Chapter 440 – Episode 432. Stepping Towards a New Record. (1)

-AT Thunders’ 3rd consecutive win! Ji Maeng-ho’s grand slam home run!

… The AT Thunders continued their 3-game winning streak led by Ji Maeng-ho’s grand slam. The match, which raised expectations whether AT Thunders would secure the winning series with a win or whether the Volcano Falcons would counterattack and balance the series, began with a match between the two teams’ foreign mercenaries, Krongs and Markel.

This game, which was initially evaluated as having an edge in the starting matchup, did not go as experts expected. When Crongs, who was considered a Golden Glove candidate for this season’s pitcher, collapsed early in the game and went down before completing the fifth inning, the Volcanoes’ dugout was smiling.

However, the atmosphere changed in the top of the fourth inning, with one out and bases loaded. Faced with a crisis with the bases loaded, a strategy of advancing infield defense was implemented, and Ji Maeng-ho prevented the crisis by treating Han Seong-jin’s batted ball as a 4-2-5 (2nd baseman-catcher-3rd baseman) double play.

And as the saying goes, opportunity after crisis, the AT Thunders created an opportunity with bases loaded and no outs, and Ji Maeng-ho appeared at the plate. Ji Meng-ho hit a grand slam in that at-bat, proving why he is Ji Meng-ho…

… With this win, the AT Thunders succeeded in widening the gap with the Volcano Falcons to 2.5 games. …

┗Winner, Kazua!!!!!!!

┗Big! The fierce god of defense is crazy haha

┗AT push is disgusting ㅅㅂ It’s just an intentional mistake, but it’s a double play ㅅㅂ

┗I can’t take it anymore, so I’m declaring this. AT Shinbaram Dynasty V4!!!

-AT Thunders, series sweep! 3:2 Shinseung!

… AT Thunders succeeded in winning both series with Ji Maeng-ho’s 54th gun. … Meanwhile, with this win, the AT Thunders continued their team’s 4th consecutive win and succeeded in widening the gap with the second-place team, the Hwasan Falcons, to 3.5 games. …

The AT Thunders were able to gain the honor of winning the Korean Series in the 2023 season, but they have not won a regular season championship since 1994. Baseball fans are paying attention to whether the AT Thunders, who have widened the gap with the second-place team by 3.5 games, will be able to successfully win the regular season for the first time in 30 years.

┗ㅈㅈ AT won

┗Ha, I’m going to start fooling around again

┗3.5 games behind in 16 games. There are still two head-to-head matches left, just in case.

┗┗ㅋI still don’t know the realityㅋㅋㅋ

┗Gazaa, overall winner!

-Ji Maeng-ho’s 54th home run, any change of setting a new record?

… Ji Meng-ho, who only increased his home run count by two last week, added two more home runs in this game against Hwasan, achieving his 54th home run of the season. With this home run, Ji Maeng-ho has widened the gap with Joo Seung-cheol (Hancheol Grizzlies, 46 home runs), who ranks second in home runs, to 8, and is being evaluated as having engraved ‘Ji Maeng-ha’ on the name of this season’s home run king.

Now Ji Maeng-ho’s eyes are not simply on being the home run king this season. Ji Maeng-ho’s personal record was 60 last year. And the KBA’s new record is Joo Hyung-jin’s 61 home runs in 2002.

There are only 16 games remaining. The number of home runs Ji Maeng-ho needs to achieve the record is 8. You must hit one home run per two games. It is an impossible record for ordinary players, but this season, Ji Maeng-ho has hit 54 home runs in 95 games, or 0.56 home runs per game.

The public is paying attention to whether Ji Maeng-ho will be able to maintain the pace he recorded throughout the season and set a new home run record in the KBA League.

┗I think it would be possible if you were a fierce warrior haha

┗┗Hmm… But I won’t fight to not give you the record, is that possible?

