Team China World Baseball Classic manager John McLaren is not placing lofty expectations on his club for this March's WBC, but that doesn't mean he's throwing in the towel.
WBC中國隊總教練John McLaren對他的球隊在明年三月即將到來的世界棒球經典賽(WBC)的表現沒有表現出太高的期望，但這不等於他已經認輸。
"When you're the Dominican Republic, the United States, Japan or Korea, you're thinking about the big trophy at the end," McLaren said. "We're not at that stage yet. We're still in the development stages, trying to set a foundation for the next generation. We're trying to help push baseball as a sport in China. I'm not conceding, but I'm realistic. Just winning a game is monumental to us."
當你的球隊是多米尼亞共和國隊、美國隊、日本隊或者韓國隊時，你的目標是最終的桂冠，」McLaren說到，「但我們還沒到那個階段。我們還在發展中，還在為後人打好基礎的時候。我們正努力在中國推廣棒球運動。這對我來說不是在退讓，只是更面對現實一點。贏得任何一場比賽對我們來說都是巨大的裡程碑」
McLaren, who never reached the big leagues as a player but has coached for the Blue Jays, Red Sox, Reds, Mariners, Rays, Nationals and Phillies since 1986, is currently the bullpen coach for Philadelphia. The 65-year-old is coaching his second WBC for Team China and his third overall; he was the third-base coach with the American team in 2006.
McLaren雖然沒有在大聯盟中打過球，但是他從1986年開始就在分別在藍鳥隊、紅襪隊、紅人隊、水手隊、光芒隊、國民隊和費城人隊裡擔任過教練。現在他是費城人隊的牛棚教練。這位65歲的棒球人這次是第二次擔任中國隊的經典賽教練，他人生中另外一次的經典賽執教經驗，是2006的美國經典賽代表隊教練團的一員。
"I have been involved with China since 2011, when I did some camps in Europe," McLaren said. "I like their vision, and it's my way of giving back to baseball. I'm an international baseball fanatic because I think baseball brings people together."
「我和中國是在2011年結緣的，當時我正在歐洲做訓練營相關工作，」McLaren說到，「我很欣賞他們的眼界，我想這也是我來回饋棒球的一種方式。我是一個國際棒球狂熱粉絲，因為我認為棒球可以使人更團結。」
McLaren follows in the footsteps of MLB managers Jim Lefebvre and Terry Collins, who managed Team China in the 2006 and 2009 WBCs, respectively.
McLaren跟隨了Jim Lefebvre和Terry Collins的腳步，兩位分別於2006年和2009年擔任經典賽中國隊的主教練。
McLaren is hopeful that his roster for the 2017 tournament will include several players with professional experience. Retired big league pitcher Bruce Chen, free-agent pitcher Vance Worley, Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong and his brother Kean, who is a prospect in the Rays' system, Rockies Minor Leaguer Joey Wong and Marlins pitcher Austin Brice are all possibilities, as is Korean professional pitcher Ju Kwon, who McLaren says could be a fifth starter in MLB.
McLaren希望自己隊伍能在2017年的競標賽增加一些有職業經驗的選手。前大聯盟投手Bruce Chen、現為自由球員的投手Vance Worley、紅雀隊二壘手Kolten Wong和他的弟弟Kean，Kean是光芒隊農場中備受期待的新星，還有洛基小聯盟的Joey Wong和馬林魚隊的投手Austin Brice這些人都是有可能的，甚至是Ju Kwon，一位McLaren評價為有機會成為MLB輪值中的第五號先發的韓國職業投手。
Players from MLB's three Chinese Development Centers are also starting to feed into the national team program. Xu Guiyuan, who became the first player signed out of the Chinese DCs when he inked a deal with the Orioles in July 2015, has a chance to make Team China's roster. The left-handed outfielder/first baseman has a powerful swing which McLaren likens to that of Boston's Andrew Benintendi.
MLB在中國的三個發展中心中的球員也開始陸續被送進國家隊。許桂源在2015年作為第一個從中國DC籤到金鶯隊的球員，如今有機會成為中國隊的一員。這個左打且同時可守外野和一壘手的選手揮棒充滿力量，ML把他比作波士頓隊的Andrew Benintendi。
China was one of the 12 nations to qualify for the 2017 WBC with their performance in the 2013 WBC.
中國和其他11個國家都是由於在2013年的WBC表現超群所以有資格繼續在2017年參加比賽。
Team China stunned Team Brazil with five runs in the eighth inning to win 5-2 in the third game of WBC Group A pool play in 2013, securing their 2017 berth. Brazil led 2-0 in the eighth inning, but China scored on a bases-loaded walk before infielder Ray Chang hit a soft fly ball to left field that gave the Chinese a 3-2 lead. China added two more runs on bases-loaded walks.
在2013年世界棒球經典賽A組比賽的第三場和巴西隊對陣時，中國隊靠著第八局下了5分，扳回比分5：2，震懾了巴西隊，保下了在2017年比賽的資格。八局上半巴西隊本以2：0領先，但中國隊先在滿壘局面靠著保送擠回一分，接著內野手張寶樹一擊不強勁的高飛安打，幫助中國再下兩分，此時比分3：2。之後中國隊又在滿壘情況靠保送再下兩分。