A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 197

Chapter 51: Isn’t This Too Much? (3)

The first game of the second half was held at our home stadium.

The KH Cannons secured a victory.

Final score: 5-1.

“Wooooo!!!”

“Wooooo!!!”

It was a meaningful game for the KH Cannons in many ways.

Starting pitcher Ma Kang-sik achieved his first complete game win with only one run allowed since his professional debut.

All-Star MVP Ahn Young-chan recorded his 150th career home run.

And Cannons’ superstar Ryu Jang-ho recorded two stolen bases, reaching the milestone of 20 stolen bases for the sixth consecutive year.

“Wow, Ryu Jang-ho is still alive and kicking!”

“Can’t see his feet, they’re so fast!”

With so many records set in a single game, it would normally be a day where attention would be focused on the Cannons.

Whether it was the highlight broadcast programs after the game or the sports channels of internet portal sites.

The Cannons’ story should have been flowing out through various media outlets, but-

That day, the Cannons did not receive much attention.

First complete game win of his career, 150th career home run, 20 stolen bases for the sixth consecutive year.

A record that left a much stronger impression than these was set at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan.

-Strikeout! It’s a strikeout! Game over! UB Guardians’ new foreign pitcher achieves a one-hit shutout in his first appearance on the Korean stage!

Throwing 117 pitches over 9 innings, allowing only 1 hit, 14 strikeouts, and no runs.

Except for a weakly hit single in the bottom of the 8th inning, none of the opposing team’s batters were able to reach first base that day.

This man truly etched his name into the minds of Korean baseball fans with his overwhelming pitching.

His name is Mike Pontius.

-‘I’ll show you the ball of a ‘real’ Major League pitcher’…… Pontius’ bold statement had a solid basis.

Praise from commentators continued on the professional baseball highlight program that aired late that night.

-His fastball, exceeding the mid-140 km/h range [approximately 87-90 mph], was excellent, but the power of his breaking balls was particularly impressive. It seemed like every pitch was inducing the batters to swing and miss?

-I think it’s also worth noting that he threw over 100 pitches in his debut game. Doesn’t that mean he’s confident in his stamina?

He has decent speed.

The power of his breaking balls is especially great.

He also has the stamina to handle long innings.

What conclusion can be drawn based on these characteristics?

-We’ll need to watch a few more games, but it seems that the Guardians have brought in a starting pitcher of considerable quality.

-The second half of the season’s ranking competition will be even more interesting. The UB Guardians’ almost only weakness has disappeared.

-There is a high possibility that the landscape of not only the regular season but also the post-season will be greatly shaken. In short-term games, the presence or absence of an overwhelming ace greatly determines the outcome of the game.

Mike Pontius, who achieved a one-hit shutout in his debut game.

While anticipation for him spread throughout the baseball scene.

“…….”

“…….”

The next day, in the afternoon.

An emergency meeting was being held in the KH Cannons Field Conference Room No. 1.

* * *

When a new foreign player from another team enters a game.

And when that player puts on a great performance and is immediately promoted to a ‘person of interest’.

The first thing the team’s front office does is secure footage of that game.

“Manager Choi, has the video arrived?”

“Yes, the editing has just been completed.”

If the analysis target is a hitter, the broadcasting company’s relay video is also quite useful.

Because you have to look at not only the movements at the plate, but also the actions of running bases or playing defense.

However, when the analysis target is a pitcher, the most useful thing is the video directly taken by the away game recorders.

A video that relentlessly captures only the pitcher’s movements throughout the game.

By playing that video frame by frame, they try to find a way to attack the pitcher.

“Okay, let’s watch it again.”

This day was no exception.

The Cannons’ field coaching staff, led by Arthur Freeman.

And the power analysis team staff, led by Team Leader Kang.

In addition, even General Manager Seo Chang-ki and Ji-seop, as well as general front office staff.

Everyone gathered in one place, focusing intently on Mike Pontius’ pitching video.

However,

The analysis was not easy.

“The put-away pitch has definitely changed.”

Said the pitching coach.

“It seems he used to use the changeup as his main weapon in the United States, but in yesterday’s game, the use of the slider was prominent. Out of the 14 strikeouts, 11 were made with sliders.”

Changing the put-away pitch.

Up to this point, it was a story that could happen.

The league has changed, the manager has changed, and the pitching coach has changed.

It’s not strange to come out with a slightly different pitching mechanism than in the United States.

“However, that slider…….”

The pitching coach clicked his tongue at this point.

“To be blunt, I don’t know if it’s that great…… Isn’t that what everyone thinks?”

