原文 NY Daily:
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees" class="t_tag">yankees/2008/12/18/2008-12-18_yankees" class="t_tag">yankees_usher_in_new_era_with_pair_of_ac.html
Yankees usher in new era with pair of aces, CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett
洋基與沙胖、A.J.這兩位新加盟的王牌投手一起迎接新時代
沙胖和A.J.星期四在洋基球場開心合影
BY MARK FEINSAND
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
CC Sabathia may be a California kid, but as of Thursday, he is officially a New Yorker.
沙胖或許是個土生土長的加州小子,但從星期四開始,他正式成為紐約客.
The pitcher many believed would leave money on the table to pitch in his home state was formally introduced Thursday at a Yankee Stadium press conference, one that also marked the introduction of A.J. Burnett.
這位原先被預料會捨棄洋基的優渥條件而留在西岸打球的左投,星期四在老洋基球場的記者會上正式宣布加入洋基.
另一位與他一起加盟的還有A.J. Burnett.
Not only did Sabathia get his introduction to the New York media, he also got a pep talk from the biggest Yankee fan there is - George Steinbrenner.
沙胖不只在記者會上被介紹給紐約的球迷,他還得到最大尾的洋基迷---大老闆George Steinbrenner的鼓勵.
After the press conference, Hal Steinbrenner, team president Randy Levine, GM Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi took Sabathia and A.J. Burnett into Girardi's office, where a phone call was put in to George Steinbrenner in Tampa.
記者會後, 小老闆Hal,洋基總裁Randy Levine,經理現金男和吉總帶著沙胖和A.J.一起到吉總辦公室,大老闆George專程從坦帕打電話問候他們.
According to sources, Steinbrenner told the two pitchers that he'd been watching the press conference on TV, and said, "I'm really excited to have you guys with us. This is going to be great for our franchise. Now go to it."
據表示,大老闆告訴這兩位投手從電視上觀看他們的記者會,並說:"我很興奮能有你們2位的加入,這對球隊的戰力是一大利多.現在儘管好好表現."
Before the call, Sabathia was grinning while he slipped into his XXL No. 52, as he and his wife, Amber, made it clear that they were leaving the West Coast behind them to start a new life in the metropolitan area, having looked for houses in northern New Jersey on Wednesday.
在與大老闆通電前,沙胖開懷地穿上他特大號的52號條紋球衣.同時他和妻子Amber也表示他們遠離西岸的家鄉到大城市展開新生活,並已在星期三於紐澤西北部開始物色新居.
"It took longer than people wanted," Sabathia said of his prolonged free-agent pursuit. "But I planned on wherever I play is where I'm going to live. I made the decision to play here, so I'm going to live here."
沙胖談到他在自由市場上尋找新東家的漫長過程:"這需要一段時間."
"但我打定主意不管到哪打球,我都要住在當地.現在我決定到紐約來,我就要住在這裡."
But what about the opt-out clause that would allow Sabathia to escape his contract - and the Bronx - after the 2011 season? The pitcher said his agents sought the clause in negotiations with every team, but he's not planning on putting it to use.
不過對合約中附加的逃脫條款---讓沙胖在2011年球季後得以逃脫離開洋基---想法如何?
沙胖說他的經紀人在與每一支球隊協商時都有要求這一項,但他從沒想過要用它.
"I look at it as I'm going to be here through the duration of the contract," Sabathia said.
沙胖說:"我會在這裡一直待到合約期限結束."
"We're going to make this our home now," Amber said. "This is it, year-round. That was our big decision. Wherever we signed, we wanted to stay there for a long time. That was one of the factors that we had to wait on and decide."
沙胖的妻子Amber說:"我們打算把這裡當作自己的家,就是這樣."
"這是生命中的重大決定,不管落腳何處,我們都打算在那兒長住.這也是為何我們需要一段時間思考好作決定的原因之一."
And so begins the Yankees' latest quest for championship No. 27, one that is now built around the 6-7, 290-pound former Cy Young winner. Having acquired several big-name pitchers in the past five or six years who were expected to lead the Yankees to the promised land - think Jeff Weaver, Javier Vazquez and Carl Pavano - Cashman is now betting on Sabathia and Burnett to help stabilize a rotation that has had plenty of problems in recent seasons.
在洋基繼續追求第27座世界大賽冠軍之時,他們找來了沙胖這位6呎7吋,體重290棒的賽揚巨投.在過去五六年,洋基找了好幾位大物投手試圖重返榮耀--- Jeff Weaver, Javier Vazquez和痛痛人Carl Pavano等.
現在,現金男把賭注押在沙胖和A.J.身上,希望他們能為近年來問題重重的先發輪值戰力注入穩固的力量.
"I can't tell you I didn't feel strong that those players were going to come in here and be young, foundation pieces for us for a long time," Cashman said of previous acquisitions. "We've been here and done this before. The one thing today represents is another example that we're going to keep swinging for the fences."
現金男談到之前找來的幾位球員時表示:"我不認為他們的實力有問題,長久以來他們都是構成洋基的年輕戰力."
"球隊補強的方針是一致的.今天這兩位球員的加入是證明洋基持續精進, 盡全力一搏的另一個模範."
