Chapter 575 – Episode 567. Ace vs Ace. (1)

[Two outs in the top of the 9th inning. The situation is 2:0. Maybe it could be my last at-bat… Bae Jin-young, the 7th batter, comes to the plate with the important task of getting on base. On the mound stands Silla’s closer Ryu Tae-hyun, who has saved two games in a row.]

[You must remain as calm as possible. This could be the last at-bat of the season.]

[… Ryu Tae-hyun’s 5th pitch! I hit you! This batted ball! Park Cheol-young! Rescue it! Throw to first base! Out! Three outs like this! Shilla Triggers, the masters of upsets, defeated Hyunseong Mad Cats and advanced to the playoffs! Shilla Triggers is now heading to Daejeon!]

[Hey, honestly, this series. The third-place team, Hyunseong, was expected to have the upper hand, but Shilla Triggers won 3:0. It’s amazing. A match between Hwasan and Silla. I’m really looking forward to it?]

[Then, with the news that Shilla Triggers advanced to the playoffs, the broadcast of Game 3 of the semi-playoffs held at Gocheok Dome ends here.]

*

-Silla Triggers completely defeat Hyunseong Mad Cats!

… Shilla Triggers advanced to the playoffs by defeating Hyunseong Mad Cats with a series score of 3:0 in the semi-playoffs. Shilla Triggers, who took the lead thanks to Kim Won-ho’s 8 scoreless innings and pitching, succeeded in taking a 3:0 sweep thanks to the excellent pitching of Show and Jelinsky, who were the starting pitchers in games 2 and 3. Park Cheol-young, who posted a .500 batting average and 6 RBIs, was selected as Series MVP…

-Who will be the starter for the first round of the playoffs? A battle between gods and spheres!

… Meanwhile, Seong Hyeon and Kim Won-ho are expected to be the starters in the first game between Hwasan Falcons and Shilla Triggers.

Sung Hyun is the best pitcher in Korean history, both in name and reality. This season, he allowed only 46 earned runs in 202.2 innings (1st place), with an ERA of 2.05 (2nd place), 18 wins (2nd place), 3 losses, and 169 strikeouts, explaining why he is the best. Proof of recognition

Kim Won-ho, along with Jang Woo-joo, is currently a pitcher who is considered the best starting pitcher in the league. He allowed only 50 earned runs in 196 innings (2nd place) this season, with an ERA of 2.30 (4th place), 15 wins (5th place), 6 losses, and 191 runs. He recorded strikeouts (3rd place) and proved his qualifications to challenge Seonghyun.

The two won gold medals at the last LA Olympics, ushering in a new golden age for Korean baseball. Baseball fans are paying attention to whose hand the God of Baseball will give in the match between veteran ace Sung Hyun and young ace Kim Won-ho.

┗The name is worth it haha

┗Honestly, I can’t do it for Seonghyun yet hahave you have been to a major haha

┗Sseu-eup Seonghyeon hasn’t been able to reach 150 degrees these days. I don’t think it will work for Kim Won-ho.

┗┗ㅂㅅ That’s just speed control, but I have no idea lol. 200 innings seems like a lot of shit

┗Veteran, left-hander, technical group VS Younggun, right-hander, orthodox group, it must be fun haha

┗But Kim Won-ho was interviewed at last year’s Olympics and said that he learned two-seamer from Seonghyun and flew around. If he fails here, he will shed tears of blood haha

┗┗Will the volcano fall? Haha. Aside from Seonghyun, Tinie Chae Jaehyun, Oz, and Kim Minjun, the starting lineup is just on a different level

┗┗ㄹㅇ The director there is Moon Ki-taek. He’s a jerk, but his directing ability is ㅇㅈ

*

“Hey! People who want to watch the first game, gather in the lounge! Ji Maengho! Where are you going?”

“Yes? I was trying to get some rest…”

“Watching baseball is relaxing. Why are you driving again? Yay! The opponent’s ace comes out, so the 4th hitter has to analyze his strength. Ji Maeng-ho is a must! “I guess the rest will come and see on their own.”

