根據外電報導，在雙城高階A打拼的我國小將胡智為將在美國時間星期二至AAA支援一場雙
重賽的先發，筆者長期關心旅美小將的動態，在此發表一些個人的觀察，也順便翻譯一篇
目前是雙城高階A邁爾斯堡奇蹟隊的封面故事。
一定會有人問，為什麼AAA會要A+的小朋友來支援？而不是直接從AAA或是AA找，答案其實
很簡單。觀察目前雙城AAA羅徹斯特紅鷹隊的名單，僅有五位選手在本季為固定先發，AA
的査塔努加瞭望者也是如此，在不破壞先發投手投一休四的情況之下，目前採用六名先發
輪值的雙城高階A會是比較好的選擇。
好，那如果要選高階A，為什麼是胡而不是其他人呢？胡本季4勝0敗，ERA 1.03，SO/9超過
9，WHIP是誇張的0.83，被打擊率低到.185。經過前兩年在小聯盟的發展，胡已經在季前升
到雙城農場體系的#23新秀。雙城的農場十分肥沃，本年度的百大新秀之首也在他家。在受
球團重視和期待升高之下，AAA出現雙重賽先發投手的缺口，選擇胡智為也是很合理的選擇
了。
至於如果表現良好有沒有可能就不下來或是順勢升到AA呢？依目前觀察不太可能。縱使雙
城的後段輪值有點悲劇，但AAA的輪值還算穩定，且有3位都是在40人名單之中球員。在目
前AA和AAA都使用五人輪值的情況下，在這個時間點要卡位AA以上機會看起來不太大，比
較有可能的時間或許會落在明星賽前後調整球隊名單之時。
胡智為是一個充滿企圖心的球員，在之前的專訪就有提到，他給自己今年的目標是入選未
來之星賽和年底去亞利桑那秋季聯盟磨練。去年的亞運代表中華隊出賽表現不盡理想，退
場還怒摔手套，情緒控管固然還需加強，但也代表他的工作態度極高，好勝和競爭心態都
非常好，這點在以下譯文也有提到。
最後當然是期望他繼續能有好表現囉！
Just Hu is this guy?
這傢伙是誰？
Chih-Wei Hu has caused a stir with a sensational start to the season
胡智為開季的好表現已經激起一陣騷動
http://0rz.tw/yqcXx1111111
By Brice Zimmerman, MiracleBaseball.com
05/16/2015 3:38 PM ET
Who is this guy that leads the Florida State League in earned run average?
佛羅里達聯盟 (小聯盟A+層級) 的防禦率王是誰？
Hu, is this guy that leads the Florida State League in earned run average.
答案是胡。
With a miniscule 1.03 ERA over his first six starts, 21-year old Taiwanese
right-hander Chih-Wei Hu is a rising star in the Minnesota Twins organization
with an unlimited amount of pun opportunities for fans, writers,
broadcasters, coaches and teammates.
六場先發、ERA 1.03，這是來自臺灣的21歲投手胡智為繳出的數據，這樣的表現讓他成為
了雙城農場體系的明日之星，同時他的姓氏也將會繼續成為老哏笑話的主軸。
"The last name is just something that never gets old because you get all
these jokes," said Miracle pitching coach Ivan Arteaga. "Hu's going to pitch?
Hu's got the pitching chart?"
雙城高A的投手教練阿提嘉說：「胡這個姓氏的笑話永遠玩不膩啊！例如，誰(Hu/Who)要
投
球？誰(Hu/Who)手上有投球紀錄？」
Signing for $220,000 out of Taichung, Taiwan, Hu came to the CenturyLink
Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Fla. in the summer of 2013 with light fan fare
after inking his deal in early August of 2012. Immediately, the ability to
jest with his teammates helped bridge the culture and language gap of a
teenager in a foreign land.
