Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 206

Genius Pitcher Hides 170km – Episode 205

#205. America’s Choice

“So, Han Su-hyeok, may I ask what your hobby is?”

“Hobby? Hmm… Nothing special, I just watch National Geographic documentaries when I have time.”

‘Documentaries, huh?’

During the last WBC [World Baseball Classic] victory, Han Su-hyeok answered a pointless question from an American reporter like that.

Unlike other big league stars who chase women, collect supercars, or relieve stress with extravagant hobbies, Han Su-hyeok’s life was extremely simple.

A simple routine of going back and forth between home and the baseball field.

The content of Han Su-hyeok’s interview reached Tyler Johnson.

‘I wonder if watching those helps with baseball somehow?’

During the last off-season, Tyler Johnson, who set up a personal camp in warm Los Angeles, spent most of his time watching documentaries outside of training.

It wasn’t very stimulating, but it had a strange charm that kept him watching.

Of course, it had nothing to do with baseball.

“Out!”

The batter who gave Han Su-hyeok his sixth strikeout in the bottom of the 3rd inning lowered his head and sat down in the dugout.

“…Fuck!”

A sound of swallowed resentment.

Players who had experienced the same suffering gathered around him.

The Korean team scored 3 points with Seo Hyeong-joo and Lee Chan-ho’s consecutive hits in the top of the 1st inning, and Han Su-hyeok’s home run.

And then Han Su-hyeok’s strikeout show followed.

Nine American batters had come to the plate by the 3rd inning, and six of them were struck out.

Of course, Tyler Johnson was an exception.

Because he was out with a ‘fly ball to center field’.

“It’s okay, don’t sweat it, John. It’s not that you didn’t do well, it’s that he’s a monster.”

“Damn it, where did that guy come from…….”

A scene of gathering in one place and licking each other’s wounds, humanistic in a way, and pitiful in another.

Tyler Johnson thought he had seen this somewhere before.

Yes, he was sure he saw it in a documentary.

A pack of hyenas surrounded and attacked two lionesses and their cubs.

The hyena pack was very angry, perhaps because there had been conflicts over prey before, and the outnumbered lionesses were desperately trying to protect their cubs.

Just then,

The leader of the pack, the male lion, who had been away, returned.

Only one more lion was added.

However, as soon as that one male lion appeared, dozens of hyenas began to run away.

The expression ‘absolutely invincible’ was made for that male lion.

Trampling the hyena lagging behind the pack, biting its neck and cutting off its breath.

Pissed off that they had bothered the lionesses in his absence, the male lion chased the hyenas to the end and crushed them.

And after a while,

The camera turned to the den where the remaining hyenas were gathered.

There, the hyenas who had attacked the lionesses without fear and were crushed were licking each other’s wounds.

‘Hmm.’

Tyler Johnson thought that the atmosphere in the American dugout was exactly like that.

The big leaguers, who were full of energy before the game started, were being crushed by Han Su-hyeok and were comforting each other.

The future big league ace, who was hit with a three-run home run as soon as the 1st inning started, kept muttering something incomprehensible, and the batters who had given up 6 strikeouts in just 3 innings were consoling each other, saying it wasn’t their fault.

Tyler Johnson thought.

He always thought of himself as a male lion.

The strongest team, St. Louis, no, the leader leading the major league.

But what if that guy advances to the United States?

Could he still maintain that position then?

Just thinking about it sent shivers down his spine, but he didn’t feel bad.

No, he was almost looking forward to that moment.

A young male lion who challenged the leader of the pack, and an old male lion who defeated the challenge after a long battle.

That was Tyler Johnson’s favorite documentary.

* * *

Whoosh

Bang

“Strike!”

A powerful fastball with a speed of 106 miles and a spin rate of 3,000 RPM was perfectly placed on the edge of the batter’s strike zone.

“Holy shit……!”

If Andrew Davis was the best pitcher among the young players who joined the national team this time, James Taylor was the best batter.

That’s the batter who’s constantly swearing at the plate right now.

He was drafted 5th overall in the first round by Tampa Bay, and like Andrew, he finished his minor league career in just one year and was immediately called up to the big leagues.

A beautiful slash line of .300/.400/.500 [batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage] and a potential 30-30 [30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a season] hitter.

He was a player who had everything to be a future superstar.

James’ idol was none other than Tyler Johnson, the captain of this national team.

Before the game started today, he said to James.

‘To hit the ball thrown by Han Su-hyeok, you’ll have to catch the hitting point a little higher than you think. The ball rises.’

‘It rises?’

Of course, it doesn’t really rise. No matter how fast it is, all balls that leave the pitcher’s hand sink according to the law of gravity.

However, the sinking trajectory of the fastball with the tremendous spin rate thrown by Han Su-hyeok was much less than that of other pitchers’ balls.

In other words, it sinks less, so it gives the batter’s brain the illusion that it’s rising.

Anyway, James never forgot the advice his idol gave him.

Whoosh

He clearly aimed higher than he thought, but the error was still large.

Whoosh

It still doesn’t hit? James adjusted the zero point again.

Whoosh

“Fuck!”

The damn guy threw a curve and struck out in an instant.

James Taylor, who struck out on three pitches in his first at-bat, tried to make up for it in his second at-bat.

