Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 175

#174. No Defeat

“Hey, how’s it going, *hyung* [older brother or male friend in Korean]?”

“Same as always. You?”

“Same here.”

“Good.”

“Right.”

One of the reasons I like Cheon Sang-jin is this.

The ability to have short, concise, and clear conversations that omit all unnecessary fluff.

This guy, who once considered giving up baseball and joining a company, is now a reliable starting pitcher who can be entrusted with Game 4 of the Korean Series.

A figure who caused the other 9 clubs, excluding the Warriors, to issue SNS [Social Networking Service] restriction orders to their players, a pioneering figure who contemplated a new method of power analysis by hiring a psychologist.

The player with the most female fans in the 2027 KBO [Korean Baseball Organization].

A pitcher who recorded 12 wins, 5 losses, and an ERA [Earned Run Average] of 3.62 this season, the best record among the 4th starters of the 10 clubs.

That Cheon Sang-jin says.

“Soo-hyuk, did you watch the Yankees game yesterday?”

“I couldn’t watch it till the end. I was sleepy.”

“Lucas Anderson. The batter you faced during the WBC [World Baseball Classic].”

“Yes.”

“It seems like he flinches unconsciously when a pitch comes inside. Am I wrong?”

“You’re right. He always does that.”

“Hehe, I’m right. I knew it.”

The second reason I like Cheon Sang-jin is this.

He loves baseball as much as I do.

“Anyway, *hyung*, how are you planning to pitch today?”

“Hmm… well?”

“Right. That’s right. You’ve got to pitch well.”

There was no need for many words.

The flow of the series has suddenly changed strangely due to Ryan Stark’s injury, but I’m not worried.

I trust Cheon Sang-jin more than anyone else.

* * *

Whoosh

Bang!

“Strike! Out!”

“Boo!”

“Hey, you son of a bitch! Why are you just staring at that shit ball?”

In the bottom of the 6th inning, with two outs and bases loaded, Incheon’s 6th batter, Kwak Ji-seop, struck out looking without even swinging, and curses flew from the Incheon stands.

A match between Cheon Sang-jin, who has been a solid pillar of the Warriors’ starting lineup this season, and Kim Yong-jae, a young gun who converted to a starter after the WBC break.

The game entered the 7th inning with the Warriors leading 2 to 1 until the bottom of the 6th.

And Kim Yong-jae was still on the mound for Incheon.

This young pitcher, in his third year, was the next-generation ace candidate that Incheon had marked as the successor to Lim Jun-yeong.

A fastball reaching a maximum speed of 155 km/h [approximately 96 mph], changeup, two-seam fastball, curveball.

A pitching repertoire that resembled Lim Jun-yeong, and even the mindset on the mound that he learned directly from Lim Jun-yeong.

He, who is steadily taking ace lessons, was meeting the team’s expectations in today’s game.

The biggest crisis was in the first inning.

With two outs and no runners, he went head-to-head with Han Soo-hyuk and allowed an extra-base hit that hit the top of the fence.

Fortunately, he handled the next batter well and blocked it without giving up a run, but it was a heart-stopping moment.

He recalled what his most respected senior, Lim Jun-yeong, had told him before the game.

‘Someday, you will have to face Han Soo-hyuk head-on. But today is not the day. Avoid him. It’s still too difficult.’

Hearing that, he was provoked and went for the showdown, which was the cause of the problem.

Anyway, Kim Yong-jae, now fully focused, sent Han Soo-hyuk to first on an intentional walk in his second at-bat in the 4th inning.

He safely navigated the 4th, 5th, and 6th innings, and the manager asked him if he could pitch a little longer.

Thanks to the Warriors’ batters actively swinging early in the count, he only had 89 pitches through the 6th inning.

Kim Yong-jae nodded and went back to the mound.

Once again, Han Soo-hyuk stood in front of Kim Yong-jae.

