The Pitcher Just Hits Home Runs Well [EN]: Chapter 193

193. All-Star Game (3)

On the mound, Lim Gwang-hyung’s expression hardened.

‘Look at this guy?’ he thought.

He was a genuine ace who had returned after showcasing amazing performance even in the Major League. Of course, now at thirty-six, he wasn’t quite at his peak.

However, he had undergone Tommy John surgery [a surgical reconstruction of the ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow] two years prior, had a successful rehabilitation period last year, and was confident he was in better condition than when he was enduring elbow pain at the tail end of his prime.

Of course, Choi Soo-won was not an easy opponent.

No, he was beyond that, a very difficult opponent.

‘Bryce Harper? No, Mike Trout in his prime.’

When Lim Gwang-hyung challenged the Major League, Mike Trout was already the best hitter, having achieved 4 MVP runner-up titles and 2 MVP awards. And Mike Trout finally won his third MVP in 2019, completing a great career comparable to Pujols’ beautiful 10 years.

Lim Gwang-hyung had directly experienced Mike Trout’s prime. That’s why he could tell. The batter coming to the plate now had the ‘potential’ to match that great Mike Trout.

In fact, it was absurd.

It was ridiculous that a 19-year-old kid who hadn’t even experienced the Major League reminded him of Mike Trout in his 27-year-old prime.

But even if that were the case, he was Lim Gwang-hyung.

He faced Mike Trout 13 times in his prime and struck him out 4 times. Even if Mike Trout were at the plate now, such an absurd act like a pre-announced home run would have been impossible.

Lim Gwang-hyung wound up.

A refreshing form.

And a speed that didn’t match that form.

It was a 121.5km/h changeup.

-Clang!!

A fairly large foul ball that directly hit deep into the third base infield stands.

Surprisingly, this was the result of perfectly stealing the timing. Even just now, he perfectly took the starting timing of swinging the bat, but thanks to some magic in the middle, he sent the ball, which would normally have resulted in a ground ball or an infield fly, all the way to the infield stands. This was thanks to his fundamentally good power and excellent bat-swinging skills.

With the mindset of facing a top-class Major League hitter, he focused.

His lips were parched, but he didn’t show it. Showing emotions is for amateurs. Making it impossible to know what the pitcher on the mound is thinking is the basis of pitching.

Today, the changeup was very good. It felt like the ball was sticking to the fingertips. The change was good, and the control was even better.

And Lim Gwang-hyung knew.

That throwing a lot of good balls is the secret to good pitching.

That’s why the second ball was also another changeup.

However, this time, it barely touched the outside line of the zone.

To the extent that it didn’t matter even if the umpire didn’t call it a strike.

Choi Soo-won’s bat stopped.

-Strike!!

“Strike!”

Ball count 0-2.

What could be more embarrassing than being struck out immediately after a pre-announced home run performance? I don’t know. I’ll find out later if I ask Choi Soo-won directly. However, what is certain is that Choi Soo-won’s bat will inevitably become more aggressive.

Third.

A bait ball.

Choi Soo-won’s bat didn’t move. That could happen. It was a slightly complacent ball, thinking that the bat would be very aggressive.

Fourth.

Another bait ball.

This time, Choi Soo-won’s bat didn’t move again, even though it was a ball that barely touched the zone.

Fifth.

Yet another bait ball.

-Strike!!

The ball count of 0-2 quickly rose to a full count of 3-2.

Lim Gwang-hyung’s lips became parched again.

But he didn’t waste time. With the same expressionless face, he prepared the sixth ball.

Outside course.

A changeup that slightly misses the zone.

He also didn’t want to walk the first batter in the All-Star Game. But the current situation is a battle of nerves between a hitter who has announced a home run and a pitcher who wants to avoid a walk. Would a nineteen-year-old kid really want to get on base with a walk without swinging his bat even once in the current situation?

-Clang!!!

Choi Soo-won’s bat hit his 123.7km/h changeup.

The high fly ball soared.

‘That’s it,’ Lim Gwang-hyung thought.

This is a hit that was fooled.

Lim Gwang-hyung pointed at the fly ball with his finger. Ra Chan-myeong of the Elitz was already running towards the flying ball. Although he was retired with an infield fly out in the previous at-bat, he is a center fielder whose ability to judge fly balls is second to none in Korea.

He, who usually seemed to be playing lazy defense because he judged fly balls so well, ran at a furious speed, which didn’t suit him.

Is he trying to show his best effort because it’s the All-Star Game after all?

Three steps to the fence.

He stopped walking.

Lim Gwang-hyung didn’t think it would go that far, but was it a fly ball that went farther than he thought?

Ra Chan-myeong frowned.

“Is there no other option but a magnanimous decision now?”

The best fly ball judgment ability in Korea gave him confidence.

That there was no need to run any further here.

Because that ball, which has not yet fallen, will slightly cross the deep left-center fence of Jamsil as it is.

[It, it went over!!]

1:0

It was a very clean leadoff home run.

***

Today’s game was very satisfying in many ways.

First of all, the fact that there was no automatic intentional walk in the dugout, and especially the fact that the Ohtani rule [allowing a player to both pitch and bat as a designated hitter] was applied.

Until now, if it was a regular season game, there would have been a penalty that our pitcher would have to enter the plate the moment I was taken off the mound.

In addition, either a normal fielder would have to be removed and I would have to go into that position, or I would no longer be able to play as a hitter. However, in this All-Star Game where the Ohtani rule is applied, I can step down as a pitcher, but I can still perform the designated hitter role.

-Bang!!!

“Strike! Out!!”

Bottom of the 2nd inning.

