A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 173

45. Bursting from the Dugout (2)

So close, yet so far.

For the KH Cannons, the leading SH Knights had been just that for a while.

Since mid-April, both teams had been mirroring each other’s win-loss records.

If the Cannons won, the Knights won too; if the Cannons lost, the Knights also lost.

It had been almost two weeks since fans of both teams started talking about it.

-When are those Knights going to lose? They won again today?

-Damn it, we should have won today! Why do we have to lose on the same day as the Cannons!

The 2nd place Cannons, unable to surge into the lead, and the leading Knights, unable to shake off their pursuers.

Their long chase was now reaching a point where it would be decided one way or another.

The first game of the mid-week 3-game series between the two teams was held at the KH Cannons Field.

“Waaaaah!!!”

“Waaaaah!!!”

Amid the passionate cheers of both teams’ fans echoing throughout the stadium, Jiseop was watching the game with General Manager Seo Chang-gi in his office.

“Ah, so that’s what happened?”

Said General Manager Seo Chang-gi.

“Actually, I’ve been wondering from earlier. Our players are doing things they don’t normally do……”

The ‘things they don’t normally do’ that General Manager Seo mentioned was the finger heart [a Korean gesture of making a heart shape with one’s fingers, used as a sign of affection or celebration].

From this game onwards, the Cannons players were making finger heart gestures as a celebration after getting a hit.

“I was worried because of the unexpected competition for the top spot from the beginning of the season…… If the players are coming up with hit celebrations on their own, I can rest easy.”

General Manager Seo Chang-gi nodded with a satisfied expression.

However, the very next moment, he stroked his chin and tilted his head.

The TV broadcast showed a close-up of a player sitting in the dugout.

“Mr. Kim.”

“Yes?”

“Is it just me?”

General Manager Seo pointed at the TV screen.

“The other players all look bright and cheerful, but Jang-ho’s face doesn’t look too good.”

Is he alright?

General Manager Seo asked Jiseop.

* * *

General Manager Seo’s words were true.

Ryu Jang-ho, who played as the center fielder and 3rd batter for the KH Cannons that day.

He was sitting in the dugout with a rather serious expression.

‘……Damn it.’

Actually, the start was great.

He hit a long one that completely split the center-right field from his first at-bat.

A two-RBI [Runs Batted In] double that brought both runners home.

However, in the situation of no outs, first and second base, created as the following batter drew a walk.

Just for a moment, while turning his head to check the position of the third baseman, the opposing pitcher’s lightning-fast pickoff throw came flying in.

-Out! Aaaand out!

He was startled and lunged towards second base, but what came back was the second base umpire’s out declaration.

He requested a video review out of frustration, but the ruling was not overturned in the end.

It was a pickoff. A truly terrible pickoff.

A pickoff that cut off our team’s momentum and gave a lifeline to the faltering opposing pitcher.

From Ryu Jang-ho’s perspective, it was the first pickoff in almost six years since his rookie days, but that couldn’t be an excuse.

‘Damn it, why in such an important game…….’

At first, he tried to shake it off.

He knew that it was no use regretting spilled milk.

But was it because it was a game for the sole lead for the first time in 13 years?

Or was it because the pickoff after 6 years came as quite a shock?

Even after that, Ryu Jang-ho didn’t show particularly good game content.

Taak!

Bottom of the 3rd inning, leading with a score of 2-1.

He came to bat in a 1 out, runner on 3rd situation, but was retired with an infield fly.

Taak!

Bottom of the 5th inning, leading with a score of 4-3.

He came to bat in a no out, runners on 1st and 2nd situation, but hit into a double play straight to the shortstop.

Taaaaak!

The peak of the bad flow was the situation in the top of the 8th inning, with the score tied at 5-4.

He thought it was an easy ball to catch, but it curved at the end, allowing a hit.

“Backup! Backup!”

Kyung Seon-woo, who was coming from behind, played the follow-up well, but in the end, he couldn’t prevent the tying runner from stepping on home plate.

With this, the score was tied at 5-5, losing the lead that had been maintained since the 1st inning-

“……”

As the situation turned out like this, even Ryu Jang-ho couldn’t help but have his mind waver.

‘Today is just not my day.’

He was trying to keep a calm expression, but in fact, Ryu Jang-ho was almost praying at this time.

I hope no more important situations come back to me.

I hope the chance is given to another batter if possible.

‘The team atmosphere isn’t bad. If Terry or Senior Cheon Jin-woo get a chance, they might be able to turn it around…….’

But,

Such prayers were in vain.

“……”

Bottom of the 9th inning, with the score tied at 5-5.

Ryu Jang-ho, in the on-deck circle, was watching Terry Foster, the 2nd batter, walk with a serious expression.

Two outs, runners on 1st and 2nd.

In a situation where a single hit could put them in the sole lead for the first time in 13 years-

The next batter is,

3rd batter Ryu Jang-ho.

