The Pitcher Just Hits Home Runs Well [EN]: Chapter 164

164. Flawless Inning (2)

A towering hit soared towards right-center field.

Seo Kyung-joon, the Marines’ right fielder, quickly sized it up and knew it instantly.

‘Ah, this is trouble…’

Right-center. The predicted landing spot was incredibly deep.

It would either barely graze the top of the fence or clear it entirely. The answer was obvious. No matter how fast I sprint, it’s impossible to reach. Even if I were back in my nimble 20s, it wouldn’t be enough.

And even further than Seo Kyung-joon.

The outfielder, praised for his major league potential in every area except judging fly balls, according to Choi Soo-won, took off. He was like a racehorse with blinders, charging towards a predetermined point without a glance to the side or rear.

He was fast.

Seriously, he was fast.

Again, let me emphasize, he was incredibly fast.

He didn’t look back.

It wasn’t arrogance or overconfidence that kept him from looking back.

Even Lee Joo-hyuk could sense it.

This is a ball you can’t catch if you hesitate. Run to where you initially thought it would land. Don’t doubt yourself.

He hit the fence at full speed. The fence, plastered with a chicken restaurant advertisement, was surprisingly sturdy, thanks to the hardened enamel paint. But that was fine.

[Uh······.]

It was like a scene ripped from a movie. Of course, there was no gravity-defying triangle jump after hitting the fence, like in video games or action films. Such a feat defied the laws of physics in the real world.

Lee Joo-hyuk’s body, his cleats digging into the fence, gained a little height, maybe four centimeters. The crucial part was that it significantly extended his time in the air.

The outstretched glove reached for the approaching ball.

***

“Crazy…”

I couldn’t help but voice my admiration.

Sure, Lee Joo-hyuk often made incredible defensive plays. The problem was, he also made even more boneheaded mistakes. [A “brain fart play” is a slang term for a really bad or inexplicable error.]

But this was on a whole different level. Honestly, this play deserved to be enshrined as a legendary KBO [Korean Baseball Organization] defensive highlight, complete with dramatic background music. If he’d made this kind of catch in the majors, it wouldn’t be surprising to see it called “The Catch.”

Baek Kang-ho, who had been jogging the bases with a relaxed expression, stared at Lee Joo-hyuk with disbelief. The atmosphere in the stadium mirrored his reaction. The roar that had accompanied Baek Kang-ho’s hit vanished, replaced by stunned silence.

And then…

-Clap clap clap

Applause rippled through the stands.

I’d bet that the applause started with Dolphins fans, not Marines fans. And the Dolphins fans seemed to share my sentiment.

It wasn’t a thunderous ovation, but rather a respectful, “Wow, did he actually catch that?” that echoed through the stadium.

Seo Kyung-joon, arriving a step – no, about ten steps – too late, reached out to help Lee Joo-hyuk, who had collapsed on the ground after making the catch.

Bottom of the 1st inning.

Three up, three down.

By the way, is the jinx that your performance suffers when you feel great really coming true? The pitch felt fantastic, but who knew he’d hit it that far…

“It was a bit of a meatball [an easy pitch to hit], but the home run king is different. I didn’t think he could hit it out, but even though his timing was a little off, he muscled the bat around, and it flew that far. But let’s throw hard today since your stuff is really good. It’s because it’s Baek Kang-ho that it flew like that. Usually, it would be a routine fly ball.”

“What if it was Park Joo-won, senior?”

“Uh… Anyway, let’s go all out. We’re already leading by 2 points. Besides, we finished the first inning with only four pitches.”

Jo Yu encouraged me as we walked back to the dugout.

Sitting in the dugout and putting on the pitcher’s jacket made me feel a little warm. Meanwhile, Lee Joo-hyuk and Seo Kyung-joon came in, chatting excitedly.

“Wow, crazy. How do you even think to go for a ball like that?”

“I just felt like the ball would end up there for some reason… I got lucky.”

