Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 135

‘He’s more interesting than I thought.’

Ian Field thought Lee Jungwoo was an interesting guy.

When they first met, he just thought of him as an ambitious kid. His good stats were impressive, but he didn’t think it would last long.

The only interest he had was that they were teammates from the same country.

In reality, he had been completely shut down by him. At least when Lee Jungwoo was on the mound, he only recorded ground balls.

‘But, there was something subtly unsettling. It felt like he was learning by using me as a textbook.’

Whether it was his own method or someone else’s advice, it was clear that even then, he was hitting differently, focusing on pushing the ball to the opposite field and using a level swing.

He did it for a few days, but eventually failed and returned to his own swing, but seeing that, he realized that he wasn’t just a guy full of confidence.

And finally, what he had accomplished in just one season. He was thrilled to see the Braves, a mid-tier team, rise to the championship simply because of his addition.

‘The Braves made it to the postseason, even the championship. Even excluding individual stats, that alone is no small feat.’

That’s why he chose the Braves.

Originally, even if he declared free agency, he wasn’t going to go anywhere else. He was going to stay with the Diamondbacks.

He was just thinking of getting a little more money. In fact, the contract was almost done, with only Ian Field’s signature remaining. But then, one thought came to mind.

Could he achieve such results while staying with the Diamondbacks? Could the Diamondbacks soar like the Braves, who were in a similar situation?

‘It’s going to be tough. At least until I retire, a guy like that won’t appear. And even if he does, there’s no guarantee it’ll be with the Diamondbacks.’

Yeah, the answer is No.

Through his agent, he made a sharp turn and signed with the Braves, who had shown interest in him.

Of course, it wasn’t just based on emotions. It wasn’t because he was upset about being pushed out by Bob Fosse and being treated unfairly, as some gossips said.

He just wanted bigger results. He wanted achievements. And the Braves also kept pace and gave him a solid deal.

‘But seeing him in person, he’s a really amazing guy.’

To be honest. At first, Ian Field thought Lee Jungwoo was crazy.

A guy who played almost a full season last year, no, even more than that, doesn’t even rest properly. He comes earlier than others and competes with the pitchers? He’s crazy beyond crazy.

But in the end, that crazy act also produced results. Definite results, like his amazing debut.

‘He’s quite stable. Was all he needed just practical experience?’

The awkward and unfamiliar hitting became sharp and intense, to the point where even Ian Field himself swallowed hard.

He didn’t think it was just effort. No, he saw tremendous talent. That kind of talent and adventurous spirit.

It was the result of a challenging spirit that wanted to jump even higher after achieving tremendous results. And he didn’t dislike that kind of person.

‘I’m the same way right now, after all.’

He boldly abandoned his ordinary and mundane skills. Even if he had stayed put, he could have survived in the majors, but he didn’t want to.

So he took a gamble on changing his pitching form, and eventually got to where he is now.

“Lee, how about a round with me?”

After the observation was ripe to a certain extent. When he had seen everything roughly. He suddenly proposed.

When he asked for a match first, he looked surprised. He felt strangely subtle.

‘Wow, he’s really young. Was he twenty-one? Wow, what was I doing at that age?’

A face still full of youthful looks. It may be because he is Asian that he looks a little younger. In fact, the guy in front of him was literally just young.

This guy turned the league upside down. He still couldn’t believe it. But he’s right in front of him…

“A round, you mean a real match? Uh… I’m fine with it.”

“You can speak comfortably. I wouldn’t dare act like a senior to the honorable shortstop.”

Lee Jungwoo made an ambiguous expression at the friendly words, and Ian Field gave him a refreshing smile and prepared with a serious face.

He wanted a final confirmation. It seemed like the right choice, but. He wanted to have more faith in his choice.

He wanted to be guaranteed a choice that would be criticized as a traitor forever.

‘At least I’ll feel comfortable for a few days. Whether I get completely shut down or see even greater potential than now.’

After all preparations were completed. After going up to the mound. Ian Field looked down at the plate and unknowingly clicked his tongue.

‘Was this the feeling? How other pitchers feel. He’s not easy.’

Because the timing of his appearances didn’t match well. He didn’t meet him last season except for the first time they faced each other. So he had never seen Lee Jungwoo at the level that was bombing the league. He didn’t understand the pitchers who were being shut down so helplessly.

But now he felt like he knew.

Why they were so crushed.

