Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 101

#100. Copium Circuit

Compared to individual sports like track and field, swimming, shooting, and archery, establishing individual records in baseball is more challenging due to the constant balancing act between team and individual goals.

Imagine a batter, chasing a consecutive-game hit streak, stepping up to the plate in the bottom of the 9th with a runner on first and the score tied. Suppose they’re hitless in their previous at-bats.

In a situation where a sacrifice bunt is clearly the strategic play, can they realistically swing for a home run?

And what about the manager? Can they really order the player to bunt in that crucial situation?

It’s a complex dilemma.

Then there’s the ongoing mental battle to stay focused and positive.

*Is this enough? Have I done enough?* *Wouldn’t it be easier to just give up?*

It takes considerable time and experience to overcome these intrusive thoughts.

The irony is that by the time you’ve accumulated that experience, your physical abilities often start to decline.

It’s a regrettable reality.

That’s likely why many players say before retiring, “If only I had realized this sooner.”

In that respect, Han Su-hyeok was in an ideal position to challenge records.

*Thwack!*

“Oh! That’s a deep drive! It’s going, going, gone! Han Su-hyeok hits a game-winning, 35th home run of the season!”

“Incredible! Despite the Warriors’ winning streak ending yesterday, they’ve solidified their second-place standing with today’s victory!”

“Commentator, putting team performance aside, what are your thoughts on 35 home runs by the second week of July? Is a record challenge feasible?”

“Absolutely. Han Su-hyeok’s home run production, which dipped slightly in June, has exploded again in July. Considering his early-season pace, he definitely has a shot at the domestic record of 56.”

The Warriors’ momentum continued, cementing their hold on second place ahead of Suwon.

The Warriors won the first game of a three-game series against Daegu at home, extending their winning streak to eight.

However, Daegu defeated them in the second game, snapping the eight-game streak.

Some worried about the potential fallout from the streak ending.

In baseball, it’s not uncommon for a losing streak to follow a winning one.

But the Warriors had Han Su-hyeok.

Han Su-hyeok’s 35th home run of the season sealed the game.

He was mobbed by teammates, celebrating his walk-off home run.

Watching this, manager Lee Dae-jun couldn’t help but ponder Han Su-hyeok’s batting order.

He had experimented with Han Su-hyeok batting second a few times, and the results were encouraging.

In fact, they were quite good.

What about when he batted third in other games?

That was also effective.

The only noticeable difference was that when Han Su-hyeok batted second, the cleanup hitters—Jo Seong-oh, Walter, Jang Deok-su, and An Chi-wook—seemed slightly unnerved.

Jo Seong-oh, with his veteran experience, handled it better, but the other players appeared burdened by the pressure of capitalizing on opportunities created by Seo Hyeong-ju and Han Su-hyeok.

So, Lee Dae-jun moved Han Su-hyeok back to third.

But witnessing his accelerating home run pace, he remained conflicted.

He recalled his post-game interview with Han Su-hyeok after the Suwon game.

“Su-hyeok, are you thinking about the home run record?”

“Home run record?”

It was a question he already knew the answer to. Who wouldn’t be tempted by a home run record?

But Han Su-hyeok’s response was far from what Lee Dae-jun anticipated.

“I don’t know. I don’t really focus on records, unless they happen naturally as part of the game.”

“Hmm.”

Lee Dae-jun had been a prominent hitter in the league himself.

He wasn’t a pure power hitter capable of challenging the home run record, but he could consistently hit around 30 home runs a season if he prioritized long balls.

So, he understood how players at that age thought about home runs and how difficult it was to suppress that ambition.

It would have been easier to manage if Han Su-hyeok had openly expressed his desire for the home run record.

The team would have been as supportive as possible, but he would have cautioned him against sacrificing his overall game by focusing too much on home runs and emphasized the importance of the team’s goals.

But the rookie sitting before him looked at Lee Dae-jun with an expression that genuinely conveyed a lack of interest in such records.

Lee Dae-jun couldn’t help but be surprised, considering the effort he had put into arranging the interview.

