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經過上個賽季的第10次挑戰，他們三人，目前只剩下Wes Timmons還在運動家隊的系統當中 (Bateman與DeHoyos兩人現況不明，只找到Bateman去年7月被TB簽下的消息)。在A's三壘手Josh Donaldson打擊表現持續低迷時，球團尋求外援之前，不妨先考慮一下Wes Timmons這個名字。

20120327 Wes Timmons東京巨蛋賽前練習
(Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)

Josh Donaldson原訂為正選三壘，但打擊方面表現地實在太掙扎 (防守也不夠穩定，9場3失誤)，近日呈現與Eric Sogard兩人platoon的態勢。

Donaldson (R) 32AB .094/.094/.094，13K 0BB
Sogard (L) 30AB .167/.265/.300，1HR 6K 4BB

春訓時A's曾對天使的三壘手Alberto Callaspo感興趣，此刻若進行交易勢必要付出代價，在那之前先看一下農場吧!

目前3A沙加緬度河貓的主力三壘手是09年第五輪的Stephen Parker，24歲，右投左打。46AB .261/.410/.370, 1HR 11K 11BB。問題比較大的是防守 (16場4E)，再加上要找個右打上來換掉Donaldson，Parker也不在40人名單內，暫不考慮。

三壘手出身的Wes Timmons (33歲，右投右打)，今年春訓守二三壘，未能實際進入"開幕三壘手爭奪戰"的決賽。本季3A 12場出賽守過一二三壘 (出賽數分別為2-8-3)，沒有失誤紀錄。近日他與同樣來自勇士系統的Brandon Hicks (26歲，右投右打)兩人platoon二壘。

Timmons 44AB .136/.264/.159，2K 6BB
Hicks 48AB .146/.226/.250，1HR 18K 4BB
Rosales 59AB .288/.311/.424， 12K 2BB

即便Timmons 3A開季陷入低潮，仍可以看到他選球方面的能力還在，雖然現階段數字不理想，但回顧Timmons小聯盟生涯10年皆維持著水準以上的上壘率。Rosales目前打擊成績最好，但Rosales在三壘的防守表現並不是相當理想。Rosty與Hicks都是游擊底，Timmons是這三人當中防守3B相對有經驗者 (Rosales與Hicks在大小聯盟分別共守過157場與29場三壘，Timmons於小聯盟共守過756場三壘)。

原先最大的問題是Timmons不在40人名單之內、機會來臨時自己卻沒有讓自己處在絕佳狀態。現在，多了一個問題，A's從雙城的waivers撿了 (claim)內野手Luke Hughes (小聯盟守了378場三壘、大聯盟16場)

Melvin，若Timmons打擊進入狀況後，思考一下將Timmons升上來試試吧!

球隊願意給二游(甚至捕手)出身的選手們實驗性地負責三壘，何不提供一個機會給三壘底、有選球眼的選手呢?

請支持6號，6號，Wes Timmons!
(6號是Wes在River Cats的號碼)

以下是今年3月下旬Joe Lemire於Sports Illustrated (運動畫刊)撰寫Wes Timmons的故事
Timmons, real-life Crash Davis, may finally get Hollywood ending
Wes Timmons，真實生活裡的Crash Davis，最終可能得到一個好萊塢式的結局

Wes Timmons is a career minor leaguer who is hoping to make the A's roster
Wes Timmons是一位生涯都待在小聯盟的球員，他希望能加入A’s的陣容

Timmons' career resmebles that of the fictional 'Bull Durham' character
Timmons的生涯就像由Bull Durham (百萬金臂)中杜撰的角色組成

Oakland needs infield help but Timmons hasn't made the 25-man roster just yet
奧克蘭需要內野援助，但Timmons未能進入25人名單

PHOENIX -- Wes Timmons thought it was another march to the baseball gallows.
鳳凰城 – Wes Timmons認為那是另一次邁向棒球的絞架。

