Chapter 161 – Chapter 159. Weakness? (2)

“Does Ji Maeng-ho sometimes miss swings at absurd balls?”

“Yes? There were times like that.”

Right now, in today’s game, I struck out with a jaw-dropping swing on the outside ball.

“Honestly, a hitter who bombards the league as much as Ji Maeng-ho misses a ball like this? What do you think, boss?”

“It’s not strange. But considering that I’m a rookie, I don’t think it’s that strange.”

“Ah, sometimes the team leader said he wasn’t like a rookie.”

“… So what is the conclusion?”

“First of all, these are Ji Maeng-ho’s swing scenes I found. Take a look.”

That’s how the head of the power analysis team at UG Overlords began to look at the scenes the team members were talking about one by one. Certainly, it was somehow awkward for a hitter like Maeng-Ho Ji to miss a ball like this.

“Hmm…. If it’s a miss swing like this.”

“Right? When I thought about it, Ji Maeng-ho is an extreme gas-hitting hitter.”

Gas Hitting. It refers to the type of hitter who decides in advance which ball to hit. Of course, all batters come to bat thinking in advance which ball they are going to hit. And most of those balls were fastballs.

In general, there are several explanations for why batters aim for fastballs. Among them, the most representative reason is that the fastball is the pitcher throws the most. No matter how many pitchers pitch, at least 30% of pitchers threw fastballs.

In addition, the fastball was the most familiar ball in the eyes of hitters, as pitchers throw it the most. It’s such a strange ball that he doesn’t aim for if he has the confidence to hit a fast ball. In addition, there was also the point that if you set it according to the speed of the fastball and bat, you can touch most balls.

In other words, the basis of all goals of hitters is the fastball. In addition, in each situation, it was natural to add things like seasoning, such as aiming for a breaking ball or aiming for a weak ball through power analysis.

“So, if it’s an extreme gash hit… ?”

“Yes. One phrase, one phrase. Every time the pitcher takes a pitching motion, the target ball changes.”

“Um…. Is that scarier? How can you do that?”

Every time a pitcher throws a ball, he can think of which ball to throw. But what they’re aiming for is that the bat is ready to go. However, it gave me goosebumps that the hitter who had walked so much that his on-base rate exceeded 50% was preparing to go out on all pitches.

And what’s even more creepy is that the players who just debuted are almost hitting the mark.

“Since the batting average is 40%, you mean that if you aim, you will hit 80% of your goals?”

Baseball is a game, not a reality. Even if he was aiming for it, the pitcher’s pitch did not come at a constant angle and constant speed like in a game. It just increases the odds of getting hit right.

And even if you hit the target ball with a regular hit, not all of them become hits. Rather, it was baseball that was highly likely to be out when it hit. It was common for statistics and data accumulated over 100 years to place the fielder where the hit ball would land.

“Perhaps? Even if you catch it conservatively, you’ll get about 50% right.”

“Hmm. I really want to bring him in as a hitting coach then. Even if you give me an autograph with that number of goals, the team’s batting average will rise by 10%.”

“If you think about literature and synergy.”

Of course, since hitting the ball naturally increases the distance, he was a perfect hitter for literature with a small ballpark.

“Oh yeah…. How can I not trade? The AT front desk is a bit like a hoe, isn’t it? The same goes for Jang Hyun-ho’s version.”

“Can I? I am currently winning 5 batting titles in the first nomination.”

“Yeah, that won’t work. So what is the conclusion?”

“All you have to do is put a pitcher on the mound that Maeng-Ho Ji can’t target.”

“What is it?”

“The idea is to put a pitcher who doesn’t even know where he will go on the mound. According to the video I watched, if the velocity is slow, no matter how unpredictable the ball goes, it is a hitter who hits the ball with innate motor nerves. In other words, what we need is a pitcher who has fast velocity but poor control, so he doesn’t even know where to throw the ball. It would be better if the tip of the cheek was dirty there.”

“Such a pitcher…. Are you there?”

“Yes. Isn’t there one in the second group?”

A player came to mind in the head of the power analysis team. A pitcher who throws a ball with an average speed of 155km/h with a sidearm close to underhand, but his pitching is not as good as expected.

“Raise the middle class….”

UG’s second-team pitcher Yoon Joong-hwan. The pitcher who sprayed the ball with the highest speed of 157 km/h was a pitcher who could not even put the ball in the middle of the strike zone. Even in the 2nd group, the K/BB (strikeout ratio per walk. The higher the pitcher, the better the control.) Was 0.5. That means he has to walk two to strike out one.

In a word, he was a pitcher on the verge of release with excellent control. It’s just that he’s so good at restraint and movement that he can’t release.

“But, are you only going to deal with Ji Maeng-ho? Aside from Ji Maeng-ho, AT lineups are scary.”

“So. Perfect for one point in an important at-bat. Wouldn’t it be okay if I wrote three games and got off?”

Maengho Ji’s current OPS is 1.603. Even if he walks, he is a hitter whose OPS is lowered.

