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Carrying a Weight, but Standing Firm 2008-2-21 7:24:52 | 資料來源:The New York Times
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Carrying a Weight, but Standing Firm
雖然肩上承受洋基球迷期待的重擔，洋基總經理凱許曼仍堅持立場
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圖片來源: Steve Nesius/Associated Press
圖說:Brian Cashman, the Yankees’ G.M. since 1998, now works for George Steinbrenner’s sons, Hank and Hal.
圖說: 自從1998年起凱許曼(Cashman)就擔任洋基總經理，現在的老闆是喬治史坦布納的兩個兒子漢克(Hank)和霍爾(Hal)
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By 紐約時報主跑洋基新聞記者坎普那(TYLER KEPNER)
Published: February 1, 2008
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When Brian Cashman tells the story of how he became the Yankees’ general manager, he makes his voice squeaky, like a teenager’s, as he tries to sound confident before the principal owner George Steinbrenner.
當凱許曼敘述著他如何成為洋基總經理的故事的時候，他的聲音就好像個青少年般顯得很興奮，他試著在榮譽董事長喬治史坦布納的面前表現得很有自信。
That was Feb. 3, 1998, and a decade later, Cashman’s voice is the most powerful in the organization. He answers to two Steinbrenners — George’s sons, Hank and Hal — but it is Cashman who guides the franchise.
那天是1998年的2月3日，12年之後，凱許曼的聲音在洋基球團裡面是最有影響力的，他負責報告給喬治史坦布納的兩個兒子─漢克和霍爾，但是凱許曼是那個負責引導洋基方向的人。
“He has really strengthened the office of general manager of the Yankees,” said Bob Watson, who held the title before Cashman.
鮑伯瓦森(Bob Watson)是凱許曼之前的洋基總經理說，凱許曼真的加強鞏固總經理辦公室的的能力很多。
Cashman made that clear again this week, when he refused to depart from his long-term strategy and passed on the Minnesota Twins ace Johan Santana, who went to the Mets instead.
這個禮拜凱許曼當他拒絕背離他對洋基的長遠計劃而決定放棄交易雙城隊王牌投手桑塔納讓他被交易到紐約大都會隊的時候，就把這個意圖表達得再清楚不過。
The Yankees would have traded Phil Hughes, Melky Cabrera and Jeff Marquez for Santana on Dec. 2, but the Twins asked for Ian Kennedy, too. The Yankees said no, and the next morning, Andy Pettitte announced that he would return to the team.
早在去年12月2日洋基已經同意用休斯、卡布雷拉、傑夫馬可仕(Jeff Marquez)交易桑塔那，但是雙城隊隨後要求也加入甘迺迪時，洋基不同意，接著隔天早上，派提特宣布回到洋基投球的決定。
The Yankees soon pulled their offer and never made another, resisting again Tuesday when Minnesota asked for Cabrera, Kennedy, Marquez and Chien-Ming Wang. Cashman has made his stand, and Santana may be across town to remind him of what might have been.
在接到派提特回到洋基投球的決定之後，洋基很快地撤回決定交易桑塔納的決定，自此之後再也沒有提出任何交易的條件，到了這個禮拜二(美國時間~雙城要求提最後交易的最後期限)當雙城向凱許曼提出用卡布雷拉、甘迺迪、傑夫馬可仕(Jeff Marquez)以及王建民作為交換桑塔納的條件時，凱許曼堅定他的立場再次拒絕，而桑塔那可能從此以後都在離洋基不遠處的大都會提醒著凱許曼，如果他決定交易桑塔那的話將會如何。
今天看到美國的一些報導好像有訪問到凱許曼，聽他的話感覺像是洋基不是不想要桑塔那，但是對於雙城提出可以交易的各種組合裡面，沒有一個對洋基來說是合理的。一般認為，雙城如果在條件差不多的狀況下不會想把桑塔那交易給任何美聯的球隊，因為將來會遇到還會阻礙他們爭冠的路，除非洋基和紅襪提出比大都會好很多的條件才有可能接受。
Cashman is entering the last year of a three-year contract he signed after the 2005 season, when the baseball operations department was organized into clearly defined roles beneath him. George Steinbrenner is all but retired now, but the pressure from above, and the self-imposed pressure Cashman and all club officials handle, has put his return beyond 2008 in question.
