VOA慢速英语:Baseball Expressions: We try to hit a home run

Baseball is America’s national sport.  So it is not unusual that many popular expressions come from baseball.  But first, let me explain a little about the game.
棒球是美国的国民运动项目。所以有很多来自棒球的流行语也不足为奇。但首先，让我来解释一下这项运动。

Each baseball team has nine players.  The pitcher of one team throws the ball to a batter from the other team.  The batter attempts to hit the ball.  If he misses, it is called a strike.  If a batter gets three strikes, he loses his turn at bat and is called out.  The batter also is out if he hits the ball in the air and an opposing player catches it.  But if the batter hits the ball and it is not caught, the batter tries to run to one or more of the four bases on the field.  The batter can run to all four bases if he hits the ball over the fence or out of the ballpark.  Such a hit is called a home run.
每一个棒球队有9名球员，一队的投手将球投向另一队的击球员。击球员尝试击中来球。如果他错过了，这就被称为一个“好球”。如果一名击球员错过三次，他就失去击球机会，这被成为“出局”。如果击球员击出空中球并被对方球员接住，这样他也会出局。但如果击球员击中球，并且球没被对方球员接住，击球员就会设法在四个垒中跑出一到多个垒。如果击球员将球击到围栏以上或击出球场，他就能跑完四垒，这样的一次击球就被称为一记本垒打。

Now, here are some common expressions from baseball.  Someone who is on the ball is intelligent and able to do a good job.  But a person who threw a curve ball did something unexpected.  Someone who steps up to the plate is ready to do his or her job.  A pinch hitter takes the place of someone else at a job or activity.
现在，这里有一些来自棒球的常用语。Someone who is on the ball是指他聪明，能做好工作。 a person who threw a curve ball是指他做出了让人意想不到的事情。Someone who steps up to the plate指他准备好了做他（她）的工作。一个pinch hitter是指某项工作或活动中替代别人。

A person who strikes out or goes down swinging attempted something but failed.  We also might tell the person that three strikes and you are out.  But someone who hit a home run or  hit it out of the park did something extremely well.
A person who strikes out or goes down swinging是指他尝试做某事但是失败了。我们可能会说这个人three strikes and you are out（三振出局）。但someone who hit a home run or hit it out of the park意味着他做得非常好。

Sometimes I have to give information quickly, without time to think it over.  Then I would say something right off the bat.  If someone is doing an extremely good job and is very successful, you might say he or she is batting one thousand.  
有时候，我不得不不假思索的迅速提供信息，这样我会说something right off the bat(立刻)。如果某人工作非常好，你可能会说he or she is batting one thousand。

If I say I want to touch base with you, I will talk to you from time to time about something we plan to do.  I might say I touched all the bases if I did what is necessary to complete a job or activity.  And if I covered my bases I was well prepared.  However, someone who is way off base did something wrong or maybe even dishonest or immoral.  A person with strange ideas might be described as out in left field.
如果我说I want to touch base with you，意思是我会就我们计划做的一些事情不时和你交谈。如果我完成了某项工作或活动所必须完成的所有事情，我可能会说 I touched all the bases。如果I covered my bases，意思是指做好充分的准备。然而，someone who is way off base是指他犯了错误，甚至是做了不诚实或不道德的事。拥有奇怪想法的人被称为out in left field。

Let us say I want to sell my car but I do not know exactly how much it is worth.  If someone asks me the price, I might give a ballpark figure or a ballpark estimate.
假设我想卖车，但我不知道它究竟值多少钱。如果有人问我价格，我可以给出一个大概的数字或估计（a ballpark figure or a ballpark estimate）。

If someone offers me an amount that is close to my selling price, I might say the amount is in the ballpark.  However, if I say we are not in the same ballpark, I mean we cannot agree because my ideas are too different from yours.
如果有人提供相近的销售报价，我会说the amount is in the ballpark（差不多）。但是，如果我说we are not in the same ballpark，我的意思是说我们无法达成协议，因为我们的想法不一样。

Finally, when a situation changes completely, we say that is a whole new ballgame.
最后，当情况完全改变时，我们会说that is a whole new ballgame（现在的情况完全不一样）。