Chapter 509 – Episode 501. Cheering? (2)

Perfect!

Bottom of the 9th inning, two outs. The batted ball of Seong Tae-hyung, the 7th batter, falls in front of right field at high speed, creating a base loaded. Kim Jong-hoon, who replaced senior Jin-cheol as a pinch runner, went around third base and ran to the 1/3rd point. Due to the third base coach’s dissuasion, he returns to third base with two outs and a runner with the bases loaded.

“Nice!”

Seongtae’s voice can be heard all the way to the dugout. A golden opportunity that came with the combination of Jincheol’s double and Suho’s walk.

“Meng Hao, you’re okay, right?”

“Yes. “It’s okay.”

The director tapped my shoulder and asked me a question with a worried look on his face, but I seemed to be really better now, so I nodded and answered what the director said. Well, in a way, it was natural for the director to be worried.

After eating yukhoe for lunch, I had an upset stomach, so I had to sit on the restroom throughout the game. To be honest, my stomach was still growling, but since I had already emptied everything, I was able to handle at least one at-bat.

“Okay. “Go and show me who you are.”

When I answered confidently, the director nodded, probably relieved. The director’s glance, reflected through the sunglasses, clearly showed that he believed in me.

“An old story.”

And I had no intention of betraying the director’s expectations. In particular, today’s game was an important one that depended on whether the series against JT would be a winning series or a losing series. Our team’s winning percentage this season is in the mid-700s even though we have only played about 40 games.

Our team had an overwhelming record against all teams, but oddly enough, it looked like it might be a bit out of favor by recording 2 wins and 3 losses against JT, so it was better to end this series as a winning series and set the opponent’s record in line. It was important. The winning rate is now over 70%, but in baseball, you never know when it might drop. In particular, they swept Hyunseong, a team in the fall baseball league, but if they played a losing series against JT, a team in the lower league, the momentum they gained when I joined could have been lost.

-Pinch hit number 8~! Ji Maengho~!

-Waaaaa!!!!!!!

When the stadium announcer called my name as a pinch hitter, a cheer that seemed to fill Jamsil was heard. Do you think the cheers will be louder than usual when you come in as a pinch hitter? After returning to the team after becoming the national team’s second baseman in the WBC, I had never appeared as a pinch hitter in a regular game, so this experience was new.

‘Then shall we give you some fan service?’

I walked into the batter’s box, swinging as if in response to the cheers of the crowd. Seeing the cheers getting louder with each swing makes me think I did a good job exercising. If I hadn’t exercised, where would I have been in the spotlight like this in my life?

“How are you?”

“… Weren’t you supposed to be unable to come out today? … Ha, Shiva.”

The catcher’s embarrassed voice is heard as soon as he enters the batter’s box. Usually, catchers don’t like to show their emotions to batters, but it seemed like he was very embarrassed to see him swearing in a low voice at the end.

Well, it was a situation where pressure couldn’t be avoided. Bottom of the 9th inning, two outs. The score is 1 point difference. And the batter is me, Ji Maeng-ho. It’s a situation where you can’t give a walk, but you can’t get a hit either. The battery had to aim for a hit here.

“I intentionally left the game as a pinch hitter in this situation. Hehe.”

Confirm the position of the infield while disturbing the catcher. Perhaps because the bunt hit he showed in his return game was impressive, the infield is slightly further forward than usual. It seemed like he knew that I was the type of guy who would bunt without hesitation in this situation.

‘Then shall we try pulling it in a little more? Mr. Rossby, what about the first pitch?’

‘The first pitch is a curve.’

‘Okay, it would be perfect to pretend to bunt.’

The pitcher standing on the mound is JT’s closer Yoo Han-yeol. This guy’s curveball has a velocity of 110-120 km/h, so throwing this curveball into the zone against me would be like asking him to hit a home run, so it was clear that he would go out of the zone. In that case, the ball is guaranteed, so even if you pretend to bunt, the count will not be disadvantageous.

“Ball.”

And the first pitch was thrown. As expected, the guy’s curveball came into a position where he could barely hit a one-bound, and when I laid the bat down, first and third base came running in a hurry. And again, a very short break.

‘Good, the infield is tighter than before.’

They must have thought that there was a high chance of me bunting because I was in bad shape. The infield is further forward than before. In this way, if you hit a hard ball, you are more likely to miss it because you are looking at the ball closer than usual. Even though my swing was not prone to ground balls, if a ground ball did come out, the infielder who was thinking of bunting was more likely to make an error.

‘If we do this, we can at least tie the score. What about the next ball?’

‘It’s a fastball.’

After showing a low ball, a high fastball. A classic combination. The pitcher’s fastball velocity was in the high 140s to low 150s, so it was quite effective. They probably judged that I was not in good condition because I showed a bunt stance on the first pitch. A strong will to press myself with force.

And the second ball thrown. I turned the bat to his ball without delay.

Ta-ah!

‘Ugh!’

A batted ball that continues to curve to the left while making a sound when it is hit well. However, I ended up applying too much force. Normally, I would have hit the ball inside the pole, but as I put pressure on my stomach, I put more force than usual, and the batted ball bends out of the pole.

“Foul!”