Lim Gwang-hyung, who came to the mound until the second inning, finished our attack in the bottom of the 2nd inning by cleanly striking out the last 8th batter.

“Oh, Gwang-hyung senior. You’re putting too much strength into it today, aren’t you?”

“That guy hit a pre-announced home run. He’s angry enough to put strength into it.”

An infielder added to the Dream All-Stars by the manager’s recommendation.

Park Joo-won, the former home run king of the Dolphins, frowned slightly and looked at me. He was a player famous for his good personality, but that’s why he didn’t like my pre-announced home run even more. There was no respect for the opposing player. That must be the meaning.

Lee Gyu-man answered Park Joo-won instead of me.

“Joo-won. Don’t be too hard on Soo-won. Seung-jin told him that the All-Star Game is originally for such flashy performances.”

“No, no matter how much. Anyway, Kim Seung-jin, that guy, should cause accidents by himself. He’s just blowing wind into the rookie.”

Besides, Lee Gyu-man wasn’t the only one on my side in the dugout right now. A whopping eight players from our Marines were playing in this All-Star Game.

Lee Jung-hoon subtly intervened.

“Hey, Joo-won senior. It’s the All-Star Game. It’s not a regular season game. Gwang-hyung senior will understand this much performance. That senior played games with even worse guys in the Major League. Even as a regular season game.”

“Well, that’s true… Anyway, Soo-won, you should talk to Gwang-hyung senior separately after the game. It’s not good to leave emotions like this behind.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“And from the next at-bat, don’t do that kind of thing if you can help it.”

Lee Jung-hoon intervened once again.

“But wouldn’t that make Gwang-hyung senior even more annoyed?”

“Huh?”

“That’s right. If you announce a home run in your turn and then play quietly from the next pitcher, wouldn’t it feel like you’re being ignored? Rather, if you just announce a home run in every at-bat, the audience will have fun and Gwang-hyung senior will think that this crazy guy is just preparing a crazy performance. I think he’ll just let it go like that.”

It sounded a bit crazy, but strangely, it was persuasive.

And it seemed that I wasn’t the only one who felt that persuasion. Kang Ra-on nodded at Lee Jung-hoon’s story.

“Well, Gwang-hyung senior is the most senior. If you only announce a home run to the most senior and not after that, it would feel like you’re being ignored.”

“That’s right. If the pitcher announces a strikeout to me but not to Soo-won, I think I’d feel worse.”

“Is that so?”

“That’s right. Anyway, it’s the All-Star Game today. Everyone will excuse that much performance.”

Top of the 3rd inning.

Jeff Kaelon, the ace of the Griffins and the third pitcher for the Dream All-Star team, allowed a two-run home run, bringing the score back to 2:1.

[Now, bottom of the 3rd inning. Following Lim Gwang-hyung, who pitched 2 innings, Cho Chang-hyuk is on the mound for the Nanum All-Stars.]

[Cho Chang-hyuk is also a pitcher who hasn’t been lucky with All-Star voting compared to his skills.]

The school bully, true to his reputation, has never been voted into the All-Star Game even once. Well, this year, his votes have increased a lot compared to previous years as he is about to advance to the Major League, but what’s the use? Lim Gwang-hyung, who has returned after achieving great results in the Major League, is standing firmly in front of him. Anyway, he is already playing in his fourth All-Star Game by manager’s vote alone.

“Sigh… Ah, Senior Chang-hyuk’s ball is a bit uncomfortable.”

“Jo Yu, even if your mouth is crooked, you have to speak straight. Anyone who hears you will think that only Senior Chang-hyuk’s ball is uncomfortable.”

“Hey! I hit two hits against Senior Gwang-hyung.”

“Seeing your shamelessness in claiming that an infield ground ball and Phoenix’s 환장 [Hwanjang – Crazy/Fantastic] defense collaboration are hits, I can understand why you’re playing in the All-Star Game with a .240 batting average.”

Jo Yu entered the plate with his mouth sticking out.

From a week before the All-Star Game, he was 설레발 [Seolrebal – Getting ahead of oneself/Being overexcited], saying that he should prepare some plausible performance, so I told him that hitting even one hit during the game is the best performance, but I really didn’t like the fact that he had some strange styrofoam in the shape of a castle wall on his chest.

The Wall?

I don’t know who gave him that nickname, but anyway, he shows a solid defense like a huge castle wall that appears in a famous drama?

But the funny thing is that when I searched the internet, that castle wall was eventually breached at a crucial moment in the drama. It’s a nickname that I wouldn’t use because it’s ominous, but Jo Yu likes to use it, which is very like him.

-Clang!!!

First pitch hit.

And a natural infield ground ball.

The guy who was running towards first base turned around and returned to the dugout.

“Ah, too bad… Well, it’s an event game anyway. I’d rather save it this time and explode it in the regular game.”

“I knew you were stupid, but you still don’t know what independent execution is.”

“Huh? Independent what?”

“No, it’s nothing. Anyway, you’re saving it. Keep saving it steadily until the regular season and explode it once during the post-season if possible.”

“Should I?”

I ended the pathetic and foolish conversation and entered the plate.

Is it because we meet so often? School bully’s face is now a bit friendly.

As usual, I stood at the plate, held the bat with my right hand, adjusted my helmet with my left hand, tapped my head twice, gripped the bat twice strongly, tapped the home plate once, and then straightened my posture. Of course, today’s routine didn’t end here.

[Ah, Choi Soo-won!! Again!! He points to the scoreboard with his bat.]

Pre-announced home run.

School bully’s face contorted.

It was the moment when the face of the guy, who was already friendly, became even more friendly.