前情提要:
這是一篇 Edinson Volquez寫來緬懷他在皇家隊時期的隊友Yordano Ventura的抒情文。
他們都是多明尼加人，也曾一起為皇家隊效力，是感情深厚的好夥伴。
Yordano Ventura於今年一月二十二日因車禍過世，得年25歲。他的好友 Edinson Volquez在今年Yordano冥誕那天投出了一場無安打
比賽。
以下為原文和我的翻譯，有錯煩請指正。文長慎入。
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A lot of people over this summer — they ask me what Yordano would say, if he still alive, after I throw my
no-hitter on his birthday in June. And I think, because its this sad story, you know, I think maybe they expecting
that I tell them something very sad. Like they think Yordano would have called me up, and he give me one of these
big emotional quotes from the heart. But those people — they didnt know Yordano.
今年六月時，我在Yordano的冥誕那天投了場無安打比賽。許多人來問我，如果Yordano還在世，他會對我說什麼? 因為這是個悲傷
的事情，我認為，他們也許期待我回答一些感性的話。他們覺得Yordano能讓我回想起一些往事，尤其是他對我說過的肺腑之言。
但，那些人們並不真正了解Yordano。
Heres what he would have texted me later that night: Its about time!
在那場無安打比賽後的夜晚，他也許會傳訊息給我:「是時候了!」
That was the Yordano I knew, the guy I loved. He was like a little brother — to me, but also I think just in general.
He was just kind of this little brother, to everyone, that was his personality, that was his way. He was always the
funniest one, and the most full-of-life one, and of course he was the most talented one.
這是我所認識的Yordano，我喜歡這傢伙，他就像是我的弟弟，每個人都像是他的哥哥，這就是他的個人特色。他始終是最有趣的，
也是最活潑的，更是最有才華的人。
And that was his favorite words to say to me, I think, because its like … About time! Its this little brother thing.
Every time I do something good, hell go, About time! Man, its about time you did it! Even after we win the World
Series, the biggest accomplishment, hell be like, Edinson, man, you old. You an old guy. Youre supposed to do this —
you know that, right? Youre supposed to do that. It was just really funny. It would make you … its like, you know,
youre almost crying when he does this, because youre laughing so much. And that was Yordano: always there to give me
this hard time — but only as his way to show he cared.
他最喜歡對我說的話是:「時候到了!」 每當我做了了不起的事，他總是說:「時候到了!是時候你該做些什麼了!」 即使在我們拿下
世界大賽冠軍-最大的榮耀之後，他仍說:「Edinson，老兄，你本來就該拿到冠軍的，你知道吧?」 這些話相當有趣，會讓你笑到流淚。
這就是Yordano，他總是用自己獨特的方式讓我知道他關心我。
So Im pretty sure, after the no-hitter, he would say that.
He'd go, It's about time! Edinson — you're 33! Come on, Old Man. About time you get a no-no. What were you waiting
for?
因此我堅信，在那場無安打比賽後，他會說:「是時候了! Edinson，你都33歲了! 是時候你投出一場無安打比賽了! 你還在等什麼?」
And we'd both just sit there and laugh about it. We'd laugh until forever, man. And that was sort of our secret
language, you know. Yordano would do his thing, but it would only be to show me he cared. Its about time, Old Man!
— that would mean, like, Im proud of you.
於是我們共同歡笑，直到永遠。這是屬於我們之間的語言。Yordano總是讓我知道他關心著我。「老兄，時候到了」這句話像是在
告訴我「我為你感到驕傲」。
Im proud of you, Big Brother.
老兄，我為你感到驕傲。
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When I woke up that morning, it was these mixed emotions. It was very tough. I just kept thinking, you know —
June 3rd, 2017. That would have been only Yordanos 26th birthday. He was so young. So I knew that he was going to be
on my mind for this whole day. And its hard, because, every time you think of your memories with a person whos gone —
its almost like youre missing them all over again.