In any case, after that interview, Lee Dae-jun consciously avoided making drastic changes to Han Su-hyeok’s batting order.

Depending on the game and the form of the other hitters, he freely adjusted the lineup, alternating between second and third. And Han Su-hyeok performed exceptionally well in both spots.

That’s how the dilemma over Han Su-hyeok’s batting order was temporarily resolved.

But the more he considered it, the more perplexing it seemed.

Could a mere twenty-year-old possess such a mindset?

Beyond baseball, could a young man just starting out in life make such composed and rational judgments?

Did it really add up?

The more Lee Dae-jun learned about Han Su-hyeok, the more questions he had.

* * *

[Han Su-hyeok’s Single-Season Home Run Record: Is It Truly Possible?]

[Mathematically Feasible, But the WBC Break Is a Factor]

[Baseball Expert Go Dong-sik: ‘Definitely Possible If Pitchers Don’t Pitch Around Him’]

[KBO Baseball Fans: ’24-Year-Old Record, It’s Time to Break It’]

The baseball world was already buzzing about my potential home run record challenge.

Currently, I’m hitting home runs at a rate of 0.4 per game, leading to optimism that I can add approximately 22 more, considering the remaining games. Conversely, some are pessimistic, citing the WBC [World Baseball Classic] break and potential stamina issues in the second half of the season. Surprisingly, fans of teams other than the Warriors are also weighing in.

└ Honestly, I get nervous when Han Su-hyeok comes to the plate, but the home run record deserves to be broken.

└ Agreed. 24 years is far too long.

└ I hope he breaks not only 56 but also the Asian record by surpassing 60.

└ What a load of nonsense. Does a record have to be broken just because it’s old? Who decides that?

└ Go away, Daegu fan. Anyway, there haven’t been enough home runs in the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization] lately.

└ Yeah, we used to mock the Japanese for their small ball, but now we’re the ones playing small ball.

└ They throw 160 km/h and hit 50 home runs. They’re not the Japan of the past.

└ Thinking about how badly we got beaten by those guys in 2023…

└ I can’t cheer for Han Su-hyeok because of the Japanese, but I hope they don’t intentionally interfere with him.

The KBO fans’ sentiment stemmed from the widening gap between international baseball and Korean baseball, which has become increasingly apparent since the 2020s.

Korean baseball fans were shocked by their defeat in the 2023 WBC, and not just because they lost.

While our pitchers were struggling to reach 140 to 145 km/h, and celebrated for hitting 150, the Japanese national team’s pitchers were consistently throwing 155 and 160 km/h.

And that wasn’t all.

In a league where KBO hitters have become so standardized that you can contend for the home run title with just 30 home runs, they were stunned to see powerful Japanese hitters launching home runs.

There was a time when people believed that Major League Baseball and Korean baseball emphasized power hitting, while Japanese baseball focused on small ball tactics.

But those days are long gone. While Korean baseball stagnated, the international baseball scene made significant strides, which deeply wounded the pride of Korean baseball fans.

As positive sentiment toward Han Su-hyeok’s home run record grew throughout the baseball community, the Warriors welcomed the Falcons home.

The first game was rained out. They were trying to avoid cancellations due to the upcoming WBC break, but the heavy rain made it impossible to play.

In the following second and third games, Ryu Han-gyeol and Rafael Blanco were determined to give their all.

Conversely, the Warriors started their third starter, Lee Man-sik, and fourth starter, Cheon Sang-jin.

The Warriors recorded one win and one loss in that slightly mismatched two-game series.

Ryu Han-gyeol, proud to be the best pitcher in the country, didn’t avoid Han Su-hyeok and ultimately surrendered another home run.

Han Su-hyeok’s home run total continued to climb.

Season batting average 0.430, on-base percentage 0.539, slugging percentage 0.985, 36 home runs, 74 RBIs, 18 stolen bases.

Han Su-hyeok was achieving statistics that most hitters would struggle to reach even after a full season, and the Warriors maintained their second-place position.

But the relentless game schedule continued to put pressure on the Warriors.

It would be ideal to face a lower-ranked team around this time to accumulate more wins.

