Chapter 350 – Episode 342. Korea’s Best Pitcher. (1)

“Sir, what are you gloomily looking at?”

“What a gloomy sight to see, you bastard. “I came to say hello.”

“How about Daejeon food? Does it fit your mouth?”

“It’s delicious?”

“I heard there isn’t much to do in Daejeon.”

“Hey, am I the one having fun? I’m busy too.”

After the exhibition game, Kim Joo-yeop, whom I met after a long time, looked the same as ever. His skills were still there, but his batting average hovered around .300 and his OPS fluctuated in the low 0.7 range, so it didn’t seem like he had the performance to pay 6.4 billion won.

‘Still, Hwasan fans will be happy because we’re in first place.’

Of course, it’s not because of Kim Joo-yeop that he’s in first place. If one were to pick a reason why Hwasan, a last-place team for many years, is now in first place, it would be Lee Yong-gi…,

“Meng Hao, it’s been a while.”

It must be thanks to Seonghyun who is greeting me right now.

“Hello. “Senior.”

During the exhibition game, Seonghyun, whom I had never met since the starting rotation was not in sync, said hello to me.

“I enjoyed the interview.”

“Interview?”

What interview are you talking about? Are you talking about Seungri’s interview yesterday?

“You said you wanted me to make it fun?”

“Ah…, That?”

Could it be that you still remember the interview you did a few months ago? A person who is considered the best pitcher in Korea can be this narrow-minded.

“That? “You sure you didn’t remember?”

“… “It’s not.”

“Bro, this guy doesn’t remember anything like that.”

“I said no.”

“So how do we make it fun?”

“Well, just do your best.”

“Look at this bastard. Hey, if Hyun-hyung does it right, you won’t even be able to miss the ball.”

While I was talking with the two people, people started to gather one by one to enter the locker room after batting practice.

“Uh, senior, hello.”

Usually, unless you are a close friend, you go into the locker room, but when I saw almost all the players gathered, I thought that Seonghyun must be Seonghyun.

“Joo-yeop, you’re doing well these days.”

… Well, there was also Kim Joo-yeop, who was with me until last year, but from what I saw, it seemed like people flocked because of Seong-hyeon.

“Then I will go in first.”

In fact, I couldn’t sleep well last night because I had to relieve Soyoung of her anger, so I wanted to get some sleep. Unfortunately, today’s expedition was in Daejeon, so I couldn’t really sleep on the bus. I was so tired that I thought I might not have been able to endure it if it had been a daytime game on the weekend.

‘I’m glad it’s Friday.’

It’s only about an hour until the game. This was enough time to close my eyes.

‘Huh, Soyoung was so cute yesterday when she was attacked by Hyuna and left.’

‘Fuck you bastard. ‘I can’t believe I’m enjoying it alone.’

Rossby, who had been sulking and not speaking since yesterday, probably because he was very jealous, finally opened his mouth.

‘Hey, sex is something you enjoy alone. And we had fun together during the massage yesterday. Oh, I got it. Since we’re on an expedition today, let’s have fun with new girls.’

Let’s walk towards her dugout while calming down a very grumpy Rossby.

“Hey, where are you going?!”

I heard Kim Joo-yeop calling me, but I ignored the sound and kept walking forward. Now you’re the enemy anyway. There is no need to listen to the enemy.

*

“Did you see Meng Hao talking? “He does that on purpose.”

“Huh?”

“To put it bluntly on purpose, we designed it to be thrown towards the body. Catcher provocation, pitcher provocation. Things like this. Because the pitcher keeps avoiding it. He also comes off a bit like that. Well, there are very few pitchers throwing towards the body anymore, so it might not be effective.”

“Was that something like that?”

“If you look at him from the dugout, he looks cool. Unlike most kids these days, the youngest does a good job. Well, sometimes I make strange jokes.”

“You seem to be the type of person who surprisingly uses your brain, don’t you? “If you only look at his physical appearance, I don’t think he can use his brain.”

“It’s an image. Image. Most of what he hits is guest hitting, but maybe he’s the type of person who creates situations to see what balls will come in?”

Former AT Thunders teammate Kim Joo-yeop felt that Ji Maeng-ho was that kind of player. He is a player who knows how to read the flow at bat better than anyone else. Some articles introduced Ji Maeng-ho as a devil, and Kim Joo-yeop also sympathized with that story.

