[分享] 洋基拉美棒球學院：訓練之外的那些事

看板Baseball (棒球)作者zxc906383 (無無)時間1小時前 (2026/06/25 11:24)推噓4(4推 0噓 2→)

留言6則, 4人參與討論串1/1

這是去年的文章這應該賴謙凡之後要去報到的地方？ Yankees Mag: Life Sciences 《洋基雜誌：人生教育》 At the Yankees’ Latin Béisbol Academy in the Dominican Republic, the On-Field Work is Just Part of the Education 在多明尼加的洋基拉丁棒球學院，球場上的訓練只是教育的一部分 https://reurl.cc/YDy53a Melissa Hernandez seems to be fighting back tears as she tells the story, attemp ting to explain some of the unexpected emotional heft that comes with her job as the lead teacher/player development assistant at the Latin Béisbol Academy. 當拉丁棒球學院首席教師兼球員發展助理Melissa Hernandez講述這段故事時，眼眶似乎泛著淚光，她試圖說明這份工作除了棒球之外，還承載著許多人意想不到的情感重量 Hernandez has been working for the Yankees since 2016, teaching in the Dominican Republic for several years before spending time running the education side of t he player development complex in Tampa, Fla. She’s back in the Dominican now, w here her office in the Boca Chica complex is plastered with photos of smiling yo ung ballplayers. Hernandez自2016年起便在洋基隊工作，她曾在多明尼加擔任教師數年，之後負責佛羅里達州坦帕球員發展基地的教育業務，如今她又回到多明尼加，在Boca Chica訓練基地的辦公室裡，牆上貼滿了一張張年輕球員燦爛微笑的照片 The vast majority of them are all but anonymous; few would be recognizable to ev en the most prospect-savvy Yankees fan. But the photos radiate warmth and joy an d achievement. It’s the type of brag wall that only a teacher could truly appre ciate. 其中絕大多數球員幾乎默默無聞，即便是最熟悉洋基農場體系的球迷，也很難認出他們，然而這些照片散發著溫暖、喜悅與成就感，那是一面只有教師才能真正珍惜與驕傲的榮譽牆 The Latin Béisbol Academy is where some of the youngest members of the Yankees organization get their start. 拉丁棒球學院是洋基體系中最年輕球員展開職業生涯的起點 While players from the United States and Puerto Rico are subject to the MLB Draf t, which they can take part in either immediately following high school or after one year of junior college or three years at a four-year college, international players can sign contracts when they’re as young as 16 years old. 美國與波多黎各球員必須透過大聯盟選秀進入職棒，可以在高中畢業後、社區大學一年後，或四年制大學三年後參加選秀；然而國際球員最早只要16歲就能簽下職業合約 It’s essentially a free-for-all, with scouts scouring the globe and locking up players as early as possible. 這幾乎是一場全球性的搶人大戰，各隊球探在世界各地尋找人才，並盡可能提早將他們網羅 And while amateur baseball in the U.S. is becoming an ever-more-expensive and sp ecialized sport, many of the teenage prospects signed from far-flung corners of the world show up with well-trained skills, loads of potential … and little els e. 而在美國，業餘棒球正逐漸成為一項昂貴且高度專業化的運動；相比之下，許多來自世界各地的青少年國際新秀雖然擁有紮實的技術與驚人的潛力，卻往往除此之外一無所有 Hernandez recalls a young, thin pitcher that was signed and brought over to the Academy. Hernandez回憶起一名剛被簽下、帶到學院的瘦弱年輕投手 “He was so skinny that I was worried when I saw him,” she says. “Like, How is he going to make it? He had these sandal shoes on all the time." 「他瘦到讓我一看到就擔心，我心想：『他真的能撐過來嗎？』他總是穿著一雙涼鞋」 “And when they took him down to get his feet sized for baseball shoes, he start ed crying. And the guy down there called me, ‘Melissa, will you please come dow n here, because this kid is crying and I don’t know what’s going on.’” 「當工作人員帶他去量腳、準備發棒球鞋時，他突然哭了起來，下面的人打電話給我說：『 Melissa，妳能下來一下嗎？這孩子一直哭，我不知道發生了什麼事』」 “So, I went down there and I asked him, and he told me that was the first time that he had worn shoes.” 「於是我過去問他，結果他告訴我，那是他人生第一次穿鞋子」 “Those are the kinds of things you hear.” 「這就是我們經常會聽到的故事」 Hernandez and everyone else involved with the Latin Béisbol Academy have plenty of stories like that. Hernandez與拉丁棒球學院的工作人員都聽過無數類似的故事 To be sure, if you asked administrators from any of the other 29 teams’ academi es that dot the Dominican landscape, they certainly do, as well. 