Han Soo-hyuk, leading off the top of the 7th inning, looked at him, tilting his head from side to side.

It’s embarrassing to admit, but Kim Yong-jae couldn’t look him straight in the eye.

It was because of the guilt of having to avoid him again for the team’s victory.

“Batter to first base.”

“Boo!”

The automatic intentional walk request came from the bench, and Han Soo-hyuk sighed and walked to first base.

Kim Yong-jae bit his lower lip tightly without realizing it and muttered.

“Someday, I will definitely…….”

He is not yet complete.

In a few years, he will be a better pitcher like Lim Jun-yeong.

At that time, he will definitely have a showdown with that guy.

Of course, Han Soo-hyuk, the object of that resolution, was only a one-year rookie younger than him, but that wasn’t important now.

“Play!”

With a runner on first base and no outs, the opposing team’s fourth batter stepped up to the plate.

Cho Seong-oh, a veteran who is having his second prime, recording a batting average of 0.301, an on-base percentage of 0.380, a slugging percentage of 0.515, 24 home runs, and 91 RBIs this season, the highest after Han Soo-hyuk in the Warriors.

The reason why the Incheon bench pushed Kim Yong-jae forward with Han Soo-hyuk on first base with no outs was because of this Cho Seong-oh.

Cho Seong-oh, who has not gotten a single hit against Kim Yong-jae since last season, is especially helpless against Kim Yong-jae’s main weapon, the power curve.

Kim Yong-jae’s mission was to face this Cho Seong-oh.

Han Soo-hyuk may attempt to steal a base.

But it’s okay. Even if he allows 2nd base and then 3rd base, it doesn’t matter.

There is still a one-point lead. He can afford to give up one run.

His mission is to perfectly retire this Cho Seong-oh and hand over the mound to the next pitcher.

Walter Smith, who came to Korea in the middle of this season and has become the Warriors’ core hitter.

To face him, an underhand pitcher is warming up in the Incheon bullpen right now.

An underhand pitcher who has almost disappeared in Korea, raised only to face foreign batters.

A smile that didn’t fit the situation appeared on Kim Yong-jae’s lips.

His fingers were already gripping the power curve.

* * *

Before today’s game, Cho Seong-oh asked his junior Han Soo-hyuk this.

“Soo-hyuk, if you can’t hit even though you know the pitch is coming, that’s stupid, right?”

Han Soo-hyuk’s biggest advantage, in senior Cho Seong-oh’s eyes, is his solid physique that doesn’t match his age.

Commonly referred to as a strong bone, a person born with natural solidity and strength.

Thanks to that, Cho Seong-oh was able to create his second prime with Jacob’s help.

Then, conversely, what is Cho Seong-oh’s biggest weakness?

That was his lack of self-esteem.

Despite winning the Korean Series championship trophy three times as a starting member of the team, his self-esteem as a baseball player was at rock bottom.

Of course, I understand.

The team’s dark age that has lasted for more than 6 years since 2021, and the entrenched forces that took advantage of the gap to make the team a mess.

It must be the aftereffects of not being able to do anything as the team’s captain in that chaotic situation.

It was still continuing even after recording a great record of 30% average, 24 home runs, and 91 RBIs this season.

“Senior.”

“Yeah?”

“Jacob told me the other day.”

“What did he say?”

“He said that someone with your experience could sufficiently perform the role of a first base backup or pinch hitter even if you went to the major leagues.”

“Really? Jacob? Really?”

It’s a lie.

Jacob isn’t very interested in other people besides me.

To be precise, if he is given a job, he performs it actively, but he doesn’t care about past events or people at all.

He will have already completely forgotten about Cho Seong-oh, whom he had been training directly until the middle of this season.

So, what I’m saying now is just…….

Um, it’s just to boost Cho Seong-oh’s lack of self-esteem.

“And I think so too.”

“You too?”

“Yes, I faced the American kids last time, and they weren’t a big deal.”

