRIGHT’S SMARTPHONE HAS SERVED AS HIS BEST PITCHING COACH
─ Steven Wright的最佳導師...智慧型手機？

http://t.co/s2xizVZR1k

DUNEDIN, Fla. – The notion of a knuckleball fraternity was thrown around a
lot Monday. Made sense. It’s not every day both starters – in this case the
Red Sox’ Steven Wright and R.A. Dickey of the Blue Jays – both offer the
out-of-the-ordinary offering.

蝴蝶球兄弟會在週一辦了一場活動─很難得的，兩邊的投手都靠這個特殊球種吃飯的 ─
Steven Wright 和 R.A. Dickey。

When asked after his experience what kind of fraternity we might be talking
about, “Animal House” or “Old School,” Wright was quick to pick the
latter. Understandable considering those with membership include 65-year-old
Charlie Hough, 55-year-old Tom Candiotti, 46-year-old Tim Wakefield,
38-year-old Dickey, and, now, the baby, 28-year-old Wright.

Wright被問到這個兄弟會比較像“Animal House”還是“Old School”(兩部美國喜劇片)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Lampoon's_Animal_House
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_School_(film)

Wright表示比較像“Old School”。不難理解，因為兄弟會成員包含65歲的Charlie Hough
、55歲的Tom Candiotti、46歲的Tim Wakefield、38歲的R.A. Dickey以及28歲的菜鳥
Steven Wright。

In this case, however, the residence isn’t any sort of broken down mansion.
They live within the confines of their smartphones.

不過他們並沒有住在同一棟公寓─他們的關係是靠智慧型手機維繫的。

This is what happens: Wright has a question and a group text is sent out.

事情是這樣的：Wright寫了一個問題然後用群組發出去。

Here is an example from earlier in spring training …

例如在沒多久之前：

Wright texts to Hough, Candiotti, Wakefield and Dickey: “I encountered
something today during live BP that I cannot remember having this bad, but
the wind was blowing hard at my back and the knuckle was a little different
for me. I got some movement but it was not much. What is your mindset when
you encounter those conditions?”

Wright傳簡訊給Hough, Candiotti, Wakefield和Dickey：「我在今天的Live BP中遇到
問題─以往都沒有這麼嚴重：強勁的風從我的背後襲來，這時我的蝴蝶球變得不太一樣了
。它的變化幅度遠不如我給它的那樣。你們再遇到這種情況的時候會用甚麼方法？」

Dickey was first to respond: “Change speeds more often and hang on.”

Dickey第一個回應：「增加改變球速的頻率然後撐住。」

Wakefield: “Start a little lower and a little firmer to create your own
resistance.”

Wakefield：「握低一點、緊一點，自己創造阻力。」

Hough and Candiotti would also text back, albeit a bit later.

Hough 和 Candiotti也都有回應，雖然晚了一些。

“That’s what I do. I send out a group text because everybody has their own
adjustments how it kicks in for them,” Wright said. “That’s why I do it. I
send it to Charlie, Dickey, Candiotti and Wake. That’s just o see what they
all say, because what R.A. says and what Wake says might be two different
things, but might mean the same thing and the terminology is different.”

「我就是這麼做的。我寄群組簡訊的原因是大家都有不同的調整方法。我會寄給Charlie
, Dickey, Candiotti 和 Wake來看所有人的方法，因為R.A.提供這個方法，但是Wake又說
了兩個完全不一樣的東西─但也有可能是同一樣東西卻有不同描述方式。」Wright表示。

But Monday, no texts were needed.

不過在這個禮拜一就不用傳簡訊了。

At approximately 10:30 a.m. Wright formally introduced himself, face-to-face,
with Wakefield, who was visiting for the day. The pair immediately dove into
knuckleball conversation, going back and forth with ideas for the next 30
minutes.

大約早上10:30時，Wright正式的面對面向來訪的Wakefield自我介紹。他們很快地就進入
了蝴蝶球的話題，大概花了30分鐘交換各式各樣的點子。

The results of the discussion were tangible.

討論的效果蠻不錯的。

“He actually came in and was working with me a little before I went in the
game and the biggest adjustment was I moved over to the first-base side of
the rubber, which just allows my hand to stay in the window a little bit
longer, and down to the center of home plate, and to lead to the center of
home plate,” Wright said. “Those two small adjustments I felt made a huge
adjustment on my feel for the pitch and able to keep it in the strike zone.”

「他來在比賽前教我一些事情，最大的調整是我踩投手板時會往一壘側靠近一些，這讓
手的位置能在框框內待得更久，接著往本壘板中心投，球就能往好球帶中心送出去。」
，Steven Wright這麼說。「兩個小小的調整就讓覺得改善很多，比較能讓球順利的送進
好球帶中。」

When it was all said and done, Wright had taken another step forward toward
impressing upon the Red Sox that he can be counted on for the coming season.

事實上，Wright的確向前跨了一大步，用亮眼表現來讓大家在接下來的幾個球季中對他
保有期待。

Two innings, two hits, no runs, no walks, three strikeouts.

兩局，兩安、無失分、無保送、三次三振。

“I was a little nervous,” Wright said. “I was not scared, just a little
nervous, because you want to do your best in general, but to have guys with a
keen eye for the knuckleball … once I got out there, I felt pretty good.”

Wright：「我有一點緊張，但不是害怕─因為你想要進你所能。場邊有許多銳利眼神盯著
我的蝴蝶球...但當我上場時，我的感覺蠻不錯的。」

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"HARD WORK BEATS TALENT
WHEN TALENT FAILS TO WORK HARD."

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