事實上如果去詢問其他29支大聯盟球隊設在多明尼加的訓練學院主管，他們也一定都有類似的經歷 The system that feeds players to many of these academies, particularly from thir d-world countries, is different in every way from what American amateurs experie nce. 尤其對於來自第三世界國家的球員而言，通往這些學院的培養體系，與美國業餘球員的成長環境可說是天差地遠 Oswaldo Cabrera was 16 years old when he signed with the Yankees out of Venezuel a on July 2, 2015. Oswaldo Cabrera於2015年7月2日以16歲之齡從委內瑞拉加盟洋基 By the end of 2016, he had split time in three different leagues, starting in th e Dominican Summer League, then spending time in Florida’s Gulf Coast League an d with the team’s then-Carolina League affiliate in Pulaski, Virginia. 到了2016年底，他已經在三個不同聯盟出賽，包括多明尼加夏季聯盟、佛羅里達灣岸聯盟，以及當時位於維吉尼亞州普拉斯基的洋基卡羅萊納聯盟附屬球隊 But, he says, “I left home at 13 or 14 years old.” 但他表示：「我13、14歲時就離開家了」 Like so many other young strivers, Cabrera had turned his life over to baseball at a time when young American boys and girls are managing the awkward effects of puberty. 與許多懷抱夢想的年輕球員一樣，在美國同齡孩子還在適應青春期變化的年紀時，Cabrera 已經把人生完全投入棒球 “You’re still a kid; that’s not a secret,” he says of showing up at the Acad emy as a 16-year-old. “You have to get your mind in the right way to not think that you’re a kid. You’re a man now.” 談到16歲來到學院時他說：「你仍然只是個孩子，這不是秘密，但你必須調整心態，不能再把自己當成小孩，你現在是一個男人了」 Kids need love, they need support, and they need schooling. And at the Yankees’ Latin Béisbol Academy, Hernandez and her staff are working to make sure that t he players in their charge get all three. 孩子需要關愛、需要支持，也需要教育，而在洋基拉丁棒球學院，Hernandez與她的團隊正努力確保這些年輕球員能同時獲得這三樣東西 Brian Cashman gets it. The big leagues’ longest-tenured general manager knows t hat he and his staff are judged by results more than processes. All the goodwill that he has accumulated could be wiped away by a few dark Octobers at Yankee St adium. 洋基總經理Brian Cashman非常明白這一點，身為大聯盟任期最長的總管，他知道外界評價他和團隊時，看重的是結果而非過程，即便多年來累積了無數聲望，只要在洋基球場經歷幾個失敗的十月，這些好評都可能瞬間化為烏有 It’s a ruthless game, for executives, for coaches and certainly for players. Su cceed, and you’ll be treated like a hero. Fail, and you’ll be cast aside. It’ s always brutal when a player fails to meet expectations and the harsh realities of business take over, but it’s also the nature of the beast. 這是一個殘酷的產業，無論是管理階層、教練還是球員皆然，成功時你會被當成英雄；失敗時，你就可能被拋棄，當球員未能達到期待而必須面對職業運動的現實時，總是令人感到殘酷，但這也是這項產業的本質 When it comes to teenagers at the Latin Béisbol Academy, it’s not so simple. I f they don’t make it -- and most won’t -- you can’t just send them back home with nothing to show for their years of struggle. 但對於拉丁棒球學院裡的青少年而言，事情並沒有那麼簡單，如果他們最終無法成功——而事實上大多數人都不會成功——你不能讓他們多年努力後空手而歸地回家 “The odds are against everybody that walks through that door,” Cashman says. Cashman說：「每一個走進那扇門的孩子，其實都在和極低的成功機率對抗」 “Despite their gifts, as those amazing baseball athletes with potential, we wan t them to leave armed with an education and non-baseball abilities that will ser ve them well for the rest of their lives.” 「即使他們擁有驚人的棒球天賦與潛力，我們仍希望他們離開時能帶著教育以及棒球之外的能力，讓他們在往後的人生中受用一輩子」 That mantra is evident in everything that the Latin Béisbol Academy does, and i t starts almost from first contact. 這樣的理念體現在洋基拉丁棒球學院的每一項工作之中，而且從球員踏進學院的第一天就開始了 “The first talk that I have with these guys when they first come here in groups is, ‘You’re not going to make it,’” Hernandez says. Herandez表示：「當這些孩子第一次來到這裡時，我對他們說的第一句話就是：『你們不會成功』」 “It’s the reality: If there are 100 guys, only one of you is going to make it. So, what’s your plan? Because you need to have a plan.” 