Chapter 714 – Episode 701. 2027 Major League Opening Game. (2)

-[GiaTube] Yankees vs. Houston preview! We bring you vivid details of the opening match of ‘Ji Maeng-ho’!

2674 people watching. (LIVE)

“Hello everyone! This is New York! Hehe, actually, I got tickets for the opening game from someone I know and am I planning to go see Ji Maeng-ho play tomorrow! “If we meet at Yankee Stadium tomorrow, can you give us a warm greeting?”

┗I guess I got a ticket from Ji Maeng-ho ㅅㅂ

┗Jia, you don’t even hide it anymore… You decided to stay single for the rest of your life during the drinking show…

┗Wow, you guys also watch Jia’s broadcasts. Aren’t they just watching her because she’s cute and a baseball fan because she’s like a younger sister?

┗These guys are the most dangerous ones haha

“Why don’t you go see Seungcheol oppa play? Hey, I saw Seungcheol oppa too much during spring camp. To be honest, all the sweet water has disappeared. And, you know Ji Maeng-ho, right? It’s a cheat key for the number of views these days, right? The Show Raising Ji Maeng-ho also had quite a good number of views. Lol. So, let’s do a quick preview in preparation for tomorrow’s game between the New York Yankees and Houston Astros.”

┗ㅋ Ji Maeng-ho is getting a lot of views these days

┗But it looks like you got a good room? It’s a live broadcast in the US, but it doesn’t cut out often. Did you buy a computer there?

┗But the opening game isn’t tomorrow, right?

“Oh, indeed. We’re filming a video right now. Since we will be going up the day before the opening game, please tell us tomorrow as well. Well then, let’s get started. First, let’s look at the Yankees. The player scheduled to be the Yankees’ starter in the opening game is Gerrit Cole, whom you all know well…

…

Now, let’s take a look at Houston’s players. First, the player who will be on the mound in the opening game is Houston’s ace Hunter Brown. He is a powerful player with a fastball of up to 99 mph and a slider that has reached a top speed of 96 mph, or 154 km/h. He also used a cutter, curve, changeup, and splitter, but he hasn’t thrown the changeup since he threw the splitter.

Last season’s record was 14 wins and 10 losses in 32 games. He pitched 194.2 innings, striking out 201 and posting a 3.38 earned run average. Actually, Brown was even better 25 years ago, right? In his 25 years, he went 16-5 with a 2.51 earned run average while striking out 200 batters in 193.1 innings. Is he truly a Cy Young contender in the American League?

However, in an exhibition game, Ji Maeng-ho hit a home run! Of course, it wasn’t particularly important since it was an exhibition game, but you know that. What kind of player is Ji Maeng-ho? It will be worth looking forward to seeing what kind of performance Ji Maeng-ho will show against the major league ace.”

┗Look at his face blooming when he talks about Ji Maeng-ho

┗ㅋㅋ Is that now? I even followed Ji Maeng-ho’s induction ceremony, and it was 100 purge haha

┗Wow, but isn’t Jia’s height about 155? Meng Hao’s dick goes in? Isn’t it torn?

┗Sexual harassment, bitch. I just followed him because he was my friend. I’m not sure, so don’t spread rumors.

“Wait a minute, I’ll take this and leave. Under… Hmm, hmm. I’ll go again. In this Stove League, Houston strengthened its batting staff by recruiting Baltimore’s first baseman Mountcastle and Seattle’s shortstop J. P. Crawford. Now, let’s take a look at last year’s records of Houston’s starting hitters.

(G=game, R=run, RBI=RBI, H=hit, HR=home run, batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage/OPS, SB=stealing base, CS=failure to steal base)

C/Diaz

: 134G 83R 113RBI 159H 32HR 0.298/0.346/0.546/0.892

1B/Mount Castle

: 146G 81R 73RBI 141H 21HR 0.243/0.306/0.418/0.724

2B/Rtuve

: 151G 88R 85RBI 180H 19HR 0.292/0.349/0.462/0.811 5SB 3CS

3B/Morel

: 153G 90R 87RBI 152H 40HR 0.258/0.321/0.521/0.842 8SB 2CS

SS/Crawford

: 144G 92R 55RBI 157H 10HR 0.270/0.348/0.400/0.748 4SB 1CS

LF/Hamilton

: 129G 77R 56RBI 127H 21HR 0.233/0.304/0.407/0.711 11SB 6CS

CF/Dirden

: 153G 87R 70RBI 131H 22HR 0.216/0.291/0.396/0.687 4SB 7CS

RF/Tucker

: 151G 131R 118RBI 145H 43HR 0.253/0.347/0.552/0.899 24SB 3CS

DH/Alvarez

: 162G 101R 115RBI 172H 32HR 0.283/0.377/0.514/0.891 6SB 3CS

Wow, most of them have over 20 home runs, right? Of course, their batting average is not that high, but they are still capable hitters. Players to watch out for including legendary second baseman Altuve, catcher Diaz, who showed his best performance last year, and Tucker and Alvarez, who performed slightly poorly last year but have sharpened their teeth and prepared for the season, right?

It will be interesting to see whether these hitters will be able to hit a home run against Gerrit Cole, who allowed 21 home runs in 163 innings last year.

Well, see you tomorrow at Yankee Stadium!”

*

I glance behind the catcher and see Jia, who came to watch my game from the VIP room. Jia must have been looking at me too, and as soon as our eyes met, he waved his hand. After waving to Jia, he looked at the electronic display board.

Gerrit Cole’s speed on the electronic display board was 96.4 miles (155.1 km/h). As if saying that he was in good condition wasn’t empty talk, seeing as he had this much velocity from his practice pitches, it seemed like he didn’t need to worry too much. As I was watching Gerrit Cole’s practice pitching, the game started with the referee’s call.