* * *

Shuuuu- Paang!

Shuuuu- Paang!

Although he had been retired with ground balls in the previous three at-bats, Ryu Jang-ho was still a fearsome presence to the opposing team.

The SH Knights hurriedly brought in a left-handed pitcher when Ryu Jang-ho got a chance to end the game.

As the pitcher who came out of the bullpen started practicing his pitches, the Cannons’ hitting coach slowly walked out.

“Jang-ho!”

“Ah, Coach.”

Honestly, Ryu Jang-ho had a glimmer of hope at this time.

Since a left-handed pitcher came out, wouldn’t they use a right-handed pinch hitter?

If not, wouldn’t they have a brilliant tactic to target the opposing pitcher?

However, the first words the hitting coach said were quite anticlimactic.

“Jang-ho, you’re fined?”

“Yes?!”

“Seon-woo just said? You didn’t do the celebration after getting a hit in the first at-bat.”

The hitting coach smiled.

“Remember? We agreed to collect 10,000 won [approximately $8 USD] for not doing the finger heart.”

“Ah, yes…….”

From the hitting coach’s point of view, it was just a word to relieve Ryu Jang-ho’s tension.

In fact, immediately after making that joke, he took out the power analysis data and started advising on the courses and types of pitches to target.

However, was it because the game wasn’t going well that day?

By the time the briefing on the opposing pitcher was over, Ryu Jang-ho was unknowingly saying these words.

“Coach.”

“Hmm?”

“Could you tell the kids not to jeer during this at-bat?”

‘Jeer’.

It meant booing the opposing players.

Originally, it was a request made to avoid provoking the opponent when the score difference was large.

But at this time, the meaning was a little different.

“I think I need to concentrate really hard this at-bat.”

“Ah, were the kids a bit noisy during the last at-bat? Alright, I’ll go and keep their mouths shut.”

He was expressing it quite indirectly, but the meaning was clear.

A request not to curse at the opposing team, not to cheer for himself, but to just be quiet for a while.

“Batter, to the plate!”

“Yes!”

Ryu Jang-ho, who received the referee’s instructions, immediately walked to the plate.

Bbabam! Bbabam! Ryu! Jang! Ho!

Bbabam! Bbabam! Ryu! Jang! Ho!

Chance to end the game.

The cheering chants were louder than ever in the stands, but Ryu Jang-ho at the plate was feeling relatively calm.

Whether the hitting coach had delivered the message properly, there was no sound from the Cannons dugout.

‘……I feel a little better now.’

It was good that he couldn’t hear silly noises like finger hearts.

It was good that he couldn’t think of the faces of the guys who were joking around while grinning at him.

In that state, Ryu Jang-ho recalled the hitting coach’s advice from earlier.

‘Aim for the fastball.’

He said that the pitcher’s control of breaking balls wasn’t very good.

He also said that they might walk him if necessary, so breaking balls would unconditionally go outside the strike zone.

So the target is the four-seam fastball. A relatively easy fastball to control.

Shuuuu- Paang!

Shuuuu- Paang!

Sliders coming in continuously.

The ball count is 1-1.

Just when he thought it was about time, the third ball flew from the pitcher’s fingertips.

‘Fastball!’

It was close to a mistake.

A ball coming almost right in the middle.

Because it was the ball he had been waiting for, Ryu Jang-ho swung his bat with all his might.

Taaaaak!

A feeling that he hit it properly.

The feeling that this is ‘it!’

However, what came into Ryu Jang-ho’s view the next moment was the trajectory of the ball barely passing the 1st base foul pole.

“Foul! Foul!”

The 1st base umpire spreading his arms wide.

A sigh of disappointment flowed through the stadium.

If it had gone inside by just 50cm, it could have been a game-winning home run.

Ryu Jang-ho waited for the video review result with a hopeful heart, but what came back was the umpire’s decision that it was a foul.

‘It’s really…… not working out.’

At this timing, Ryu Jang-ho let out a hollow laugh.

It’s not working out. It’s really not working out. Today is just not a day for baseball.

Since even the only target has disappeared, he doesn’t even know what to do now.

“Hoo.”

Just as he was about to step back into the plate with a short sigh.

Yes, that’s exactly what happened.

“Uwaaack!!!”

A scream coming from the Cannons dugout.

* * *

‘……What is it?’

At the sudden sound, Ryu Jang-ho turned his head towards the dugout.

It wasn’t just Ryu Jang-ho.
The opposing team’s catcher, the umpire, and the pitcher on the mound couldn’t help but turn their attention to that side.

And what came into their view was-

“Uwaaa…….”

The sight of Kyung Seon-woo tearing at his hair.

And a large water bottle lying in front of him.

“Aigo, you space cadet! That’s why I told you not to bring such a big water bottle!”

“Didn’t I tell you to just open a bottled water and hold it! Where did you get something like this…….”

