文：肯米

曾經被洪一中總教練稱為是史上最強洋將的迪薩猛（Matt DeSalvo），宣布將退休，但是從他在公開的新聞稿裡面，還是可以看出他對台灣球隊的些許不解。

迪薩猛在２０１２年替Lamigo效力，整季效力起來共出賽２８場，２２場先發和６場後援得到１１勝６敗防禦率２。７７，投球局數達１４６。１局，可說是對球隊鞠躬盡瘁，他在投球時的狀況穩到讓洪一中總教練講過幾次話，截錄於下：

2012/04/15　　【聯合報╱記者婁靖平／桃園報導】

http://mag.udn.com/mag/sports/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=383913#ixzz2Q2oxRM75

洪總其實很訝異，「一般洋投都以賺錢為目的，就算受傷，也不會這麼誠實告訴球隊，像迪薩猛這麼坦承的洋投，並不多見」。

洪一中說：「這麼誠實的投手，表現絕對不會差。」
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迪薩猛倒吃甘蔗 洪總驚嘆
2012-04-30 01:11 中國時報 【歐建智／綜合報導】

桃猿在去年下半季就想找迪薩猛來台，不過他卻回信給猿隊，身體有傷恐無法發揮球技，希望可以等到他傷勢痊癒。桃猿總教練洪一中說：「我在中職打滾那麼久，從未看過如此誠實的洋投，心想今年一定要找他來台。」

主要是因為他太好用了，因為以下是他在台灣投球時的用球數

3/22  先發  124球
3/27  先發  121球    中4日
3/31  中繼    23球    中3日
4/03  先發  135    　中2日先發
4/08  先發  127    　中4日
4/21  先發  123   
4/29  先發  123   
5/10  中繼    26
5/13  先發  124    　中2日先發
5/31  先發  125   
7/01  中繼    45
7/04  中繼    37       中2日長中繼
7/08  先發    89       中3日先發

三月到四月的時候連續好幾場１２０球以上的先發吃局數，可說是老一派的中華職棒教練團愛用的選手，也難怪在受傷之後，今年迪薩猛婉拒Lamigo的邀約，最後選擇退休。

DeSalvo “retired,” but could return to York

Posted by John Walk on April 10, 2013 in Matt DeSalvo, York Revolution

Right-hander Matt DeSalvo says he’s retired, but he’s leaving the door open on a possible return. Randy Flaum file photo.

Confusing headline, right? Well, that’s basically the impression I and anyone who has spoken with former Revs pitcher Matt DeSalvo recently got.

Why should anyone care about DeSalvo’s status, you might ask? Well, for anyone who got to see the right-hander play in York in 2010 and 2011, the answer to that question is easy.

The former big leaguer had a rubber arm on the mound, at least for a season-and-a-half. In 2010, DeSalvo went 5-2 with a 4.67 ERA in seven starts and five relief appearances. A few times that season he opted to make a relief appearance in a game instead of throwing a bullpen session on the side between starts.

Then in 2011, he went 6-3 with a 3.89 ERA in 18 starts and five relief appearances, tossing 106.1 innings. What’s crazy is that he totaled nearly all of those innings in the first half of the season before arm injuries plagued the second half of the season. He had tossed a Atlantic League-leading 96.2 innings and compiled a 6-3 record and 3.82 ERA in the first half of the season to earn a spot in the 2011 Atlantic League All-Star game.

So, DeSalvo could prove to be a big upgrade to any pitching staff, if healthy (more on this later). And it’s exactly why Mason kept the door open to DeSalvo all of last season when he pitched in Taiwan. Mason was hoping to get DeSalvo back in York near the end of the 2012 season, but DeSalvo’s team over in Taiwan ended up making the playoffs. When chatting by phone late last Friday night, DeSalvo said he led the league in Taiwan in strikeouts, was one away from the league lead in wins and a couple points off the league lead in ERA. But the experience wasn’t exactly an enjoyable one, according to DeSalvo, who I chatted with by phone last Friday night.