But,

Whoosh

Whoosh

“Swing! Out!”

He was helplessly struck out once again by a high-speed slider reaching 98 miles.

The American attack in the bottom of the 4th inning ended so futilely.

* * *

‘Team victory? Or my honor? What’s more important?’

The white-haired old manager, the former manager of the Yankees, the most prestigious club in the United States, who is in charge of the national team once again following the WBC, was deep in thought.

A simple but sure plan to put Andrew Davis, who had practically secured the next-generation big league ace position, on the mound to face Han Su-hyeok and decide the game after the starting pitcher was relieved, was shattered from the first inning.

The moment Andrew Davis’ 100-mile fastball went over the left field fence of Angel Stadium, everything went wrong.

Fortunately, Andrew pulled himself together after that one hit and kept the Korean batters from scoring until the 4th inning.

Anyway, in the top of the 5th inning, the monster’s at-bat returns once again.

Three-run home run in the first at-bat, shortstop line drive in the second at-bat.

In fact, the second at-bat was lucky.

The curve that made Andrew Davis called the next-generation ace was hit accurately.

But luck was on the American team’s side. The well-hit ball went straight to the shortstop.

The face of the American team’s shortstop, who caught the unbelievably fast ball, turned white, but that wasn’t important.

‘Hmm.’

Now he really has to make a choice.

In the last WBC, the United States also had a head-on match against Han Su-hyeok.

And he faltered, allowing big hits at critical moments.

The honor of the baseball powerhouse is important, but there is something more important than that.

Manager Robert called Andrew Davis.

“You have two choices.”

“I’m listening.”

“Okay. Regardless of the outcome of the at-bats against the next two batters, you can either intentionally walk Han Su-hyeok and continue pitching, or come off the mound when Han Su-hyeok comes to bat.”

There is no automatic intentional walk rule in this Olympic baseball event.

Even if the manager orders a walk, if the pitcher ignores it, the whole plan collapses.

Manager Robert is now warning the superstar who doesn’t know how scary the world is.

A warning that if he disobeys the bench’s instructions, he will be pulled off the mound immediately.

And one more thing,

Today, the United States is sending a strong message that it will choose victory over honor.

Andrew Davis nodded with a cold expression.

“I understand what you mean.”

“Okay.”

* * *

“Woo-hoo!”

“You cowardly coward!”

“You’re giving an intentional walk with two outs? Are you even a big leaguer?”

“My dog is braver than you!”

– Ah, in the top of the 5th inning, with two outs and no runners on base, the United States is intentionally walking Han Su-hyeok.

– Yes, the audience is going crazy. American fans are sending huge boos to the pitcher.

– Oh, I can’t understand everything they’re saying, but the atmosphere is fierce.

– In fact, the manager has no choice. In the last WBC final, Han Su-hyeok recorded 3 hits in 4 at-bats against the United States. One single, one double, and one home run, he only needed one more triple to hit for the cycle.

– Thinking about it now, it was really amazing.

– That’s right. And he already has one home run today. But from the perspective of American fans, an intentional walk is a real blow to their pride.

– Yes, that’s right. Ah, something is being thrown onto the field over there…….

– The popularity of the sport itself has been overtaken by American football and basketball, but the national sport of the United States is still baseball. And this Olympics is being held in the United States. It’s a matter of pride that the national team, which dispatched big leaguers to win at all costs, is intentionally walking a player from the Asian periphery.

– Giving an intentional walk while enduring all that… America is quite desperate.

– Yes, as far as I remember, this is the first time the United States has given an intentional walk like this, as it did in the last WBC. Well, the game will be more intense. The world’s strongest American national team has chosen victory over honor.

* * *

Whoosh

“Swing! Out!”

“Damn it, I’m sorry.”

The veteran Lee Soo-young, who was helplessly struck out by Andrew Davis’ curveball with two outs and a runner on first, looked at me apologetically.

To be honest, there was no need to be sorry at all.

Interestingly enough, Andrew Davis’ ball feels more powerful than the pitches from the superstar-level players I faced in the last WBC, such as Seattle’s Ryan Tibo and Cleveland’s Jimmy McCown.

Did me allowing a home run in the first inning light a fire under that guy?

Did I stimulate the talent of a guy who will lose his hair in a few years and gain the title of the best in the United States, even if I just left him alone?

“Okay, let’s shut them down this inning too! Fighting!”

“Fighting!”

Whatever the reason, watching that guy makes me feel energized.

As I get a year older, and once again adjust my body that has finally finished growing,

And most importantly, as I achieve the Warriors’ championship that was stuck in my heart,

I am moving towards an area that I have never set foot in in my previous life.

This is a little different from the Warriors’ championship, which was my long-cherished desire, and the construction of a dynasty,

Yes, it’s literally about my personal achievement as a baseball player.

It’s like a challenge to see how far I can go as a baseball player.

Following the last WBC, facing the world’s best guys once again constantly stimulates my desire for achievement and challenge.

Smirk

That’s right.

Baseball was originally this fun.

I remember the hard-to-explain excitement I felt when I first grabbed a baseball as a child.

Okay.

I have to show the guys who gave me this pleasure the best play I can.

Today’s game starts now.