Chapter 800 – Episode 787. 2027 Major League All-Star Game. (2)

‘Why are you so serious?’

This was my first time participating in the Major League All-Star Game. The atmosphere, which had been laughing and chatting until yesterday’s Home Run Derby, or even before the game started, changed to a serious atmosphere with no laughter as the game got closer.

If you look at the eyes of the other players, does it feel like they are preparing for the Korean Series? Of course, there were various events, so the fans were in a fun mood, but the players were not in that mood.

“Bro, is this what the Major League All-Star Game is like? Wasn’t it just like a festival atmosphere?”

To be honest, I was a little curious about this kind of atmosphere at the All-Star Game, which I thought was going to be fun, so I asked Seungcheol, whom I hadn’t seen in a while, a question.

“The All-Star Game here tends to be a bit like that. In the past, the league that won the All-Star Game received an advantage in the World Series, and it is said that that atmosphere continues to this day. “It’s not as scary as it used to be, though.”

“Then it’s worth it. Is it a bit like a tradition?”

“You can think of it that way.”

Well, I just do my job regardless of whether the atmosphere is good or not.

‘First, let’s eat the MVP and let’s go. Since winning the Home Run Derby yesterday was worth $1 million, the MVP award will also be worth about $1 million.’

To be honest, no matter how much I was paid, the unit was too big, and I left all of my salary to Soyoung and was using a card with no limit, so I couldn’t really feel how much my salary was.

However, $1 million was a somewhat realistic amount of money, so when I saw Judge receive $1 million yesterday, I thought my stomach was turning.

Besides, I have been receiving cards from Soyoung since I debuted as a professional, so does this kind of unearned income really feel like the money I earned?

‘If I win the prize, I should at least give it a gift. When I use a card, I somehow don’t feel like I’m living.’

When I was thinking about buying my girls gifts if I win the All-Star Game MVP prize, Seungcheol asked me a question.

“Hey, but did you see Zia’s live yesterday?”

“Zia? No?”

After the Home Run Derby ended, Jia went live for a review of the Home Run Derby and a preview of the All-Star Game, but I was busy having sex with other women at the time, so I didn’t have time to watch Jia’s live. Honestly, even if that wasn’t the case, I didn’t have time to watch the live show.

“Did you see my brother?”

“… I’ll tell you because I saw it. Did Jia have anything to say after the live?”

“Oh, nothing happened? But did you take care of it? Ugh. Since I don’t go to the Home Run Derby, I have some free time. Try your best to get selected next year.”

Well, Jia preferred facing or hugging more than usual, but since the position changed every day, there was nothing special.

‘But why are you saying this?’

Seungcheol is not the kind of person who would say something like this out of the blue…

‘Ah… !’

“What, were you aiming for MVP too? They were trying to keep me in check by making me confused. Brother, do you think such a modification will work? It’s a pity, but I’ll take the MVP prize money.”

“… Prize money? Ugh. What are you talking about? Just go. “He takes good care of Jia too.”

“It doesn’t work? “Go.”

My Jjambap has been around for several years, so there is no way such a shallow solution would work. Anyway, even though I haven’t seen Seungcheol in a few years, his talent has only improved.

After briefly saying hello to Seungcheol and his older brother, it wasn’t long before it was time for the game to start.

The game started with the American national anthem played in the husky voice of a famous male singer.

Since the All-Star Game was being held at Dodger Stadium, the top of the first inning was our offense, and National League starting pitcher Ohtani was standing on the mound, making practice pitches.

‘I think it’s about 95 to 6 miles… It seems like he is throwing it gently with less force. For now, I’ll just assume it’s 96 miles and go in.’

And Ohtani was showing off his good condition by throwing a ball at 96 mph (154.5 km/h) from practice pitching.

‘Did you say that the highest velocity this season was 161? If you look at my condition today, I’ll be able to see the fringe.’

Since it was an All-Star game, I did not do any special power analysis, but I had some basic knowledge, so I compared that information with Ohtani’s practice pitches and the conclusion I came to was that there was no disagreement that Ohtani was selected as the best pitcher this season. It was said that he was throwing.

It definitely seems like the ball is heavier than the last time we met.

‘Come to think of it, it’s been quite a while since I met Otani. Because the last match was the Olympic final.’

At that time, when I won the game with a bunt, I was able to feel the thrill of winning and the disappointment at the same time… When I see the guy throwing the ball on the mound right now, the thoughts of that time come back to me.

For reference, I didn’t know much about it, but I heard that the penalty rule was eliminated in the major leagues because I bunted and won in the Olympic finals, which attracted the attention of all baseball-playing countries, including the United States.

It ended so vainly that it caused a lot of backlash from fans.

Anyway, as I am about to have a rematch with Ohtani, it reminds me of the old days.

‘Would you like to provide some fan service and remind you of old times after a long time?’

Although the memory of the failed bunt is the strongest, the good memories I gained from Ohtani did not end there.

In that game, he stole a home run from Ohtani with a preview home run. To bring back old memories for Ohtani, as soon as he entered the batter’s box, he pointed his bat toward the left field fence, and Dodger Stadium was filled with cheers.

-Wow!!!!

My predicted home run success rate in the major leagues is currently 100%. Although I’ve only done it twice, it’s become a bit of a hot topic every time I’ve done it, and Yankees fans in particular like to think I’m the second coming of Ruth.

