Chapter 295 – Episode 293. Revenge After 21 Years. (2)
Hyunseong Mad Cats. Since 1982, when professional baseball was launched, it has been a strong team that has consistently advanced to the fall baseball season and was always considered a contender for the championship, but if fans had any regrets, it was that they had never won the Korean Series. However, after resolving that resentment by winning the Korean Series against AT Thunders in 2002, they won the championship in 2005 and 2006, and won four consecutive championships from 2011 to 2014, standing tall as the best team of the 2010s in name and reality. I stood.
After that, they did not win the championship until 2019 due to the aging of the players, but they continued to advance into the fall baseball season and boasted the appearance of a strong team, and won the championship for two consecutive years in 2020 and 2021, currently dominating the KBA League. It could be seen as a strong team.
And at a time when Hyunsung Mad Cats was winning the championship and running at its peak, there was a team that, unlike Hyunsung, went through a long dark period. It was AT Thunders, who took second place in 2002 after losing to Hyunseong.
The AT Thunders, a strong team in its heyday in the 90s, succeeded in advancing to the Korean Series with veterans and rookies Woo Kwan-hyung, who made up its heyday, and lost miserably in the Korean Series. And then the release of veterans and a long dark period.
A completely opposite move from the Hyunseong Mad Cats that won the championship that year. One team became a strong team that dominated the league, and the other team became a weak team that was ridiculed even by fans.
“Ha, damn it, aren’t you going to lose to Hyunseong and get screwed this time? “The relative record also sucks.”
Hyunseong Mad Cats has become AT fans’ long-standing PTSD. Therefore, it was not unreasonable for AT fans who visited Mad Cats Park to worry that the team would fall into a long dark era after losing to Hyunsung again in the fall baseball game, which they had advanced to for the first time in 21 years.
“Please, Hyeonseong, let’s win.”
“Ha, I’m anxious. “The batting line exploded in the last game, but will it be possible against Hyunseong?”
There were legitimate reasons for such concerns, not just PTSD. The compatibility between teams.
“Ah… Hyunseong’s pitchers are tough…”
Among the teams that advanced to the postseason, the AT Thunders were the only team with an inferior opponent’s record against the Hyunsung Mad Cats.
Against UG Overlords, who are in first place, they have a strong advantage of 10 wins, 5 losses, and 1 draw. Compared to 8 wins, 6 losses, 2 draws, and 8 wins and 8 losses, against Hancheol, who is in 4th place, and Silla, who is in 5th place, Hyunsung, who is in 2nd place, has an even record. Against the Mad Cats, they recorded a disappointing record of 6 wins and 10 losses.
It was a mystery as to why the relative performance against UG, a club with a similar style, was good, while the relative performance against Hyunsung was poor, but AT’s fans had no choice but to tremble in fear because the fact that the relative performance was poor was an unchangeable fact.
“Still, in Junple, Fierce Protector is so bad, how can I possibly win?”
However, the reason why AT fans have a ray of hope despite such fear is because of Ji Maeng-ho. He was a hitter who achieved both .400 and 60 home runs, a record that could be called an all-time record, and showed a heightened sense of hitting throughout the playoffs.
Ji Maeng-ho hit 6 home runs and 12 RBI despite playing 4 games in Jamsil with a batting average of 0.615 and was selected as semi-playoff MVP. There was no AT fan who did not feel hope in Ji Maeng-ho.
No, actually, it wasn’t just these playoffs. I trusted Ji Maeng-ho to do well in every game.
In April, when Ji Maeng-ho debuted, Ji Maeng-ho raised the expectations of fans by showing great performance and winning the monthly MVP. After that, he led the team to victory by creating home runs and RBIs at important moments.
The game continues, and AT Thunders continues to win. And finally, fall baseball has arrived. Ji Maeng-ho’s performance was so great that anyone would mention Ji Maeng-ho as the person responsible for advancing the AT Thunders, who had not advanced for 21 years, to the fall baseball league. Even in the popularity poll conducted by AT fans, he ranked first, beating out the legend Woo Kwan-hyung, who has devoted himself to the team for over 20 years.
“Yes, Meng Tiger will do it again today.”
For AT Thunders fans, Ji Maeng-ho was hope, light, and savior.
“Look over there, it’s Ji Maeng-ho.”