‘If you lose from the beginning in the battle of momentum. The moment the game tips, Boom! Your mentality will explode.’

He liked it from the start. The fact that a 21-year-old rookie already exudes a similar aura to the famous hitters in the league is a great case in itself.

‘Let’s start by testing him with a fastball.’

A light fastball. Since his form hadn’t come up yet, the velocity was generally low. The quality was also low. But it was a strike.

Ian Field, who caught the first count, smiled. Clearly, the weakness was clear. Accumulated data, actual appearance. Everything pointed to one thing.

‘Slider. Let’s see if this has improved too.’

When they met last season, he was shaken by the slider. No, he was just completely shut down.

Remembering that, Ian scratched the ball sharply and clicked his tongue as he watched the ball fly.

‘Ah, it’s scratched [meaning the pitch wasn’t thrown cleanly].’

The ball was properly scratched. The slider, which was originally considered the best in the league. Even if it was scratched.

Even if his form hadn’t come up much, he could have just caught one count.

That’s why Ian licked his lips. But he soon exclaimed.

“Oh, he just hits it?”

Exploding with a cheerful hitting sound. A beautifully extending hit ball. It won’t go over, but. The course was sharp. Almost to the point of rolling to the fence.

‘It’s too perfect to call it luck. He hit it completely supported. But… he even pushed it to the opposite field.’

Precise pushing to the opposite field. This didn’t exist until last season. He sometimes pushed it to the opposite field, but. It wasn’t this accurate.

So, it’s just skill.

“This is enough. Lee! Good job! I saw it well!”

He only threw two balls. Ian smiled contentedly. His choice was not wrong after all.

‘Well, if he does that in the regular season too. He’ll go to at least the postseason. Then… is the only thing left competing with Mason and the ace?’

Ian Field shook his head. That’s not easy either. To be honest, he used to look down on the pitcher, but. It was different now.

‘His skills are good, and he even equipped himself with a modified fastball from the off-season….’

“No, what kind of aces here come back more developed every off-season? What, do they mix serum or something in their meals? Hmm, it won’t be easy.”

Even as he said that, Ian Field did not erase the smile from his lips.

It’s only spring training now. The regular season is still far away, and even if the atmosphere is good at this time, there are countless cases where it turns out differently.

For some reason, he had a good feeling.

####

As time passed, all the fielders joined. As invitation players filled their spots one by one, the camp was suddenly crowded with people.

Coaches, trainers, players. If you add them all up, it’s about a hundred people, so it was natural.

“Intrasquad game, let’s see who does well this time?”

“Lee was amazing last year. Will there be another guy like that this time?”

“Well, to be honest, even if you think about it in a good way, if there’s another guy like that… it’s ridiculous.”

The players who were preparing for the intrasquad game thought about last year’s evaluation game with nostalgic eyes, as if they were talking about a long time ago.

In a way, that game was the beginning of a truly new star’s birth.

It was amazing to see a young guy not being intimidated among the major leaguers and playing his own game, and in the end, that guy was later called up and shook the league…

The players glanced at Lee Jungwoo, who was lightly warming up, as if they were still amazed even after seeing it.

“Why are you looking at people like that? It’s unpleasant.”

“Oh, you were a human? That’s the first time I’ve heard that….”

“Wasn’t he a mutant? Or an alien like Superman?”

Lee Jungwoo shook his head at the sight of them joking with exaggerated acting as if they were really surprised.

‘Anyway, it’s an intrasquad game. I did everything I could to stand out last year. It’s a new feeling.’

It felt like yesterday that he was running around trying to run even a little more, but now he was preparing while leisurely exchanging jokes.

He took the place of Darren Robson, who was originally the starter. The person himself was released in the middle of the season and is no longer seen.

He didn’t feel too bad. After all, all of these things were what he had done.

‘Anyway, it’s Team A. Derek is on a different team this time.’

Lee Jungwoo, recalling the list, seemed to know the intentions of the front office or the coaches.

They were good partners who blocked the center line as one of the best in the league during the season.

‘Because of Derek’s age. They must want to test it out.’

Now thirty-two. It was still okay to say that he was in his prime. But it was the age of decline. So, they wanted to see the chemistry between Lee Jungwoo and other second basemen.

‘Also, they’re also checking the compatibility between me and Alan O’Donnell.’

Lee Jungwoo turned his eyes and saw the pitcher who was already getting close to the players by showing off his sociability and moving his mouth non-stop while warming up.

