Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 58

#57. Awakening

One of the few advantages a rookie player with little experience can have is that their momentum can change drastically depending on their mentality.

Of course, conversely, it’s also a disadvantage.

Most veterans who have reached a certain level try to maintain a consistent level of mentality without extreme changes, and they often see some effect.

Whether they hit back-to-back home runs the day before, or struck out in four consecutive at-bats, or even had a big fight with their wife at home, or their son is causing trouble.

Learning not to let such extreme psychological states affect their play is the know-how for veterans to survive in the pros.

In contrast, most rookie players cannot control their mentality at will.

That’s why rookies tend to swing wildly when they’re in a good mood, but once they fall into a slump, they keep digging themselves deeper.

[Bench Clearing Started by Beanball, Warriors’ Jang Deok-su Suspended for 1 Game and 40 Hours of Community Service, Derek Bell, Who Threw the Beanball, Suspended for 7 Games and Fined 5 Million Won]

Senior Jang Deok-su, who single-handedly dominated yesterday’s game, was suspended for one game and is out of today’s game. Instead, Senior Yong Ji-hoon will be wearing the catcher’s mask for the first time in a while.

In fact, this person can be called a first baseman in a catcher’s mask… well, there’s no other way.

Team manager Park Jae-cheol is running around in all directions to strengthen the backup members, but it seems difficult to match trade cards because the team has so few resources.

Still, I’ll have to trust and wait, as Seong-hoon hyung [older brother or close male friend] has set aside a generous amount of trade money.

Before the game, I asked Senior Jang Deok-su, who visited the team in civilian clothes, if he was okay, and he answered with a kind expression as if he had never been angry.

‘I’m fine. Soo-hyuk, you have to do community service too, right? We can go together after the season ends.’

Well, that’s what he said.

Anyway, I’m glad it ended with a one-game suspension.

In the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization], Derek Bell threw a beanball at his head, clearly tried to punch him first, and Senior Jang Deok-su’s actions to subdue him at once were judged as a kind of self-defense to prevent such violence.

Let’s memorize it.

Just don’t use your hands and feet. From now on, I’ll just grab their necks and plant a sweet potato on the mound… [a Korean expression meaning to defeat someone decisively]

Hmm.

Some people made ridiculous noises about the light punishment for Jang Deok-su, saying it was discrimination against foreigners or that the KBO was protecting the Warriors, but no one cared.

Ah.

I was talking about the change in a player’s play depending on their mentality, but the conversation flowed in another direction.

The reason I brought that up is that Ahn Chi-wook, who thought that the bench clearing happened because of him and that Senior Jang Deok-su was suspended, swung wildly today.

Should I say that his mental debt, guilt, gratitude, and anger towards Senior Jang Deok-su were converted into positive energy?

Incheon Rangers (Away) VS Seoul Warriors (Home)

Score 0:0 One Out

Rangers Pitcher Kwon Gil-yong / Warriors Pitcher Lee Young-joo

Bottom of the 1st Inning – Seoul Warriors Attack

1st Batter Lee Chang-mo

Ball

Strike

Ball

Strike

Foul

Swinging Strikeout

One Out

└Hey, why is Kwon Gil-yong’s pitch so good?

└Incheon really picked a lot of good pitchers. Is he their 4th starter?

└Our 4th starter is good too. Do you see Cheon Sang-jin as a pushover?

└It could be a one-game wonder, don’t get too excited.

└Didn’t you see the interview? I cried after seeing Cheon Sang-jin’s interview. Don’t you guys have any emotions?

└Already have fangirls?;;;

2nd Batter Choi Min-seok

Strike

Ball

Hitting

Ground ball in front of the 2nd baseman

Two Outs

└Wow… it looks like he hit it well this time, but it was completely eaten by the ball’s force.

└It’s not a fastball, it’s a two-seamer [a type of fastball with a slight horizontal movement]. Good angle.

