For Ex-Big Leaguers in Japan, Ohtani A Special But Not Invincible Talent
December 08, 2017 By Kyle Glaser
原文發表於Baseball America. https://goo.gl/CF1Rr2
So, is Ohtani ready to step in and be an ace-caliber starting pitcher from
day one? Not quite, in the eyes of the ex-big leaguers who faced him,
although they acknowledge he may get there eventually.
所以，大谷準備好成為王牌等級的先發投手了嗎? 在這些前大聯盟選手眼中，答案是未
必。儘管他們認可他也許最後會到達那個水準。
"If you compare him to like a (Yu) Darvish right now, I don't think he's
there yet," said former White Sox and Pirates infielder Brent Morel, who
played parts of six seasons in the majors before moving to the JPPL with Orix
the last two years. "Watching those guys pitch, they just have more of a
repertoire, and it seems like a better command of what they're doing.
Obviously he's younger, maybe skilled more, it's just kind of honing that in
and being more consistent. But it's definitely there."
"如果把他跟達比修那一類投手相比，我想還差一點。"前教士與海盜的內野手莫雷爾這
樣說，他在過去這兩年加入歐力士之前曾經在大聯盟出賽六個球季。
"那些人投球，看起來就是有更多本領，而且確實掌控自己正在做什麼。大谷顯然更年輕
，或許技巧更好，但就是還需要一些磨練，然後變得更穩定些。不過他確實有那樣的才
華。"
"He's not Masahiro Tanaka," Sarfate said. "Tanaka faced us in 2013 when I was
with Seibu. He was definitely far more advanced than what Ohtani is, but he
was also a little bit older. If you had said Tanaka (would compete for Cy
Youngs right away), I would've said absolutely. The guy commands three
pitches down in the zone, he's consistent every time he takes the mound;
there's no way Ohtani comes in his first year over and contends for the Cy
Young.
"他還比不上田中將大"沙發鐵表示。
"2013年我在西武的時候，他(田中)有對上我們球隊，他比起大谷來說絕對來更為高階許
多，不過他年紀也比較大。如果你問田中可不可以(競爭賽楊獎)，我會說絕對沒問題。
那傢伙能把三種球種控在好球帶下緣，而且每次在投手丘上都很穩定。而大谷不可能在過
來第一年就成為賽楊獎的競爭者的"
"He is better than most guys I see pitch as a fourth or fifth starter. He can
definitely go there and pitch in the big leagues and you can let him have his
ups and downs. If he just worked on pitching, I think then he could be a Cy
Young winner."
"他比我看過絕大多數的四號或五號投手來的好，他絕對能在大聯盟投球，就算有些起起
伏伏也可以接受。如果他只投球的話，我認為他有機會成為賽楊獎得主。"
And there lies the dilemma Ohtani's suitors face. Ohtani wants to hit and has
a long track record of success hitting in Japan, and teams making recruiting
pitches to him have been forced to get creative to find ways to get him
meaningful at-bats while also pitching. Whether that means days playing the
outfield, serving as a designated hitter or some combination of the two, it's
a schedule and workload that will not be easy.
這裡就帶出了一個大谷未來球隊的難題。大谷想要打擊，而且在日本已經有成功的紀錄
過，招募他的球隊被逼迫要在他投球的同時，想出怎麼給他極具意義的打席數，不論是
讓他守外野，或是擔任指定打擊，又或是兩者皆是。這將不會是一個輕鬆的計劃與負擔。
The reason they are willing to do so is Ohtani's lefthanded power. It can be
jaw dropping to watch, even for ex-big leaguers who have seen Giancarlo
Stanton, Nelson Cruz and other big-time sluggers put on massive power
displays.
他們願意這樣做的原因是大谷是個左打者。即使是對看過Giancarlo Stanton、Nelson
Cruz或其他重砲的前大聯盟球員來說，看他打擊也讓人目瞪口呆。
"First time I saw him take batting practice was unreal," Romero said. "He was
just hitting the ball with ease. His power is ridiculous. Brandon Laird, who
is on his team, came up to me and was like 'Hey, watch Ohtani's BP,' because
they're in the same hitting group. So I was like all right. He was just
hitting balls opposite field 20 rows up at their stadium, and their stadium
at Sapporo is a pretty legit sized stadium. It's not small by any means, and
he's just oppo 20 rows deep, center field 20 rows deep, and then pull side
he's going like 40 rows, almost on top of the concourse. I'm like, 'That's
just ridiculous.'"
"我第一次看他打擊練習的時候，那簡直不可思議。"羅梅洛說
"他就是輕鬆的把球送出去，他的power太扯了。那時候雷阿斗跟他(大谷)同隊，他們在
同一組打擊練習，他過來跟我說，嘿，來看大谷打擊練習啊，我想說好吧。他把球送到
反方向20排觀眾席，他們在札幌的球場是個正規尺寸的球場，從哪一方面來說都不算小，
而他直接把球送到反方向20排，中外野20排，至於拉打那邊，他能打到大概40排遠，都
快到最上層了，我那時候覺得真的有夠扯。"
But whether or not Ohtani will be able to get to that power against big
league pitching is an open debate.
但大谷在對上大聯盟投手的時候還能不能有那樣的power就有得討論了。
Sarfate, for example, has been able to keep Ohtani in check over the five
seasons he's faced him.
舉例來說，沙發鐵就能在超過五個球季的對決中取得上風。
"I think I faced him 11 times and I think I gave up a single and triple, and
the single was actually a squiggler down the third-base line that he beat
out." Sarfate said. "He's got decent plate awareness, the only problem I see
him having issues with early on—and he can make the adjustment—is fastballs
in. Japanese guys tend to stay away from him, I think it's a lot of respect
and they don't want to throw a fastball in and break his arm or hit him in
the elbow. I think he's aware of that, that no one pitches him in. I pitch
him in and have had good success going in.
"我記得我對上他11次吧，其中被打一支一壘安打，一支三壘安打，而且那支一壘安打是
掉在三壘邊線上的鳥安"沙發鐵說。
"他在打擊區裡有不錯的感覺，我看到他唯一的問題