Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 375

Thwack!

– He hit it! It’s going past the second baseman… Ah! No! Seo Hyeong-ju catches the ball! James Taylor is frozen in place! Perfect game! Han Su-hyeok achieves his third career perfect game in the Major League against the Yankees!

– Ah, amazing! James Taylor tried everything to prevent the perfect game, and that last hit was actually pretty good. But look at this. Seo Hyeong-ju, positioned a step behind the normal defensive position, erased a hit with a diving catch! Wow, it was an incredible play even after watching it again!

– They are professional debut contemporaries and proud players who are now working together in America, beyond the Warriors. Truly treasures and hopes of Korean baseball!

The Seattle Mariners, fresh off their 2030 World Series victory, dedicated their offseason to addressing the team’s weaknesses during the stove league [offseason trading period].

First, they focused on reinforcing the second baseman position, which had been identified as the team’s most significant vulnerability. Consequently, they took a calculated risk by recruiting Seo Hyeong-ju, who declared his intention to join the Major League through posting [a system allowing international players to be bid on by MLB teams], and converting him to second baseman.

As soon as his signing with Seattle was confirmed, Seo Hyeong-ju immediately relocated to the United States and commenced intensive defensive training with the coaching staff assembled by the club. Although he had experience as a center fielder and second baseman during his amateur career, and had occasionally played infield defense after turning professional, playing full-time as a second baseman for 162 games in a season was a completely different challenge.

Some observers were critical of Seattle’s decision.

The criticism centered on the perception that Seo Hyeong-ju’s acquisition wasn’t truly for the benefit of the team, but rather a case of Han Su-hyeok favoring a friend.

However, Seo Hyeong-ju brilliantly silenced such criticism and pessimistic views through his own hard work and natural talent.

He started as the second baseman in all exhibition games, showcasing consistent and reliable defense. He maintained his position without any significant errors even after the regular season began. As the All-Star break approached, he earned a nomination as an All-Star candidate in the American League second baseman category, successfully establishing himself in the role.

Of course, he ultimately wasn’t selected as an All-Star.

“Damn it, if I had hit one or two more home runs, I could have played in the All-Star game.”

“No, in my opinion, the problem isn’t home runs, but um…….”

“What? Why are you stopping mid-sentence?”

“You’ll feel bad if you hear it.”

“I already feel bad, so just tell me. What am I lacking?”

“First of all, your arms and legs are short, so no matter what you do, your form isn’t ideal… Hmm, see? I told you that you would only feel bad if you heard it.”

With Seo Hyeong-ju’s successful transition to second base, a formidable lineup was complete, featuring catcher Bruce Matthews, first baseman Ty Johnson, second baseman Seo Hyeong-ju, third baseman Han Su-hyeok, shortstop Josh Oliver, left fielder Jim Brown, center fielder Derek Fleming, right fielder Chuck Clark, and designated hitter Antonio Garcia.

Although the shortstop position’s offensive output was somewhat lacking compared to the rest of the starting nine, manager Benjamin effectively addressed this weakness by strategically utilizing pinch hitters and defensive replacements.

Seo Hyeong-ju’s impact extended beyond his defensive contributions.

He was initially placed in the lower part of the batting order during the exhibition games and the early part of the regular season, but he gradually climbed up the order thanks to his performance, eventually earning the coveted leadoff spot.

With Seo Hyeong-ju, who excels at getting on base and possesses great speed, leading off, Derek Fleming, who had been the leadoff hitter the previous season, could be utilized in more diverse ways.

Derek Fleming, who dedicated himself to weight training during the winter, began hitting for more power, and manager Benjamin introduced a new batting lineup: 1st Seo Hyeong-ju, 2nd Han Su-hyeok, 3rd Ty Johnson, 4th Derek Fleming, 5th Chuck Clark, 6th Antonio Garcia, 7th Jim Brown, 8th Bruce Matthews, and 9th Josh Oliver.