└In the end, he failed to stack runners in front of Han Soo-hyuk again.

└If this happens, they’ll obviously walk him again.

3rd Batter Han Soo-hyuk

Automatic Intentional Walk

Advance to 1st base

Two Outs Runner on 1st

└ㅋㅋㅋ Now there’s even an automatic intentional walk.

└I think it’s because Han Soo-hyuk hit a double last time when they tried to walk him completely.

└That was really amazing…

└Anyway, Soo-hyuk will run again if this happens.

└Rage Steal

└But even if he does, the next batter is Ahn Chi-wook…

└What is the manager thinking putting him at 4th?

└Since Max is out with a finger injury, it’s either Jo Seong-oh or Ahn Chi-wook at 4th anyway.

└Then Jo Seong-oh would be better… Ahn Chi-wook seems to be completely lost these days.

4th Batter Ahn Chi-wook

1st Ball Ball

1st Base Runner Successfully Steals 2nd Base

Two Outs Runner on 2nd

└They’re not even throwing to 2nd base.

└I guess it means it’s over if they just catch the batter.

└But Han Soo-hyuk is really amazing. He’s big, but his start is amazing.

└So what? He’ll probably hit a ground ball to 2nd base again.

└Ahn Chi-wook really hits a lot of ground balls to 2nd these days. Why is that?

└His hitting mechanism itself is designed to go to 2nd base if he hits it right. The opposing team even puts a shift there, so he gets caught every time he hits it.

└Armchair expert.

2nd Ball Strike

└He didn’t hit that one.

└If he hits that ball, it’ll be another ground ball to 2nd.

└No, even so…

└I can see the result without even watching. He’ll hit another ground ball to 2nd and make a really unfair face.

3rd Ball Hitting

Center-Right 2-Run Home Run (120m)

2nd Base Runner Scores

Hitter Scores

Incheon Rangers 0: Seoul Warriors 2

└?

└??

└???

└Everyone who cursed at Ahn Chi-wook just now, come out and bow your heads.

└Who cursed at Chi-wook? Are there still crazy people like that?

└Wow, he pulled that completely close ball and hit it over.

└ㅋㅋㅋ Han Soo-hyuk’s home run is cool too, but his home run is amazing too. Is that what it means to fly like a clothesline?

└Actually, his launch angle is low, so a lot of balls that should be home runs become doubles.

└Hey, look at that. Ahn Chi-wook is crying.

└Soo-hyuk patted his butt, so he seems touched.

└They seem really close. It’s good to see two rookies hitting 3rd and 4th and getting along.

└Ah, when Hwang Seong-min was hitting 4th last year…

└Hey, don’t bring up that kind of guy, it’s bad luck.

“Ahn Chi-wook! Hey, good job! You punk!”

“Chi-wook, nice! Good job!”

“Yeah, you should have hit like that from the start!”

Today, manager Lee Dae-jun seemed to be thinking longer than usual when he was drawing up the lineup.

Starting catcher Jang Deok-su was suspended, and foreign player Max Walker was also taking a game off due to a finger contusion.

After a long deliberation between veteran Jo Seong-oh and rookie Ahn Chi-wook, he eventually made the bold choice to put Ahn Chi-wook in the 4th spot right behind me.

And it hit the mark.

Ahn Chi-wook, who was burning with responsibility and motivation due to the bench clearing that took place yesterday, was playing beyond his ability.

“Ahn Chi-wook! Yeah! I knew you could do it!”

“Thank you! Manager! I will definitely do my part for Senior Jang Deok-su!”

Hmm.

Team manager Park Jae-cheol and manager Lee Dae-jun.

In fact, they were the people who were chosen to clean up the rotten water that had been stagnant in this Warriors team for over 40 years [meaning to reform the team from its long-standing problems].

They are more capable than I thought. If manager Lee Dae-jun predicted this result and put Ahn Chi-wook behind me, I would get goosebumps.

Anyway.

