collect oneself
ヤンキースに緊急事態です。守護神としてチームを支えてきたリベラ投手が，試合前の練習で右ひざの靱帯を断裂(the anterior cruciate ligament)し、病院送りになりました。これで今季は絶望的となり引退の可能性も出てきました。
動詞のcollectは一般的に「〜を集める」という意味ですが，「〈考えなど〉をまとめる，〈勇気・自制心など〉を取り戻す」などの意味でも用いられます（『ジーニアス英和辞典』第4版，大修館書店）。また，collect oneselfで「気を落ち着かせる，気を取り直す」という意味を表します（『ジーニアス英和辞典』同上）。混乱しバラバラになった気持ちの欠片を一つ一つ集めて，元に戻そうとするニュアンスが感じられます。（GP）
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — If there has been one constant with the Yankees during the most recent edition of their dynasty, it has been the unparalleled success and durability of their closer, Mariano Rivera.
Since 1997, when he took over as the closer for the team, he has provided stability and reassurance as he anchored the Yankees’ pitching staff and secured the final out in hundreds of games from April until the end of October.
（中略）
Rivera, 42, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while chasing a fly ball during batting practice before the Yankees’ game against the Royals. As he ran toward the center-field wall, his knee buckled and he crashed into the wall, then fell to the warning track dirt, clutching his right knee as he grimaced in pain.
During the game Rivera was taken to Kansas University MedWest hospital for a magnetic resonance imaging test and Royals team physician, Dr. Vincent Key, provided a diagnosis of the torn A.C.L., which almost certainly means Rivera has thrown his last pitch of the season, if not his career.
“If that’s the report,” Yankees Manager Joe Girardi said, “if that’s what it is, that’s as bad as it gets.”
After the game, an emotional Rivera said through tears that he let the team down, and could not say if he would ever pitch again.
“At this point I don’t know, we have to face this first,” he said. After a pause to collect himself, he added: “It all depends how the rehab is going to happen. From there, we’ll see.”