「這就是現實，如果有100個人，最後可能只有1個人能成功，所以你的備案是什麼？因為你一定要有計畫」 “The Yankees and the Steinbrenner family are very clear on that point. They wil l help these players get as much education as they can. Because they know for a fact that not many of them are going to make it.” 「洋基以及Steinbrenner家族非常清楚這件事，他們會盡可能協助球員接受教育，因為他們知道真正能打進大聯盟的人並不多」 “So, what is the greatest gift that we can give them? Education. And a support system.” 「那麼我們能給他們最珍貴的禮物是什麼？就是教育，以及一套支持系統」 “We make sure that they have the chance of making it. But it’s on you. Because if you don’t make the effort? If you don’t ask for help? If you don’t do the work? You’re never going to make it.” 「我們會確保他們擁有成功的機會，但最後還是要靠自己，如果你不願努力、不願尋求幫助、不願付出行動，那你永遠不會成功」 Once a player is signed and sent to the Academy, the Yankees have already invest ed in his athletic future. The support continues with industry-leading coaching and training. 當球員簽約並進入學院後，洋基其實已經開始投資他的棒球未來，之後球團還會提供業界頂尖的教練團隊與訓練資源 But the investment in the person is no less important, and it can have a longer (and more meaningful) impact. 然而，對「人」本身的投資同樣重要，而且其影響往往更加長遠、更加深刻 It’s also something that the players who do make it always remember -- that whe n their big league career was still a far-off fantasy, someone was ready to inve st in them. 而那些最終成功站上大聯盟的球員，也永遠記得這件事——當他們的大聯盟夢想仍遙不可及時，曾經有人願意投資並相信他們 Fernando Cruz has thrived in his first year as a Yankee after a Homeric odyssey that finally landed him in the majors at age 32 in 2022. 投手Fernando Cruz在加盟洋基的第一年表現出色，而在此之前他經歷了漫長曲折的職業生涯，直到2022年32歲時才終於登上大聯盟 Drafted by Kansas City out of Puerto Rico, Cruz took advantage of all the opport unities that the Royals’ organization gave him to learn English and thrive in a professional setting, knowing that it would set him up for bigger things. 來自波多黎各的Cruz當年被堪薩斯皇家選中，他把握球團提供的一切機會學習英語、適應職業環境，因為他知道這些能力將為自己帶來更大的發展空間 “I think it’s the most important thing for me as a player,” says Cruz. Cruz表示：「對我來說，這是身為球員最重要的事情」 “I’m always going to choose the people that care about my life instead of who I am as a player.” 「我永遠會選擇那些關心我人生的人，而不只是關心我作為球員價值的人」 And everyone at the Yankees’ Academy truly does care. 而在洋基學院裡，每個人確實都是真心關心球員 Hernandez knows what it’s like to be a parent relying on others for help. Hernandez很清楚，身為父母卻必須依靠他人照顧孩子是什麼感受 The mother of three sons, she leads a life in the baseball world rife with const ant travel, moving from the Dominican Republic to Tampa and back, working insane hours caring for other parents’ children. 身為三個兒子的母親，她長年奔波於多明尼加與坦帕之間，在棒球圈裡過著不斷出差的生活，用極長的工時照顧其他父母的孩子 “So, I treat them the way that I expect people to treat my boys,” Hernandez sa ys. Hernandez說：「因此我用我希望別人對待我兒子的方式來對待他們」 “I make it a point to get to know these guys. I sit down with them. I talk to t hem individually. I get to know their families. I get to know their people." 「我會主動去了解他們，我會坐下來跟他們聊天，一對一談話，認識他們的家人與朋友」 “I see them in classes. I see them in practice. I see them outside. If they hav e a wife, I make it a point to know their wife, to know what’s going on, becaus e who’s going to do it? If I don’t care, who’s going to care for these guys? ” 「我在課堂上看到他們，在訓練場看到他們，在生活中也看到他們，如果他們已經有妻子，我也會去認識她，了解他們的生活狀況，因為如果我不關心他們，那還有誰會關心這些孩子呢？」 