Orioles Pitcher Chen Wei-Yin (1)

Durable is Chen’s middle name
When you're a lefty born into a traditional Taiwanese family, you might get scolded a few times for eating with the wrong hand. But what if that lefty grows up to use that same hand to pitch in Major League Baseball (MLB)? That happened to none other than baseball hero Chen Wei-Yin (陳偉殷)!

This 27-year-old major league sensation has quite a track record. He played in the Olympics twice representing Chinese Taipei. In 2009 he became one of the best starting pitchers in the Japanese Central League with an emphatic earned run average (ERA) of 1.54. This is a fancy way of saying not many batters could do their job when Chen was on the mound.

In 2012, during his first season pitching for the American League of MLB, he started 32 games and pitched 192 2/3 innings. And on October 8, 2012, he became the first Taiwanese pitcher to claim victory in an MLB postseason debut.

But what's with those numbers? They're just statistics, right? Wrong. They testify to one trait of this made-in-Taiwan Orioles pitcher - durability. Not many pitchers can pitch game after game like he does without breaking down!


Info Cloud
西方人的姓名是由 first name, middle name, last name 組成的
first name 是名字: Steve, Ken, Gabe, Michelle
last name 是姓氏, 也有不同講法, surname, family name, last name
因為在西方的姓氐都是放在最後面, 所以叫做 last name (last 最後的意思)
middle name (中名) 是放在 first name和last name之間,
在西方通常只有正式文件會寫出 middle name,
一般是不會用到middle name,
另外 middle name 有某人特徵或強項的意思,
一個非常有耐心的人, 就可以說:
Patience is my middle name.

今天課文說到: Durable is Chen’s middle name.
陳偉殷的強項特徵就是耐力實足!

Grammar Gym
"But what's with those numbers?"
what's with: why something is there why something is the way it is
- What's with these boxes?
- What's with that nice outfit today?

Language Lab
pitcher n.
1 the player in baseball who throws the ball
2 a container for holding and pouring a liquid, with a handle and a shaped part to help the liquid flow out
a pitcher of beer:


lefty n. 左撇子 [left左邊]; 左投手, 左打者
someone who uses their left hand for writing, throwing etc
- This store sells all kinds of tools for a lefty.
這間店賣各式各樣適合左撇子的工具
- George is such a strong lefty that most batters miss his pitches.
George 是位很厲害的左投手, 大部份的打者都打不中他的球

none other than
how important something is

track record n.
all of a person's or organization's past achievements, successes, or failures, which show how well they have done something in the past and how well they are likely to do in the future

emphatic adj. 突出的, 明顯的
/ɪmˈfætɪk/
attracting special attention 
- The emphatic success of the band's last album inspired the band to create their next one.
這個樂團有目共賭的成就激發他們下一張新的專輯
emphatic 強調的, 堅定的
done or said in a strong way and without any doubt;
expressing an opinion, idea etc in a clear, strong way to show its importance
- Tina's emphatic refusal to Josh's proposal really hurt him.
Tina對Josh的求婚堅定的拒絕真的讓他很難受

debut n. [字尾t不發音] 初次的表演或登場
/ˈdeɪˌbju:/
 the first time an actor, musician, athlete, etc., does something in public or for the public
- Tonight's performance was this young singer's debut.
今晚的表演是這位年輕歌手的初次登場
- This world-renowned model made her debut at a high school fashion show.
這位世界聞名的模特兒初次登台的時候是在她高中的時裝秀裡

durability n.[uncountable] 耐用度, 持久力
- German cars are characterized by their fine engineering and durability.
德國車以優異的設計和耐用度著稱
durable adj. 耐用的, 持久的
staying strong and in good condition over a long period of time
- The boots are strong and durable.
這雙靴子既堅固又耐穿

testify v.
to make a formal statement of what is true, especially in a court of law

break down adj.
not working or in very bad condition


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