┗┗If you avoid it, you’ll get criticized right away haha

┗┗Swearing lasts only a moment, but records last forever. How can we compete when we will be buried in history from now on?

┗Let’s take a look at the new record haha

┗But looking at Ji Maeng-ho these days, it seems impossible. How can he hit a home run when everyone walks him?

*

“Wonho, please win today.”

“… “What kind of bullshit is that?”

“Oh, give me a chance to win! “What does it mean to be a good friend?”

“It almost seems like you’re asking them to fix the match, right? Are you crazy? Hey, we’re busy too. We are only two games behind Charlotte. If we compete with you, and we fall, will you take responsibility?”

“You bastard without tears of blood. My friend asked me this…”

“Yes, go away.”

The same cold-blooded bastard. I’ve done so much for Ji, but I’m not asking him to hit a home run, I’m just asking him to win, but he refuses me like this.

‘Under…, Should we stop verifying Mr. Jesu?’

For a moment, she felt bad and wondered if she should stop checking to see if Wonho was the right woman for her, but she soon changed her mind. Wonho is also a professional who receives money from his team and plays for victory. He must have been an inevitable choice for the team’s victory,

“Be thankful, really.”

“… What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“It’s okay. “I don’t know anything, ah, are you meeting any women these days?”

“I don’t have one?”

“If you ever meet me, introduce me right away. “I’m worried because you don’t know much about the world.”

“I don’t know… Okay. Let me introduce you. Oh, wait. “Aren’t you thinking something strange?”

“What strange thoughts?”

“Aren’t you trying to seduce my girlfriend because I won’t compete?”

“Teasing. How many women say they like me? And if she’s going to fall for me just because I’m flirting with her, shouldn’t you date her?”

“But. That’s right. “I don’t need a girl who flirts with her boyfriend’s friend.”

As expected, Wonho, you were thinking that too.

“But it’s so fucking amazing. How can you get along well with Hyuna even after an article like that comes out?”

“Is this the charm of this body?”

“Under… You envious bastard. Hyuna is also a really nice girl. “Keep dating this guy.”

“Hehe. Are you curious about the secret?”

When I spoke while looking slightly downward, Wonho made a disgusted expression.

“… Get out.”

Well, Wonho probably also vaguely knows that secret. How many times have we gone to a club together, and more than once have we found a woman with glassy eyes in the bathroom attached to the clubroom.

“Anyway, let’s ask for something today.”

“Yes, go away.”

“… A heartless bastard.”

So, after talking with Wonho, the starting pitcher of the opposing team today, I wait for the game to start. There are now 16 games remaining. Will we be able to set a new home run record this season? After thinking about it this way, I felt a little regretful that I missed the season early.

‘Ha, no luck. Last year, he went to the Asian Games, and this season, he was suspended. I definitely have to run in the pool next year.’

Last year, he hit 60 home runs in 115 games, and this year, he hit 54 home runs in 95 games, so it seemed like he could surpass the world record of 73 home runs if he played full time.

‘No, should I save the 73 home runs for the majors? Mr. Rossby, what do you think?’

‘Don’t give a shit, just focus on the game.’

‘… ‘Yes.’

I haven’t even started yet… That thought didn’t last long. After spending some time in the dugout, the national anthem began to sound, signaling the start of the game.

-Hit No. 1! Ji Maengho!

-Wow!!!!

The announcer in the stadium calls my name and I hear the fans cheering. Today again, my batting order is number 1. There was also an instruction from the manager to aim for home runs as much as you want. The only thing left is the pitcher who will compete with me.

‘Wonho. Please help me just this once.’

I stand at the plate and wait for Wonho’s ball. What kind of ball will Wonho throw? Is he going to pull the ball away? Or a game? You probably avoid it, right? Like other pitchers. Wonho’s leg goes up, and the first pitch is thrown.

And as I expected, the ball’s trajectory went outward.

‘Also… Uh… ?’

… The ball I thought was curved amazingly and landed in the outside corner.