“That’s how instincts develop. It seems like you’re starting to get a feel for it. This kind of experience is crucial for outfielders. That feeling when your instincts are spot on. You start to gain confidence from there, and that becomes a positive feedback loop, and your skills improve rapidly. Today’s defense is highlight reel material.”

It seemed like pure luck to me, but as Seo Kyung-joon said, today’s defense was definitely highlight reel material. Was that why? Lee Joo-hyuk’s face radiated confidence.

Well, good defense is often followed by good offense, and with that kind of confidence…

-Whoosh!!!

“Strike!! Out!!!”

Ah…

What is going on?

Clearly, the Marines’ offense in the top of the 1st inning was unlike anything I’d ever seen… Yeah, it was as if I had been transported to a parallel dimension called Earth 616 [a reference to Marvel Comics’ main universe] overnight, but in the top of the 2nd inning, it was back to the Marines’ usual offense.

Good defense followed by good offense is a load of crap.

Three up, three down, and it’s a KKK [three strikeouts] three up, three down. Seriously, aren’t three consecutive strikeouts a bit much? Even a scarecrow would offer more resistance.

Especially the sight of Jo Yu, returning after swinging and missing for the final strikeout, silently putting on his catcher’s gear, was quite disheartening.

‘No, no. Still, he made a great play in the bottom of the 1st inning. Let’s forgive him for being a bit of a scarecrow at the plate today with 1,000 extra at-bats.’

Barely five minutes before heading back to the mound.

My shoulder hadn’t cooled down at all. No, maybe it’s because I put on the pitcher’s jacket, but I feel a little hotter. My body feels a little flushed.

I threw two warm-up pitches.

-Thwack!!!

The ball flew straight and true.

Of course, I’d have to be in the batter’s box to know for sure, but from here, the ball looks really good. Let’s not forget. The school bully from the Braves [likely referring to a rival player] threw what was considered the best fastball in the KBO. And the ball I throw is definitely not inferior to his.

And Park Joo-won stepped up to the plate.

Uh… He’s a bit old, but he’s a legendary home run king who’s even played in the majors. He didn’t succeed in MLB, so it’s a bit of a stretch to call him *tal KBO geup* [a Korean term meaning “beyond KBO level”], but he’s a player who has achieved extraordinary results in the KBO. That’s why he can still hit nearly 30 home runs even in his late 30s.

He settled into his stance and slightly raised his bat.

It’s heavy.

Regardless of his current skill, the career that man has built carries its own weight. Maybe the pitchers who faced me before I went back in time also felt something like that from me.

So the answer was simple.

Don’t be intimidated.

Overpower him with fastballs.

-Whoosh!!!

“Strike!!!”

A fastball that missed the intended spot slightly because I was too pumped up.

Park Joo-won’s bat was late.

And Jo Yu, who caught the ball, paused for a moment.

His gaze flicked to the scoreboard.

What is it?

[······.]

[······.]

[One… one hundred and sixty-two!! Ah, I’m sorry. I was so surprised that I forgot to speak. So the current speed is 162km/h!!]

[162.6km/h. If you round that up, it’s actually 163.]

[So that’s 101 miles per hour. Isn’t that the highest recorded speed in Korea?]

[Well, technically, the speed isn’t an official record recognized by the KBO. Each team uses different equipment. There are various issues that make standardization difficult. But… As far as I know, 162.6km/h is the fastest ball in KBO history.]

[So, no Korean has ever thrown a faster ball than this in the KBO. Is that what you’re saying?]

[No.]

[Huh? You just said it was the fastest ball…]

[162.6km/h is the fastest record, including foreign players, not just Koreans.]

[······.]

Wow…

Following Jo Yu’s gaze, I also looked at the scoreboard and was stunned.

Well, I was feeling good, and it felt like the ball was really exploding out of my hand, but 162.6km/h? And it didn’t feel like I was straining to throw it?