“Uh! Ji Maengho! Hey man! “Look here!”
“Ji Maeng-ho! Ji Maeng-ho!”
Therefore, AT Thunders’ fans had faith that they could win despite their inferior opponent’s record.
[At Mad Cats Park, where the playoffs are held, there are a lot of spectators, and it is said that today is sold out.]
[It’s not unusual for Mad Cats Park to be sold out during fall baseball season, but there’s also a significant percentage of fans wearing striped uniforms. That means AT fans are looking forward to this game, right?]
[You’re right. The number of fans who visited this place seems to show the momentum of the AT Thunders, who defeated Hancheol in the semi-playoffs.]
[But Hyunseong also doesn’t seem to have any intention of losing momentum, right? Today, by announcing left-handed ace Choi Jung-hoon as the starter, coach Kang Hyun-seok’s determination to maintain momentum from the first game can be felt.]
[Yes. Choi Joong-hoon is now on the mound. His performance this season is 16 wins, 5 losses, 191.1 innings pitched, 184 strikeouts, 49 walks, and a 2.78 ERA. Choi Joong-hoon broke his career high this season.]
[Can he be considered the best left-handed pitcher in the current KBA league? He is a player whose main weapons are a fast ball over 150 and a sharp slider. He is a player who has the ability to threaten batters.]
[Now, the AT Thunders’ number 1 hitter comes in. First batter Kim Joo-yeop recorded 5 hits in 17 at-bats and a batting average of 0.294 in the semi-playoffs. Kim Joo-yeop’s helmet has Woo Gwan-hyung’s number, number 10, engraved on it, but all AT players play with Woo Kwan-hyung’s number engraved on them, right?]
[Yes. As the team’s captain and big brother Woo Kwan-hyung is out due to injury, it feels like the AT Thunders have come together to support Woo Kwan-hyung.]
[Will AT be able to advance to the Korean Series to achieve Woo Gwan-hyeong’s long-held dream of winning? . Now comes the first match of the playoffs. Choi Joong-hoon’s first pitch! Strike. Choi Joong-hoon throws a strike from the first pitch!]
[It was a slider from the first pitch, right? The speed was 143 km/h. This is the fastball velocity of most players, but Choi Joong-hoon looks to be in quite good condition today.]
A match between Choi Jung-hoon, who is strong against left-handed hitters, and left-handed hitter Kim Joo-yeop. All the fans watching the game were expecting Choi Joong-hoon to win easily.
“Ah, Dol Soo-hyun, what is this bastard thinking? Choi Joong-hoon, Kim Joo-yeop, Kim Su-ho, Ki Ki-joo? I’m not kidding, there are three left-handed hitters in a row. Ha, I threw the game. Really.”
At a time when even AT fans were not expecting much,
Perfect!
[Kim Joo-yeop’s batted ball. It floats high. Uh, huh? This batted ball goes over!]
The tragedy began when Kim Joo-yeop’s batted ball slightly passed over the fence of Mad Cats Park, known as the graveyard of pitchers.
[AT goes 1 point ahead with Kim Joo-yeop’s home run! Hey, this batted ball goes over?]
[Kim Joo-yeop has hit four home runs this season, and this is his fifth home run this year in such an important situation.]
[The charm of fall baseball is that home runs come out in unexpected situations like this, right?]
[You’re right. In short-term matches like this, it is important how many crazy players appear.]
“Kim Joo-yeop! Kim Joo-yeop! Kim Joo-yeop!”
“Wow, I’m tired of God Soo-hyeon’s mercenary skills! Baseball of faith! This is it!”
As Kim Joo-yeop’s home run, which no one expected, came out, the atmosphere of Hyunseong fans gathered at Mad Cats Park became cold.
“Jumma, what is it? Wow, is it like that?”
At that time, when the team’s reliable ace hit a home run as the leadoff hitter and Hyunseong’s fans were in confusion,
Taaak!
Kim Soo-ho’s batted ball also cut through right-center, creating a double.
[Kim Su-ho’s hit! Now, a safe second base is created.]
[Choi Joong-hoon looks to be in good condition… It looks like the AT players have been working hard in preparation.]
[And the third batter, Ki Ki-joo. From the first pitch… ! The batted ball flies high! Center field! Jihyuk Yang! Catch it! Kim Su-ho cannot move from second base. One out.]