Alan O’Donnell. Not as big as Ian Field, but a decent starting pitcher and a ground ball pitcher.

‘Ian Field was brought in with a lot of money, so excluding him. That guy is the real deal. I feel sorry for Rodrigo. But bringing him and two prospects is a complete steal.’

He was a pitcher who was already being recognized as decent. Lee Jungwoo, who knew the future, knew his true value.

After he retired, the experts who evaluated him said two things.
A lucky guy loved by the god of baseball or a lower version of Tom Glavin [Hall of Fame pitcher] and an outlier sitting outside the BABIP fence [Batting Average on Balls In Play, a statistic measuring luck].

‘There’s no right answer. He remained silent until the end. And he doesn’t have good control like Tom Glavin. So he may just be a lucky pitcher.’

He doesn’t strike out a lot, he just strikes out less. His velocity is also average, and his quality is also mediocre, to the point where even the worst hitters in the league often easily pass him. His changeups, such as the cutter and changeup, were also average. To be honest, if you search Double A [minor league level] for a moment, there are plenty of pitchers who throw better.

Overall, he has average and mundane skills. But there was something special.

He had a natural ability to induce ground balls, a natural talent that even experts couldn’t understand and gave up on.

With that, he made results. And eventually, he was recognized.

‘He didn’t even play on teams with good infield defense. Yankees, Rangers, Angels. Athletics. All of them are rated as average or below average in defense.’

Nevertheless, he showed results as a 3rd starter or even a 2nd starter, and at his career high, he recorded an ERA of 17 wins and 2.56 and suddenly flew around with him.

If the Braves, who have at least an overwhelming second baseman-shortstop line and the rest of the fielders with decent skills, are harmonized.

‘You can expect more than expected, and even more than that.’

If he blends in with the Braves as Lee Jungwoo expects.

The Braves were what the former general manager wanted so much. They could return to the golden age of the 90s, the era of the three starting pitchers.

‘No, if it goes as planned. It might be better than that time. Because it adds powerful firepower. Even the back door is solid.’

Lee Jungwoo thought. The Boston Dynasty, which dominated the 1930s. That such a great empire might not exist in this life.

‘Perfect starting pitchers. Solid bullpen. Powerful lineup. And the experience of frustrating defeats. Perfect.’

Because Atlanta will usurp their glorious throne starting this season.

####

“Lee, don’t you know this is a formal game now? Or do you think your position is in danger?”

“It’s not even the minors… a diving catch in an intrasquad game… he’ll get hurt if he does that.”

The starting players, who were sitting on the bench and watching the intrasquad game, laughed in vain as they watched Lee Jungwoo flying around. He was running around as if he had some kind of misunderstanding. A regular league game, no, a postseason game.

“Lee! Aren’t you going too far!”

So much so that the opposing team’s hitter shouted like this. But thanks to that hustle, the game itself was exciting even though it was a practice game.

“Looks like Lee is a good fit?”

“Yes, it’s as expected. It’s an evaluation game, but… it’s good.”

“Lee’s coverage is so wide… he catches almost everything.”

In such a game, the manager and coaches captured the key points one by one. Alan O’Donnell. At first, he didn’t understand.

Was it really worth bringing him by giving up Rodrigo and the prospect package? To be honest, he didn’t think so.

But after watching the practice game, he understood.

“If Derek is included there… there will be absolutely no infield hits throughout the season.”

“He’s good at defense. He rolls it well to the right position. His control isn’t great….”

The pitching coach shook his head as if he didn’t understand. Then, the defense coach exclaimed as he watched Lee Jungwoo throw.

“Oh… good.”

“It wasn’t just his hitting that changed during the break. His defense… has also improved. Huh, is this possible?”

Tremendous throwing speed. It wasn’t the realm of velocity. It was a matter of timing the throw.

The time it takes to take out the ball and throw it in an instant. It was a very subtle difference. But it was faster than last year to the point where you could feel it directly.

He took the movements quickly and concisely, but the accuracy was the same…

“First of all, he’s starting with two Gold Gloves [award for defensive excellence].”

The defense coach made a fuss as he watched Lee Jungwoo return after finishing his defense. But at least among the Braves coaches, no one took it as a joke.

When everyone nodded. Mancini smiled and said as he watched Lee Jungwoo, who had finished his shift and came back to the plate and mercilessly hit Mason’s ball, who was close to him.

“Is it just a Gold Glove?”