Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 282

#281. More Important Than Records

The intense early-game hitting battle suddenly subsided.

In the bottom of the 7th inning, with Seattle leading 6-3, Han Su-hyeok stepped up to the plate in the top of the 8th with two outs and a runner on first.

Unless something unexpected happened, this was his last chance to bat in today’s game.

Han Su-hyeok was just a single away from his second cycle hit since his major league debut.

[Number 2 Hitter, Shortstop Han Su-hyeok]

“Wooooo!”

“Just one more hit! Han! It’s just a single!”

“Flatten those Giants’ noses! Please!”

There’s no special prize, but a cycle hit is undoubtedly a valuable record for hitters.

A hit for the cycle, or more simply, a cycle hit, means achieving all the following in a single game:

Starting with a single, then a double, a triple, and finally a home run.

For a single batter to achieve all these hits in one game is proof of their combined power, speed, and accuracy.

In the end, all that remains are the records.

That’s why some hitters, when they only need a single to complete a cycle hit, might stop at first base even if they hit a ball that could go further, as long as it doesn’t significantly affect the outcome of the game.

And some hitters have even refused to touch home plate after hitting a home run when they only needed a triple.

That’s how coveted the record is.

“Woooooo!”

“Strike that arrogant bastard out!”

“Don’t let him hit it! Damn it! Just walk him!”

Top of the 8th, 6-3, a three-run difference, with two outs and a runner on first.

A situation where neither the leading team nor the trailing team can rest easy.

Should they really walk him, as the fans suggest? Or would that risk losing their last chance to chase the game?

The pitcher, with a complicated mind, threw a slider that drifted outside, thinking, ‘What the heck.’

And then,

Crack!

Han Su-hyeok made solid contact with that ball.

“Yes! It’s a cycle hit!”

“Giants, you sons of bitches, how does it taste!”

“Yeah, I’m glad I came all this way. I even got to see the moment he achieved the record… Huh?”

The hit landed deep in the right-field fence of Oracle Park.

As the lead runner rounded second, then third, and easily headed home, the Seattle fans suddenly buzzed.

“Why is he still running?”

The score difference had now widened to four runs.

In a situation where no one would say anything even if he stopped at first base, Han Su-hyeok started sprinting.

The Giants fielders, who were defending with the complacent thought that he would stop at first, scrambled to relay the ball, and in the meantime, Han Su-hyeok, running at full speed, reached third base.

Following that, Ty Johnson’s timely hit made the score 8-3.

The Seattle bench, now leading by five runs, could manage the pitchers with more ease, and the game eventually ended with Seattle’s victory.

After the game, Han Su-hyeok, who was selected as the MVP [Most Valuable Player], answered the reporters’ questions like this:

“Did you know it was a hit for the cycle when you were just one single away?”

“Of course, I knew. They were making so much noise next to me that I couldn’t not know.”

“Then why didn’t you stop at first base and keep running? Aren’t you disappointed about the record?”

“Not at all.”

Han Su-hyeok pointed to where the Seattle fans were gathered in the distance and said,

“I think we should always try to advance one more base on the field. I didn’t want to create an opportunity for the team to lose after the fans had traveled over 10 hours to watch today’s game. Records? Of course, they’re good. But more important than that is our fans going home feeling good.”

That night, Han Su-hyeok’s interview was broadcast across the United States via ESPN [Entertainment and Sports Programming Network].

Many people were moved by Han Su-hyeok’s interview.

Baseball fans who hadn’t voted yet, or who were looking for other candidates to vote for, and Korean baseball fans who heard the news, joined the voting.

As a result, despite the voting limit of a maximum of five votes per account per day, the votes for Han Su-hyeok began to surge.

* * *

[2030 Major League All-Star Game 1st Vote Count Closed, Seattle Mariners’ Han Su-hyeok Sets All-Time Record with 15.8 Million Votes]

[No upsets. Han Su-hyeok, who received eight times more votes than 2nd place James Taylor (2.05 million votes), goes straight to the All-Star Game without a 2nd vote]

[First Half Batting Average 0.430, On-Base Percentage 0.519, Slugging Percentage 1.004, 43 Home Runs, 101 RBIs, Monster Hitter Han Su-hyeok Rewriting Major League History, Will He Participate in the All-Star Game Only as a Hitter?]

[Seattle Mariners General Manager Daniel: “A player who pitches and hits is like a precision machine. We decided that throwing pitches in the All-Star Game is too dangerous, so we agreed with the player to participate in the Home Run Derby instead.”]

[Han Su-hyeok, who has hit 43 home runs in 88 games this season, what kind of results will he show in the Home Run Derby? Major League fans are paying attention]

[5 Seattle players pass the 1st vote, including Han Su-hyeok, outfielder Derek Fleming, first baseman Ty Johnson, designated hitter Antonia Garcia, and catcher Bruce Matthews, at a glance, the changed status of the Seattle Mariners]

“Hey, All-Star catcher.”

“Why are you calling me, All-Star outfielder?”

“Hehehe.”

“Hehehehe.”

In the Seattle locker room before the second game against the San Francisco Giants, Derek Fleming and Bruce Matthews, who passed the first round of All-Star voting, patted each other on the shoulders and laughed heartily.

The fact that Seattle players’ names were on 5 of the 9 positions excluding pitchers was a measure of the team’s changed status.

Until last season, Seattle was a typical unpopular club.

It was natural because there were no stars to represent the team other than Ryan Tibo, not to mention their performance.

That’s why the All-Star Game was always someone else’s story.

Except for Ryan Tibo, who was selected as an All-Star by player vote, only one or two players each year joined the All-Star Game by the recommendation of the front office.

