Chapter 824 – Episode 811. Master and Disciple. (4)

-Yankees win 10:4 over Cubs!

… The game between the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs, which attracted attention as a match between Ji Maeng-ho, who is ranked first in batting in the American League, and Bellinger, who is ranked first in batting in the National League, ended with the Yankees and Ji Maeng-ho winning.

In this day’s game, Ji Maeng-ho played well, going 2 hits in 4 at bats, 1 home run, 1 walk, 2 runs, and 1 RBI, while Bellinger went 2 hits in 4 at bats, and 1 RBI…

-Soto multi-home run explosion! Yankees 4th win in a row!

… The Yankees won 4:1 with Soto’s multiple home runs… Meanwhile, Ji Maeng-ho recorded 1 hit and 1 run in 5 at bats, and Bellinger recorded 0 hits and 1 walk in 3 at bats…

*

Unlike the first match, which was an easy victory, the second match ended with both sides recording embarrassing results. To be honest, in my defense, the Cubs’ starting pitcher yesterday was a 22-year-old pitcher who had only appeared in one game, and there was too little information. Moreover, even that one game was held in July.

Was it not just me who was underperforming? It was no exaggeration to say that except for Soto, who hit multiple home runs, most of the other hitters were tied up.

Anyway, unlike yesterday’s game where there were such variables, the starting pitcher for today’s game is Wicks, who has a lot of data. He was the Cubs’ ace who had consistently recorded 10 wins with an ERA in the 3-point range since 2025.

Of course, his performance wasn’t that good to be called an ace, but since the Cubs’ pitching staff was such a mess that Wicks was the only one who went over the required number of innings, it didn’t really matter if they named him the team’s ace.

Still, I felt like I could have a fair match with Bellinger today because my performance was better than our 5th starter, Singer.

On the first day, when I beat Bellinger, I was given a 6-point pitcher, so Rossby could be stubborn, but today, Weeks’ name value was a little higher in the starting matchup, so if I win by today, Rossby will have no choice but to acknowledge me. .

‘So you’re saying it doesn’t matter if I don’t help you today?’

‘Hey, it’s perfect!’

‘Hmm… For a guy who hit 1 hit in 5 at-bats to say something like that…’

‘Oh my! Mr. Rossby knows very well that batters just have bad luck on those days… !’

‘Well, that’s right. I’m a .400 hitter, so I’m not sure?’

‘I’m also a .400 hitter!’

Well, these days, he’s been going back and forth between .400 and .403, but a .400 hitter is still a .400 hitter. There was absolutely nothing to complain about.

‘That’s amazing. If someone had told me the type of pitch, I would have hit .500.’

‘Oh, don’t say nonsense. How do you hit 50%? Then, if we go to the Home Run Derby, everyone will hit a home run?’

‘Well, it’s an area that you can’t understand with your talents.’

… If it’s Mr. Rossby, it seems like he can really hit .500, so he ignores Mr. Rossby’s words and goes out of the dugout to practice his swing while thinking about the ball from Weeks, who is today’s starter.

Weeks was a typical starting pitcher, throwing an average speed of 93 mph (149.6 km/h) and a maximum of 96 mph (154.5 km/h), as well as a four-seam, sinker, change-up, slider, and curve.

And, as can be seen from his slightly slow velocity for a major-leaguer, he was a left-handed pitcher.

His style is to cover up his slow velocity with his control, and his key pitch against right-handed batters is a changeup, so I thought I could hit multiple home runs with Rossby’s help, but since he already said he would do it on his own, the best I could do was with him. All you have to do is think about the ball and swing!

As I swung the bat a few times, someone called me from far away in an unfamiliar voice.

“Ji! “Isn’t it a great swing today?”

The owner of that voice is Bellinger, who recorded no hits in three at bats, unlike me who had one hit yesterday. Moreover, seeing as the team was approaching the topic brightly after losing two games in a row, he was a person who did not fit in with Mr. Rossby, who claimed that baseball was war.

‘Of course, I’m better.’

“… You’ve lost two games in a row, but your speed is good, right? “When I see you talking like this.”

“Haha, I’m very interested in you. And, anyway, our team didn’t want to go this fall.”

