Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 312

#311. The Old Guard Still Lives

“Honey, aren’t you tired? Why don’t you sleep a little more?”

“Oh? Did the TV wake you up? I turned the volume down as much as possible, but I guess you could still hear it.”

“No, I had to get up to feed the kids breakfast anyway. It was about time to wake up.”

“Is it that late already?”

In the living room of Cho Sung-oh, the franchise star and eternal captain of the Seoul Warriors,

Cho Sung-oh, who had woken up early to watch Han Su-hyeok’s game broadcast, gave his wife an apologetic look.

His wife was busy enough with household chores, the children’s education, and recently, preparing for Cho Sung-oh’s retirement, leaving her with not enough hours in the day.

He felt sorry for waking her up, but he really wanted to watch today’s game.

Ryu Han-gyeol, the national team ace who was like a grim reaper to Cho Sung-oh during his KBO [Korean Baseball Organization] days, and the best left-handed pitcher of all time who secured a spot as an ace in a Big League team just three years after advancing to the Major League.

And Han Su-hyeok, who was recording incredible stats that made Ryu Han-gyeol’s performance pale in comparison.

The showdown between these two juniors had awakened Cho Sung-oh.

Beep.

Cho Sung-oh picked up the remote and turned the TV volume down a little more.

– With one out and no runners on, hitter number two, Han Su-hyeok, steps up to the plate. Commissioner Go Dong-sik, Han Su-hyeok’s performance in the third game against Texas was truly amazing, wasn’t it?

– That’s right. He shattered Texas’s intentional walk strategy with two stolen bases and added a home run, bringing his season total to 52, right? It was a perfect day.

– Well, at this point, we can’t help but mention the single-season home run record. Commissioner, what do you think about Han Su-hyeok’s home run pace?

– Let’s look at the data. Seattle has played 113 games so far, so there are 49 games remaining. He needs 22 more home runs to reach the single-season home run record of 74. It seems a bit tight, doesn’t it? But I believe in him. If he can revive the godly pace he showed in the first half, I believe he can do it.

– I understand. Well then, let’s watch the match between Han Su-hyeok and Ryu Han-gyeol together from now on. Ryu Han-gyeol winds up, first pitch! Ball, a two-seamer that reverses direction to the outside, and Han Su-hyeok doesn’t even flinch.

– I met Ryu Han-gyeol a while ago, and he said something like this.

– What did he say?

– He said that Han Su-hyeok seems to have a radar in his eyes. He lowers the speed of his fastball on purpose to make it difficult to distinguish between his two-seamer and cutter, but he distinguishes them all.

– I’m not a former player, so I can’t really feel it, but anyway, it’s amazing, right?

– That’s right. It’s obvious that humans can’t have radar in their eyes. In my opinion, it’s like Han Su-hyeok has a supercomputer running in his head that predicts which ball the opposing pitcher will throw based on the pitcher, situation, and count.

– A supercomputer… Isn’t radar more realistic?

– When a hitter gets older, their physical abilities decline rapidly, but their ability to read the pitcher’s ball distribution according to the situation continues to increase. In other words, they gain experience. But what I can’t understand is that Han Su-hyeok is only in his fourth year as a professional. But he gives the feeling that he’s been playing baseball for decades.

– It sounds amazing just listening to it. As we speak, Ryu Han-gyeol’s second pitch comes in high and inside, and it’s called a ball. Ah, Ryu Han-gyeol’s expression is full of regret.

– Yes, that ball was so good that it was natural for the bat to come out. Han Su-hyeok is great, but Ryu Han-gyeol, who has an ERA [Earned Run Average] in the low 3.00s this season and has secured the ace position for the Angels, is also really amazing. He’s become a much better pitcher than when he was playing in the KBO.

At one time, these two people who played in the KBO League with Cho Sung-oh are now competing with each other in a realm that he can never reach.

Suddenly, Cho Sung-oh felt the transience of time.

If he were just a little younger, he would have wanted to run to the Big League where they were playing right now and join them.

But he knows very well that all of this is a futile thought.

Based on his prime, he was a decent hitter in the KBO, but he knew best that he wasn’t good enough to advance to the Big League.

This feeling is just the lonely and solitary imagination of a veteran who has been pushed out of the starting lineup and is contributing to the team as a pinch hitter, with retirement just around the corner.

– Swing! Ah! This ball was really good, wasn’t it? Han Su-hyeok swings and misses at a changeup that comes right into the strike zone and then drops sharply. Han Su-hyeok shakes his head in disbelief.

– Haha, yes, that changeup is the ultimate weapon that has allowed Ryu Han-gyeol to compete in the Big League. It was a really great decoy that Han Su-hyeok, who is aiming for the most home runs in a single season, couldn’t help but swing at.

Cho Sung-oh let out a gasp without realizing it at Ryu Han-gyeol’s wonderful pitch.

He was reminded of the nightmare of how many strikeouts he had suffered from that ridiculous changeup.

On the other hand, he also had this thought.

Pitcher Ryu Han-gyeol and hitter Lee Chan-ho,

Perhaps the two best players in Korean baseball history in terms of pure skill,

He felt a little sympathy for the fact that they were being called eternal runners-up, blocked by the giant wall that was Han Su-hyeok.

