Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 257

#256. Success or Failure

“Are you really sure I can trust you?”

“Yes. So throw as much as you want.”

“Um, then the signals…”

“What are you worried about when we have PitchCom [a system allowing catchers to digitally signal pitches to the pitcher]? Don’t worry about useless things and get back to the mound. Let’s finish this quickly before your shoulder cools down, Ryan.”

The messed-up ground was cleaned up, and the Cubs’ offense resumed.

Two outs, no runners.

When I appeared wearing the catcher’s mask, not only Ryan but also the other fielders looked at me with puzzled expressions.

To be honest, I’m not 100% confident.

Now and then, before the regression, I wore a catcher’s mask thanks to the terrible Seattle catching lineup, excluding the starters, but that was already 10 years ago.

However,

Paang!

“Nice.”

Paang!

“A little faster.”

Paang!

No matter how I think about it, it seems like there’s no one in the dugout right now who can catch better than me.

The moment Sean Tucker’s swing, clearly intentional, hit Bruce’s head,

I made up my mind.

No matter what, I’m going to win today’s game.

“Play!”

The Cubs’ number 6 hitter looked at me with a strange expression.

Before I knew it, my mouth opened.

“Get those rotten dead fish eyes out of here and play baseball properly, you son of a bitch. Forget about going back alive today.”

I may be a rookie as a catcher, but trash talk is a different story.

* * *

Whoosh!

Paang!

“Strike!”

“Ooh!”

“Not bad? No, he looks better than Bruce?”

“No way? Anyway, it’s a relief. Oh my god, I was worried that all the catchers had disappeared, but this guy is so good at catching!”

“If you think about it, we brought in the league’s best pitcher, hitter, third baseman, and even a catcher for only $3.95 million!”

“Oh my god! God bless the Seattle front office!”

Ryan, who threw the first pitch to Han Su-hyeok, thought.

‘He’s catching well?’

A two-seam fastball approaching 97 mph, slower than Han Su-hyeok’s.

Han Su-hyeok caught that ball, which rotated backward and fell toward the batter’s body, without any difficulty.

‘One more of that ball.’

Nod.

The moment he received Han Su-hyeok’s sign, he nodded without realizing it.

A lead as if he had seen through his mind.

‘Well, that guy is also a pitcher, a better one than me.’

Ryan clicked his tongue as if he was bitter.

For the team’s championship, which was running first in the early season, for Seattle’s first World Series appearance, which he had loved since he was a child,

He was about to give up the ace position, which he had held for a long time and was like his pride.

Regardless of performance, he thought Han Su-hyeok was more suitable for the ace position mentally.

However, the answer that came back through the manager was a clear rejection.

The nominal reason was that he needed to conserve his stamina for pitching and hitting, but Ryan could feel that it contained consideration for him.

That’s why he doesn’t like it more.

Han Su-hyeok?

No, himself.

Ryan, who had lived with pride in his skills, was experiencing frustration for the first time through Han Su-hyeok.

The sense of defeat that he was pushed back by a rookie in his first year in the big leagues, the helplessness of being pitied by such an opponent.

But now is not the time to think about that.

An important game to break the team’s three-game losing streak.

In a situation where both of the team’s catchers were gone.

The one wearing the catcher’s mask in their place is none other than the most trusted teammate and rival, Han Su-hyeok.

Ryan threw the ball with all his might toward the mitt that Han Su-hyeok held out.

Whoosh!

Paang!

“Strike!”

* * *

– Commissioner, did you know?

– About what?

– That Han Su-hyeok can play catcher.

– How could I know that? I’m so surprised that I can’t even speak.

– Amazing.

– It is amazing. I told you before. A player like that comes along once in a hundred years. So don’t think too deeply and just enjoy it. Even at this moment, the time we can enjoy Han Su-hyeok’s play is constantly decreasing. Tick tock tick tock.

– I understand. Well, the top of the 4th inning, which had many ups and downs, is over, and now the bottom of the 4th inning, Seattle’s offense, continues. Seattle is still ahead by three points, 3 to 0, and this inning’s attack starts with the number 8 hitter.

– Well, the Seattle players have to cheer up. With two starting players missing, they have to somehow score more points. They have to set the table for Han Su-hyeok.