那天早上我起床時，心中百感交集。這非常痛苦，我腦中一直盤旋著—2017年6月3號。那天本該是Yordano的26歲生日。他是如此的
年輕。我知道我會整天思念著他。這是很痛苦的事，因為每當你想起某個逝世的人，就彷彿你再次失去他一樣。
I found one of the pictures I have of me and Yordano together, and put it up on my Instagram. And I thought maybe,
O.K., this is how I will honor him. This picture will be the thing. I will put this up … and then that will be that,
right?
我翻出我和Yordano的一張合照，並把它放到我的IG上。也許這是我紀念他的方式。這是張意義重大的照片。我把照片上傳，於是一切
就就緒了，是吧?
But thats typical Yordano: You underestimate him at your own risk. He was so young when he died, but in his own way,
man, he was still a giant. And now, thinking back, its like — Of course an Instagram post wouldnt be enough to honor
Yordano. Of course. Of course he was going to be on everyones minds that day, more than just this.
但Yordano是個特別的人，你小看他了。他逝世的時候是如此的年輕，但他仍然是個偉大的男人。這麼說來，一則IG的貼文絕並不足以
緬懷Yordano。在這一天他理應當存於每個人的心中，絕不僅僅如此。
On my way to the ballpark that morning, I got on the phone with a friend of mine from back in the Dominican. You
gonna throw a no-hitter today, he told me. For Yordano.
比賽當天的早晨，在我前往球場的路上，我接到我在多明尼加的朋友的電話。 「你今天應該投一場無安打比賽」，他告訴我，
「為了Yordano」。
O.K., bro, I said, laughing. Its like, what do you even say to that? I didnt think much of it.
「好的，兄弟」我笑著說。你還能回答什麼呢?我並沒有放在心上。
But then when I got to the ballpark — Im talking, like, right when I got there — I ran into my pitching coach.
And the first thing he said to me was, he goes, How are you feeling? Im thinking a no-hitter today.
當我抵達球場，我碰巧遇見我的投手教練。而他對我說的第一句話是，「你現在覺得如何?我想今天會是場無安打比賽。」
Its crazy, right? Two people that morning told me that I was going to throw a no-hitter.
這很瘋狂，對吧?那天早上有兩個人告訴我，我將會投出無安打比賽。
But again, man — thats just the effect Yordano would have on people: He bringin a little crazy. A lot of confidence.
And a constant source of just, this … feeling. This feeling that greatness was right around the corner.
但這只是Yordano給人們帶來的影響:一點瘋狂的想法。許多巧合。我有種預感，歷史性的一刻即將來臨。
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I signed with Kansas City after the 2014 World Series, a tough one, when they lose to the Giants in seven games.
Yordano, it was his rookie year, but he pitch really well in that Series. And they wanted to bring in a veteran, I
guess, someone to help mentor him and help him take those next steps, get to that next level. Someone who spoke his
language and spoke his language, you know what Im saying? It wasnt even a low-key thing: They had Yordano come to my
press conference, when I signed my contract. They put my locker next to his. They were basically like, Yordano, this
is the guy whos going to be with you for the next three years, so get used to it.
皇家隊在2014年的世界大賽輸給巨人隊之後與我簽約。Yordano當年是個菜鳥，但他在那個系列賽中投得相當出色。我猜想皇家隊挖腳
我這位經驗豐富的老將，是為了要教導Yordano，幫助他的球技提升到另一個層次。因為我是一位能和他用同一種語言溝通的老將。
球隊的人員把Yordano帶來我和皇家隊的簽約記者會，把我們的置物櫃安排在一起。他們像是在告訴Yordano:「這位就是未來會和你
相處三年的傢伙」
And of course Yordano dont waste no time — hes starting in on me right on that day. Hes like, Oh, man, three years?
You old for a three-year contract, that sort of thing. Its funny, man. Ill laugh even now, just thinking about it.