Cho Sung-oh’s mind flashed back to the time he first met Han Su-hyeok three years ago.

Han Su-hyeok dragged him somewhere without hesitation when he asked how he could play baseball better.

He remembered working out like crazy with his personal trainer, Jacob, to build his body.

And the thrilling excitement he felt when he hit a walk-off home run as a reward for working out so hard.

It all seemed like yesterday, but time had passed and he was now preparing to say goodbye to baseball.

His wife told him a while ago.

She asked if he would leave the baseball world completely and take a break after retiring from active duty.

She said that she would get a barista license or something and start working, so it would be good for him to rest until he felt like doing something.

It was a very grateful story, but he wondered if it would be possible.

He has been pushed out of the starting lineup and is playing as a pinch hitter, occasionally as a designated hitter, supporting his juniors,

Nevertheless, Cho Sung-oh enjoys baseball so much. Every day he spends on the field is so happy.

Could he really leave this baseball world?

If there is no coaching position available, wouldn’t he want to get a job as an assistant trainer and continue to be with his juniors?

– Ryu Han-gyeol, winds up with a cautious expression! Ah! He hit it! Han Su-hyeok’s hit ball goes over the left fence, the left fence, the left fence, and goes! Solo home run to start the game! Han Su-hyeok makes the team’s first score with a home run!

– Han Su-hyeok, who hit the home run, nods slightly to Ryu Han-gyeol. Ah, it’s a really nice sight to see Korean seniors and juniors together. Of course, it might be terrible from Ryu Han-gyeol’s point of view.

– When you think about it, Han Su-hyeok seems to be very polite to the players he is close to. It might be a little disappointing for the players who were crushed after rushing at Han Su-hyeok this season. Ah, I should have been born Korean.

– Oh, announcer Park is now able to make some decent jokes. Good. Try harder. Anyway, this brings the number of home runs to 53, right? Now there are 21 left. It’s enough. You can do it, Han Su-hyeok!

Click.

“Oh? Are you going to stop watching, honey? Why? The kids are up, so why don’t you turn up the volume and watch some more.”

“No, I’m going to go out to the stadium right away.”

“To the stadium? Okay. Then wait a minute. I can heat up the bean sprout soup right away, so have a spoonful and go.”

“Okay, thank you.”

The moment he saw Han Su-hyeok’s home run, the wildness that had been dormant deep inside Cho Sung-oh’s heart stirred once again.

He had forgotten.

That he wasn’t finished yet.

That competing with his juniors would be a greater strength than simply giving up his spot to them.

Slurp, slurp.

Cho Sung-oh, who was almost drinking the rice in the soup, already had his mind set on Jamsil Baseball Stadium [a famous baseball stadium in South Korea].

* * *

Ryu Han-gyeol, who had unexpectedly allowed a solo home run in the first inning, thought.

‘Isn’t this more terrible than when we met before?’

He was a little relieved to hear that Han Su-hyeok’s batting pace had slowed down recently, but Han Su-hyeok, whom he faced directly, was still a monster.

No, he had become an even more evolved monster than when they faced each other at the beginning of the season.

The ball he was hit with just now was a ball that should never have gone over.

To lift a two-seamer that goes into the low inside corner and reverses direction deeper and send it all the way to the stands.

In the bottom of the third inning, after allowing a walk to second batter Derek Fleming, Ryu Han-gyeol changed his strategy to face Han Su-hyeok once again.

Whoosh.

Clang.

“Ball.”

If the balls he threw in the first at-bat came in just barely on the edge of the zone, the balls he would throw from now on would definitely be out of the zone, balls that would be balls if left alone and would only result in fouls if touched.

Whoosh.

Clang.

“Ball.”

Han Su-hyeok looked at Ryu Han-gyeol with a puzzled expression at the two consecutive balls flying out of the zone.

It seemed like he was laughing, ‘Are you going to do this too?’, but Ryu Han-gyeol bit his lower lip tightly to avoid being fooled by it.

His team, the LA Angels, is putting all their efforts into winning the wild card this season.

The fact that they trusted him and didn’t ask for an intentional walk was enough to show how much the team respected him.

Then it’s his turn this time.

To put aside some pride for the team that trusts him.

The ball Ryu Han-gyeol threw was fiercely digging towards the outside of the zone.

But,

Clack.

Han Su-hyeok lightly pushed the low outside decoy that was thrown to catch the home run-seeking hitter.

Derek Fleming, who was on first base, sprinted with all his might and ran to third base, and Han Su-hyeok made a playful salute to himself with two fingers on first base.

“Haa…….”

He had forgotten.

That Han Su-hyeok was as sincere about the team’s victory as he was,

That he would choose the latter without hesitation if he had to choose between the home run record and the team’s championship,

He steals bases like crazy as if to take revenge on the opponent who gives him an intentional walk,

But it’s too dangerous to have a head-on match,

A hitter who throws a decoy as a second-best option to induce a swing and miss, but hits the ball without greed and turns it into a hit.

Ryu Han-gyeol thought.

If that guy is going to stay in Seattle, he should do whatever it takes to transfer to that team as soon as possible.