第一页：片段欣赏
第二页：巧学口语
第三页：小小翻译家
第四页：文化一瞥

Peter: Using this equation in the upper left, I'm projecting that we need to win at least 99 games in order to make it to the postseason. We need to score at least 814 runs in order to win those games and allow no more than 645 runs.

Billy: What's this?

Peter: This is a code that I've written for our year-to-year projections. This is building in all the intelligence that we have to project players.

Billy: Okay.

Peter: It's about getting things down to one number. Using the stats the way we read them, we'll find value in players that nobody else can see. People are overlooked for a variety of biased reasons and perceived flaws. Age, appearance, personality. Bill James and mathematics cut straight through that. Billy, of the 20,000 notable players for us to consider, I believe that there is a championship team of 25 people that we can afford, because everyone else in baseball undervalues them. Like an island of misfit toys. Billy, this is Chad Bradford. He's a relief pitcher. He is one of the most undervalued players in baseball. His defect is that he throws funny. Nobody in the big leagues cares about him because he looks funny. This guy could be not just the best pitcher in our pen, but one of the most effective relief pitchers in all baseball. This guy should cost $3 million a year. We can get him for 237,000. Billy.

Billy: That it?

Peter: Yeah.

Billy: Hey, Art.

Art: Can I talk to you for a second before you get started?

Billy: I'm a bit busy right now.

Art: I know. I know.

Billy: Okay. Morning, everyone.

Art: Art.

Peter: Peter Brand.

Art: Nice to meet you.

Billy: Where the hell's Pete? That's Pete. Grab a seat. I'll be right back.

Art: Who's the kid?

Billy: A friend of mine.

Art: I can't manage this team under a one-year contract.

Billy: Well, sure you can.

Art: No, I can't.

Billy: Okay. I gotta put a team on the field. After that, I'll take a good long look at your contract.

Art: How about you deal with the manager's contract, then put a team on the field?

Billy: All right. At this moment, if a grounder's hit to first, nobody's gonna be there to stop it from ruining.

Art: It's not easy doing what I do under the cloud of a one-year contract.

Billy: Okay, I understand that. I've been there.

Art: I know. I know you have. A one-year contract means the same thing to a manager as to a player. There's not a lot of faith there. Which is strange after a 102-win season.

Billy: I see. If you lose the last game of the season, nobody gives a shit.

Art: So it's on me now?

Billy: No, Art, it's on me. And the kid is the new assistant GM.

Art: Okay.

Billy: Okay, fellas.

Grady: Hey, Billy. You can't deny his offensive output. He can play. And we need people that can play. Who do you wanna talk about first?

Billy: None of them.

Man: Billy, we got 38 home runs, 120 RBIs to make up for.

Billy: Guys, you're still trying to replace Giambi. I told you we can't do it, and we can't do it. Now, what we might be able to do is re-create him. Re-create him in the aggregate.

Grady: The what?

Billy: Giambi's on-base percentage was .477. Damon's on-base, .324. And Olmedo's was .291. Add that up and you get...

Peter: Do you want me to speak?

Billy: When I point at you, yeah.

Peter: 1.092.

Billy: Divided by three.

Peter: .364.

Billy: That's what we're looking for. Three ballplayers-- Three ballplayers whose average OBP is...

Peter: .364.

Artie: Wait, that doesn't come out right.

Billy: It's right, Artie.

Grady: Billy.

Billy: You gotta carry the one.

Grady: Billy.

Billy: Scratch this out. Yeah?

Grady: Who's that?

Billy: That's Pete.

Grady: Does Pete really need to be here?

Billy: Yes, he does. Okay, here's who we want. Number one: Jason's little brother, Jeremy.

Barry: Oh, God.

Grady: Billy, that's trouble.

Rocco: Billy, look, if I-- Yeah. Billy, if I may, he's had his problems off the field, and we know what he can't do on the field.

Man A: He's getting thick around the waist.

Rocco: There are reports about him on weed, in strip clubs.

