Chapter 484 – Episode 476. Opening Series. (2)

[Bottom of the 9th inning, no outs. Kim Soo-ho is at bat. I recorded three strikeouts in three at-bats today.]

[Kim Soo-ho seems to be struggling with the widened strike zone, right? Sung-Hyun’s pitch was very good, but isn’t Kim Su-ho the one who always comes in when asked to select a hitter with the best starting pitch in Korea? He seems to be greatly influenced by the strike zone.]

[And standing on the mound is Hwasan’s setup man Oh Hyo-jun.]

[If you want to save the 9th inning and score in the second overtime period, it would be the right decision to save Shin Su-ho, the closer. Director Moon Ki-taek does not make any warnings before the opening game.]

[Oh Hyo-jun is a player who was selected by the Hwasan Falcons in the second round of the 2023 draft, which produced the so-called golden generation, Ji Maeng-ho, Jang Woo-joo, and Kim Won-ho, right?]

[You’re right. As the 2021 season is called the Oh Hyo-jun League, there is a lot of discussion about who will take Oh Hyo-jun. He was recognized for his contributions while playing in the bullpen last year, and he is a player who was selected as the setup man by manager Ki-taek Moon this season. He is a very attractive player with a fast ball in the mid-150s and good control.]

[Oh Hyo-jun and Kim Su-ho’s match, Oh Hyo-jun throws the first pitch!]

Ta – Aak!

[Kim Su-ho’s first pitch hit! Big hitting sound! This batted ball! Right fence! Right fence! Let’s go! Kim Su-ho’s walk-off home run! Kim Su-ho, who had a hard time with the strike zone today, ends the game by hitting the first pitch! Score 1:0! The team taking the luxury pitcher battle is the AT Thunders! And the protagonist of this game is Kim Su-ho!]

*

-A luxury pitcher’s battle held in Jamsil! Kim Soo-ho finished.

… Meanwhile, in today’s matchup, AT’s starting pitcher Crongs left the mound after recording 7.2 scoreless innings, and the next pitcher, Park Jin-hyuk, took over the mound and ended the crisis with 2 outs and 1st and 2nd bases… Meanwhile, Seong-Hyeon left the mound after recording 8 scoreless innings, and Oh Hyo-Jun took over the mound in the bottom of the 9th.

And the fateful bottom of the 9th inning, first at-bat. Kim Su-ho, who had been struggling throughout the game with three strikeouts, hit Oh Hyo-jun’s first pitch, and the batted ball went over the fence…

… Meanwhile, Kim Su-ho said, “I felt it in the exhibition game, but the zone was quite wide, and it was difficult to hit. Before going to bat, hitting coach Lee Ki-cheol advised me to aim for a fastball, and I aimed for the first pitch.” He replied, “After moving to AT, the stadium was large, so I focused on hitting on base rather than aiming for home runs. He concluded the interview by saying, “This season, rather than focusing on getting on base, I think I should focus on hitting for one hit.”

┗ㅅㅂ Seonghyun should have uploaded it to episode 9

┗That sucks, Seonghyun paid and lost ㅅㅂ

┗Wow, AT is strong hahaEven without Ji Maeng-ho, he beat Seonghyeon haha

┗┗Well, even if Ji Maeng-ho is out, the batting lineup will be a mess

┗Is Kim Su-ho planning to change his batting style? Is it possible at age 35?

┗┗Well, even before coming to AT, Kim Soo-ho hit 28-23-27-27 home runs, so wouldn’t it be possible?

┗┗Becoming a home run hitter in Jamsil is just a shortcut to ruin haha

┗┗Kim Su-ho is also a veteran, so he will do wellㅇㅇ

┗오효준 개씹새끼야 팀 레전드이자 대선배가 8이닝 무실점하고 내려갔는데 초구 홈런? You fucking idiot, look like your classmates Jang Woo-joo, Kim Won-ho, and Ji Maeng-ho, you fucking idiot. Why are there all these bastards?

┗┗But isn’t Hwasan’s first nomination Yoo Seung-cheol? Where is he? They are the first round and Oh Hyo-jun is the second round.

┗┗I don’t want to say that?

*

“Senior Suho, congratulations on your home run yesterday! Ah, I should have been there yesterday.”

“Thank you.”

“Oh, if it had been, wouldn’t it have been a walk-off home run?”

“Screw you. Then you can show it in today’s game, right?”

“Of course. “Just trust me for today’s game.”

Fortunately, my judgment was excellent in skipping the boring parts of yesterday’s game. Anyway, there were no scores other than Senior Suho’s home run.

“But, sir, is what you said in the interview yesterday true?”

“Did you see it too? Why were you looking for an interview?”

“Still, it’s the team’s opening game, so I should at least read the article.”