A lineup where hitters with a combination of power and tactical skills support the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd hitters in getting on base, followed by another wave of power hitters.

Pitchers facing Seattle complained of extreme mental exhaustion, and Seattle led the league in major offensive categories such as team batting average, home runs, and slugging percentage, just as they had the previous season.

Bang!

“Out! Game set!”

While the fielders saw significant changes, such as the acquisition of second baseman Seo Hyeong-ju and the re-signing of starting catcher Bruce Matthews, who had become a free agent [a player eligible to sign with any team], the most notable addition to the pitching staff was the acquisition of new closer Jamal Adams.

Standing nearly 2 meters tall, possessing a fastball exceeding 102 miles per hour, and unafraid to challenge hitters inside, he recorded an impressive ERA of 1.25, with 2 wins, 1 loss, and 28 saves in the first half of the 2031 season after transitioning to the closer role, firmly establishing himself as the Mariners’ new guardian at the end of games.

The reinforcement of the pitching staff wasn’t limited to Jamal Adams.

With the acquisition of Seo Hyeong-ju, the team needed to streamline its second base options, starting with the trade of Jonathan Owens, who had been the starting second baseman until the beginning of the 2030 season, to the LA Angels. In exchange for sending several near-starting-caliber fielders to other clubs, valuable middle relievers joined the team one after another, significantly strengthening the bullpen.

[Pitcher change, Mike Warren steps down and Brian Knight enters]

Another positive development on the pitching front was Brian Knight, who joined the team as the 2nd overall pick in the 1st round of the previous season’s draft.

A right-handed orthodox pitcher who Han Su-hyeok personally scouted and was projected to develop into a league-leading player with a few years of dedicated training.

“Please place that kid next to my locker during this spring training. I will mentor him directly.”

“Oh, really? I understand. I will arrange it immediately.”

Han Su-hyeok personally requested him, who was initially slated to receive starting pitcher development in the minor leagues, and brought him up to the major league roster.

He shadowed Han Su-hyeok closely during the spring training period and learned a great deal. After gaining experience in low-pressure relief situations early in the season, he progressed through long relief roles and successfully established himself as a setup man just before the closer by the end of the first half, becoming a strong contender for Rookie of the Year.

As a result, the Seattle Mariners, the defending World Series champions, effectively addressed their remaining weaknesses, dominating their division rivals Oakland and the LA Angels, and building a commanding lead in the first half against the Yankees, who were determined to capture the World Series trophy at all costs this season.

Thwaaaack!

“Here we go again! Here we go, you bastards!”

“How’s the taste of a home run! You New York sons of bitches!”

Of course, the most crucial element is missing from the explanation thus far.

Han Su-hyeok,

The greatest baseball player of all time, who arrived in the Big League [Major League Baseball] last season and immediately transformed the perpetually underperforming Seattle Mariners into World Series champions.

All baseball fans’ attention was focused on what kind of performance he would deliver in his second year, the 2031 season, as both a hitter and a pitcher, as he aimed to dominate nearly every statistical category.

Some predicted that Han Su-hyeok, who had played an excessive number of games the previous season, would experience some inconsistencies, while others anticipated that he would suffer from injuries, both major and minor, given the physical demands on a human being.

Opinions varied slightly, but the prevailing sentiment was that it would be unrealistic to expect the same level of performance as in the 2030 season, when he achieved unparalleled results in all hitting and pitching categories.

But,

Thwaaaack!

“That’s right! One home run per game is not enough!”

“Damn it, Han! Stay with this team forever! I can’t even imagine the Mariners without you!”

When the first half of the 2031 season concluded, baseball fans around the world were astonished.

Han Su-hyeok, who had already hit 55 home runs with a slash line [batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage] of 0.430 / 0.524 / 1.095, far surpassing his record from the first half of the previous season, and had pitched 12 more innings than the previous year, achieving an ERA of 0.39 and 15 wins.

With Han Su-hyeok bolstering the Mariners’ already formidable strength, no team seemed capable of challenging them.

