A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 546

The New Guy in the Baseball Team is Too Good 546

115 Awesome Boys (2)

The Tampa Bay Rays’ postseason journey begins.

The first hurdle was the Division Series Game 1.

The team facing the Tampa Bay Rays was the Houston Astros, who had secured second place in the AL West this season.

“Wow!!!”

Indeed, there were several compelling narratives surrounding this game.

It marked the inaugural postseason game held at the Tampa Bay Rays’ new stadium, Clockwise Field.

Simultaneously, their rivals, the Houston Astros, were clashing with Tampa Bay in the playoffs for the third consecutive year.

And that’s not all. The Houston Astros were coming off a grueling Wild Card Series game that stretched to the 14th inning just two days prior.

In modern Major League Baseball, where a shootout format typically begins in extra innings, such a prolonged game was a rarity.

Would Houston maintain their momentum? Could they shake off the fatigue from that marathon game? Initially, these questions seemed to be the central focus, but…

“Ah, it’s on the screen now!”

Unfortunately, the Houston Astros weren’t the main attraction that day.

“What you’re seeing is the [Awesome Boy]. It’s a unique vending machine installed by the Tampa Bay Rays!”

That’s right. [Awesome Boy].

It was the very vending machine that KH Cannons had gifted to Jisub.

When this unusual item was placed in the home team’s dugout before the postseason, the commentators couldn’t ignore it.

“That’s quite interesting, isn’t it? When you insert a coin, you not only get a drink, but a doll also appears and moves around.”

“Oh, that’s fun, isn’t it? I wish we could show it to our viewers.”

“Yes, you’ll get a glimpse if the Tampa Bay Rays hit a home run today. I hear they’re using it as a kind of home run celebration?”

Jisub later learned that the commentators dedicated almost the entire first inning to discussing [Awesome Boy].

One might think such a thing wouldn’t be allowed in the postseason, but he understood the commentators’ perspective to some extent.

Broadcasters are always seeking novelty. They’re obligated to showcase something amazing, surprising, and unexpected.

From that standpoint, Tampa Bay starter Victor Johnson Jr.’s pitching in the top of the first inning was somewhat ‘ordinary’.

Whoosh- Bang!

Whoosh- Baaang!

The 98-mile-per-hour fastball was undeniably potent, but it was consistent with his performance throughout the season.

Swoosh- Pow!

Swoosh- Paaow!

The sweeper he used as a finisher consistently induced swings from the Houston hitters, but that too was typical.

Thwack!

Okay, I’ll get it!

The only slightly new element was his calm catch of a sharply hit ball.

But what could the commentators have elaborated on regarding a single defensive play?

Out! Ooooout!

Was that the reason?

As Victor Johnson Jr. concluded the top of the first inning with just 11 pitches, the play-by-play announcer made the following remark.

“Yes, the Houston Astros’ attack in the top of the first inning concludes without a score. So, let’s return to what we were discussing…”

Awesome Boy!

The announcer’s voice was cheerful.

“Awesome Boy Time! Let’s move on to the Tampa Bay Rays’ attack in the bottom of the first inning!!”

* * *

“What can I say… it’s quite irritating.”

After the top of the first inning, as the Tampa Bay Rays prepared to bat in the bottom of the first.

In the visiting team’s office at Clockwise Field, Houston Astros assistant general manager Mike Tran sighed deeply.

“I’m talking about the Tampa Bay front office.”

He slightly gritted his teeth.

“I expected them to be burdened by the pressure of aiming for their third consecutive championship… Damn it, coming here today felt like stepping into an elementary school classroom?”

The Tampa Bay clubhouse was filled with laughter and playful chatter.

The reason was obvious.

“Awesome Boy, is it? The players are obsessed with it… Where did they even find something like that?”

Frankly, assistant general manager Tran wasn’t particularly interested in the vending machine’s origin.

As he implied, it was simply annoying. The Tampa Bay Rays’ front office, acquiring the perfect distraction at the perfect time.

But then, general manager Steve Sullivan, who had been massaging his temple, offered an unexpected answer.

“[Hot Corner Collectibles].”

“Yes?”

“Hot Corner, I mean, Hot Corner. The baseball specialty collectibles store in Manhattan.”

Sullivan continued.

“They must have acquired it from there. I saw it in the store a few weeks ago. It was covered in dust, though.”

“Ah, really? Hot Corner, that’s plausible. It’s the place with the most rare collectibles outside of the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame…”

The assistant general manager trailed off, tilting his head slightly.

“But general manager, why did you visit Hot Corner? A few weeks ago was when you were intensely focused on securing a postseason spot, wasn’t it?”

“Someone like you asking? The front office visits a collectibles store before the postseason? They must have been seeking a lucky charm, right?”

“Ah, luck?”

Assistant general manager Tran glanced at the broadcast screen and nodded slightly.

The vending machine was still being featured on the broadcast.

“A valuable item appeared on the Hot Corner website. So I stopped by to see if I could acquire it.”

“A valuable item? What is it?”

“Heh heh, you’ll be surprised to hear this.”

Sullivan replied.

“Jason Longbeach’s golden thong.”

“?!”

The assistant general manager’s eyes widened.

“The golden thong… is that the one Jason wore for every postseason pitching appearance?”

“That’s right, the one that helped him secure five World Series rings across different teams. The ultimate lucky charm of our era.”

Sullivan continued.

“This particular one even had a diamond button in the center. The one that earned Jason the World Series MVP award.”

“Oh, then…”

Assistant general manager Tran glanced at his boss’s rear.