‘Fuck. If you make a mistake here, it will be a disaster. Relax as much as possible and take it lightly. Lightly.’

When I think of a catastrophe being broadcast live on TV, cold sweat runs down my back. A tremendous tension that I have never felt in the Korean Series or the Olympics comes over me. And when I get nervous, my stomach hurts again. I thought I definitely gave it my all…

‘Meng Hao, if you keep doing this, you’ll get screwed. Come to your senses!’

‘It’s a slider.’

‘Oh, I’m going to fucking take it out again. Let’s compete quickly. … No, it worked out better.’

Anyway, what we need now is not a big hit, but a light hit that can get the runner on second base. Set your target in right-center and get ready to hit the ball outside. Make the bat as light as possible. When all preparations are completed, the pitcher assumes a pitching stance to make sure he is ready.

‘Throw it quickly, it’s a dog.’

The pitcher’s movements are slow, as if he is trying to make the most of 20 seconds. And now!

Perfect!

As the slider goes outward, he sticks his butt out and lightly touches the ball.

Perfect!

Probably the most ineffective batted ball sent to the outfield since meeting Rossby. As soon as the sound of the ball is heard, all runners have already started, and the batted ball lands in the vast space between the infield, which is pulled in preparation for a bunt, and the outfielders, who are near the warning track to prepare for long hits.

-Wow!!!!

The fans, who sensed it was over, were cheering and the center fielder and right fielder ran forward as best as they could. And I slowly run towards first base. … And the pain I felt in my stomach.

-Ji Maeng-ho! Ji Maengho! Ji Maengho!

“Mengho!!!”

“Fuck! It’s over!!”

“Ji Maeng-ho, you crazy bastard!”

You can see colleagues bringing drinks from the dugout.

“Fuck! Get out of the way!”

However, my speed running to the dugout was faster than that of my teammates running towards the dugout. As I run, I see my colleagues looking happy, thinking they are coming for a hug.

“What?! Where is this guy going?”

“Hey! Hey!”

“No, that bastard hit the finish line…”

“Brother! Brother! Where…”

I send Hyeonseong, who is trying to grab my arm, flying away. I felt like I heard a thud as the guy’s big body fell, but now wasn’t the time to worry about that.

“Get out of the way! Get out of the way!”

“Meng Hao!”

Past the dugout, the hallway, and the bathroom. As soon as I arrived at the door, I felt a pounding stomachache.

“Ha, fuck. “I almost got screwed.”

*

[Ji Maeng-ho’s hit! It falls in the middle of the right! The runner on third base is already home! Runner on second base! Home! Coming in! Ji Maeng-ho’s walk-off 2-RBI hit at the right time! Ji Maeng-ho was waiting for his chance in the dugout throughout the game! This game is over!]

[Ah! It was a position that couldn’t be held now! There was a lot of space in the infield and outfield! This position was difficult to catch even if the outfield was playing normal defense, but usually when playing against Ji Maeng-ho, the outfield is near the warning track, right? Then this batted ball is difficult to catch. Ji Maeng-ho relaxed and hit the team’s batting, and he is a really smart player. He knows when to strike lightly.]

[Ji Maeng-ho’s one-team spirit ultimately saves the team. AT Thunders record a winning series against JT Gold Eyes! We tie our record against JT!]

“Ugh! Ji Maeng-ho, that bastard again! Fuck! “I heard you’re not coming today!”

The AT Thunders, which currently has an overwhelming record of 33 wins and 11 losses after 44 games, was said to be an asshole if you check the starters carefully and bet if you don’t play Toto.

But at the center of the winning percentage was Ji Maeng-ho. In fact, AT’s dividends dropped in the game where Ji Maeng-ho was suspended.

And around lunchtime today. A man who heard through a group chat that Ji Maeng-ho would be absent due to an upset stomach placed a full bet on AT losing. He was a reverse, but a likely reverse. This is a situation where you can earn over 10 million won if you just win this game.

However, with one blow from Ji Maeng-ho, that dream was shattered.

“What the fuck, is it because this orphaned cub is missing his mother? “It ruins the future for others.”

The man, who could not hold back his anger, went to SNS and immediately accessed the home account of a Chinese beauty he had found somewhere as a profile picture.

-Maengho, it was great to finish today. This time, I want to go to the baseball field, but I don’t come out today. What are you going to do? I look forward to it with a sword in Jamsil. ㅉㅉ

-I should have pushed your mother down the stairs when she was pregnant so that no one like you would be born in this world. It was my mistake haha. What I would do if I went back in time: Ji Maeng-ho kicked your mother down the stairs when she was pregnant ㅇㅈ? ㅇ ㅇㅈ

-When there was a car accident, you should have died, not your mother and father, so I wouldn’t have to see something like this haha

He sent a DM to vent his anger, went into the community, and wrote insults about Ji Maeng-ho for a while. After a while, the man checked the notification that Ji Maeng-ho had received a DM.

“I don’t think this bastard will apologize. “Fucking bastard.”

The man was happy that his justified anger reached Ji Maeng-ho and reflected on it, and clicked on the DM sent by Ji Maeng-ho.

[email protected] :

I don’t know

“Aaaaahhh! This bastard!!”

An angry man threw his cell phone and broke the screen, but it wasn’t a big deal.