Chapter 673 – Episode 660. Kang Han-Beom vs. Ji Maeng-Ho?

[No. 8 batter Jang Woo-jun’s hit! In the bottom of the second inning, with two outs, Jang Woo-jun hits!]

*

-Wow!!!

When a hit comes out with two outs, the Charlotte fans who have gathered like a cloud in Sajik cheer loudly once again.

‘I thought it was quiet at best…’ .’

It was definitely a library-like atmosphere until the top of the first inning, but after Kang Han-beom hit a home run, Sajik started to heat up again. So much so that even a single ordinary hit makes the stadium cry.

‘Even if I got hit by Kang Han Beom…’

To be honest, Bellingham’s pitching wasn’t that great. Is this the same as usual, blocking the batsman who will be blocked and hitting the batsman who will be hit? However, the problem was that among the hitters, Kang Han Beom was there.

Kang Han Beom. A legend of Charlotte and a legend of Korean baseball.

After returning to Korea in 2023, Kang Han-beom, who won the Golden Glove in the designated hitter category for three consecutive years, was showing his power this season as well.

Kang Han-beom’s records this season include a batting average of .303 and 1 ri, 26 home runs, and 110 RBI. Is it hard to believe that his grades are that of a man in his 40s? However, it was not that surprising because the batter who recorded such a score was Kang Han Beom.

Usually, when selecting the top 3 best hitters of all time in Korea, Kang Han-beom’s name is always mentioned. The debate over the top 3 best hitters of all time in Korea was a competition between Joo Hyung-jin and Kang Han-beom, with Choi Joo-tae, who is still alive in the majors, and Joo Seung-cheol, who hit Korea with over 50 home runs.

Me? Well, I was already on top of that debate.

Anyway, when baseball fans choose the best hitter, Kang Han-beom’s name is always listed, and sometimes Kang Han-beom is ranked higher than Joo Hyung-jin.

In other words, Kang Han-beom was a legend who needed no explanation, to the point where he was said to be the best hitter in Korean history, and as such, he was a player who could be said to be the soul of Busan baseball.

Since a home run was hit by such a player, it is natural that even a single ordinary hit would cause a stir.

And I didn’t like that atmosphere.

‘I need to step on it quickly next time at bat.’

Of course, in order to do that, this inning had to end.

As always, this time we focus on Bellingham’s pitching. When the ball comes to me, I can handle it at any time.

Perfect!

And, the batter’s batted ball rolls into the infield at high speed.

The location is near the second base, in the middle between me and Seongtae!

I took my step the moment I heard the hitting sound, but since the speed of the hitting ball was fast, I instinctively felt that I couldn’t catch this hitting ball normally based on my training and playing experience.

… Of course, that didn’t mean it couldn’t be caught at all.

Tuk. I feel a heavy sensation from the glove stretched out as I fling my body.

‘It’s late!’

But he also knows that it’s too late to get back up and throw the ball. Charlotte’s No. 9 hitter has feet

Because he was a pretty fast guy.

My choice here is… !

“Brother… !”

Opens the glove and flicks his wrist upward. A ball floating high and Seongtae’s shadow falling over me.

“… Out!”

And an outcall is heard from first base. It’s been 4 years since we joined forces. Seongtae did not disappoint my expectations and made the apology perfectly.

“Whew, if I hadn’t done this, I would have been killed today.”

“If you had left me alone, I would have caught it.”

“Bluff… Anyway, good.”

“You too.”

Tuk. After bumping fists with Seongtae, I opened my ears and found that Sajik Stadium, which had previously been shaking from an ordinary hit, had become quiet.

‘Tsk. I can’t believe I can’t enjoy this super play. … Well, I like this one too,’

For a moment, I felt sorry for the Charlotte fans who would curse even after seeing my fantastic play. I look around the quiet Sajik Stadium and walk to the dugout.

Now it’s time to silence him with a blow.

“Intentional Work!”

“Oh, fuck.”

“Huh? What just…”

“It’s nothing.”

… But Charlotte didn’t give me that chance. Swanson, who had hit Baek Jeong-jin, the leadoff hitter of the inning, and senior Sangju, the next hitter, chose to throw an automatic intentional walk in a two-out situation. I was annoyed, but it wasn’t something I could do about it.

“Safe!”

I just run to get at least one more point.

‘But Jincheol is not in a bad condition today…’

‘It’s a fastball.’

‘Okay. Senior! It’s a fastball!’

“Out!”

Of course, this method was not always successful. Even if he gave up 3 runs in the first inning, Swanson is Swanson.

‘Fuck, I guess I got the mentality right away that I’m an ace.’

… As expected, he was not an easy opponent as he was the ace of the team.

‘Well, let’s see how long I can hold out.’

*

[Bottom of the 4th inning, the leadoff batter is Kang Han-beom. … Kang Han-beom’s hit! Kang Han-beom records 2 hits in 2 at-bats!]

[Kang Han-beom looks to be in perfect condition today.]

[Now, Park Jeong-hyuk is at bat. Park Jeong-hyuk’s consecutive hits! No outs, runners on 1st and 2nd base! A golden opportunity comes to Charlotte!]

As always, the hitter who led the mood in Charlotte was Kang Han-beom. In the bottom of the 4th inning, Kang Han-beom, who came out as the leadoff hitter, created a hit to raise the mood, and Park Jeong-hyuk, who Charlotte fans consider to be the post hitter, gave solid support, creating opportunities for first and second base.

“Out!”

“Out!”

[Shortstop! Second baseman! First baseman! The AT Thunders create a picturesque double play!]