That Ahn Chi-wook guy is coming to me.

His eyes are red, his mouth is drooling, and there’s an unidentified liquid on his left nostril.

“Hey, Han Soo-hyuk. Did you see that?”

“…Stop. Wipe your nose first. It’s disgusting.”

Ahn Chi-wook, surprised by my words, rushed to the dugout mirror and wiped the snot that was about to flow out, and came back.

“Good job. Keep doing that today.”

“If I ever meet that Derek Bell guy, I’m going to kill him.”

“You’ll lose if you fight him.”

“…Who said anything about fighting with fists? Baseball, baseball.”

“I don’t think you can beat him at baseball right now either.”

“…….”

I’m holding him back a little so he doesn’t get too excited.

Anyway, this is the advantage and disadvantage of rookies.

Once they get on a roll, they keep swinging wildly, and when they fall into a slump, they can’t get out of it easily.

Fortunately, while the opposing team is slowly trying to avoid me, Ahn Chi-wook’s hitting sense has improved for some reason.

Just having the batters behind me hit a few home runs will make it difficult for the opposing team to easily walk me.

Thwack!

“Waaaaa!”

“Jo Seong-oh!”

“Jo Seong-oh! Jo Seong-oh! Jo Seong-oh!”

“It’s over again! Senior Seong-oh hit it too!”

And if the veterans are encouraged by the rookies’ performance and perform like that, even more so.

Hmm.

The lineup, which looked bleak when I first entered the practice game, now feels quite weighty.

If Senior Lee Chang-mo focuses on getting on base in the 1st spot, Senior Choi Min-seok connects to me in the 2nd spot, and the three left-handed hitters in the 4th, 5th, and 6th spots put in a little more effort.

Can’t I make the dream of autumn baseball [playoffs] a little more concrete?

* * *

– Commissioner Go Dong-sik, April will finally be over after today’s game. How did you see the KBO regular season that has been going on for the past month?

– First of all, I want to say this.

– What……?

– I told you at the beginning of the season, right? Manager Lee Dae-jun, who got Han Soo-hyuk, will be the happiest manager in the world.

– I remember.

– That’s right. Look at the performance of Han Soo-hyuk in the past month of April. A rookie who just debuted hit 16 home runs in 23 games, excluding 4 games of suspension. Does that make sense?

– It’s amazing. I was surprised too. That’s why the 9 clubs have recently started to check Han Soo-hyuk so much.

– Yes, that’s what everyone expected. In fact, the Warriors’ team power is not very strong to support Han Soo-hyuk’s center line. Max Walker, Jo Seong-oh, Ahn Chi-wook… To be honest, even if I were a pitcher, I would walk Han Soo-hyuk first.

– That’s why Han Soo-hyuk has been actively trying to steal bases recently.

– That’s right. He’s appealing that he’ll run no matter what if he’s walked. He’s also an incredibly fast player, unlike his appearance.

– But the back line is…….

– Yes, even if Han Soo-hyuk creates a scoring opportunity, it’s over if the next batter doesn’t do it? Due to such severe mental pressure, Max Walker, Jo Seong-oh, and Ahn Chi-wook have been under tremendous pressure. Especially Ahn Chi-wook, who debuted this year.

– Nevertheless, manager Lee Dae-jun boldly placed Ahn Chi-wook at 4th today.

– That’s why I highly value manager Lee Dae-jun. What should I say, a gambler’s spirit? I’m a coward… Hmm, I’m sorry. I throw cards that I, a petty person, wouldn’t dare to try. But if some of them fly and hit the opponent like that? The opponent is also scared. Ah, this team doesn’t just have Han Soo-hyuk.

– Thank you for the commentary. Then I will continue to watch today’s game.

– You don’t need to see anything else. Watch the game focusing on Han Soo-hyuk…….