“No, if you’re going to bring it, bring something you can carry alone! What are we going to do with this water now! It’s all wet!!!”

The people who were wiping the water spilled on the dugout floor while giving Kyung Seon-woo all sorts of nagging.

The one who grasped the situation before Ryu Jang-ho was the SH Knights’ catcher behind home plate.

“Jang-ho, your right fielder…… did he really bring water in that big water bottle? To pour on you if you hit a walk-off [a hit that immediately wins the game]?”

“It seems like that’s the case.”

“And then he spilled it?”

“It seems…… like it.”

“Aigo, you crazy bastard.”

The opposing team’s catcher clicked his tongue and prepared to receive the ball again.

Ryu Jang-ho also followed him and stepped back into the plate.

“……”

Ryu Jang-ho was calm at first.

However, while bowing his head and smoothing the dirt on the ground, the corners of his lips were slowly rising.

‘Seriously, that guy is something else?’

Laughter kept peeking out from between his tightly closed lips.

He was also dumbfounded at where he got such a big water bottle.

It was also funny to imagine him carrying that water bottle with difficulty.

He also felt a little sorry for the fact that he had spilled the water that he had brought with so much effort.

“Ahem, ahem.”

Just as he was about to barely calm down the bursting laughter and get back into position, a familiar voice was heard from the dugout.

“Senior! Ryu Jang-ho Senior!”

It was Kyung Seon-woo.

The guy was picking up the water bottle and shouting loudly.

“Don’t be too disappointed! There’s still plenty of water left! I brought plenty to pour on you, Senior!”

“Hey, Kyung Seon-woo! I told you to be quiet! Jang-ho needs to concentrate!!!”

“Is Seon-woo a goldfish or something? Does he forget everything in 3 seconds?!”

The Cannons dugout, which had been quiet for a while, was noisy again.

“Jang-ho, you’re having a hard time too. There’s never a quiet day in the dugout.”

The SH Knights’ catcher said this from behind, but Ryu Jang-ho’s face, turning his gaze towards the pitcher, already had a faint smile on it.

‘……Water to pour on Senior?’

It seemed like Kyung Seon-woo was aiming for Ryu Jang-ho from the beginning.

It seemed like he was planning to run over and pour water on him if Ryu Jang-ho hit a walk-off.

He didn’t like the guy who was messing around without knowing anything, but somehow Ryu Jang-ho could feel his shoulders getting lighter.

‘That guy thought from the beginning that I would hit a walk-off?’

The pitcher on the mound is in a set position.

Ryu Jang-ho lightly grabbed the bat and pulled it behind his ear.

‘Then, to give him a proper scolding later…….’

The pitcher going into the pitching motion.

His right leg went up to his waist and stretched forward, and his left arm began to whip around like a whip.

The moment the ball leaving his fingertips passed over home plate.

‘Senior has to get at least one hit here!!!’

Taaaaak!

A strong hitting sound echoing on the ground.

The ball that flew like a bullet slightly passed over the glove of the leaping 1st baseman and fell inside the line.

“Fair!!!”

The 1st base umpire pointing inside the ground.

The SH Knights’ right fielder hurriedly ran over and picked up the ball, but by that time the 2nd base runner had already stepped on home plate.

The Cannons’ sixth point of the day.

Final score 6-5.

The Cannons’ victory.

Waaaaah!!!

Waaaaah!!!

All the spectators who came to the KH Cannons Field that day stood up from their seats and poured out passionate cheers.

The SH Knights players, who failed to stop the last batter, began to return to the dugout with their heads bowed.

Ryu Jang-ho, who stepped on 1st base, also felt something hot surging from his heart and clenched his fists tightly-

“Hmm?”

Right then, what came into his view was the sight of his fellow players who had not yet left the dugout.

‘……What is it?’

It was clear that they were ready to celebrate the walk-off.

Everyone was holding bottled water in their hands and seemed ready to pour out onto the ground at any moment.

But they weren’t running out, and they were looking at Ryu Jang-ho on 1st base with strange eyes.

“……”

“……”

The playful expressions on their faces.

Truly the expression of a pack of hyenas.

Ryu Jang-ho could understand what their intentions were.

“Haa…… anyway…….”

Honestly, he was embarrassed.

He wondered if a baseball player really had to take this pose.

But everyone was waiting, so what could he do?

“Aish…….”

Ryu Jang-ho, who let out a sigh once, showed his hands to his teammates with an expression that he had given up on everything.

A ‘finger heart’ made very timidly at his fingertips.

“Woohoo!!!”

“It’s a heart!!!”

“It’s Senior Jang-ho’s finger heart!!!”

The players who confirmed the KH Cannons’ official hit celebration.

They shouted and started running out of the dugout.

The professional baseball team that had been lingering at the bottom for years, KH Cannons.

It was the moment when they rose to the sole lead for the first time in 13 years.