At the pitching coach’s words, everyone in the conference room slowly nodded their heads.

In fact, Ji-seop thought so too.

The commentators on the broadcast were making a fuss, saying it was a ‘great breaking ball’, but in the filmed video, there was no special impression.

‘The speed isn’t that great, and the amount of break is mediocre…… How did he get 11 strikeouts with this kind of ball? Even against the Yuseong Warriors, who have the best offense in the 10 teams?’

If it was a slider with tremendous power, the analysis work would have been easier.

Since it’s a ball that can’t be touched in the first place, you can give up on the slider altogether and focus on other pitches.

But it seems like it’s a ball that you can hit even if you don’t aim for it, but he got as many as 11 strikeouts.

In this situation, the baseball team people’s heads were bound to be complicated.

“Is his deception good? That guy’s pitching form is a bit unique.”

“No. Considering that his pitching form is unique, the timing of the ball coming out is quite fast.”

“At that level, the batters might be able to grasp the type of pitch by looking at the pitcher’s hand shape?”

“That’s right…… Damn it, then what is it?”

Scratching his head nervously, sighing deeply, staring intently at the data.

Everyone was trying to solve this problem in their own way.

“Manager Choi, just a moment.”

One person raised his hand from the power analysis team.

“That scene just now. No, a little before that.”

It was Go Chang-deok.

He, who had been watching the screen without saying anything, suddenly raised his hand and started asking for something.

“Yes, that scene right now…… Can you zoom in a bit? Yes, I want to see the pitcher’s right hand exactly.”

The employee who was operating the computer zoomed in on Mike Pontius’ right hand.

Perhaps because the camera installation was a bit clumsy, the screen was a bit blurry, but the moment it was faintly visible what grip the pitcher was holding the ball with.

Go Chang-deok’s eyes shone sharply.

“Damn it, that’s what it was.”

Go Chang-deok, looking alternately at his tablet and the screen in front of him with a slightly frustrated expression.

And the next moment, he raised his head and said this.

“The reason why Mike Pontius was able to pitch well…… I think I’ve roughly figured it out.”

“What?!”

People widening their eyes.

Go Chang-deok continued, holding the tablet PC with both hands.

“Mike Pontius didn’t throw a slider. What that guy used as his put-away pitch in yesterday’s game was…….”

Swoosh.

Go Chang-deok, pushing up his glasses.

“It seems to be a new pitch called Slambio…….”

* * *

Slambio.

It was said to be a compound word of Slider and ‘Cambio’, which means ‘changeup’ in Spanish.

“It’s a breaking ball that has been appearing little by little in the Major League a few years ago.”

Go Chang-deok continued.

“Because of that, the exact concept has not been established yet…… But roughly, you can think of it as a ‘slider thrown with a changeup grip’.”

“A slider thrown with a changeup grip? So it’s a Slambio?”

It was a baseball team conference room where one or two baseballs were always rolling around.

The Cannons’ coaching staff, grabbing the ball as Go Chang-deok said.

“Now that I hear it, I think I’ve read an article with that content…… What exactly are the advantages of this pitch?”

“Like all breaking balls, the purpose of Slambio is also to deceive hitters.”

Go Chang-deok picked up a ball and continued.

“Because it is thrown with a changeup grip, the initial trajectory is almost the same as a changeup. It gives the feeling that it will sink slightly downwards.”

The time it takes for a hitter to grasp the type of pitch when a pitcher throws the ball is about 0.2~0.4 seconds at the beginning.

During that short time, the opposing hitter will make the judgment, ‘Ah, a changeup is coming in’.

“But at some point, this ball changes abruptly to a slider trajectory. Hitters who were preparing for a changeup have no choice but to get hit properly.”

“Heo…….”

The coaches who heard Go Chang-deok’s explanation shook their heads as if they were dumbfounded.

“A breaking ball that comes in as a changeup and then changes to a slider…… Damn it, the American bastards have developed another strange pitch?”

“And why is this kind of pitcher coming to our rival team? Hey, this is going to be a headache!”

“No, in the first place, why did that Pontius or Fontius guy come to Korea? If you have such a great breaking ball, you can just live well in the United States?!”

The coaching staff, crossing their arms and grumbling.

Go Chang-deok smiled at those coaches.

“Yes, that’s exactly it.”

“Hmm?”

“As far as I know, Slambio is a breaking ball that has not been particularly recognized in the United States.”

It was the story that there was a reason why Mike Pontius chose the Korean stage.

