A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 525

The Baseball Team’s New Recruit Is Too Good 525

Taking What Was Given, Chapter 111 (5)

According to Richard Stelmezek’s report, it happened in the top of the 5th inning, with one out and a runner on second base.

“Until then… it was just a normal game, you know?”

Vincent Hyama, who started that day, seemed to be having a pretty good run.

He had given up two solo home runs, but otherwise, he hadn’t allowed any runs. There were hardly any walks either.

His pitch count up to the first out of the 5th inning was exactly 76. He was in a situation where he could aim for a quality start [a game in which a starting pitcher pitches at least six innings and allows no more than three earned runs], not just his first win as a Tampa Bay player, but then…

“The LA Angels’ leadoff hitter created a strange atmosphere.”

“The Angels’ leadoff? Was it Brent?”

“Yes, Brent Cofield.”

“Damn it, I see where this is going.”

A hitter famous for his skinny frame like a dry twig and his sly mustache, Brent Cofield.

He was one of the few remaining traditional leadoff hitters in today’s major leagues, where every hitter aims for a long ball.

A type who gets on base in any situation based on excellent contact ability and speed.

He hadn’t produced any significant results in his previous two at-bats, but his approach was different in his third at-bat.

“He came in holding the bat very short… and just kept fouling off every ball that came into the strike zone.”

Foul even when thrown inside.

Foul even when attacked outside.

In Major League Baseball, this situation is called a grind, ‘wearing down the pitcher.’

That’s a pretty good expression, but Ji-seop, who came from Korea, knew a more appropriate word.

Even though it feels a bit old now, it’s the perfect word to describe this situation.

‘…Was it Yong-kyu play [referring to a style of play known for fouling off pitches to wear down the pitcher, named after a famous Korean baseball player]?’

It is said that a powerful pitch is needed in situations like this. A pitch that the hitter can’t even dare to swing at.

But at this time, Vincent didn’t have a ball with that kind of power, and in the end, after a long battle that went to 12 pitches, he gave up a walk.

-Ball! Base on balls!

The hitter walks to first base with a satisfied smile, and a sigh of regret flows from the stands.

The next hitter came in with the intention of inducing a ground ball as much as possible, but even that became a weakly hit single that fell between the shortstop and left fielder.

With this, there were runners on first and second with one out. The pitch count, which had been 76, had risen to 91 in the blink of an eye.

His first win since joining Tampa Bay, his first quality start, and even the pitcher’s minimum goal of pitching 5 innings were all in danger.

“…….”

Vincent, who was staring blankly at the scoreboard, seemed to wipe the sweat flowing down his uniform, then shook his glove at the catcher.

Waving, waving, waving. It was a gesture meaning to come up to the mound.

“Honestly, I didn’t notice anything strange until then. It was bases loaded with one out, after all. And it was the 5th inning, which is the hardest for pitchers.”

So Richard Stelmezek was taking a big bite of the sandwich he had bought as a snack without any worries.

However, when the catcher went down from the mound and Vincent slowly went into his set position, he said he felt something strange.

“The position of his glove had changed slightly. Until a little while ago, he had been holding it high in front of his face, but then he stopped it in front of his chest.”

It wasn’t just Richard Stelmezek. If it was that much of a change, some of the coaches and players from both teams would have felt something was wrong.

Why did the glove position change? Was there something uncomfortable? Or was it simply to check the movement of the runner on third base?

In a fleeting moment, almost a dozen baseball experts would have been setting up their own hypotheses, but Ji-seop could say with certainty.

Among the people who were watching the game at this time, there wouldn’t have been a single person who accurately predicted Vincent Hyama’s next pitch.

‘Hehe, how could they have predicted that?’

Wouldn’t all they could do was just stare at Vincent Hyama with wide eyes?

Because a powerful fastball of exactly 99 miles per hour, 159 km/h, burst from his fingertips.

Whoosh- Bang!

In fact, it was a very dangerous ball. A course that was slightly above the center. If the hitter had decided to swing, it might have been a home run without a doubt.

But at this time, the LA Angels’ third hitter didn’t even dare to swing.

“He seemed almost out of his mind. He was frozen like ice in his batting stance.”

That was Richard’s vivid testimony.

“I don’t want to laugh at him. Even I, who was watching from afar, was just blinking my eyes.”

He said that the time in Clockwise Field seemed to have stopped momentarily.

