Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 232

Pitcher done, batter up – 231

A player occupied one axis of the fan-shaped ground—or, in Oracle’s case, a slightly odd shape, like something subtly added to a regular fan. It was perhaps inevitable, at least for those who had watched Major League Baseball since June of last year.

[Bottom of the 2nd, 1 out, runner on 1st. Full count—he hits!]

‘Low. A slight jump—’

[Catches the hit! Grabs it and throws to 2nd! Out! Double play! Today, Jungwoo Lee erases the inning with his signature spring-loaded jumping catch!]

[They often say Lee is a Cal Ripken Jr. with defensive flair. Some even say he could aim for the Hall of Fame with his defense alone, like Ozzie Smith. Many disagree, but even they would have to agree after seeing a play like that.]

“Ah, seriously! Come on!”

“That defense is freaking ridiculous!”

Overwhelming defense. The fans momentarily felt a surge of annoyance at Lee Jungwoo, who seemed to fly with boosters to catch the hit, and they poured out all sorts of praise.

A hit that would have easily been a single to left field in another game with a runner on first and one out. It would have been difficult to score, but they could have had runners on first and third, yet the result was the end of the inning. They couldn’t help but complain.

“Seriously, aren’t we just giving and not receiving enough? Lee, do you need anything for your house? A refrigerator or something? A TV? I have plenty of money. Should I get you a car? No, you have a sponsorship deal for that, right? Then a watch? Or shoes?”

Unlike the fans, the Braves players, returning to the bench amidst the chatter, felt only a warm breeze. Ian Field, the starting pitcher, grateful that the dangerous hit had been caught, even said such things.

Lee Jungwoo chuckled at his gesture of circling his fingers to indicate a thick wallet and shook his head, then slightly furrowed his brow back at the bench.

‘I thought if I kept running and sweating, it would get better. Still not enough.’

Thinking about the batter who had his hit stolen and the fans who would be dumbfounded and beat him up if they heard that, Lee Jungwoo seriously pondered.

It wasn’t quite a cold, just a general feeling of fatigue. The kind commonly called body aches from a cold in Korea. It’s usually a symptom that comes when fatigue accumulates. Honestly, there’s no real solution.

Like doctors usually say, drink lots of water, eat well, and get plenty of rest. But usually, sweating a bit helps the body recover somehow. So far, there were no signs of that.

“Still not good? Should we replace you now?”

“No, I’m fine, Coach.”

The head coach looked at Lee Jungwoo with slight concern at his unpleasant expression, and Lee Jungwoo shook his head, picking up his bat for the change of offense and defense.

The newly fitted light bat briefly caught his eye, but he chose the familiar bat he usually used in games. Perhaps it was a bit of stubbornness.

‘I can hit. If I just stay accurate until the end.’

When your condition isn’t good, it’s better to hit short and sweet, tailored to your body’s condition, rather than forcing a big swing. You should always swing your own way, but ultimately, a good hitter knows how to adjust that swing to the situation. Lee Jungwoo had always done that this season.

‘It might be an obsession. Focusing on strange things when concentration is low. But I have to try.’

At the top of the 3rd, Lee Jungwoo, as the lead batter, put on his helmet and left the bench. Stepping out of the dugout, the wide field came into view.

The disappointing first at-bat. But still, the expectant away fans, the Braves supporters. Lee Jungwoo, capturing them waving their sponge tomahawks in his eyes, put strength into the hand holding the bat.

‘Just one is enough. Just one.’

It might not be practical. A hitter who aims for home runs recklessly undermines the team’s flow and leads to a decline in the hitter’s personal performance.

But wouldn’t it be okay for just one game? For the fans.

[Top of the 3rd, Braves’ attack. Lead batter is Jungwoo Lee. He was out with a disappointing foul fly in the last at-bat, but his confident stride still draws cheers from the fans.]

[And jeers from the enemies.]

“Wooooooo!”

“Do it like before! Like before. Looked great!”

“Gonna hit a home run? 40 home runs? No way!”

Lee Jungwoo, entering the batter’s box with heavy steps, bit his cheek slightly to force his concentration, which was lower than usual. He bit down hard enough to taste a slight bitterness, staring at the pitcher without even blinking.

‘No mistakes like the first at-bat. If a good ball comes, I’ll hit it no matter what. The target is a fastball. And inside. Low or high, I’ll send it flying.’

Whether his thoughts were conveyed to the pitcher or catcher, the first and second pitches were pulled wide outside, testing him. The count was one and one because the umpire called one a strike. Perhaps concerned that they hadn’t read the batter’s intentions, the pitcher’s face was a bit dark. Maybe the catcher too.

