A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 382

The Baseball Team’s New Recruit Is Too Good – Episode 382

The Baseball Team’s New Recruit Is Too Good Episode 382

Chapter 86: Powerful, Truly Powerful (5)

For those who make a living in the world of baseball, defeat is a familiar presence.

Even for teams that have achieved excellent results like the Tampa Bay Rays this season.

It’s a simple truth to consider. The Tampa Bay Rays, who recorded a final season record of 103 wins and 59 losses, with a winning percentage of 0.636.

However, when you think about it, for exactly 59 days, nearly two months, they had to go to bed dwelling on defeat.

‘Gritting their teeth, no doubt.’

At this point, defeat is commonplace. One should remain unfazed by most losses.

However, even for them, there were very occasional defeats that they simply couldn’t laugh off.

Shocking defeats, defeats that momentarily made them forget their next move, and therefore truly painful defeats.

For Ji-seop, and for the Tampa Bay Rays, the second game of the World Series was exactly that kind of defeat.

Vincent Hiyama,

had completely collapsed.

Thwack!

The two-run home run hit by the Phillies’ eighth batter, Harold Garcia, in the bottom of the third inning was the beginning of that tragedy.

Thwack!

Thwack!

In the ensuing bottom of the fourth inning, consecutive timely hits from a 2-out, 1-2 situation widened the score gap even further.

-Ah, the Tampa Bay bullpen is moving! Relief pitchers are starting to warm up!

-Indeed. Hiyama still has pitches left, but have they decided he can’t endure any longer?

The Tampa Bay dugout, having received the front office’s analysis and sensing the feared scenario unfolding,

was hastily preparing the bullpen pitchers when the most decisive blow of the day landed.

-That’s huge! This hit is massive! How far, how far, how far…… It goes over the fence! A three-run home run, Pedro Carpio!!

The most popular hitter for the Philadelphia Phillies, ‘Mr. Phillie’ Pedro Carpio’s three-run home run.

Clang- Clang- Clang-

The ‘Liberty Bell’ of Citizens Bank Park echoed throughout the stadium,

while the 45,000 spectators who came to the stadium that day simultaneously jumped up and roared.

In that cauldron of excitement, Pedro Carpio, who had hit the home run, raised both hands high and stepped on home plate at that very moment.

Tap, tap, tap-

The reporters watching the game in the media room began to churn out articles with headlines like these:

[Hiyama Collapses! Pulled from WS Game 2 After 4 1/3 Innings, 7 Runs Allowed]

[The Championship Troubleshooter’s Shocking Defeat… “Red Light” for Tampa Bay’s Championship Run]

[Phillies Were Strong … 2 Home Runs, 7 RBIs Against Vincent Hiyama]

Final score 10-4.

It was a defeat for the Tampa Bay Rays.

* * *

That was the reality.

Up to the second game, it was 1 win and 1 loss.

It was right to say that the direction of the series was still unknown.

Three of the remaining five games were to be held at Tropicana Field, so in some ways, the situation could be said to be favorable to Tampa Bay.

However, after the second game, baseball experts’ predictions were leaning towards the Philadelphia Phillies.

-Both teams have suffered one loss each, but in terms of damage, Tampa Bay’s is likely to be greater.

That was the opinion of the commentators appearing on the World Series review broadcast.

-For the Tampa Bay Rays, Vincent Hiyama has a meaning beyond just being a starting pitcher.

-Ah, a two-way player?

The host pretended to know.

-Are you saying that the result of Hiyama’s appearance in the second game could also affect his hitting?

-Yes, well, there might be something like that…….

Swoosh.

The commentator pushed up his glasses and said:

-This season, Vincent Hiyama is like a symbol of the Tampa Bay Rays. A symbol of the challenge for the championship.

He continued.

-The Tampa Bay Rays have always been a team that thinks about the future. Even when the right time to challenge for the championship comes, they rarely engage in trades recklessly. More than 30 years have already passed since they started doing that.

It was an inevitable choice for a small-market team.

However, the Tampa Bay Rays of this season chose a different path.

-Vincent Hiyama is the first ‘game changer’ that the Tampa Bay Rays have acquired since their founding. He is a championship troubleshooter brought in by giving up the league’s top prospect. For such a player to collapse so futilely…….

-Does that mean the shock will be great?

-It’s huge. It’s incredibly huge. Not to mention the players, the coaching staff, and even the front office that supports them from behind……. They must be in great shock right now.

The commentator lightly shook his head.

-I’ve worked in a Major League front office for quite a long time, but……. This kind of shock is not easy to overcome.

* * *

The experts’ analysis was correct.

World Series Game 2, the collapse of ‘Championship Troubleshooter’ Vincent Hiyama.

The shock the Tampa Bay Rays received was considerable.

The plane returning to St. Petersburg was as quiet as a mouse.

“…….”

“…….”

However, exactly 12 hours later, the next morning.

The Tampa Bay Rays were quickly recovering from that shock.

At least the coaching staff and front office staff were.

It seemed that they had somewhat anticipated Vincent Hiyama’s slump before it happened.

As the old folks used to say, it’s much better to be prepared for a beating.

“With that nasty Benjamin Oznovich as the opponent, we should have been prepared for this kind of surprise event, right?”

“That’s what I’m saying. It feels like we were thoroughly ripped apart more than we expected…….”

And at the team strategy meeting held at Tropicana Field’s conference room that day.

The people who had been offering their game reviews with bitter smiles soon began to engage in the meeting with serious expressions.

“So…… have the analysis results come out?”

It was pitching coach Thomas Culkin who spoke.

“What method did those Philadelphia guys use? It feels like there was a problem with Vincent’s set position…….”

