Chapters 241 – 239. Cycling Hit.

“Baby, look at your confidence. You can always hit a home run, what is that?”

“Of course. A triple hit is harder than a home run.”

A triple in the first at-bat. And the double in this at-bat. In fact, the reason I stopped thinking about running to third base when I hit the ball earlier was because of the cycling hit. He hit double-digit triples this season, but has never been able to do so. I had no intention of missing the opportunity.

Kennett was shattered by Choi Jin-cheol’s home run. Considering JT’s upcoming pitchers, there was no reason not to take this opportunity to make a cycling hit.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen a guy who aims and achieves records like you. Anyway, let’s go in.”

When we entered the dugout, the players hit a home run and welcomed us back.

“Jincheol hyung! The home run was good!”

“Nice!”

“Thanks! Fierce tiger! Thanks to you, I will win 10 today.”

The one who welcomes me with the loudest voice is, of course, the starting pitcher of the day, Park Jun-hyung. When the lead score came out, his expression brightened noticeably.

“Senior, don’t you know that a pitcher’s poker face is important?”

“Dude, you only have to manage it on the mound.”

“Well, I guess so.”

It is not easy for a pitcher to be shaken if the score difference is this wide. In the first place, a pitcher who would be shaken by such a score difference would have a hard time rotating in a professional club. Park Joon-hyeong also played the remaining innings well, befitting a player who was active as the first starter in AT before Jang Yoon came.

“Good. Let’s go like this!”

At the end of the top of the 5th inning, Park Joon-hyeong recorded 5 innings, 3 runs and 1 earned run. Although he had a slight accident in the top of the first inning, he held off five innings, meeting the winning pitcher requirements. The end of the 5th inning that started after the beginning of the 5th inning like that. The lead hitter was me.

– Hit 4 times. Second baseman, Ji Maeng-ho.

-Ji! Fierce tiger! Together! Ji! Fierce tiger!

-Wow!!!

– Ji Maeng-ho! Ji Maeng-ho! Ji Maeng-ho!

Steps to the plate. You can hear the cheers of the announcers, cheerleaders, and fans in the hall. The defensive position I looked at as I entered the plate was a position where both infielders and outfielders stepped back, as if they were conscious of the long hit. In particular, the third baseman was in a position far behind the normal defense in preparation for an assault hit.

‘Hmm. Mr. Rossby, shall we try it?’

‘Are you going to do that?’

‘Yes. I think it will work.’

It seemed that JT’s players were completely unaware of what I was going to do. It was only natural that he hadn’t tried this since meeting Rossby.

‘Besides, since the pitcher has changed since this inning, the defense must be loose. Mr. Rossby, as soon as my fastball comes, I’ll go.’

The action I’m going to try this time at bat is a bunt. It’s something I wouldn’t normally do, but it’s different now. All I need is a hit and a home run. You can hit a home run at any time, but there were times when I went over the fence trying to hit, so I thought I wanted to make a hit first.

‘Considering the third baseman’s defensive position and my main focus, this strategy will definitely work.’

Drive a hard bunt toward third base and run to first base. Looking at the third baseman’s defensive position, he didn’t have to clumsily cross the line, it was a defensive position where he just had to push in.

“Cheek.”

Lightly filter the first ball,

‘It’s a fastball. Get ready.’

‘Okay.’

The pitcher’s fastball thrown into the second ball. And the pitcher got a windup. I set the bat down to match his pitching tempo.

Tick!

The moment the ball hit the bat, I pressed it hard and pushed it hard, then ran to first base.

“Uh? Uh!”

“Third!”

“What? Hey! Catch!”

The bewildered voices of the guys from behind.

‘The third baseman caught it.’

When I heard Rossby’s words, I was already a few steps away from first base. It was quite funny to see the first baseman hurriedly entering the cover and hurriedly stretching his glove toward third base, but he did not relax here.

“Ji Maeng-ho! Run! Don’t slow down!”

An urgent cry from the 1st base coach came in just in time. Hearing that cry, I stretched out my foot to first base.

“Safe!”

“Nice!”

“Ha, fuck, bunt here.”

The first baseman’s dejected tone.