Fuck. Training ended a little early, so I tried to get some water, but I was caught by Sangju senior during that short time while I was changing clothes. Looking at the other team members, it seemed like the hitters were all gathered together to watch. Everyone, from Jincheol, the captain, to senior Gwanhyeong, the most senior member.

“Under… I understand.”

I couldn’t leave in that situation, so I texted Jo Eun and asked her to meet me after baseball, and then I walked to the break room. Honestly, I was curious too. A confrontation between Seonghyun and Wonho. Although Wonho’s name value was a bit lacking, I was a little inclined towards Wonho because he was the most difficult opponent I faced in the second half of the game.

“Hey, who do you think will win?”

“Game 1? Or a series?”

“First round first.”

“Me? “I think Hyun will have an advantage, right?”

“Okay? Kim Won-ho is also pitching well these days.”

“Oh, but he’s still a saint.”

And like me, other seniors seemed to be very curious about the match.

‘Well, I might meet you soon in the Korean series, so I’ll be curious.’

“Meng Hao, how are you?”

While the seniors were talking among themselves, they turned their questions to me.

“Me? I think Wonho will win?”

I didn’t really need to hide my thoughts, so I said what I felt.

“Okay? That’s surprising. Weren’t you strong against Wonho?”

“Well, is there a weak pitcher that I’ve played against?”

“… That’s true.”

“I met Hwasan in the second half of the year, and it seemed like Yonggi-hyung’s taste had gone down a bit. “I could just read the ball combination clearly, right?”

“Okay? I guess I’m still the same. Was there anyone you couldn’t read?”

“What…, It’s just like that.”

To be honest, one of the reasons for predicting Wonho’s victory was this ball combination. The volcano we met in the second half of the game was using a ball mix that was so sophisticated that we could immediately tell what kind of ball was coming even without Mr. Rossby’s help.

Well, I’m not sure if Yonggi hyung had a taste for it or if he instructed the ball mix in the dugout, but Yonggi hyung and Seonghyun, who accepted that ball mix, also thought there was a problem, so the evaluation had to be lowered.

Although Seong-Hyeon is the best pitcher in the country, he was a pitcher who made a living with his skillful ball combination and control of his pitches now that he was older, so that was fatal.

On the other hand, Wonho in the second half of the game was a bit difficult to deal with. First, isn’t it the highest level in Korea? He felt like he wouldn’t be able to get over the fence if he pushed against Wonho, so it was natural for him to lean towards Wonho.

“Then shall we place a bet?”

“… A bet?”

I’m a little scared of betting… When I paused slightly, other people began to voice their opinions.

“I’m Hyun-hyung! Still, he is a saint.”

“But are you betting on who will win? Or pitching performance?”

“Of course, who will win? Even if you throw well, you still lose.”

“Then I am a volcano. The power of a volcano is stronger. Si-Woo Choi, Yong-Ki Lee, and McD. “Cleanup sucks.”

“But aren’t Silla 1, 2, and 3 not that easy? “They are Kim Hwan-young, Lee Eun-chong, and Park Cheol-young.”

“Ah, Hwasan is a new guardian at the end.”

“Is that so? Then I am a volcano. “You bet on coffee, right?”

After a little argument, the weight of the other colleagues gradually tilts towards the volcano. To be honest, I would like to side with Wonho in a match between pitchers, but in a match between teams, I wanted to side with Hwasan.

Hwasan was a solid enough team to take second place in the regular season, and even if Yonggi hyung’s ball combination was poor, they could handle Silla’s hitters. Silla’s top batting line is called the national team batting line, but honestly, it was not easy to think that they could beat Seonghyun because all three were national team candidates.

On the other hand, Hwasa’s fourth hitter Lee Yong-gi was still one of the best hitters in the league, and third hitter Choi Si-woo was also ranked second in home runs with 38 home runs this season, so it was clear that it would not be an easy match for Wonho.

‘Hmm… As expected, volcanic power is strong. ’

In the end, after much deliberation, the conclusion reached was that the volcano wins. If it were a match between pitchers, I would have ruled in favor of Wonho, but the game was not played by the pitcher alone. Because baseball is where even a pitcher like Junhu can win 11 games.