Sabathia made it clear that the Yankees were always high on his list, as were the Brewers and Angels. The Yankees pounced with their initial six-year, $140 million offer on Nov.14, while Milwaukee offered the lefthander a five-year, $100 million deal. The Angels never extended an official offer, essentially killing Sabathia's chances of pitching in his home state.
沙胖明白表示洋基,釀酒人,和天使一直以來都是他的優先考量球隊.在釀酒人開出5年1億美金的條件後,洋基在11/14提出一份6年1億4000萬的肥約.
天使從未正式提出條件,這讓沙胖留在家鄉打球的機會不再.
The pitcher was also concerned about the public perception that he was anti-New York.
沙胖也顧慮到大家會以為他不喜歡紐約.
"I was freaking out," Sabathia said. "The Yankees were always in my top three; I just wanted to make sure I heard everything out."
沙胖說:"我(對洋基的邀約)興奮極了."
"洋基是我的前3名考量球隊,我只是想先多作了解再作決定."
After meeting with Cashman, Girardi and Reggie Jackson on the day before the winter meetings, Sabathia had a good feeling about the Yankees. But it wasn't until Cashman flew to northern California two days later that Sabathia made his decision.
在冬季會議的前一天與現金男、吉總、十月先生Reggie Jackson會過面後,沙胖對洋基有更多好感.
不過兩天後,現金男飛往北加州親自登門拜訪以後,沙胖才下定決心.
"Ten minutes after he left my house, I looked at my wife and said, 'I'm going to be a Yankee,'" Sabathia said. "I still get chills saying that."
沙胖說:"在現金男離開10分鐘後,我看著妻子說:'我要到洋基打球.'"
"天,一直到現在說這句話我都還會興奮得發抖呢."
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同場加映再來一篇:
A.J. A-OK with CC taking spotlight
A.J. 對於位居次位甘之如飴
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/12/19/2008-12-19_aj_aok_with_cc_taking_spotlight-1.html
It's not often that a free agent signs a five-year, $82.5 million contract and is the No. 2 attraction at his own introductory press conference, but A.J. Burnett is more than happy to share the spotlight with $161 million man CC Sabathia.
讓一位花了5年8250萬合約簽來的自由球員在加盟記者會上當鋒頭被搶盡的老二實在不尋常,不過A.J. Burnett對於能與身價1億6100萬的沙胖一同分享鎂光燈的焦點依舊是開心不已.
"Coming here and pitching behind CC is going to be great," Burnett said Thursday as the Bombers' new aces donned pinstripes for the first time. "I enjoy where I'm at; I don't need to be a No.1 guy anywhere."
A.J.星期四初次披上條紋戰袍成為洋基新王牌之一,他說:"來這兒並在沙胖身後投球是一件很棒的事."
"我很樂於我的定位；我不需要到哪裡都要當第一號的傢伙."
Burnett played second fiddle to Roy Halladay in Toronto and appears comfortable working the day after Sabathia.
A.J.在藍鳥就是排在假日先生之後的2號投手,看來他對排在沙胖之後出賽也是甘之如飴.
"Him signing, pitching behind him, that makes it easier on me," said Burnett, who pointed to being more mature about how he throws as the reason he stayed healthy last year, when he went 18-10 and led the AL in strikeouts with 231.
A.J.表示:"沙胖先決定加入洋基,而在他之後上場對我來說也輕鬆許多."
A.J.也對記者指出他去年球季就是因為能保持健康的關係才有好成績的說法展現成熟態度.他上季拿下18勝11負,231次三振是美聯最多.
While Sabathia was the Yankees' top target on the free-agent market this winter, plenty of people within the organization were trying to make a hard push for Burnett as well. Johnny Damon and Alex Rodriguez both made recruiting calls to Burnett, also making a point to make their feelings known to Brian Cashman that the 32-year-old righty would be a welcome addition to the rotation.
當沙胖在季末成為自由市場上眾家首要追求的目標時,球團內許多人也都努力招攬A.J.加入.
大門和A Rod都打電話給A.J.充當說客,也都向現金男表達自己的想法,表示這位32歲的右投是洋基先發的合適人選.
Burnett has electric stuff, but his injury history - he's been on the disabled list 10 times in his career - makes him a risky proposition for the Yankees, who just paid $39.95 million over four years for Carl Pavano to pitch 26 games. Apparently, Cashman felt the potential reward was worth that risk.
A.J.的球技沒話說,但他的傷病史--生涯10度進入傷兵名單—讓他成為高風險的投資,尤其是對剛擺脫掉拿了4年3995萬合約卻只投了26場球的Carl Pavano的洋基而言.
不過顯然地,現金男認為這個風險值得去投資.
"You try to do what you can to make a good, informed decision," Cashman said. "It doesn't guarantee success. This is a sport and a lot of things can happen, whether it's health, underperformance, or a player who performed in other markets not having that performance translate here. You have to keep swinging for the fences."
現金男說:"你只能盡力做到最好,作出對球隊最好的決定.但這並不保證一定能成功.
在運動界很多變數都會發生,不管是健康、表現低潮、或者球員到另一個地方反而發揮不出實力等等.我們只能持續盡全力一搏”
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