Chapter 59 – Episode 59. There Must Be No 1st Nominee Who Can’t Even Hit a 2nd Pitcher, Right? (One)

“Hey, what is he like?”

“Who are you?”

“Ji Maeng-ho. You trained with him.”

“Baby? It was a monster.”

The veteran pitcher Jeong Jin-hong, who was chosen as the starting pitcher for the Baek Army, was afraid. I heard rumors about Ji Maeng-ho during the camp.

“Yumma, don’t be abstract like that.”

I heard it’s a monster…. When the answer he wanted to hear did not come out, Jin-hong brushed off Yoon Seong-tae, the shortstop of the Baek Army, who had been training together in the first group of the infield.

“First of all, Golden Horse’s power is almost that of Jincheol. I wondered why he didn’t play shortstop with his athletic nerves. Well, I like it.”

“Okay? How does your swing look?”

“Swing speed was brutal? What, are you still a high school kid?”

Yes high school students. Ji Maeng-ho is a kid who hasn’t even graduated yet. I’ve dealt with such kids countless times. Because District 2 was full of kids who had just graduated from high school.

For Jin-Hong, who spent most of his pro career in the 2nd division, except for when the team’s starting lineup was disrupted due to the team’s 6th and 7th selection, high school rookies were just a treat.

Dealing with high school graduates was simple. If you gently insert it towards the border line and throw a breaking ball, it will automatically swing and destroy itself. Especially after two strikes, the difficulty becomes much easier.

The biggest difference between a high school pitcher and a professional pitcher is control and the perfection of breaking balls. Incidentally, the degree of movement of the ball. If you are a rookie player who has never seen a professional ball for the first time, he has always been blocked by the professional wall.

‘Yes, a monster is just a high school student. Don’t be afraid, Jeong Jin-hong.’

But no matter how much he calmed himself, he couldn’t stop the trembling. Because the rumors I hear don’t make sense.

-‘That rookie is there. I heard that the exit speed is 200 km/h?’

-‘They say that when a ball hits a bat, it makes a cannon sound.’

-‘I heard that he was blown out of the rink by tee-betting?’

Of course, it was obviously an exaggerated rumor. Because there was no reason for such a player to remain in Korea.

‘Whoa. Jung Jin-hong, you have a mental problem. The ball is good, but this mentality that always loses! Crimson, please wake up!’

His own chronic disease that always loses to the hard hitter! He should fix it soon…. Jeong Jin-hong tried to soothe himself.

And when he got on the mound and caught the first hitter with a fly to center field, the tremors gradually subsided.

“Try number two! Second baseman, Ji Maeng-ho!”

‘What? Doesn’t it look like the plate is full?’

I have seen many hitters bigger than Ji Maeng-ho. However, the feeling of being hit no matter which way the ball was thrown was a feeling that only a tolerable pinch hitter could feel.

‘Dangerous… !’

It was a glass mentality, but the intuition that kept his professional life alive began to sound a warning. The catcher asked for an autograph, but Jinhong shook his head repeatedly.

‘Why don’t you throw a breaking ball even though you’re a rookie?’

The catcher’s words seemed to be heard. However, I had a gut feeling that if I threw a breaking ball, it would fly out of the field. Jin-hong continued to refuse to throw until the fastball sign came out. And the fastball sign that came out.

Body high fastball. A ball combination aimed at the swing trajectory of Ji Maeng-ho, an upper swinger. Only then did Jinhong nod his head.

And choke.

“Strike!”

With the sound of the cool wind, the first ball passed through the bat and safely into the catcher’s mitt.

‘Thank god.’

Jinhong was gradually gaining confidence.

*

‘Why did you wield that, you idiot!’

‘Ah, I was scared just looking at it. I know I’ve seen a pitcher like that once or twice. It took more than 10 seconds to throw the first ball. I’m sure he throws mainly on the border line and passes it as a walk, well. With that style, you have to start with a strike to throw the ball into the zone.’

‘Are you able to think that much? That’s amazing.’

‘I know who the real monkey is. I think this much too.’

‘If I had known how to think, I would have walked out.’

‘Then it’s no fun. It’s a ball thrown by a pro, so I’ll have to try it.’

As I told Rossby, I didn’t want to walk in my first at-bat against the pros. A pro is a pro, even if you’re a fucking pitcher you don’t even know the name of. I wanted to feel the taste of the bat.

