The Pitcher Just Hits Home Runs Well [EN]: Chapter 346

346. End of the Season (3)

It feels like just yesterday that Choi Su-won pitched a perfect game against the Boston Red Sox, but it’s already been almost three months. Like many perfect games, Choi Su-won had luck on his side that day. Our fielders played exceptionally well, especially Anthony Volpe, who was amazing.

‘The Grab’

While its importance doesn’t compare to Yankees legend Derek Jeter’s ‘The Flip,’ I think it was a play comparable to Jeter’s other signature defensive gem, ‘The Dive.’

Of course, unlike Jeter’s ‘The Dive,’ Anthony Volpe’s play didn’t decide the game’s outcome, but in a way, the 25th perfect game in league history, especially against the Red Sox, was more valuable than just winning a single game.

“So, you’re saying you can forgive him now?”

“Are you kidding me? How could I?”

Is it true that bad luck comes in droves, just like good luck? In today’s game, the Yankees’ fielders were making mistakes one after another, as if they had rehearsed it.

One out, runners on first and second.

Choi Su-won on the mound wiped the sweat from his forehead.

“Maybe skipping a day between appearances was a bit much? You know how pitchers have that thing… that thing.”

“What? Routine?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Routine. If that routine gets broken, they fall apart. Who was it? Anyway, there was a guy who pitched every four days, but when he got an extra day of rest, his performance declined.”

“Come on, is this Su-won’s fault? Su-won is pitching well, but the defense is falling apart.”

“Well, we can’t know for sure. We’re just watching from afar. In an actual game, the quality of the batted balls changes depending on how you pitch. They say pitchers have their own unique BABIP [Batting Average on Balls In Play, a statistic measuring how often batted balls in play become hits], right?”

“Come on, anyone can see that it’s Volpe’s fault. Look, it’s recorded as an error.”

The Yankees fans, who came to the stadium wearing Volpe’s number 0 jerseys, were chattering about the situation. In fact, even if Volpe had failed to make a ridiculously difficult play, they would have said, ‘I don’t care, it’s Volpe’s fault.’ That’s what Choi Su-won meant to the Yankees fans right now.

[Now, Boston’s cleanup hitter, Masataka Yoshida, is at the plate. Masataka Yoshida is coming up to bat.]

[Masataka Yoshida, who is playing as the left fielder in today’s game, is also having a great season, hitting .277/.361/.473. As you can see from the stats, he’s a power hitter, so we need to be very careful when we have runners in scoring position.]

Masataka Yoshida.

35 years old. A power hitter from NPB [Nippon Professional Baseball, Japan’s highest level of baseball] who signed a 5-year, 90 million dollar contract in the winter of 2022 and came to the major leagues. He is a gap hitter who hits around 15 home runs per year despite his small height of only 5’8″ (173cm). When he was in NPB, his OPS [On-Base Plus Slugging, a common baseball statistic] was almost 1.0, but of course, his stats in the big leagues were closer to 0.8, and this season’s 0.834 was the best of his career.

‘Hoo…’

The 5-year contract that started in 2023 is ending this year.

35 years old. Although he is a left fielder, he is essentially a designated hitter because he is a liability on defense. It is generally accepted that the 5-year, 90 million dollar contract was a bust. But does he want to go back to NPB?

No way.

Yoshida wanted another chance to prove himself in the big leagues. He wanted to prove that Masataka Yoshida was a player who could make it in the major leagues, even if he wasn’t as brilliant as that kid shining on the mound.

A small frame of 5’8″ (173cm).

But a solid 194 lbs (88kg), an unexpected weight for his frame.

Choi Su-won on the mound gripped the ball.

Choi Su-won is definitely a good pitcher.

He’s too good for a twenty-year-old.

But if you ask if he’s an untouchable pitcher, well? Of course, I’m not one to talk since I got a perfect game against him, but pitcher Choi Su-won doesn’t have the overwhelming presence of the Yankees’ Domingo Rodriguez or Gerrit Cole, or the Red Sox’s Juan Montero.

Of course, it seems like an unfair comparison to compare a mere twenty-year-old to the league’s aces, but anyway, that’s how it is.

What was it like at twenty?

A little more impatient and a little more erratic.

Yeah, that’s how twenty is supposed to be.

The absurd defensive error from earlier.

A pitcher can’t help but be shaken.

I’m sorry to the young pitcher, but I can’t afford to be considerate. I’ll latch onto his weaknesses and exploit them. That’s the world of professionals.

The ball came flying.

A slightly ambiguous high pitch.

It’s a curveball. I’ve already seen that curveball from the other batters. His curveball is definitely dropping deep today.

-Thwack!!!!

“Strike!!!”

!?

I didn’t bother turning to look at the umpire because the call wasn’t wrong.

The ball came in a little too close to the body and didn’t drop enough.

Damn it.

Come to think of it, his curveball had two types. One with some horizontal movement and less drop, and one that really drops properly.

I thought it was a dropping ball because it was a high pitch in the middle….

No, it’s okay. Anyway, it’s a ball he’s determined to throw for a strike. He saw the error earlier, so he has no intention of trying to trick me into hitting it.

From the batter’s point of view, the fewer the possibilities, the easier it is.

Ball count 0-1.

The second.

High inside fastball.

-Thwack!!!

1-1.

I’m confident in my eye.

