Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 239

#238. Meltdown

Moving to a new team after spending a long time with one is never easy.

Aside from everything else, having to build new relationships with those rich, arrogant jerks who think they’re the best in the world is exhausting.

In that sense, Mike Warren was adapting to his new job relatively smoothly.

First, Seattle’s captain, Ryan, was calmly helping him adjust, and Ty Johnson, who had the best career on the team, also welcomed him, as they were of similar age.

Additionally, Han Su-hyeok, a bit younger but the central figure of the team both offensively and defensively, and who had recently gained absolute support from the fans, was unusually friendly to him.

This is why there were no complaints, even though some players lost their positions or had their roles changed due to Mike Warren’s arrival.

“Play!”

With Seattle leading 1-0 thanks to Han Su-hyeok’s leadoff home run, the Dodgers’ offense began in the top of the 2nd inning.

Mike Warren, who had given up a hit and a walk in the first inning but managed to get out of the jam with the help of his defense, gripped the knuckleball in his glove.

Actually, it might be a pointless gesture.

In the past, there were pitchers who mixed knuckleballs with other pitches like fastballs, curves, and changeups, but Mike, currently the only knuckleball pitcher in the Big Leagues, was a true knuckleballer who threw knuckleballs for 90 out of 100 pitches.

So, the act of concealing the grip with his glove is just a habit ingrained from playing as a pitcher for a long time, a habit that is no longer necessary.

Nod.

Mike nodded immediately at the catcher’s lead.

After all, there’s only one type of pitch.

Knuckleball.

The pitchcom [pitcher-catcher communication device] the catcher is wearing does include a fastball option, but that’s only for throwing a pitchout when there’s a runner on base, or to prevent a steal attempt.

The pitcher knows the next pitch is a knuckleball, the catcher knows, the batter knows, and the fans know.

Thinking about it this way, it would be stranger if a Major League batter couldn’t hit such an obvious pitch, but that’s just how knuckleballs are.

It’s a pitch that both the pitcher and the batter have to approach with a gambling mindset.

Whoosh.

Crack.

“Ball.”

Just look at the previous pitch. The pitcher clearly aimed for the center of the zone, but the ball danced in the air and dropped sharply towards the batter’s body.

Before today’s game, he had visited Han Su-hyeok, just in case.

Han Su-hyeok, the greatest knuckleballer he had ever seen.

To Mike, who was trying to get any advice, he said this:

‘You already know the answer. Just throw it into the zone and pray to God; that’s all a knuckleballer can do. Forget about the pitch I threw last time. That result came about because the Padres still had my fastball in their minds.’

I don’t know.

Why do people always tell him that he already knows when the topic of knuckleballs comes up?

But in the end, that was the conclusion.

The path Mike is walking is not wrong.

He hasn’t achieved satisfactory results yet because he hasn’t put in enough effort, but if he continues on this path, he will eventually reach his destination.

That was enough.

Now that there are no real knuckleballers left in the Big Leagues, Mike just wanted to lean on someone and get advice.

Whoosh.

Swoosh.

“Swing!”

He threw another knuckleball into the center of the zone, telling the batter to hit it if he could, but this time the ball barely changed, and the batter made a ridiculous swing.

A smile appeared on Mike’s face.

Until now, he had just been focused on throwing the knuckleball,

But now, he feels like he’s starting to get the hang of taming this thing.

* * *

In the bottom of the 1st inning, Seattle took the lead with Han Su-hyeok’s leadoff home run, but in the 3rd and 4th innings, Mike gave up two home runs, and the game was quickly reversed.

There’s a saying that home runs are like taxes for knuckleball pitchers.

If there’s even a little bit of spin, or if they don’t push off properly, it becomes a batting practice ball, just begging to be hit for a home run.

Fortunately, in the bottom of the 4th inning, Bruce Matthews’ timely hit tied the game again at 2-2.

