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Brevet
Gobernador Civil
Mar 3, 2015 16:57
9 yrs ago
2 viewers *
Spanish term

refuerzo

Spanish to English Social Sciences Sports / Fitness / Recreation Baseball
As a baseball fan, I should know this, but I'm totally blank. What do we call a player who's not in the team's starting line-up? I've thought of substitute, bench, bench-warmer, replacement, back-up...I know there's a term there but it just won't come to mind. "Reinforcement" doesn't sound right.

I'm editing the translation of a book about Hiram Bithorn, the first Puerto Rican to play Major League Baseball.


De hecho, cuando ya Hiram Bithorn formaba parte del Lucky Strike se presentó como **refuerzo** con una selección de jugadores puertorriqueños que jugó en Guayama con esta Liga y con Akron en una de sus visitas a la Isla.

Thanks in advance.
Proposed translations (English)
3 substitute
4 +2 back-up/utility player
4 bench player
3 second-string
References
Jane: I know little about baseball, b...
Playing America's Game: Baseball, Latinos, and the Color Line

Discussion

JaneTranslates (asker) Mar 8, 2015:
And here's what I'm doing. The context I gave was from before Bithorn's pro years, so the translation there should use a term reflecting sense 1. I have suggested "substitute" and "back-up" in most occurrences in this passage, rejecting some of the other excellent suggestions precisely because Bithorn was a pitcher. No one expects a pitcher be a starter in every game, so "bench," "utility," and "second-string" are not really applicable (though "bullpen" might be).

Farther along in the book, though, when "refuerzo" is used in the particular context of sense 2, I have recommended the retention of "refuerzo" in Spanish (in italics), with a brief clarification. Contemporary English-language newspaper articles use "foreign" and "import" for this classification, so both terms, each enclosed in quotation marks, are included in that clarification. Thus an Anglophone reader who is familiar with that terminology in English would be able to make the connection with refuerzo.

My thanks to all who contributed to this question, via discussion, reference entries, and suggested answers.
JaneTranslates (asker) Mar 8, 2015:
Here's what I've learned. "Refuerzo" in a Caribbean baseball context has two different meanings:
1) Substitute, bench, or back-up player; second-stringer, "B" team, etc.; player available to be inserted into the game when, at any point & for any reason, the manager prefers not to use his starting player. I had this sense in mind when I asked the question.
2) A player who is not native [to Puerto Rico, in this case] but is playing on a native team as, literally, a reinforcement. This is usually a Major-League player from the U.S. (often a "second-stringer" in his home context) whose experience makes him a valuable addition to a winter-league team that may have excellent native-born players but cannot scrape up enough good players for a full roster. The number of refuerzos allowed on each team is limited.

Hiram Bithorn did, in fact, play one winter season (1938-1939) as a refuerzo in the second sense, because, having played in the U.S. as a pro in the minor leagues, he was considered to have superior skills to the other Puerto Rican players, giving his team an unfair advantage.
George Rabel Mar 3, 2015:
@Jane I've never heard bullpen used that way, but I trust you. Anyway, it looks like Taña and Anthony are on to something here. Learning new stuff every day...
Taña Dalglish Mar 3, 2015:
@ Jane Here is another reference to the term "refuerzos":
https://books.google.com.jm/books?id=iVfhCeJrqWMC&pg=PA166&l...

See page 166: "The Latin Amercian scene evolved into an African American player's market ..... refuerzo system .... foreign players (refuerzos). A refuerzo did not have the luxury of working his way out of a prolonged hitting or pitching slump; it was literally "produce or go home".

Also see pages 170-172 where it speaks of Hiram "Hi" Bithorn.
JaneTranslates (asker) Mar 3, 2015:
No, not the bullpen, in this case. Right, George, but by extension, the staff of relief pitchers is often referred to as the bullpen, as in, "Chicago needs to strengthen its bullpen." But Bithorn also played 3rd base when he was starting out, so I couldn't use that term in any case.
George Rabel Mar 3, 2015:
Not the bullpen Jane, whatever you decide, it ain't the bullpen. That's where relief pitchers warm up just before they go on the field, so it would not apply in this case.
JaneTranslates (asker) Mar 3, 2015:
Issue is more complicated than I thought. I'm going to have to do more research on the term, now that Taña's references show that it's not just an issue of a starting player versus "the other 16 guys." In addition, Bithorn was a pitcher, so I would consider "in the bull-pen," if not for the fact that young pitchers often start out as utility players.

Proposed translations

46 mins
Selected

substitute

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starting_lineup

"A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins.[1] The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.