‘After… I’m a little nervous.’

The Major League stage was my dream since I started playing baseball. When I was young, I dreamed of becoming a baseball player while watching Joo Hyung-jin and Kang Han-beom play in the major leagues. I can’t believe I’m standing on that stage.

Honestly, I didn’t realize it until I got into the game, but I could feel his heart pounding as the game started.

‘Are you scared?’

‘It’s not like that.’

Of course, I wasn’t scared or anything because I was now in my 5th year as a professional. I have also been on stage in the finals of international competitions.

To be honest, if I were to just say how nervous I was, would I have been more nervous when I debuted for the national team? I remember it was against Australia, and Park Cheol-young, who was the main player at second base at that time, was out due to an injury, and my career took off.

At that time, when I stole a base, I felt like my heart was going to explode…

‘There was a time like that… Well, let’s just focus.’

Houston’s leadoff hitter is left fielder Hamilton. Although he wasn’t a good batting average player, he was a hitter, so Cole threw out the first pitch carefully.

The first pitch is a 95.6 mph fastball. However, because it was hit low, the ball was called, and Cole threw the second ball in a row. The second ball is also a fastball… When taking a defensive position according to Peachum’s signal,

Ta – Aak!

Hamilton’s batted ball passes over me as a cheerful sound rings out.

‘Fuck! Starting with the lead hitter!’

Soto, who played in right field, cut off the ball, but Hamilton reached second base. From the top of the first inning, second base was immediately established with no outs.

‘He joked that he was in good condition… Ugh…’

“Fuck!”

And from the mound, Cole’s low swear words can be heard. The next batter is Altuve, the second batter.

Perfect!

Perfect!

Altuve continued to make foul balls and took the game to the sixth ball,

Ta – Aak!

I heard a cheerful sound and a fast ball was headed my way again. I quickly launched my body towards that batted ball,

Bang!

A shock that seems to pierce the glove is transmitted to the hand. However, the fact that the shock is transmitted means that it was properly caught in the pocket! I quickly got up and looked at second base. However, Hamilton had already returned home.

‘Kabi, it’s not enough to make a double play.’

It was a fast, straight hit, but as expected from the major leagues, the runner on second base judged the hit accurately. If it had been Korea, I could have been caught for fooling around…

Cole glances at me and touches his hat to express his gratitude.

“It was good defense. Ji.”

And a call praising my defense. Honestly, I think it was a defense worthy of praise. If he had gone out to the side, he would have conceded a point, but he extended the number of outs with a perfect dive.

“Leave the rest to me. Okay?”

Cole laughs in bewilderment at the sight of me tapping my glove. He was in a pretty good mood for a scorer, but it was a bit disappointing. He would have been best if he had caught the runner on second base…

‘But for now, it’s one out.’

Of course, there was no time to indulge in one-out. At bat is MVP contender Tucker. Because Alvarez was waiting at the standby plate.

“Base on balls!”

Battery made the match as difficult as possible for Tucker, creating a walk. Now the situation is 1 out, 1st and 2nd bases.

Perfect!

Although it was a critical situation, Gerrit Cole was Gerrit Cole, and he cleared Alvarez with a fly to left field after two pitches, quickly increasing the count of outs.

‘Did you say that guy hit 30 home runs for three years in a row?’

At bat was Houston’s catcher Diaz. He was a guy that was heavily discussed during the power analysis before the game. Starting with 23 home runs in his debut season, he was a power hitter who hit 30 or more home runs in all the years ’24, ’25, and ’26.

Perfect!

However, as if he didn’t care about that, Cole curved toward his body, and Diaz’s batted ball floated away and was once again caught by the left fielder.

“Good!”

Although a pitcher’s virtue is cool-headedness, Cole slapped his glove, seeming happy that he had prevented the crisis of one out and runners on first and second base in the first inning of the opening game. He said he was in good condition, and it was a bit funny to think about how confident he was before the game, but he couldn’t show that to the ace who had saved the crisis without giving up any goals, so he just went back to the dugout.

So he went back to the dugout,

“The defense was good. Ji. “I was a little anxious during training, but I guess I’m ready for actual combat.”

The judge once again praised my defense.

“The blow will be even more surprising, so I’m preparing.”

“Okay, let’s go. Are you ready to set the table in front of me?”

“I’m not sure about the dining table. “I’ll come back with a home run.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

In the bottom of the first inning, the leadoff batter is me, the number one batter.

‘After… It’s finally my first at-bat.’

A turn at bat with such anticipation.

“Hello.”

As befits a native of the country of etiquette in the East, I greeted the umpire and catcher and stepped up to the plate. Since it was my first at-bat, I wanted to take a clean at-bat, but I was a little disappointed that I couldn’t because it was a home game.

‘Mr. Rossby?’

‘It’s a first-pitch fastball. The position of the gloves is toward the body.’

‘Okay.’

And as usual, I hear pitches from Mr. Rossby. The first pitch is an inside fastball. Since the pitch that was hit to me in the exhibition game was a fastball, I thought that I probably wouldn’t throw it into the zone.

“Ball.”

‘Also…’

Speed ​​is 97.1 miles (156.2 km/h). It felt a little heavier than the exhibition game, but there was no significant difference.

‘Slider. Outside.’

‘Okay.’

And the ball Brown chose was a slider. When I saw it in the exhibition game, the drop angle wasn’t that big, but it was a fairly fast pitch.

Is this the perfect ball to aim for?

Brown takes a pitching stance. And then the guy’s second ball that was thrown.

‘… John Ahn!’

Feeling like he was coming into the zone, I went out to meet the bat following the trajectory he showed in the exhibition game,

Ta – Aak!

The batted ball flew toward the center fence.