美国国家公共电台 NPR--The World Series begins with upstart Philly taking on Houston, the tainted juggernaut

The World Series begins with upstart Philly taking on Houston, the tainted¹ juggernaut

Transcript²

A Major League baseball season that started late because of a work stoppage, angering many fans, begins its final chapter Friday. The World Series matches the Houston Astros and the Philadelphia Phillies. A full 162-game regular season and exciting playoffs have wiped away the crankiness and in fact there's a lot of excitement about the two teams storming into the Series: Houston is undefeated this postseason and in its fourth World Series in six years; Philly, the powerful underdog, started its postseason run as a wild card team and now is playing for a title for the first time since 2009.

When stupid finally makes sense

Like most teams that make it this far, the Phillies are in the World Series because of the whole – contributions up and down its roster³. But another key to success? The big names on that roster are...coming up big.

Back in 2018, the Phillies had just gone through their sixth straight losing season when team owner John Middleton decided⁴ enough was enough. He was ready to dive into the free agent market, cash be damned.

"We're going into this expecting to spend money," Middleton was quoted as saying, "and maybe even be a little bit stupid about it."

More than a half billion dollars may seem stupid to working men and women, but in the sky high-priced world of major professional sports it's the cost of doing business. And the $527 million Middleton paid for slugging superstar Bryce Harper (13 years, $330 million), pitcher⁵ Zack Wheeler (5 years, $118 million) and ball-masher Kyle Schwarber (4 years, $79 million), has turned stupid into baseball genius.

Wheeler has been scintillating⁶ in the playoffs. In 25 innings, his earned run average is 1.78 – that's really good. He's struck out 25 batters⁷ and walked only three.

Schwarber, a 6-foot, 230-pound outfielder, is built like a D-cell battery with arms and legs – he not only hit 46 home runs this regular season...second to Aaron Judge's record-setting 62...but it's the way he does it. He mashes⁸ baseballs...poor baseballs...to such an extent his homers are nicknamed "Schwarbombs," and even leave his teammates stunned⁹.

That teammate, Bryce Harper, has done his fair share of stunning¹⁰ things during a stellar career. He's a seven-time All Star, he's twice been named Most Valuable Player in the National League. But now, finally, he's in his first World Series. Fittingly, it was his home run that gave Philadelphia a lead it never gave back in the game that clinched¹¹ the National League Championship Series against the San Diego Padres.

Beyond the half billion

Those big-money players are paying off.

But make no mistake – the Phillies are much more. Including first baseman Rhys Hopkins, with his five postseason home runs and epic¹² bat spikes¹³, which seem so much more satisfying than a bat flip¹⁴. Not that I've ever had the opportunity to do either.

Second baseman Jean Segura perhaps had the kookiest playoff performance ever. In game three of the NLCS against the Padres, the Dominican Republic native had an error, an RBI (actually his single drove in two runs) and then he was picked off at first base. All in the same inning – an MLB playoff first. Yes he heard boos, even a home crowd in love with its Phillies lets them hear it...it's Philly...but Segura made it clear afterwards, it's nothing.

"The way I handle pressure since I was a little kid, I love it," Segura said after the crazy game. "It's just the way we handle pressure in [the] Dominican Republic. Even when we play winter ball, we've got guys in the stands [who say] 'hey, when you get out, we're going to kill you. We're going to do something bad to you.' It's just the way we play the game out there."

But there was mostly love for Segura, who also had two stellar defensive¹⁵ plays in the game, and for a team that's surging at the right time.

Astros dominate, but still prompt anger

The Houston Astros have been surging for six years.

They won the World Series in 2017 and since then, they've advanced at least to the American League Championship series each year. It's a unique run of dominance in the majors, but of course tinged¹⁶ with controversy¹⁷.

That 2017 title came after the season of the garbage can – MLB found the Astros guilty of illegally using technology to steal signs from opposing teams, and then banging on trash cans to signal to batters what pitch was coming next. The illegal sign stealing, minus the garbage cans, continued into some of the following season as well.

Since then, Major League baseball took steps to prevent Houston, and any team, from breaking the rules. Phone lines into the dugout now are monitored for illegal communications; security personnel "retained by the Commissioner's office" keep watch to make sure there's no rule-breaking going on.

But that hasn't stopped many baseball fans, at least those not in Houston, from continuing to hang the "cheater" sign on the Astros. Is it rational, considering the safeguards and the fact that there've been no credible¹⁸ allegations against the team since 2017/18? Or is the resentment¹⁹ at least partly about Houston's annual excellence²⁰?

Whac-A-Mole baseball

You know the Whac-A-Mole game, where you whack²¹ one but then another pops out? It's a pretty good analogy for the Houston Astros. A handful of players has been with the team from the start of its six-year run: Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve, Yuli Gurriel, and pitchers²² Lance McCullers, Jr. and Friday's starter, Justin Verlander. Mostly though, the Astros have featured a constantly replenishing stream of impact players. In Whac-A-Mole terms, great ones leave, and then other keep popping up.

