Chapter 822 – Episode 809. Master and Disciple. (2)
‘Huh, that bastard?’
‘Why? Do you know someone? Oh, there’s no way Mr. Rossby knows anyone.’
‘Shut up.’
‘But I was surprised to see who it was. There are only kids taking batting practice. Well, I thought there was at least a woman.’
Mr. Rossby recognizes the man. Wherever Mr. Rossby’s eyes were, there were only men, so he honestly wondered who he was seeing. Because it wasn’t common for Mr. Rossby to react to a man.
No, I was very curious because it seemed like something that had never happened before.
‘Look at that bastard.’
‘Who? Bellinger? Why Bellinger?’
As I moved my gaze following Mr. Rossby’s words, Bellinger was there. Are you looking for a top player? But to say that’s not true, I have never shown this kind of reaction to players who dominated the league before my debut, such as Judge and Soto on our team, or Ohtani, Trout, and Acuña, whom I met at the WBC and All-Star Game, so I wonder if Bellinger is also seeing a ghost. I heard this.
The only ghost I recognized was Mr. Rossby, but Mr. Rossby also recognized the ghost that had been following Soyoung, so it wasn’t strange.
‘That kid’s batting form is the same as when I was at my best. ‘Leg kick form and swing trajectory.’
‘… ?’
‘Is that what I said? Hehe, perfect form. ‘Tell me that bastard’s record.’
‘I don’t know the details, but is he currently ranked first in home runs in the NL? I guess so? Was it also first in RBI?’
Although I heard about it during power analysis class, I tend not to remember batters’ records, so I only remember that I was first in the National League in most batting records, but I couldn’t remember the details.
‘What are you doing? Without even looking for it. Tsk tsk. This is why young guys… Is it okay if I say I don’t know? I will look for it and I will find it quickly and let you know.’
‘Yes? Ah, yes.’
Anyway, he’s an old guy. I shouldn’t be like that. Anyway, aside from sex, it was unusual for Mr. Rossby to want something like this, so I went into the dugout and looked through the power analysis papers to find Bellinger’s records.
‘Batting average of .301, 1 ri, 2nd place in nationals. On-base percentage of .379, 3rd in the nation, slugging percentage of 0.684, tied for 1st in the nation. OPS 1.063, 2nd in nationals. Score 109, 4th place in nationals. Hits 166, 3rd in nationals. RBI 144, 1st place in national. Home runs 48, tied for first place in the nation. WAR 8.0, 3rd overall in Major League Baseball. This is kind of okay. Because it’s right after me and Otani. But, there’s nothing special other than WAR, right?’
He was honestly pretty good, but he was a top 4 or 5 hitter overall, including the American League. Is it difficult to get Mr. Rossby’s attention?
Hehe.’
‘But why is Mr. Rossby smiling so much?’
But Mr. Rossby is laughing so happily that Bellinger is achieving good results. It was incomprehensible. It was rare to see Mr. Rossby smile so cheerfully, except when he was fucking a pretty girl.
Haha. After all, I wasn’t wrong!’
‘Yes?! What is that all of a sudden?’
‘Hehe, didn’t you see it too? To achieve that level of performance with this body’s striking form. Well, if I could fight as well as I do, I would have already surpassed you and become number one in the major league. Just imitating the batting form is that much. ‘It’s a good enough score.’
…
Something is stirring in my chest. I think something like this happened once before…
Who was it? I don’t remember much, but there was an incident in Korea where I complimented someone’s swing. But even then, it wasn’t such high praise.
It didn’t seem like a big deal to me, but since Mr. Rossby was also human, this was something that could not be helped.
As people get older, they tend to lose their intelligence, and since Mr. Rossby was the oldest person in the world, he was almost in a state of dementia, so it was not strange for him to make such foolish remarks.
‘… If you liked it that much, why would you follow that person?’
‘Hehe, I’d like to do that if I could.’
‘…’
‘What is it?’
‘Watch today.’
‘Huh? ‘What.’
‘I tell you to just stay still and watch today. ‘Who is better?’
‘Haha, do you think you can get along without me?’
‘Mr. Rossby, do you think you can beat me with a batting form from 100 years ago? This form was created by Mr. Rossby and me together. Mr. Rossby also said there was no need for a leg kick.’
‘Hmph, that’s because I’m trying to accommodate you. I was able to do that with my original batting form. That guy is proving it. Tsk, if only you had a little more talent, you could have used my batting form…’
Under… It comes out like this, right?
To be honest, I was a little anxious because it was my first time hitting a ball in the major league without Mr. Rossby’s help, but I wasn’t too worried. Last year, I practiced hitting on my own for almost half a season, and the Chicago Cubs pitchers were no better than shit.
In particular, Welch’s 4th starting pitcher in this series had an average of 6.70 in 49.2 innings, and the Cubs’ 5th starting pitcher, who will be in tomorrow’s starting rotation, kept changing, so it was hard to know who they were. In addition, Weeks, the Cubs’ ace who started on the last day, had 9 wins and was in the late 3-point range, so compared to other teams’ aces, he was definitely a piece of shit.
The bullpens were also at the same level.