“Then I’ll do it with a volcano too.”

“Uh? Are all the seats filled? If you call it a volcano, everything becomes a volcano. “You should go to Silla.”

… What? Have you already bet everything?

“Yes? Where is that?”

“Then why don’t you speak quickly?”

“Ji Maeng-ho, are you abandoning your friend? “Aren’t you close with Wonho?”

“…”

There are only one, two, three people gathered here… Fifteen people excluding me. All the batsmen were gathered except for a few reserve players who stayed and trained further.

If you set it at 7,000 won and drink 15 cups, it’s a whopping 100,000 won… Looking at the other players’ eyes, it seemed like they had no intention of changing anything. I sent a subtle look to Hyeonseong and Hwicheol, but they were both busy ignoring my gaze.

Fuck. It was clear that while I was thinking about it, other people were kissing each other. I don’t know about Hyunseong, but Hwicheol wasn’t the type of person to reject what I said.

No matter how small the amount, you can’t buy coffee for the boys! Even during training, I somehow won when there was a coffee bet, but I couldn’t stand by and watch my money being spent on that guy’s coffee.

“… Then, if I win, I’ll have fifteen drinks.”

“Wow, you’re so greedy.”

“No, honestly, I just made it for dipping! “I deserve this too!”

“A guy who makes good money only has coffee money. Okay, my brothers will buy me 15 drinks.”

Now all that’s left is to hope that Wonho wins!

‘Please, Wonho. ‘Save my friend!’

So, I started watching the match between Seonghyun and Kim Wonho, hoping for Wonho’s victory even more earnestly than when Wonho was on the mound in high school.

[At the beginning of the first inning, Shinra Triggers’ attack. Let’s start with the first batter, Kim Hwan-young. On the mound is Hwasan Ace Seonghyun. Break. Strike! The first pitch is exquisitely controlled at the outer borderline. One strike. The speed was set at 143 km/h.]

Seonghyeon’s first pitch was a 143 fastball.

‘Good. ‘The ball doesn’t look that good today?’

When 143’s buttball was stuck in the zone, I secretly clenched my fist, but the other seniors didn’t seem to think so.

“Hey, Hyun-hyung has a strong heart. “He just threw 143 on the first pitch in fall baseball?”

“If it gets stuck there, no one but Meng Hao will be able to hit it, right? There is no need to throw it quickly.”

Everyone seems to be amazed…

“… Still, it’s the playoffs, but I just threw hard and got 143, didn’t I?”

“Hey, Seonghyun, let’s watch him adjust his pace once or twice.”

I didn’t like that atmosphere, so I tried to tackle him right away, but Seongtae immediately marked me.

“… “You can only analyze it like that when you’re at bat.”

“What, dude?”

“… “No.”

[Body ball contest! I hit it, and the second baseman handled it lightly. One out. Seonghyun lightly handles the lead hitter.]

[It’s Seonghyeon, after all. Well, there weren’t any fans who were worried, right?]

While fighting with Seongtae, Seonghyeon lightly handles lead hitter Kim Hwanyoung. And the second batter, Lee Eun-chong, and the third batter, Park Cheol-yeong, were both out without exception, and the inning ended with a three-way strike after just seven balls.

‘Fuck, Seonghyun seems to be in good condition? The ball combination looks good too. Did they change it because it was fall baseball?’

[Now, it’s the Volcano Falcons’ attack in the bottom of the first inning. Kim Won-ho on the mound. You pitched 8 scoreless innings in the first game of the semi-playoffs, right?]

[Yes. Especially in the second half of the season, and in the fall, he pitches well, so he is also called ‘the fall man’ by Silla’s fans, right? I hope we can create a luxury pitcher match with Seonghyun today.]

Looking at Seonghyun’s condition, the only person I can really trust now is Wonho!

“Kim Won-ho! Fighting!”

Fifteen Hwasan fans looked at me like, ‘Why is that kid acting like that?’, But I didn’t care.

For my friend, for my money, this level of embarrassment was nothing.

‘Wonho, please show me!’