Case in point – rookie Jeremy Pe?a has admirably filled the very large shoes of former Astros star shortstop Carlos Correa, who this year signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Twins. Pe?a has shown preternatural calm for a 25-year-old, been great defensively at short and delivered three postseason home runs - one of them prompting a memorable²³ shrug²⁴ to his teammates in their clinching²⁵ win over the New York Yankees in the American League Championship series. Pe?a was named the series' MVP.

Diversity questions

Diversity has become an issue at this World Series, even though the Astros and Phillies have rosters²⁶ filled with Latino players, like Pe?a, many of whom are expected to have starring roles.

But there's a glaring absence that illustrates²⁷ a deeper problem in the game.

There will be no U.S. born Black players on either team's active series roster. It's the first time that's happened since 1950, a mere²⁸ three years after Jackie Robinson integrated the major leagues.

"Well, I don't think that's something that baseball should really be proud of," said Astros manager Dusty Baker²⁹, who's African-American. "It looks bad. It let's people know that it didn't take a year, or even a decade to get to this point."

Richard Lapchick, director of the The Institute for Diversity and Ethics³⁰ in Sport at the University of Central Florida, told the Associated Press the absence of Black players in this World Series is the exclamation³¹ point on "a story about the decline of Black baseball players that's been ongoing³² since the late 1980's." The decline's been fueled by the rising cost of youth baseball and concurrent³³ rise in popularity of sports like basketball and football.

Lapchick's annual reports on diversity in sports reflects the downward trend in the majors. Black players comprised 7.2% of opening day rosters in 2022, a dip from 7.6% in 2021. And he said this year's was the lowest percentage since data was first collected in 1991, when 18% of MLB players were Black.

Baseball has been trying to battle the diversity decline with programs such as RBI – Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities. And last year, MLB pledged up to $150 million over 10 years to the Players Alliance, a group trying to increase involvement of Black Americans at all levels of the game.

Baker believes help is on the way.

"You can tell by the number of African American number one draft choices," he said. "The [baseball] academies are producing players. So hopefully in the near future we won't have to talk about this any more or even be in this situation."

Third time a World Series charm?

Baker also would like to divert talk away from his involvement in this series – but it'll be hard. He's a hugely popular figure in baseball and at 73, managing his fifth major league team. He's also trying to win his first MLB championship as a manager. His Astros lost to the Atlanta Braves in last year's Series; in 2002, Baker managed the San Francisco Giants when they lost to the Anaheim Angels.

"Well that's why I'm here," Baker answered Thursday when asked what a first managerial title would mean. "That's why I'm glad that [Astros owner] Jim Crane brought me back here – because most of the places I've been I've had to sort of rebuild the team, but this team was sort of built already, and I had to carry on and try to enhance what we already have here."

The Astros have a lot. They're favored to win a second title since 2017, which would further the argument that Houston is a modern-day baseball dynasty. Regardless of what the still-angry critics will say.

1 tainted   

adj.腐坏的；污染的；沾污的；感染的v.使变质( taint的过去式和过去分词 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏

参考例句：

• The administration was tainted with scandal. 丑闻使得政府声名狼藉。
• He was considered tainted by association with the corrupt regime. 他因与腐败政府有牵连而名誉受损。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 roster   

n.值勤表，花名册

参考例句：

• The teacher checked the roster to see whom he would teach this year.老师查看花名册，想了解今年要教的学生。
• The next day he put himself first on the new roster for domestic chores.第二天，他把自己排在了新的家务值日表的第一位。

4 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

5 pitcher   

n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐；(棒球)投手

参考例句：

• He poured the milk out of the pitcher.他从大罐中倒出牛奶。
• Any pitcher is liable to crack during a tight game.任何投手在紧张的比赛中都可能会失常。

6 scintillating   

adj．才气横溢的,闪闪发光的; 闪烁的

参考例句：

• Statistics on unemployment levels hardly make for scintillating reading. 失业统计数据读来不大会有趣味。
• You were scintillating on TV last night. 您昨晚在电视上妙语如珠。

7 batters   

n.面糊（煎料）( batter的名词复数 )；面糊（用于做糕饼）；（ 棒球） 正在击球的球员；击球员v.连续猛击( batter的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The pitcher has beaned as many as three batters in this game. 在这？热？投手投球竟打中了三个击手的头。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• A storm batters the ship. 一场风暴袭击了这条船。 来自辞典例句

8 mashes   

（水、谷物等混合而成的）糊状物( mash的名词复数 )

参考例句：

9 stunned   

adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。
• The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。

10 stunning   

adj.极好的；使人晕倒的

参考例句：

• His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
• The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。

11 clinched   

v.（尤指两人）互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的过去式和过去分词 )；解决（争端、交易），达成（协议）

