Chapter 587 – 579. Wall. (2)
The air of being the number one hitter you feel as you step on clean dirt that no one has stepped on before. The air feels quite fresh, perhaps because it’s been a while since I’ve felt it. However, before he had time to enjoy the air of being the number one hitter, Lee Yong-gi spoke up from behind.
“… Why did you come out as the number one hitter?”
Lee Yong-gi’s voice seems slightly sharp…
“Just like that.”
I just answered that voice. Of course, as I answered Lee Yong-gi, I didn’t just change my batting order to number 1 because I was bored.
My performance in the last two games was 4 hits and 3 home runs in 7 at-bats. .571 batting average, 2.482 OPS, and two-time Daily MVP. That was also the result recorded against Seonghyun and Tinie.
No matter what anyone said, Seonghyun and Tinie were a volcanic one-two punch in name and reality, and Chae Jae-hyun and Oz, who were waiting behind them, were also good pitchers, but Chae Jae-hyun was Seonghyun’s inferior counterpart, and Oz was also a pitcher who could be seen as Tinie’s inferior counterpart.〈 Br〉
But, at the point where Seonghyun and Tinie were robbed by me, is Moon Ki-taek giving me a proper fight? To be honest, I didn’t think that was very likely due to Moon Ki-taek’s messy personality. Therefore, he went directly to the manager and asked if he would like to play as the number one hitter, and the manager readily accepted my request.
Of course, even if he went out as the number one hitter, there was only the beginning of the first inning where he would definitely go to bat in a situation where there were no base runners out, but if the real Hwasan kids were thinking of a strategy of intentionally blocking the player with a base hit, even just this one time would have been a burden. There was no doubt about it.
If they were to use a strategy to filter me out with an intentional throw, this one opportunity was a precious opportunity to definitely score one point.
‘Mr. Rossby?’
‘Wait.’
And concerns about volcanic batteries are deepening.
‘Did you really try to filter it out?’
With that thought in mind, I waited for a few seconds, and eventually, as the pitch time limit was approaching, I heard Mr. Rossby’s voice.
‘Slider.’
‘I guess they don’t want to skip it. Okay.’
It’s been a while since I’ve faced Chae Jae-hyun’s pitch in person, and since it was the first pitch of the game, I needed to check how he was doing today, so I decided to watch the first pitch.
“Ball.”
His first pitch is a ball that falls from the outside to the outside. The speed stamped on the electronic display board is 131 km/h.
‘Is the slider like this? It seems to be falling slightly less than usual. Is it because it’s Chogura? Mr. Rossby, what about the next ball?’
‘It’s a fastball.’
‘Slider then fastball? Are you planning on putting it in and taking it out?’
I had to check the velocity of today’s fastball, so I decided to skip the second ball and wait for his ball.
“Ball.”
The second ball is a ball that hits high outside. The speed recorded on the electronic display board was 149 km/h. Chae Jae-hyun’s highest velocity was around 153, so it seemed like he was throwing at full speed from the beginning without even thinking about speed control.
‘Chae Jae-hyun’s pitch was a fastball, so I checked all the pitches. It would be nice to see a curveball or changeup, but you won’t throw it, right?’
‘Fastball.’
‘Okay.’
Since I checked all the pitches that were likely to be thrown at me, I waited for the pitch with the intention of swinging the bat when I felt it was in the zone.
“Ball.”
Jaehyun Chae did not throw the ball into the zone. The ball count after 3 balls is 3 balls. The meaning was obvious because Chae Jae-hyeon was not a pitcher who struggled with ball control.
‘It comes out like this, right?’
It was clear that deliberately throwing a pitch to the first batter was a strategy to show off and walk him. The batters behind me are left-handed seniors Sangju and Williams. Chae Jae-hyeon was a pitcher who was particularly strong against left-handed hitters, so he seemed to be thinking of skipping me and striking out senior Sangju and Williams, who were left-handed hitters, and not giving up any points.
“Base on balls!”
‘Well, if it comes out like this, I’ll have to do it as usual. It’s a good thing you came out as number 1.’
It was rude not to run when they had laid out a sign telling me to run this far, so as soon as I got to first base, I put on a baserunning glove and got ready to run.
‘It’s a fastball.’
‘Okay.’
“Strike!”
‘I filter out the first pitch lightly.’