‘Here it comes.’

As if trying to shake it off, he boldly threw the ball. The moment he saw the fastball stretching inside, his body moved on its own. No matter how bad his condition, the mechanism inputted through countless repetitions moved on its own, without the head’s command.

So, all he had to be conscious of was.

“Hmph-”

Only the impact.

The sound of the bat hitting the ball rang sharply across the ground, and the hit, flying in a straight line like a clothesline, went straight into the center fielder’s glove.

Because it was such an honest and easy-to-block hit, the center fielder caught the ball without even taking a few steps, despite the fast line drive.

Groans leaked out from the Braves fans scattered throughout the stadium, and the commentator clicked his tongue as if disappointed.

[Caught by the center fielder. Like the first at-bat, Jungwoo Lee is out with a ground ball. It was such a good hit that I thought it would be a home run the moment it was hit… I guess the power dropped off at the end, it’s a shame it was caught.]

[No, it was slightly off-center again, rather than a lack of power. Just like the last at-bat. It would have easily been a home run if it were normal. He doesn’t seem to be in very good condition.]

The commentator’s words were accurate. Lee Jungwoo himself thought so. Just like in the top of the 1st, it was slightly off at the last moment. And that wasn’t a good sign.

If it happened twice, it wasn’t just luck, but a problem with the hit. But Lee Jungwoo thought positively. There was no need to be impatient.

‘There’s a problem with the hit. But it’s better than before. It’s not a completely off-center foul fly, just a normal outfield fly. I have to think it’s getting more and more adjusted. Two at-bats left. Maybe three. That’s enough.’

All that’s left is to adjust the sights. Contrary to the home run drought before the Phillies, which made the fans anxious, the power was overflowing. Lee Jungwoo, who was out with a ground ball in his second at-bat as well, felt much calmer returning to the bench than after his first at-bat.

The problem was clear, and he found a solution.

####

The game remained tied at 2-2. The Giants’ pitcher was in mad mode, and the Braves had Ian Field, who could be called a double ace, on the mound, so no more points were scored.

As they had to aim for first place in the division or a wild card, the Giants couldn’t afford to lose a single win. Still, the home fans were happy.

First of all, Lee Jungwoo, whom they had been wary of and focused on so much, was sluggish with 4 at-bats and no hits in his third and fourth at-bats, and Vincent Harding was doing well in contrast.

“Harding! Send one flying!”

“That kid wants to hit a home run, I guess. Teach him how to hit one!”

[Bottom of the 7th, one out. Vincent Harding enters his fourth at-bat this game. He’s been doing well this game with 2 hits, 1 RBI, and 1 walk in 3 at-bats. Especially in the last at-bat, he scored an RBI with a clean double, tying the team?]

[Yes, while Jungwoo Lee, who is often cited as an MVP contender, is only recording disappointing ground balls today, he is showing the exact opposite performance.]

When Harding appeared, the boring stadium came to life, and the commentators, who had nothing to say, started talking again. And in the ensuing match, Ian Field, who was still on the mound, smiled and reacted provocatively. But Lee Jungwoo, watching from behind him, could tell.

‘He’s reaching his limit. Harding is… a little dangerous in this situation.’

Ian Field had thrown 91 pitches so far, so the power of his pitches was bound to weaken, and he was more tired than usual, especially since he was under more pressure due to the lack of support from the lineup.

Lee Jungwoo looked at him with slight concern, slowly loosening his ankles. In case a hit flew towards him, to catch it. And that was one-third of the answer.

Vincent Harding did hit the ball. But the direction was different. And it wasn’t a ball he could catch.

[He hit it! The batter threw the bat! The hit is to the right fence! Over the right fence—it goes over! Vincent Harding’s 35th home run of the season! A turnaround! The Giants take the lead!]

“Yessssssss!”

“That’s it! That’s it!”

“MVP? It’s not over yet! Harding, the chase begins!”

“Take a good look! This is the real MVP!”

Overwhelming cheers. Unfortunately, it didn’t become a splash hit [a home run that lands in McCovey Cove, a body of water beyond the right field wall of Oracle Park], but this was enough. All the things the Giants fans wanted had come true.

As the entire stadium was ecstatic, the dejected away fans quietly lowered their tomahawks and put them in their bags.

“Haa… Ah, this is so annoying. He hits that like that. Is this how other guys feel when they face Lee? I can understand why you guys are terrified when you see him.”