参考例句：

• The two businessmen clinched the deal quickly. 两位生意人很快达成了协议。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Evidently this information clinched the matter. 显然，这一消息使问题得以最终解决。 来自辞典例句

12 epic   

n.史诗，叙事诗；adj.史诗般的，壮丽的

参考例句：

• I gave up my epic and wrote this little tale instead.我放弃了写叙事诗，而写了这个小故事。
• They held a banquet of epic proportions.他们举行了盛大的宴会。

13 spikes   

n.穗( spike的名词复数 )；跑鞋；（防滑）鞋钉；尖状物v.加烈酒于( spike的第三人称单数 )；偷偷地给某人的饮料加入（更多）酒精（ 或药物）；把尖状物钉入；打乱某人的计划

参考例句：

• a row of iron spikes on a wall 墙头的一排尖铁
• There is a row of spikes on top of the prison wall to prevent the prisoners escaping. 监狱墙头装有一排尖钉，以防犯人逃跑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 flip   

vt.快速翻动；轻抛；轻拍；n.轻抛；adj.轻浮的

参考例句：

• I had a quick flip through the book and it looked very interesting.我很快翻阅了一下那本书，看来似乎很有趣。
• Let's flip a coin to see who pays the bill.咱们来抛硬币决定谁付钱。

15 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

16 tinged   

v.（使）发丁丁声( ting的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• memories tinged with sadness 略带悲伤的往事
• white petals tinged with blue 略带蓝色的白花瓣

17 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

18 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

19 resentment   

n.怨愤，忿恨

参考例句：

• All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。
• She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。

20 excellence   

n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德

参考例句：

• His art has reached a high degree of excellence.他的艺术已达到炉火纯青的地步。
• My performance is far below excellence.我的表演离优秀还差得远呢。

21 whack   

v.敲击，重打，瓜分；n.重击，重打，尝试，一份

参考例句：

• After years of dieting,Carol's metabolism was completely out of whack.经过数年的节食，卡罗尔的新陈代谢完全紊乱了。
• He gave me a whack on the back to wake me up.他为把我弄醒，在我背上猛拍一下。

22 pitchers   

大水罐( pitcher的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Over the next five years, he became one of the greatest pitchers in baseball. 在接下来的5年时间里，他成为了最了不起的棒球投手之一。
• Why he probably won't: Pitchers on also-rans can win the award. 为什麽不是他得奖：投手在失败的球队可以赢得赛扬奖。

23 memorable   

adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的

参考例句：

• This was indeed the most memorable day of my life.这的确是我一生中最值得怀念的日子。
• The veteran soldier has fought many memorable battles.这个老兵参加过许多难忘的战斗。

24 shrug   

v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等)

参考例句：

• With a shrug,he went out of the room.他耸一下肩，走出了房间。
• I admire the way she is able to shrug off unfair criticism.我很佩服她能对错误的批评意见不予理会。

25 clinching   

v.（尤指两人）互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的现在分词 )；解决（争端、交易），达成（协议）

参考例句：

• Joe gets clinching evidence of the brains role when he dreams. 乔做梦时得到了大脑发生作用的决定性依据。 来自辞典例句
• Clinching, wrestling, pushing, or seizing, without attempting a throw or other technique. 抱，扭摔，推或抓而没有摔或其它的技术。 来自互联网

26 rosters   

n.花名册( roster的名词复数 )；候选名单v.将（姓名）列入值勤名单( roster的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Teams have until Monday, Oct. 29 to set their rosters. 球队可以在下周一之前，即10月29确定他们的15人常规赛名单。 来自互联网
• Rosters, R& R, FIFO or country-based lifestyle limiting your opportunities? 枯燥单调的生活方式限制了你的机会？ 来自互联网

27 illustrates   

给…加插图( illustrate的第三人称单数 )； 说明； 表明； （用示例、图画等）说明

参考例句：

• This historical novel illustrates the breaking up of feudal society in microcosm. 这部历史小说是走向崩溃的封建社会的缩影。
• Alfred Adler, a famous doctor, had an experience which illustrates this. 阿尔弗莱德 - 阿德勒是一位著名的医生，他有过可以说明这点的经历。 来自中级百科部分

28 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

29 baker   

n.面包师

参考例句：

• The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。
• The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。

30 ethics   

n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准

参考例句：

• The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。
• Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。

31 exclamation   

n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词

参考例句：

• He could not restrain an exclamation of approval.他禁不住喝一声采。
• The author used three exclamation marks at the end of the last sentence to wake up the readers.作者在文章的最后一句连用了三个惊叹号，以引起读者的注意。

32 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

33 concurrent   

adj.同时发生的，一致的

参考例句：

• You can't attend two concurrent events!你不能同时参加两项活动！
• The twins had concurrent birthday. 双胞胎生日在同一天。