在2012年被雙城以220,000美金簽下之後，胡在2013年來到雙城高階A邁爾斯堡奇蹟隊的
主場觀賞比賽。愛開玩笑的個性讓他跨過語言和文化的障礙，很快就和隊友打成一片。
"That right there made him fit," said Arteaga of Hu's assimilation into a
crowded locker room. "He embraces all of that. He's just that kind of guy."
阿提嘉說：「他這種個性讓他適應新環境，能夠充分融入，他就是這種人。」
On the field, Hu blended in seamlessly. Chih-Wei made his North American
debut as a member of the Gulf Coast League Twins and performed well in 12
appearances, five starts. Hu allowed 11 runs, 10 earned, over 36.2 innings
with only eight walks and 39 strikeouts. A successful showing in the GCL was
a solid start, but while pitching in the heat of the Florida sun Hu realized
his conditioning needed improvement.
在球場上，胡也順利無縫接軌。第一年的職業生涯從灣岸聯盟(菜鳥聯盟)起步，出賽了12
場，在36.2局的投球中丟掉10分自責分，送出39次三振且只有8次保送。在灣岸聯盟的成
功
為他的職業生涯踏出第一步，但他也知道自己還需要加強。
"He was overweight when he came over, but not because he didn't work enough,"
explained Arteaga. "He was competing in Taiwan at that weight and he was
dominating. He actually found out for himself that he needed to get and stay
in better shape and he did that on his own."
阿提嘉說：「他剛來美國的時候過重，但這並非他不認真訓練，是因為他在臺灣的時候就
是這個體型，而且當時他表現良好。不過後來他發現應該要更認真控制體型，他也就自己
辦到了。」
Prior to the 2014 season, Hu returned to the United States early to reunite
with a coach from Taiwan that was now based out of California and prepared
for a season that began at rookie level Elizabethton in the Appalachian
League. Chih-Wei made three starts before the Twins player development staff
decided the sturdy righty was ready for the Midwest League.
在2014球季開始之前，胡提早回到美國和一位來自臺灣的教練一同訓練，為了新球季做準
備。胡先在阿帕拉契聯盟(不是阿帕契喔...，是高階新人聯盟)先發了三場比賽，雙城管
理層便覺得他已經準備好在中西聯盟(1A)投球了。
On July 10 at age 20, Hu made his first of 10 appearances with the Cedar
Rapids Kernels during the 2014 campaign. He went six innings and allowed four
unearned runs with five strikeouts. Over the next nine appearances, Hu would
pick up seven wins including four in a row from July 16 to July 31 and a
10-strikeout performance on July 26.
2014年7月10日，20歲的胡智為獻出了1A的處女秀，六局的投球中丟了四分非自責分，另外
送出5次三振。在接下來1A的9次先發中，他拿下了七勝，其中包含了一次四連勝，以及7月
26日單場送出10K的勝投。
The 2014 season came to a close and Hu had become a light beep on a very
crowded and bright Twins prospect radar. With the Twins considered one of the
top minor league systems in baseball, national pundits continued to gush over
high profile prospects like Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano, Alex Meyer, Jose
Berrios, Eddie Rosario, Jorge Polanco, Kohl Stewart and many others worthy of
praise in the Minnesota organization.
當2014年球季即將結束時，胡智為在農場肥沃的雙城農場中成為了亮點。雙城的農場被認
為是大聯盟前幾名的，包含百大新秀#1的Byron Buxton，以及其他頂級新秀。
As yearly lists were compiled, Hu was represented well, but in the bottom
half or third of a deep organization. Chih-Wei ranked No. 23 for MLB.com's
preseason prospect list.
當2015年的新秀排名出來時，胡智為成功登上#23，但這也只是雙城體系中的中下方了。
With a relatively small sample size of professional experience on his resume
and scouts reluctant to deem any of his offerings a true "plus pitch,"
Chih-Wei was still an unknown commodity to the outside baseball world. In
Spring Training, Miracle manager Jeff Smith picked up a trait of Hu's that
can't be quantified and often, cannot be learned.