“A, are you wearing it now? That legendary golden thong?”

“No.”

Sullivan sighed briefly.

“Unfortunately, I missed it. Someone else bought it right before I arrived at the store.”

“Oh, that’s a shame…”

The assistant general manager was genuinely disappointed.

“Damn it, who bought it? With diamonds, it couldn’t have been cheap.”

“Well, how would I know? But I overheard the store owner telling the clerk that the check was signed ‘J. J.'”

“J. J. Is that the name of the person who bought the thong? Jonathan? Jimmy? Or perhaps…”

Just as Mike Tran was speculating about the identity of the person who acquired the legendary lucky item.

A cheer of ‘Wow’ erupted from the large TV on one wall of the office.

“Strikeout! It’s a strikeout! Dwayne Hosner swings at an impossible pitch! That’s two strikeouts in a row!”

“Wow, both starting pitchers are in excellent form today? Victor Johnson was impressive, but Houston starter Julio Jimenez is equally good!”

While the two executives were discussing lucky charms, the Houston starting pitcher had effortlessly struck out two batters.

The Tampa Bay hitters shook their heads and retreated from the plate, while the Houston starting pitcher puffed out his cheeks and adjusted his uniform pants.

Mike Tran couldn’t help but smile with satisfaction.

“Haha! Julio is brimming with confidence today! He was nervous yesterday.”

“I know, right? Did the manager offer some advice? He seems different than usual… Hmm?!”

At that moment, general manager Sullivan’s thick eyebrows twitched.

The starting pitcher’s regular season record appeared on the TV broadcast screen.

As a general manager, he was familiar with the records of the key players. However, he wasn’t particularly interested in the statistics themselves.

What caught his attention was Jimenez’s full name.

“Julio Jiménez.”

Abbreviated to J. J.

“Th, then…”

“Could it be him?”

Sullivan and Tran exchanged glances.

* * *

In fact, the Houston Astros front office was highly regarded in Major League Baseball.

They were known for systematic player development, comprehensive data analysis, and proactive game strategy.

Why were these intelligent individuals discussing lucky charms that day?

It stemmed from the objective disparity in strength. Both teams had reached the postseason, but the Tampa Bay Rays possessed a significant advantage in both pitching and hitting.

Furthermore, unlike the well-rested Tampa Bay, Houston was recovering from a grueling 14-inning game.

In terms of power and stamina, the odds were stacked against them.

From that perspective, the game’s early flow was quite unusual.

Swoosh- Pow!

The player at the center of it was Houston starter Julio Jimenez.

His regular season record was 5 wins, 8 losses, and a 5.22 ERA [Earned Run Average, a measure of pitching performance]. He wasn’t a standout player, but his performance in the early innings was remarkable.

Strike!

Strike, batter out!!!

He had faced 10 batters through the third inning, allowing only 1 hit and no runs, while striking out 5.

Considering his regular season average of 2.7 strikeouts per 9 innings, it was a surprising surge.

As he took the mound in the bottom of the fourth inning and delivered a 92-mile-per-hour fastball for a strike, there was movement in the Tampa Bay dugout.

“Um… manager?”

It was hitting coach Paul Torres.

“Wouldn’t it be wise to intervene soon? This kind of momentum isn’t ideal for the first game of the postseason.”

The situation was that they were being shut down by a mediocre starting pitcher and struggling to generate offense.

Of course, Torres’ assessment didn’t involve ‘golden thongs’.

“I believe the presence of [Awesome Boy] is negatively affecting the players.”

Torres glanced at the vending machine in the corner of the dugout.

The very machine that only players who hit home runs could use.

“The players’ swings seem unusually large today. They’re so focused on hitting home runs that they’re not making solid contact.”

“That’s true. I’ve had that feeling as well.”

Another batter came to the plate, swinging wildly, but manager Brett Evans remained calm.

“But… well, I think it’s alright to observe a bit longer.”

“Observe?”

When Paul Torres looked puzzled, the manager smiled gently.

“Paul, I understand your concern. It’s difficult to ignore such an obvious issue. You feel compelled to fix it immediately.”

“W, well… isn’t that the coach’s responsibility?”

“That’s right. But our Tampa Bay Rays are no longer underdogs, are we?”

The manager continued.

“They’re players who have already won two World Series championships. No team can match our postseason experience. Now that we’ve assembled such talented players, wouldn’t it be wise to trust them?”

“Are you suggesting they’ll resolve the issue themselves?”

“That’s right. If I didn’t believe that, how could I have introduced something like [Awesome Boy]?”

And then, Brett Evans’ eyes narrowed.

Dwayne Hosner, who had just struck out, was approaching third hitter Alex Montero and speaking to him.

“…….”

He glanced at the pitcher and pointed towards [Awesome Boy] in the dugout.

As Alex Montero, having listened to his teammate’s advice, slowly entered the batter’s box, a satisfied expression appeared on Brett Evans’ face.

“He’s shortening his grip on the bat.”

The manager looked at the hitting coach.

“It seems he’s aware that his swing has become too expansive…”

Thwaaaack!

Before Brett Evans could finish his sentence, the satisfying sound of a well-hit ball echoed through the stadium.

The Tampa Bay Rays players, finding their own solutions without the coaching staff’s intervention.

“A hit that splits the left-center field gap! The batter-runner reaches second base standing up! Alex Montero records his first hit of this postseason!”

Wow!!!

With the enthusiastic cheers erupting from the stands, the resurgence of the ‘champion’ Tampa Bay Rays was underway.