Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 125

#124. 169 km/h

Perhaps it’s a twist of fate.

That the WBC [World Baseball Classic] final is being held here, where I lifted the World Series trophy for the first and last time before my regression, and that I’m starting in that game.

Left field fence 99M, left-center 113M, center 123M, right-center 114M, right field fence 99M.

The high left field fence that turns a right-handed hitter’s home run into a double, and the huge electronic display installed at the top.

Everything is so familiar.

Tap tap.

I walked up to the mound and looked at the large electronic display.

The memory of my last World Series game, when my hit struck that display, is as vivid as if it were yesterday.

The memory of not being able to decide the game at Citi Field and eventually dragging the game here, and finally lifting the World Series trophy with that walk-off home run.

The cheering crowd, the teammates shedding tears of joy.

It feels like a dream. I feel like if I close my eyes and open them now, everything will go back to that time.

“Soo-hyuk, hey, Han Soo-hyuk?”

“…Ah, yes, senior.”

“What are you thinking so hard about? You look like a retired old man returning to his hometown.”

“Do I?”

“Why? Are you nervous? Hehe, should I call Kyung-jae? Would you rather tease him to lighten the mood?”

Jung Dae-han, who is my battery partner [catcher] today, joked and tapped me on the shoulder.

He’s an interesting guy. One of the few players from other teams that I want to call ‘senior’.

“Now you’ve got your expression back. Don’t be nervous. Well, I guess you wouldn’t be nervous. Rather, I need to be on my toes so I don’t miss the ball. Okay, let’s do it!”

After finishing his words, Jung Dae-han smiled slightly and returned to his position.

The Progressive Field stands, which can accommodate up to 40,000 people, were so full that it was hard to find an empty seat.

Min Ye-rin, who suddenly collapsed in the game two days ago and made me worry, is waving a huge Korean flag from afar and looking at me.

And next to her stood her father, who manages our club and my personal funds.

For some reason, I couldn’t take my eyes off her for a long time.

It’s a strange feeling. Is it because this place is my former home stadium? Or is it because I heard she collapsed?

I strangely feel a slightly different atmosphere from Min Ye-rin than usual.

It’s like… something I’ve seen here before, such a vivid and familiar feeling.

I don’t know.

I guess I feel strange because it’s been so long since I stood on this field.

Tap tap.

I lightly tapped my cleats on the mound.

The memory of my shoulder bursting as soon as I moved teams, the time when I had to give up my pitching career, floods in.

A huge storm of emotions rushed in and soon disappeared.

And everything became peaceful. As if nothing had happened.

“Play!”

At that moment, the game commenced, declared by the referee.

* * *

“Ye-rin, ugh, is this a dream or reality?”

Right in front of him, even though the Korean team’s games were held several times in New York where his workplace was located, Min Tae-hyun was visiting the stadium for the first time today.

It was an incredibly busy time. By chance, he was in charge of a large M&A [Mergers and Acquisitions] during this period, so he had to spend days where even breathing was difficult.

How disappointed he was that he couldn’t see Han Soo-hyuk’s game, how envious he was watching the news from the stadium that his daughter brought every day.

But it’s okay.

Isn’t he sitting in the stands right above the Korean team’s dugout, watching Han Soo-hyuk’s first starting game?

“Dad, wipe your drool. Why are you so excited?”

“Oh, right, Ye-rin. Don’t forget to go to Dr. Jang as soon as you get back to Korea. The check-up is all booked, so you just need to go on the date.”

“I’m fine.”

“I know, you fainted a few times when you were young when you got so excited. I’m relieved that the check-up said there was nothing wrong, but you never know. Go to the hospital first, okay?”

“Haa… then make it Monday. On a day when there’s no baseball game.”

“Daughter.”

“Why?”

“Do you think I wouldn’t know that? Of course, I booked it for Monday.”

Min Tae-hyun smiled contentedly and looked at her.

Nothing will happen. Min Ye-rin has experienced fainting several times since she was young. Every time, she had all possible tests done, but only the opinion that there was no particular abnormality was repeated.

The father just wants his daughter to rest a little. He wants her to rest her body and mind while getting a check-up at the hospital, that is Min Tae-hyun’s only wish.

Whether she knows her father’s heart or not, Min Ye-rin’s gaze never left Han Soo-hyuk on the mound.

Min Tae-hyun looked at his daughter’s profile with a satisfied gaze. But suddenly his expression hardened.

“Daughter, our daughter, why are you crying? 응? [a Korean expression similar to ‘huh?’ or ‘right?’] Why? Why are you crying suddenly?”

“…I don’t know.”

“Why? Are you too touched? Yes, our daughter is too touched.”

“No.”

“Then?”

“I don’t know… just, just.”

Min Ye-rin eventually couldn’t say that she suddenly burst into tears while watching Han Soo-hyuk’s profile, that her emotions exploded for no reason at all.

The story that she felt like she had already experienced this moment, that this situation felt so familiar, which she thought was absurd, was kept in her heart as it was.

‘Soo-hyuk oppa [an affectionate Korean term for ‘older brother’ or ‘male friend’],…….’

An uncontrollable whirlpool of emotions was raging in Min Ye-rin’s heart.

* * *

“Gentlemen, this way.”

Robert Wilson, the coach of the American national team and the manager of the Yankees, the most popular team in Major League Baseball until just three years ago, called the players together in one place.

“I won’t say much. We know, they know, and everyone watching today’s game knows: that you are the best baseball team in the world.”

“Yes, boss!”