Yordano也沒有浪費任何時間，在我們相處的第一天他就對我說:「老兄，三年嗎? 你這麼老了還簽三年的合約!」他說的話真的很有趣，
如今回想起來我還是很想笑。
I think I was a good match for Yordano, because I knew that his jokes … thats just his way. I give up a home run, and
what is it? Its Yordano, in my ear, hes like, Edinson, man, wow — you see how far that ball go? I lost track, its so
far. Did you see? Just stuff that no one else would get away with. I could take it — I know how to laugh at that stuff
. And Yordano, he loved to give it … but he couldnt take it, man. Not even a little. Haha. I say that out of love.
Thats my guy. But youd tease him back, he gets very mad. Just for a minute or two, and then he snaps out of it and is
back to Yordano. But he dont like it. We had — its a good chemistry, you know what I mean? He is the young-guy joker,
maybe he is secretly a little sensitive, you know. And Im the veteran, just grinning about all of this next to him,
with the thick skin. V鏊quez and Ventura. Its like, that was our routine.
我想我和Yordano很合得來，因為我知道他說的笑話有著他的個人特色。當我被擊出一發全壘打時，我耳邊彷彿聽到Yordano對我說:
「哇賽，老兄，你有看到那顆球飛了多遠嗎?他飛出我的視線範圍了!你看到了嗎?」這句話沒有人可以招架，但我可以，我知道這時候
只要用微笑帶過就行了。Yordano喜歡揶揄別人，但不喜歡別人揶揄他。如果你挑逗他，他會很生氣。但幾分鐘之後，他又會變回原本
的那個Yordano。我們有很好的默契，他是個幽默的少年，但也許有點敏感。而我是個老手，總是笑著回應他每句風趣的話語。這就像
是我們每天的例行公事。
O.K., heres a story, its classic Yordano: One day he buy a real nice car. A real nice Lexus, fully loaded, I'll say
its about $100,000. And Yordano is so in love with this car, its almost funny. Hes telling me all about it, bragging
about how its got this, its got that. You know, young kids and their cars, man. Then a couple of days later, we back
at the stadium, arriving in the parking lot, and Yordano pulls up in his new ride, just as Im pulling up. And I figure
he's going to give me some more of that new-car swag — you know, show me all of the flashy things his cars got. But
instead he just looks at me. And man … its like hes mad.
接著我要說個足以代表Yordano個人特色的故事。有一天他買了一台裝備齊全的Lexus，市價大約十萬美金。他非常喜歡這輛新車，
開口閉口都在炫耀關於這輛車的大小事。你懂的，當小孩子買了新車會有多興奮。幾天後我們回到球場的停車場，我和Yordano把車
停在一起。我感覺他好像要給我看點什麼裝飾品—所有配備在他新車上的裝飾。但他只是盯著我看，彷彿在生氣一般。
I go, Whats up, Yordano?
我說:「怎麼了，Yordano?」
And hes still got this look. Like hes going to accuse me of something. Like I did a crime.
他的表情不變，好像是在控訴我做了什麼壞事。
He says, Whats … THAT? Hes heated.
他激動地說:「那…是什麼?」
Whats what, bro? I ask him.
「老兄，你在說什麼?」我問
That. And he points at my car.
他指向我的車並說道:「那個」。
Right, I left one thing out of the story. A couple of days before Yordano got his car, Id gotten a car of my own —
this brand new Escalade, real nice. Real nice.
對了，我忘了說一件事。在Yordano買新車的幾天前，我買了一台車，Escalade的新車。它非常棒。
And so Im like, New car, bro. Just drove it up from Miami. What do you think?
於是我回答道:「老兄，這是我的新車。我剛從邁阿密開上來，你覺得如何?」
But hes just stewing. Got nothing to say. Its like maybe I showed him up or something. Not even trying to, just a
coincidence, but you know. Boy is stewing.