“Strike!”

“Uh… ? “What just happened?”

Is the trajectory two-seam? … Did Wonho throw a two-seam? The speed recorded on the electronic display board was 146 km/h. Considering that Wonho’s four-seam velocity is roughly in the high 140s to low 150s, it was clear that it was a two-seam. Considering what I heard during the Olympics or during power analysis classes, there was no mention of him throwing a two-seamer.

“Did you just throw a two-seam?”

“Okay.”

To clarify my thoughts, I asked the catcher a question, and the answer came back quickly.

“… When did you learn it? “I didn’t see him throw it.”

“I heard you learned from Seonghyeon at the Olympics? “Kill the ball, right?”

“It’s killing me.”

The trajectory was definitely unusual. The ball, which was thought to go out without fail, curved near the zone and entered the zone.

‘By the way, I’ve already mastered the throwing spirit I learned at the Olympics… As expected, Wonho. But why haven’t I used it until now?’

When I look at this guy with that question in mind, the question is immediately answered. Because Wonho’s expression was smiling. Usually, a pitcher has a poker face on the mound. But smiling like that…

‘So, you learned this to deal with me, right?’

First, the fact that he showed me this fighting spirit meant that one thing was certain. This means that he has no intention of running away in this game.

‘This is how it is, Wonho. Of course my friend Wonho.’

I also laughed.

“Time!”

‘Ross… Hmm…’

And immediately after shouting time, I tried to call Mr. Rossby, but soon stopped trying to call Mr. Rossby. Because I felt Wonho’s desire to compete properly with me.

With Rossby, it was easy to get Wonho’s ball over the fence. All I had to do was filter out pitchers whose trajectories were unfamiliar and aim for splitters, which were his decisive pitches, or sliders that came in clumsily.

But, I didn’t want to do that this time.

-‘How is it? ‘Are you surprised?’

From the look in Wonho’s eyes as he looked at me with a smile, I could feel his sincerity in wanting to have a fun game with his friend.

Kim Won-ho… The first time I saw him was in a middle school league. Wonho was a famous guy even in the middle school league. Since he was in middle school, he was a guy who threw a ball in the mid-140s. So, before entering high school, when I saw him among the freshmen at Hanche High School, I couldn’t help but be surprised.

Because Wonho wasn’t the type of guy who would come to places like Hanche High School.

Up until then, I didn’t know what kind of person Lee Ki-cheol was, so I ignored scouts from other high schools and entered Hanse High School based on the value of Lee Ki-cheol’s name, but there was actually no reason for Wonho to enter Hanse High School.

I heard later that it was because his parents wanted him to go to Hanse High School, which was famous among the public as a high school specializing in physical education, so that he wouldn’t be mistreated, but even so, Wonho wasn’t the type of person who would come to Hanse High School in the first place.

In fact, I must confess now that from the middle school league until I met Rossby, I had never hit a hit against him.

Although I was a shortstop who made a name for himself in the middle school league, Wonho was a pitcher worthy of being called a super high school level pitcher.

But it’s different now. Although Wonho is only in his second year, he has grown into a national team-level pitcher while working in the starting rotation, but I have grown to the point where I can be called the league MVP and the best player in Korean history. Although there was help from Rossby.

So where would I be without Rossby’s help? Now was my chance to check. Against Wonho, whom I thought was a wall during my amateur days.

Me then and me now. Wonho then and Wonho now. Who actually grew more?

‘What? ‘Did you call me?’

‘It’s okay.’

‘You foolish bastard…’

I send Rossby away, who came close, probably because he heard my brief call.

‘Yes, I was surprised. ‘You brat.’

Then, he looks at Wonho and speaks to him with his eyes. As we had been living under the same roof for four years, Wonho seemed to immediately understand the look in my eyes. Because she waved her hand at me while I was out of the batter’s box.

‘Wonho. Let’s stick together properly.’