“Good. As you all know, this rookie who came up to the mound today only pitched 3 innings in the game against Japan. Of course, the result was pretty great. But that’s because there were no hitters on the Japanese team who could hit 104 miles. But we are different. We are the best in the world. Do we need to say more?”

“No, boss!”

“Good, then let’s go. Go and reaffirm that we are the champions and take back the championship trophy that was taken from us in the last tournament. Go!”

Those were words overflowing with pride.

Coach Robert was right. They were the best league, and among them, the undisputed strongest baseball team in the world, where only the best players gathered.

In the tournament held in March 2023, the United States, which lost to Japan 8-3, revealed its explicit desire to win by changing the game schedule to August.

The popularity of baseball, which continues to plummet, being pushed back by American football, basketball, and even ice hockey.

In order to revive it, the title of champion was absolutely necessary.

In August, when the league was in full swing, big leaguers whose sense of the game was at its peak gathered under the American flag.

More than half of the 30-man roster was made up of All-Star players, creating perhaps the most powerful lineup that will be difficult to see again in the future.

Starting with Jack Rogers, the leadoff of the Red Sox and one of the best hitting and running players in the Big League, followed by Aaron Decker, the 3rd hitter of the Dodgers, Lucas Anderson, the 4th hitter of the Yankees, and Ryan Thibault, the ace of Seattle, who is starting today, etc.

They are truly the strongest members, and the name ‘star squad’ is not at all embarrassing.

‘If we lose this game, I really have to retire.’

Robert Wilson, who had been a free agent for a while after leaving the Yankees’ command, was once again placed in this difficult position at the strong request of the secretariat.

After today’s game, what name will I be remembered as in American baseball history?

Robert muttered to himself as he watched the strongest players in the Big League entering the batter’s box.

“No one, whoever it is, can ever surpass those guys. Never.”

* * *

– Commissioner, the game is finally starting with the American team’s first attack. What should we do? My heart is pounding so much that I can’t speak properly.

– It’s okay. No, it can’t be helped. Look at the American national team’s lineup. It’s like a direct copy of the All-Star game lineup that was held a while ago, no, in some ways, aren’t they even stronger players than that? In times like these, there’s only one thing we can trust.

– Ah, are you talking about the indomitable will of the Korean players, the passion of the 태극 [Taegeuk, referring to the Korean flag and national identity] warriors?

– No, it’s Han Soo-hyuk.

– Yes?

– Let me be honest. The American players entering the plate from now on are truly players who deserve to be called monsters. Look at Jack Rogers, who is standing at the plate right now. He is the league’s strongest lead-off hitter, recording a batting average of 0.350, an on-base percentage of 0.469, a slugging percentage of 0.505, 25 home runs, and 29 stolen bases by the end of July.

– That’s really amazing. He’s a 1st hitter with those stats?

– Yes, and the players who come after him are even more amazing. So, in the end, there’s only one conclusion.

– Just trust Han Soo-hyuk?

– Of course. Expecting a new history to be written in the world of baseball today, I will pray for Han Soo-hyuk. God the Father, Buddha, whoever it is, please bless Han Soo-hyuk.

* * *

Tap tap.

Jack Rogers, the lead hitter, the strongest lead-off in the Big League who I’ve faced several times before my regression, is grooming the dirt in the batter’s box, stimulating the catcher’s nerves.

Seeing that figure, the memories of facing him in the past began to come back vividly.

Precise yet powerful hitting and fast feet, plus near-perfect center field defense. The Red Sox’s vanguard, who is praised for having an amazing balance of offense, defense, and running.

Come to think of it, my record against that guy wasn’t very good. I, who was used to pitching with only power, had my top speed drop to 96 miles due to a shoulder injury.

It was an unfavorable condition to struggle against Jack Rogers, who was evaluated as the top class in the league in terms of eye and bat control.

I think I thought that at that time.

If I hadn’t been injured, or if I could have gained enough experience in the Big League.

Then I wouldn’t have been beaten like this.

“Play!”

God gave me a second chance.

The two things I wanted so much at that time: a fresh shoulder, and enough experience in the Big League.

Now I can face him again with both of those things.

Jack Rogers, who has finished preparing to hit, glares at me as if he will devour me and takes his unique batting stance.

An extreme open stance, the guy’s signature batting form that covers his weak outside ball with powerful wrist strength.

I decided to throw my ball that I really wanted to throw to Jack Rogers in my previous life, the one I could only imagine and long for back then.

Nod.

Jung Dae-han nods lightly at the sign I sent first.

It was the bench’s instruction. Since there is a lack of data on pitcher Han Soo-hyuk anyway, the ball distribution for today’s game will be entrusted to the pitcher as much as possible.

That’s what I wanted. Today, I will experiment with everything I can do.

Whoosh.

The wind is blowing from somewhere. Using that as a signal, I slowly began my pitching motion.

The perfect pitching form that Jacob helped and I completed.

The lower body, waist, and shoulder, and finally the wrist.

Compressing energy in 3 stages and exploding it at once, yet smoother than any other pitching form in the world.

Passing through that form, the white baseball finally began its powerful flight towards the catcher’s mitt.

Shooooooong

Puh-uh-uh-uh!

“Strike!”

“Wooaaaaaaaah!”

“Crazy! Crazy!”

“Han Soo-hyuk! Crazy! Crazy!”

After confirming the cheers of the crowd and Jack Rogers’ dazed expression at the plate, I slowly turned my head and looked at the electronic display.

The speed of the ball I just threw was recorded there.

105 miles, 169㎞/h.

I took one step closer to my goal of 170㎞/h.