2010年6月11日 星期五

謝謝你,小葛瑞菲

縱使裁判取走了老虎隊投手Armando Galarraga的完全比賽 [註1],使得原本應該是小葛瑞菲 (Ken Griffey Jr.)棒球生涯重要一刻的焦點被前者掩蓋過去,台灣時間6/3那晚的好球帶節目還是令人內心澎湃,又一位"老朋友"高掛球鞋了...

#24 是在該日賽前 (小葛宣布退休後)由球場工作人員趕工完成的 (AP Photo)

6月2日,水手於Safeco Field出戰雙城之前,小葛瑞菲僅透過聲明稿宣布退休,MLB.com刊出Junior的聲明Ken Griffey Jr.'s statement on his retirement,試翻如下


I've come to a decision today to retire from Major League Baseball as an active player. This has been on my mind recently, but it's not an easy decision to come by. I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to have played Major League Baseball for so long and thankful for all of the friendships I have made, while also being proud of my accomplishments.

我 (小葛瑞菲,第一人稱)今天做出從MLB退休的決定。最近這個念頭一直在我腦海中,但這不是個可以簡單做出的決定。我非常感謝能有機會在MLB打這麼多年球,並感謝所有我認識的人們,也同時以我的成就為榮

I'd like to thank my family for all of the sacrifices they have made all of these years for me. I'd like to thank the Seattle Mariners organization for allowing me to finish my playing career where it started. I look forward to a continued, meaningful relationship with them for many years to come.

我想感謝我的家人這些年來的犧牲。我想感謝西雅圖水手隊允許我在生涯起點處完成我的職業生涯。我期待延續與他們的關係

While I feel I am still able to make a contribution on the field, and nobody in the Mariners front office has asked me to retire, I told the Mariners when I met with them prior to the 2009 season and was invited back, that I will never allow myself to become a distraction. I feel that without enough occasional starts to be sharper coming off the bench, my continued presence as a player would be an unfair distraction to my teammates, and their success as team is what the ultimate goal should be.

我覺得自己仍舊可以在球場上做出貢獻,而水手隊的管理階層從來沒人要求我退休,當我在2009年球季開打前與水手隊會面時我跟球團說我永遠不允許自己變成一個令人分心的事物。現在的我 (定位)若持續保有球員身份對我的隊友不公平,讓他們成功地像隻隊伍才是最終目標

My hope is that my teammates can focus on baseball and win a championship for themselves and for the great fans of Seattle, who so very much deserve one. Thanks to all of you for welcoming me back, and thanks again to everyone over the years who has played a part in the success of my career.

我希望我的隊友們能專注於棒球並為自己與西雅圖的球迷們贏得冠軍,他們/她們應擁有一座冠軍的。感謝每一位歡迎我回來的人,並再次感謝這些年來的每一位,你/妳是我職業生涯的一部份。

2009年,39歲的Junior重回西雅圖時從OF/DH -> DH/OF,今年又再度轉變成為只剩DH。在宣布退休之前的七場比賽內,他只有在5/31擔任代打打了一打席。本季的低潮影響出賽機會,但五月上旬的"疑似瞌睡"事件 [註2]或許是讓他決定退休的主因。再者與其被動地被球團釋出 (五月已有相關傳聞),或許這位superstar先行宣佈退休還能保有最後的尊嚴

Junior是1987年的選秀會狀元,於1989年-1999年效力水手。對於我們這代來說,當年他的強打俊足以及金手套的防守,讓我們這些小朋友們多半把他的名字列入最喜歡的棒球選手一欄 (當時的候選人還有野茂英雄, Randy Johnson, Frank Thomas等)。也見到了他與老爸 (Ken Griffey Sr.)同隊的場景,讓人了解Jr.代表的涵義。另外,我還記得Nike當年有幫他出水手配色的球鞋...(記得是軟釘,還是訓練鞋? 反正超出"三五好友趣味版棒球"的"小朋友"們需要的配備了...)。後來,Ptt鄉民們還給他取了可愛的暱稱--小狗會飛 (小葛瑞菲之諧音)

2000年小葛被水兵交易到紅人,01年開始因傷所苦 (腿足部、膝蓋)也間接影響揮棒速度;2008年下半季,小葛被紅人交易至白襪,該年成為FA。2009回到熟悉的西雅圖,直到今年

 2009.04.14 水手隊的小葛重回水手主場 (Reuters Pictures)

22年的職業生涯,共擊出630支全壘打,為MLB生涯全壘打總數排行榜第5名 (前四名為Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays)。獲獎無數,可自行參閱BR上的統計 (網頁"Appearances on Leader Boards, Awards, and Honors")

MLB.com的Jim Street提到,幾位Jr.的前隊友與前教頭 (包括Edgar Martinez, 光頭殺手Jay Buhner, Lou Piniella等人)談到他不僅僅在球場攻守俱佳,也是個相當好的隊友。Mike Blowers更提到:


"...I think overall this city was very fortunate to have Kenny in it for the amount of years they had him."


無論如何,Junior有空陪家人了,有空從事自己喜歡的事情了 (攝影--拍他孩子運動時、駕駛飛機以及旅遊等等 [註3])

2009年,棒球迷們得以見到他重回西雅圖的一刻,再將這位球星多擁有了一年多


招牌笑容 (Getty Images)


名人堂見,你流暢的揮棒與Kid般的笑容會是球迷美好回憶的一部份...





 

(Ichiro你再坐一下,我先站起來了)

延伸閱讀
MLB官網上有小葛瑞菲退休的專頁 (含相關文章與影片)
小葛在紅人時擊出600轟的專頁@ MLB.com


Photos: Ken Griffey Jr.'s career in baseball@ 710 ESPN in Seattle (各時期精選照片)
Griffey Jr. announces his retirement@ MLB.com
Celebrating Ken Griffey Jr.@ MLBTR
 Former mates among those reacting to Griffey@ MLB.com
Griffey's teammates sad to see him go@ MLB.com
Mariners win one for Junior, talk more about his departure@ The Seattle Times (水兵版andynanpa有翻譯,還蠻感人的!)
Griffey always played the right way@ MLB.com
Wakamatsu: Junior wasn't sleeping on job@ MLB.com


Live for nothing or dead for something: Ken Griffey Jr. retire by 西蒙子
0602 小葛宣布退休,Ichiro再見安打告別。
@
Go! Go! Mariners!
Ken Griffey JR 退休 !
by DLowe
小葛瑞菲宣佈退休
by 陳穎
0520 小葛再見安,中止五連敗。
@Go! Go! Mariners!
收藏- 最小公仔開箱文
by 本田
MLB - One More Year, Junior!
by 本田



註: 我老弟已不看球多年,他最喜歡的兩位水兵球員 (巨怪 & 小葛)也都在這兩年退休了。幫他記一下,提醒他有空要認識一下新面孔,不然我跟他共同熟悉的老同學們都一一退休了

註1: Galarraga剩一人次便可締造perfect game,一個內滾補位一壘的球,裁判Jim Joyce判跑者Jason Donald安全上壘 (MLB.com有報導和影片。ESPN.com上有專文, 電話連線和照片)

註2: 據Tacoma News Tribune報導水兵總教練若松 (Wakamatsu)某場比賽不用小葛的原因是他在休息室睡著了 (不是若松講的,是由兩位不具名的球員說出此事,這但這種不具名的消息並不值得你/妳放在心上);而Tim Kurkjian在ESPN上指出,若松說小葛當晚沒有睡著的狀況--他在板凳上,是若松不選擇啟用他上場代打。小葛也說他隨時可上場代打

註3: The Griffey You Did Not Know by Shannon Drayer


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