Chapter 659 – Episode 646. How Was It?

Perfect!

Choi Jin-cheol’s batted ball floats high in the infield and the shortstop approaches.

“Out!”

This ends the inning.

After returning, senior Jincheol succeeded in restoring his batting average to around .300 by hitting hard. However, hitting .300 meant getting out with a 700% chance of being out, so it was not a result that was very agitating.

Moreover, the opposing pitcher was also a foreign pitcher, Swanson, so I had no choice but to return to the dugout with regret.

However, the good news was that Bellingham was in good condition today for the first time in a long time. Bellingham, who had been in poor condition during the hot summer, perhaps due to his age, had been throwing good balls since the last game when the weather was a bit cooler.

Bellingham, who struck out three batters in a row in the top of the first inning, lightly disposed of Goodwin, the fourth batter, with a fly to left field, and then struck out Kang Han-beom, the fifth batter, increasing the out count to two.

Now at bat, number 6 hitter Park Jeong-hyuk.

He was Charlotte’s only player selected to the Asian Games and a young hitter expected to win the first base Golden Glove someday. It is said that he began to take over as the starting pitcher at the end of last year, and I have also heard that he has completely established himself as the starting first baseman this season and is being pushed as a strong post hitter within Charlotte.

And living up to those rumors, he was proving his skills by hitting 22 home runs this season. He’s still no match for Siwoo, but when it comes to competing with Charlotte, he’s probably the only guy other than the strong tiger that I’m concerned about.

‘Well, the batting average is about .277.’

A match between a young hitter with a poor batting average but a good shot, and a veteran pitcher with skill but not the same pitch as before.

“Ball.”

Bellingham, perhaps aware of this fact, threw a curveball from the first pitch and watched the batter’s reaction. However, Park Jeong-hyuk watched the ball without moving at Bellingham’s curve.

And the second ball thrown. Kyeong-ho’s sign was a two-seamer that went toward the right-handed batter’s body, and Bellingham’s two-seamer went exactly where the catcher’s mitt pointed.

However,

Ta – Aak!

A batted ball flies with a cheerful sound. When I glanced back, the batted ball was flying like a clothesline toward the left wall.

‘Tsk… Still, I can still make up for about 1 point.’

‘… ‘The swing is good.’

‘Yes?’

As I was swallowing my regrets about conceding a goal, I heard a completely unexpected compliment from Mr. Rossby. The swing is good… I couldn’t help but be surprised because it was almost the first time such a compliment had been given to a Korean player.

The Korean players Mr. Rossby praised were, at best, Joo Seung-cheol’s final season or veterans who dominated the league? For such a young player to hear Mr. Rossby’s praise…

‘Tsk, it looks like my ears have degenerated. Well, for a gorilla, it has been able to understand humans very well so far.’

And Mr. Rossby spews out profanity as if he is embarrassed. One fact could be confirmed through this profanity. The fact that Mr. Rossby expressed sincere admiration.

Receiving Mr. Rossby’s praise means that he will be able to play in the major leagues someday. Of course, this is only when he continues to show swings like that…,

‘Are you a bit of a loser?’

A bastard like that can elicit such sincere praise that even Mr. Rossby would be embarrassed. Mr. Rossby’s praise stimulated something inside me.

‘Mr. Rossby. ‘Please watch.’

‘Yeah, what do you mean? Cheerleader?’

‘No, it’s my swing.’

‘You suck. Just focus on defense. Because it’s coming towards you.’

“Uh? Huh?!”

“… Out!”

“Ji Maengho, what are you doing? “Aren’t you concentrating?”

“Oh, sorry.”

He slightly fumbled the ball and created a close game at first base, but the top of the second inning ended with three outs anyway. After that, the game went on without much incident, with the pitchers from both teams handling the batters, and in the bottom of the fourth inning, with the score remaining at 1:0, it was finally time to show my swing to Mr. Rossby.

‘Okay, since I’m safe, I won’t skip it.’