“I came to my senses. Okay. I’m already going to tell the coach today. Please remove it from number 1. I tried to adapt from the exhibition game, but if I stay here and watch the ball, I will lose my zone. It would be better to aim for a shot from behind.”

If senior Suho, who is the top starting pitcher in the league, said this, it seems that the zone has definitely expanded a lot.

‘Then who will come in at number 1? Hwicheol? Well, if it’s Hwicheol, it’s not that bad. ‘Once you start cutting, 6 to 7 cuts are removed.’

Suho, who has a high on-base percentage, will be gone, so he won’t be able to set an RBI record, but looking at the batting lineup, having Suho go behind wasn’t such a bad choice. If you have Hwicheol in number 1, it’s good to use him as a substitute.

“[Hey, Ji! Did you watch the game yesterday?]”

What is this guy? Why are you so excited? Crongs, the pitcher yesterday, greeted me in a bright voice. He was so excited that it seemed like he was planning to go to Itaewon after the game.

“[Uh. He did well.]”

“[Hehe, remember it well.]”

“[Uh, okay.]”

‘You’re not asking me to go out and play with you? What’s going on?’

Although I was a little skeptical, I managed to answer Crongs’ words, put them away, and prepared for training. The atmosphere within the team was quite good throughout training, perhaps because of yesterday’s game.

Ta – Aak!

“Oh, is Maengho in good condition?”

“I couldn’t run yesterday, so I have to be in good condition.”

My condition was at its peak during training. I was fully prepared to show myself to my fans.

“You know it’s Tiny today, right? Take care of yourself.”

“Of course.”

Today’s starter for Hwasan is Tinie, whom we had a taste of in an exhibition game. When I saw him back then, he showed poor ball control with a fast ball, but I wondered if he would have solved that problem today.

‘Sseu-eup, I wish I could catch Jegu.’

Honestly, from a team perspective, it wouldn’t have been possible if Tinie’s control was controlled, but from a personal perspective, I hoped that he would be able to control his pitch. No, other than him, among the newly recruited mercenaries who threw fast balls, I was hoping that they would all be in control.

Anyway, if I were to go to the majors, there would be a lot of guys throwing balls like that, so I hope they would give me some stimulation in a league where there is no stimulation except for Seonghyun.

“Now, let’s go to the meeting with Drill Simai.”

“Yes!”

I went into the meeting with such anticipation. There was nothing special about Tinie’s video. When inserted into the zone, it boasted tremendous power, but it was not common to insert into the zone. This kid is a bit strange, shaking in the scoring zone. It’s not that concept, but it’s pure, like striking out the previous batter on three pitches and giving the next batter a straight walk, or hitting two outs, making the bases loaded with a walk, then striking out and getting three outs. It was a mess.

Well, if it wasn’t at that level, I wouldn’t have come to the KBA league.

“It’s bloody, it’s bloody.”

“Are you scared to play?”

Like the other players muttered, I was a little scared too. Because I was afraid to avoid his fastball if I had the intention to hit it. But the good thing is that it looks like he doesn’t have the control to hit the empty ball?

In addition, a video about the bullpen that was expected to be released today was played, and the meeting rushed to the end.

“Yes, Suho. “Would you like to adjust the batting order?”

“Yes. The strike zone has become so wide that I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to go first. “You also have to think about if you steal a base.”

“I get it. Then Jincheol is behind? Number 6, are you okay?”

“Yes.”

“Seongtae, are you okay with moving down the batting order?”

“Yes. “I also feel more comfortable if Suho solves the problem in front of me.”

“Okay. So today’s batting order is Hwicheol, Maengho, Sangju, Williams, Jincheol, Suho, Seongtae, Hyunseong, and Jeongjin. “It goes like this.”

“Yes!”

“Yes, because today’s starting pitcher has serious control. Don’t get hurt. “If you get hurt from the beginning of the season, there is no answer.”

‘Pretending to be a good person. What a fucking bastard. I was like that when I was in high school.’

“Today’s starter is Yoon, so if we pick him just a little bit, he will be able to win easily. Invincible!”

“AT!”

“AT…”

I was a little annoyed by Lee Ki-cheol, the batting coach leading the meeting, who pretended to be a nice person, but the meeting ended without a problem, and as I waited and prepared, it was already time for the game to start.

‘Okay, it’s our first game, so let’s go a little hard. Just throw it in the zone, you’re behind. Really.’

*

[Saturday, March 29th. Volcano Falcons vs. AT Thunder, AT Thunder vs. Volcano Falcons second game of opening series. Delivered from Jamsil.]

[Today’s starting matchup is between Jang Yoon and Tinie, right? I think it will be an interesting matchup.]

[Besides, there is good news for AT Thunders today, right?]

[You’re right. AT Thunders is the comeback game for Ji Maeng-ho, a 2-game MVP winner and .40060 home run hitter for 2 years in a row, right? Today’s game will be played on public television, and I am really looking forward to what Ji Maeng-ho will show in front of many viewers.]

