Chapter 126 – Episode 124. First Away Game. (3)

[In the beginning of the 9th inning, Hyeon-seong’s finisher Ko Young-hwan is now on the mound. He is a closer pitcher with 2 saves and 0 ERA in two games this season.]

[As expected, Ko Young-hwan comes up to the mound in the prescribed order. He had a good performance in the WBC as well, posting 3 saves, right?]

[Kwon Yul, who was also drafted to the WBC, showed poor physical condition during his first pitching this season, but Koh Young-hwan has nothing like that? He came out in 2 games and struck out 5 in 2 innings, leading Hyun-seong to 2 consecutive wins?]

[You’re right. Koh Young-hwan has a heavy fastball in the mid-150s and a high-speed slider in the late 140s based on precise control. He is a player who gives nightmares to batters with just these two balls. His interesting record is that he did not hit a home run in 160.1 innings while using the hitter-friendly Mad Cats Park as his home ground.]

[Okay. According to the data, the last game in which Koh Young-hwan hit a home run was on September 11, 2020, against Lee Jin-hong.]

[Yes. It’s 2020, I can’t even remember it nowhaha.]

[Korea’s best finisher, Koh Young-hwan, who doesn’t need any rhetoric. What kind of pitching will he show today? All the spectators at Mad Catz Park are waiting for his pitch. The opponent hitter is Choi Jin-cheol, the home run king who moved to the AT Thunders this season. His opponent batting average was 0.197. And he has two home runs.]

[There is a home run record, but those home runs are the home runs Choi Jin-cheol recorded before entering the major leagues? He hasn’t hit a home run since returning from the majors.]

[As expected, the result of today’s match…. Koh Young-hwan and Choi Jin-cheol, Choi Jin-cheol and Ko Young-hwan. Throws the first ball.]

*

Pa-ang!

‘Wow, look at the sound of the mitt.’

As Koh Young-hwan’s first ball got stuck in the mitt, it broke through the cheers of the crowd and got stuck in my ear.

“… Was Ko Young-hwan like this?”

When I saw it in the national team, it wasn’t this much pressure…. The ball I saw when I saw Ko Young-hwan’s pitch at second base or when he occasionally pitched for practice looked different from the ball I saw in the dugout.

“Aren’t you going to join me, senior?”

“What a senior. I’m not even listening.”

“Let’s go cheap.”

“Have you dealt with Seong-tae?”

“One time before going to the army? It seems to have gotten better since then. Well, even at the WBC, it was bloody.”

“Okay? But why didn’t I feel that way?”

“Is it because there are more monsters, kid?”

Yoon Seong-tae had some truth in his words. The pitchers I saw every day on video were all major leaguers. If you think about it, if Ko Young-hwan’s performance was poor at that time, it would have been obvious right away. In other words, Ko Young-hwan’s ball was no different from the ball of major leaguers he had seen or met on video.

“Yeonghwan, when will that bastard be a free agent? Aren’t you going to America?”

“I’m leaving after this season.”

Listening to what the seniors are saying behind the scenes, it seems like they are going to challenge for the majors after this season.

‘Then, is the match between former major leaguers and future major leaguers?’

Choi Jin-cheol coolly turned the bat to Ko Young-hwan’s second ball. The count is already two strikes. Both balls were fastballs, and the speeds recorded on the scoreboard were 156 and 155. Unlike anyone else, it seemed that the form from the WBC was being maintained.

“Choi Jin-cheol, blow it up!”

The cries of the fans who came all the way to Daegu resonated loudly in the moment when the baseball field became quiet. And Choi Jin-cheol, who seemed to have heard the support of the fan, swung the bat loudly.

Widely!

A batted ball that obviously won’t go far from the sound of the ball. Choi Jin-cheol’s batted ball was trapped in the infield.

‘Is it difficult for Koh Young-hwan to be a hitter like Choi Jin-cheol?’

Go Young-hwan… Since he was a pitcher I would have to face someday, I approached Jin-cheol Choi as he walked into the dugout to get a feel for the pitcher and received his helmet and equipment.

“You worked hard. Seniors.”

“Ha, yes.”

“How is Ko Young-hwan?”

“Certainly he is something different.”

“What is different?”

“The weight of the ball is different. As you may know, the same speed does not mean the same ball.”

