Chapter 27 – 27. The Blue Dragon. (2)

“Hey, that bastard doesn’t budge even after being hit with a home run.”

It was a game with a 1:0 lead, but our team’s attack ended in vain and the score was maintained until I came back to bat.

Bottom of the 4th inning, two outs. With no runners on, I went to bat.

“Mind! Did you prepare well!”

As soon as I entered, I greeted the catcher in a clumsy dialect, and the catcher ignored my words with an expression of chewing shit. The referee also seemed to be glaring at me, so unfortunately I didn’t think we would be able to talk further.

“Cheek.”

The first ball was a ball that went far. It seemed so. Teams that were hit by me usually had an almost set strategy of skipping me from the next at-bat. Moreover, the opposing pitcher, Shin Jeong-hoon, was dealing with all other hitters except me, so it was probably a natural strategy.

“Cheek.”

Two ball. At this point, do you put one inside?

‘Wake up the dream. Because only the outside is throwing a fuss.’

‘Write. This isn’t fun.’

‘How nice it is to get on base for free.’

And the other two balls went into the ball in succession. As I put my bat down and unequipped, the catcher called out as he threw the ball to the pitcher.

“I’m scared and even drive a bat! Throw with confidence!”

Write. Is this the first time you’ve seen kids say things like this? The heat rose slightly. As soon as I arrived at first base, I handed over my equipment and talked to the first base coach.

“Coach, can I run?”

“Yes? Suddenly? You’re not playing well.”

As the coach said, I was not good at running. It wasn’t because my legs were slow, and it was hard to run, so I tend not to run. In addition, I had a history of injury, so the coach was not the type to come up with a strategy when I was in Rusang.

However, when I am provoked like that, I want to ruin the battery because I am a human being.

“I’m tied up today anyway, so I’ll try running.”

“Okay. What is the timing?”

“I will.”

It was much better to ask Rossby and run than to run with the coach directing me.

‘Mr. Rossby, please time the breaking ball.’

‘OK.’

The fastball took a short time to reach the catcher’s mitt, so even with my quick legs, the success rate was not high. However, if it is the timing of the breaking ball, the speed and the difficulty of the catch increase, as well as the success rate.

In particular, stealing a base against a sidearm pitcher who doesn’t have quick motion* like Shin Jung-hoon is a piece of cake. I took three steps from first base and provoked the pitcher.

“Two out, two out! Let’s focus on typing!”

The catcher also emphasized two outs to stabilize the pitcher as if he saw my lead. The inning could have ended if only the batter got an out.

‘It’s a curve.’

‘OK.’

Fortunately, it seemed like he was going to throw a curveball from the first pitch. As soon as the pitcher got into the pitching motion, I ran straight for second base. Then, he slid in leg-first toward second base. When he got up from second base using momentum, the second baseman tagged his glove.

“Safe.”

Plenty of timing.

“Does the catcher care about his shoulders?”

“Don’t talk to me.”

To be rude. I brushed off the dirt from my legs and started kicking again, widening my stride. The pitcher pretended to throw the ball to second base and kept it in check, but I couldn’t shorten my lead.

‘It seems to be shaking, right?’

‘All young pitchers are like that. How about playing third base?’

‘Third base?’

The distance from home to 3rd base was shorter than the distance from home to 2nd base, so stealing 3rd base was not common. Besides, I could come home with just one hit, but there was no need to steal third base at the risk of stealing failure.

But now it’s just a matter of venting my anger. It’s obvious that I won’t be able to hit the next batter anyway, but I didn’t have to worry about that, and I wanted to present irritation to the Gyeongnam Jeil High School battery that provoked me.

‘Two-hearted.’

“Cheek.”

The two-seam he boasted about as if he was shaken when he saw my stolen base was greatly missed. The catcher almost jumped and caught the two-seam. Did you have to run?

‘Two-hearted.’

“Strike!”

‘Are you going to keep fighting? What do you think?’

‘It’s very likely that. Because he allowed steals on the curveball. How can I play at two-seam timing?’

‘It’s a bit dangerous….’