Instead, they were facing the Suwon Commanders, who were eager to reclaim their second-place standing and were out for revenge.

That’s how the three-game series against Suwon began again.

* * *

“Everyone, listen up.”

At captain Jeong Dae-han’s words, the Suwon players gathered together.

“Last time, we were the champions, and they were the challengers. And we lost three games in a row.”

“…….”

“If anyone still thinks they’re inferior to us or underestimates them, I won’t tolerate it.”

The Suwon players responded in unison to the captain’s stern warning, a rare sight from someone who usually remained calm.

“Yes, Captain!”

“Good. In this three-game series, we are the challengers against the Warriors. Don’t take any play lightly, and give it your all. One, two, three, fighting! One, two, three!”

“Fighting!”

Jeong Dae-han, having motivated the players, scanned the names of the Warriors players engraved on the scoreboard one by one.

1. Center Fielder Seo Hyeong-ju

2. Left Fielder Choi Min-seok

3. Shortstop Han Su-hyeok

4. First Baseman Jo Seong-oh

5. Right Fielder Walter Smith

6. Catcher Jang Deok-su

7. Second Baseman Lee Chang-mo

8. Third Baseman An Chi-wook

9. Designated Hitter Kang Jin-seok

Starting Pitcher Ryan Stark

Just looking at it makes you feel overwhelmed.

*How did this happen?*

The Warriors’ batting order, which seemed disjointed and weak at the start of the season, now appears to have no weaknesses.

A lineup primarily composed of right-handed hitters to counter today’s starter, left-hander Choi Kyung-jae.

Choi Min-seok, typically a ninth-inning hitter, is moved up to second, creating the impression of two leadoff hitters.

And then there’s the monster in the third spot.

Following him is a veteran experiencing a resurgence, batting .300 with 17 home runs and 60 RBIs.

And the three right-handed hitters in the 5th, 6th, and 7th spots, along with the 7th hitter, known for his tenacity, are waiting in line.

An Chi-wook, who previously batted in the 2nd or 5th spot, is now in the 8th spot, and even Kang Jin-seok, batting 9th, is a right-handed hitter with significant power.

“Crazy, haha.”

A hollow laugh escaped him involuntarily.

Suwon has faced the Warriors since spring training, and Jeong Dae-han, who has worn the starting catcher’s mask in most of those games, knows it well.

He knows that all these changes originated from the addition of the monster in the third spot.

“Hyung [older brother/friend], should I just hit that guy in the back in the first inning? Then, wouldn’t they take him out of the game for player safety?”

“Kyung-jae, take a look at the atmosphere in the stands.”

Choi Kyung-jae, who was starting today, turned his gaze in the direction the catcher was pointing.

Despite being Suwon’s home stadium, the away seats, and nearly two-thirds of the entire stadium, were filled with Warriors fans.

It was the reality of being an unpopular team located close to Seoul.

“It’s a problem if you think this is home. It’s enemy territory. If you hit Han Su-hyeok and the spectators riot, I can’t protect you either.”

“…Shit.”

Choi Kyung-jae, realizing there was no escape, suddenly had a thought.

He hasn’t won a single game against the Warriors this season.

Either he gets hit with an absurd home run by Han Su-hyeok and loses, or he avoids Han Su-hyeok and gets hit by another player.

He’s so preoccupied with that monster that everything goes wrong when he faces that team.

If that’s the case, if the opponent is too difficult to face as an enemy…

*What if we become a team?*

Choi Kyung-jae, who will be eligible for free agency [FA] at the end of this season, wasn’t particularly interested in playing in the major leagues. He preferred to excel in a familiar environment rather than starting over in a foreign land.

“Dae-han hyung.”

“What?”

“Have you ever considered playing for the Warriors?”

“What? What are you talking about?”

He had considered his options as he approached free agency, but he swore he had never considered wearing a Warriors uniform.

But what if this nightmare continues?

If that monster named Han Su-hyeok continues to dominate on that team.

“Dae-han hyung has two years left on his contract, right?”

Suwon’s ace pitcher, Choi Kyung-jae, started engaging in wishful thinking in a rather unexpected way.