Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 280

“It’s a bit chilly outside. Everyone, be careful not to get injured.”

“I guess it really is autumn. You can tell by the cold wind.”

Unlike the warm clubhouse and locker room, the field felt slightly cool, with a sharp autumn wind blowing.

Of course, it was only cold by Atlanta standards; compared to cities at higher latitudes, it was still reasonably warm.

The players, having finished their preparations, went out onto the field one by one. Lee Jung-woo, who walked to the dugout first, didn’t wander around the field as usual. Instead, he stood inside the dugout and looked at the opposing team’s bench on the other side.

‘Are they a bit tired? Well, they did go to Game 7.’

The Red Sox players, who had come up after a fierce battle that went to seven games, didn’t look very comfortable.

Having poured everything into the previous game, they were a little exhausted.

But even in those tired faces, their eyes shone like stars, and an undeniable confidence radiated from them.

A team that has won a championship is different from one that hasn’t. Regardless of the difference in power or the situation, it changes from the players’ mindset.

You could see it as a way to overcome tension, or simply call it a winning mentality.

The Red Sox, last year’s defending champions, had just that kind of confidence.

“Woah~ Ooooooh!”

People were already howling. The tomahawks [foam axes, a common fan item] in their hands rippled like waves across Truist Park.

Despite being in the heart of enemy territory, Lee Jung-woo and the other Braves players acknowledged the Red Sox’s confident demeanor, but they didn’t lose their own confidence either.

While the Red Sox were a team more accustomed to winning championships, the Braves were a team more familiar with victory than anyone else.

‘They’re certainly a star-studded team.’

One current Cy Young winner [award for best pitcher].

Two future winners. Three Silver Sluggers [award for best offensive player at each position] and two Gold Gloves [award for best defensive player at each position]. And one future MVP [Most Valuable Player award].

‘A dream team.’

The Red Sox’s roster was incredibly flashy. Even without his memories of the future, most people would be amazed.

It was truly a dream team, but Lee Jung-woo smiled as he glanced back.

‘This side is also a dream team.’

The players coming out of the locker room.

They were just as impressive as the Red Sox.

One almost certain Cy Young Award winner. One Silver Slugger. One Gold Glove winner. And several other A-class players.

And, crucially, one Gold Glove-caliber shortstop who only had to win the Championship MVP and Regular Season MVP awards.

It wasn’t just a close match. If you excluded the uncertain future and only looked at the current power, this side was actually superior.

Perhaps that’s why he could feel the gazes coming from the other side.

Some people’s jaws dropped when they saw their faces.

It seemed Lee Jung-woo wasn’t the only one impressed by the opposing team’s strength.

Certainly, from the Red Sox’s perspective, the Braves were also an unbelievable force.

“How’s your body today? Can you do what you did last game? Three home runs, bang, bang, bang.”

“Just okay.”

“Well, that’s good enough. Let’s do well today too. We only need to win four times; that should be easy, right?”

“Easy to the point of yawning. We’ve won 30 times more than that this year.”

The Braves’ morale was no less than the Red Sox’s, so it would be ridiculous to lose with this lineup. Lee Jung-woo simply finished his preparations calmly.

‘We’ve come this far; I need to take a ring [championship ring] to make it worthwhile.’

####

[2035 World Series! The first game of this great stage is finally unfolding here at Truist Park in Atlanta!]

[Yes, the starting lineups are now being announced. The Braves are using Mason Roper as their Game 1 starting pitcher. The Red Sox already had Christian Gomez pitch in Game 7, so they couldn’t play their ace card today.]

[Still, we can look forward to today’s starting pitcher, Cliff Kramer, who has performed well enough in both the regular season and the postseason.]

As the broadcast began and the players’ names were displayed on the screen one by one, people’s pupils dilated even more.

It was the moment the World Series, Major League Baseball’s final stage of the year, began.

People muttered the names of their favorite teams or players, praying with earnest hearts.

“Please… it’s been 40 years; it’s time to win.”

“Lee! Hit a home run! Take the World Series MVP too!”

There was a lot at stake for each side.

If the Red Sox won, they would achieve the great feat of winning the World Series two years in a row.

For the Braves, it would be their first championship in 40 years, so it would be an incredibly emotional moment.

The atmosphere at the stadium was electric.

Even though they were in the same Eastern Division, there was a distance of 900 miles, almost dividing the north and south. Yet, there were quite a few Red Sox fans at Truist Park.

Just like the Braves fans who staged a Braves invasion at Dodger Stadium during the Championship Series.

“Let’s go, Red Sox! Win here, and then win the championship in Boston this year!”

“Cliff! Just do what you did in the Championship! Don’t feel pressured!”

Of course, since it was the Braves’ home, the numbers were significantly lower, but the cheering was so intense that the atmosphere felt evenly matched.

The first game, carrying the hopes of those people, seemed to favor the Braves overall.

Whether or not an ace pitcher starts in a short series is quite an important issue.

Since it was the Braves’ home, the Red Sox also had to have their pitcher bat instead of a designated hitter, according to the National League rule, so that peculiarity would also have an impact.