Eight of his A's teammates had already been cut from big-league camp in the previous 24 hours, so when he received a summons to the manager's office, Timmons figured he shared their fate.
他的八名運動家隊友已在過去24小時內離開大聯盟春訓營，所以當他被傳喚到總教練的辦公室時，Timmons料想他會有一樣的命運

"I just assumed it was that time," he said.
“我猜，時候到了”他說。

Timmons is, after all, a 33-year-old infielder -- and elementary-school substitute teacher -- who has played 998 minor league games in his 10-year pro career and hasn't spent a single day in the big leagues. Not as a doubleheader fill-in, not as a September call-up and, until last year, not even as an invitee to a major league club's spring training camp.
Timmons是個33歲的內野手，也是一位小學代課老師。他10年的職業生涯裡打過998場小聯盟比賽 (譯註: 目前來到1011場)，並未有任何一天在大聯盟。沒有在雙重賽補進陣容過、沒有在九月被叫上大聯盟過，直到去年，甚至沒有大聯盟球隊要邀請他參加春訓。

He entered Bob Melvin's office and took a seat. The manager read Timmons some of his spring statistics -- which, at the time, included a .323 average (10-for-31) with four walks and a .405 on-base percentage, though just one extra-base hit, a double -- and the two discussed how the spring had gone.
他進入Bob Melvin的辦公室，坐下。總教練看了Timmons一部分的春訓統計數字--包括打擊率.323 (10-for-31)，四個保送及.405上壘率，雖然只有一支長打，那是支二壘安打--兩人討論著春訓內容。

Then Melvin asked a curious question, "How's your Japanese?"
然後Melvin問了一個奇怪的問題，”你的日文如何?”

Timmons burst into a smile, as the realization dawned on him that he'd be joining the A's for their season-opening trip to play the Mariners in Japan. "I am more than willing to learn," he replied.
Timmons突然露出微笑，如同領悟到一線曙光，他可以跟著A’s到日本與水手隊進行開幕戰。”我非常想要學 (日文)”他回答著。

Two games shy of 1,000 in the minors, Timmons is on the verge of shedding the label of "real-life Crash Davis," the frequent joke he's heard the last few years, even if the fictional character in the movie Bull Durham at least had a cup of coffee in the big leagues.
距離1000場小聯盟出賽只差兩場，Timmons即將擺脫”真人版Crash Davis”的標籤，最近幾年他常常聽到這個笑話，即便在電影Bull Durham裡的虛構人物最多只有在大聯盟喝了一杯咖啡。

"Minor league baseball has changed a lot since then," he said, "but when you watch the movie, I'm like, 'Well, that kind of fits, I guess.'"
“小聯盟棒球從那刻起已改變許多”他說“但當你觀賞那部電影時，我喜歡’那相當符合(實際情形)。’”

Every profession has its rites of passage, but few entail such celebrated bumps in the road as being a minor league ballplayer, for whom perseverance is defined by a series of incalculably long bus rides through mid-sized minor league cities.
每個職業運動都有它必經的過程，但很少運動需要承擔如一位小聯盟球員那般出名的顛簸，毅力被定義為乘坐一系列的長途巴士，經過數個中型的小聯盟城市。

There are the eight-hour bus trips that are actually better than the alternative: when the bus breaks down along a scorched Southern highway, as happened to Timmons years ago.
八個小時的巴士之旅與Timmons多年前經歷過的比起來好多了: 當年巴士在烤焦的南方公路故障。(譯註: 之前寫的這篇有提到)

There are the days the motel's hot water runs dry. There's the hotel in Savannah, Ga., whose air conditioning fails on a 100-degree afternoon. And plenty more.
那些旅館沒熱水的日子。喬治亞州Savannah市的飯店在華式100度的下午冷氣壞掉。還有更多更多。