This is what Choi Jin-cheol said was right. The level of the ball was different between the 150 thrown by high school students and the 150 thrown by KBA players, and the 150 thrown by the KBA players and the 150 thrown by major leaguers were also on a different level.

That feeling that is generally expressed as being good at the tip of the ball.

“Probably, in terms of pitch, he is the best in Korea. Seeing that you also joined the SY agency, you must be thinking of going to the major leagues, right?”

That’s right, this guy was also a SY agency. Come to think of it, I seem to remember that someone told me to lead me well when I saw it at spring camp.

“To succeed in the major leagues, you have to be able to hit a ball like that.”

“Senior, didn’t you hit?”

“… So I returned But is this kid funny? To the senior.”

“Ugh.”

Jincheol Choi playfully kicked my thigh.

“Well, Ohtani is also the one who hit the home run, but Yeong-hwan is about the same. Hey, but how did you hit Ohtani-dono? When we met at the national university, I couldn’t even touch it.”

“What, was there anything wrong?”

“Confidence is good to see. Boy.”

“Senior, if you accept all these children, I will climb up. Whoa, Whoa.”

Yoon Seong-tae approached me before I knew it and motioned for me to go away. Choi Jin-cheol, who was looking at Yoon Seong-tae, opened his mouth again.

“Seongtae. Do you know what a junior who is more annoying than a junior who is not mean?”

“… Yes?”

“I’m a junior who can’t play baseball. Bastard.”

Choi Jin-cheol, who spoke in a playful voice, kicked Yoon Seong-tae this time.

“Ugh, senior!”

“Play some baseball. How long are you going to be pushed by Hyeon-seonbae and just heat the bench?”

“It does.”

Certainly, as I heard from Yoon Seong-tae in the past, Choi Jin-cheol seemed to have a good personality. Because he hangs out with a guy who can’t even play baseball, like Yoon Seong-tae.

Well…. If so, did I also have a good personality? Because I was the closest to Yoon Seong-tae on the team.

“Hey, what color are your eyes?”

“Your brother is a very blessed person. Because there are good people like me by my side.”

“What kind of bullshit are you talking about all of a sudden?”

Yoon Seong-tae looked at me as if he didn’t understand. But I could put up with this stupidity. Because he is recognized by Rossby as one of the top 5 adults in the world.

‘When did this bastard admit it?’

‘It’s okay. Mr. Rossby. I’ll save Mr. Rossby from hell too.’

‘Under… , This bastard is starting again. Shut up and watch the game. I can deal with them tomorrow.’

And just before Rosby finished speaking, the sound of a shot came.

“Left!”

And the voices of Hyunseong players resounding loudly. The left fielder comfortably took a few steps from the 6th batsman, right-handed, without moving. Two outs in the top of the ninth. And Ko Young-hwan struck out left-handed hitter Han Sang-gyu.

In less than 5 minutes after Koh Young-hwan came up, three batters were out one after another.

‘I understand that the atmosphere was not good earlier. I can’t go 9 times against them, can I?’

‘Is that why you’re scared?’

‘It’s scary. I just want to stick around.’

Even if I threw the best ball in Korea, I was not afraid because I already had experience against the best pitcher in the United States.

“Thank you for your effort.”

“Thank you for your effort.”

“[Let’s prepare well for tomorrow’s game. Let’s go in.]”

Director Sans’ expression looked a little dark as he said his final goodbye.

‘Is it because it’s 1 win and 2 losses?’

‘Anyway, the season is long and it’s just one game. Don’t worry about that and do well, you can’t even pass 140 poop balls. Tsk tsk.’

Well, I’m not a pitcher, and I only had a small part in the team’s victory, so it was important for me to do my job well, as Rosby said. No matter how unexpected the ball came, Kwon Yul’s ball should have been passed today.

… Should I stay and do a special hit?

“Hey, youngest.”

“Yes?”

When I made that resolution, the meteorologist called me. After all, we lost today, so we’re going to get a special hit?

“Is this your first Daegu expedition? Follow me I will introduce you to a restaurant.”

What is this human doing? It’s not about baseball. Are you crazy from the shock of defeat?

“There are some players who eat at the hotel, but can’t we always eat at the hotel? We are people too.”

“All right.”

Yes, I’m saying let’s eat and live, but we have to eat.