… I get a little goosebump hearing that there is a lot of interest. If… No, let’s not think like this.

I suddenly remembered Krongs’ nightmare and felt unwell, but Bellinger was not like that because he was married and had a child.

“Well, other than that, I was in Muan yesterday, so is it okay to hang out like this?”

“Hanging out, I was studying by watching your swing. Was it a swing aimed at a changeup just now? A swing with a low angle is just that. “I’ll have to tell our battery about this.”

“… Please go quickly. And I’m just trying to get the timing right and take one swing at a time.”

“Wow, I praised you, and you reacted like this.”

“Praise?”

“The reason you can tell what kind of ball it is just by looking at it is because your form is so neat.”

… Do you usually recognize it that much?

Even though his performance over the past few years has been poor, it seems that the talent that earned him MVP honors at such a young age has not gone anywhere.

“But, Bellinger.”

“Huh?”

“Do you think you can hit .500 if someone tells you the type of pitch?”

“50%? That’s impossible. It is said that the better the hit, the better it becomes. Well, it’s simple if it goes over the fence, but there are balls that don’t go over even with free betting, so that’s impossible. And even if the pitcher throws the same ball, it is not exactly the same. “The person who says it’s possible has probably never played baseball.”

And when Bellinger, who has such talent, gave me a definitive answer, I felt like my stomach was empty. Anyway, Mr. Rossby doesn’t know much about baseball.

But why does he answer so kindly? Feeling something uneasy, I took a step away from him.

“But why are you like that…” ?”

“Just. I suddenly became curious. Then do you think you can hit 40%?”

“40%? I think that might be a bit difficult too? Didn’t Altuve not even hit .400 in the playoffs back then? The number of home runs may increase slightly. But why am I curious about that… “I’m sure you’re not suspecting that my grades are sign-stealing, right?”

“Oh, it’s not like that. Really, I was just suddenly curious.”

Dude, you definitely know the topic.

As expected, I was the one who would make Mr. Rossby attain Buddhahood.

“Then can I ask you a few things I’m curious about?”

“Yes, ask anything.”

I was in a good mood after hearing Bellinger’s declaration of surrender, so there was no reason why I couldn’t grant such a trivial request. Bellinger smiled brightly at my answer and asked me a few boring baseball questions, but I answered him sincerely.

Bellinger thanked me and offered to buy me a meal, but I declined the offer because I had to fly to Philadelphia after today’s game.

And honestly, I didn’t want to have a meal with the guy that Mr. Rossby had his eyes on.

After the brief meeting with Bellinger, time passed quickly, and it was time for the match to begin.

‘Good, I’m in good condition.’

I am in excellent condition because I once again realized that I am the only person who can help Mr. Rossby achieve Buddhahood.

“Ball.”

I even got the feeling that the ball Wicks was throwing looked as big as a watermelon.

‘Well, it’s definitely slow. At this level, I can see and hit.’

His fastball was a ball that was pretty good at corner work, but I feel confident that I can react well at this speed.

And, cheekily, he chose fastballs twice in a row.

… Even in the zone!

Ta – Aak!

As soon as I felt it was a fastball, I swung the bat, and a pleasant sound came from the bat. However, the launch angle was not the angle that would result in a home run, so I threw down the bat and immediately ran as fast as I could toward first base.

As soon as I step on first base, I head to second base and see my batted ball hit the fence and roll toward the foul line. The left fielder hasn’t caught the ball yet! As I made a large circle, preparing to turn toward third base, the third base coach yelled, “Sliding!” A voice shouting “Sliding!” Is heard.

And I followed the coach’s words and slid toward third base.

Along with the feeling of the base touching my hand, I can feel the feeling of the glove on my butt.

“… Safe!”

The result is, of course, safe. After standing up lightly, he shakes the dirt off his uniform as if this is no big deal. It was really fun to see Mr. Rossby’s expression harden when he saw me like that.

‘… ‘What, this much?’

‘… ‘Tch.’

‘Mr. Rossby, why are you surprised? I am not the Ji Maeng-ho of the past.’

‘Yes, I guess so. Compared to the days when I was crying and jerking off…’

‘Oh my! Why do you keep bringing that up?!’

‘Then you shouldn’t have done that.’