Then, in the top of the 5th inning, Mike Warren, who was on the mound, allowed consecutive hits to the Dodgers’ 4th and 5th batters, facing another crisis.

He glanced at the dugout, wondering if the pitching coach would come out, but both the manager and the coach were just watching Mike without moving.

What Seattle wanted was not just one win, but for Mike to establish himself as a starter on this team.

They wanted to add the experience of a veteran pitcher like Mike Warren to a starting lineup composed mostly of players in their early to mid-20s, except for Ryan.

Realizing this, Mike took another deep breath and turned his gaze to the next batter.

Tegan Burkhead, the starting catcher and 6th batter for the Dodgers, the strongest team in the National League.

Before he converted to being a knuckleball pitcher, and when that guy was a rookie, they used to get along pretty well,

But as time passed, he became washed up, while that guy became a star, and the atmosphere between them became a bit awkward.

Then, he suffered a shoulder injury and had to take a two-year hiatus, during which Tegan Burkhead became one of the Dodgers’ representative players.

“Play!”

It’s not that he doesn’t understand that guy’s feelings.

A Major League superstar in his still energetic 20s.

As the team’s starting catcher, he must have felt humiliated to have to give up his spot behind the plate once every five games because of a washed-up guy like him.

Mike, who had experienced the Big Leagues for 17 years, knew.

Regardless of who was right or wrong, in such a situation, the team would inevitably side with the player who had a high salary and was more helpful to the team.

As the emotional conflict between the two intensified, the Dodgers eventually put Mike on the trade market.

Whoosh.

Crack.

“Strike.”

When the first pitch, which barely caught the edge of the zone, was called a strike, Tegan Burkhead glared at him with a displeased expression.

Behind that arrogant and cocky demeanor, he could see the innocent and naive expression of the guy when he first came up to the Big Leagues.

Where did things go wrong?

If he had just chosen to retire when he injured his shoulder, he wouldn’t have had to turn red in the face like this with that guy, and he might have been able to leave his name in a corner of the Dodgers’ museum.

Whoosh.

Swoosh.

“Swing!”

Suppressing the emotions that were rising without him realizing it, he threw another knuckleball.

Tegan’s bat danced at the ball, which entered high on the inside corner and then dropped sharply after changing direction twice in the air.

Naked hostility was evident in the guy’s gaze.

Mike chuckled without realizing it.

For some reason, he’s just not compatible with knuckleballs, both as a catcher and as a batter.

“Time.”

The guy, who was completely agitated, called time and stepped out of the batter’s box.

During that brief moment of respite, Mike involuntarily turned his gaze towards the Dodgers’ dugout.

His former teammates, whom he used to follow around, were looking at him with expressions that seemed either pathetic or annoyed.

At that moment, an unknown emotion began to stir in his heart.

Was that all he was? He wasn’t a player who could be called great, but he had still played for the Dodgers for a long time, yet they were giving that kind of look to a former teammate who had changed uniforms due to circumstances beyond his control.

Even though he had been caught up in a conflict with Tegan Burkhead and left the team as if he were being chased out, didn’t they need to go that far?

Could it be that the fact that his skin was black was one of the reasons? But that wasn’t his fault, was it?

Suddenly, he felt alone. He felt like all the time he had spent in the Big Leagues was being denied.

With his mind in a mess, Mike threw the last ball towards the batter.

Whoosh.

Swoosh.

“Swing! Out!”

“Fuck!”

Smash.

Tegan Burkhead, unable to contain his anger after swinging and missing at the knuckleball that came right down the middle, broke his bat.

Still not relieved, he even cursed at the mound.

“You fucking old man, I told you to just retire if you can only throw this kind of shit ball, right? Ptooey, you unlucky bastard.”

“Hey! Stop it and get in the dugout. One more word and you’re ejected.”

The umpire, shocked by the batter’s sudden outburst, issued a warning with a serious expression.