*

“Hello!”

When I entered the restaurant that the weatherman told me about, I saw familiar faces.

“Yeah, I played well today. Am I right.”

Today’s starting pitcher Hyun-seong’s ace, Choi Joong-hoon.

“Well, it was average.”

“This bastard doesn’t know humility. Uh….”

And the catcher, Joong-Hyun Park.

“Hey, I thought I was passing today. It was cold.”

“Ah. Senior Kwon Yul. Are you okay?”

“They say there’s nothing wrong with going to the hospital? But it must be sore.”

With Kwon Yul, who got an out count against me today,

“Hey, sit down quickly. It was difficult here because I am the youngest.”

“Ah yes.”

He showed fantastic pitching today, but Hyun-seong and Ko Young-hwan, the youngest of the 4 national team players, were also featured here. Except for outfielder Yang Ji-hyeok, all players who were selected for the national team were gathered here.

“I heard you were introducing a restaurant for your senior.”

“Hey, it’s been a few years since I came to America, so how do I know about Daegu restaurants? I came because my brothers called me. It’s nice to see the national team hyungs on this occasion.”

It seems that the weatherman had thought of this in the first place.

“Hey, but Suho isn’t coming?”

“Suho-hyung, you don’t normally like this kind of place. Who is Jihyeok?”

“It’s still going. Jihyeok couldn’t come today because he had work. Sit down at once Let’s talk while eating.”

“Yep.”

Under…. To have to eat with men without women…. He feels cheated, but he had thought that he would have a hard time meeting a woman in an away game anyway. Because I couldn’t bring a woman into the dorm.

“Look at the ribs. It’s really delicious here.”

“Ah yes.”

As soon as I sit down, Choi Joong-hoon, who sits next to me, spreads steamed ribs on the plate in front of me. The look was a little off, but the taste was good.

‘They say Daegu food isn’t good, but this place is fine.’

“Auntie, give me a drink here.”

“Really?”

“Don’t you know your soju?”

“… I know.”

And even the spirit of ordering soju. Well, since it’s a selection, I’ll take a few days off now.

“Junghun-ah, why do you make soju like that?”

“Originally starters should disinfect after throwing like this, kid. Are Hee-yas going to laugh?”

“Well, at least a light drink.”

Starting with Choi Joong-Hoon, as we shared a drink or two, some players’ faces began to blush.

“Joonghyun sunbaenim, can I drink like that? Aren’t you going to be selected tomorrow?”

“Okay. Jjapi is my pick for tomorrow. Nall is a mercenary, but Gaga’s personality is so fucking matched that she won’t do anything with me just because she signed an autograph.”

Oh, it looks like Park Joong-hyun won’t come out tomorrow. Advanced authentic? … So if you don’t know this much, the coaches must be incompetent. Anyway, Park Joong-Hyun and Choi Joong-Hun, whose break was confirmed for tomorrow, drank as if pouring into their stomachs, and the rest of us slowly set their pace with the accompaniment.

“Hoya, how was my ball today? How do you feel when you hit it?”

“Wow, I never imagined I would fly 140 there.”

“I felt like I was beaten and fucked by you, so I immediately lowered my head, child.”

Was it? Under…. I should have passed that.

“Wow, but senior Younghwan. Did you miss the ball today? I didn’t know it when I was at the national university, but looking at it here, it’s almost untouchable.”

“Didn’t you know when you were at the national university? This kid is a funny kid, this. So, how do you see it?”

“It’s not that I can’t hit it.”

“This is a real kicker. At such times, pay lip service, dude.”

“Ah, how do you make up words that don’t exist?”

“Yeonghwan-ah, if this bastard was such a bastard, would he have gone out with Jinmo-hyung?”

“Well, this bastard is a bit like an idiot.”

“Still, the kid who was so good at baseball that he was runner-up? Thank you Maengho.”

Park Joong-hyun started to talk about whether he had a lot of alcohol. And starting with those words, the memories of WBC began to come up one by one as a snack at a drinking party.

“So the American son….”

“… Then, Hoya hit a home run….”

“So, will Hwan-i go to America after this season?”

“Yes. Seeing it at WBC, I thought I could work if I worked a little harder.”

We were able to leave the restaurant only after spending two or three hours talking about dull baseball among these big boys.