The Pitcher Just Hits Home Runs Well [EN]: Chapter 184

선 Player Who Is Good at Hitting Home Runs – Episode 184

184. Leading (7)

The rain had stopped, but the weather was still gloomy.

And in that gloomy weather, I diligently warmed up again today.

“Is it because of the monsoon season? The weather is terrible. Is it going to rain again today?”

“Hey, it’s been ages since Korea had a monsoon season. The weather forecast says it’ll be cloudy today, but no rain.”

“The weather forecast was wrong yesterday, though. They said there was a 40% chance of rain, and it poured.”

“That’s true…”

The day we won the first game against the Braves the day before yesterday.

Although the Dolphins also won, failing to reach the top spot for the first time in 15 years, Senior Kyu-man treated the team to grilled tripe as promised.

I heard he took us to his favorite restaurant, and everyone ate without hesitation, so the meat bill alone came out to almost 4 million won. I like grilled tripe too… I held back and went back to build my body according to my routine, but it was canceled due to rain.

It was like getting an extra day off, but I didn’t feel particularly better.

Rather, it felt subtly off because the rhythm was thrown off by a beat.

However, the media was quite happy with the current situation because the game was pushed back due to the rain cancellation, and the Braves decided to skip a starter and put in their ace, Jo Chang-hyuk.

[Marines, a battle of homegrown aces for the first place in 15 years!!]

[A showdown between homegrown starters throwing 160km/h!!]

In fact, School Bully’s image wasn’t very good.

Traditionally, Korea has a beautiful culture of forgiving everything if you’re good at baseball, but recently that traditional culture has faded a bit.

Besides, school violence is such a sensitive issue, and usually, kids who cause trouble get a pass by playing well in national team games, but he couldn’t even play in national team games.

Moreover, the fact that the Braves aren’t a popular team also played a big role. If he belonged to a popular team like the Elitz, Marines, Hawks, or Griffins, the media and public opinion might have been a little different.

Anyway, thanks to that, the title of the article was 뽑혔지만 like some kind of homegrown showdown, but if you look closely at the content, the Braves are described as a sacrifice for the Marines to reach first place, and School Bully is described as a sacrifice for me to achieve my 7th win.

Was it because I was throwing the ball while thinking too much?

The ball slipped out of my hand a lot.

– Pow!!

“Wow, good catch.”

“This much is basic.”

It was truly animalistic reflexes.

To not only block it with his body but also catch it with his mitt.

The brief warm-up training ended.

“Jo Yu, I have something I’m seriously curious about.”

“What is it?”

“Why do you even play baseball?”

At my question, Jo Yu answered with an absurd expression.

“What are you talking about, why do I play baseball? It’s because I’m good at it, of course.”

“No, well, if you’re good enough to be a pro, that’s true. But when I see your beast-like reaction speed, I think you would have been good if you had been a soccer goalkeeper.”

I was serious.

When I saw Jo Yu, I thought that if he had been a soccer goalkeeper who could maximize his beast-like reflexes, he could have dreamed of going to Europe beyond the national team. Just like if Lee Joo-hyuk had chosen track and field instead of baseball, he could have become a big star in Korean track and field.

“Hmm… Is that so? But it’s hard to make a living in soccer unless you’re really good. Honestly, if I were at my level in soccer, it would be a bit ambiguous even as a pro. Don’t you think?”

“Well, that’s true. But didn’t you start playing baseball when you were in elementary school? If you started playing baseball with that kind of thought from a young age, you were quite realistic?”

“No, I started playing baseball because my dad is a baseball fan and he said he would give me a lot of allowance if I played baseball.”

Ah, Father…

***

– Pow!!!

“Good ball. Your pitch is very good, senior.”

“Is that so?”

Choi Jin-woong gave Jo Chang-hyuk a thumbs up.

“How is it compared to that Choi Soo-won bastard?”

“Ugh, is that even a comparison? Choi Soo-won is still a rookie. All he knows how to throw is a fastball and a curveball. His slider and changeup are just imitations. People were fooled that day.”

“You little liar. But if that’s what you say, there’s not much difference. If I had to pick, only my fastball and slider are decent, and my splitter is just an imitation.”

“It’s different. It’s completely different. Senior’s splitter and his slider and changeup can’t even be compared. I’m not lying, I’m saying this from the perspective of someone who has caught them all.”

“Is that so?”

Jo Chang-hyuk smirked.

Choi Jin-woong sighed in relief at that expression.

Ha, a wave of self-disgust washes over him as he wonders how he, who had a reservation for the Marines’ next main catcher position, ended up here having to cater to that bastard’s whims.

“Hey, you’ve been in Busan for a long time, so you know this place well, right?”

“Yes, of course.”

“After the game today, I’m going to treat you to a victory celebration, so make a reservation for the hottest and most expensive place. Since we have a day off tomorrow anyway, let’s have a good time.”

“Should I make a reservation for a place that sells alcohol too?”

“You little… are you kidding me? Make a reservation for a place with good-looking women. Got it?”

“Yes!! I understand!!”

The moment the wave of self-disgust that had been washing over him receded like the tide.

***

[Now, the game between the Marines and the Braves today. This is the second match between Choi Soo-won and Jo Chang-hyuk this season.]

[The last match ended with a landslide victory for rookie Choi Soo-won, right?]