“Not bad. I’ll have to suggest it to the director. Well… , And I should also tell the catcher not to talk to Ji Maeng-ho just in case. Maybe it’s because the pitch type is inferred from the catcher’s words.”

“Yep. Then go to work… ?”

“Okay, let’s go to work!”

Upon the team leader’s announcement of leaving work, the UG Overlords’ power analysis team members, who had been watching data and videos all night, cheered inwardly.

*

‘So, when dealing with this bastard, you’re telling me not to worry about the ball as much as possible and put it in?’

Foreign pitcher Austin Webb, the first starter of the newly recruited UG Overlords this season, recalled what the power analysts had asked him to trust while watching Maeng-Ho Ji, who came out as the second hitter.

‘… Why me?’

Do the power analysts of this club not trust me? The average velocity in the early 150s and the large-angle breaking ball were his main weapons, but the part he was really good at was his knife-like ball. Austin Webb was a pitcher with control who could put the ball right outside the border line even after stabbing his body.

There is only one reason why Austin Webb came to Korea. Health. Having ambiguous stamina to start in the major leagues, he came to Korea to gain starting experience in professional games. Even if he was in the major leagues, he would be used and discarded as a mere bullpen pitcher.

Even 10 years ago, the KBA League was a place for players on the verge of retirement, failures, or prospects who had never played in the major leagues. However, more players showed stable skills by returning to the majors after achieving good results in the KBA, and now the KBA league was another gateway to the major leagues.

In particular, if players like Austin Webb, who have flaws in one place, can only show how to overcome their weaknesses….

‘It wouldn’t be unreasonable to return next year.’

That’s why I didn’t want to listen to the power analyst’s words to do my best against Ji Maeng-ho and not to worry about the control. Pitching is sensitive, so it was only natural that the pitch could not be adjusted at will unless it was a select few. If something happens to his body while fighting Ji Maeng-ho from the first episode, who will bear the damage?

For himself as a mercenary, UG did not seem to be able to afford it.

‘My control is enough. Even if I hit it well now, it’s because I’m a kid.’

The first ball of the web that I thought so was the curve. You can trick the eyes of a rookie player from the beginning with a breaking ball with a large drop, and then seduce young batters by alternating between high and low balls. This alone is enough to honor the best hitter in the league right now.

… I thought.

And Webb was on MVP pace for the month, going 20 innings and giving up two runs in three games, so he deserved that thought.

But….

Deep!

‘It was eaten!’

The bat turned from the first pitch, and the distinctive sound of the hit ball was heard, and Webb pointed to the sky. A normal outfield fly. Contrary to what the power analysts were afraid of, a good start….

“Center!”

UG’s main center fielder, Park Kyung-min, chases Ji Maeng-ho’s batted ball. He took a catch position and took a slow step backwards until his back collided with the fence.

‘Already?’

However, the batted ball was flying to a position where it could not be caught. And even to laugh at Baek Kyung-min, he climbed over the fence and disappeared.

[Ji Maeng-ho! Solo Home Run! As if to relieve the sadness of yesterday’s no-hit game, I hit a home run from the first at-bat today!]

[This is Webb’s first home run. In fact, it could have been caught if it were a different arena rather than literature, but this is literature, right? I think I just got a little hit sound, but I’m passing this power. It’s a really great power.]

[Ji Maeng-ho punches the fans who came to support the away, the sound of the fans cheering seems to be leaving! The protagonist of the first breath is Ji Maeng-ho!]

[Player Webb covers his mouth with his glove and screams. You think it wasn’t a ball to pass over, righthaha, it must be unfair.]

“[Fucking! Fucking pitch! How are you supposed to pitch in this arena! Fucking!]”

Webb’s thinking was largely correct.

It’s just that the opponent was Ji Maeng-ho.

‘Put the curve in the zone from the first pitch? Then it should be righthehe.’

‘I like it. That means you’re being ignored.’

‘What if I get ignored? Thank you for being such a good princess. Seeing that bastard screaming, I don’t think he’s come to his senses yet. Let’s go for 4 home runs today!’

‘Fuck.’

“Maengho! It was good.”

“The youngest is crazy, really!”

“Seniors! Take it easy today, take it easy. Even if you pass by here, it will passhehe”

Even though he was beaten under the guise of congratulations from his seniors, Maeng-ho was smiling with both hands on his hips as if he was in a good mood.

“Hey, don’t let that bastard float.”

“Well, how are you? If I hit a home run like that, I think it would be good for me too.”

“It’s the same team, but…. If it’s not like that, it’s a good second half.”

Some of the seniors were staring at the fierce tiger, and some were sighing, but the fierce tiger who hit the home run couldn’t see them.

“If you want to score today, get in front of me! I’ll call them allhehe!”

Ji Maeng-ho’s laughter echoed longer than usual, as it seemed that the humiliation he felt after being struck out by a strange pitcher yesterday was washed away by the joy of hitting a home run against a pitcher who is among the top five in the league.