In other words, it was very easy to beat a bastard like Bellinger even without Mr. Rossby’s help.
No, I didn’t need Mr. Rossby’s help.
‘Bellinger, you fell behind today.’
*
“Today, I will absolutely block Bellinger.”
“… Huh? Ha, I was planning on stopping it even if you didn’t ask for it.”
Before the game started, Rodon, who is scheduled to take the mound as the Yankees’ starting pitcher today, nodded his head in response to Ji Maeng-ho’s request to block the opposing batters as usual.
“I believe it. Rodon.”
‘Why are you so serious… ?’
However, the momentum felt by Ji Maeng-ho was different from usual. Does he seem more serious than usual?
The moment Bellinger hits a home run, it feels like something that shouldn’t happen will happen…
At that feeling, Rodon just nodded his head.
‘Ji’s condition is unusual today. Did you come to see your family?’
Rodon always did his best, but today he felt like he had to do his best even more, so he looked at the power analysis sheet one more time before entering the game, and before he knew it, it was time for the game to start.
Since the visiting team, the Yankees, attacked in the top of the first inning, Rodon had a little more time left, but Rodon turned his head from the paper and looked at the ground. Just as important as doing his power analysis is reading the air on the ground.
Rodon watched the game with anticipation as to how it would play out today. As always, the leadoff hitter is Ji Maeng-ho, the Yankees’ number one hitter. Since he was a guy who always showed performance that exceeded expectations, the expectations grew even more.
‘I’m looking forward to it because Ji is serious. Are you going to show off at least 4 home runs in one game?’
However, contrary to Rodon’s expectations, Ji Maeng-ho’s first at-bat went by in vain.
[Ji Maeng-ho’s batted ball flies high in the infield! Third baseman handles it easily and gets one out.]
Unlike usual, Rodon felt something strange about his swing, which did not seem to have the right timing for the breaking ball.
‘Wow, I used a lot of energy today. Is it really a special day? Did the whole family come?’
I knew that Ji Maeng-ho’s wives came to visit even at away games, but today it felt like their parents had come as they put in extra effort. Even if the wives came, it was a special thing for my parents to watch the game in person,
In particular, Ji Maeng-ho was a player from far away Korea, so this day, which occurs only a few times a year, was bound to be special for him. Rodon also had the experience of ruining the game when he was a rookie who had just debuted in the major leagues while trying to show his parents who had come to watch him play, so Ji Maeng-ho’s performance seemed like an unusual sight.
It is the duty of a veteran to give such advice. Therefore, as a veteran player who knew this fact first, Rodon felt that he should give advice to Ji Maeng-ho.
“Hey, Ji. Are your parents here? However, if too much force is applied, it may actually ruin the game.”
“Your parents? “I’m all dead?”
“… ?”
But all I get back is a shocking answer that my parents are dead. When Rodon heard this for the first time, his body became as hard as stone.
In fact, it was natural that Rodon did not know that fact. There were a lot of articles saying that it was a story of success from the bottom during the Korean era, but it was rare for Rodon to look for such Korean articles, and although there were a few articles in the United States, major-leaguers were too busy to look for such articles.
Moreover, since the United States was a culture that respected individual privacy, it was natural that such private matters could not be known unless they were mentioned first.
Of course, people in the know knew these facts because they said several times that Ji Maeng-ho’s unique sniping ceremony was a ceremony for his parents in heaven, but Rodon is a pitcher. Since he was not very close to others, he had no choice but to know that fact.
‘Somehow… ‘You didn’t have any parents.’
Looking at Ji Maeng-ho’s behavior, it wasn’t strange that his parents weren’t around, but a mistake is still a mistake. Rodon quickly handed over the apple.
“Sorry, Ji. I made a mistake without even knowing it. I’m sorry about that.”
“Are you okay. “It’s a bit old anyway.”
‘As expected, since I was young…’
“Still, it’s not really wrong. “I need to lose some strength.”
I don’t know what it is, but Ji Maeng-ho smiles and agrees with what he said. But that smile somehow seems pathetic. Maybe today is my parents’ death anniversary or something like that.
Both his own mistakes and Ji Menghao’s reactions. As expected, before today’s game started, I thought I should listen to Ji Maeng-ho’s request.
Even if that opponent is Bellinger, who boasts the best hitting ability this season.
Perfect!
[Bellinger’s hit! Exit through 1st and 2nd bases! In the bottom of the second inning, Bellinger succeeds in getting on base as the leadoff hitter!]
However, contrary to Rodon’s determination, Bellinger came out as the leadoff hitter as soon as the bottom of the second inning started and produced a clean hit, and Rodon had no choice but to turn his head as he felt eyes on his back.
‘… ‘What the fuck.’
There, Ji Maeng-ho, with a murderous expression on his face, was glaring at him. Words are like water thrown on the ground; once they are spit out, they cannot be picked up. The guy was pretending like nothing had happened, but he remembered his mistake.
And Rodon was able to realize. Now, this issue is not a matter of the pride of a veteran who does a favor to a young rookie.
‘… The moment I hit a home run, I die.’
… This was a matter of life.