"We could talk for hours," Timmons said, shaking his head at the memories.
“我們可以講上好幾個小時。”Timmons說，搖搖頭地談著那些回憶。

None stand out more than the day the outfield wall caught on fire.
某天外野圍牆失火一事更是沒得比。

Ivy had grown along the wooden fence during the offseason at the home ballpark of the Mexican Pacific League's Mayos de Navojoa, and on the winter league's opening day in late 2010 the greenery went ablaze with red and orange flames.
墨西哥聯盟休季期間，常春藤沿著Mayos de Navojo主球場的木製籬笆長著，在2010年冬季聯盟開幕日，綠色植物著火了，帶著紅色與橙色的火焰。

"For whatever reason the fans thought it'd be cool to set the ivy on fire," Timmons recalled. Play was stopped for half and hour -- on two separate occasions -- and the fire burned a hole in the fence. "We finished the game with part of the centerfield wall not being there," he said.
“不論是何原因，球迷們認為讓常春藤起火相當地酷”Timmons回想起。比賽暫停半個小時--因兩個不同的理由--圍籬被火燒出一個洞。”我們在中外野外牆不完整的情況下完成比賽”他說。

Those incendiary delays weren't even the worst part of his stay. In the second week of the season a fastball struck Timmons on the left arm. The club took him to get an x-ray -- at a dentist's office. "So that was fun," he said with a wry smile.
因火延遲比賽還不是他待在那 (小聯盟)最糟的一部分。某個球季第二個禮拜，一記速球打到Timmons的左臂。球團帶他去牙醫診所照X光。”那相當有趣”他苦笑地說著。

There, the diagnosis of a fracture was confirmed and Timmons received an oversized cast that ensconced most of his left arm, from his wrist up past his elbow. (Back in the States, he received a more suitably sized cast for his forearm.)
診斷為骨折後，Timmons的左臂上被放了一個尺寸過大的石膏，自他的手腕到手肘。(回到美國後，他前臂打上尺寸合宜的石膏)

He also noted that such minor league travails grow less outlandish in the higher levels of the minor leagues. Besides, other than seven weeks last season, Timmons hadn't been below Triple A since 2006. He has been a man stuck in baseball limbo.
他也提到待的小聯盟層級越高，屬於小聯盟的陣痛期就比較少那些奇怪的事情。除了上個賽季的七週以外，Timmons自2006年之後就沒有低於3A。他已經是個卡在棒球界地獄邊緣的男人。

* * *

Just last week Timmons sounded like a man beginning to accept his baseball destiny -- that a major league promotion may never come.
上個禮拜，Timmons聽起來像是個開始要接受棒球命運的男人--升到大聯盟一事可能不會來了。

"That's the road God has chosen for me, man," he said then. "That's who I am, just kind of hanging around. If it comes, it comes. If not, you know, I've had a great career up to this point. I don't really have a whole lot of regrets on the field."
“上帝已替我選好要走的路”他接著說。”那就是我，只是以某種方式等待著。如果它到來，就來吧。如果沒有，在這個時間點的我已經很開心了。我在球場上並無太多的遺憾。”

Timmons, a utility infielder who has primarily played third base in his career, is coming off his best season, batting .341 with a .420 on-base percentage in 95 games split between Double A and Triple A in 2011. His lack of power -- he's never hit more than eight homers in a season -- is a detriment when compared to the prototypical third baseman, but his versatility in playing every infield position helps.
Timmons，一名內野工具人，在他的職業生涯主要防守三壘，2011在2A與3A共95場比賽繳出生涯最好的成績，.341打擊率.420上壘率。他缺乏長打力，成了與典型三壘手比較時的缺點--從未於單一球季擊出超過八支全壘打，但他可以守內野全部位置的靈活性則有所助益

"It's hard to get the guy out," Oakland assistant general manager David Forst said. "He's played himself into the conversation, very much so."