[Then the game will start with the national anthem. … Today, I will bring you the Hwasan Falcons’ offensive lineup. 1st hitter Kim Joo-yeop…]

[The Volcano Falcons came out with the same lineup as yesterday, right? In yesterday’s game, I was tied up by Crongs and couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity that came in the top of the 8th inning, so I’m looking forward to seeing what the game will show today.]

[The following is the AT Thunders defensive lineup. The battery of Jang Yoon and Kim Hyun-seong, first baseman Choi Jin-cheol, and second baseman Ji Maeng-ho…]

[The lineup is not much different except that Ji Maeng-ho is in the lineup. Crongs and Bellingham. Considering that both foreign pitchers are right-handed, it appears that Jang Yoon was inserted between them. The key will be what kind of pitching Jang Yoon shows.]

[Yes. In the top of the first inning, the Hwasan Falcons attack begins with leadoff hitter Kim Joo-yeop. … Kim Joo-yeop’s hit! … Lee Won-hyung’s sending bunt puts the runner on second base with one out.]

[It seems like the intention is to squeeze points, right? As expected, director Moon Ki-taek is strong from the first episode.]

[3rd batter Choi Si-woo walks. Now the chance with one out and 1st and 2nd bases goes to Lee Yong-gi. … Lee Yong-gi hit the ball! This batted ball! You can’t get out of the infield! Second baseman Ji Maeng-ho’s fantastic jump catch! The ball is on first base! Out! Ji Maeng-ho leads a double play! The second baseman hits a straight hit, resulting in two out counts.]

[Hey, Ji Maeng-ho looks to be in good condition today? He seems to be able to count on batting as well.]

[We will now proceed with the AT Thunders attack in the bottom of the first inning. 1st batter Jeong Hwi-cheol, 2nd batter Ji Maeng-ho…]

*

“Hwicheol.”

“Yes. Brother.”

“It’s okay if you don’t get on base, so try to catch as many balls as possible.”

“I understand.”

Jeong Hwi-cheol, who played as the number one hitter today, nodded his head at my words and headed to the plate. Tinier was a four-seamer, slider, and two-pitch type player, but I had never seen his slider properly, so I wanted to guess the timing by watching the ball he threw to Jeong Hwi-cheol at the standby before going to bat.

“Strike!”

‘Oh, the first pitch hit the zone? Redemption is 154? Are you throwing gently?’

Tinier’s first pitch was unexpectedly a strike. However, since he was a player who could be seen as having ups and downs with each pitch, it didn’t mean much…,

“Strike!”

There wasn’t? What? Suddenly two strikes in a row? Although it was a ball that licked the widened borderline of the zone, the ball entered the zone twice in a row.

‘Sseu-eup, has Jegu been caught?’

“Swing strike! Out!”

“Sorry. I tried to make a cut, but I swung at the outside ball…”

“It’s done. “Go in.”

“Under…”

Leaving behind Jeong Hwi-cheol’s sigh full of regret, I walked into the batter’s box.

“Hello. Yonggi, do you think you’re in control today?”

“You wouldn’t know it if you saw it?”

“Wow, you’re so rude for catching a double play.”

“I think it’s enough to insert into your body today. Shall we try an experiment?”

“… “I decline.”

Perhaps because he caught Lee Yong-gi on a double play in the top of the first inning with one out and runners on first and second base, Lee Yong-gi’s answer was harsh.

‘First, shall we watch the first pitch?’

After deciding that there wasn’t much to gain from the conversation with Lee Yong-gi, Chogu decided to end the conversation and watch.

‘It’s a fastball.’

‘Yes.’

Of course, the first pitch is a fastball. I focus on the pitch, intending to catch one of his pitches. And…,

“Fuck!”

“… “I didn’t do that on purpose.”

His ball flew higher than my head, missed Lee Yong-gi’s mitt, and hit the billboard behind the referee.

“… Is it true?”

“Someone throws a bean ball like that. Under…”

When wearing a catcher’s mask, Lee Yong-gi, who only expresses his emotions to deceive the batter, sighed openly, so it seemed like he was not in control of his pitch.

‘Wow, I was hoping it would be true, but it looks like it wasn’t the case.’

‘Fastball.’

‘Okay.’

Fastball again this time. I was a little scared of being hit by his ball, but if I avoided the ball out of fear, it would be no different from being disqualified as a batter. So this time, I waited for his second ball with the intention of swinging at the ball that came into the zone.

And the second ball thrown. The guy’s ball stretched out and formed a trajectory towards his body.

‘Body side!’

A ball you cannot miss! At that ball, I swung the bat like a moon,

“Aaaaah!”

… Screams echoed through Jamsil Stadium.