Hernandez is proud of the fact that the players never need to leave the Academy if they don’t want to; everything is there for them, from academic facilities t o computer labs to a dining hall to rooms with video game systems. Hernandez引以為傲的是，球員幾乎不需要離開學院，因為所有需要的設施都在裡面，從教室、電腦教室、餐廳到遊戲娛樂室一應俱全 They never need money, and they never need to worry about their necessities bein g met. 他們不需要額外花錢，也不必擔心基本生活需求無法被滿足 Touring the living quarters, it seems like your standard college dorm, only with thick, luxurious-looking mattresses, a reminder that this is still a place wher e cultivating athletic greatness is top of mind. 宿舍看起來就像一般大學宿舍，只是床墊特別厚實舒適，提醒著人們這裡終究還是一個以培養頂尖運動員為核心目標的地方 Again, when it comes to the Yankees’ philosophy, none of this is limited to the Dominican operation. 再者就洋基的理念而言，這些做法並不僅限於多明尼加棒球學院 The Steinbrenner family, as Cashman points out, is determined to do absolutely e verything to the highest level possible. 正如Cashman所說，Steinbrenner家族致力於把每一件事情都做到最高標準 Aaron Judge recalls his own experiences as a young Minor Leaguer, with large pro fessional athletes crammed onto a single bus for long trips up the East Coast. Aaron Judge回憶起自己剛打小聯盟時的經歷，當時一群身材高大的職業球員必須擠在同一輛巴士上，長途往返美國東岸各地 The 16-hour drive from Charleston, S.C., to Lakewood, N.J., could be brutal on a nyone, but especially on ballplayers expected to perform upon arrival. 從南卡羅來納州查爾斯頓到紐澤西州萊克伍德長達16小時的車程，對任何人都是折磨，更別說那些一下車就得上場比賽的球員 Judge and his teammates brought it up, and very quickly, there were two buses fo r road trips. Judg與隊友向球團反映後，很快地客場之旅便改成安排兩輛巴士 The players could spread out. They could be more comfortable. 球員能夠有更大的空間，也能獲得更舒適的休息環境 Were there performance-based reasons? Sure. 這樣做當然也有提升表現的考量 But for a 6-foot-7 ballplayer given the option to sleep comfortably on an interm inable bus ride, the message was that the organization would listen even to low- level Minor Leaguers. 但對於身高6呎7吋的Judge而言，能夠在漫長車程中舒適休息，所傳達的訊息更重要——那就是球團願意傾聽，即使只是最低層級的小聯盟球員 Cashman has seen it play out in a number of ways. Cashman看過這種文化以各種不同形式展現出來 Sure, you can point to a guy such as Judge, who developed into a superstar and m atured into a captain determined to lift up his own young teammates. 當然你可以看看Judge這樣的例子，他從年輕球員成長為超級巨星，並成為願意提攜後輩的隊長 But he also points to a different, perhaps more meaningful anecdote. 但Cashman也提到另一個或許更有意義的故事 In September 2020, Mark Newman passed away. 2020年9月，Mark Newman過世 A longtime Yankees executive who spent 15 years as the team’s head of baseball operations, Newman was a constant presence and a hugely supportive figure in the lives of young Yankees striving for huge things. 這位長年服務於洋基的高層曾擔任球隊棒球營運主管長達15年，在許多年輕洋基球員追逐夢想的過程中，一直是重要且支持他們的人物 When Cashman showed up to Newman’s funeral, he was astonished to see Gary Sánc hez, then the team’s star catcher, in attendance. 當Cashman出Newman的葬禮時，看到當時的明星捕手Gary Sanchez也到場致意，令他十分驚訝 “People understand the hands that have helped guide them and that spent so much time to help them,” Cashman says. Cashman說：「人們會記得那些曾經引導他們、花費大量時間幫助他們的人」 Many of the players signed to the Academy come from a “limited educational back ground,” Minaya says, and Hernandez’s team works to meet them where they are. 許多進入學院的球員都來自「教育資源有限的背景」，而Hernandez的團隊會根據每個人的實際情況提供協助 For the 16- to 21-year-olds in Boca Chica, courses are designed to accommodate a ll levels. 對於Boca Chica基地16至21歲的球員來說，課程設計會配合不同教育程度的需求 The emotional payoff is priceless when teachers get to see a kid who didn’t kno w how to sign his own contract earn a high school diploma. 