[Yes, all game preparations are complete. Finally… the World Series begins!]

Amid the ear-splitting fireworks and the stadium announcer’s booming voice, the game began with the visiting team, the Red Sox, at bat.

‘Javier Marquez. He usually cuts the ball a lot as a left-handed hitter.’

Lee Jung-woo calmly watched the face of the leadoff hitter coming up.

Javier Marquez.

The Red Sox’s leadoff hitter and starting center fielder was known for his clean hitting.

That’s why Lee Jung-woo didn’t let his guard down. As he had in most games, he focused even more because his defense was especially important in this series.

Today, the Red Sox had six right-handed hitters out of the nine starting hitters, including the pitcher. Most of those right-handed hitters tended to pull the ball, so there would be many balls flying in his direction.

However, the leadoff hitter, Javier Marquez, was a left-handed hitter, but he often showed a way of hitting by simply pushing the ball to the opposite field, so he couldn’t let his guard down.

‘Thirty stolen bases. He’s a fast runner, so he often makes infield hits. Keep that in mind too.’

Lee Jung-woo once again thoroughly reviewed the opponent’s data, suppressed his excited heart with a deep inhale, and stared at home plate as if not allowing even a moment of space.

He was also human, so no matter how much he had steeled his heart, he couldn’t completely shake off the tension on the stage of the World Series.

No, rather than tension, it was more like joy or excitement that made his mind float.

Suppressing his wavering mind, Lee Jung-woo stared at the hitter, putting unspoken pressure on him.

Thanks to that, or rather, thanks to Mason’s good pitch, the hitter popped out on a foul fly on the third pitch.

And the next hitter, Samuel Mayfield, and the team’s cleanup hitter, also struck out consecutively, raising the Braves’ momentum.

Watching the hitter coming up next, Lee Jung-woo licked his lips.

[Huey Morris, the 3rd batter, is coming up. He has shown excellent performance enough to be named as one of the American League MVP candidates this season?]

[He also hit three home runs in the Championship Series and was proudly selected as the series MVP.]

Huey Morris, the 3rd batter.

The Red Sox’s starting first baseman was the most dangerous hitter. He was one of the future MVPs he knew. He was also a symbolic figure of the Boston dynasty along with Christian Gomez and Adam Straight.

No, even if he put aside that future, it didn’t change the fact that he was the most powerful hitter on the opposing team.

Perhaps that’s why Mason also looked at him with a little more cautious pitching. But his statue-like solid stance didn’t budge at any ball.

One ball and three strikes. Mason, who had not gained any particular advantage and had only accumulated three balls, made a decision and took a stance.

[5th pitch, throws, to the body- hit it!]

A pitch that boldly aimed inside because it had been thrown outside all along. But Morris swung, connecting with the pitch as if he’d been waiting for it, sending a hard line drive.

A powerful line drive. It was a hit that would elude most defenses, but Mason just smiled at the ball passing him.

Because it was headed in the most reassuring direction.

‘It’s coming here. Just run right away.’

A bullet-like line drive.

But Lee Jung-woo, who had caught even harder hits than this, simply moved his body following the ball as his eyes led him.

No, in fact, his body moved before he thought. When he made the decision, his body was already floating in the air.

“That’s right! How dare you send it to the 5-6 hole [area between shortstop and third base]? You want to die.”

“See that? There’s no hope for you guys, so just cleanly lose 4 games in a row and get out!”

“How are you going to be surprised by just this much defense? We’re even better at hitting.”

Diving catch. The Red Sox fans, who had stood up at the sharp sound of the hit, sat back down with awkward expressions at the agile movement of catching the line drive with ease.

They thought a big hit would come out from the top of the first inning, but they could only give a lukewarm applause at the defense that blocked it.

The Braves fans smiled broadly, taunting them to their heart’s content.

After the defense ended and he was returning to the dugout, Lee Jung-woo was grabbed by Mason and forced to listen to compliments.

“You lovely bastard! I don’t know why a guy who’s about the same height as me and bigger than me is so pretty. I was relieved when I saw the direction of the hit. I knew you’d take care of it. I love you, X-ball. Let’s be together forever.”

“Mason, isn’t your contract ending next season?”

“A guy like this will be playing for the Braves for a few more years. Where am I going? I have to stay by his side no matter what.”

Lee Jung-woo just shook his head, having inadvertently kept the ace happy simply by making a defensive play.

Mason was usually quiet, but he realized that even he was bursting with excitement in front of the World Series stage.

“But didn’t you say you were just average today? When I saw you catch the ball, you were faster than usual, like on a good day.”

“Yes, well, I thought so. It’s better than I thought.”

Perhaps because Derek was used to his movements after working with him, he noticed that he was a little faster than usual for someone who was just in okay condition. Lee Jung-woo just shrugged his shoulders at that.

He also thought so because he was just average in the light batting practice he had done before the game.

‘My body is fine, but my feet are light. Faster than usual.’

Although it might be a little difficult to hit the home runs that his teammates and fans wanted, he could do other things well enough.

‘Let’s see how it goes in the offense first.’