‘Curve.’
After skipping the first pitch, which is a fastball, he starts at the timing of a breaking ball that the opponent cannot control. Left pitcher Chae Jae-hyun’s eyes widened when he made eye contact with me running, but all he could do was throw the ball toward home.
“Ball.”
“Safe!”
Easy safe at second base. Here, there was an option to inform senior Sangju of the sign, but Chae Jae-hyun is a pitcher who has a difficult time timing the pitch when faced by a left-handed hitter due to his unique pitching form.
‘It would be right to run to third base here. Mr. Rossby, what about the next ball?’
‘It’s a fastball.’
“Strike!”
Perhaps conscious of stealing third base, the battery calls for a fastball. I sent a sign saying it was a fastball to Senior Sangju, but Senior Sangju didn’t touch the fastball as if he was waiting for me to run to third base. Now the ball count is two strikes, one ball.
‘It’s a fastball again.’
‘It’s a fastball! ‘Senior!’
Two consecutive fastballs to senior Sangju. Now it’s almost certain that my stolen bases will be kept in check. Based on the data so far, it was clear that he knew that I rarely steal bases when I hit a fastball. However, that doesn’t mean you just throw fastballs in a row…,
Perfect!
It was an act of extreme disregard for Sangju senior.
The hit ball hit at the right time headed toward first base and I ran.
“Foul!”
But unfortunately the result was a foul. I take a step back to second base when the batted ball lands slightly next to the foul line.
‘What are you going to do now? ‘Can you deal with a meteoric riser without a curveball?’
In my mind, I asked Lee Yong-gi, who was sitting at home plate, a question, but of course there was no answer.
‘Fastball.’
‘It’s a fastball again!’
“Ball.”
This time, two balls, two strikes on a low ball. If the battery was going to throw a crystal ball, now would be the time. Do you throw a fastball in this situation? Honestly, it didn’t seem easy.
‘It’s a curve.’
‘Okay.’
And the selected ball curves. Even if they gave me third base, I could see that they wanted to catch the batter. There is only one thing for me to choose here. All you have to do is run to third base!
“Third base!”
“Ball!”
“Safe!”
Chae Jae-hyeon’s curveball fell low, and Lee Yong-gi threw it to third base as soon as he caught the ball, but he couldn’t catch me this time. With so much at stake, the result of this ball was ultimately 3rd base with no outs and a full count. And the infield defended forward as if they wanted to prevent one point at all costs.
“Strike! Out!”
We had the advantage, but unfortunately, Chae Jae-hyeon’s change-up caused Sangju senior’s bat to spin, increasing the out count by one. Now the batsman is Williams. The Hwasan infield was still playing forward defense as if they were going to prevent one point with a ground ball.
I look at the defense and take a step forward to get home. Check? There was no need to worry about that.
‘Fastball.’
‘Okay.’
“Safe!”
If the pitcher is holding the fastball grip, all he has to do is place his center of gravity on third base and return to base like he does now. Moreover, since he was a left-handed pitcher, avoiding third base checks was easier than expected. If this happens, there is only one check left.
I can feel the pitcher’s eyes slowly looking back at me.
But there was nothing he could do anymore. If I avoided the one remaining check, he would have no way to stop me even if I was 2–3 steps ahead.
‘It’s a curve.’
The owner, pitcher Chae Jae-hyun, and catcher Lee Yong-gi all knew that fact, so this ball had no choice but to go towards Williams!
Perfect!
Williams touched the ball lightly and made a slow grounder. And the moment the ball hit the bat, I was already running toward home.
“Home! Home!”
The urgent-looking infield voice of Hwasan desperately shouts a throw for home. But I’m already near home plate! I slid into the groove.
“Out!”
And the first base umpire’s out call is heard from afar. In the end, the second baseman who caught the batted ball gave up home and threw the ball to first base.
‘Okay, if you do this, 1 point!’
There are two outs, but the precious first point goes up on the electronic scoreboard. Our team’s starting pitcher today is Bellingham. This one point was big because he was a veteran pitcher who could run the game smartly even with just one point of support.
“Nice base running!”
“This guy is so fucking fast.”
“I’ll score you one run per at-bat, so let’s take it easy today!”