* * *

Incheon Rangers (Away) VS Seoul Warriors (Home)

Rangers Pitcher Kwon Gil-yong / Warriors Pitcher Lee Young-joo

Bottom of the 3rd Inning Score 1:3

One Out Runner on 1st

3rd Batter Han Soo-hyuk

Ball

Walk

Hitter advances to 1st base, 1st base runner advances to 2nd base

One Out Runners on 1st and 2nd

└If you’re going to do that, just give an automatic intentional walk. Why bother throwing four balls?

└I know he intentionally walked him, but why is the pitcher pretending to be upset?

└Look at Han Soo-hyuk’s expression. He looks so dejected ㅋㅋㅋ

└I’m sorry. Soo-hyuk… There’s no batter to set up behind you ㅠㅠ

└If there was just one sure 4th batter, they wouldn’t be able to walk him so openly.

└Hey, Chi-wook hit a home run earlier.

└I know that… but still, something something…

4th Batter Ahn Chi-wook

Incheon Rangers Pitcher Change

Kwon Gil-yong steps down and Ahn Hong-cheol comes up

└What? They’re taking down the starting pitcher already in the bottom of the 4th?

└ㅋㅋㅋ Did they get scared because Chi-wook hit a lucky shot earlier?

└Is this the time to laugh? The world knows that Ahn Chi-wook is weak against left-handers.

└Ahn Chi-wook’s batting average against left-handed pitchers is… 0.154

└I’m sure it’ll be another ground ball to 2nd base. I’m going to the bathroom.

1st Ball Hitting

Double to the right fielder’s side

1st Base Runner Scores

2nd Base Runner Scores

Hitter advances to 2nd base

One Out Runner on 2nd

Incheon Rangers 1: Seoul Warriors 5

└What is this? Is this a bug? Why did 1:3 suddenly become 1:5 when I came back from the bathroom?

└ㅋㅋㅋ Ahn Chi-wook’s timely double

└Why is he like this today? Isn’t he just someone who can’t do anything against left-handed hitters?

└Hey, look at his swing. The bat that used to spread out from behind is now stuck to his side.

└Oh… Ahn Chi-wook did that?

└Is he crying again? ㅋㅋㅋ Soo-hyuk is making fun of Ahn Chi-wook.

└They seem really close. It’s good to see rookies doing that.

└No. Rumor has it that Han Soo-hyuk catches Ahn Chi-wook like a rat [meaning he teases or bullies him a lot].

└Why?

└Because he’s so bad at baseball.

└That’s so unfair. It’s against the rules to compare him to himself;;;

* * *

“Kkuaaaaa!”

Ahn Chi-wook, who came home on Senior Jo Seong-oh’s timely hit that followed the 2-RBI double, roared in front of the dugout.

A roar as big and loud as his huge body.

The seniors who knew the meaning of it just smiled silently and patted the guy’s butt.

“You.”

“Good job. You’re doing really well.”

The eyes of the rookie are red.

I have never played a game to atone for someone or for other teammates like that guy. The fact that I’m obsessed with the Warriors’ victory right now may be just a personal desire.

That’s why I don’t know exactly what Ahn Chi-wook is feeling right now, or what the meaning of that roar is.

I’m just guessing. I’m just trying to understand.

Hoping that one day I can have that kind of heart too.

“Senior Deok-su! I! Will definitely… win! Watch me!”

“…Hey, Deok-su is sitting over there on the 1st base side. Look at that side and talk, not the sky. And don’t use weird language, it’s ominous.”

“Ah, that’s right. That’s the side. Senior Deok-su!”

Senior Jang Deok-su, who was sitting in the middle of the 1st base stands, waved at us with a chicken leg in his hand.

Ahn Chi-wook running to him and shouting, Senior Jang Deok-su nodding with a kind expression as if he knew everything.

And the colleagues who are smiling together while watching the scene.

“Work hard! Just do that! Then it’s done!”

“Senior Deok-suuuuu!”

In a brief departure from the fierce game, I am savoring the emotions that came suddenly.