“讓他離開是很艱難的”奧克蘭副總管David Forst說”他的表現讓人常常討論。”

The A's were in need of extra infield help after projected starting third baseman Scott Sizemore tore his ACL early in camp. But roster decisions aren't always linear; one injury doesn't necessarily bump everyone up one spot on the depth chart.
A’s在原本的先發三壘手Scott Sizemore於春訓一開始ACL撕裂傷後，須要額外的內野援助。但是陣容方面的決定並非總是呈現線性；一個傷兵不需要讓板凳深度表中的每一個人都往上提升一個位置。

Though the A's will need to whittle the roster down to 25 players for the rest of the season, they will travel with 30 to Japan and will designate 25 players to dress before the two games with the Mariners.
A’s將需要把陣容削減到25名選手來進行剩餘球季，他們會帶30人去日本，並在對水手的兩場比賽前調整到25人 (譯註: 此處應指回到美國的那兩場，因日本開幕系列戰可允許28人)。

"He's played well enough that he deserves to go," Melvin said. "He should be proud of that."
“他表現地相當好，他去 (日本)是理所當然的。”Melvin說 “他應為此 (自己的表現)感到驕傲。”

Timmons' situation is complicated by not being on the 40-man roster, which means that, not only does he need to be good enough to make the club, he needs to sufficiently outplay the competition that the club is willing to remove another player. Making this trip to Japan does not guarantee placement on the 40-man.
Timmons因未列在40人名單，情況較為複雜，那意味著他不只要好到足以加入球隊，他必須要表現地比別人好，讓球團願意將其他選手移出名單。日本之行未能保證會在40人名單內佔有一席之地。

If he does eventually make Oakland's 25-man roster, he'd be the oldest position player on the rebuilding club; only pitchers Grant Balfour, Bartolo Colon and Brian Fuentes are older.
若他最終進入奧克蘭正式名單，他會是這支重建中的球隊裡最老的野手 (譯註: 執行禁賽中的Manny更老，但他尚未正式披上運動家球衣)；投手部份只有Grant Balfour, Bartolo Colon與Brian Fuentes比他老。

"He's veteran-minded, but he's still got that youthfulness where you don't really expect that he's been in the game that long," said second baseman Jemile Weeks, the 25-year-old starter who lockers next to Timmons. "He'll give you the impression that everything's fine and dandy. He's not a complaining type. He acts like he's just getting started, and he's happy to be here."
“他有老將的頭腦，但仍十分青春有勁，你/妳料想不到他已經在球場中打這麼久了”25歲，置物櫃在Timmons隔壁的二壘手Jemile Weeks說。”他給人的印象是各方面都很好、很紳士。他不是那種愛抱怨的類型。他表現地像是他剛起步，他很開心來到這裡 (指春訓)”

* * *

Each of the past few winters Timmons has huddled with his wife, Randi, in their Jacksonville, Fla., home and deliberated whether it would be best for him to retire or to trudge ahead with his major league dream at the expense of time and distance away from his family, which includes two daughters -- Kallyn, who is almost six years old, and Irelyn, who is three.
過去幾個冬天，Timmons都跟他老婆Randi擠在他們位於佛羅里達州Jacksonville市的房子裡，仔細考慮著哪個樣子對他來說最好，退休或是繼續長途跋涉追逐大聯盟夢想，後者需耗費時間並遠離他的家人--包括兩個女兒，六歲的Kallyn與三歲的Irelyn。

"So we weighed the pros and cons of coming back, and God willing and my wife being so wonderful, I'm playing again," he said. "Would I rather be working 9 to 5 or playing a kid's game? I've gotten to the point in my career where the money has gotten a little bit better, and there are just not a lot of jobs in this world that are better than what I'm doing."
“所以我們衡量回到賽場的正反意見，上帝的旨意以及我太太是如此地棒，我再度回到球場”他說 “我會寧願朝九晚五工作或者playing a kid's game (不曉得指的是不是帶小朋友打球)嗎? 我的職業生涯走到這個階段，可以賺到多一些些的錢，世上沒有太多工作比我現在正從事的更好。”