他看起來有點不安，沒說任何話。也許是因為我使他難堪，但我並不是故意的，這只是個巧合，你懂的。這位男孩感到不安。
So thats that — until the next day, when were at the ballpark and were finishing up our stuff, and Yordano comes
over to me. And hes like, Hey, bro, I got a surprise for you.
到了隔天，當我們都在球場並已完成各自的工作時，Yordano走了過來。他對我說:「嘿!老兄!我要給你個驚喜。」
And I say to to him, Umm, whatchu got?
我說:「你買了什麼?」
Its in the parking lot. Come with me. Ill show you.
「在停車場。跟我走，我讓你瞧瞧。」
O.K., bro. And then we walk to the parking lot, and I see my Escalade….
「好啊。」於是我們走進停車場，我看到我的Escalade……
And another Escalade, exactly the same — same color, same model and make and everything, right beside it. I cant
decide if Im laughing or rolling my eyes or what. But Yordano, man … youve never seen someone smile like this.
和另一輛一模一樣的Escalade，一樣的顏色、一樣的款式，就停在我的車子旁邊。我不知道該笑還是揉眼睛。這時Yordano露出我從
沒見過的笑容。
He's like, What do you think, bro??? What you think???
他說:「老兄，你覺得如何?如何呀?」
Im like, Yordano, you just spent $200,000 on two cars in two days. You — man, you actually crazy. And you got my
same exact car. You know what, you a funny, crazy, stupid kid.
我回答道:「Yordano，你在兩天內花了二十萬買了兩台車。老兄，你一定是瘋了。而且還買了和我一樣的車。你真是個有趣、瘋狂、
愚蠢的孩子。」
But he just couldnt stop smiling. He was so happy to have the newest car again — and to be the same as me, I think.
He just wanted to do everything I do. Thats that little brother thing, you know what Im saying?
他止不住他的笑容。我想，他很高興再度擁有一台新車，和我一樣的車。他只是想做我做過的每件事。這就是我的小兄弟的作風，
你懂吧?
I remember leaving the park that day, just shaking my head, over and over, like — You crazy, Yordano. You crazy.
This crazy, petty, funny, crazy, stupid, genius, talented, crazy, big-hearted kid.
我記得我那天離開球場時，反覆的搖著頭，嘴裡念念有詞:「Yordano，你瘋了。你是個瘋狂的、下級的、有趣的、愚蠢的、天才的、
有才華的、善良的孩子」
You couldnt help it but love him.
你不得不喜歡他。
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The first hitter I faced that game was almost my last.
那場比賽我面對的第一位打者差點就成了最後一個。
Its pretty wild to think about now, but its true. First batter, he hits a grounder to the first base side, and so
I go over to cover the bag. But we hit each other as Im making the play — and when we make contact, my ankle twists
up a little bit. At first Im like, Oh, no, do I gotta come out of this game now? But the ankle holds up for the
inning, and I get two more outs.
現在回想起來相當荒唐，但這是真的。第一位打者擊出了一壘側的滾地球，於是我衝過去補位。但在這時候我和跑者撞在一起，
我讓他出局的同時，我的腳踝有點扭傷了。一開始我想:「喔不!我現在就要退場休息了嗎?」但我的腳踝撐過了那個半局，我多抓了
兩個出局數。
Still, though, Im thinking theres a good chance that thats it for me, once they gonna take a look at me in the dugout.
I really thought I might be done pitching after that first inning. So when one of the trainers comes up to me when Im
back in the dugout, and hes like, Edinson, let me take a look real quick…. — you know when youre trying not to make
eye contact with the teacher, if you dont have the homework done?
然而，只要防護員在休息區關心我一下，我就很有可能被換下場。我當時真的以為我不能再繼續投下一局。所以當其中一位防護員
走向我並說道:「Edinson，讓我快速的幫你做個檢查。」