直人 隨譯

Predicting MLB's 10 Postseason Teams with 1 Quarter to Go- AL EAST

By Karl Buscheck , Featured Columnist Aug 11, 2015

出處:http://goo.gl/Rn2Q6d

In the Mix

混戰中的球隊

1. New York Yankees
2. Toronto Blue Jays
3. Baltimore Orioles
4. Tampa Bay Rays

Predicted Winner: Blue Jays

預測出線球隊: 藍鳥

Suddenly, the New York Yankees' perch atop the AL East standings is looking awfully tenuous.

忽然間，紐約洋基暫居的美東龍頭王座看起來搖搖欲墜

The Tampa Bay Rays remain within shouting distance (six games back), and the Baltimore Orioles have charged to within 4.5 games of the lead. But the biggest problem for New York is that the Toronto Blue Jays are one scary team.

坦帕灣光芒依然在競逐距離之內(六場勝差),而巴爾帝摩金鷹更只落後龍頭4.5場，但對洋基來說最大條的問題還是多倫多藍鳥這支嚇人的球隊。

At first, it didn't make a ton of sense when GM Alex Anthopoulos made his deadline blockbuster to add Troy Tulowitzki to an already high-powered lineup. Fast forward a couple of weeks, and that's no longer the case. Simply put, baseball's most dangerous lineup has now become one that is impossible to navigate.

起初，一切並不是很讓人理解當總經理Alex Anthopoulos在交易大限前做出轟動大交易將Troy Tulowitzki加入他們本來就力量十足的打線。幾個星期之前，這連八字都還沒有一撇咧! 簡單來說，這個棒球界中最危險的打線現已變成不可能駕馭的其中之一。

The club's first four hitters—Tulowitzki, Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion—have taken a two-by-four to the rest of the AL. Since Tulo arrived at the Rogers Centre on July 29, that quartet has slugged 17 home runs, which is more than 26 other teams in baseball, per ESPN Stats & Info.

這支球隊的前四名打者屠夫、當勞生、包大人、安卡那夕陽，在美聯已佔有一席之地。自從屠夫7/29降臨羅傑斯中心球場後，這四人組已經轟出了17發的全壘打，比聯盟其他26隊還要多。

But it's not just the offense that gives the Jays the edge in this race. After all, New York hasn't had any trouble getting on the board, as the team has scored the third-most runs (120) in MLB since the Midsummer Classic.

但不僅僅是在進攻方面給了藍鳥隊在這場競逐中優勢。畢竟，紐約洋基可是沒有任何麻煩阻止他們得分，明星賽後他們一共攻下了全聯盟第三多的120分。

The difference-maker for the Jays is the pitching staff. The group has posted the lowest ERA in the AL in the second half (2.37). That's nearly a run lower than the next-best team in the circuit, the Houston Astros, who sit at 3.29.

對藍鳥而言，投手才是改變造成者。團隊繳出了全美聯下半季最低防禦率(2.37)。這比同聯盟次佳的球隊休士頓太空人(3.29)還要低得多。

The starting five has been especially nasty. In August, the rotation has put up the lowest ERA in baseball at 1.77 as of Monday, per Richard Justice of MLB.com. David Price leads the way, as the lefty ace has allowed just one run in his first two starts with Toronto while punching out 18.

先發五人的表現尤其好。在八月份，先發輪值繳出全聯盟最低的1.77防禦率。由普萊斯領銜，這位左投王牌在多倫多的頭兩場先發只失掉一分並三振了18人次。

"That's what we envisioned when we pulled that trade off,” manager John Gibbons said, via Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com. “But that's what he does. Every time he goes out there he's got a chance to throw a shutout. You know he's going to pitch deep into the game because he's strong. And he's got the reputation too, so he's a little intimidating even before you start facing him."

"這就是我們啟動交易時所設想的。"總教頭吉朋斯說。"但這也就是他(普萊斯)所做的。每次他登板他總是有機會讓對方掛蛋。你知道他會投長局數，因為他很強壯。而且他也很有威望，所以在打者面對他前難免會對他稍微心生畏懼。"

Sparked by the additions of Tulowitzki and Price, the Blue Jays have become one of the most intimidating teams in baseball. Now, it's just a matter of time before Toronto overtakes the Yankees in the AL East.

受到屠夫和普萊斯加入的刺激，藍鳥已搖身一變成為最令人心生畏懼的球隊。現在，多倫多要取代洋基在美東稱霸只是時間點的問題而已了。