Because his ability to read the minds of pitchers and catchers was literally demonic. This was especially true when informing the batter of the pitch type at second base. The signs of teams like UG, which change their signs every game, would also be announced at second base.

“Is it that much? It’ll be fun.”

And a smile appeared on Seonghyeon’s face as he listened to Kim Joo-yeop’s words. Seonghyun was also a pitcher who was good at toying with batters. Seonghyeon’s biggest strengths were his control and mound management ability.

In particular, Seong-hyun’s mound management ability to throw the most appropriate ball for each situation was considered top-notch even in the major leagues, so Seong-hyun was looking forward to a match against Ji Maeng-ho.

“Play ball!”

And then the game started. At the top of the first inning, Seong Hyun was standing on the mound for Hwasan, and center fielder Jeong Hwi-cheol, who had been playing as the number one hitter since yesterday’s game, was standing at bat for AT.

‘Jung Hwi-cheol, you said you debuted this year, right? His batting average is .302 and 5.5 over 13 games. I heard he doesn’t have any extra-base hits, but his contact ability is pretty good. Should I take a look?’

And as if he had read Seonghyun’s thoughts, Lee Yong-gi sent an autograph that Seonghyun liked.

‘Let’s take a look at the outside slider for the first pitch, shall we?’

‘Okay.’

Seonghyun and Lee Yonggi. The first pitch chosen by the two players, who are considered to be the best batteries in the country, was the outside slider. It was a ball that did not receive very good reviews in the majors,

“Strike!”

In the KBA league, it was a ball that could easily be called a top-class ball. Seonghyun’s slider curves in from the left-hander’s body and lands sharply on the low outer course. The speed stamped on the electronic display board is 134 km/h.

‘Hmm, I heard you have good contact skills, but you’re not touching this ball? It was a ball given to me to hit. Well, since you’re the first hitter, are you saying you’re looking at the ball? Then there would be no need to fight for a long time. I’m going with a fastball.’

‘Yes, I understand.’

Perfect!

“Foul!”

And the second ball thrown. A fastball to the body followed by an outside slider. It was a standard combination, but AT’s number one hitter Jeong Hwi-cheol swung the bat as if possessed by something that caught the batter’s eye, and the batted ball curved toward third base, resulting in a foul being called.

[Seonghyun catches two strike counts in one go!]

[After all, isn’t Jeong Hwi-cheol a rookie? However, with Yonggi Lee, who is considered the best catcher in Korea, sitting at home plate, and Seonghyeon, who is considered the best pitcher in Korea’s history, is on the mound, they have no choice but to lose momentum.]

[The ball just hit 140 km/h?]

[This kind of speed control is Seonghyun’s strength, right? Seonghyun can easily throw a 150 ball, but it is Seonghyun who can steal batters’ timing with such a slow fastball.]

“Was it just a ball changeup?”

“Well?”

Jeong Hwi-cheol wanted to check what type of ball he hit and asked Lee Yong-gi a question, but Lee Yong-gi only smiled strangely and did not answer. And the third ball was thrown.

Perfect!

Jeong Hwi-cheol swung his bat at a trajectory that seemed to be coming toward the center, and at that moment, the ball thrown by Seong-hyeon fell, Jeong Hwi-cheol’s bat hit the top of the ball, and the batted ball rolled toward the shortstop.

[This ball is an infield ground ball. The shortstop goes to first base easily. One out.]

[The ball just looked like a cutter, right? The speed was 143 km/h, and a slight bend was seen near the strike zone. Ah, it’s a cutter.]

“Out!”

I sprinted all the way to first base, but the result was out.

‘Ha, I got hit. Of course, Seonghyun senior.’

A helmet that can only be admired. Moreover, the heaviness he felt when he hit the ball was unusual.

“How was the ball?”

“I don’t even know what happened.”

“It must have been a cutter.”

“Ha… As expected, Seonghyun senior.”

Jeong Hwi-cheol, who had nothing to say to the next batter, Kim Su-ho, because he was hit so perfectly, went into the dugout with only an exclamation left, and the second batter, Kim Su-ho, entered the batter’s box.

‘Well, it’s been a while since I competed with Hyun-hyung…’

The last time Kim Su-ho competed with Sung Hyun was when he was a rookie and had not yet completed his military service. At that time, Seonghyun was a pitcher who scolded batters by throwing 100 pitches in the low to mid 150s. However, Seonghyeon’s current restraint is around 140 to mid-140s. But is it because of my feelings that Seonghyun seems more difficult to deal with now?