當老師看到一個連自己的名字都不會簽、需要別人幫忙完成合約簽署的孩子，最後成功拿到高中畢業證書時，那份感動是無法用金錢衡量的 As Luis Gil worked out on a field in a small Dominican town this past January, i t was hard not to notice the young kids playing alongside him. 今年1月，當投手Luis Gil在多明尼加某個小鎮的球場訓練時，很難不注意到旁邊一起打球的那些孩子 It was a Friday morning, and “school” was very much in session. 那是一個星期五的早晨，而「上學時間」其實正在進行中 For some kids in the island nation, that word means classrooms and desks, no dif ferent from what you’d find all over America. 對部分孩子而言，「上學」代表的是教室與課桌椅，和美國任何地方沒有什麼不同 For others, especially for those with hopes of using baseball as a means of lift ing a family out of poverty, these on-field sessions are often what matter most. 但對另外一些孩子來說，尤其是那些希望透過棒球幫助家庭脫離貧困的人而言，球場上的訓練往往比教室更重要 All of which is how you get to a situation where the academic facilities at the Yankees’ Latin Béisbol Academy occasionally look like a middle school rather t han an environment where you would expect to find 17-year-olds. 也正因如此，洋基拉丁棒球學院的教學環境有時看起來更像一所國中，而不是一群17歲青少年應該待的教育場所 “Unfortunately, it’s a limited educational background,” Omar Minaya says, ack nowledging the reality with a lot of players signed to the Academy. 「很遺憾地許多球員的教育背景確實相當有限。」 A native of the Dominican Republic, Minaya was the first Hispanic general manage r in baseball when he held that job for the Montreal Expos in 2002. 出生於多明尼加的Minaya，曾於2002年擔任蒙特婁博覽會隊總管，成為大聯盟史上第一位拉丁裔總經理 Now an advisor to Cashman, he knows that teams owe more to their players than th e best baseball instruction possible. 如今擔任Cashman顧問的他深知，球團對球員的責任絕不只是提供最好的棒球訓練而已 “You’re not only signing the player, you’re filling the void of a limited edu cation history." 「你簽下的不只是球員，同時也在彌補他們教育不足所留下的缺口」 “It just makes sense for the player; it makes sense for the team. It makes sens e to do the right thing when you take on a 16-, 17-year-old kid." 「這對球員有意義，對球隊也有意義，當你簽下一個16、17歲的孩子時，本來就應該做正確的事」 “You want to make him the best player he can be, but also the best person he ca n be.” 「你希望他成為最好的球員，也希望他成為最好的人」 “It’s a social responsibility. Most of these guys are not going to get to the Major Leagues. But we have a commitment from up top, from the Steinbrenner famil y and from [team president] Randy Levine and Brian Cashman.” 「這是一種社會責任，大部分的孩子最終都無法登上大聯盟，但從Steinbrenner家族，到球隊總裁Randy Levine，再到Brian Cashman.，我們都做出了承諾」 “We’re committed to not only making these guys the best players they possibly can be, but we’re committed to … giving them the best chance to succeed in the ir post-baseball life and career, as well.” 「我們不只是致力於把他們培養成最好的球員，同時也承諾要讓他們在棒球生涯結束後的人生與職業道路上，擁有最大的成功機會」 The staff that Hernandez leads works tirelessly to do just that. Hernandez所帶領的團隊，正是不知疲倦地實踐這個目標 Running a school for professional athletes comes with its share of challenges (a nd it’s not as if running any educational operation is easy). 經營一所專門為職業運動員設立的學校本來就充滿挑戰，而教育工作本身也從來不輕鬆 The students are baseball players first; they’re there to pursue a dream of big league stardom. 這些學生首先是棒球員，他們來到這裡是為了追逐成為大聯盟球星的夢想 So, the teachers work around schedules that are already plenty full. 因此老師們必須配合早已排滿的訓練行程授課 Sometimes that means classes early in the morning, before workouts begin. 有時課程安排在清晨訓練開始之前 Other times, it means being ready to work with students late into the evening. 有時則必須陪學生一路學習到深夜 There’s no bell schedule at the Latin Béisbol Academy; everything is a moving target. 在拉丁棒球學院裡沒有固定的上下課鐘聲，一切都必須依照球員行程彈性調整 It’s not even limited to the walls of the Boca Chica facility. 而這種教育工作甚至不只侷限於Boca Chica基地內 Teachers at the Academy continue offering Zoom classes to prospects playing thro ughout the Yankees’ Minor League system. 