英語検定ライティング準１級（第223回）

バント「自己犠牲は特攻隊を産む文化の話」

今年のセリーグの特徴はウノゼロの試合が多いことだ。低反発のボールも一因だがバットにボールが当たらなければ関係ない。つまり投手力の向上が最も大きな理由だと言われるのだ。
When we watch the baseball match, the score “1-0” frequently captures our eyes, which forces us to feel thrilled because only one run difference is likely to lose by the opponent team’s one chance, to our sorrow.
A ball without repulsive force is said to be responsible for such a situation, but this conditions, what a ball is, doesn’t matter at all when a bat fails to hit on a ball.
After all, a pitcher’s ability to prevent a batter from hitting on a ball has been improved in recent years.

それには相手バッターに対する綿密な分析も関係している。苦手な球種やコースは研究されて得意なボールは来ない。リリーフ陣は毎日肩を作るが先発は週に一度だけなので休養も充分。
In addition, the analysis toward opponent batters is said to be responsible for their slumps because each team’s scouts succeed in working hard to discover other teams’ disadvantages, which makes a difference during the seesaw matches with one run evaluated highly.
A pitcher could avoid throwing an easy ball to be hit on because he knows an opponent batter’s weak points.
Furthermore, several relievers must prepare for their turns every day, but a starting pitcher has only to perform once a week, which enables him to refresh himself and have enough time to accumulate his energy.

球場も広くて一発が出にくいとなると接戦でものを言うのはバントだ。バントと言えば２番バッターの真骨頂だ。のはずなんだが最近は４番バッターもバントをしてチャンスメイクする。
Moreover, almost all stadiums are too extremely large for a batter to fly far away, so an operation bunt plays an essential role during the seesaw matches, where the second batter has had an important responsibility, which is something conventional and traditional so far.
However, in this season, in the Central League, even the fourth batter is involved in this strategy bunt, to our surprise and astonishment, which could make indispensable and positive contributions to enlarging the possibility to win the game.

１点が重たい今年ほどバントの重要性を痛感したシーズンはない。バント処理に焦ればミスも誘発する。１アウトもらったはずだったのにという後悔の念もまたピンチを増大させるのだ。
We are forced to consider one run as something vital, and this is the first time to bring home this to us, where the strategy bunt makes a significant difference.
It seems to be easy for a pitcher to dispose a bunt ball, but he is sometimes so impatient and tense that he makes a critical mistake, as a result, his behavior brings his team into an extremely lethal and deadly situation.
Otherwise, he should have offered one out by the other team, and his regret would have tremendously negative influences on the current match, an online article says.