Billy: His on-base percentage is all we're looking at now. And Jeremy gets on base an awful lot for a guy who only costs 285,000.

Man: Jeez, Billy--

Billy: Number two: David Justice.

Man: Oh, no. His legs are gone.

Grady: Not a good idea.

Billy: Old Man Justice? Why is that?

Man B: Steinbrenner's so pissed at his decline, he's willing to eat his contract just to get rid of him.

Billy: Exactly.

Grady: Ten years ago, David Justice, big name. Been in big games. He's gonna really help our season tickets early in the year, but we get in the dog days in July, August, we're lucky if he's gonna hit his weight.

Artie: Billy, his legs are gone, and he's a defensive liability. I question whether the bat speed's there.

Grady: His legs are gone.

Billy: Grady.

Grady: We'll be lucky to get 60 games out of him. Why do you like him?

Peter: Because he gets on base.

Man: What is this? What are we doing?

Billy: Okay, number three: Scott Hatteberg.

Man: Who? Hatteberg?

Billy: Exactly.

Man: He sounds like an Oakland A already.

Billy: Yes, he's had a little problem with--

Man: Little problem? He can't throw.

Man C: He's a career .260 hitter. The best part of his career is over.

Billy: I say it's just getting started.

Man D: Boston wants to cut him. No one wants to pick him up.

Billy: That’s good for us. He's cheap.

Grady: Let me get this straight. You're gonna get a guy that's been released by half the organizations in baseball because he's got nonrepairable nerve damage in his elbow and can't throw.

Billy: He can't throw and he can't field. But what can he do?

Man: Oh, boy.

Billy: Check your reports or I'm gonna point at Pete.

Men: He gets on base.

Billy: He can get on base.

Rocco: So he walks a lot.

Billy: He gets on base a lot, Rocco. Do I care if it's a walk or a hit? Pete?

Peter: You do not.

Billy: I do not.

Man: Billy, I got 37 free agents that are better than those three guys.

Grady: Wait a minute, let me get this straight. So you're not gonna bring in one but three defective players to replace Giambi?

Rocco: You're not buying into this Bill James bullshit?

Billy: This is the new direction of the A's. We are card counters at the blackjack table and we're gonna turn the odds on the casino.

Grady: I don't see it.

Man E: Seriously, guys. I think we have to remember this is the man. He answers to no one except ownership and God. And he doesn't have to answer to us. We make suggestions, he makes decisions.

Grady: Look, that's all fine and well, but we've been working our asses off for the last six and a half weeks to make this club better, and you're shitting all over it.

Billy: Grady, Grady. This is not a discussion.

Barry: What are we discussing?

Billy: Barry, not a discussion.

Man F: Billy, man, um, I think there's one thing you're forgetting. None of those three guys knows how to play first base.

Billy: Well, you're gonna have to teach one of them.

Man F: Teach? Which one?

[page]

第一页：片段欣赏
第二页：巧学口语
第三页：小小翻译家
第四页：文化一瞥

1. project: 预计，推断。请看例句：Can you project our sales in the coming year?（你能预测我们来年的销售情况吗？）

2. postseason: 季后赛。

3. run: 连续的演出（展出、刊登）。例如：The play had a run of three months.（这出戏连续上演了三个月。）

4. relief pitcher: 替补投球手。

5. grounder: 滚地球。

6. home run: 全垒打。棒球运动中，全垒打是一种打者可环绕所有垒包一周的安打。除了打者跑到终点本垒时，可自力得到一分之外，所有已经在垒包上的跑者每人皆可得到一分。安打是棒球及垒球运动中的一个名词，指打击手把投手投出来的球，击出到界内，使打者本身能至少安全上到一垒的情形。

7. RBI: =Runs Batted In 打点；打击得分

8. on-base percentage: 上垒率。

9. scratch out: 划掉，勾去。

10. pissed: 愤怒的。

11. dog days: 不利时期，淡季；大热天，三伏天。

12. liability: 不利条件。看一下例句：Lack of education was a liability in getting a job.（缺少教育对找工作不利。）

