A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 239

61. Korean Series (1)

Korean Series Game 1.

It feels like a cliché to say it, but the weather was perfect; not a cloud in the sky.

The sky was a brilliant blue, like paint spilled across the canvas, and the sunlight warmed the stands wonderfully.

Add a gentle breeze, and you had a perfect autumn day for baseball.

KH Cannons Field was packed with spectators even before the game started.

“Hello, everyone!”

“Are you ready to cheer the Cannons to victory today?”

The Cannons’ dedicated fans, [Nuclear Bombs and Guided Missiles], were easily spotted in the outfield stands along the first base line.

“Oh no, what are we going to do? I don’t think we can see the players’ faces from here, no matter what.”

“What do you mean, ‘what are we going to do?’ We’re here to focus on the baseball game. Have you forgotten how hard it was to get these tickets?”

In the upper section of the infield stands on the first base side, the ‘Genius’ fans, who had started coming to the ballpark after the All-Star game last summer, were also making their presence known.

“Wow, I never thought I’d come all the way down to Yeongsan to cheer for the Cannons.”

“Oh, stop complaining. Wasn’t it Coach Han who suggested we come to cheer for Coach Kim?”

Unbeknownst to Jiseop, members of [Superstar Baseball] from the old days were also in attendance, tucked away in a corner of the stadium.

“Boss, can you change the channel? The baseball game is about to start.”

“Ah, yes, yes! Is it that time already?”

Interest in the game wasn’t confined to the stadium.

At [Jeonju House] and other restaurants near the ballpark, in the homes of fans cheering for the Cannons, and even in the office of the UB Guardians’ general manager, whose team had been eliminated from the playoffs not long ago, people were tuning in.

And, of course, online baseball communities were buzzing with anticipation.

“Okay, everyone, gather around!”

Precisely at 6:27 PM.

The Cannons’ captain, Cheon Jinwoo, addressed his team with a firm voice in front of the home team dugout.

“I think you all know what’s being said. There’s a lot of talk surrounding today’s game.”

That the team’s first-ever Korean Series appearance would put undue pressure on the players.

That the Cannons’ relative lack of postseason experience would be a significant weakness.

That while they undoubtedly possessed superior stamina, they were at a disadvantage in terms of game sense and momentum.

While not everyone shared these opinions, such narratives were definitely circulating about the Cannons on this day.

“Yes, some of you will undoubtedly feel the pressure. Some will be more nervous than usual. Frankly, I’m no exception… But let’s remember one thing.”

The Cannons’ captain looked at each of his teammates’ faces intently and continued.

“No matter what’s being said outside, whether it’s favorable or unfavorable… there’s only one thing we can say with 100% certainty on this field.”

The moment the first pitch is thrown,

A baseball game begins.

Cheon Jinwoo’s eyes shone with determination.

“I don’t know about psychological analysis. I don’t know how important past experience is supposed to be. But guys, when it comes to baseball, when it’s just one baseball game… aren’t we the best experts in Korea this year?”

That’s right… Ah, why does my voice sound like this? Ahem.

Lee Subin’s voice cracked as he tried to agree, and a ripple of laughter spread through the Cannons players gathered in a circle.

Relief washed over Cheon Jinwoo as he saw the tension ease. ‘That’s good,’ he thought, and raised his voice.

“There’s no need to overthink things! Today, we show them our class! The class of the best baseball experts in Korea!”

With those words, Cheon Jinwoo loudly led the cheer that had been passed down since the team’s founding.

“KH-”

“Cannons! Euryaaa!!!”

With a powerful shout, the Cannons players charged onto the field.

Behind them, the cheers of the 27,000 spectators who had come to the stadium for the game erupted.

Waaaaa!!!

The Korean Series Game 1 was finally underway.

The KH Cannons’ starting pitcher was none other than Jimmy Morris, the team’s ace for the past two years.

* * *

Everything has continuity.

Starting with the Wild Card game, then the準-playoffs [Semi-playoffs], then the playoffs, and finally the Korean Series.

Perhaps because they had been following the flow of this postseason so closely, the broadcast commentators were focused on one particular player.