After somehow finishing the inning, Ian Field, still hurting from the blow, grumbled, and Lee Jungwoo, who had been silent throughout the game, felt a little guilty, but patted him on the back and said.

“It’s a shame about the win, but I’ll try to prevent you from being the losing pitcher as much as possible, so cheer up.”

“Is your body back? You should have done that sooner.”

“My body is still not great. But I’ve got the feel. A little late, though.”

Ian Field clicked his tongue as if disappointed at Lee Jungwoo’s words, but nodded.

“Good, bury someone next to me. I don’t want to die alone. I’ll feel better if there’s at least one guy dying with me.”

####

After Ian Field went down at the end of the 7th, the Braves failed to tie the score, but the Giants scored 2 more points in the bottom of the 8th, widening the gap to 3 points.

In fact, the game was almost over. The home fans, who were able to get both the long-awaited Lee Jungwoo’s slump and the team’s victory, were happy. The away fans remained in their seats due to the last hope that there was still one inning left and their loyalty to the team.

Perhaps that’s why Oracle Park was still full of people. And Lee Jungwoo thought it was the perfect stage.

“I’ll get on base somehow, so send it flying. You said you’ve got the feel. Then it’s over.”

“Sorry for being selfish today.”

“Selfish? Who? Are you talking about you in front of me? If you’re selfish, what are the other guys? Don’t be like that. I only have one hit today.”

Derek looked around playfully at Lee Jungwoo’s words and patted him on the shoulder. As if he understood everything.

Then Derek, who walked out first, continued his tenacious match with the closing pitcher who came up to end the game in the top of the 9th, and eventually walked on a walk.

And when it was his turn, Lee Jungwoo chuckled as he watched the crowd still shouting Go-Go-Go and doing the tomahawk chop [a gesture mimicking the chopping motion of a tomahawk axe, often used by fans as a war chant].

‘40 home runs. Is that what they want so much? What’s so special about it? No, it’s funny to say anything since I’m also hooked on it.’

Maybe he, like them, was hooked on that number 40. Frankly, whether a home run is 39 or 40, that player is just a good player. Not to the extent that the evaluation changes by the difference of one home run. Of course, the meaning would be different since the first digit changes. But a player who has already hit thirty-nine home runs doesn’t have enough value to obsess over and waste at-bats.

Especially if there is more than a month left in the season. So, maybe Lee Jungwoo himself thought he was hooked on it.

But.

‘So what? I’m already ready, so let’s aim for it.’

[Top of the 9th, with a runner on 1st and no outs, 2nd batter Jungwoo Lee comes to the plate. He has been sluggish in this game with 4 at-bats and 4 at-bats without a hit. The key point is whether it will be different in this at-bat.]

[In the case of the previous at-bats, it seems that the timing was slightly off overall. The bat speed is fast, so he hits the ball. But the contact at the last moment seems to be a little lower than usual.]

[It can be said that there is a slight hitting slump, but since it’s Lee, the Giants and the pitcher can’t easily let their guard down.]

When Lee Jungwoo, who has not yet scored a hit during this game, appeared at the plate, the commentators poured out various words.

It was also a bit funny that he had to hear words of concern from those around him just because he hadn’t recorded a hit for just one game.

However, such words were perhaps natural because Lee Jungwoo had shown crazy skills throughout the season. Also, he had often had his senses dulled in the past and had recorded a series of strikeouts, but today he had only recorded slightly off-center ground balls.

‘In some ways, this is worse. A strikeout is just losing to the pitcher, but the disappointing ground balls like now are the batter’s responsibility. Unless the pitcher intended it.’

It was time to cut it off. If this became fixed, the entire hit could be shaken. He’s not so sensitive that he’s greatly shaken by himself in one or two games, whether he’s a pitcher or a batter, but he needed to be careful.

Lee Jungwoo, who gripped the bat a little tighter, looked at the pitcher, and the closer, who had given Derek a walk earlier, was frowning as if he was still annoyed, but he glanced at Lee Jungwoo, who filled the batter box, with a lukewarm eye and then stopped paying attention.

‘He’s completely ignoring me.’

If you were to count the order in which you realize when a batter is not doing well, the first place is naturally the batter himself, the second is the catcher who observes the batter up close, and the third is the pitcher who directly cooks the batter. Sometimes pitchers with good heads realize it faster than the batter himself.

And the Giants’ closer, who is currently on the mound, also had that much sense. Although he is not a batter he has faced directly, he is in a position where he cannot help but be sensitive to information.

