Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 105

#104. All-Star Game

One of the things I’ve found inconvenient since my regression is that I often have to play a role.

I often feel a sense of disconnect when I have to suppress my true self, the ego of a 15-year veteran, and act like a naive twenty-year-old.

Things are a bit better within the Warriors. I’ve gotten used to it without realizing it, having spent over half a year there.

But…….

“Hey! Home Run King! Let’s shake hands. Huh?”

Lee Soo-young, the first baseman from Daegu who used to win the home run title every season until I pushed him out this season, seems a little upset.

“You’re a bad guy… you know that, right?”

“Me?”

“Look at Kyung-jae over there, too scared to even come over here. How much have you been tormenting him?”

“Me, tormenting Senior Choi Kyung-jae?”

The Suwon battery [a pitcher-catcher duo], Jung Dae-han and Choi Kyung-jae, whom I’m talking to for the first time outside of the batter’s box.

“Soo-hyuk, congratulations on the All-Star selection.”

“Same to you, *hyungnim* [older brother or respected senior].”

“Wow, Soo-hyuk is calling him *hyungnim*? Jun-young *hyungnim*, when did you two become so close?”

Kang Woo-chan, the outfielder from Incheon, is surprised that Lim Jun-young and I are speaking so casually.

“Hello, *seonbaenim* [respected senior].”

“…….”

Min Joo-hyun, the *kkondae* [꼰대, a Korean slang term for an older person who is condescending and stuck in their ways] third baseman from Incheon, doesn’t even respond to my greeting.

In front of these players from other teams, I’m once again playing the role of a naive twenty-year-old.

Damn it.

This feels completely different from trash-talking during a game on the field.

It’s easier to deal with guys like Min Joo-hyun, who show hostility towards me, but it’s really difficult to deal with people who approach me with goodwill.

“Alright, everyone gather around. Even you old guys chatting in the corner, come over here. It’s still a game even if it’s the All-Star Game, so we should come up with a strategy.”

“Why don’t we just put Han Soo-hyuk at leadoff and tell him to hit 4 home runs?”

“Oh, that’s a good idea?”

Koo Yong-sik, the manager from Incheon who will be managing our team today, looked at me with a bright smile on his face.

In this All-Star Game, which is divided into two teams, Dream All-Stars and Sharing All-Stars, the Warriors are in the Dream All-Stars along with 1st place Incheon, 3rd place Suwon, 9th place Daegu, and 10th place Busan.

Busan fans, angered and disappointed by their team’s last-place finish, lost interest in All-Star voting, so there’s only one Titans player, a middle reliever. But anyway, the current 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 9th, and 10th place teams in the league have formed an alliance.

“No joke, the fans are going crazy because they can’t see Han Soo-hyuk hit home runs since the Home Run Derby was canceled. Soo-hyuk, do you really want to bat leadoff? Soo-hyuk, what do you think? Manager Lee Dae-jun, would that be okay?”

At Manager Koo Yong-sik’s words, Manager Lee Dae-jun, who will be the 3rd base coach today, nodded and replied.

“That’s a good idea.”

“Okay. Then Han Soo-hyuk is batting first.”

If the purpose of creating a regular game lineup is to win, then the All-Star Game lineup should be as fan-friendly as possible.

Especially since the pre-game festivities, including the Home Run Derby, were canceled this year due to the WBC [World Baseball Classic], fans can’t help but expect something more.

First… well, I guess it doesn’t matter.

“Okay, the lineup is complete. Everyone check it out, and even the players who aren’t starting will get a chance to play as substitutes, so warm up. Ah, WBC players, be careful not to get injured. That’s the most important thing. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes! Manager.”

“Good, then that’s all I have to say. Let’s all enjoy the festival, even if it’s just for today.”

Koo Yong-sik, who rose to the position of manager from the front office operations team and is known as the manager who makes the best use of sabermetrics [the empirical analysis of baseball, especially baseball statistics that measure in-game activity] among the current 10 team managers, went to where the other team managers were gathered.

The Dream All-Star team lineup he created was as follows:

1st: Shortstop Han Soo-hyuk (Seoul Warriors)

2nd: Left Fielder Choi Yeon-woo (Suwon Commanders)

3rd: Center Fielder Kang Woo-chan (Incheon Rangers)

4th: First Baseman Lee Soo-young (Daegu Buffaloes)

5th: Right Fielder Liam Anderson (Daegu Buffaloes)

6th: Designated Hitter Cho Sung-oh (Seoul Warriors)

7th: Catcher Jung Dae-han (Suwon Commanders)

8th: Third Baseman Min Joo-hyun (Incheon Rangers)

9th: Second Baseman Son Jae-hoo (Incheon Rangers)

Starting Pitcher Lim Jun-young

There are a total of 3 Warriors players selected for this All-Star Game.