學院教師還會透過Zoom為分散在洋基各層級小聯盟的球員持續授課 And the teachers are much more than academic mentors. 而且這些老師扮演的角色遠不只是學業導師 For the past few years, English teacher Joel Alvarez has accompanied Dominican p layers to Tampa for medical procedures such as Tommy John surgery. 過去幾年來，英文老師Joel Alvarez甚至會陪同多明尼加球員前往坦帕接受像是Tommy Joh 手術等醫療程序 The team doesn’t want to send young, nervous players to an unfamiliar place alo ne, so they make sure that there’s a friendly face along for the trip. 球隊不希望讓年輕又緊張的球員獨自前往陌生環境，因此一定會安排熟悉的人陪伴同行 “For those three or four days, I get to learn so much,” Alvarez says. Alvarez表示：「在那三、四天裡，我能夠更加了解他們」 “Once you get to know them in a different way -- not just inside the Academy -- you learn and you treat that particular player differently.” 「當你在學院之外認識他們之後，你會對他們有不同的理解，也會用不同的方式幫助他們」 “Because they talk to you about the struggles, what they’ve been going through , in order to get here.” 「因為他們會告訴你一路走來經歷過哪些困難，為了來到這裡付出了多少努力」 The baseline expectation is that players at the Academy will, by the time they’ re in Double-A, be able to conduct an interview in English. 學院對球員的基本要求是，當他們升上2A時，至少要能夠用英文接受訪問 But for those who want it, there’s a full high school curriculum with the abili ty to earn a high school diploma, the academics accredited like any school in th e Dominican Republic. 但對於願意繼續進修的人，學院也提供完整的高中課程，並能取得正式高中畢業證書，其學歷資格與多明尼加一般學校完全相同 The team also offers vocational studies, everything from barber training to cell phone and computer repair. 此外球隊還提供職業技能培訓，包括理髮、美容、手機維修與電腦維修等課程 “It’s not mandatory at this point, but we want them all to finish at least hig h school, so they can be prepared for the future,” says Carolina Crespo, lead e ducator at the Academy. 學院教育主管卡Carolina Crespo表示：「目前這些課程並非強制，但我們希望所有球員至少能完成高中學業，為未來做好準備」 Crespo has been teaching in the Dominican Republic for nearly a quarter century and has been working at the Academy since 2017. Crespo在多明尼加從事教育工作已接近25年，自2017年起便在學院任職 “At the beginning, I had another idea of the work that we were supposed to do h ere, because I have in my mind all the things that I knew before.” 「剛來這裡時，我對這份工作的想像其實完全不同，因為我腦中帶著過去教育工作的既定印象」 “But once I came here, I realized, ‘What are the needs of our players?’” 「但來到這裡後，我開始思考：『這些球員真正需要的是什麼？』」 “And that’s why the curriculum changed through the years, and we made the adap tations and things that are important for our students, based on their needs.” 「因此多年來課程不斷調整，我們依照學生的需求修改內容，加入真正對他們重要的東西」 Minaya is adamant that, throughout the industry as a whole, those needs shouldn ’t be limited to English comprehension. Minaya則強調整個棒球產業對球員的教育不應只停留在英語能力上 “I think it’s more about, ‘How many of the academies are graduating kids, whe ther with a high school diploma, or a trade school?’” he says. 「我更在意的是，有多少學院能讓孩子拿到高中畢業證書，或是職業技能證照」 “That’s more important. We’re beyond learning English; that has to be automat ic.” 「那比學英文更重要，學英文本來就應該是基本要求」 “I think education, when I talk about the social responsibility, it’s, ‘What else besides English are you giving them? Are you giving them a trade?’” 「當我談到社會責任時，我真正想問的是：除了英文之外，你還給了他們什麼？你有沒有教會他們一技之長？」 “So that when their career is over, whether it’s in the Dominican or the Unite d States, they have some sort of base for a potential career.” 