Park Joo-won also glanced at the scoreboard and chuckled humorlessly.

Of course, that futile laugh didn’t last long.

He gripped his bat again, stepped back into the batter’s box, and glared at me with fierce eyes.

But…

I didn’t feel that heaviness from before.

I fiddled with the ball that Jo Yu tossed back to me and thought.

Should I throw it even harder?

He called for a low inside pitch, but I shook my head.

I really want to unleash another fastball, but if I mess up, I could end the career of a 37-year-old hitter with a knee injury. High and outside it is.

I threw the ball with all my might.

-Thwack!!!

“Strike!!!”

Ah, it was a little outside, but it seems like Park Joo-won’s check swing went too far. The umpire called a strike.

With a flicker of anticipation, I glanced at the scoreboard.

162.7km/h.

Uh…

It’s a bit underwhelming.

I threw it with everything I had this time, but it was only 0.1km/h faster. It went up, but not as much as I expected.

But judging by Park Joo-won’s expression, it seemed that the 0.1km/h difference was a considerable shock.

Roughly translated, his face said:

‘No, you’re increasing your speed *now*? Why are you doing this to me?’

Something like that?

Of course, he quickly regained his composure and prepared for the next pitch, but his expression was quite determined.

So I threw it.

-Whoosh!!!

“Strike!! Out!!”

A curveball that dropped sharply.

A textbook *ttangbol samjin* [strikeout looking on a curveball, resulting in a ground ball].

In fact, there was nothing he could do. Even in his prime, Park Joo-won struggled against pitches over 97 miles per hour. But now, he’s trying to hit a 101-mile fastball, forcing him to anticipate early, and then he’s met with a breaking ball?

A clean three-pitch strikeout against a former KBO home run king.

I sensed a strange atmosphere in the stadium that I couldn’t quite define. If I had to compare it, it was similar to the feeling when that crazy guy from the Mets [likely referring to a specific pitcher] struck out 13 in 5 innings.

The Dolphins’ next hitter came to the plate.

Once again, the Dolphins’ lineup far exceeds the average level of the KBO. Just last year, there was talk that the Dolphins’ lower lineup was stronger than the Marines’ upper lineup.

But what can I say?

No matter how I analyze it, it doesn’t feel like my pitches will be hit today.

Especially when I see the hitter’s flustered expression.

Here it comes.

A 162.7km/h fastball.

-Thwack!!!

“Strike!!!”

[Choi Soo-won!! He aggressively throws a fastball deep inside!! The speed is a whopping 161.1km/h!! Wow, I always say this, but if you’re a pitcher who throws 160, you don’t need any fancy tricks. Just throw it. Choi Soo-won has been showcasing a cool, fastball-dominant pitching style since the game against the Braves.]

[And his command is excellent. In fact, just getting a ball that’s around 160 into the strike zone is impressive. But if you look closely, Choi Soo-won’s pitches rarely go right down the middle. It’s less than 1/3 of the total.]

Ah, that’s not the feeling I wanted.

I felt like I swung my arm a little too smoothly.

Second pitch.

A 159.9km/h fastball pierced the center of the strike zone.

-Whoosh!!!

“Strike!!!”

0-2 count.

Jo Yu called for a curveball.

It was the right choice.

But I felt like I was really finding my groove with the fastball right now, so I wanted to throw it more. In fact, there’s no one as foolish as a guy who treats a real game like practice, but it’s okay because starting pitchers have to be a little crazy to be in this position, right?

Fortunately, maybe he’s sensing something from my fastball right now?

Jo Yu didn’t shake his head.

Third pitch.

-Thwack!!!!

“Strike!! Out!!!”

A 160.1km/h fastball that exquisitely painted the outside corner.

The umpire called a decisive strike.

Considering how many close calls go against me at the plate usually, I honestly deserve this much.

So, two consecutive strikeouts.

The third hitter came to the plate.