[Yoon Seong-tae’s defense was perfect, right? In Sajik, the player who makes a lot of mistakes is Seongtae Yoon, but today he is showing perfect defense.]

However, Bellingham was not such a soft pitcher either. Bellingham spent six years in Korea until this year. Bellingham was the veteran of veterans who had been guarding AT’s mound since the team was unable to participate in fall baseball.

When Bellingham first went to the fall baseball game, he showed signs of trembling because of his love for the team, but Bellingham, who had already won three times, had no reason to tremble in the wild card game, so the critical situation with no outs on first and second base required a double play. While inducing, it changed to 2 outs and 3rd base.

[Now at bat is No. 7 batter Yang Chan-woo. … Safety! 3:3, game tied! The game returns to square one!]

Of course, not being nervous didn’t mean you wouldn’t get a hit, so a hit after two outs tied the game. However, considering the crisis of 1st and 2nd bases with no outs, the score of 1 point was not a large score.

In addition, the atmosphere that had been burning in the batting order of Kang Han-beom and Park Jung-hyuk seemed to be poured cold water by a double play, so although they gave up one point, it was enough to raise the team’s morale.

“Out!”

“Okay, I stopped it cheaply.”

[… In the top of the 5th inning, the AT Thunders’ leadoff hitter is Jeong Hwi-cheol. … Out! … Kim Su-ho’s hit! AT Thunders with runner on base with 1 out!]

And that flow was enough to stimulate AT’s batting lineup. Although the leadoff hitter was out, Kim Su-ho, who was playing the role of AT’s leader, succeeded in getting on base,

[… Baek Jeong-jin’s batted ball! It lands in front of left field! 1 out, 1st, 2nd base!]

Baek Jeong-jin continued the opportunity.

Perfect!

“Out!”

But Swanson is Swanson. Swanson caught a pitcher in a critical situation, and Ji Maeng-ho came to the plate with 2 outs and 1st and 2nd bases.

[Ji Maeng-ho at bat.]

[Uhm. As expected here…]

[An automatic intentional phrase appears. Ji Maeng-ho walks to first base once again.]

And as scheduled, Ji Maeng-ho walked out on purpose, giving Choi Jin-cheol another opportunity.

*

– Choi Jin-cheol! Choi Jin-cheol! Choi Jin-cheol!

You can hear fans chanting your name. Because it was the away stadium, Sajik Stadium, the sound was quieter than the home stadium, Jamsil, but it was clearly audible to Choi Jin-cheol’s ears.

Today, he was in the scoring range three times, including this time.

A timely hit with 2 RBIs at the first opportunity, and an out at the second opportunity.

However, in Choi Jin-cheol’s memory, the second at-bat where he was out was more vivid than the first at-bat where he hit a timely hit with two RBIs.

Of course, the second chance was more recent, but Choi Jin-cheol’s memory was not at the level of a goldfish, so of course it did not remain in his memory as strongly.

There is only one reason why my second failed at-bat is more memorable.

This is because the batter in front of him, Maeng Ho, walked to first base with an automatic, intentional throw.

‘This is the place to win.’

And Choi Jin-cheol felt it instinctively. This at-bat is the deciding factor of the series, no, of this fall baseball.

Choi Jin-cheol, who had been with Meng-ho for nearly four years and supported him, knew. If he can’t show in this at-bat, this will continue throughout the series and throughout fall baseball.

The final season with Maengho, who brought him the championship and made his baseball life beautiful. Choi Jin-cheol did not want the last image of himself to be remembered by such a fierce tiger as ‘a hitter who was like a burden.’

Therefore, all that is needed here is to prevent the opposing team’s dugout from ignoring Maengho in the future.

But at this moment, why does the image of my friend Kang Han-beom, who hit a home run in the first inning, come to mind?

Since his debut, he has been called and compared to right-handed slugger Troy Carr, and his friend and rival Kang Beom, who was once competing for the home run title,

Unlike himself, who could only produce a hit after receiving a pitch from Meng Ho, he hit a home run.

Choi Jin-cheol’s hands holding the bat are full of strength.

He wanted to hit a great home run like his friend and rival, Kang Han-Beom. He was Choi Jin-cheol, who had already hit close to 500 home runs in both the major league and KBA league, so he knew full well that the taste of home runs was very sweet.

Fall baseball and bases loaded. If you hit a home run here…

Just imagining it, the thrilling taste seemed to send a shiver through Choi Jin-cheol’s body.

‘… Come to your senses!’

However, Choi Jin-cheol pulled himself together.

What is needed now is to inform Charlotte and the coaches of the teams he will face in the future that behind Maengho, there is a batter who can call Maengho home. I knew as well as the taste of a home run that if I clumsily tried to hit a home run and got out, this would happen again in the future.

Therefore, Choi Jin-cheol held the bat briefly with his hands relaxed, as he had done all season.

[Swanson’s first pitch! Cheek. … Strike! … Cheek! Count two and one.]

So Choi Jin-cheol continued to wait for a ball that could produce a hit,

Perfect!

[This batted ball! Infield… ! Exit! Runner on third base goes home! The runner on second base also goes home! Choi Jin-cheol’s timely hit with 2 RBIs once again! Score 5:3! AT Thunders are ahead again!]

[If Charlotte has Kang Han-beom, AT has Choi Jin-cheol! Two players who were once rivals are breathing fire with their bats today!]

Although it was different from when he was young and had a burning desire to win while watching his rivals, Choi Jin-cheol still had a fighting spirit.