“Oh… really?”

Cho Seong-oh’s expression brightened as if my words had worked properly.

I don’t know.

Technically, there was not a single reason why senior Cho Seong-oh was so helpless against Kim Yong-jae’s power curve.

So that’s just psychological.

It’s like an elephant that has been tied up since childhood cannot break the chain even after it grows up.

And my thoughts eventually came true.

Thwack!

“No!”

“Run! Run! Please!”

As soon as I heard the sound of the hit, I ran to second base with all my might.

Even if I don’t look back, I can predict the trajectory that the batted ball will take.

Thud

“Wow!”

As soon as I stepped on second base, a huge shout erupted from the away stands.

I could intuitively tell that the batted ball, which had completely split the left-center field gap, had hit the fence on one bounce.

Considering the speed of the batted ball and the location of Incheon’s defense, it may be a little difficult to score from second.

But you must never stop.

When running the bases, even a small hesitation can lead to irreversible regret.

I didn’t look back. And I didn’t stop.

The third base coach hesitated for a moment and then gave a stop sign.

Considering the arm strength of Incheon’s right fielder, that might be the right decision.

But it’s a moment that requires risk-taking considering the game situation.

Even if you make runners on second and third base with no outs, the next batter, Walter Smith, is almost defenseless against the underhand pitcher.

It’s hard to even expect a sacrifice fly.

That’s why I run.

My body, which has been perfectly trained to the point where every breath and every movement of the muscles can be controlled, is prepared for this moment.

Tada-dak

“Aaaagh!”

“No! No, yes! No, no! I don’t know! Oh, shit!”

As I rounded third base and ran straight home, screams erupted from all over the stands.

There’s no need to look back.

You can tell just by the reaction of the audience, their gazes, and their eyes.

That Incheon’s right fielder relayed to the second baseman, and that a powerful throw will soon fly towards home.

The catcher, who is guarding home plate, began to look frantic as the runner who was supposed to stop at third base ran home.

Son Young-jin, who suffered from lingering effects for a while after colliding with me and returned to the catcher’s position only after entering the Korean Series, lowered his posture and prepared for the collision.

But what I’m thinking about now is not a collision with that player.

Swish

“Wow!”

Along with the screams of the audience, I feel the throw flying from outside my field of vision.

At that moment,

That feeling as if time has stopped is activated.

That subtle feeling that is activated only on days when my condition is at its peak, as if I am the only one moving normally in slowed time.

Feeling that, I reach out my left hand towards home plate.

The catcher’s mitt, which feels slow, slowly approaches to tag my left hand.

Swoosh

Fold your left hand back to avoid that mitt,

Swish

Instead, slightly rotate your body and bring your right hand forward.

Swoosh!

The moment my fingertips touch home plate,

“Safe! Safe!”

“Wow!”

“Crazy! Crazy!”

“He’s alive! He’s alive!”

The slowed time returns to normal, and a huge shout pours into my ears.

The catcher, who gave up home to the runner due to a momentary mistake despite the out timing, knelt down with a blank expression.

In the meantime, Cho Seong-oh, who ran to third base, looked at me with both thumbs up, and the colleagues sitting in the dugout ran out and surrounded me.

Cheon Sang-jin, who wrapped his shoulders in a thick autumn jacket, pointed to the electronic display board with his finger and smiled.

It’s fun.

When the play I’m thinking about is realized in reality, I feel a pleasure that cannot be compared to anything else in the world.

I feel like I can do anything to protect this pleasure, I really feel like I can do anything.

“Han Soo-hyuk! You crazy bastard! *Kkeuaaa! Kkeua!* [Sound of cheering]”

“Ahn Chi-wook.”

“Why! You crazy bastard!”

“Don’t eat snacks in the dugout. Your breath smells sweet.”

“…Really?”

The game is not over yet.

But the word defeat did not exist in my head.