“They were throwing me 130 pitches in a start,” DeSalvo said of his time pitching in Taiwan. “I didn’t know how many pitches I was throwing because the communication wasn’t really smooth because the interpreter didn’t speak english. It’d be the seventh inning and I’d be at 95 pitches and I’d say ‘Hey, I don’t want to throw more than 110 pitches. The next inning I’d go out there and get around 105 pitches and no one would be warming up to go in the game. So, because there’s a lot of communication issues, you’re forced into situations to throw.

RHP Matt DeSalvo

“One week I almost threw 270 pitches in a week. I ended up getting elbow inflammation because at the end of season my arm was messed up. They ended going to the playoffs but couldn’t use me because they overused me.”

That’s why DeSalvo said he turned down the offer to return to the team in Taiwan this year.

“At the end of day I want to be able to play catch with my kids,” he said. “I don’t have kids yet, but if I went back to Taiwan I wouldn’t be able to throw.”

But it didn’t deter DeSalvo from trying out for the Hanshin Tigers in Okinawa, Japan in early February.

“They wanted me throwing 93 or 94 (miles an hour). I was only throwing 91 because it was the first week of spring training and I wasn’t in mid-season form,” he said. “So I didn’t get the contract.”

Now, DeSalvo says he is retired.

“I had other options as far as work so I decided so I decided on retirement,” he said.

As for the next steps in his career?

“I have no clue really. The main thing is I’m gonna teach and coach.”

DeSalvo said he is certified in Ohio and Pennsylvania to teach biology, chemistry and environmental science at the high school level. While giving baseball lessons on the side, he is currently looking for a high school job but he does have a teaching gig lined up at Butler County Community College in Butler, Pennsylvania, which begins sometime in August. But the months between now and then is anyone’s guess as to what DeSalvo, who splits his time living between Ohio and Pennsylvania, will do.

And DeSalvo left the door open when asked what he would do if the right situation would come along for him to play again this season.

“I kind of would like to come back and play in the summer time just to walk away on my own terms,” he said. “I didn’t get to say goodbye to the game. I know that sounds weird and emotional coming from a baseball player. I would like to play a little bit. It depends on how my summer goes with teaching jobs. If I don’t get a teaching job I’d like to come and play in May through August. But it wouldn’t be fair to the team if I have a teaching job lined up that I have to leave for.”

This all sounds like DeSalvo, according to Mason and former Revs’ pitcher Mike DeMark, who is currently in extended spring training with the Oakland Athletics.

“You know how Matt is. One month he’ll tell you he’s retired and the next month he’s pitching in Puerto Rico,” said DeMark, who converted from an outfielder to a pitcher by learning from DeSalvo when the two were teammates at Marietta College.

Mason agrees.

“The last time I talked to Matt he said he was gonna retire but he thought he might go to Taiwan,” Mason said after Tuesday’s practice. “I didn’t know what that meant. And then I talked to DeMark when DeMark got released (by the Arizona Diamonbacks last month). He called me and talked to me for awhile. He said he talked to DeSalvo and DeSalvo said ‘I’m retired. But maybe we should go pitch for Mace.’ And DeMark said ‘Well, I thought you just said you’re retired.’ DeSalvo said ‘Yeah, but if nothing comes up maybe we could pitch in York.’ I don’t know. As of right now, Brett Favre, Jr is retired for the eighth time.”

But if DeSalvo were interested in returning, Mason said he’d listen.

“I’m not gonna say if I don’t have an interest,” Mason said. “If he wants to come and pitch…I talked to him last year all the time and he said the amount of money he needed and I told him he could get that for the whole year. He wanted that per month. I never rule him out. If he called me and said ‘I want to come and pitch’ we would have to consider that.”

Plus, DeSalvo said he is going to be visiting York County at some point this summer to participate in adult league softball tournaments.

“There’s a big tournament in August and one in July,” DeSalvo said. “People don’t know this but the one year I played in York I played in a softball tournament on the side, but I just didn’t tell anybody.”

文中還提到球隊的翻譯問題，不知道球團會不會出面說明？