– The players probably know that. Then, we’ll be back after a short commercial break to see what kind of attack will unfold in this inning. This is T-Mobile Park, the home stadium of the Seattle Mariners.

* * *

“Josh, don’t be nervous.”

“Yes, Coach.”

“Good. Lightly. Focus on getting on base. Then go out.”

Josh Oliver, Seattle’s starting shortstop and number 8 hitter, stepped into the batter’s box with a nervous expression.

He doesn’t have much talent for hitting, but he secured the starting shortstop position with his stable defense alone, and he is now very angry.

Because of the injury to Bruce Matthews, whom he has trusted and followed the most since his rookie days.

‘Son of a bitch.’

What’s really frustrating is that he is also responsible for the rift between Bruce and Sean Tucker.

When he was first called up to the big leagues, and Sean Tucker was traded to Seattle,

Back when they were playing as shortstop and third baseman, that guy was particularly hard on Josh.

The verbal abuse and bullying that started in the locker room eventually continued onto the field, and that’s why Bruce and Sean Tucker even got into a physical fight.

Bruce just said that he was annoyed by what Sean Tucker was doing, but that was clearly an act to protect him.

“Play!”

That’s why Josh Oliver was determined to get on first base somehow.

He thought the best revenge he could do right now was to destroy the team that Sean Tucker belonged to.

Standing on the mound is Chicago Cubs’ ace, Tanaka Yamato.

He allowed Han Su-hyeok two home runs, but he is still showing the majesty of an ace to the other hitters.

Josh remembered what Han Su-hyeok had told him earlier.

‘Hey, Josh.’

‘Um?’

‘Listen carefully. No matter what ball comes in the first pitch, take a big swing and miss. And glare at the pitcher as if you’re upset.’

‘Swing and miss on the first pitch, glare… but why?’

‘Then the probability of the next ball coming in as a forkball [a pitch that drops sharply as it reaches the plate] in the middle will be about 50%. Aim for that ball.’

He didn’t understand what he meant, but he answered that he understood for now.

Even if he didn’t know anything else, he knew from experience that Han Su-hyeok’s words were all right when it came to hitting, no, when it came to baseball.

Whoosh!

Boom!

“Swing!”

“Fuck!”

He took a big swing that made his body turn around, just like he said.

Then, he let out a big curse as if he was upset, with a really upset heart.

“Damn it, the Seattle guys are all selfish.”

The Cubs’ catcher muttered something, but he just ignored it as if he didn’t hear it.

What’s important now is not arguing with this guy.

Get on base somehow.

Somehow,

Boom!

He gave his body a lot of strength as if he was going to take another big swing and glared at the pitcher.

And he started drawing the trajectory of the forkball that would come into the middle and fall in his head.

‘Don’t rush, watch the ball enough, lightly.’

If you don’t know it, it’s really hard to hit, but on the contrary, if you can know it in advance, you can easily hit the ball is a forkball.

Compared to the splitter [a type of fastball], which has recently become mainstream, the drop is large, but the speed is slow.

Deudeudeuk.

‘The timing is to match one, two, right?’

According to the timing that Han Su-hyeok taught him, after the ball left the pitcher’s fingertips, one, two,

Ttaak!

“Got it!”

“Nice!”

“Josh, you’re awesome! You’re the best!”

A clean right-field hit that went through between 1st and 2nd base.

Josh Oliver, who achieved the goal of getting on base, shouted loudly toward the dugout while stepping on first base.

“Han! You were right!”

* * *

‘You were right? What the hell is he talking about?’

Unlike the players who are pouring out tremendous anger towards each other after the bench clearing, Tanaka, who is focusing only on one person on the ground, Han Su-hyeok, looked at first base with a dumbfounded expression.

Seattle’s attack in this inning starts from number 8.

He was trying not to let a runner get in front of Han Su-hyeok, but in the end, he allowed a hit to the first batter.

He was hit by a player who only has a batting average of 0.235 this season, a player who doesn’t need to worry much about hitting.

‘Haa…….’

Seeing the batter running around as if he had the whole world just because he hit a single hit makes me sigh.

But now is not the time to just be frustrated like this.

