Business: English Skills
ビジネスチャンスを活かす英語力UPのために
紅葉の色づく季節になりました。
皆様、お元気でお過ごしでしょうか？
１１月号のB頁を担当させていただきます、貝塚です。
今回はプロ野球日本シリーズで日本一に輝いたソフトバンクホークスについての記事を一部選抜し、解説を行いたいと思います。
Yurisbel Gracial hit a three-run home run and SoftBank beat the Yomiuri Giants 4-3 in Game 4 on Wednesday night to clinch its third straight Japan Series title.
The Hawks have now ended five of the last six seasons as Japan Series champions. Since 2011, SoftBank has faced each of the six Central League teams in the Japan Series and is 6-0.
Burned by a failure to win the Pacific League pennant, the Hawks channeled that disappointment into fuel and very nearly reeled off a perfect postseason. After losing its playoff opener, SoftBank went 10-0 the rest of the way.
“First of all, we missed out on winning the league title,” said catcher Hiroaki Takaya. “That was really regrettable. But we had players like (Nobuhiro) Matsuda and (Keizo) Kawashima who were able to lift everyone’s spirits and we fed off that atmosphere. It gave us some energy. After that, we were able to play relaxed.”
They made up for letting the pennant slip through their fingers by delivering a comprehensive sweep of the Central League’s best team in the Fall Classic.
Gracial hit home runs in Games 1, 3, and 4 and was named Japan Series MVP after going 6-for-16 with six RBIs.
He was the biggest contributor, but far from the only one on a team that scored 23 runs in four games.
Yanagita drove in three runs in the series. So did Matsuda, with a three-run homer that helped win Game 2. Alfredo Despaigne drove in three runs in Game 3. Not to mention the big hits that helped set the table for them all.
They were just as dominant on the mound.
The SoftBank pitchers held the Giants to a .176 average that was a new record low in the Japan Series. (1)Yomiuri also struck out 35 times, another new record, and managed just 22 hits, which tied a record low.
(2)SoftBank’s starters gave up just three runs in 23 innings. Yuito Mori closed out all four games, though he only registered a save in Game 4.
SoftBank has an embarrassment of riches, an advantage that has become more pronounced in postseason play.
“Our balance in the team, it’s so strong,” said Game 3 starter Rick van den Hurk. “We have a very good bench, we have good depth. Our starting lineup is very solid. We have good defense. We have a good starting rotation. Then you see our bullpen, we have long guys, we have lefty set-up guys, but we also have a lefty specialist.
“The depth that we have is just really amazing.”
Eventually, probably, their time will abate. For now, though, they’re still too strong. Thus the NPB year ended with manager Kimiyasu Kudo shimmying out to the field and jumping into Yanagita’s arms as the team celebrated on the diamond at Tokyo Dome.
They only stopped their revelry long enough to bow to the Giants fans and help the vanquished Kyojin give retiring star catcher Shinnosuke Abe a rousing sendoff.
The Hawks then moved the party to a nearby hotel and emptied over 3,000 bottles during their beer fight. Kenta Imamiya said they were going to do their best to end the next season the way they finished this one.
Scary as it is, they might just have the strength to do it.
By Jason Coskrey “Hawks display tremendous depth, talent en route to Japan Series three-peat”. The Japan Times, October 24 2019.
<Vocabulary>
Clinch決まりをつける、Playoff決勝戦、Atmosphere雰囲気、RBI(略：Runs Batted In)打点、Contributor貢献した人、Dominant支配的、Starting Lineupスタメン、abate弱める、revelry飲み騒ぎ、Rousing興奮させる、Send off見送り
＜解説＞
(1)Yomiuri also struck out 35 times, another new record, and managed just 22 hits, which tied a record low.
読売は日本シリーズ最多のチーム３５三振と最小安打タイ２２を記録した。
日本で「ストラックアウト」は主に的当てピッチングゲームを示していると思いますが、Struck OutまたはStrike Outは「三振」と言う意味で使われています。メジャー観戦した時に応援で”Strike him out!” (三振をとれ！) などのフレーズをよく聞きます。
(2)SoftBank’s starters gave up just three runs in 23 innings. Yuito Mori closed out all four games, though he only registered a save in Game 4.
ソフトバンクの先発投手は２３回のうち３点しか与えなかった。森唯斗選手は４連投で全試合を締めくくった。
StartersとClosersは投手に関する英語です。Starterは先発投手、そしてCloserは抑え投手（ストッパー）。そしてこの文には書いていませんが、中継ぎ投手はRelieverと言います。
日本で使われている野球用語は和製英語がほとんどです。なので、外国の方と野球の話をしている時、日本の野球用語をそのまま使うと通じない可能性が高いです。今はメジャーリーグも簡単に観れる事ができるので、英語の実況を聞いて英語の野球用語を覚えるの良いと思います。