‘If you die, you die. Were you scared?’

‘I’m afraid.’

I don’t think that scarecrow guy standing at bat is going to hit it. I’ll just have to run at the next timing. I slowly widened my lead while looking at the positions of the shortstop and second baseman. And

‘Run!’

As soon as the pitcher entered the pitching motion, he ran with all his might toward third base. The catcher didn’t even think he would steal third base, so he didn’t even throw the ball this time.

‘To the home?’

‘Are you crazy?’

‘Wouldn’t that be fun? That bastard is facing third base.’

As Rossby said, the right-handed pitcher was looking at third base. Then, when our eyes met, I smiled.

‘Look at your face turning red. What do you think?’

‘… It must be fun, right?’

The current batter’s count is two strikes two balls. A situation where you absolutely have to care about the batter. I widened the lead almost to home and 1/3 of the way to 3rd base to discredit the pitcher.

“Never mind the runners! One Strike! One strike!”

Shout a hundred days Can you hear that bastard making eye contact with me? I didn’t really want to run home, so I focused on the pitcher’s pitching form with the center of gravity at 3rd base. Then, suddenly, the pitcher threw the ball to third base. I quickly slid to third base and reached out.

Widely! At the same time as I touched third base, the glove hit the back of my hand.

“Safe!”

Eek. I thought I was dying Fortunately, I was able to live by a short distance because my center of gravity was aligned with third base.

“Hey. Ji Maeng-ho! Don’t do anything stupid.”

When I got back to third base, the third base coach grabbed me by the shoulder and whispered.

“I’ll take care of it.”

“What?”

“I will concentrate.”

“Ha. Okay. Do as you please.”

I widened my lead again. The pitcher continued to stare at me, perhaps mistaking that I was discussing the strategy with the third base coach.

“Never mind the runner! One out! One out!”

However, it is difficult for high school students to remain calm in a situation where their mentality is already shaken. The ball thrown by Shin Jung-hoon deviated greatly and eventually all the lights on the count on the display board came on.

‘It’s a full counter, but if it’s a curve, would you like to jump?’

‘Shall we throw a curveball?’

‘You fool! Full count with two outs with first base empty. There’s no reason not to throw a manned ball, right?’

‘What if I don’t throw it?’

‘Then those bastards are stupid.’

‘All right.’

For quite some time, the battery exchanged signs and the pitcher nodded. Then he readjusted his grip as he touched the inside of his glove.

‘Curve.’

‘I’m going to run.’

Okay. Anyway, even if the scarecrow went on base with a walk, there was no guarantee that the next batter would attack. I made up my mind and got the timing right.

‘Now!’

“Aaaaa!”

As I ran toward home, the expression on the guy’s face, who was looking at third base, shook sharply.

‘First with the right hand!’

I instinctively reached out my right hand and swept down the groove as I slid on Rossby’s horse. I feel the catcher’s mitt on my back.

“Safe! … Base on Balls!”

Seeing me run, it seemed that the control of the curve was shaking.

“Nice!”

“Aaaaa!”

I stood up and roared into the dugout. After exchanging high fives with my teammates and sitting down, my juniors served me water. Yes, this is the taste of human life. As I was sitting and drinking water, the director approached me.

“Hey! Ji Maeng-ho! Who wants to run like that without a strategy!”

“Oh, I thought I could run.”

“But you don’t have to run after discussing it!”

“… Sorry.”

“Why did you run?!”

“I thought it was possible. Because it is a sidearm, the quick motion is slow, and I was throwing with a windup because I was at third base. Besides, I thought it was curve timing. Because the curve is a bit out of control. I could feel it shaking as he was facing me.”

“Write…. Well done though.”

As I calmly explained, the angry director’s expression softened slightly. Just when you’re talking to the director! There was a noise and the dugout was in an uproar.

“Five! Split! Split!”

“Run! 2nd base! Second base!”

“To Home! Home!”

The coach and I got up right away and looked at the situation on the ground. The batted ball completely split right-middle, and the guy who was the runner on 1st base was running back to the home base around 3rd base. And batter runners up to second base.