Moreover, being a starting pitcher in the match with Cheongbaek means that he is one of the best pitchers in the AT Thunders’ second team. I didn’t want to miss this opportunity.

‘Now, I want to throw one into the zone.’

‘Slider. Outside.’

He’s a right-handed pitcher, so there’s no need to touch a breaking ball that rolls outward. I sent the second ball straight through.

“Strike!”

“Eh? This one?”

“Yes, I came in.”

‘I came in, you idiot.’

It seemed a bit far…. Before I knew it, I was already driven to two strikes. Putting it right into the strike zone in a one-strike situation. After all, is a pro a pro?

Normally, I would leave one out….

‘Fastball.’

“Cheek.”

I knew it was missing the moment I threw it, so I let the third ball go. Now the count is two strikes one ball.

A good count for a pitcher to bet on or throw a breaking ball.

‘What do you think?’

‘I think I’m going to throw a breaking ball.’

And for a big shot hitter like me, it was mostly a count for throwing a breaking ball. Why? I can’t handle it when I get two strikes and hit a home run.

‘That’s correct. Curve. The position of the mitt is towards the body, but be careful.’

The curve was a ball that I had a hard time training with Rossby. Besides, the pitcher’s curve in the waiting at-bat wasn’t that great. A ball you can hit!

The ball leaves the pitcher’s hand following a familiar trajectory, and flies to a perfect position as if it stops for a moment. And the moment I checked the position of the ball, my bat was already out to meet me.

Ta-evil!

Use the recoil to throw the bat. And slowly ran towards first base. Skip the ceremony since it’s the same team anyway.

“It was a good swing.”

High five with the first base coach,

“Wow, your swing is good.”

“What.”

Walk around the 2nd base base and exchange greetings with the keystone duo of the White Army.

Match-!

After a high five with the third base coach,

“Good job.”

I also exchange light greetings with Woo Kwan-hyung, who greeted me at home.

‘Group 2? There’s nothing wrong.’

Easy easy Although there was help from Rossby, it seemed like I could know the level of the 2nd group at this level.

‘I really want to see the first-team pitcher’s ball, but it’s a pity.’

If it was a real game, I would have been happy to hit a home run, but since it was a practice game, I felt more regret than joy.

“It was good. Maengho Ji. If this is enough, I can recommend it to the director.”

“Thank you.”

“For a moment.”

I was about to sit on the bench after saying hello to the 2nd team hitting coach who is coaching Cheong, but the 2nd team hitting coach called me.

“Yes?”

“What ball were you aiming for in a two-strike, one-ball situation and why?”

“Ah….”

I usually don’t ask about this when I hit a home run, but is it because it’s a practice game?

“Well, since it’s a two-strike one-ball, I thought the pitcher was more likely to throw a manned ball because the ball count had a margin of two. And the front hitter was caught with a curveball. So I thought I would throw in a curve that feels good today.”

Actually, Rossby told me, but I thought similarly.

“Oh, yes? For a rookie, you’re pretty crazy.”

“Thank you.”

“But don’t be cocky. First-team pitchers don’t throw curves that loose. If I had known how to throw it properly, I would have fallen lower.”

“Thanks for the advice.”

“Still, I like the process of aiming for a curve.”

‘Looks like you liked it. Judging from the way he speaks, I don’t think he’ll start with the second group.’

‘Is that so?’

‘Okay. Lucky for you. Scooping up that low ball.’

‘No luck. It’s a skill.’

Hehe, yes, it’s skill.’

It was Rossby who told me that it was coming towards me, but it was my skill that scooped up the low ball, so I wasn’t ashamed at all.

‘A shameless guy.’

‘Ah, maybe it’s because I’ve been training too much, so I don’t need Mr. Rossby anymore?’

‘Okay? Would you like to try it alone next time at bat?’

Chi, pouting. Sometimes Rosby is so sulky. But, well, it didn’t seem like there was anything to lose. He even hit a home run anyway.

‘Then I’ll see you next time at bat.’

‘Jackanapes.’

‘… Will you tell me the type of pitch?’

‘Go away.’

‘… Yes.’

Are you fooling around?

*

-‘Looking at how he swings high balls and low balls, I don’t think he has a zone of his own. But if you get hit, you’ll go, so be careful.’