Modern technology makes the separation from his family almost bearable -- "If it weren't for Skype or FaceTime, I don't know how anybody ever did this," he said -- but he knows he's missing out.
現代科技讓他能忍受著與家人的分離--“如果沒有Skype或FaceTime，我不曉得人們要如何克服”他說--但他知道他有所失去。

Also, minor league salaries are a pittance compared with even the major league minimum of $480,000. The salaries for even veteran minor league free agents can be less than $20,000 for a season; only a handful of players make more than $100,000. Most make something in between, including Timmons (the exact terms of his deal were not disclosed).
小聯盟薪水跟大聯盟底薪48萬美元比起來算是很少。資深小聯盟自由球員的薪水可能一個球季不到2萬美元，只有少部份球員可以拿超過10萬美元。大多數小聯盟球員的薪資介於兩者之間，包括Timmons在內 (Timmons合約的實際數字未被揭露)。

Timmons has his degree in physical education -- he began college at Appalachian State and later transferred to Bethune-Cookman -- and spends his winters as a substitute teacher at Chets Creek Elementary School, where his wife and mother teach fulltime.
Timmons具備體育學系學位--一開始唸Appalachian State大學，後來轉到Bethune-Cookman大學--多個冬天在Chets Creek 小學擔任代課老師，他老婆以及母親是那所學校的正式教師。(譯註: Chets Creek Elementary School 就在 Timmons他們住的Jacksonville市)

"Any subject you can think of, kindergarten through fifth grade," he said. "Some of the students follow [my baseball stats], and some of them make fun of me because I don't hit a lot of home runs. I get it from all ends of the spectrum."
“從幼稚園到五年級，你/妳想的到的任何科目 (都教)”他說”有些學生注意我的棒球成績，他們/她們之中有些人取笑我，因為我沒有擊出很多發全壘打。”

Taped above Timmons' locker at Phoenix Municipal Stadium is a baseball card of Chipper Jones. A mischievous teammate placed it there, a regular reminder of Timmons' stunted progress.
貼在Timmons春訓主場置物櫃上的是Chipper Jones的球員卡。一名惡作劇的隊友將它擺在那，時時提醒著Timmons受阻礙的發展過程。

The Braves drafted Timmons in the 12th round in 2002, and Timmons advanced at a typical pace through the minors, reaching Triple A for the first time three years later, only to be blocked from the major leagues in a way few recent players -- a Yankees shortstop prospect, for instance -- could appreciate.
勇士隊在2002年第12輪選了Timmons，依既有的步調在小聯盟系統進階，三年後首次升到3A，大概只有少數同樣被大聯盟球員卡在前面的選手才能體會，舉例來說，一位洋基隊的游擊新秀 (譯註: 從1995年開始Chipper Jones是勇士三壘的不二人選，洋基游擊則從1996年開始交由Derek Jeter把關)。

"These guys clown me over here a lot," Timmons said of his A's teammates, "because I happened to play third base over there [with the Braves], and we all know who's their soon-to-be Hall of Fame third baseman."
“這些人在這裡對我胡鬧”Timmons提到他A’s的隊友們”因為我曾在勇士隊系統守過三壘，我們都知道那邊有一位即將進入名人堂的三壘手”。

Timmons said he never had a formal invite to Braves major league camp and only played sparingly in spring games as a backup. He figures he got nine at bats in three years, meaning he often had some time to kill on the dugout bench.
Timmons說他從未接過勇士隊大聯盟春訓營的正式邀請，只有在少數幾場春訓比賽中擔任過替補。他算了算，三年共9個打數 (春訓)，這也意味著他不時有些時間需要在休息區的板凳上打發。