The reason I’ve been able to survive this long in the big leagues is because of my ability to recognize pitches.

And the third.

Low outside fastball.

This is my chance.

-Whoosh!!!!

“Strike!!!”

Masataka Yoshida briefly raised his hand and stepped away from the plate.

A deep breath.

“That guy is completely insane.”

“Yeah, I agree.”

Is it because it’s a bit of a swear word? I’ve only lived in America for five years, but before I knew it, even my mutterings were coming out in English. And Jose Trevino, who caught that ball just now, agreed with him.

A slider that looks like it’s going outside but cuts back into the middle. How much guts does he have to throw such a crazy ball? I thought he was just a kid….

When he pitched the perfect game before, he gave the impression of being a safe pitcher who doesn’t take risks, but is it because three months is a long time for a twenty-year-old? Realizing his age again, Masataka Yoshida stepped back into the batter’s box.

The fourth.

Ball count 1-2.

Normally, it’s time to throw a bait ball [a deceptive pitch designed to trick the batter]. But what if it’s a pitcher who shows such bold pitching like just now? I don’t know. Maybe he’s a crazy guy who’s going to come right in and strike me out.

Choi Su-won threw the ball.

The ball is placed low and outside. I watched the ball a little longer. It’s close. The probability of a strike call is less than half. But it was a 1-2 count. So, I have to swing.

-Whoosh!!!!

Short swing.

Jose Trevino miraculously caught the one-bounce ball that hit the ground.

“Strike!! Out!!!!”

I’m going crazy.

He’s throwing a curveball low here? How confident is he in his command? And how much faith does he have that the catcher won’t drop the ball to throw such an absurd ball?

No, before that, he still believes in and trusts his teammates even after seeing the defensive error just now? A mere twenty-year-old?

Choi Su-won on the mound felt a little different.

Of course, if you ask if he’s still a pitcher like Domingo Rodriguez, Gerrit Cole, or Juan Montero, the answer is definitely no. He’s still lacking a lot.

But just one step from there.

If he takes just one more step to break out….

“No. No matter what, he’s not a league ace.”

Masataka Yoshida shook his head and returned to the dugout.

And Choi Su-won, who remained on the ground, continued pitching.

“Strike!! Out!!!”

***

Today’s game was quite different from the image training I did before the game. When I deliberately tried to induce ground balls, I was able to induce ground balls, but in the subsequent process, the defenses that were supposed to support me firmly were a bit ‘Mariners-esque’ [referencing the Seattle Mariners’ reputation for poor fielding].

I didn’t feel like, ‘I can’t do this anymore because it’s so frustrating.’ There are bad days as well as good days. No, in fact, it’s a blessing that there are good days because there are bad days. If I go back to my original mindset for a moment, my pitching was a series of bad days by default.

Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m going to recklessly try to strike out like I did in my Mariners days.

A little less aggressive pitching.

Pitching that utilizes bait balls a little more.

But is it because I took a full ten days off? Oh, of course, I came out as a hitter, but anyway, thanks to skipping a start and giving my shoulder enough rest, the ball is coming out stronger than I thought.

Top of the 1st inning.

1 hit allowed, 2 strikeouts, no runs allowed against Boston’s top of the order.

And one error by Anthony.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay. It’s okay. We didn’t give up a run. And so what if we do? We can just score and pay it back. Right?”

“Score and pay it back?”

“Yeah, you don’t even have to score and pay it back all by yourself. Once you get on base, it’s an automatic run. Wow, Anthony. Are you going to win the runs scored title at this rate?”

“……. Are you just saying you want one more RBI [Runs Batted In, a baseball statistic] in a roundabout way?”

“If you understand, hurry up and get out there. Oh, I mean get to first base, not to the batter’s box, so don’t misunderstand.”

“I didn’t misunderstand.”

There’s a saying that good offense comes after good defense.

That’s right. On days when you’re in good condition, you play well on both defense and offense. But I think the saying that bad offense comes after bad defense is more accurate. It’s not just a matter of bad condition, but the bad defense beforehand interferes with the complete focus on hitting.

So, it’s very important to ease the batter’s mind with this kind of light talk.

Back when I was playing as a first baseman before my regression, I missed a ridiculous throw and heard something like this and paid it back.

Oh, of course, the ending was that I scored the run back, but the pitcher who said that went to the manager and said that it didn’t make sense to put me at first base with that kind of defense, and I was pushed to designated hitter.

Anyway, those pitchers’ personalities….

I should also subtly tell the defense coach later that Anthony needs a little more ground ball practice.

-Clack!!!!

[He hit it!! Anthony Volpe!! A hit that breaks through between 2nd and 3rd base!!]

Runner on 1st with no outs.

The best hitter in the league is at the plate….

[Ah, automatic intentional walk. It’s an automatic intentional walk. Boston’s dugout. They’re walking Choi Su-won without even looking.]

[It’s understandable, but…. Well. Choi Su-won isn’t the only one in the Yankees’ lineup right now. After him, there’s Tyler Veach, Aaron Judge, Mike Trout, and Dennis Martinez. There are four hitters in a row who could be in the heart of the lineup on any team.]

[Wow, listing the players’ names in a row makes the Yankees’ recent 15-game winning streak not feel long at all.]

I walked to first base and took off my batting gloves and protective gear.

Well, it’s so common these days that it’s not particularly strange.

The game continued.