Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 248

#247. The Dignity of a Veteran

“Damn it, what’s with this away game schedule? Who the hell planned it like this?”

“Still, we can go home after this series. Whew……”

The ridiculous away game schedule that started with the Baltimore series is finally coming to an end.

When the schedule was first released, General Manager Daniel protested vehemently, but nothing changed in the end.

It’s fortunate that most of the schedule was concentrated in the Eastern region, but the thought of the last opponent on this schedule makes me sigh.

The Philadelphia Phillies.

There’s a saying that if soccer has hooligans, baseball has the Phillies—the strong team in the National League East Division with the most… passionate fandom.

The Phillies, who had been in a slump for a while, seemed to be showing potential from the early 2020s, and by 2025, the players they raised from their farm system [minor league system for developing players] grew into MVP-caliber players, reaching their peak.

As time passed, some of those players left the team, and new faces filled their places, but they are still strong. Their first-place record in the National League East Division says it all.

Anyway, as I said before, what makes this team terrible isn’t just their power.

The baseball fanatics of Philadelphia, who hurl jeers and curses at the opposing team and even their own players throughout the game.

Even players with decent mental fortitude get intimidated just by watching them.

“Champ, how’s your condition? You have to tell me right away if there’s anything wrong.”

“I’m perfectly fine, Boss. I feel restless after a day off.”

“Good, that’s exactly what I wanted to hear. Then go shut those noisy guys up.”

I, who was originally scheduled to start the third game against Cleveland, had my schedule pushed back a day and will be pitching in the first game against the Philadelphia Phillies.

After easily winning the first and second games against Cleveland, Manager Benjamin took the extreme measure of excluding most of the starting players in the third game.

The players were very tired from the continuous away games, and he judged that if they met the Phillies in that condition, they might collapse.

An interim starter took the mound in my place, and most of the starting fielders also rested on the bench.

In the third game, Cleveland’s rookie catcher, Leonard Jones, played a key role.

He recorded 2 hits, 1 home run, and 4 RBIs against our team, which was missing many starters, preventing the team from suffering a losing streak.

If I were the general manager of Seattle, I would give up a few promising rookies and bring him in…….

Well, our team’s starting catcher, Bruce, is also a pretty good catcher, so it might not be an urgent matter.

Anyway, the three-game series against Cleveland ended with 2 wins and 1 loss, and we will play a three-game series against these nasty guys with our starters’ stamina recovered.

“Boo! Get lost! If you’re going to play like that, disband the team, you sons of bitches!”

“My grandma could play baseball better than you guys with her cane. You goddamn bastards!”

“If you’re going to play like that, give back your salaries and go play shuffleboard! You morons!”

Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies’ home stadium, about 30 minutes before the game starts.

The Seattle players looked around with bewildered expressions.

“They haven’t even started the game yet, but what do they mean disband if we’re going to do it like this?”

“Who knows what those Phillies are thinking.”

“I think it’s because they lost to the Mets yesterday.”

“Lost yesterday? Didn’t they win three games in a row before that? So they’re making a fuss because they won three times and lost once?”

“They’re always like that. Those guys throw flares onto the field even when the team is winning.”

“That’s terrible. Hey, Han. Are you okay? This is your first time facing those guys.”

I gave Bruce, who will be my battery partner [pitcher-catcher duo] today, a sincere answer.

“It’s going to be a bit louder than usual, so turn up the volume on the pitch comm [communication device between pitcher and catcher] to the maximum.”

“Hmm, you’re still weird. You don’t look like a rookie no matter how I look at you. Damn it, are you a retired veteran who got plastic surgery and came back?”

I stepped onto the ground, thinking that he had the insight to be the starting catcher for a big league team.

“Boo! Who’s that son of a bitch!”

“That kid is the American League Player of the Month? What a worthless league!”

“His batting average is over .400? So what? Kill him! Just kill them all!”

I only took a few practice swings, but a huge amount of booing poured out.

Come to think of it, one forgotten memory comes to mind.

Maybe… it was the year Seattle advanced to the World Series for the first and last time?

I smashed the pitcher who threw the ball at my head as a retaliation pitch, and I smashed the catcher who ran to stop me, and I suplexed [wrestling move where you lift and throw an opponent] one of the Phillies who broke through the safety net and rushed at me…….

Hmm,

Thinking about it, it’s a good thing Min Ye-rin didn’t come here today.

If it were her, she would wear a Seattle jersey and climb the safety net even here.

If she did that, she might get shot after the game.

I should tell her never to come to Philadelphia in the future.

“I’m ashamed to be watching this crap. You sons of bitches!”

“Just quit if you’re going to lose like this! Surrender!”

The game hasn’t even started yet, but what are they watching and what are they losing?

The game started with the Phillies’ jeers, which I still can’t understand even after living a second life.

* * *

A harsh environment makes people stronger.

I agree a hundred times over. There are living witnesses right in front of me.

“Son of a bitch, strike out quickly and get the hell out of the dugout.”

As soon as Derek, the lead-off hitter, was out with a ground ball to the third baseman, and I stepped into the batter’s box, the Phillies catcher started picking a fight with me.

It’s quite refreshing.

After the past few bench clearings [on-field brawls], this is the first time someone has openly picked a fight with me like this.

Hasn’t he seen my bench-clearing videos?

No, I think they’ve been so trained by those crazy fans that they don’t feel fear in ordinary situations.

Like a porcupine bristling and attacking a lion.

When dealing with these madmen, it’s important to take the initiative.

If you slowly back away for fear of being pricked by their quills, you’ll only embolden them.

Whoosh

Bang!