The Seattle Mariners, boasting a winning percentage of 0.743, significantly exceeding their 0.716 mark from 2001, held the American League’s top record.

The first half of the 2031 season, which felt almost anticlimactic, concluded with Seattle in a dominant first place and Han Su-hyeok winning the All-Star Game MVP award once again.

The New York Yankees, trailing far behind Seattle in the league standings and closely pursued by the Boston Red Sox in their division,

As public discontent in New York reached a boiling point, with calls for the owner to resign, they once again made an extravagant move.

[New York Yankees dramatically acquire Tampa Bay’s ace, Luca Hernandez]

[New York Yankees, who acquired Luca Hernandez and Milwaukee’s starting center fielder Maeda Shogo, once again spark debate about the luxury tax’s ineffectiveness]

[New York Yankees: “Luca Hernandez, acquired this time, will be used as the team’s 5th starter, and Japanese player Maeda Shogo will be used as the fifth outfielder option. We are prepared to do anything to win.”]

Tampa Bay and Milwaukee, who had entered a rebuilding phase, saw their ace pitcher and starting center fielder don Yankees uniforms. It was a display of financial might that only the Yankees could execute in Major League Baseball, disregarding luxury tax regulations.

Seattle fans and officials expressed concern about the Yankees’ aggressive moves. For Seattle, aiming for their second consecutive World Series title, a formidable obstacle had emerged.

But,

Thwaaaack!

“You sons of bitches! You spend so much money and put on this kind of show?”

“Just go out and die! Or disband the team! Or how about selling the team to Han Su-hyeok?”

“We curse you! You damn Steinbrenner family!” [referring to the Yankees’ owners]

The final game of the season between Seattle and the Yankees.

The moment Seattle secured a 10-2 victory thanks to Han Su-hyeok’s three consecutive home runs, concluding the regular season series between the two teams with Seattle winning all 7 games,

People realized.

Capital is undoubtedly important in professional sports, but even more crucial is the presence of an ace who can lead the team to victory in any situation and compensate for the team’s weaknesses with exceptional performance.

[Winning percentage of 0.750, Seattle Mariners’ unstoppable run… No rivals.]

[Seattle Mariners record a winning record against all Major League teams, virtually securing the second-half championship… Now all that’s left is the first-ever back-to-back World Series]

[Living myth Han Su-hyeok, who is breaking Major League records again following last season, ranked #1 for the second consecutive year as the greatest baseball player of all time selected by ESPN (38.7% of the vote)]

Seattle’s dominant run, which began in the first half, continued until the end of the season.

Including Seo Hyeong-ju, who established himself as a league-leading second baseman and leadoff hitter in just one year after joining the Big League, Ty Johnson, who remained a top hitter despite a slight dip in overall stats compared to the previous season, Derek Fleming, who experienced a surge in power and became a 30-home run hitter despite a slight decrease in speed, and Chuck Clark, a .300 hitter with 25 home runs, all starting players performed consistently, and even backup players like Leonard Jones, who was being developed as the next starting catcher, showed great promise, completing a truly flawless lineup.

The same held true for the pitching staff.

The starting rotation of Ryan Thibodeau, a 20-game winner who recorded his first career ERA in the 1-point range, knuckleballer Mike Warren who recorded 18 wins, and 4th and 5th starters Hayashi Rentaro and Dimon Anderson Jr., who recorded 15 and 11 wins respectively.

In addition, the middle relief corps composed of Dalvin Schwartz, Jake Howard, and Jonah Burrow, 1st year setup man Brian Knight, and the powerful bullpen of Jamal Adams, who led the American League in saves.

[End of the 2031 season, the strongest team Seattle Mariners finished the season with 122 wins and 40 losses, winning percentage of 0.753 (1st overall in a single season)… Selected as the best team of all time by Major League fans]

[The first team to have two 20-win pitchers and a 50-save closer, as well as six 30-home run hitters, Seattle Mariners]

[From perennial underdog to the best team of all time… Re-examining the history of the Mariners over the past two years]

[Major League experts: “Despite having the best season for two consecutive years, most of the Seattle players are still in their 20s. Unless something extraordinary happens, the era of Seattle will last for at least 5 years or more.”]