The starters are commonly the best players on the team at their respective positions. Consequently, there is often a bit of prestige that is associated with being a starter. This is particularly true in sport with limited substitutions like baseball or soccer."
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you, cgowar. Despite what I have learned from the discussion about another usage of "refuerzo," I ended up using "substitute" in this passage. Thank you for the reference--I wouldn't have thought of searching for "starting lineup"!"
4 mins

bench player



5 Major League Baseball Bench Players Who Deserve More ...



https://www.numberfire.com/mlb/.../5-major-league-baseball-b...



Jul 18, 2014 - 5 Major League Baseball Bench Players Who Deserve More Credit:We love to pay attention to the regular starters, but don't forget about the ...


Starting lineup - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starting_lineup





Wikipedia





For the line of action figures, see Starting Lineup (toy line). ... are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players. ... In both baseball and basketball, it is common for players' positions to be denoted by a ...
Note from asker:
Thanks for the suggestion, George, and for your comments in the discussion. What you write is always worth reading! I don't think, however, that "bench" is what I want here, because Bithorn was a pitcher, thus wouldn't be expected to play all the time no matter how good he was. But "bench" is an excellent addition to the list of terms I'm placing in my personal glossary. Thanks very much!
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5 mins

second-string

An option.
Note from asker:
Another good answer, though one with slightly more of a negative connotation than the others. Thanks for the suggestion, DLyons!
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+2
10 mins

back-up/utility player

I prefer back-up.

https://www.google.es/?gws_rd=ssl#q="baseball" "a backup pla...

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Note added at 11 mins (2015-03-03 17:09:01 GMT)
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https://www.google.es/?gws_rd=ssl#q="baseball" "a utility pl...
Note from asker:
I prefer "back-up" too, since in my understanding, "utility" refers to a player who has no special skills linked to one particular position, and is thus available to play anywhere as needed. It's a good term, but doesn't fit a pitcher. Thanks for the suggestion!
Peer comment(s):
agree Anthony Mazzorana (X) : back-up
9 mins
Many thanks Anthony! ;-)
agree EirTranslations
3 hrs
Many thanks! ;-)
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Reference comments

25 mins
Reference:

Jane:

I know little about baseball, but perhaps I am playing devil's advocate.

There are a few references to "Hiram Bithorn" where "refuerzo" is mentioned (an "outsider"). Here are the references for what they are worth:

http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/0ebf1b32
After each season in the States he returned to Puerto Rico to play in the Winter League, wearing the San Juan Senators uniform. Initially, because of his minor-league record in the United States, the Puerto Rican Professional Winter League classified him as blanquito (white), and then briefly changed it to ** refuerzo (outsider) **before finally allowing him to play as a nativo. 16 When San Juan manager Juan Torruella resigned only two weeks into the 1938 winter season, the Senadores chose 22-year-old Bithorn as manager, making him the youngest manager in the history of the Puerto Rican Professional Winter League.17

http://centropr.hunter.cuny.edu/sites/default/files/Journal/...
by A BURGOS JR - ‎1996 - ‎Cited by 1 - ‎Related articles
Two members of this group were Hiram Bithorn and Sal "Chico". Hernandez ... Bithorn began his initial season as a refuerzo and not as a nativo." The case ...... media's perception of these ball players remained outside their analysis. For more ...

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Note added at 30 mins (2015-03-03 17:28:22 GMT)
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Two glossaries:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/friv/English_to_Spanish.pd...
http://www.baseball-reference.com/friv/Spanish_to_English.pd...
Note from asker:
That's very enlightening, Taña. I knew about the native/import classification in Winter League baseball, but I never knew the Spanish terms. So I may not be dealing with a simple situation of a substitute player, but rather one of a Puerto Rican native being classified as an imported player. However, he was only 17 at the time of the sentence in question, so I don't think he would have played in the minor leagues in the US yet. Thanks so much for these references!
Peer comments on this reference comment:
agree philgoddard : It sounds like leaving it in Spanish with an explanation is the way to go.
14 mins
Yes, I think so too. Thanks.
agree DLyons : Well caught!
25 mins
Thank you Donal.
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32 mins
Reference:

Playing America's Game: Baseball, Latinos, and the Color Line

It might also be appropriate to keep the term refuerzo but in italics. Sounds like it may not be referring to what we would call a back-up.

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Note added at 38 mins (2015-03-03 17:36:37 GMT)
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if my link doesn't work just google "refuerzo baseball player". it's part of the system.
Reference:

http://https://books.google.com/books?id=iVfhCeJrqWMC&pg=PA166&lpg=PA166&dq=refuerzo+baseball+player&source=bl&ots=-41G-HpA9G&sig=8gHSgpmZTz

Note from asker:
Thanks very much, Anthony. I did, in fact, Google as you suggested, as the link did not work. The reference was very helpful. I am taking your suggestion to retain "refuerzo" in Spanish (and italics) when appropriate. Some of the occurrences in my text mean "sub" and some mean "imported player," so the translator and I have to analyze the usage in each case. I really appreciate your contribution to this discussion.
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