“Ball.”

A crazy first pitch befitting a group of madmen.

I stared without flinching at the first pitch that came in so close to the edge of my helmet.

“How about it? Are you scared now? I’ll say it again, strike out quickly and…….”

“Hey, moron.”

“What? Where did this young rookie get the nerve…….”

“If you say one more word there, I might smash your jaw. I’ll probably get suspended for 15 games or more. But you, hit by my fist, will have to lie in the hospital for at least a month, and during that time, the Phillies idiots who lost their starting catcher will cry and look for their moms every day. How about it, want to see who loses?”

“……”

Fake madness can never beat real madness.

It started as just words, but as I spoke, it became sincere without me realizing it.

What should I say, I felt frustrated inside from being cursed for no reason.

Hmm,

Fortunately, the Phillies catcher closed his mouth, sensing that what I said wasn’t a joke.

“Boo!”

“Hit him in the head! Kill him!”

I brushed off the now familiar jeers of the Phillies and got into my batting stance.

Crazy fans who boo before the game even starts,

A catcher who picks a fight with a batter he’s meeting for the first time,

And an aggressive pitcher who throws a beanball [pitch intentionally aimed at the batter] towards the head,

If you combine these three, you can roughly guess what the next ball will be.

Adjust the angle of the left foot to change to an open stance, adjust the position of the grip, and time it for the fastball,

Whoosh

Crack!

It was a bit too much to make a home run, but I pulled the ball flying high on the inside and sent it right over the center fielder’s head.

“Son of a bitch! You goddamn bastard! I’m going to kill you!”

“I’ll make you regret coming to Philadelphia!”

“Hang that bastard on the guillotine! Kill him!”

I stepped on second base and clenched my fist towards our dugout.

That must have touched a nerve, as jeers poured out that were on a different level than before.

Whether it was because I had strengthened my mentality in this hellish place, the second baseman, who was only two-thirds my size, bared his teeth and growled.

“You’re going to regret acting like that here.”

“Good, make me regret it.”

“What?”

“First of all, your team’s damn catcher failed to keep his promise to strike me out. So this time, you keep your promise. You’re going to make me regret it? What are you going to do? Punch me in the jaw? Then go ahead. I promise you’ll be taken to the hospital right away.”

“You son of a bitch…….”

“Just talk, as I thought.”

Sigh,

I didn’t used to be like this when I played in the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization], but after coming here, I sometimes feel empty if I don’t exchange curses like this.

In that sense, it seems like I can play a pretty fun game today.

I’m already looking forward to seeing what kind of expressions the Phillies will have when their team is completely destroyed.

“Play!”

The situation was resolved, and our team’s attack continued.

With one out and a runner on second, Ty Johnson stepped into the batter’s box with a serious expression, glaring at the pitcher.

Before the game started today, the manager gave him several warnings.

That these crazy guys often throw the ball towards the head.

They are very skilled at crossing that fine line, just a little further and they would be ejected.

Ty Johnson, who was hit in the shoulder by a Cubs pitcher last season and was out for about a week, is very sensitive to threatening pitches flying high.

Of course, no decent pitcher would throw the ball at the head of the best legend in the major leagues at this point, a player respected by everyone, but…….

“Kill him! Kill that son of a bitch, Ty Johnson!”

“Goddamn it! It’s okay to lose the game! Just throw the ball at that guy’s head!”

The Phillies fans, who had been repeatedly blocked by the Cardinals, which included Ty Johnson, until last season, began to get extremely excited and rampage.

Originally, madness has the characteristic of spreading to the surroundings even if left alone.

Especially if you are surrounded by those fanatical groups who have gathered nearly 40,000 people even on a weekday.

What if that pitcher is infected by that madness?

“Okay, I’m ready.”

The Phillies second baseman stared at me with wide eyes at my sudden declaration.

“What are you talking about?”

“The moment your team’s pitcher hits Ty, I’m going to smash your jaw first. And then I’m going to go straight to the mound and crush that pitcher’s ribs. Is that possible? Watch if you’re curious.”

“……”

The pitcher, who had exchanged several signs, finally began his pitching motion.

And I finished preparing myself.

Even if I’m the starting pitcher today, and even if this is Citizens Bank Park, the mecca of madmen,

You have to punish a madman with more madness.

If that stupid pitcher and catcher don’t make the right decision, it means that a situation may occur in which the starting pitchers of both teams fight and are ejected at the same time.

As I was preparing for the situation that would happen next, suddenly,

Crack!

Instead of the sound of the ball hitting the body, a refreshing hit echoed through Citizens Bank Park.

The pitcher, overwhelmed by the name value of Ty Johnson, threw an awkward high ball, and Ty did not miss it and sent it over the fence.

“You son of a bitch!”

“You fucking bastards!”

“I’ll kill you! I’m going to kill you!”

Ty Johnson, who was usually relatively quiet and dignified, and was called a model major leaguer not only in terms of skill but also in terms of manners, threw the bat he had hit the home run with back.

Then, as if to show off, he slowly started running towards first base.

The Phillies were going crazy and looked like they were about to jump onto the ground at any moment, but the veteran, who had spent more than 16 years in the big leagues, circled the diamond with a calm expression as if he didn’t care.

I, who was waiting after stepping on home first, said to Ty.

“Damn it, that was the best gift for those crazy guys, Ty.”

“Really? Hehe, that’s a relief. Then hurry up and get ready to throw the ball.”

Ty Johnson, who took the Phillies’ anger from Han Soo-hyuk, the rookie and today’s starting pitcher, to himself, smiled with a satisfied expression.