He unexpectedly let the leadoff hitter out, but it’s not too late yet.

You can induce a double play, or you can tie up the runners with two strikeouts and then walk Han Su-hyeok and compete with Ty Johnson.

Of course, Ty Johnson is also a great hitter, but…….

‘Damn it.’

Whether you get killed by a tiger or a leopard, you’re still going to die, but shouldn’t you go in the direction where there’s a higher chance of survival?

Tanaka, whose head was complicated, gritted his teeth and went into the pitching motion.

A cut fastball that flows out to the outside.

Hoping that the ball will bring him luck.

But,

Tuk.

“Ahhh!”

“Second! No, first! First!”

The moment the surprise bunt that the next batter hit rolled and headed next to the first baseman, Tanaka’s head turned as white as a blank sheet of paper.

No outs, runners on 1st and 2nd.

The gates of hell were opening.

* * *

Ttaak!

“Out!”

The Seattle center fielder who was substituted was retired with an outfield fly.

One out, runners on 1st and 2nd,

Han Su-hyeok’s at-bat has returned.

“Shall we walk him [intentionally walk a batter by throwing four balls outside the strike zone]?”

“Are you crazy? Face Ty Johnson with bases loaded and one out? Are you saying we should throw the game away?”

“Then shall we change the pitcher?”

“Change? With who? Is there a pitcher you can trust more than that guy right now?”

“…Then shall we just stay still?”

“Are you kidding me? If you’re going to stay still in this situation, why are you a pitching coach?”

He barely held back from shouting, ‘Then why can’t you manage properly and just get angry like that?’

The Cubs’ pitching coach, whose face was red with anger, picked up the phone and contacted the bullpen.

“Report in the order of who’s warming up first.”

The Cubs, who are currently in second place in the National League Central Division, are actually one of the representative teams that are not performing as well as their power.

Expensive players gathered from here and there, bearing the luxury tax, and decent rookies raised through their own farm.

Nevertheless, the Cubs are still unable to move up to first place this year, following last year.

The only excuse was Ty Johnson until last year.

The excuse that the league’s best hitter is on the same division team.

But even this year, when he left, the Cubs are still in second place, pushed back by the old-timers.

“Let’s go as it is for now.”

“…Yes, I understand.”

It’s not that the current Cubs manager is incompetent.

He has the ability to discover good rookies, give them opportunities, and manage the entire team quite well.

However, there is one bad habit: when he encounters a choice between data and his own senses, he unconditionally believes in his long-standing senses.

That’s the situation now.

If he were the manager, he would have changed the pitcher right away and avoided Han Su-hyeok as much as possible.

The best hitter at the moment is Han Su-hyeok, no matter what anyone says, and the ace of this team standing on the mound is being brutally beaten by that Han Su-hyeok.

But the manager sitting on the bench right now is afraid of Ty Johnson, not Han Su-hyeok.

It’s not that he doesn’t understand.

Considering that he was blocked by Ty Johnson every year until last season and collapsed right before winning the division.

But no matter how strong the fear of Ty Johnson is, shouldn’t you avoid the hitter who is hitting over 40% and has over 20 home runs at this point?

‘It’s ruined again this year. Wait, is it better that way? If that human is fired, will I have a chance?’

The pitching coach thought that it would be better for the manager to be fired and for him to move up instead if things continued like this, and turned his gaze to the mound.

Tanaka Yamato, whose face was pale, was wiping the sweat from his forehead and looking at the dugout.

Could it be that he wants a pitcher change?

He probably thought so, but as long as the manager kept his mouth shut, he didn’t think he needed to step in.

He thinks it’s okay to let the manager’s incompetence be known on this occasion, rather than collapsing right before the top every year like this.

With all the other coaches thinking similarly, Tanaka Yamato, who had a tearful face, threw the first pitch to Han Su-hyeok while no one opened their mouths.

And,

Ttaaaaaaaak!

With an intense burst of sound as if the ball was splitting, the Cubs’ ace collapsed on the mound.

“Waaaaa!”

Was this a success or a failure?

The Cubs’ pitching coach, overwhelmed by an unknown strange feeling, closed his eyes tightly and turned away from reality.