就當專業的棒球部門在凱許曼的組織領導下漸漸成形定位時，2008年將是凱許曼在2005年所簽下三年合約的最後一年，大老闆喬治史坦布納也已經退休了，但是來自上頭高層的壓力、凱許曼自己給自己的壓力以及整個球團工作人員給他的壓力，已經讓凱許曼會不會在2008年之後再次擔任洋基總經理一職投下很多變數。
“It’s hard to imagine him going somewhere, because he understands this unique environment, but it’s also demanding,” said Mark Newman, the Yankees’ senior vice president for player personnel and a co-worker of Cashman’s for 20 years.
一個負責洋基球員管理和凱許曼共事20年的同事洋基資深副總裁馬克紐曼說：”真的很難想像凱許曼去別的地方工作，因為他了解這個特殊但是同樣也是要求非常高的工作環境”
“Just the nature of working here, day after day, it’s a huge grind,” Newman added. “There are tremendous stresses to deal with, and it can wear you out. Everybody needs to take a deep breath once in a while, take a step back and make sure they’re not going to burn out. But he knows the situation.”
馬克紐曼接著說：”在這裡工作基本上就是一個苦差事，每天都要面對很大的壓力，這是會讓你精力耗損殆盡，每過一段時間，在這裡工作的每一個人都要深呼吸一口氣、後退一步稍微停一下，確定自己不會受不了而失去熱情和興趣，不過凱許曼了解這些狀況。”
Cashman started as an intern in the minor league and scouting department at 19, and he was 30 when he became the general manager. Only three other general managers who were on the job then are still in the same job now.
19歲的時候，凱許曼從小聯盟球探部門的實習生開始做起，一直做到30歲時變成洋基總經理，從30歲當上洋基總經理那年開始，整個大聯盟只有其他三位總經理和他一樣現在仍然在位。
Ernie Accorsi, the former Giants general manager who retired last season at 65, named Cashman as one of his favorite people in sports in Tom Callahan’s book, “The GM,” which Cashman is reading this winter. Accorsi said he admired Cashman’s toughness and passion.
前紐約巨人隊總經理恩尼阿格西(Ernie Accorsi)上個球季65歲時退休，在Tom Callahan球隊總經理(”The GM”)一書中(凱許曼這個季後也在讀這本書)提到，凱許曼是他在運動界最欣賞的人之一，恩尼阿格西(Ernie Accorsi) 說他敬佩凱許曼的堅強和熱情。
”The GM”是一本在美國去年九月發行的一本有關球隊總經理這個人人羨幕的工作，他背後的辛酸血淚和內幕故事，背景主要是美式足球為主，作者湯姆是一位資深作家，曾經在時代雜誌與華盛頓郵報擔任體育專欄作家。
“But, I always remember a quote from Jack Nicklaus from about 10 years ago,” Accorsi said in an e-mail message. “ ‘You can only look at so many five-foot pressure putts with everything on the line in one lifetime.’ I know I retired because I just couldn’t look at any more five-foot putts on Sunday afternoons. I don’t think Brian is anywhere near that in his career.”
恩尼阿格西(Ernie Accorsi)在一個電子郵件中說，但是我總是記得金熊傑克尼克斯Jack Nicklaus(有最偉大的高球選手之譽)曾經說過的一句話：”在人的一生之中只能面對和承受一定次數所有的勝負都決定在這五呎推杆進洞的壓力下，我知道我該退休是因為，我知道我不能再承受這些壓力"。我想凱許曼的職業生涯應該還不到這個地步。”
In 2003, Cashman traveled to Cincinnati at Steinbrenner’s behest, simply to be there for the awkwardly timed announcement that Derek Jeter was being named the captain. Never mind that Cashman’s wife was due to deliver their child any day.
2003年正當凱許曼的老婆每天隨時都有可能生產的時候，凱許曼接到大老闆喬治史坦布納的指示從紐約飛到辛辛那提，就只為了在那裡在那個奇怪的時間點宣佈Jeter成為洋基隊長的這個訊息。
In recent years, Cashman has been more comfortable standing up for himself; a winter family getaway is now an annual tradition, and he will attend the Super Bowl on Sunday. But the subject of his future, and the examination of his past, is such a sensitive topic that Cashman declined to be interviewed for this article. Through a team spokesman, he said he was concerned it would sound like his obituary.