‘Listening to the complaining of losers is fun after all.’

– Ji Maeng-ho! Ji Maeng-ho! Ji Maeng-ho!

The voices of the fans were also louder at the sight of me bunting, which is rarely seen.

“Hey, Ji Maeng-ho, did you know how to bunt? Aren’t you doing bunt training?”

“This is basic. It’s not difficult, just push it toward third base.”

“As expected, a guy who is good at baseball is good at it.”

“Did you know now?”

“This is why you shouldn’t give him compliments.”

While chatting with the first base coach, he receives the base runner’s glove. Shall we run for the first time in a long time now that we have already bunted? I was a bit reluctant to run because it was summer, but perhaps thanks to the 10 races I missed, I even missed the feeling of running.

“Am I still running?”

“Yeah, do whatever you want. When did you run with permission?”

I was going to run like this and shake off the changed pitcher’s mentality.

“Second base!”

That’s how I was able to steal 2nd and 3rd base in a row, and with Choi Jin-cheol’s infield grounder, I was able to score 1 run only with my feet.

“Hey, Ji Maeng-ho. Are you going to bunt now?”

“It’s good, Maengho.”

“Let’s go easy and easy.”

4 innings remaining. The only thing lacking is one home run. I didn’t feel like I was going to fail today.

*

– Now Ji Maeng-ho bunt. What a versatile player.
ㄴTo be honest, it is covered by the blow, but the main power is also the best ever. He already has 43 stolen bases.
ㄴBut isn’t it a good bunt? The third baseman was too far behind. In addition, the batting ball is fast, so if it wasn’t for a player as fast as Ji Maeng-ho, he would have been caught?
I know only one, I don’t know the other. The fact that you tried to bunt is important. Now, Ji Maeng-ho’s shift will be ambiguous at bat.
Why?
ㄴIf you push the infield back, bunt it, and if you pull it forward, the distance with the outfield increases. But even though Ji Maeng-ho has power, he can’t pull the outfield forward.
No! Okay. Thanks for the explanation.

-Today, 3 hits in 3 at-bats. I took a break for 10 games, but it’s like Ji Maeng-ho.
ㄴTo be honest, now Korea is too small for Ji Maeng-ho.
ㄴ Rather, it’s more awkward not having a home run haha

HahaSee how the opponent of Maeng Ho-shin is mentally upset. Surprise bunt – 2 steals – 3 steals. If I were Junpyo Ahn, I would have cried haha
I’m just kidding haha
ㄴThat ㅅㄲ Devil-like thing can just hit it, but he did it on purpose haha

-Uh, but isn’t that the fierce tiger?
What is that?
No bicycle.
It’s a triple, a double, a hit, right? One home run left.
ㄴㄴBut if it’s fierce protection, it’s likely that you’ll easily hit at least one home run.
Blah blah blah

-Wow, looking at it, Ji Maeng-ho now leaves a home run for cycling.
ㄴSo, how many cycling hits is this?
It’s the first one.
Yes? First one? Rather, it is surprising that there has been no cycling hit so far.
ㄴSo, did you intentionally bunt for cycling?
No, no way. There is a possibility of failure, but where is the player who will intentionally bunt?
Yes, but if it was Ji Maeng-ho, it might have been…

Ji Maeng-ho’s comeback match after 10 games. As he is a player who is heating up Korean baseball, the interest of the fans was great. It didn’t take long for those fans to realize that Ji Maeng-ho was on the verge of breaking a record.

[At the end of the 7th inning, Ji Maeng-ho’s fourth at-bat. Today, Ji Maeng-ho hit a triple in his first at-bat and doubled in his second at-bat. In the third at-bat, there was a hit.]

[Three bases, doubles, hits. A single home run is a cycling hit, right?]

[That’s right. Ji Maeng-ho has never recorded a cycling hit yet, but will he be able to achieve it in this at-bat…]

[Because it’s a home game, and we’re winning against horse attacks, so this may actually be our last at-bat? Perhaps Ji Maeng-ho is expecting a home run in this at-bat.]