Among them, I was the only one who was selected by fan vote, and Seniors Jang Deok-soo and Cho Sung-oh were named to the list by manager recommendation. It’s a slightly disappointing result considering the team’s performance.

Brooks Parker and Senior Chun Sang-jin were mentioned, but both of them suffered minor injuries towards the end of the first half, so their All-Star appearances were canceled.

Next year, a few more Warriors players will be included in the All-Star list.

An Chi-wook, who was pushed out by Min Joo-hyun, and Seo Hyung-joo, whose growth rate is visibly rapid…….

Well, I don’t really want to see those guys getting conceited after being selected for the All-Star Game.

“Waaaaah!”

“Echo! Eyes! Echo! Echo! Echo Eyes!”

Before the start of the game, a congratulatory performance began.

Originally, KBO [Korea Baseball Organization] tried to invite Min Ye-rin first and foremost.

Her celebratory performance at Jamsil Baseball Stadium had been so shocking that her name value was secondary.

It was said to be the best performance that could be shown at a sporting event.

But Min Ye-rin flatly rejected KBO’s offer.

‘No thanks.’

‘Pardon?’

‘There are only three Warriors players, so what power do I have to put on a celebratory performance? If they sweep all positions next year, I’ll do it then.’

‘…….’

Well, she probably intended to give strength to the Warriors in her own way.

Anyway, for that reason, a girl group called Echo Eyes took the stage instead of Min Ye-rin.

“Wooaaah!”

As the players and spectators swayed to the girl group’s song.

Doom-chit doom-chit

Senior Jang Deok-soo, who was sitting quietly in the dugout, moved his huge body to the rhythm and went out onto the field.

His body was so big that it didn’t feel like the same choreography at all, but if you looked closely, you could definitely feel the quality in his dance, no, his gestures.

What is this, some kind of surprise event?

Doom-chit doom-chit doo-doom-chit

“Ooh! Deok-soo!”

“Waaaaah!”

“Jang Deok-soo! Jang Deok-soo!”

Senior Jang Deok-soo, excited by the players’ cheers, enthusiastically followed the choreography right in front of the dugout.

When Echo Eyes discovered him and gestured to him, he went up to the mound without hesitation.

Doom-chit doom-chit doo-doom-chit

“Hahaha!”

“What! Why is he so good?”

“Jang Deok-soo! You’re the best!”

After one song ended, Senior Jang Deok-soo, who had worked with Echo Eyes, returned to the dugout.

“Senior……?”

“Deok-soo, you’re good? When did you practice this?”

“It’s exciting. I’m originally an Echo Eyes fan.”

Senior Jang Deok-soo’s expression looks particularly refreshed.

Um, this senior was a fan of girl groups.

Just by looking at his appearance, he looks like a boss from the mafia who runs an entertainment agency… taking a few trot [Korean pop music] singers around to local events and stuff.

It would be perfect if he had a loan shark bag under his arm.

* * *

– Baseball fans, hello. The long and arduous first half of the 2027 KBO has finally come to an end, and the All-Star Game has arrived. The game between the Dream All-Stars and the Sharing All-Stars is being held at the Gocheok Sky Dome. I am announcer Park Cheol-min, who is in charge of the broadcast, and next to me, as always, is commentator Go Dong-sik.

– Hello, this is Go Dong-sik.

– You look particularly refreshed today, commentator?

– Ah, yes, just for today, can’t I speak a little more freely… talk? I feel like I’m going to fly away.

– Great. Then let’s take a look at the Dream All-Stars’ lineup, who will be batting first. Ah, Han Soo-hyuk is batting first today.

– Of course. Han Soo-hyuk is probably the player that fans want to see the most at this point.

– Indeed, he recorded the largest number of votes in this All-Star voting, with the largest difference from second place.

– That’s right. The All-Star Game itself feels a bit scaled down due to the WBC, but I still hope that both teams will do their best in today’s game. It’s a once-a-year festival for the fans.

– As we speak, Dream All-Star’s leadoff hitter Han Soo-hyuk is stepping into the batter’s box. The pitcher he will face is Sharing All-Star’s starter, Ryu Han-gyul.

* * *

‘Just what is that guy…….’

The more I think about it, the more annoying he is.

It’s unlikely, but if his attempt to advance to the Big Leagues fails after this season, or even if it succeeds but he doesn’t like the amount of the signing bonus.

It’s all because of that guy. A monster who has blocked my path at every important moment.

‘But it’s fun.’

Of course, the emotion Ryu Han-gyul feels is not hatred or resentment.

At first, I just thought he was a common first-year rookie. No matter how many home runs he hits or how high his batting average is, he’s just a rookie.