13. field: 接（球）；截（球）；守（球）。请看例句：He fielded the ball smartly.（他巧妙地将球接住。）

field还可以表示“巧妙地回答”。例如：The Minister had to field some tricky questions from the reporters.（部长不得不巧妙地回答记者的一些难以对付的问题。）

14. walk: 因四坏球而自由上垒。

15. hit: 安打。

16. free agent: （可以和任何球队签订合同的）职业运动员。

[page]

第一页：片段欣赏
第二页：巧学口语
第三页：小小翻译家
第四页：文化一瞥

1. 接班的司机已经到了。

________________________

2. 胆怯腼腆不利于从事政治。

________________________

3. 教授把他的名字划掉。

________________________

4. 我们必须更准确地预测就业需要。

________________________

[page]

第一页：片段欣赏
第二页：巧学口语
第三页：小小翻译家
第四页：文化一瞥

美式橄榄球简介

美式橄榄球(American football)或美式足球源自英式橄榄球，是橄榄球运动的一种。十九世纪中叶，美国东部经常举行一种类似足球的比赛，参赛者只要把球踢过对方的得分线即得分。参赛球队队员多达30人，有时更多。由于这种美式橄榄球最初只许用脚踢，故取名Football，即足球之意，沿用至今，现在有人仍把这种橄榄球称为美式足球(NFL)。橄榄球传入美国后，人们把规则改变，包括改为可以向前传球。由于球赛中往往会与对方球员有身体冲撞，因此球员需穿保护衣及头盔出赛。

美式足球是美国流行的竞赛运动。这运动的目的是要把球带到对手的“达阵区”得分，主要用持球或抛球两种方式。得分方法有多种，包括持球越过底线，抛球到在底线后的队友，或把直放在地上的球踢过两枝门柱中间，又叫射门。比赛时间完时得分较多的一队胜出。

自1960年代，美式足球在美国已经超越篮球成为最受喜爱的运动项目。由32支球队所组成的美国橄榄球联盟是最受欢迎也是美国目前唯一的主要职业橄榄球联盟。其冠军赛超级杯拥有超过一半美国家庭的电视收视率，同时全世界有超过150个国家电视转播这场比赛。超级杯星期天已经成为年度大戏，其举办时间介于一月底二月初之间。该赛事同时也是全美国收视率最高的电视体育节目。

大学足球赛亦十分流行，在没有拥有美国橄榄球联盟球队的地方尤其叫座。一些大学的球场拥有超过十万个座位，而且经常售罄所有门票。就算是高中学校的球赛亦常有吸引超过一万名观众入场;当中以美式足球最受欢迎的地方，如德州、俄亥俄州、佛罗里达州、乔治亚州等尤为常见。而在许多美国的小城市，秋季每周所举办的的大学与高中美式足球赛事以及伴随一起的乐仪队与拉拉队表演已融入成为当地重要文化特色之一。

在美国以外，只有欧洲亦有一个由六支球队组成的欧洲美式橄榄球联盟。在其它地方如日本、澳洲、墨西哥等，美式足球亦有流行，但只限于业余赛事。

有人批评美式足球为一暴力运动。美式足球在跟篮球、(英式)足球及其它美国流行的运动比较起来的确有较多激烈碰撞。擒抱式美式足球在很多的美国校园都被禁止，改为玩用双手触碰来取代擒抱的触碰式美式足球。体育课大多采用这种双手触碰式，而课后的学校体育运动则由于可提供合适的装备及指导而玩擒抱式美式足球。

激烈的身体碰撞及受伤的高风险令美式足球不太能吸引女性。通常女性在肌肉及重量上的不足会令她们比赛时有着较高的危险。而且，须要擒抱拦截的美式足球令强壮的大块头及敏捷的球员较有利。过去几年，NFL球员的平均体重有上升的趋势。