最近這幾年，凱許曼開始慢慢習慣替自己爭取及維護一些權益，每年冬天都會逃開一會有一年一度的旅行和家庭聚會，這個禮拜天他將會去看超級盃(美式足球)，但是當記者要求針對這篇訪問談談他在洋基的未來和檢視他在洋基的過去時，凱許曼挽拒接受訪問，透過球團發言人表示，他覺得如果自己針對這個議題接受訪問，擔心感覺好像在寫自己的訃聞。
Cashman spoke last week at an event with Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein at William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J. Surprisingly, Cashman spoke critically of Bernie Williams, Johnny Damon and Bobby Abreu, and said his team was not mentally tough enough to withstand the bug swarm in Cleveland in last fall’s division series.
上個禮拜，凱許曼和紅襪總經理(Theo Epstein) 在紐約派德森威廉斯大學一起參加一個座談會時，出乎人意料的曾經公開批評伯尼威廉斯、強尼戴門和阿布瑞尤；並且說自己的球隊在美聯分區第二戰意志力不夠堅強到足以抵抗蟲的侵襲。
凱許曼說伯尼威廉斯最後幾年在洋基打球是因為對於音樂的熱情，過於投入音樂事業因而影響他在球場上的表現，之所以2007年不提供合約給他是怕萬一得在球季中把他釋出，那就更不好了。至於大門與阿布瑞尤是因為他認為他們兩個人2007年表現不好是因為沒把自己調整到最佳狀態導致(過重，體能沒練好，春訓時急著趕上於是受傷)。後來針對此事，大門沒擺在心上，他說去年是因為季前腳有受傷沒辦法訓練才會增胖；至於今年到現在為止好像也沒瘦下來，大門說，他跑了三天步結果還胖了五磅，他也沒辦法，還說去年胖一點其實有幫助他渡過那麼長的球季的體能消耗。至於阿布瑞尤好像沒有針對此事做出回應。伯尼威廉斯則是說要針對此事和凱許曼談談；凱許曼也說要和他談談，其實大家都說遲早洋基都會把伯尼的球衣背號在洋基名人堂退休的。PS.小故事：鈴木一朗聽說選51號當球衣背號的原因聽說就是因為伯尼威廉斯是他欣賞的球員ㄛ！
個人小小意見，我覺得他說的這些可信度都還蠻高的，伯尼真的對音樂很熱情，2003年時還發行自己的第一張專輯(我只知道他是爵士吉他手)，而且連隊長Jeter都常常開玩笑說除了在球場外都沒看到他，很多記者也都說伯尼每天都最晚到最早走。至於大門與阿布瑞尤，我個人看2007年春訓報到新聞及比賽時，的確是感覺他們兩個胖好多，連主播和球評轉播時都有說，後來沒多久就受傷了。我記得2006年春訓時，隊長Jeter就曾經為體重的事唸過Cano，後來Cano就改進，好像就沒發生過了。所以相信那個說法就看個人了，只有他們本人才知道真相
According to people who have spoken with him, Cashman has expressed remorse over those comments. Usually deft as the Yankees’ primary spokesman, Cashman is struggling with Hank Steinbrenner’s quick ascension to that role. At times, Cashman has seemed especially cautious; at other times, unusually candid.
根據和凱許曼說過話的人說，凱許曼後來表達出後悔發表這些言論，通常凱許曼被評為洋基很聰明機靈的發言人，最近小老闆漢克好像很快地繼承那個角色，有時凱許曼似乎特別小心翼翼；有時又很不正常的坦率直言。
個人意見是，凱許曼很會說公關話，聽他講話常常講一堆，但是好像什麼都沒講，但是他有一點優點是，他不會說謊、還蠻誠實的，對於不想或不能回答的問題，他會說他不能回答。
“The big question is going to be how he relates to the new leadership,” said Watson, who recommended Cashman to the Yankees’ ownership. “Hank is different than his brother, Hal, and they’re both different than Steve Swindal and Joe Molloy. All those people we were working for, each one of them had a different style. It remains to be seen how he adjusts to them and how they adjust to him.”
鮑伯瓦森(Bob Watson-凱許曼前的洋基總經理說，當年是他向老闆建議凱許曼的)說：”現在最大的問題將會是他如何處理反應和與新老闆間的互動，漢克和霍爾兩兄弟是很不同的，他們和Steve Swindal及Joe Molloy這兩個他們以前工作過的老闆也很不同，每個人都有不同的行事風格，現在就要看凱許曼如何調整和適應與他們兩兄弟共事，也要看他們兄弟兩個人如何調整與適應和凱許曼共事。”
Molloy and Swindal are former sons-in-law of George Steinbrenner who no longer work for the team. Hank and Hal are in charge now, and their roles will affect Cashman as he seeks to hold onto the power he assumed in 2005.