‘So, that guy has never hit a home run before.’

‘Stop slandering me, Mr. Rossby. I said I looked it all up on the internet? There was even a picture pointing to some kind of fence.’

‘Under… Frustrated. It’s frustrating.’

Anyway, where did I get older? Are you really more like a kid than me?

As always, Mr. Rossby’s useless words defaming Babe Ruth are listened to in one ear and out the other, and he waits until Ohtani gets a grip. And at that time, Otani extended his arm toward me, holding a four-seam grip.

-Wow!!!!

The cheers at Dodger Stadium get louder as the predicted four-seamer counters my predicted home run. And as if to prove that this was the home stadium of Ohtani’s team, the Dodgers, the cheers were much louder than when I hit the home run.

‘That’s fun. Mr. Rossby, is this really a four-seamer?’

‘Okay. The mitt is in the middle.’

If he had just thrown the ball as usual, I was planning to stimulate his PTSD with a bunt motion for the first pitch, but even though he showed such a performance, I couldn’t do that. I wanted to bring joy to the fans who came to the stadium, and I had no intention of becoming a laughing stock.

In fact, I was a little disappointed because if I shook it with a bunt motion, the likelihood of a better batted ball the next pitch increased, but I wasn’t scared.

After all, a four-seamer was a four-seamer.

Moreover, Otani’s main weapons are a sideways slider and splitter, also known as ‘sweepers’. As the four-seamer was good, the main weapon was effective against the hitter.

In addition, it was an absurd action for a pitcher who showed a four-seam grip to throw the ball out of the zone, and it was an action that did not match Ohtani’s well-known personality. Moreover, the catcher’s mitt was in the middle of the zone, so there was a high possibility that this ball would end up in the zone. .

Instead, it may be a bit faster as you throw it with all your might.

‘Okay, let’s try to fight strength against strength.’

And that was what I hoped for.

The foot of the guy who had climbed as high as he could hit the ground hit the ground, and at the same time, his arm swung like a whip. The ball felt heavy from the moment it left his hand, but I trusted my strength and swung the bat toward the pitch’s trajectory.

Even though I am 33 years old, my hands feel heavier than when I hit a home run in the Olympics. However,

Ta – Aak!

The moment the ball hit the bat, the cheerful sound that echoed through the stadium let me know that I had cleared the guy’s ball at the right time.

-Waaaaa!!!!!!!

As I was about to celebrate by pointing the bat at the guy in an exhilarating situation for the first time in a long time, Otani, who was standing on the mound, shook her head, smiled, and gave her thumbs up. And I was so dumbfounded by the simple movements that I lost the will to do the ceremony.

‘… ‘Hit a home run and act cool.’

… To be honest, I was a little annoyed because it looked good on me.

It feels bad, but a home run is a home run anyway. I slowly circled the bases and hit home, and my colleagues who were also selected as All-Stars and American League All-Stars greeted me.

“I didn’t want to see them when we were enemies, but now that we’re on the same team, I feel reassured.”

In particular, even though he is now fully recovered and playing shortstop, Seager, who had a broken nose, also gave me a high five.

“… Well, I was sorry at that time. Normally, when I turn my eyes, I can’t see anything.”

No matter how much a country thinks baseball is war, I didn’t want to come out strong against the opponent who first asked for peace, so when I offered an apology to Seeger, he smiled and tapped me on the shoulder.

“When you were young, you tried various things. By the way, Ji. How about coming to Texas when your contract with the Yankees ends? “The way you talk is just like the manager of our home stadium, so I think you’d fit in well in Texas.”

“… “I’ll think about it.”

With a recruitment offer to come to Texas in four years.

Of course, unfortunately, I didn’t want to go to Texas because I didn’t have the confidence to raise my children in a place where a rare human horse named Mr. Rossby was born.

Anyway, the All-Star game that started with my leadoff home run got hotter as Ohtani struck out Judge, Soto, and Alvarez three times in a row.

And in the bottom of the first inning, the National League offense.

Ta – Aak!

Ohtani, who played as the National League’s third hitter, hit a home run against Cole, who had two outs on de la Cruz and Acuña Jr., Leveling the game in the first inning.

‘… I’m a bit unlucky.’

Would I be more annoyed to see Ohtani scoring a point on his own after he responded with a smile after hitting a home run against me?

‘I’m not the only one who’s annoyed, right?’

‘I’m a bit unlucky.’

People tend to become wiser as they age, and with over 100 years of experience, it was clear that Mr. Rossby was probably the wisest person on earth, or rather, a ghost. Seeing that such a wise Mr. Rossby agreed with my thoughts, it seemed like my thoughts were not wrong.

As expected, I wanted to see Otani’s face distort while showing his kind smile.

But, unfortunately, my hope did not come true.

“What? Are you changing it already? “If I’m in good shape today, I think I’ll throw at least 7 innings.”

“What is it, Ji? “Didn’t you know that in the All-Star Game, a pitcher doesn’t pitch more than one inning?”

I wanted to see the cool guy’s expression distort after he gave me another point…

‘I haven’t even collected all the data yet… Ah, I wish I had seen a lot of pitches. If that was the case, we would have beaten the dog when we met in the league.’

You can’t believe you’re running away from this.

As expected, Otani was a bit of an unlucky guy.