The managers of both teams, the coaching staff, the spectators, and even the ball boy watching the game from behind.

-W, what on earth is this…….

-What did we just see?

In particular, the ball boy’s loss of concentration was quite helpful to Vincent.

The guy stared blankly at the mound and didn’t immediately notice the umpire’s request to replenish the balls.

Belatedly realizing the situation, the ball boy hurriedly ran, tripped over his steps and fell, and the balls he was holding scattered in all directions.

And while the team staff rushed out to pick it up, causing a commotion, Vincent seemed to be quietly getting his ‘zero point’ [a state of mental and physical focus] right.

“…….”

He turned his shoulder, checked his steps, took off his hat and took a ‘whew’ sigh.

After making full use of the time given as a gift, when the umpire, who had sorted out the situation, declared the game to be resumed.

What Vincent Hyama, who had entered the set position again, showed was-

Overwhelming,

Truly overwhelming pitching.

Whoosh- Bang!

Unlike a little while ago, a fastball that sharply pierced deep into the strike zone.

The LA Angels’ third hitter couldn’t swing his bat in the end. Strikeout in just three pitches.

-Ooooooh?!

-Ooooooh!!!

As the atmosphere in the stands gradually heated up, the Angels’ fourth hitter slowly stepped into the plate.

He might have been a little better off. He had been watching the situation enough in the waiting seat.

So he was holding the bat short. Contact, unconditional contact. He seemed to have come in with the feeling of hitting the ball with the bat first, but even that effort was in vain.

Whoosh!

Whooosh!

He swung his bat with his teeth clenched, but he couldn’t time Vincent’s ball properly.

-T, this is…….

The ball count is 0-2. The moment he swung with everything he had, only to have his swing cut through the air in vain.

-Strike! Batter out!!!

The moment the umpire, who confirmed the swing, raised one hand and declared the final out at the top of his voice.

Waaaaah!!!

The 40,000 spectators who visited Clockwise Field all stood up at once and poured out hot cheers.

Thump- Thump- Thump-

Vincent Hyama, watching his teammates running towards the mound, thumped, thumped, thumped, hitting his chest with his fist.

“Uwaaaaaaah!!!”

Soon, with both fists clenched tightly, he began to let out a more intense roar than ever before.

It was a roar like a wounded beast.

It was a roar like a warrior who had survived a fierce battle.

A roar mixed with long-standing anger, frustration, and deep regret echoed through the ground.

The two-way ace Vincent Hyama was once again turning the major leagues upside down.

* * *

Even before the game ended that day, the Tampa Bay Rays’ media response team seemed to have reached a near-emergency state.

The reporters in the press room were competing to request interviews, and the internet bulletin board was almost paralyzed due to the fans’ enthusiastic response.

Vincent has been revived. He threw the ball like he used to. People were making a fuss, making a big deal out of it, but-

At exactly the same time, Ji-seop was brushing back his disheveled hair and letting out a deep sigh.

“……First, please give me a report.”

No matter how urgent and absurd the situation is, venting is not Ji-seop’s style.

Looking alternately at Dr. Goldberg and Cody Embler, Ji-seop continued in a calm voice.

“As far as I remember, Vincent Hyama’s adjustment work was supposed to be until the upcoming postseason… Am I right?”

“Yes, that’s right. I reported that we would proceed as slowly as possible. I told the manager and coaches that as well.”

The answer was given by Vincent Hyama’s personal trainer, Cody Embler.

“Then, how should we interpret the fact that Vincent Hyama threw a 99-mile-per-hour ball with a clearly changed pitching form in the current situation?”

“T, that is…….”

Cody Embler, who had been a manager in the minor leagues for nearly 10 years, couldn’t answer easily this time.

“It may sound irresponsible, but the truth is that our trainers are also in a state of near panic. This is an impossible case.”

Ji-seop was just staring at Cody Embler’s eyes without saying a word.

“Of course, it’s not that there are no cases at all. If the adjusted pitching form fits perfectly, some players show amazing performances. But that’s only possible after investing a lot of time.”

“…….”

“Hyama’s adjustment work began only ten days ago. We were just getting a sense of direction and starting to go into reinforcement training little by little… Huh, already 99 miles!”

Ji-seop didn’t ask again if it was true.

This would have been the same even if he couldn’t read Cody Embler’s mind.

Adjustment work, rebalancing a pitcher, is very difficult. It’s a complicated and difficult process.