I’ve been the Falcons’ ace for 7 seasons, and I’ve been through all sorts of things, and I’ve also faced many monster hitters.

Some of them were foreign players who blew up the KBO and went to the Big Leagues. I’ve been hitting and fighting with those monsters for 7 years.

So, when I gave up a home run to Han Soo-hyuk for the first time, I wasn’t too hurt. It just scratched my pride a little.

But as the competition with that guy continued to accumulate, I realized.

That I had met my match.

Strangely, I feel like he reads my mind whenever I meet that guy.

In the first place, the batted balls themselves are ridiculous. Balls that seem to be mis-hit fly far and cross the fence.

I was so frustrated that I asked Choi Kyung-jae of Suwon, who had been thoroughly exploited by Han Soo-hyuk along with me. The two of them, who had become close on the national team, were in a relationship where they could talk comfortably in private.

-Han Soo-hyuk, why does that guy hit so well? Kyung-jae, does this even make sense?

-Ryu Han-gyul.

-What.

-I’m seriously considering the Warriors right now.

-What are you considering? What does it mean to consider the Warriors?

-I’m going to go there when I’m a free agent.

-What… you can’t pitch without Dae-han *hyungnim*.

-Yeah, so I’m trying to seduce Dae-han *hyungnim* too. It’s his second free agency next year anyway.

-Crazy…….

I couldn’t continue the conversation any longer. One of my peers and a left-hander representing the country had surrendered to Han Soo-hyuk, no, decided to defect.

I don’t know if it’s true or a joke, but I knew for sure how Choi Kyung-jae felt about Han Soo-hyuk.

After that, Ryu Han-gyul watched the videos of his duels with Han Soo-hyuk whenever he had time.

But I don’t know.

No matter how many times I watch it, I can’t get anything out of it.

At first, I suspected that he was reading the timing of my changeup, but even if that was the case, he was hitting other pitches amazingly well and turning them into home runs.

With the help of the power analysis team and the catcher Ahn Cheol-yong, I analyzed the videos, and analyzed them again, but eventually gave up.

A hitter with no weaknesses no matter how hard I look, and a hitter who hits my pitches incredibly well.

Ryu Han-gyul came to that conclusion about Han Soo-hyuk and has been avoiding competing with him ever since.

First of all, the Falcons need to advance to the fall baseball season, give the team that has supported me for the past 7 years a final gift, and then advance to the United States.

That was much more important than beating Han Soo-hyuk.

‘But just for today…….’

Ryu Han-gyul bit his lower lip without realizing it.

I don’t know how many times I’ll have to face that guy during the rest of the second half.

Yes, if I think according to the natural order, it’s right to just avoid him. For the team, and for myself.

But Ryu Han-gyul’s pride, who had reigned as the best pitcher in the country for the past 7 seasons, pushed him on his back.

Compete, and let him know who is the best before going to the United States.

That’s why Ryu Han-gyul is thinking of taking out a new weapon against Han Soo-hyuk right now. A new weapon to confuse the mind of that monster he will meet in the second half.

A slider that I’m secretly learning in preparation for advancing to the United States.

This slider, which falls vertically instead of horizontally, moves much faster while drawing a trajectory similar to a changeup.

If Han Soo-hyuk really knows the timing of my changeup and hits it, I’ll be able to catch him with this slider.

“Strike!”

Han Soo-hyuk didn’t flinch at the first pitch, an outside fastball.

“Ball.”

No reaction to the low sinker on the inside either.

I had a feeling. That Han Soo-hyuk is aiming for a big one right now.

Well, it’s a natural thing. Because today is the All-Star Game.

The pitcher aims for a strikeout, the hitter aims for a home run, and that’s so natural.

Yes, aim for a big one as much as you want. That way, your swing will get bigger.

“Strike!”

Han Soo-hyuk’s bat didn’t move even at the curve that swept through the outside zone.

“Ball.”

The fastball thrown high on the inside floated up more than I thought and was declared a ball.

As expected, Han Soo-hyuk didn’t react.

Two balls and two strikes.

Now is the time. Originally, it was the timing to throw a changeup.

Ryu Han-gyul signaled to the catcher, and the catcher nodded.

And from Ryu Han-gyul’s fingertips, a new weapon that had not been revealed until now, the slider, was unleashed.

A ball that is slower than a fastball but much faster than a changeup, drawing a large trajectory in front of the hitter and falling.

The moment Ryu Han-gyul, who threw the ball, smiled slightly, expecting the ensuing swing and miss.

Ttaaaaaaaak!

With a huge hitting sound, a white object flew over my head like an arrow.

Ryu Han-gyul couldn’t help but swear at the replay of that nightmare he had suffered several times this season.

“Haa… shit.”