[Han Su-hyeok, the strongest hitter of all time, with a batting average of 0.427, on-base percentage of 0.541, slugging percentage of 1.981, 175 RBIs, and breaking the Major League single-season home run record once again by surpassing the 80-home run mark that eluded him last season]

[Han Su-hyeok, the best pitcher of this era, proved to be the best once again by recording 210 innings, 23 wins, 1 loss, and 350 strikeouts with an ERA of 0.49 while simultaneously hitting and pitching]

[Seattle Mariners, who defeated the Yankees again following last season and advanced to the World Series, this time against the National League’s traditional powerhouse LA Dodgers]

Seattle, who swept the LA Angels led by Ryu Han-gyeol and Lee Chan-ho in the Division Series, faced the Yankees once again in the Championship Series.

The New York Yankees, who assembled the most star-studded roster by willingly incurring a staggering $150 million luxury tax in pursuit of the World Series championship trophy, and the Seattle Mariners, who maintained a perfect team balance centered around Han Su-hyeok.

Despite the Mariners recording the highest team winning percentage of all time, experts’ predictions were split. Their argument was that even though the Yankees struggled in the regular season, the outcome of a short series is unpredictable, especially considering the players’ individual talent.

But,

Thwaaaack!

[Yankees, unable to compete with the Mariners, were eliminated meekly with 4 consecutive losses in the Championship Series…]

[Mariners’ starting rotation led by Han Su-hyeok, Ryan Thibodeau, Mike Warren, and Hayashi Rentaro, dominated the Yankees with overwhelming pitching.]

[Yankees’ World Series championship aspirations ended in another failure, losing to Seattle for the second consecutive year, despite having a payroll more than double that of the Mariners]

Seattle, who won 4 consecutive games with Han Su-hyeok’s walk-off home run [a home run that wins the game in the bottom of the final inning], rode that momentum and clashed with the LA Dodgers, their World Series opponent.

The LA Dodgers, the powerhouse of the National League who advanced to the World Series after defeating St. Louis after a hard-fought Championship Series that went to 7 games.

The Dodgers, who had the 2nd highest payroll in Major League Baseball following the Yankees, went head-to-head with Seattle with all their might.

And,

Thwaaaack!

The champion of the 2031 season was decided in just four games.

[2031 World Series ended anticlimactically with 4 consecutive wins, LA Dodgers collapsed like a house of cards in front of the starting mound led by Han Su-hyeok and the powerful lineup]

[Han Su-hyeok, who recorded a World Series batting average of 0.710, 9 home runs, 11 RBIs, and even a shutout victory as a pitcher, was selected as the World Series MVP for the second consecutive year following last season]

[Major League experts: “It was such a one-sided and terrible series. As long as Han Su-hyeok exists, I don’t think the World Series championship trophy will go to other teams, I’m convinced of it.”]

[Han Su-hyeok, who swept all hitting and pitching categories such as MVP, Cy Young [award for best pitcher], Hank Aaron Award [award for best hitter], Gold Glove [award for best defensive player], and Silver Slugger [award for best offensive player] in the 2031 season following the 2030 season, “I’m enjoying playing baseball more and more.”]

[In response to a question asking about future plans, Han Su-hyeok said, “The purpose of me playing baseball is to enjoy myself and to make the people around me happy. I will continue to play baseball as long as that feeling lasts, and as the owner, I will spare no support to ensure that the team maintains its strongest power. I’m not very interested in reasonable investments. I have too much money to think about that kind of thing.”]

[Seattle citizens who have the strongest player and owner of all time: “We are truly blessed to have him. Every morning when I open my eyes, I pray for him. He is probably the god of baseball who sent us, no, he is clearly the god of baseball who descended directly into the body of a human for us.”]