-How well Kwon Jungmin will perform… I think that’s one of the key factors in today’s game.

As Jimmy Morris finished his practice pitches, the commentator spoke, analyzing the SH Knights’ batting order.

-Jimmy Morris and Kwon Jungmin… If you look at their regular season records, there’s no comparison. But Kwon Jungmin’s momentum has been incredible lately.

-That’s true. Kwon Jungmin was initially batting 7th, but today he’s batting 5th. That shows the team has high expectations for him, right?

-Yes, and conversely, you could say that puts a lot of pressure on the pitcher. How Jimmy Morris will handle this pressure could also be a key point.

In fact, Jiseop, who was listening to the broadcast in the general manager’s office, was smiling inwardly.

‘Jimmy Morris feels pressure? I don’t think so.’

He was a veteran pitcher who had won 86 games in the major leagues.

He had never pitched in the World Series, but he had pitched in the League Championship Series, the level below that, several times.

‘It’s not like there aren’t surprise stars in the major leagues… He wouldn’t be intimidated by Kwon Jungmin, would he?’

However, Jiseop was concerned about Jimmy Morris’s tendency to struggle in the first inning.

According to Jimmy, he was the type of player whose ‘engine started a little late,’ so his control tended to be slightly shaky for the first 20 pitches or so.

So Jiseop watched the field anxiously, hoping he could get through that initial phase unscathed.

“Ball! Base on balls!”

But on this day,

Jimmy Morris,

Jimmy Morris’d [had a rough start].

He seemed to handle the lead-off hitter well with a ground ball to the shortstop, but then he walked the next batter on four straight pitches.

‘Ugh, that broadcasting jerk is really…’

General Manager Seo Changgi was sitting right across from him, so he couldn’t just curse.

Jiseop just bit his lip and tried to calm his churning stomach.

He was hoping for another ground ball straight to the shortstop like before, but it seemed the SH Knights had come prepared.

Ttaaaak!

When facing a pitcher who has just issued a walk, always swing at the first pitch.

The SH Knights’ 3rd batter put the old baseball adage into practice.

The weakly hit ball grazed the glove of the second baseman, who was reaching out with all his might, and trickled into the outfield.

A single in front of the right fielder.

With this, there were runners on first and second with one out.

Waaaaa!!!

The cheers from the visiting fans in the third base stands erupted.

It was probably in response to the scoring opportunity with runners on first and second with one out in the first inning.

It could have been in anticipation of Charlie Swanson, the foreign slugger with 42 home runs this season, who was confidently striding to the plate.

Or perhaps it was a reaction to ‘Autumn Gizzard Shad’ Kwon Jungmin [a player who performs exceptionally well in the fall], who was in the on-deck circle.

Whatever the reason, the Cannons needed to silence their cheers at this point.

“Is there a way out of this?”

It was General Manager Seo’s question.

“That guy, when I saw him during the regular season, he was really strong, wasn’t he? He could easily hit the ball over the fence.”

“Well… he’s just a right-handed batter, isn’t he?”

Jiseop answered, trying to maintain a calm expression, though his insides were burning.

“Morris has been overwhelmingly superior against him during the regular season. He often swung weakly at sliders that drifted outside. I think we can approach it similarly this time.”

“Hmm, an outside slider, you say…”

General Manager Seo Changgi nodded.

“If we use that as his go-to pitch, the problem ultimately lies in the process of getting to two strikes.”

“Yes, honestly… that’s the key.”

During the regular season, they had opted for a four-seam fastball that cut inside.

A strategy to secure strike counts while also keeping the batter’s eyes fixed on the inside corner.

But now, it was the Korean Series, and a crisis with runners on first and second with one out.

Could they boldly choose the inside course, given the increased pressure of potentially hitting the batter?

Jiseop had no choice but to leave this decision entirely to Jimmy Morris and Cheon Jinwoo.

“Play ball!”

As expected, it took a considerable amount of time to decide on the pitch.

Even after the umpire declared the game resumed, the Cannons’ battery [pitcher and catcher] exchanged signs for quite a while.