And the same goes for the broadcasting company that broadcasts it. The record of a cycling hit was not an extremely unusual record, but it was a record that could not be seen only a few times a year, so the broadcasters forgot their neutral stance and hoped in their hearts that Maeng-ho Ji could hit a home run.

[Since there is a 5-point gap, the pitcher won’t avoid the game, right?]

[You’re right. In fact, in the past, about 20 years ago, I tried to prevent the opponent from achieving a record, but the trend of baseball these days is not like that.]

The commentator said so, but it is natural that any player does not want to set a record for the opponent. JT’s pursuit team, Choi Bum-soo, also wanted to avoid a match with Ji Maeng-ho.

But,

[Ah! Ji Maeng-ho! He’s raising his bat and pointing at the fence! It’s Ji Maeng-ho’s signature, right? The notice home run came out in this situation.]

[Oh, that’s a lot of confidence. Usually when players are on the verge of achieving a record, they are not conscious of that record. However, Ji Maeng-ho was conscious of that record and declared that he would hit a home run.]

[So far, Ji Maeng-ho’s announced home run boasts a 100% success rate.]

Ji Maeng-ho’s provocation hurt Choi Beom-soo’s pride. Even if he is in the pursuit team, Choi Beom-soo is also a professional player. It was natural for a player with the ego to endure being provoked like this in a situation not related to a game, and it was natural that it would be difficult for him to step on the professional mound, and Choi Bum-soo was one of those pros.

‘Director. I will compete.’

Choi Bum-soo turned his gaze to the dugout. And he made eye contact with the director.

‘Okay. Throw whatever you want.’

Supervisor’s signed permission. Choi Bum-soo’s heart began to race.

‘If we stop Ji Maeng-ho here… !’

A coach or manager could see him again, and it was not a dream to make a mark on him and play for the first team again next season. In addition, he coveted the title of being the first pitcher to block Ji Maeng-ho’s announced home run.

‘Come, Ji Maeng-ho!’

Ji Maeng-ho was looking at him with an indifferent expression, as if he knew the look in Choi Bum-soo’s eyes. Those eyes, as if he was staring into space as if he didn’t care about himself.

‘Okay, let’s see how long you can ignore me.’

Choi Bum-soo engraved those eyes on his chest and began exchanging ball combinations with the catcher.

*

‘Mr. Rossby, let me know the location this time.’

‘What, suddenly.’

‘It’s embarrassing if you can’t hit a home run like this. Hurry.’

‘Shit, even in this situation, it’s training!’

‘Couldn’t it be that you haven’t hit a cycling hit?’

‘What is he saying now? This baby orangutan.’

‘Ah, if you don’t check it, you can let me know.’

‘Heh, it’s a high ball outside two-seam. It looks like it’s going to be thrown into the zone.’

After all, Mr. Rossby is easy. Even if you scratch it lightly, it responds like this.

‘Okay, check.’

You can see the pitcher’s tense expression. Look at the predicted home run and give a record like a cycling hit? It was only natural that it would be difficult to stay sane the moment you saw the predicted home run. If I were a pitcher, I would rather die than hit a home run in this situation.

‘Then it’s easy to lose your composure.’

Because the catcher’s mitt was inside the strike zone. Would you throw it as wide as possible to avoid hitting a home run? He might be slightly out of line. In addition, receiving such a provocation in front of a full crowd and avoiding it by pulling the ball away? Especially in a situation where the game is tilted like this, a guy like that would not be considered a pitcher. Therefore…

‘If it’s roughly the same, I’ll just grind it.’

After I had sorted out my thoughts, he also winded up to see if he was ready. And the guy’s fighting spirit flew. Since I had already heard of the location, my reaction was that much quicker,

Ta-evil!

Along with the thrilling taste, the bat sounded good whenever I heard it. You can’t always hit a home run just by hearing the pitch and location from Rossby, but a pitcher cornered like this has a high probability of hitting a home run. It seemed that the guy wasn’t putting all his energy into the ball because he was focusing on his pitching.

“There is nothing more to see.”

I threw the bat and headed for first base.

– Ji Maeng-ho! Ji Maeng-ho! Ji Maeng-ho!

A cycling hit recorded in the return match. The taste was thrilling.