‘Sii…’

I felt like talking more with Mr. Rossby would interfere with the game, so I turned all my concentration towards the game. However, there was no need for me to focus on the situation of the game.

“Base on balls.”

Judge walks,

Ta – Aak!

-Waaaaa!!!

Because Soto hit a home run.

‘Wow, Soto is also Soto. It was sluggish for a few weeks due to the hot weather, but as soon as the weather got cooler, it started up right away.’

Seeing Soto, who had not had a home run in almost 10 games, hit 3 home runs in this series alone, made me think that he will be able to swing the bat without any pressure in the coming weeks.

So our offense in the top of the first inning ended with 3 runs, and the Cubs’ offense in the bottom of the first inning. Bellinger had a chance with two outs and a runner on first base, but the bottom of the first inning ended when Bellinger hit an infield fly.

After that, the game went pretty one-sided. Stanton and Volpi’s home runs brought the score to 8-0 by the time my third at-bat came, and in my third at-bat, Weeks, the starting pitcher, faced the Cubs’ Cuban rookie pitcher, Nabejar? Anyway, he is replaced by a pitcher with that name.

“Ji. Minor league records say he throws around 95 to 6 mph.”

“Okay. “There is no record of playing in the majors, right?”

“Yes, today is this guy’s debut. “Show me what the Major League is like.”

“Yes.”

For us, who boast the best batting lineup in the major leagues, bringing in a fresh rookie means throwing in the towel.

Ta – Aak!

‘Oh, fuck! ‘Isn’t this going to pass?’

And I congratulated him on his major league debut by hitting a huge first base hit. It was a mistake to walk slowly and not reach second base thinking it was a home run, but since the score was already 8-0, the atmosphere at the ground did not become cold.

“Safe!”

Well, they stole second base right away and there was no time for a fight. After that, we took advantage of Judge’s hit and headed home.

When the score was 9-0, Singer, who was relaxed, hit a three-run home run, but fortunately Bellinger was not hit by a hit, and the difference between him and me became two hits.

Even after that, the gap between him and me did not narrow. Although Bellinger hit a timely hit in my third at-bat, I had already recorded 3 hits in 4 at-bats, and my fifth at-bat had already arrived in the 6th inning.

Horton, another pitcher, is still on the mound.

Ta – Aak!

Feeling like something was slow, I caught the timing of the bat I threw out and pushed the ball to him, and the ball skimmed the first base like a bullet and rolled all the way to the fence. I ran straight to third base, and even before I got to third base, I saw the third base coach twirling his arms.

“Run! Run!”

Now the only place left is home plate. Nevertheless, the fact that the third base coach turns his arm… !

‘Uh?! ‘Have you not caught it yet?’

I was curious about the current situation, but I didn’t have time to look at the batted ball. If Mr. Rossby had been there at a time like this, he would have informed me of the situation… After a moment of regret, I threw myself toward home, and the catcher’s mitt tried to touch me, but I had already touched home plate.

“Safe!”

“Ji! You crazy bastard! “You can’t turn this into a home run!”

And Judge reacted deliciously to my ground home run. After high-fiving the judge and going into the dugout to share our joy, a thought crossed my mind.

‘… Wait, even if I just ran to second base, I was cycling… !’

A triple, a hit, a hit, a home run. However, it was disappointing because one of the hits was a single that hit the fence directly.

To relieve that disappointment, I swung the bat loudly throughout the rest of the game, but unfortunately, the double I was waiting for did not come.

The score when the game ended was 17:10. There was a tragedy in which Bellinger hit a grand slam, which narrowed the score a bit, but the game ended with our victory,

I was able to win against Bellinger, who went 5-for-7 with 1 home run, 5 runs, and 1 RBI, and went 3-for-5 with 1 home run and 5 RBI.

‘Mr. Rossby, you understand now, right?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I’m better than that guy.’

‘What…’

‘And Mr. Rossby’s best student is me.’

‘Hmph, do you know who my masterpiece is and say something like that?’

‘Ted Williams?’

‘You managed to remember it in your head.’

‘I know what you’re saying.’

It didn’t matter if one of Mr. Rossby’s students was Ted Williams.

… In the end, I will be the best.