‘A major-leaguer’s halo, something like that?’

“Suho hyung, hiyo.”

“Okay.”

When Lee Yong-gi came to bat, he greeted him warmly, but Kim Soo-ho responded briefly as usual and then focused on Seong-hyeon’s pitch.

‘Kirvenga?’

It feels like it’s floating slightly after throwing the ball. Kim Soo-ho stopped the bat that was about to go out and waited for the umpire’s decision.

“… Strike!”

The result is a curve that goes low towards the body. The ball, which was thought to go outside the zone, surprisingly hit the low zone to the point where the referee was concerned.

‘Ha, can you hold this for me?’

Kim Su-ho sighed at that strike,

‘Oh, you’re holding me this far?’

Seonghyun was delighted. In the top of the first inning, the most important thing for Battery is to know where the referee’s zone is. Seonghyeon and Lee Yong-gi, who were targeting the borderline of the zone as much as possible, were quickly figuring out roughly how far the strike zone was.

“Ball.”

“Ball.”

“Strike!”

However, as Kim Su-ho is also a hitter who is considered to have the best pitching idea in the country, he persistently competed with Seong-hyeon,

Perfect!

I succeeded in touching Seonghyeon’s ball after only the fifth ball.

[This batted ball flies high! Center fielder Kim Joo-yeop comes down and takes care of it. Two outs.]

However, because he licked near the borderline and touched the passing ball, he could not hit a good ball.

[He catches it lightly. Seonghyun, you’re off to a good start?]

[There was a saying that Seonghyun’s weakness is usually episode 1, right? But it looks like he is going comfortably today.]

[Actually, the term ‘weakness’ was only used in the major leagues. When I pitched in Korea, I was a pitcher who had no weaknesses, right? So much so that the only weakness is said to be Seonghyun’s own carelessness.]

[Now the weatherman is at bat. AT placed left-handed hitters in the batting lineup as usual, but what is the significance of this placement of left-handed hitters against Seong-Hyeon, the best left-handed pitcher in Korea? Commissioner?]

[Coach Lee Soo-hyun probably knows that playing left and right is meaningless when dealing with a pitcher like Seong-hyun. In fact, Seonghyun’s secret weapon is the circle changeup, so it is stronger against right-handed hitters. Coach Lee Soo-hyun, as expected from last year’s winning coach, knows the key to the game.]

[Okay. The moment I tell you! Weather warning, first pitch hit! The second baseman catches it easily. This ends the first inning. Seonghyun’s top of the first inning was a three-way retreat. Now it continues with the Volcano Falcons’ attack in the bottom of the first inning.]

*

“Wow, why can’t I hit that shit ball?”

Ground ball to shortstop, fly to center field, ground ball to second base. In the top of the first inning, the performance of the batters who went out to face Seonghyeon was disastrous. Well, not only is rookie Jeong Hwi-cheol like that, but even Kim Su-ho and Gi Ki-joo can hit balls like this. I didn’t understand.

“Bitch, you hit it.”

Gyeonggi-ju, who was organizing his batting gloves, spoke bluntly. He seemed a little embarrassed, even after being hit by himself.

“I think I’ll just get over it if I get hit.”

“Hey, does it look like that from the outside? “Go inside.”

“Is Seonghyun that bad?”

“Ugh, you have to go in to find out.”

When watching this season’s game video or the pitch thrown today, the average speed of Seonghyun’s fastball was in the low to mid 140s, and it was not a ball that Kim Su-ho or Ki Ki-joo would have a hard time with. Looking at the video from this season, when he faced Joo Seung-cheol, he threw a ball over 150, but other than that time, he didn’t throw a ball over 150, so it definitely seemed like Seonghyun was not in his prime.

‘Well, I guess I returned to Korea from a major company.’

When I saw it, the aftereffects of the injury were clearly serious. When I saw the ball being thrown, it didn’t look like a ball that would entertain me. Looking at the pitch alone, Austin Webb’s pitch, who received the pitcher’s goal last year, seemed to be more powerful.

‘Tsk, I was just scared by the value of Seonghyun’s name. If you actually look at it, it’s nothing like that.’

In times like this, all you need is a home run. I felt like I needed to blow away the name Seong-hyun that dominated the players’ minds with a single home run and let them know that Seong-hyun was just another pitcher.