[Yes, that’s right. In that game, Choi Soo-won recorded the 16th no-hitter in KBO (Korean Baseball Organization) history.]

[And that wasn’t all. He even hit a home run against Jo Chang-hyuk that day.]

[However, after that game, Jo Chang-hyuk has been showing great pitching as if he has been awakened. In fact, looking at Jo Chang-hyuk recently, you can see a bit of mannerism.]

[That’s right. Many people have said that Jo Chang-hyuk is a player who should be sent to the upper league as soon as possible and that he is wasting his talent here for too long.]

[From that point of view, it can be said that Choi Soo-won ignited Jo Chang-hyuk’s competitive spirit.]

Announcer Lee Joo-hyung and commentator Park Dong-shik.

The two felt that this was also a hardship as they exchanged stories as planned. They were creating a rivalry between Jo Chang-hyuk and Choi Soo-won for the sake of the game’s success, but frankly, comparing the two players based on what they have shown this season is not even comparable.

And in that sense, Park Dong-shik once again realized how amazing Choi Soo-won’s talent is.

Even Jo Chang-hyuk, who is not comparable to Choi Soo-won, is evaluated as feeling mannerism with his overwhelming talent in the KBO. Then, how would Choi Soo-won feel about this KBO? Perhaps this guy playing here in the KBO is simply a waste of time? Shouldn’t he go to the big leagues as soon as possible and set immortal records?

‘No, not yet. His completion as a hitter is, of course, impeccable, but his growth as a pitcher is clear. Perhaps if he had gone to the big leagues as he was, his growth as a pitcher would have been slower than it is now.’

But what about next season?

And what about the season after that?

Does Choi Soo-won really need to spend several years in the KBO?

Commentator Park Dong-shik, a self-proclaimed blackened Marines fan.

Unknowingly, the thought that this might be a ‘grand’ decision for the Marines to let Choi Soo-won go, like the stories floating around the internet these days, crossed his mind.

“No, no. The construction of the dynasty depends on it. That’s nonsense…”

“Commentator Park Dong-shik?”

“Ah, I’m sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment.”

10 seconds until the commercial break ends.

His gaze turned back to the stadium.

Sajik Baseball Stadium.

A small hill called the mound, which is 10 inches higher than other places.

The man standing on top of it adjusted his hat.

The game began.

***

The Braves’ first batter today was Kang Ho-chang, who hit his first home run of the season in the last game.

An enormous booing poured down on Kang Ho-chang from the stadium.

– Wooooo

Today, Sajik Baseball Stadium is sold out. It was a situation where they could rise to the league’s top spot for the first time in 15 years depending on the game’s outcome, so it was only natural.

As in the last game, Kang Ho-chang looked quite calm even in the midst of the booing.

He turned down 5 billion won for 4 years and went to the Braves for 4.5 billion won?

The Marines fans felt even more betrayed by him for leaving for Seoul for reasons other than money, but frankly, as a fellow player, it wasn’t an incomprehensible decision.

A workplace where you can work happily and be praised socially.

A workplace where the atmosphere is not good and you are only criticized.

Even if there is a difference in salary, there are bound to be people who choose the former.

Moreover, the bonus amount added if they go to the postseason and even win narrows the salary difference.

But Kang Ho-chang will probably realize that this choice was the wrong choice this time.

He worked hard for nearly 10 years and finally succeeded in changing jobs, but as soon as he changed jobs, the company he used to work for hit the jackpot.

So maybe he’s gritting his teeth and running even harder.

To prove that the booing is wrong.

Of course, just because I understand Kang Ho-chang’s feelings doesn’t mean I’m going to go easy on him or anything.

First pitch.

The fastest ball.

– Bang!!

I was careless, but it was as expected.

It slipped out of my hand a bit, and the command was completely shaken. Kang Ho-chang hit the fastball that went to the center properly.

A high fly ball.

The angle was too high to be a barrel hit. It was a ball that could be easily handled in the outfield by a normal team.

Yes, if it were a normal professional team.

Of course, we were the Marines. But surprisingly, I wasn’t that anxious right now.

If it was the beginning of the season, it would have been a two-base hit. If we were unlucky, it would have been a three-base hit. If it was a day when my sense of humor was on point, I might have even considered an inside-the-park home run.

But for the past few months.

Just as I had grown as a pitcher, Lee Joo-hyuk, who covers the widest range of our outfield, had also grown. He was no longer just a runner. He was a decent center fielder who filled Kang Ho-chang’s vacancy well.

– Thud

A very light catch.

“Out!!!”

Usually, when I have these expectations, the Marines always do something stupid in the same pattern. But there were no more such Marines.

Mid-season.

We have definitely grown.

And so, we were finally playing baseball like a normal professional team.

And the second.

Hyung Chan-min went up to bat.

A shortstop who could have aimed for the major leagues if his hamstring hadn’t been injured.

But now he is a typical AAAA-level player [A player who is too good for the minor leagues but not good enough for the major leagues] with a clear weakness.

The start was a fastball.

– Pow!!!

A perfect location in the deep corner of the zone.

A fastball that went a little deeper than I aimed for.

Hyung Chan-min’s bat couldn’t come out.

“Strike!!!”

It was a smart choice.

It was such a good ball that even if you touched it, it would most likely be a ground ball to the infield.

And the second.

Hyung Chan-min’s weakness was obvious.

A changeup after a fastball.

Even if the quality of the changeup is a bit weak, it works.