After a labor dispute threatened MLB's season, Opening Day is here

After a labor¹ dispute threatened MLB's season, Opening Day is here

Transcript²

NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Washington Post baseball writer Chelsea Janes about Opening Day, and new rules that are meant to enliven the game — or at least speed it up.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "CENTERFIELD")

JOHN FOGERTY: (Singing) Put me in, coach. I'm ready to play.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Makes me want to sing. It's opening day for Major League Baseball. A 99-day standoff between owners and players ended with less than a month before the traditional start to play. So here we are. Chelsea Janes is the national baseball reporter for The Washington Post and is on the line. Good morning.

CHELSEA JANES: Good morning.

INSKEEP: Wow. Did you think you wouldn't have a season to cover at one point?

JANES: I think that was a very real doubt at various points during that labor standoff. But, you know, they saved it just in time to get the full season in. And I think everyone's very happy about that.

INSKEEP: Well, that's what I was wondering, if there was lingering bitterness from this 99-day standoff or if people feel that the terms are what they want them to be.

JANES: You know, I don't think the terms are what they want them to be. But I think there is very little bitterness. I think there is a sense that this was going to be a showdown. Everyone knew this was coming for years, that this would be a big labor standoff in 2021. And they got through it. And they're going to play 162 games. And I haven't really heard much about it at all in the last few weeks, as spring training camps have opened and everyone has just been grateful to sort of turn their focus to baseball.

INSKEEP: I want to note some of the baseball here. There's going to be a different rule for many games. Major League Baseball has a number of new rules. And the simplest one, perhaps, is that the National League is going to become like the American League and allow designated hitters, meaning somebody's standing³ in for the pitcher⁴ and they're not on the field, on defense⁵. What's the effect there?

JANES: It will change the game dramatically in the National League, where managers have long said they loved the style of play because you had a pitcher, like you said. And you had to figure out when to pull them, when to hit for them, you know, when to use them to bunt. You had to sort of plan your whole game plan around it. And opposing pitchers⁶ had the pitcher to look forward to. They are traditionally not good hitters. So you had eight really good hitters. And the opposing pitcher could say, all right, I'll take a breath on the ninth. And that's no longer true. You'll have a professional, you know, established hitter in that spot. It'll be harder for pitchers to get through lineups. Managers will have fewer decisions to make, potentially fewer pitching changes to make as a result. And I think everyone hopes that it'll both speed up the game and create some more offense⁷ and some more action out there.

INSKEEP: Can I pause for a moment and be a little cranky? I kind of enjoyed the strategy, the strategery, of going back and forth⁸ and deciding whether to pull the pitcher and that sort of thing.

JANES: I don't think you're alone in that. I think there are a lot of people who will miss it. But the people who will not are the pitchers and those who pay them and worry that through every little at bat that they were going to get injured doing something they weren't really meant to do anyway. So you know, I think that's a fair critique. And there are probably a lot of people who agree. But for the game at large, I think everyone feels a little bit safer having those guys off, you know, out of batting and limited to the mound⁹.

INSKEEP: What are a couple of teams you are especially following this year, you're particularly interested in?

JANES: I think the Los Angeles Dodgers¹⁰ are fascinating. They have, potentially, now that they've added former Braves star Freddie Freeman, one of the most prolific¹¹ offensive lineups in history. But as we know, baseball doesn't really adhere to the expectations. So we'll see what they're able to do. You know, I think the New York Mets, with former Nat Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom, have two of the best starters of the era if they can keep them healthy. And so they'll be fascinating to watch, too. They're all spending a lot of money. And everyone's kind of trying to keep up.

INSKEEP: I like the line about baseball not adhering to expectations. We have no idea if that murderer's row lineup is going to be any good at all.

JANES: Right. And I think that's what makes it so much fun. And I think that's why everyone's so glad to kind of see these games get started.

INSKEEP: Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post, thanks so much.

JANES: Thanks for having me.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "CENTERFIELD")

FOGERTY: (Singing) Centerfield.

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

4 pitcher   

n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐；(棒球)投手

参考例句：

• He poured the milk out of the pitcher.他从大罐中倒出牛奶。
• Any pitcher is liable to crack during a tight game.任何投手在紧张的比赛中都可能会失常。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 pitchers   

大水罐( pitcher的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Over the next five years, he became one of the greatest pitchers in baseball. 在接下来的5年时间里，他成为了最了不起的棒球投手之一。
• Why he probably won't: Pitchers on also-rans can win the award. 为什麽不是他得奖：投手在失败的球队可以赢得赛扬奖。

7 offense   

n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪

参考例句：

• I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
• His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。

8 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

9 mound   

n.土墩，堤，小山；v.筑堤，用土堆防卫

参考例句：

• The explorers climbed a mound to survey the land around them.勘探者爬上土丘去勘测周围的土地。
• The mound can be used as our screen.这个土丘可做我们的掩蔽物。

10 dodgers   

n.躲闪者，欺瞒者( dodger的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a crackdown on fare dodgers on trains 对火车逃票者的严厉打击
• But Twain, Howells, and James were jeeringly described by Mencken as "draft-dodgers". 不过吐温、豪威尔斯和詹姆斯都是被门肯讥诮地叫做“逃避兵役的人。” 来自辞典例句

11 prolific   

adj.丰富的，大量的；多产的，富有创造力的

参考例句：

• She is a prolific writer of novels and short stories.她是一位多产的作家，写了很多小说和短篇故事。
• The last few pages of the document are prolific of mistakes.这个文件的最后几页错误很多。