‘And it’s easier to notice when you’re not in good condition than when you are. Still, it hurts my pride to be treated so openly.’

It’s not a good action as a pitcher. There’s no need to reveal your emotions, your thoughts about the batter. Because you might provoke him for no reason. Whether in a good way or a bad way.

Especially when a batter is not doing well, showing a look that ignores him can give him room for a comeback.

Like now.

“Isn’t that pitcher too much? I don’t think I’m at the level where I can be ignored anywhere.”

When Lee Jungwoo opened his mouth at the plate for the first time in this game, the catcher looked at him with a slightly surprised look. Although he couldn’t see it because he had fixed his body towards the mound, Lee Jungwoo could feel his gaze.

“Well, you didn’t do very well today, did you? Even if you think about it. If that’s the case, he can ignore a batter like that.”

“That’s true, but shouldn’t you be careful? If I hit one here, and Joey, who comes out right after, hits one more, it’s a tie.”

“Isn’t it enough to dream after the game, lying on the bed in the dorm? Not during the game.”

“Does it seem like a dream?”

At Lee Jungwoo’s words, the catcher shut his mouth tightly. As if he had sensed something strange. Unlike the catcher, Lee Jungwoo didn’t move at all and just looked at the pitcher.

Whether the catcher gave some kind of sign, the pitcher’s expression changed subtly, and Lee Jungwoo also wanted that.

‘He always pitches with all his might like a closer, but it’s better to receive a pitch with moderate tension than to throw it comfortably without tension. He won’t throw it carelessly just because he looks down on me. So, let’s start from the middle.’

A match that began with a slight tension between each other and with an equal mindset. Lee Jungwoo slowly chose the ball. The pitcher, who had tightened his heart, threw the ball as carefully as possible.

The count gradually increased. The crowd became noticeably quieter, perhaps sensing something in the closer’s appearance, who was supposed to catch the batter who was tired from playing the game with a refreshing strike, retreating slightly.

[It’s a cautious match. Both the batter and the pitcher are not showing their numbers.]

[No matter how bad his performance in this game is, he’s a dangerous batter. It’s natural for the pitcher to be careful. Lee is also trying to aim for the best ball because his hitting feel is not good today. However, I don’t know if the pitcher will throw it.]

Two and two. Lee Jungwoo, who cut the ball that flew in, stepped back from the seat for a moment and then entered again. The pitcher also loosened his arm slightly and then bent down again to exchange signs with the catcher.

Considering that he gave Derek a walk after an 8-pitch match earlier, it was time to finish it. If he wastes more stamina here, the scenario that Lee Jungwoo said might unfold.

‘And it’ll be ambiguous. Maybe I’m intentionally trying to exhaust the pitcher’s stamina, so I’ll be suspicious.’

It’s not intentional, but the more complicated the catcher’s head becomes, the worse it is for the batter. Lee Jungwoo emptied his mind, leaving all the worries to the opponent. The pitcher took a pitching form, perhaps because the catcher had made a choice after much deliberation.

The pitcher’s choice, who wound up and swung his arm lying sideways like a whip, ignoring the lead of 1st base runner Derek, was a fastball with a tailing unique to sidearm pitchers.

‘Pulling is too late. Cut it off. Anyway…’

Outside, the height is about medium. It wasn’t the course he wanted, but it was the easiest position to hit. However, Lee Jungwoo twisted his body so that the ball hit the center of the bat as much as possible due to the slightly faster ball than he thought.

Like well-meshed gears, everything inside his body was perfectly fitted. The power pulled up from the hips was added to the wrist strength, further reinforcing the cut-off swing.

‘The power is overflowing.’

[He hit it!]

The last shot.

As it soared high and took off like an airplane, all eyes in the stadium captured the loess-colored ball, and the away fans, who had been howling and waving tomahawks until just before the match, couldn’t even make a sound.

It flies. The ball. It continues to fly. The commentator screamed as if he was out of breath at the hit that stretched endlessly between the left fielder and the center fielder, instead of the right fielder’s direction, perhaps because he pushed it instead of pulling it, piercing through the exclamations of most of the audience. The destination of the hit was the glove located at the very back of Oracle Park.

[Jung! Woo! Lee! Season 40 home run! For the first time in history! It hits the gold glove of Oracle Park!]

[It fell back into the audience after hitting it. But it’s okay to see it as an out-of-bounds home run. I have nothing to say.]

Looking at the ball that was in the huge glove located next to the fence, beyond the audience seats, and next to the cola bottle, one Giants fan thought. First of all, that’s our glove, so shouldn’t we count it as an out?