「如此一來，無論他們未來是在多明尼加還是美國結束球員生涯，都至少擁有另一份職業發展的基礎」 It’s plainly visible, Hernandez says, every time a player leaves, whether after seeing his career peter out or -- more happily -- when they head to the U.S. to continue chasing their dream. Hernandez表示，每當球員離開學院時，這些努力成果都清晰可見，不論是因為棒球夢結束而離開，還是更令人高興地前往美國繼續追夢 “From all those years back to now, you can see the difference,” she says. 「和許多年前相比，你能明顯看出差別」 “The guys that go from here to Tampa are a different group of guys.” 「從這裡前往坦帕的球員，已經完全不一樣了」 “They go ready. They go prepared.” 「他們做好了準備，而且準備得非常充分」 Players at the Academy have everything they need to make their baseball dreams a reality, even if precious few of them will make it to the majors. 學院裡的球員擁有實現棒球夢想所需的一切資源，即使最終能夠站上大聯盟的人少之又少 From top-of-the-line workout equipment to computer labs to thick and impressive mattresses fit for pro athletes, the Academy is designed to be a place that the players shouldn’t need to leave — until they’re promoted to the next level. 從頂級訓練器材、電腦教室，到專為職業運動員準備的厚實高級床墊，學院的一切設施都經過精心規劃，讓球員在升上下一個層級之前，幾乎沒有理由離開這裡 Jasson Domínguez produced his first three-homer game during the Yankees’ trip to Sacramento in May. 今年5月，Jasson Dominguez在洋基作客沙加緬度期間，完成了生涯首次單場三響砲 He was the youngest player to perform the feat in Yankees history, and while it ’s possible that players at the Latin Béisbol Academy were watching it live -- these promising athletic prospects need their sleep! -- you can be sure that th ey discussed it. 他成為洋基隊史最年輕完成單場三轟的球員，雖然拉丁棒球學院的孩子們未必熬夜收看了直播——畢竟這些潛力新秀需要充足睡眠——但可以肯定的是，他們一定熱烈討論過這場比賽 “You hear the stories when you go down there that during the season, the games are on, they see somebody that was in their shoes not long ago,” says Yankees m anager Aaron Boone. 洋基總教練Aaron Boone 表示：「當你去那裡時，總會聽到這些故事球季期間，他們會看比賽，看到那些不久前還和自己站在同樣位置上的人」 “To see that and to be able to say, ‘Oh, this is really possible. He was one o f us at some point.’ I think that those are important things in everyone’s dev elopment.” 「當他們看到這些球員，就會告訴自己：『原來這真的有可能做到，他以前也是我們的一員』我認為這對每個人的成長都非常重要」 Or, as Judge says, “If you can see it, then you can do it.” 或者如Judge所說：「只要你看得到，就有機會做到」 But there’s another thing that Domínguez did that the young Academy kids can s ee. 不過Dominguez帶給學院孩子們的啟發不只是在球場上 It wasn’t that long ago that Domínguez was one of the youngsters dreaming of m aking Yankees history someday. 其實就在不久之前，Dominguez自己也只是個夢想有朝一日能寫下洋基歷史的少年 Signed to a franchise-record international contract as a 16-year-old, Domínguez worked tirelessly to get his baseball skills in gear. 16歲時以創隊史紀錄的國際簽約金加盟洋基後，Dominguez持續努力磨練自己的棒球技術 “When I signed, I wasn’t very interested in the academics,” Domínguez says. Dominguez坦承：「剛簽約時，我其實對讀書沒什麼興趣」 “And I remember Melissa and all the teachers there, they talked to me, and they motivated me. And I did it.” 「我記得Melissa和所有老師都曾找我談話、鼓勵我，而我最後也真的完成了」 “I can study at a university. If baseball’s over, I can take my diploma and ma ke another career.” 「我現在可以去讀大學，如果有一天棒球生涯結束了，我還能憑著畢業證書開創另一份職業」 Through 2024, the Yankees had seen 112 players graduate from the Academy, includ ing big names such as Domínguez. 截至2024年為止，洋基拉丁棒球學院已經培育出112名畢業生，其中包括Dominguez這樣的知名球員 Yoendrys Gomez, who graduated with the 2024 class, was the first Yankee ever to finish his studies while being on the team’s 40-man roster. 2024年畢業的Yoendrys Gomez則成為洋基隊史首位在40人名單期間完成學業的球員 (Gómez pitched parts of the last three seasons for the Yankees before being des ignated for assignment in late April.) （Gomez過去三個球季都曾為洋基出賽，直到今年4月底遭到指定讓渡） You can be certain that every teacher who taught Judge in Linden, Calif., will d ine out on that story for the rest of their lives (and knowing Judge and his par ents, he probably got an A in their class). 