Outgoing and gregarious, Timmons figured he might as well pass the time in conversation and ultimately learned a lot from Jones' predecessor at the position, Terry Pendleton, who for most of the past decade served as Atlanta's hitting coach.
外向且善於社交的個性使然，Timmons指出他在談話中度過那些 (春訓的)日子，從Jones上一位的三壘手Terry Pendleton那學到很多，Pendleton在2001~2010年主要擔任勇士隊打擊教練一職。

"A lot of that time I would hang out on the bench and talk to players and coaches," Timmons said, "number one, to pass the time because you've got to figure out how to spend three and a half hours and, number two, if I might be able to bring something with me."
“很多時候我在板凳上打發時間，和選手們以及教練們聊天” Timmons說”第一，殺時間，因為你需要想出如何渡過3小時半。第二，或許如果我可以替自己帶來些什麼”。

Timmons credits those conversations with Pendleton as an important lesson in honing his disciplined approach at the plate, even with two strikes. He's never been a power hitter, but in only one minor league season did he have an on-base percentage below .375. For his career he has walked 468 times and struck out only 287.
Timmons讚揚那些與Pendleton的交談，對於琢磨他的本壘板紀律是一堂重要的課，即便在兩好球以後。他從來就不是一位具長打力的打者，但他只有一個小聯盟球季上壘率低於.375  (譯註: 2012年之前，只有2007年效力勇士3A的上壘率.333低於.375)。職業生涯至今被保送468次，只有287次三振。

After making consecutive Triple A All-Star teams in 2009 and 2010 but finding his path still blocked in Atlanta, Timmons signed as a free-agent after the 2010 season with Oakland. There he not only had the best season of his career -- with personal bests for batting average, home runs, RBIs -- but made his mark in other ways, too.
2009與2010年連續兩年成為3A明星隊成員，但他發現在亞特蘭大的路仍受到阻擋，Timmons在2010球季結束後成為自由球員，與奧克蘭簽約。他在那繳出生涯最棒的一季--打擊率、全壘打和打點都是個人新高--但他也在其他方面引人矚目。

"He ran the best kangaroo court I have ever seen," said A's pitcher Brandon McCarthy, who was making a scheduled rehab start in Sacramento when he witnessed Timmons presiding over a riotous clubhouse scene. "He was really good and really funny. Usually they all collapse in the middle and the rules are weird, but he was on top of everything."
“他在kangaroo court (一種由選手們自行展開的虛擬法庭，用球賽期間的失誤及疏忽來評估某一名選手有罪、進而罰錢。詳情請見洋基板yyhong68的文章)中表現的最好”A's投手Brandon McCarthy說，當時McCarthy正在沙加緬度進行復健賽，他目睹Timmons在一個暴動的局面中主持會議。”他真的非常棒、非常好笑。通常人們進行到一半就倒了，規則也很奇怪，但他在每個項目都居於領先”。

* * *

Part of Timmons' deal with his wife was always this: When the door to the big leagues closed, he'd walk away.
Timmons與他太太協議的一部份總是如此: 當大聯盟的門關上，他就走。

Last July Timmons thought his dream was over. The A's, facing what they called a "numbers issue" on the Triple A roster, demoted Timmons to Double A, a move that made him six years older than all but one of his position-player teammates.
上個七月，Timmons認為他的夢結束了。A’s在面對他們所謂3A陣容上的"人數問題”，將Timmons降到2A，這個異動讓他比全隊野手都大上六歲，除了一位野手之外。 (譯註: 去年他32歲，野手方面緊接在後的是29歲的Adam Heether，接下來就是幾位26歲的球員)。

Timmons called his wife and said, "I'll come home."
Timmons打給他老婆，說”我要回家了。”

After some discussion, however, they decided that he should honor his one-year contract, and so Timmons packed for Midland, Texas, barely a fifth the size of Sacramento, and joined the Double A Rockhounds, an experience he initially described as "very humbling."
然而在一陣討論過後，他們決定他必須履行完他的一年合約，所以Timmons打包前往位於德州，只有沙加緬度的5分之ㄧ大的Midland市，加入2A Rockhounds，他最初描述那個是個相當挫折的經驗。