Steve Swindal及Joe Molloy是大老闆喬治史坦布納兩個女兒的前任夫婿，因為離婚的原因已經沒在洋基球團裡工作了，漢克和霍爾是剛繼承的新任老闆，將會影響到凱許曼能不能掌握住從2005年開始擁有主導權的這件事。
Hank Steinbrenner, 50, is not as detail-oriented as his father; he is not apt to demand new carpeting in the training room. He is a passionate fan, in tune with the sport’s history, driven to win and often willing to speak his mind. Hal, 38, is considered more fiscally conservative, and he rarely speaks in public.
小老闆之一的漢克，今年50歲，不像他的父親什麼都管，他不會傾向決定訓練員室的新地毯樣式。漢克是一個熱情的球迷，對運動的歷史很瞭解，贏球是他的目標而且不害怕向大家說他的想法。另外一位小老闆霍爾，今年38歲，對於財務方面比較保留，而且很少公開發表談話。
Cashman got what he wanted this winter. The Yankees re-signed their veterans while protecting their top prospects and also gaining a 2008 draft pick for letting reliever Luis Vizcaíno sign with Colorado.
今年季後冬季補強，凱許曼達到他想要達到的目標，洋基重新簽回隊上的老球員同時也保護了潛力新秀，不只如此，還因為讓Luis Vizcaino和克羅拉多落磯隊簽約而在2008年多了一個選秀權。
But there is a belief in the industry that it has been a trying winter for Cashman as he adjusts to the team’s new leadership, and the possibility that decisions could be made without his consent.
但是在棒球同行中都認為，對於凱許曼而言今年冬天令他非常難受，因為他必須重新適應新老闆，而這段時間很多決定都可能在沒他的同意下就決定了。
“Brian is classy, straightforward and honest,” said an official of a team that has dealt extensively with the Yankees. “But it’s got to be uncomfortable to finally get in the position where he had more authority, and now it seems like it’s kind of gone back to the way it was before.”
一個和洋基密切接觸的工作人員說：”凱許曼是一個優雅、老實坦率、有話直說的人，但是我相信在他好不容易得到想要的掌控權之後，現在好像又回到像以前一樣沒有完全掌控能力的時候是很不舒服的。”
Pat Gillick, the Philadelphia Phillies’ general manager, once resigned as the Baltimore Orioles’ G.M. because of differences with the owner, Peter Angelos. Speaking generally, Gillick said, an owner who interferes with baseball decisions risks losing his best people.
費城人隊總經理派特吉利克(Pat Gillick)，曾經是巴爾的摩金鶯隊的總經理，因為和巴爾的摩老闆Peter Angelos意見紛歧而辭職。Pat Gillick說：”一般來說，一個常常插手管棒球決策的球隊老闆要冒很大的風險失去好的員工。
“What it does is erode some of the confidence of the people working for you,” Gillick said. “There’s a chain of command and a code of conduct that has to be followed by every member of an organization. When that’s broken, it’s not good.”
派特吉利克Pat Gillick說：”一個常常被干預決策的的總經理是會讓一些替他工作的人失去信心，對於一個組織來說，必須要有一定行政管理系統及行為準則規範讓所有工作人員來遵循，當這些系統以及行為準則被打破，並不是一件好事。”
Gillick said Cashman and Epstein probably had the most difficult job of any general manager, because their resources were so deep that they had more decisions to make. No situation can be immediately dismissed for financial reasons, so every available player must be evaluated.
派特吉利克(Pat Gillick)說：”洋基總經理凱許曼和紅襪總經理Theo Epstein大概擁有球團總經理中最困難的工作，因為洋基和紅襪擁有的資源和財力物力如此龐大，他們要做的決定很多，沒有任何狀況可以因為錢的理由而立刻否決，所以每個可能可以簽下的球員都要評估考慮。”
Cashman’s Yankees have not won the World Series since doing so in his first three seasons. But they have reached the playoffs every October, a feat that is remarkable to Accorsi.