“Safe!”

The runner on first base comes in and the numbers go up on the scoreboard. 3:0.

“Pitcher, shake. Shaking!”

“Gunwhee! Nice Juru!”

I went out to meet first base runner Jang Geon-hwi who returned home. When I gave him a high five, he smiled and said.

“Thanks to you, the pitcher is shaking a lot, right? It’s like I’m completely out of my mind.”

“Okay?”

“Yes. Did you just throw dog poop balls from the bat? Is there anything special about the 1st nomination for Charlotte?”

“Then try hitting it well next time at bat.”

That’s why I’m comfortable playing baseball.

“Uh, that’s a bit….”

“If you hit something like that, you won’t be nominated this time either.”

“Where do you call my brother?”

“Communication? Well….”

*

“How about it?”

“It definitely stands out. Hit home runs and steal bases.”

“That infielder, too. Against Shin Jung-hun.”

“Okay. Chief, though….”

“I see the Hancheol Scout over there. Chief Hong. Wasn’t the data I brought back comparable to that of a pro?”

“Couldn’t he have come to see Kim Won-ho?”

“I know for sure that you won’t come out today, is that so? At this rate, I might be able to pick Ji Maeng-ho from Hancheol. You can’t do it too well.”

“Ugh, seeing the juniors supplying equipment, it seems that their personalities aren’t very good….”

“Chief Hong. Fans like players who are good at baseball, not players who have good character.”

“Let’s see the next match. Because the next match is Park Ji-hwan from Yongsan Internet High, who is a strong candidate for Hancheol.”

“Park Ji-hwan is also a good player. However….”

“Once I know. Manager. After watching today’s game, I’m slightly drawn to Ji Maeng-ho.”

“If a pitcher like Park Ji-hwan comes out every five years, Ji Maeng-ho is the only player who can fulfill the AT Thunders’ longing for a right-handed big shot infielder.”

“I got it!”

Hyeon-cheol Hong, the scouting team leader of the AT Thunders, who is being pressured by the general manager and team leader Cheon these days, screamed out loud. After shouting, I looked at Team Leader Cheon’s eyes. Fortunately, Team Leader Cheon’s expression was as cold as usual.

“Are Yeongjun Han from Seongsil High School (Seongnam Vocational High School) or Joo-cheol Kim from Yongin High School (Yongsan Internet High School) any different?”

“Han Young-jun and Kim Joo-cheol are both good pitchers, but one or two players like that come out every year. Manager Hong knows that too.”

Chun So-young’s reaction was cold.

“Yes. Is that right?”

“Those pitchers can be picked after the first pick.”

Soyoung’s reaction was, of course, cold. Both of those players were only 35 potential players. However, Hong Hyeon-cheol, who did not know that fact, had no choice but to curse So-young inside.

‘This cheap year. Young bitch, what? One or two a year? Talking about pitchers without even knowing the letter ‘two’. Under… Should I really quit or not? Come to think of it, he seems to have heard rumors about getting a scout team from Volcano Falcons…. The same goes for the captain, a man. He had no pride and stuck to the parachute.’

While he was swearing inwardly, a loud shout resounded in the baseball field again. And, of course, it was from Hanche High School’s cheering squad that the sound came from.

“My son, well done!”

“Hanchego fighting! Let’s score 6 more points and go to the cold game!”

“It’s no big deal to say you’re the best in Busan!”

As if energized by the enthusiastic support of the parents, Hanche High’s attack at the bottom of the 4th inning ended only after adding 2 more runs and making the score 6:0.

“You see? Chief Hong. Ji Maeng-ho is a player who can change the atmosphere of a game.”

“That’s true, but there are limits to being a batter…. Besides, at Jamsil Stadium….”

“Chief Hong. Please pray that we do not choose Ji Maeng-ho in Han-cheol.”

‘First year. Okay, let’s pick Ji Maeng-ho and see how good he is.’

Not knowing what Team Manager Hong was thinking, Cheon So-Young was just worried that Maeng-Ho Ji might be selected from the Grizzlies.