But a funny thing happened on his demotion to obscurity: He crushed the ball. Timmons hit .365 and at one point had a 15-game hitting streak. He made new friends and the front office received glowing reports.
但是有件好笑的事在他被降級時發生: 他打的相當不錯。Timmons連15場擊出安打後，打擊率提升到.365。他交了新朋友，管理階層接到了發光發熱的報告

"We had to send him to Double A, which we didn't want to do, but he took it great," Forst said. "He's a professional. I heard constantly from the Double A manager -- 'Hey, this guy's a veteran and he's great in the clubhouse. He's great with the younger kids.' We made sure to get him back to Triple A as soon as possible."
“我們不想那樣做的情形下，必須將他送到2A，但他表現地很好”Forst說”他是名職業選手。我經常從2A總教練那聽聞他的消息--這個傢伙是個老將，他在球隊裡表現的很好。在年輕人的環境中表現的很好’我們務必要盡快讓他回到3A”。

After 39 games Timmons returned to Sacramento, but that's as far as he got in 2011.
Timmons回到沙加緬度打了39場球後，獲得與2011年差不多的結果。

Lacking space on the 40-man roster, the A's were unable to promote him for a September call-up to the big leagues.
40人名單沒位置，A’s無法在九月將他升上大聯盟。

"I had no expectations," Timmons said. "I've never been in the big leagues. A lot of guys have been there and when they don't get called up in September, it's a real disappointing time. It makes the Triple A clubhouse kind of tough."
“不期不待” Timmons說”我從未登上大聯盟。很多人去過，所以當他們沒有在九月被升上去，是相當令人失望的時刻。那讓3A隊上陷入某種程度的艱難時刻”。

After the Triple A playoffs ended, Timmons began his long cross-country drive. He had reached West Texas when his phone rang. Forst prioritized Timmons as his first call of the offseason and extended the invitation for a return.
3A季後賽結束後，Timmons展開橫越全國的長途駕駛之旅。電話響起時他已經到達德州西部。Forst在休兵期間第一通電話就是打給Timmons，邀請他回到球團。

"I've never had anyone call and just say they appreciated what I've done in a season," Timmons said. "That phone call by itself pretty much got me hook, line and sinker back to the A's."
“我從未 (在過去所待的球隊)接到過任何人的電話，他們只是對於我在球季當中所做的表達感激” Timmons說”那通電話讓我再度與A’s產生關聯”。

* * *

Another phone call on Monday morning was even better. Upon leaving Melvin's office, Timmons called his wife, who was at the zoo with their daughters, and told her to start packing for Japan.
另一通在星期一早晨的電話是更為美好的。Timmons在離開Melvin辦公室後，打給他老婆，她當時跟他們的女兒們在動物園裡，他要打包前往日本了!

"I'm not sure she believed me," Timmons said. "But she was super excited."
“我不確定她信不信” Timmons說”但是她非常興奮。"

At the end of the call Randi asked, "What am I supposed to do?"
在電話結束前Randi問”我能做些什麼?”

Timmons responded, "I have no idea. I'll have to call you later. What do we do?"
Timmons回答”我不知道。我晚點會打給妳。我們在幹麻?”

It's a whole new world for the minor league journeyman. Eight months ago Timmons called his wife and offered to fly east and home, his baseball dreams over; this time he called to offer her a flight west, his baseball dreams having taken a step closer to coming true.
對於小聯盟浪人來說那是個全新的世界。八個月前Timmons打給太太時，往東飛返家的話，他的棒球夢就中止了；這次他打給她說要搭上往西的航班，他的棒球夢距離夢想成真更近了。

讓 我 們 一 起 替 Wes Timmons 加油 !