可以想像，所有曾在加州林登教過Judge的老師，往後一輩子都會以此為榮地談論自己的學生（而且依照Judge及其父母的個性推測，他大概還是班上的A等生） Teachers live for the opportunities to see their kids thrive. 老師之所以投入教育工作，就是為了看見學生成功的那一刻 It’s why they put up with comparatively low wages and often-difficult environme nts. 這也是他們願意接受較低薪資與艱苦工作環境的原因 For that chance to watch a kid move on. To see a kid make it. 只為了見證一個孩子成長、成功的那一天 But what if all your kids were pursuing one goal; indeed, what if you were a ste ward of both their personal and professional lives? 但如果你的所有學生都在追逐同一個夢想，而且你同時肩負著照顧他們人生與職業發展的責任，又會是什麼感受？ Or, to put a finer point on it, what if Judge’s high school biology teacher had been Boone, with AP calculus taught by Cashman? 換個方式來說，如果Judge的高中生物老師是Boone，而微積分老師是Cashman，那會是什麼樣的情況？ It’s a give and take that is core to everything the Yankees are trying to accom plish at the Academy. 這種教育與棒球並行、互相影響的模式，正是洋基學院運作的核心精神 For Hernandez, the stories keep her coming back every day to the place where she spends more time than even her own home. 對Hernandez而言，正是這些故事讓她每天都願意回到這個比自己家待得還久的地方 It’s because of the 16-year-old who showed up to sign his contract and needed h elp because he had never learned to write his name. 因為她忘不了那個16歲來簽約時，甚至不會寫自己名字、需要別人幫忙簽署文件的孩子 That kid got his high school diploma under her watch. 而那個孩子最終在她的陪伴下取得了高中畢業證書 But this is still a baseball team; the Yankees didn’t throw a parade for finish ing second in 2024, and inspirational stories only go so far. 但畢竟這仍是一支職業棒球隊，洋基不會因為2024年拿到第二名就舉辦遊行，而勵志故事終究無法取代成績 The Steinbrenner family, though, truly does care to see its most vulnerable play ers set up to succeed. 然而Steinbrenner家族確實非常重視那些最需要幫助的年輕球員，希望他們能夠獲得成功的機會 And Cashman has seen enough to know that in a sport that constantly struggles to balance objective skills with intangible characteristics, there is useful data to be gleaned by seeing how young prospects treat their academics. Cashman也從多年經驗中發現，在這項總是在客觀能力與無形特質之間尋求平衡的運動裡，球員對待學業的態度其實能提供許多重要訊息 “It shows an adaptability and a growth mindset that does translate into when co aches are connecting with them about changing their pitch grip or changing their arm angle or messing with mechanics,” Cashman says. Cashman表示：「這展現了適應能力與成長型思維，而這些特質往往也會反映在球場上，當教練要求他們改變握球方式、調整出手角度或修正投球機制時，同樣需要這些能力」 “The ones that really master these areas are predictably the ones that end up n ot washing out, that end up making it to the higher level in our sport.” 「那些真正能掌握這些能力的人，通常也比較不會被淘汰，最終更有機會打上更高層級」 “But that’s not the endgame for us.” 「但那並不是我們最終的目標」 “The endgame really is to make sure if you are employed as a New York Yankee, t hat we can rest comfortably knowing that we invested in you as an individual, to put you in a position to provide for your family and arm you with the tools and the education components that, if baseball doesn’t work out, you’re in a much better place because you worked for us.” 「我們真正的目標是，當你曾經是一名紐約洋基球員時，我們能夠問心無愧地說：我們不只投資你的棒球能力，也投資你這個人，我們幫助你擁有照顧家人的能力，也給予你必要的工具與教育，即使棒球夢沒有實現，你的人生依然會因為曾經效力洋基而變得更好」 https://i.imgur.com/3w5goWy.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/Iy0a5OL.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/oWl04yB.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/PEvkqKH.jpeg

洋基多明尼加棒球學院原來還有提供各種職能訓練課 -- ※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc), 來自: 223.137.108.22 (臺灣) ※ 文章網址: https://www.ptt.cc/bbs/Baseball/M.1782357864.A.F67.html ※ zxc906383:轉錄至看板 MLB 06/25 11:24