自從凱許曼擔任洋基總經理頭三年洋基奪得世界大賽冠軍之後，洋基再也沒有得到過冠軍了，但是洋基每年都打進季後賽這個功績，對於前紐約巨人隊總經理恩尼阿格西(Ernie Accorsi)看來這簡直是太神奇了。
“I don’t think anyone in sports has the record of excellence in their jobs as Brian,” Accorsi said. “Everyone, even Bill Belichick, has had a few down seasons. But Brian gets to a championship threshold every year under the highest scrutiny possible and in the biggest city in America.”
恩尼阿格西(Ernie Accorsi)說：”我不認為運動界裡有人像凱許曼一樣擁有這樣非凡的紀錄，甚至畢利奇克(Bill Belichick)，都曾經有幾個球季球隊戰績不理想，但是凱許曼在最嚴格的監督下和在這個美國最大的城市，使洋基每年都有拿冠軍的機會。”
畢利奇克(Bill Belichick)現在橄欖球新英格蘭愛國者隊總教練，聽說今年球季前球團已經和他簽下直到2013年的合約，在成為新英格蘭愛國者隊總教練前的戰績並不是太好，之後三次帶領該球隊打進超級盃，2003及2007被選為年度總教練，2007年帶領球隊創造有史以來正規球季完美16勝全勝的戰績。
The scrutiny became harsher last week, when Hank Steinbrenner told The Associated Press that if the Yankees missed the playoffs in 2008, he would not blame the players but would hold the architects of the team responsible. That put the emphasis on Cashman.
就在上個禮拜，這個監督變得更嚴格了，當小老闆漢克告訴美聯社的記者說如果2008年洋基打不進季後賽，他不會怪球員但是誰負責建構這個球隊的人將要負責，這強調出將要負責的人將會是凱許曼。
The easy move for Cashman, under those conditions, would have been to recommend a trade for Santana, which might have made the Yankees better this season and strengthened Cashman’s job security. But Cashman has tried to focus on the future, on bolstering the farm system while digging out from years of wild spending, some of which he endorsed.
在這些狀況下，對凱許曼來說最簡單的作法莫過於建議交易桑塔那，這樣一來今年球季可能會讓洋基表現更好，更進一步保障凱許曼自己的工作，但是凱許曼選擇把焦點放在提昇農場實力以厚實球團的未來發展，使得洋基可以從過去一直不斷花大錢簽自由球員的狀況中走出來，當然這其中有一些是他建議背書的。
According to Baseball America, the Yankees spent $13.7 million on draft picks the last two seasons, compared with $8.5 million the two years before that. Some recent choices, like Kennedy and Joba Chamberlain, could make a big impact in the majors this season for very little cost.
根據棒球美國這個專業棒球雜誌的報導，洋基在最近兩個球季總共花了13.7百萬美元簽下選秀得來的選手，跟在之前的兩個球季總共花8.5百萬美元，增加了不少。最近幾次選秀結果，像是甘迺迪和張伯倫，都可能在今年球季在只花小錢的前提下提供不小的貢獻。
Whether or not he is here beyond 2008, his friends say, Cashman wants the team to prosper for the next decade and beyond.
不管2008年之後他還能不能擔任洋基總經理一職，凱許曼的朋友說：”凱許曼希望可以讓洋基在未來的十幾年甚至更久以後都能繁榮昌盛成功。”
Accorsi recalled a conversation with Cashman at Giants Stadium a few years ago. Talking about their jobs, Cashman told Accorsi, “I feel the responsibility of millions of Yankee fans on my shoulders, fans who take this very seriously and for which every game is very important. I think of that every day.”
前紐約巨人隊總經理恩尼阿格西(Ernie Accorsi)回憶起幾年前在紐約巨人隊的主場和凱許曼有過的一段談話內容，談話內容是有關於他們的工作，凱許曼告訴阿格西(Accorsi)：”我感受到我的肩膀上承擔著幾百萬洋基球迷的期望，洋基球迷把這個球隊看得比什麼都還要重要，對他們來說每一場比賽都非常重要，我每天都會一直提醒自己這一點。”
As a peer, Accorsi said, he could relate to Cashman. As a Yankees fan since the 1950s, Accorsi was moved. “I love the fact that Brian is running my boyhood team,” he said.
作為一個曾經做過球隊總經理的同行，阿格西(Accorsi)說：”我身有同感”；作為一個自從1950年起就是洋基球迷的他來說：”我很感動，我很高興凱許曼是我從小就支持的球隊的總經理。”
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