“Because it is thrown with a changeup grip…… The trajectory comes in like a slider, but its power is bound to be much weaker. It was a ball that Major League players could respond to well enough even if it was a little late.”

“Ah, so he came to Korea? Because Korean hitters don’t have the reaction speed of Major League players?”

“Yes, I think so.”

Go Chang-deok nodded.

“Mike Pontius…… He will definitely be a difficult opponent for Korean hitters. But in a way, I think there are surprisingly parts that can be attacked.”

“There are parts that can be attacked?”

At this moment, the eyes of everyone in the conference room turned to Go Chang-deok.

“What…… is it?!”

* * *

A few days later.

Ji-seop was walking across the hallway towards the data analysis room.

Held in his hand was a box of fatigue recovery drinks that he had just taken out of the refrigerator.

And the person who would receive the fatigue recovery drinks from Ji-seop was-

“Th…… Thank you, Ji-seop…….”

It was Go Chang-deok, who had stayed up for several nights and had become haggard.

“I heard that love for your colleague is love for your country, and that was really true? Even bringing me fatigue recovery drinks like this…….”

Looking at Go Chang-deok, who was drinking the fatigue recovery drink in an almost dying state, Ji-seop felt bad for him.

“Why are you pushing yourself so hard? Finding the pitchers’ habits is a completely manual labor job…… Wasn’t that what you said, hyung [older brother/friend]?”

Finding Mike Pontius’ ‘habits’.

It was the secret of attacking weaknesses that Go Chang-deok had declared in front of the coaching staff.

The strength of Slambio is that it changes its trajectory from a changeup to a slider.

So, if you can accurately grasp the ‘habit’ when throwing Slambio, you can sufficiently attack Mike Pontius.

That was the reason why the power analysis team staff had been immersed in manual labor for the past few days.

“So…… How is it, does it seem a bit possible?”

Ji-seop asked.

“Honestly, I thought it was a miracle that you found the habits of fastballs last time…….”

“I’ve done 80%. I’ve done 80%.”

Go Chang-deok said, stretching out his body.

“There are a few points that I feel are consistent, you know? I think I just need to check it on the field tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow…… Is it Friday’s game?”

“Yeah, Pontius is scheduled to make his second appearance in Daegu tomorrow.”

“Daegu…….”

Ji-seop clicked his tongue.

“Is it necessary to go all the way down to Daegu? Just leave it to the away game recorders. You can check it by looking at the video they send you.”

“No, I have to go myself this time.”

Go Chang-deok gritted his teeth slightly.

“You know it too, Ji-seop? To find habits, you need a really clean video. A video that is clearly filmed in full HD. The away game recorders can’t pay attention to that.”

“That’s true, but…….”

“And you have to think about the upcoming game schedule too.”

Go Chang-deok continued.

“Looking at the game schedule, there are only two opportunities for our hitters to face Mike Pontius at most.”

“…….”

“What if Mike Pontius shows a good performance against us? Then after that, the Guardians’ manager may no longer put Pontius in the Cannons game.”

It was a move in preparation for the post-season.

Once they have confirmed that it works, they will no longer give information and keep it hidden.

In this case, the Cannons hitters will face the post-season game with only fear of Mike Pontius.

“So I have to go to the game tomorrow. Before the three-game series with the Guardians next week, I have to figure out Pontius’ habits.”

The sight of his junior colleague, showing enthusiasm even to the point of clenching his fist ‘tightly’.

Ji-seop could no longer stop Go Chang-deok.

“Okay. Then have a good trip.”

Ji-seop continued.

“I’ll talk to Deputy Ryu of the finance team a little bit. Take the KTX [Korean high-speed rail] first class and come back.”

“Oh, really? Is that okay?”

Go Chang-deok, looking at Ji-seop with wide eyes.

Ji-seop smiled and thumped his chest with his fist.

“Of course. I’m the general manager’s special advisor? This much of my words will work.”

“Keu, as expected, the general manager’s special advisor! Dazzling, it’s dazzling!”

Go Chang-deok, who was making a fuss like that, soon changed his expression and opened his mouth.

“Ji-seop, trust me.”

It was Go Chang-deok with a determined expression.

“I’ll find out a way to completely rip off that Mike Pontius bastard, so to speak.”

“Yes. I’ll look forward to it, hyung.”

Leaving Go Chang-deok, who was about to start preparing, Ji-seop got up and left the power analysis room.

It was at this moment that something uneasy came to Ji-seop’s mind.

‘Wait a minute? I feel like I’m forgetting something?’

What is it? What was it?

Tilting his head repeatedly, Ji-seop began to walk towards the general manager’s office.