The pitching coach, a seasoned leader, spoke about his impressions during the game.

The answer from the front office was not much different from Coach Culkin’s guess.

“Yes, it’s as you expected.”

The person representing the front office was Rebecca Carney, the deputy head of the Baseball R&D team.

Her eyes were bloodshot, probably from staying up all night.

“It seems that Vincent Hiyama’s pitching habits have been exposed. It’s okay when he winds up, but in the set position, the difference is noticeable.”

When the deputy head nodded to a staff member who came in with her, video footage began to appear in the middle of the conference room.

“Please pay attention to Vincent’s shoulder…… more precisely, the advertisement patch on his left shoulder.”

As the Baseball R&D team staff played the video, a low curse word leaked out in the conference room.

“It’s as you can see.”

Deputy Head Carney picked up a laser pointer.

“The point was the moment he transitioned into the pitching motion from the set position. The moment he takes the ball out of his glove, a clear difference was observed in the movement of Vincent’s shoulder.”

Deputy Head Carney pointed the laser pointer at Vincent’s shoulder.

“When throwing a four-seam fastball, the advertisement patch on his left shoulder is barely visible. But when throwing a breaking ball, as you can see…… the advertisement patch is clearly visible.”

“Ah, Vincent…… he had a habit of putting more force into it.”

Pitching coach Thomas Culkin said, biting his lower lip.

“He must have moved his shoulder further back because he needed to put more force into throwing a fastball. There was no such movement when throwing a breaking ball.”

People were deeply troubled as they looked at the repeatedly playing video footage.

Of course, not everyone was calmly and coolly accepting the situation.

“No, wasn’t that…… identified?”

It was R. J. Higgins, the vice president of the marketing division.

Because of his department, the ‘Tropicana Bulldozer’ [likely a nickname for someone known for aggressive marketing tactics] was sitting in the farthest seat that day.

“Vincent Hiyama was the most watched player in our team, wasn’t he? Then, shouldn’t this kind of thing have been checked?”

“Yes, you’re right. We take full responsibility for that part.”

Deputy Head Carney replied with a heavy expression.

“To make excuses, it was very difficult to identify this part with the video data we had.”

“Difficult? Why? Does that mean our filming equipment can’t capture it?”

“Well, that’s…….”

When the deputy head trailed off, one person stepped up as her supporter.

“Enough, Higgins.”

It was Brian Spann, the general manager.

“When you think about it, it’s no exaggeration to say that the marketing division is responsible for this.”

“Our…… responsibility? Why?”

At Vice President Higgins’s protest, the general manager sighed briefly and said.

“Don’t you remember? You were the one who suggested putting the advertisement patch on the left shoulder during this postseason period…… There was no patch in that position during the regular season.”

“Then, that means…….”

Although Higgins didn’t have much knowledge of baseball, he was quick to catch on.

As Vice President Higgins shrank back, the general manager nodded, saying, ‘Yes.’

“Originally, the subtle difference that was difficult to identify even with video data…… became clearly visible with the creation of the ‘reference point’ that was the advertisement patch.”

“Oh, my…….”

The Tropicana Bulldozer looked greatly embarrassed by the unexpected story.

“Then what do we do? Should we remove the advertisement? No, it’s already been reported to the league office, so we can’t change it now…….”

“It’s okay, it’s okay.”

The general manager didn’t seem to want to blame the marketing division.

“There’s no need to be so flustered. It’s not like I expected this result either.”

Having soothed Vice President Higgins with those kind words, the general manager got up and walked forward.

“Everyone, it’s as you’ve heard.”

His gaze swept around everyone attending the meeting.

“As I said before, I take responsibility for everything that happens during this series. So leave the responsibility for this situation to me…….”

The important thing was what to do next.

The general manager seemed to want to ask about future plans for utilizing Vincent Hiyama.

“How do you plan to use Hiyama? The media has been suggesting using Vincent only as a hitter…….”

“Well, we have time for now.”

It was manager Mike Clambleas who answered.

“Based on the rotation, Vincent’s next appearance will be in the 6th or 7th game. We still have some time, so I think we should try adjusting his pitching form.”

“Yes, I agree with the manager.”

Coach Thomas Culkin also responded.

“If it’s that much of a difference, I think we can make the time. It’s not like we have no experience with this.”

It was from this point that countermeasures began to pour out from the people.

Let’s try a different breaking ball instead of a knuckle curve. Then the difference might not be so great.

Let’s try pitching with a focus on breaking balls when a runner is on base. Vincent has a lot of breaking balls, so it might work to some extent.

Countermeasures that everyone offered, each from the coaching staff and the front office staff.

A fairly hopeful atmosphere was being created, but at this time, Ji-seop was still showing a cautious reaction.

‘Well, I don’t know…….’

It was true that it was a method worth trying.

However, one problem was that Vincent Hiyama had to continue playing as a fielder as well.

The fact that he had to play in a World Series game that was already under a lot of pressure, and as a key hitter at that.

No matter how good Vincent Hiyama was, could he fully handle such a mission?

‘To be a stumbling block in this area as well, as expected, being a two-way player is not easy…… Hmm?!’

Just as he was worrying alone, someone’s face came into Ji-seop’s view.

“…….”

It was David Wilson.

The very friend who had been building the future strategy planning division with Ji-seop this season.

He was watching the people’s discussions with a fairly serious expression.

[Adjusting the pitching form now……. That won’t be easy at all.]

Perhaps because they had been together for a long time, he seemed to have a similar opinion to Ji-seop.

[But…… is there really a need to adjust the pitching form?]

And,

Following that one word.

[With Vincent Hiyama’s level of pitching…… couldn’t we use this situation in reverse?]

……In reverse?

What on earth does that mean?