Can a Czech Firefighter Compete With M.L.B.’s Biggest Stars?

 

捷克消防員能否與大聯盟巨星一較高下？

【摘要2023.3.10.五.自由】◎張沛元

The World Baseball Classic is a battle of the game’s top professional players. A scrappy Czech Republic team just might win your heart.

世界棒球經典賽是棒球界頂級職業選手間的較量。（但）雜牌軍捷克隊可能會擄獲你心。

The Czech Republic’s roster for the World Baseball Classic is full of guys with regular jobs, which means it’s quite likely that on Saturday a full-time firefighter will pitch to Ohtani — a modern Babe Ruth earning $30 million this year with the Angels — and other talented Japanese batters in a unique matchup between the Czech Republic and Japan at the World Baseball Classic in Tokyo.

捷克隊的世界棒球經典賽球員名單，充斥有固定工作的球員，意味在週六捷克與日本於東京的世界棒球經典賽的獨特對戰中，很可能將上演（捷克的）1名全職消防隊員，將把球投給有現代版貝比魯斯之稱、今年在天使隊賺了3000萬美元的大谷翔平，以及其他才華洋溢的日本打者的場面。

If not the firefighter on that mound, then perhaps it will be the team’s public relations manager or a real estate agent or a schoolteacher.

如果站在投手丘上（投球）的不是那名消防隊員，則可能是該隊的公關經理、房屋仲介，或學校老師。

新聞辭典

compete with：片語，與…競爭。例句：U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield reiterated that the US is prepared to "compete" with China.（美國駐聯合國大使湯瑪斯—葛林斐德重申，美國準備好與中國「競爭」。）

win (one’s) heart：慣用語，形容贏得某人的喜愛或仰慕。例句：The rising singer has won fans’ hearts with her songs.（這名嶄露頭角的歌手已以其歌曲擄獲粉絲的心。）

scrappy：形容詞，散亂的；雜湊的；好鬥的。