There was no pitcher who missed me as I came to bat as the leadoff hitter, so the situation was perfect. It meant that the batters were unable to get on base.

‘Let’s go!’

‘Why is this happening all of a sudden?’

‘Okay, please tell me the type of pitch.’

‘You foolish bastard. … The first pitch is a fastball.’

As I came in as the leadoff hitter, the first pitch Swanson chose was a fastball. I waited for Swanson’s first pitch, ready to hit him as soon as he entered the zone,

“Ball.”

Swanson’s first pitch went wide outside and was declared a ball. The speed is 152 km/h. It was the fastest ball he threw today.

‘You’re throwing it with all your might, right? This kid’s highest velocity in Korea was around 154, so we’ll just have to keep him around that range for now.’

What you need to pay attention to is his splitter, which is his ultimate ball. Since he was a mercenary with good control, it was a bit tricky when a low-controlled splitter came in. There were times when a ball I thought was a ball came into the zone and I struck out sometimes.

So the best way is to aim for a slider or fastball that will catch the count. First, the fact that they didn’t send me out on an intentional walk meant that they didn’t want to give me a walk, which meant that a fastball or slider would come into the zone at least once.

‘It’s a slider.’

Fastball followed by a slider. It was an obvious pattern of a right-handed pitcher facing a right-handed batter, but since the first pitch was a fastball that went outside, I was a little worried about the location. In times like this, the only way is to just report it without hesitation.

Still, I wasn’t worried or anything because I’d been swinging without Mr. Rossby for a few months.

I got ready to hit the guy’s ball and waited for a few seconds. As the guy’s foot came forward, his hand swung.

‘It’s close!’

The scent of the ball near your body is felt the moment it leaves his hand. The moment it smelled that scent, the bat automatically followed the trajectory of his slider,

Ta – Aak!

A cheerful sound rang out from the bat.

‘Mr. Rossby.’

‘Huh?’

‘How was it?’

‘What?’

‘Just my swing.’

‘… ‘Bloody hell.’

As I walked forward while receiving Rossby-style praise for being so perfect, thunderous cheers poured in from the audience. It was clear that the spectators watching the game were also in love with my beautiful swing. When I glanced at Park Jeong-hyuk’s expression as he was looking at first base, I saw that he was also making a dumbfounded look as if he was in love with my beautiful swing.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“You can do it too.”

“… ?”

Even the generosity that boosts confidence in young juniors.

‘Wow, there really is no senior like this.’

I wanted to stay in Korea and teach him more, but it was unfortunate that I didn’t have much time left to teach him.

‘Instead, I will clearly show you what a beautiful swing is in today’s game, so watch and learn.’

*

[Ji Maeng-ho brings the game to the starting point! Score 1:1! And this home run is Ji Maeng-ho’s 60th home run of the season!]

[Wow, this player is truly speechless. In fact, this season’s pace was not that good, and of course, it was worse compared to Ji Maeng-ho’s previous years’ performance. However, in the end, he hit 60 home runs for four consecutive years, proving why he is currently the hitter who attracts the most attention from major league scouts.]

[And with this home run, you succeeded in joining the 60 home runs and 60 stolen bases club for three consecutive years, right?]

[A player who is this good at hitting home runs is also good at stealing bases, so… I feel like the world is unfair. If one player does well, the other players will feel deprived, right?]

[Haha, well, if I were to say this as a former player, I wouldn’t really feel that way. Rather, I respect it. When I was playing, I felt the same way while watching national team coach Joo Hyung-jin, and the players who are currently playing with Ji Maeng-ho are probably feeling the same way as me.]

[Are those emotions also what make players develop?]

[Yes. Joo Seung-cheol also said in an interview that he learned a lot from watching his junior, Ji Maeng-ho.]

[… Now at the plate is Choi Jin-cheol. … Out! … Strike! Out! … Out! Swanson allowed one run in the bottom of the fourth inning, but ended the inning by striking out the remaining three batters in succession! The game now goes to the top of the 5th inning.]