####

After the change of offense and defense, Lee Jung-woo, who was in the on-deck circle [area where the next batter warms up], practiced swinging lightly in a final check to see if he was in good condition. He didn’t realize it, but his condition was still just average.

He didn’t feel any tremendous power, and his bat speed was similar to usual, so it was just an appropriate level of hitting feel.

Lee Jung-woo, who had lost interest because it was as expected, watched the pitcher on the mound.

Cliff Kramer. The Red Sox’s second starter, not as good as Christian Gomez, but still a good enough pitcher.

His ERA [Earned Run Average, a measure of pitching performance] was in the mid-3s, and he was the type to strike out a lot of batters. And perhaps in some ways, he was a better matchup for Lee Jung-woo than Christian Gomez.

Unlike Gomez, who used a splitter as his main pitch, Kramer’s main weapon was a slider.

Of course, Lee Jung-woo’s weakness to sliders had diminished a lot this season, but at least when facing him, it was certain that the slider was a better pitch for him to hit than the vertical movement of a splitter.

‘But there’s a gap. Especially on a day like today.’

He was a good pitcher, a player who would be welcomed by any team, and one of the mainstays of the Red Sox’s starting lineup at this point. But Lee Jung-woo’s eyes were just full of anticipation as he watched him.

Kramer didn’t notice and was just focusing on the game in front of him. Derek grounded out to shortstop on the 6th pitch and retreated from the plate.

“How is it?”

“His control is good. It’s not sharp, but it seems to be well-placed near where he wants it. His pitches are quite heavy. The slider has a shorter break angle than the data. It’s ambiguous whether the pitcher intentionally adjusted it or whether it’s uniquely less curved today. Oh, and the catcher’s mouth is a little dirty, so just ignore it.”

As Lee Jung-woo nodded calmly at Derek’s explanation and entered the batter’s box, the stadium became as noisy as a rock concert venue.

[The 2nd batter, Jung-woo Lee, is at the plate for his first at-bat in the World Series. He had a great season, and he’s continuing that greatness in the postseason.]

[The stadium is shaking tremendously right now. He’s the best superstar in Major League Baseball at this point.]

The appearance of a man who is loved by Atlanta and baseball was enough to put tension on the opponent simply by walking up.

The Red Sox camp moved busily to greet him, and the fielders retreated little by little while deploying a defensive shift according to his hit distribution.

“…I’ve been hearing a lot about how great you are these days. I was surprised when I saw your stats. Did you do something like that?”

“That?”

“Well, something that boosts your strength. Things that are good for your body.”

“No way. And I’m not planning on becoming a Red Sox retired number, so look for someone else.”

“What the hell are you talking about-”

The catcher, who was subtly trash-talking like Derek said, snorted at Lee Jung-woo’s sudden words, but soon realized that it was referring to Big Papi [David Ortiz], who had been permanently honored by the Red Sox even after being caught for drug use.

“This little bastard who has no respect for senior players is saying what-”

“Ahem.”

The catcher was about to spew out profanity, but soon closed his mouth at the umpire’s cough, who seemed uncomfortable.

After the trash talk that only hurt each other’s feelings passed, the pitcher who was preparing slowly threw the first pitch. On the other hand, this time Lee Jung-woo snorted and stared quietly.

“You can’t hit my head with that. Throw it harder.”

The catcher, judging that it would be difficult to break his momentum with a face that was unfazed even with the ball passing right in front of him, spat out thick saliva and asked for the ball again.

Unlike the fierce home plate, the pitcher calmly threw the ball from the mound, showing complete composure.

The 2nd and 3rd pitches were judged as strikes and balls, respectively, and the count became one and two.

‘The slider is okay. The angle is shorter, so it feels like a cutter [type of fastball]. The fastball is good without any problems. The changeup is a little disappointing.’

There were no flaws overall. Although there were some differences in each pitch, it was like seeing Mason from his Giants days in the past.

However, there were no special advantages that stood out, so it was a little easier for the opposing side.

‘Let’s time the fastball first. I’m a little worried that I haven’t seen the two-seamer [type of fastball] yet. I can make a hit even if the location isn’t good.’

He slowly adjusted his timing.

The pitcher gave him enough time, so it was just right to organize his thoughts.

And the following 4th pitch was a low fastball to the outside. It wasn’t a very good location, but Lee Jung-woo didn’t hesitate to lightly hit the ball because it seemed difficult to get a better pitch today.

“Waaaaah!”

[Hit! It’s a hit. Jung-woo Lee technically pushes the ball slightly and makes a hit that breaks through the 5-6 hole! He seems to be in good hitting condition today.]

The ball, which was slightly rolled into the 5-6 hole, pierced exquisitely between the 3rd baseman and the shortstop and resulted in a hit. Lee Jung-woo, who lightly stepped on first base, hid the corners of his mouth that were about to rise.

‘Okay, I got a hit. Let’s see… okay, green light.’

A pitcher with a slightly relaxed pitching motion and a catcher with a slightly average stolen base defense rate. And two legs that are itching to be used today. He got the green light from the bench, so it was perfect to shake up the opposing battery’s [pitcher and catcher] mentality.