“Damn, it’s been a long time since I’ve been a candidate for the second vote. It’s all because of you, Han.”

“What, should I call the front office and ask them to change it?”

“What? Hahaha.”

Ty Johnson, who had almost always topped the National League in total votes and went straight to the All-Star Game without a second vote, shook his head.

He was just joking, but Ty Johnson would never fall out of the second vote, and even if he did, he would join the All-Star Game with the recommendation of the front office.

In other words, it was a pleasant grumble.

“Okay, everyone. Pay attention. I know you’re all in a good mood, but we have to do what we have to do, right?”

“Congratulations, Manager. On becoming the All-Star Game manager in your debut year.”

“Damn it, I actually wanted to rest at home. My granddaughter is crying that she wants to see her grandfather, but I have to work until that day.”

Benjamin Reynolds, who suddenly became the manager of a big league team from the Warriors’ head coach, will lead the American League All-Stars in his debut year.

This is because, starting this season, the manager of the team with the highest winning percentage in each league will once again take the lead.

Five players who passed the first vote, Ryan Tibo, who is sure to be on the player vote, and even the manager.

“This is completely a Seattle show?”

“Why are you talking like it’s someone else’s business? It’s all thanks to you?”

“Thanks to me?”

“I heard that Koreans had a huge stake in the All-Star Game vote.”

“Ah.”

Yes, Koreans are the best at concentrating their firepower online.

“Okay, let’s talk about the All-Star Game later, and now let’s focus on crushing those Giants bastards. Check the lineup, and if anyone has any problems, come to the manager’s office right away.”

1st Center Fielder Derek Fleming

2nd Left Fielder Han Su-hyeok

3rd 1st Baseman Ty Johnson

4th Right Fielder Chuck Clark

5th Designated Hitter Antonio Garcia

6th Catcher Bruce Matthews

7th Shortstop Josh Oliver

8th 3rd Baseman Liam Landman

9th 2nd Baseman Jonathan Owens

Starting Pitcher Dalvin Schwartz

The players’ expressions changed in various complex ways as they checked the lineup.

Jonathan Owens, who had been excluded from the starting lineup yesterday and returned, had a look of relief on his face, while Jim Brown, who had been struggling with a batting average in the 10% range in the last five games and was eventually excluded from the starting lineup, had a dark expression on his face.

Anyway, playing as a left fielder…

Does that mean I should focus more on hitting?

* * *

“Woooooo!”

“You damn bastard! Today won’t be your day!”

“Don’t even dream of hitting a home run!”

Maybe it’s because of yesterday’s home run that the boos sound louder.

43 home runs in 86 games, exactly one home run every two games.

I chose a team with Ty Johnson, aiming for this, but the effect is more amazing than I thought.

Of course, what’s even more amazing is my body right now.

No matter how much know-how I have from 15 years in the big leagues in my head, it’s all useless if my body doesn’t follow.

But this body that Jacob created perfectly implements the signals transmitted from the brain without even an inch of error.

The pleasure I feel every time is the driving force behind my continued baseball career.

“Please do your best today! Flatten those stupid bastards’ noses!”

“We don’t need a home run ball! Send it over the stadium! Drown the ball in the sea!”

It wasn’t just the Giants fans’ boos that got louder than yesterday.

The cheers of the Seattle fans who came to the away game also grew together.

I heard that the number of away fans, which was about 1,000 yesterday, has more than doubled.

As Seattle fans have recently become more and more extreme online and offline, the media has begun to call the Mariners’ fans one of the four major hooligans in the major leagues, along with the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, and Boston Red Sox.

In my opinion, um,

Even so, comparing them to those guys is a bit…

“This seems like it’ll be a problem whether we win or lose the game. A riot might break out if we’re not careful.”

“Han, I’m telling you in advance, you should never hit a spectator, even if they’re a Giants fan. That’s a problem that’s hard to get over.”

“What are you talking about, Ty? Do you think I’m crazy?”

“You are crazy. Hehe, anyway, don’t hit the fans. If you’re going to do that, run to the mound and blow that stupid pitcher’s jaw off.”

I think there’s a misunderstanding about me.

I’ll think about this problem later,

“Han, do you have a minute?”

“Tony? Um, sure. But why?”

“There’s something I want to discuss… about the Home Run Derby.”

Designated hitter Antonio Garcia, who is recording interesting indicators of a batting average of 0.212 and 23 home runs this season, sat down in front of me with a serious expression.

He’s not that tall, but he has solid muscles without any fat, and with his fierce appearance, he gives off a macho vibe on the outside.

“What do you think about me participating in the Home Run Derby?”

“Hmm…”

In fact, Tony is a player who studies and explores baseball in depth, in other words, a scholarly style player.

As soon as I heard Tony’s words, I immediately realized what he was worried about.

Many of the hitters who receive invitations to the Home Run Derby refuse to participate for various reasons.

The most common reason is that they are afraid of ruining their sense of hitting.

This is because there is concern that swinging for home runs and experiencing the resulting hits stretching out may unknowingly increase the size of the swing.

Anyway, in my opinion, it’s all just excuses.

If that happens, it’s because of a lack of practice.

“Tony, I think it would be good to go out there, but you’re confident in hitting home runs, right?”

“Well, yes…”

“If your balance is disturbed, I’ll help you fix it. So don’t worry and do what you want to do. I think participating in the derby as a home run hitter is an obligation to the fans.”

“Um, okay. I understand what you mean. I’ll have to consider it positively.”

Of course, he has to make the decision himself. No matter how much I help those guys…

Come to think of it, why are so many guys asking me for advice these days?