The 5th inning started after Ji Maeng-ho’s home run brought the game back to square one. The 5th inning, known as the inning that starting pitchers must be careful of, went by without any problems and the score was maintained.

And then the 6th episode started.

It was Charlotte who opened fire first.

[Leading batter on base! Second batter Park Hyun-seop gets on base with a walk.]

Bellingham, who felt physically strained as a veteran, began to falter first, and Charlotte did not miss the opportunity.

[Choi Won-seong’s batted ball! Second baseman in front! But the runner on first base has already started! Ball to first base! Out! However, he succeeds in putting the runner in scoring position. The situation is now one out and second base.]

[Run and hit operation was good just now, right? The batted ball went straight to the second baseman, but the runner’s start was very good.]

[Goodwin is now the number 4 batter at bat. … Out! Bellingham hits Goodwin with a fly to center field. And with two outs, Kang Han-beom comes to the plate.]

[This season too, Kang Han-beom is showing off his age-defying performance, right?]

[You’re right. Kang Han-beom won the Golden Glove in the designated hitter category for three years in a row, and he really doesn’t seem to age.]

[If the season ends like this, he is likely to win the designated hitter Golden Glove for the fourth year in a row, right?]

[As I speak, Kang Han-beom hits the first pitch! Kang Han-beom’s batted ball goes through 3 Yugan! Park Hyun-seop goes all the way home! Home! Coming in! Kang Han Beom scores the lead!]

[Kang Han-beom, you are truly amazing.]

[And at bat is No. 6 hitter Park Jeong-hyuk, who hit one home run today. … Park Jeong-hyuk! I hit you! This batted ball! Cut right and center! Kang Han-beom goes all the way home! … Ah! Out! Ji Maeng-ho’s home throw, which was broadcasted near the outfield, catches Kang Han-beom! Inning over! However, the Charlotte Blue Mariners scored the lead! Score 2:1!]

Starting from the leadoff hitter’s walk to Kang Han-beom’s timely hit. However, with Ji Maeng-ho’s fantastic throw home, the momentum of the AT Thunders, who allowed a point, began to revive.

[… With one out, Ki-Joo Ki comes to the plate. … Weather warning batting is over! Homer! The 20th home run of the weather warning season comes out in this important situation. Score 2:2! And Ji Maeng-ho comes to bat.]

With the unexpected home run, the score was tied 2:2, and Ji Maeng-ho came to bat.

‘Dude, they say I come at bat first? Should I skip it?’

Yang Chan-woo, who was wearing Charlotte’s catcher’s mask, sent a sign to the dugout with the intention of filtering out the ferocious energy felt by Ji Maeng-ho. However, the sign in the dugout is a sign to win.

Since it was an important game that could change the rankings, it was a sign that showed the dugout’s determination not to give even a single point.

Yang Chan-woo also knew that today’s game was important, so he knew that the choice of the dugout was reasonable, but

‘Ha, man, today is strange…’ .’

The catcher’s instincts were telling him to skip the batter.

Ta-ah!

And the results of ignoring that sense were disastrous.

Ji Maeng-ho’s bat swung in a beautiful arc, and Yang Chan-woo could only watch as Swanson’s ball flew toward the central fence, the deepest part of Jamsil.

[… Let’s go! Back-to-back home runs! And Ji Maeng-ho hits back-to-back home runs! Turn the game around in an instant! Good luck this time too! Ji Maeng-ho hits 8 home runs in the last 10 games!]

[Wow, Ji Maeng-ho’s momentum has become more scary in September?]

‘Mr. Rossby.’

‘… What is it?’

‘How was it? My swing.’

‘Fuck, then I’ve been teaching for a few years and I guess I’m terrible at it? Stop asking questions, you little gorilla.’

‘Good.’

Ji Maeng-ho was running around the field with a satisfied expression, and Yang Chan-woo, looking at him, could only curse at the coaches who did not ignore Ji Maeng-ho.