[As expected, as a center fielder who boasts the best defense in the country, Yang Ji-hyuk did a great job. Unless it was Yang Ji-hyuk, he was a hit that no one could catch. Hey, even the action of getting up quickly after a dive. Soo-ho Kim couldn’t move at all, right?]
[Now the batter is AT’s 4th batter, Ji Maeng-ho. He is a player worthy of any description. In the semi-playoffs, he had a batting average of 0.615 and 6 home runs.]
“Ji Maeng-ho! Ji Maengho! Ji Maeng-ho!”
“Meng Haoshin, please…” !”
“Ha, I guess I’ll skip it again.”
“Get rid of it!” It’s Ji Maeng-ho!”
“Please, don’t be proud. Please.”
As soon as Ji Maeng-ho entered the batter’s box, various sounds came out from the stands. Where AT’s fans gather, there are sounds of anticipation for Ji Maeng-ho’s at-bat, and where Hyunsung’s fans gather, there are sounds of hope that Ji Maeng-ho will be missed.
[Ah, you are skipping Ji Maeng-ho here. Now runners on 1st and 2nd bases with 1 out. The next batter is Choi Jin-cheol.]
[It’s an obvious choice. There is absolutely no need to compete with Ji Maeng-ho, who shows off his advanced hitting skills. If I were the manager, I would skip Ji Maeng-ho in every at-bat. Haha.]
Haha, of course that won’t happen, right?]
[That’s right. However, if you look at the momentum alone, it is true that it is scary.]
“Oh, I skipped it too.”
“Ha, I’m not looking forward to Choi Jin-cheol…”
As Ji Maeng-ho walked to first base and Choi Jin-cheol came to bat, AT fans could not hide their disappointment. Even though he was the second-highest hitter in home runs, it was true that he was disappointing compared to Ji Maeng-ho, and considering Choi Jin-cheol’s batting ability shown in the semi-playoffs, it was not strange to say that he hit a double play here.
[During the semi-playoffs, Choi Jin-cheol’s performance was a batting average of 0.267, with one home run and four RBI.]
[Actually, Choi Jin-cheol needs to work harder, right? The reason why Ji Maeng-ho can be so easily overlooked is because the next batter, Choi Jin-cheol…, Uh, huh? Oh!]
[Choi Jin-cheol throws up the first pitch! This ball is hit high! Far! Choi Jin-cheol’s three runs! The batter who won the home run title four times! This is Choi Jin-cheol!]
[It was a ball that could become a home run no matter which stadium it went to, right? It was a perfect swing. If this happens, Coach Hyunseong’s mind will be complicated. No one would have thought that Choi Joong-hoon would face a crisis from the first episode… Hey, AT’s batting lineup! This is great explosive power!]
“Aaaaah! Jincheol oppa!!!”
“Choi Jin-cheol! Choi Jin-cheol! Choi Jin-cheol!”
“Are you crazy?”
“Does the four-time home run king look like a dick? “You bastards!”
With Choi Jin-cheol’s three runs, the AT fans who came to Mad Cats Park were on the verge of fainting. Hyunseong’s home stadium, Madcats Park, tends to have a lot of home runs, but today’s starting pitcher was Choi Jung-hoon, the league’s leading left-handed ace, so this type of game was completely unthinkable.
And another person who did not expect this situation.
‘What, why are these people like this all of a sudden? … Fuck, you do this even when you’re on a regular basis. Anyway, today’s game will be easy, right? Hehe.’
Ji Maeng-ho, who was walking to first base and thinking that this game was also bad, was also unable to control his laughter at the unexpected situation.
Mate!
Choi Jin-cheol, who hit a home run and stepped on home plate, and Kim Su-ho and Ji Maeng-ho, who were waiting, shared a high five.
“Senior Jincheol! What is a home run? Wow, I’m tired.”
“Bitch, I’m Choi Jin-cheol.”
“Wow, as expected from the home run king! “Today, I’m going to trust only Jincheol!”
“Boy, don’t just take a walk, you should do some work.”
“If only Jincheol does this, I won’t be able to skip it, right?”
The first game where the fate of the series is almost decided. And the first inning of the first game. AT Thunders has begun to take a step forward to seek revenge for the first time in 21 years.