“…….”

However, once the decision was made, Jimmy Morris seemed to have no hesitation whatsoever.

With a large nod, Jimmy Morris went into his set position.

And the ball that left his fingertips in the next moment headed towards the Knights’ fourth batter’s inside course.

Whoosh- Pow!

The first pitch was 148 km/h [approximately 92 mph].

The second pitch was 151 km/h [approximately 94 mph].

Jimmy Morris broke the 150 km/h mark for the first time in the game, securing a strike.

After adequately setting up with two pitches, cheers erupted from the first base stands this time.

Thump! Thump! Strike-out!

The voices of support poured out for the starting pitcher, who was slowly getting into his rhythm.

Jimmy Morris has always had a bit of an ‘attention-seeker’ streak.

With a brightened expression, he went into his set position. He threw his confident slider with all his might to strike out the opposing batter, but-

“…Damn it.”

The words escaped Jiseop’s mouth almost simultaneously with the pitcher releasing the ball.

The feeling of someone with experience in baseball was never wrong, and what followed was a striking sound so intense that his heart sank.

Crack!

It was a mistake.

A slider that drifted slightly towards the center.

The SH Knights’ fourth batter did not miss this ball, and the ball he hit began to fly in a truly enormous arc.

-Ah, this is big! Very big! A huge hit to center field!!

At this moment, everyone in the Cannons’ front office must have been unable to breathe properly.

It was truly the worst possible start. Could any other expression have come to mind?

To allow a preemptive three-run home run in the top of the first inning of their first-ever Korean Series.

What to do now? How to salvage the atmosphere? What message to convey to the team? Jiseop’s mind was also becoming complicated at that very moment.

Thud!

Actually, the sound wasn’t heard.

Because the distance was so far away, and there was a thick glass window installed between the general manager’s office and the field.

But thud. This person, with a feeling of really ‘thud!’, jumped up and caught the ball with his glove, which was about to disappear over the fence.

It was Ryu Jangho.

-He caught it! He catches this ball! An unbelievable catch at the fence! It’s Ryu Jangho!!

Wowww!! Wack! Wowww!!

Jiseop doesn’t remember exactly what sounds came out inside the stadium at this time.

Because the moment Ryu Jangho caught the ball, Jiseop and General Manager Seo Changgi were scattering the papers they were holding and screaming.

Perhaps the spectators inside the stadium were also showing a similar reaction.

Waaaaa!!!

However, the scene that truly showed how great a baseball player Ryu Jangho was came in the next moment.

At that very moment when everyone was ecstatic, at that very moment when Charlie Swanson, who had hit the ball, was standing still as if rooted to the spot.

Ryu Jangho threw the ball with all his might towards the first baseman without the slightest delay.

“Agh!!!”

It was perhaps natural that the SH Knights’ first base coach was horrified.

He yelled at the runner who had gone almost near second base and was slowly returning to first.

“Jungseok! Run! Run, you bastard!”

The expectation that if the center fielder catches a large fly ball, he would naturally throw it to the shortstop or third baseman.

Ryu Jangho’s attempt to catch the slow-moving first base runner, anticipating that.

His bold attempt worked accurately this time as well-

“Sliding! Sliding! Sliding!”

“Ugh, uhheoeok!”

The first base runner belatedly accelerated and threw his body towards the base with all his might, but what came back was the first base umpire’s cold voice.

“Out! Aaaout!!!”

An obvious out that even the SH Knights fans couldn’t dare to mention a video review.

With this, two outs in an instant. End of the inning.

The KH Cannons Field was covered with the Cannons fans’ tremendous cheers.

Ryu Jangho!

Ryu Jangho began running towards the dugout with a calm expression.

The Cannons’ players, screaming, ran towards him.

And even Jimmy Morris, with a look as if he had returned from the gates of hell, hugged Ryu Jangho.

While watching the TV screen showing their faces in large size, General Manager Seo Changgi said the following.

“The primary goal has been achieved, hasn’t it?”

Perhaps because he had screamed so much, his voice was already a little hoarse.

“Did you say the primary goal?”