因為在職業比賽中的經驗和出賽仍屬小樣本，加上球探不覺得目前的胡有哪個球種可以稱
為"plus pitch"，對外界來說，他還是個讓人陌生的投手。在春訓的時候，奇蹟隊教練傑
夫‧史密斯發現了胡有個特質是無法量化也無法學習的。
"He's got that competitor's edge," said Smith. "He gets after it. You know
he's going to attack and you know what you're going to get when he goes on
that mound."
史密斯說：「他很有競爭意識，你可以知道他上場就是充滿氣勢進攻，你也可以期待他上
場投球能帶來的表現。」
Hu's battle plan includes a varied arsenal with a fastball that reaches the
mid-90's, but mainly sits 91-93. He will also throw a curveball, changeup and
is working on a slider. In addition to the more traditional offerings in Hu's
repertoire, he also employs a palmball.
胡的球路不少，包含在90mph中段的速球(通常在91-93mph)、曲球、變速球，以及正在練習
的滑球。除此之外，他還會投掌心球。
"Palmballs are different than changeups," explained Smith, a former catcher.
"A changeup is in your fingertips and a palmball your whole hand is on it.
With a changeup, you maintain a fastball arm speed and the ball is going to
come off the fingertips about 10 MPH slower than a fastball. A palmball, you
are going to get close to the same speed, but the only difference is that
when it comes out of the hand, by the gravity and the way it's placed in your
hand, it comes in right at the strikezone and goes straight down."
總教練，同時過去也是個捕手的史密斯說：「掌心球和變速球不一樣，變速球是用手指，
掌心球則是用整個手掌。變速球投出時和快速球的甩臂相同，球速大概比快速球慢10mph；
掌心球的球速也差不多，但是當出手時，因為重力和放在手中的方式，在進入好球帶時會
急速下墜。」
"Some people could mistake that for a curveball or maybe a split, but it's a
palmball for Mr. Hu."
史密斯繼續說：「很多人會以為那是曲球或是指叉球，但胡投的就是這種掌心球。」
When watching Hu, the most impressive feature of all his pitches is that he
can throw any for strikes. In his career, Hu has just 29 walks over 142.2
innings pitched; less than two walks per nine innings. He throws strikes,
moves the ball around and shows an advanced feel for the game. All from a
21-year old from a non-traditional baseball country and under 150 innings of
pro experience.
看胡投球時，最讓人印象深刻的就是他每種球種都能投進好球帶。在他的職業生涯142.2局
的投球中，他只送出29次保送，等於BB/9不到2。他可以投好球，並將球在好球帶遊走。這
些都是胡的特長，這個來自非傳統棒球國家(譯按：原來我們不是棒球傳統國家啊...)的21
歲小夥子。
"He uses that fastball in and out," Smith noted. "He can go up in the zone
with it. He uses a mix, but the big thing is he goes after you. As soon as he
gets to the ballpark on the day that he's pitching, he's focused. We feel
pretty good about having a chance to win that day."
史密斯說：「他充分運用他的速球，他可以投高吊球，也混和球種，最重要的是他不斷攻
擊。當他站上投手丘時非常專注，只要他先發我們就覺得今天有很高的機會獲勝。」
Dominating his first six starts in the FSL, Hu will get a chance to test his
mettle at the Triple-A level with a spot start on Tuesday morning at 11:05
a.m.
在佛羅里達的前六場超棒先發表現，讓胡掙得了在AAA代班先發的機會，這場比賽將會在
美國時間5/19的早上11:05舉行。
If Hu continues on his current trajectory, Twins fans won't be asking "who?"
for very much longer, but instead… when?
如果胡能繼續維持在FSL的超殺表現，雙城球迷以後將不會再問誰(Who/Hu)？而是問什麼
時候(When)？