But Mike had already heard those words. He took a step towards the batter.

“What? What did you just say to me?”

“Washed-up bastard, I told you to get lost. Can’t you even hear anymore?”

The negative memories of having to give up his spot behind the plate because of Mike, the sense of superiority from winning the power struggle in the dugout, and the anger of striking out against such an opponent all combined, causing Tegan Burkhead to go berserk.

“You son of a bitch.”

“You’re going to try something with that broken-down shoulder? Fucking hell, I didn’t like you from the first time I saw you. You old bastard.”

“Stop! Ejection! Go back to the dugout immediately. You’re ejected!”

The players from both teams, initially bewildered by the sudden argument between the batter and the pitcher, rushed onto the field.

The flustered umpire issued an ejection order to Tegan Burkhead, but it was already too late.

Tegan’s meltdown, consumed by his own anger, continued, and Mike, who had been unexpectedly cursed at, strode towards the batter.

He now realized.

He should have settled this matter a long time ago. Because he had left unresolved what should have been settled before moving teams, this kind of thing had happened.

What should he do?

Should he knock that arrogant guy’s jaw off? Or should he sit down and argue until the end to see whose words are right?

Either way, the result wouldn’t be good.

The opponent is a starting catcher and franchise star who is deeply loved by the Dodgers organization and fans, while he is a washed-up guy who was chased out and came here, a new kid with no one to rely on yet.

“You son of a bitch, what? Have you lost the courage to fight now? Huh? Where did that great guy who confidently lectured me go, and why is a pathetic human like you standing there?”

While the players from both teams were engaged in a shoving match on the field, Tegan’s abusive language continued.

But Mike couldn’t easily rush at him.

If he got into a fistfight here and received a disciplinary action, it would be a disservice to Seattle, who had brought him in. No, beyond that, his position could be in danger.

Just then, as Mike was unable to do anything.

Grab.

A rough hand grabbed Tegan Burkhead by the scruff of his neck and pulled him back.

“You stupid old man. From the start, that washed-up guy… Gack! What, who is it? Let go of this?”

Tegan, grabbed by the scruff of his neck, couldn’t even resist properly and was dragged away.

The players, who had been divided in half and were fighting, stared at the scene with bewildered expressions.

“Gack, keek, kek, let go. You son of a bitch! You’re siding with him because he’s the same race…”

It was Han Su-hyeok.

Han Su-hyeok threw Tegan, who was still spewing shit from his mouth, towards the back net.

Bang.

“Cough!”

The guy, who was thrown down without being able to resist due to that overwhelming force, belatedly regained his composure and rushed at Han Su-hyeok.

“Die! You son of a bitch!”

Han Su-hyeok easily dodged the fist that was swung wildly, consumed by anger.

And immediately, one blow.

Pow!

“Cough…!”

Han Su-hyeok’s body blow landed precisely on the guy’s right side.

Han Su-hyeok grabbed the guy, who was breathless from that one blow, by the collar.

“Say it again.”

“Cu… cough, cuh…”

The Dodgers players, who had been taken aback by Han Su-hyeok’s sudden action and couldn’t do anything, now realized the situation and rushed towards him.

But this time, Seattle players like Ty Johnson, Derek Fleming, Bruce Matthews, and Josh Oliver surrounded Han Su-hyeok and began to protect him.

“You fucking Dodgers bastards, come at me!”

“Damn it, we can’t hold out for long. Han, if you’re going to finish that guy off, do it quickly!”

Tegan’s face turned pale as he realized that he was completely isolated from his teammates.

But it was already too late.

“Say it again, you son of a bitch.”

“I, I, I…”

Pow!

Han Su-hyeok’s punch landed on the chin of the guy who was stammering and backing away.

“Gurgle…”

With that one blow, the guy crumbled and sank to the ground.

“Stop! Stop! Everyone stop where you are! Put that down! Ejection! You’re ejected!”