Ji Maeng-ho’s second at-bat, second-team pitcher Lee Joon-seong on the mound recalled the words of Jeong Jin-hong, who hit a home run in the first inning.

‘Then I’ll just have to lure him in.’

Lee Jun-seong has already been in his 4th year and has not left a mark in the 1st team, so if he cannot show it here, his career may end after going to the army like other seniors. And if he’s going to break into the first team, he needs to be in good shape from the finish camp.

Usually, players who showed good performances in finish camp are invited to spring camp.

‘This is an opportunity. It will leave a good impression on the coaches. You can do it!’

Shuung. Phut! The first pitch thrown against Ji Maeng-ho happily gets stuck in the catcher’s mitt.

“Cheek.”

Write, is this a ball? But he didn’t even think to hit it. Is it okay?

‘What do you think? Is it different from Jinhong-senpai?’

Jeong Jin-hong is a skilled pitcher with a fastball in the early to mid-140s and several breaking balls, but he himself is a fastball pitcher who can throw balls in the late 140s even in November.

‘How are you, boy? It’s a ball I haven’t seen at the fresh high school level, right?’

The next ball was thrown, but Ji Maeng-ho did not respond. Although, of course, he became a ball. He didn’t even want to bat. Now the count is two balls, the timing to put in a strike. Seeing Ji Maeng-ho, who couldn’t even think of putting a bat on his ball, Jun-seong was filled with confidence.

‘Slider?’

‘Now he seems to be surprised by my ball. I’ll just go direct.’

‘It’s dangerous….’

‘Please trust me.’

After exchanging signs with the catcher, he chose a fastball for the third ball. The location is in-high (ball high toward the body). Although Jun-seong was not good at pitching, he practiced all year long and was confident in In-Hi’s ball.

And the third ball! The ball left Junseong’s hand and flew toward the strike zone at high speed.

‘Caught… ! All?’

Right! I imagined the ball happily sticking into the catcher’s mitt, but the reality is cruel. Junseong could only stare blankly at the ball that was already flying into the outfield.

“Please, get caught!”

Empty! The ball hits the wall and bounces off and goes into the glove of the left fielder. The batted ball was fast, so I quickly checked the position of the batter runner, feeling that I could block it with a single hit if I relayed well.

‘Where… ? Are you past first base already?’

Already between 1st and 2nd base. Even if the left fielder is Guerrero, it is already too late to throw. Junsung sat down.

‘How… ? Wasn’t it the first time I’ve seen redemption?’

The arrogant thing about Junseong was that he tried to hit a home run against a ball close to 100 miles away, and the unfortunate thing was that the in-high course that Junseong threw was the most familiar course for him.

Because I think that the upper swing is the weak point of the fierce tiger, and all the pitchers have thrown a high course! However, because he had monstrous strength and athleticism, he was a fierce tiger who could pass even an upper swing if he came into the zone.

“Nice betting!”

“Oh, if it was right, it would have passed?”

“What kind of fastball did he throw three times in a row? Hey! Do not mix the balls correctly?! Is this Home Run Derby?”

The words of the coach mixed with the words of the players.

‘It’s been a while this year. Should I go to the army….’

While Junseong was thinking about enlisting, Maengho, who was standing on second base, was smiling.

‘How about it? Did I win? A double without Mr. Rossby.’

‘You can’t turn a shitball like that into a home run with a double. You are still far away.’

Don’t force yourself! I wanted to say, but Rossby was right. It was an easy ball to hit, but I couldn’t pass it over the fence because I was thinking about a breaking ball and the timing was too late.

A sport where the difference of 0.1 seconds determines whether a batted ball goes over or not. Baseball was such a sport.

‘Tsk tsk, getting hit with a double by you without my help, is it really a country of monkeys? The level is uncivilized.’

‘Because I’m good at it! Anyway, after trying it, I felt like I could do it without Mr. Rossby’s help during the practice game? It’s nice that I’m definitely doing it alone, so I feel like I’m growing a little bit more.’

‘Either way.’

‘Okay, I’ll do it alone in the practice game from now on.’

‘If you try it on your own, you will find out how much you lack yourselfhehe. But don’t be discouraged by that. Because this body is by your side. I am an insignificant monkey! I’m already looking forward to the appearance of you guys who are going to drag onhaha.’

‘… Unlucky.’

The remaining matches were two matches, and it was Maengho who promised to erase that unlucky laugh.