The changes that can be made in about two weeks are not possible. It was a part that Ji-seop couldn’t understand with his common sense.

‘Hmm?’

Just then, there was a person who caught Ji-seop’s attention.

Dr. Goldberg from [Braveball Institute].

The cold sweat that began to form on his wide forehead came into Ji-seop’s view.

“Doctor?”

“…….”

“Dr. Samuel Goldberg?”

“……Yep!”

No more words were needed.

Ji-seop just stared at Dr. Goldberg’s face with his mouth firmly closed.

Just with that, the beads of sweat on his forehead seemed to be getting thicker and thicker, and Dr. Goldberg, who couldn’t stand it any longer, fell to his knees on the spot.

“I, I’m sorry!!!”

It was such a loud voice that Mr. Embler, who was standing next to him, was startled.

“Kim!!! I’m really sorry. I have nothing to say. It sounds like an excuse, but I really had no idea that it would lead to this result…….”

Damn it, it was this guy.

Ji-seop sighed inwardly and picked up this American grizzly bear-like man.

“I’ll give you plenty of time to kneel later, so please explain the situation first.”

By now, manager Brett Evans and his coaching staff would be discussing follow-up measures for this incident.

It could be a request for information sharing with the front office, a protest, or a request for disciplinary action.

Whatever response they came up with, Ji-seop needed to understand the situation accurately.

“T, that is…….”

Dr. Goldberg, who had received Ji-seop’s instructions, opened his mouth while wiping away the flowing sweat.

“Was it the morning after the adjustment plan came out? Vincent called me.”

“Call? What was the purpose?”

“He said that he had just heard the explanation about the plan from Mr. Embler, and he thought the pace was too slow.”

Ji-seop was getting the impression that he could vaguely see the truth of the incident.

“I said no! Of course, I said no! But Vincent, this guy, was begging me to death…….”

“So? Did you happen to point out all the specific points?”

When Cody Embler glared at him fiercely, Dr. Goldberg was startled and waved his hand.

“N, no way! But I couldn’t just pass it over without saying anything… Model! Yes, I only told him the names of the players we used as models when we made the adjustment plan.”

I’m serious!

It’s real!

Dr. Goldberg was sweating profusely.

“I thought Vincent would look up the videos of those players. In fact, that much would be helpful, wouldn’t it? He could do image training in his head. But…….”

“But?”

It was at this time that a shadow fell on Dr. Goldberg’s face.

“He came to our accommodation last night and asked if I could check the results of his training.”

“Was that 99 miles per hour?”

“It’s unbelievable, but… Yes, that’s right.”

Dr. Goldberg bowed his head.

“We were also very surprised. I thought my heart was going to drop. I was going to contact Kim right away, but Vincent insisted that I shouldn’t…….”

Instead, he said that they had made a firm promise to each other.

Not to proceed with any more personal training.

From now on, only follow the instructions of [Braveball] and Mr. Cody Embler.

“B, I clearly promised to do so, but I didn’t know this result would come out…….”

Looking at Dr. Goldberg’s dark expression, Ji-seop was slowly nodding his head.

“I think I know the situation roughly.”

Without Ji-seop knowing, Vincent Hyama seemed to have regained his 99-mile fastball with the help of Dr. Goldberg.

He made a promise. Not to do any more training. Even more so, not to use it during the game.

‘But when he couldn’t properly subdue the Angels’ hitters, did he feel momentarily upset?’

Ji-seop is also a former player. He understood Vincent’s feelings more than enough.

He must have been angry. His pride must have been hurt. There was nowhere else to hide on the mound, so wouldn’t that anger and helplessness have become even stronger?

‘Even so, if you move so independently like this…….’

The coaches’ opposition would not be small, and it would have a negative impact on the team’s discipline.

The media would report this incident even more noisily, and there was a possibility that the board of directors would make a fuss, taking advantage of this opportunity.

Ji-seop wanted to take his time and think about it. Because a good answer would come out if he calmly organized his thoughts.

But the general manager of the Tampa Bay Rays was not given enough time that day.

“Kim? Do you have a moment?”

With a creaking sound, Richard Stelmezek peeked his head out.

“I think you should be heading to the conference room soon.”

He continued.

“The meeting of Manager Brett Evans and the coaching staff has just ended.”

“Ah, is that so?”

It seems that today,

It will be a day that requires quick wit.