*
[… Choi Si-Woo’s batted ball! Cut right and center! Choi Si-woo all the way to second base! 2 outs, 2nd base! Volcano Falcons ready to follow! Ah…, You seem to be making deliberate remarks to Lee Yong-gi. Now it’s 2 outs, 1st and 2nd bases. … McD’s batted ball is high in the infield! Three out. AT Thunders finish the bottom of the first inning after facing five batters!]
“Whoa…”
In the bottom of the first inning, an opportunity arose with two outs and runners on first and second base, but Manager Ki-taek Moon let out a sigh as McD failed to score.
‘I should have followed at least one point…’
If Chae Jae-hyun completes the remaining out count, Ji Maeng-ho will have three at-bats remaining. Since that only comes in a two-out situation, in theory, he could end the game without giving up a single run the rest of the inning.
However, coach Moon Ki-taek also knew that it was an unreasonable request to end the inning with a perfect score and no runs, so all that came out of his mouth was a sigh.
“Out!”
“Out!”
“Strike out!”
The good news was that the top of the second inning ended with outs for 5th batter Yun Seong-tae, 6th batter Kim Hyun-seong, and 7th batter Baek Jeong-jin.
However, even in a good situation, there was something that caught Director Moon Ki-taek’s eye. The name Kim Su-ho, who was positioned as the number 9 hitter… Usually, if Ji Maeng-ho came out at number 1 or 2, Kim Soo-ho, one of AT’s key hitters who play AT’s top batting line or number 5, was positioned at number 9, the very back of the batting line.
The batting order is to place a strong hitter in front of Ji Maeng-ho, who was placed as the number one hitter, and take on the role of the number two hitter after the first inning… Considering that the batting line that follows after that are Ki Ki-joo, Williams, and Choi Jin-cheol, excluding the early part of the game, it is difficult to deal with the batting line consisting of No. 1 Kim Su-ho, No. 2 Ji Maeng-ho, No. 3 Ki Ki-ju, No. 4 Williams, and No. 5 Choi Jin-cheol. The batting order is complete.
‘Lee Soo-hyun, this fucking bastard is only showing off his talents…’
[… Bellingham blocks Volcano’s attack with a three-way retreat at the end of the second inning!]
Even as Moon Ki-taek was swearing under his breath, Hwasan’s attack in the bottom of the second inning was fruitless, and AT’s attack came in the top of the third.
“Out!”
With 8th batter Jeong Hwi-cheol out, the situation is one out…
‘Please, let’s block it with an out, Jaehyun.’
Moon Ki-taek was praying that Chae Jae-hyun would catch the out count,
“Base on balls!”
Kim Soo-ho received a walk, and the situation that Moon Ki-taek was worried about came. Ji Maeng-ho is at bat with one out and one on first base.
“Automatic intentional blocking!”
Although I was afraid of the batters waiting behind me, Moon Ki-taek followed the plan he had made before the game and ordered an automatic intentional walk, and the situation quickly became 1 out, 1st and 2nd bases.
[Now Ki-joo Ki is at bat.]
And at the plate, Gigi Joo. His batting average this season was .301 1/3, which was not better than the batting averages of 0.366 and 0.338 last year or the year before, but he was still a hitter who could not let down his guard and was in the top 10 in batting average.
One of the few batters in the league who can put pressure on a pitcher just by standing at bat… The pressure seemed to be spreading to Moon Ki-taek as well.
Ta-ah!
Did you feel that pressure? Or is it because of the pressure of the Korean Series stage? Chae Jae-hyeon’s ball was driven to the center, and the weatherman’s bat spun like a thunderbolt.
[Watch out for the weather! Right! Right! Fence! It hits and falls! Second base runner Kim Su-ho made it all the way to home! Ji Maeng-ho, the runner on first base, is on third base! All the way to home without stopping at third base! Home! Home! Three leaves! Ji Maeng-ho once again scores with his quick feet! Ki Ki-ju stops at second base! Score 3:0! And the situation becomes 1 out, 2nd base!]
The score gap widened to 3 points after 3 innings.
‘Tsk, today is over.’
Moon Ki-taek, who had advanced to the Korean Series seven times including this year, felt that this score was decisive. In today’s game and in this series.
Two confrontations with the AT Thunders in the Korean Series. Two runner-up finishes were getting closer and closer, and the fact that the result was inevitable weighed on Moon Ki-taek’s heart.