Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 263

#262. With a Genius

Longtime fans of the Seattle Mariners hold vivid memories.

Their minds are filled with images of the powerful hitters who dominated the team’s lineup in the late 1990s, especially in 1997. They eagerly anticipated their first World Series appearance since the team’s founding, visiting the stadium and tuning into games every day.

Led by Ken Griffey Jr. (who hit 56 home runs), regarded as one of baseball’s all-time greats, the ’97 Mariners boasted six players who each hit more than 20 home runs. This included right fielder Jay Buhner (40), first baseman Paul Sorrento (31), designated hitter Edgar Martinez (28), shortstop Alex Rodriguez (26), and third baseman Russ Davis (20). Adding catcher Dan Wilson (15), left fielder Jose Cruz Jr. (12), and second baseman Joey Cora (11), the entire starting lineup reached double-digit home runs. It was a truly formidable offensive force.

If it weren’t for Alex Rodriguez’s later controversies, that lineup would be remembered as having dominated the league through sheer talent and skill, especially during an era when performance-enhancing drug use was rampant.

“Yes! Fucking awesome! I took out a loan to buy season tickets, and I don’t regret it for a second! Go! Go! Mariners!”

“Damn! What a thrilling night! I’d do anything to see them advance to the World Series! Let’s go!”

When Han Su-hyeok’s two-run home run, followed by Ty Johnson’s double and Chuck Clark’s timely hit in the bottom of the first inning, put the team ahead 3-0, T-Mobile Park [the Mariners’ home stadium] began to vibrate with excitement, as if it were about to collapse.

It had been 33 years since the entire starting lineup had achieved double-digit home runs, and since Randy Johnson, considered one of the best left-handed pitchers ever, recorded 20 wins.

The fact that fans still consider that era the team’s most glorious moment speaks volumes about the long, dark age the team has endured since then.

But.

“Han Su-hyeok! Damn! You’re the best!”

“Ty! You’ll be legendary in Major League history!”

Now, players comparable to those of that brilliant era, or perhaps even better, are taking the field to compete.

‘How much do you think your performance will decline compared to when you played in the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization] League? Well, I don’t think that’s going to happen at all. Unless the big league pitchers are cowards.’

When asked about his expected performance, considering the difference in league levels, the black-haired rookie [Han Su-hyeok] confidently stated that he couldn’t achieve his full potential in the KBO because the pitchers avoided challenging him too much. He expressed confidence that he could achieve even better results if Major League pitchers didn’t pitch around him.

He has already hit more than 20 home runs in just 46 games since the season began and is being discussed as the leading candidate to break the Major League’s single-season home run record, which remains a coveted achievement.

And that’s not all.

Ty Johnson, who faced criticism for receiving a large contract despite his age, has been a strong supporter of Han Su-hyeok. He’s currently boasting a slash line [batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage] of .300/.400/.500, with 12 home runs and 55 RBIs, proving his worth.

It wasn’t just those two.

The young hitters, Chuck Clark in right field, Jim Brown in left field, and Antonio Garcia as designated hitter, have also injected vitality into the lineup by consistently delivering powerful hits.

Although the shortstop and second baseman positions were somewhat weaker offensively, the impact of the upper batting order was so significant that it hardly felt like a weakness.

The team’s success wasn’t solely due to the power of the lineup.

If the 1997 Seattle Mariners had Randy Johnson, considered the best left-hander of all time, this team has Ryan Tibo, one of the best pitchers in the American League, and the phenomenal Han Su-hyeok, who is on track to break numerous Major League Baseball records if he maintains his current pace.

“Yes! Dimon! Kill the Angels! Crush those bastards!”

“You can do it! You can do it!”

Dimon Anderson Jr., the Mariners’ third starter, who was pitching the first game against the Angels today, was in high spirits.

This was because Han Su-hyeok, who would normally be resting on the bench the day after his starting pitching appearance, was in the lineup as the number 2 third baseman.

Dimon, who couldn’t always benefit from Han Su-hyeok’s presence due to the starting rotation, felt a surge of confidence simply knowing he was behind him.

Of course, Han Su-hyeok’s start at third base this time might be a one-time occurrence. If any issues are found during the medical checkup scheduled after today’s game, he would immediately return to his previous role.

‘Who cares, let’s win today’s game first.’

Dimon Anderson Jr., who consistently maintains a positive mindset and is therefore trusted by the coaching staff, delivered the first pitch to the batter.

Whoosh

Bang

“Strike!”

Dimon Anderson Jr. greatly respected and admired Ryan Tibo, perhaps due to their shared background of being born and raised in Seattle and developing within the Mariners’ farm system. They also had similar pitching styles, despite not having a significant age or experience gap.

So, initially, he didn’t particularly like Han Su-hyeok.

When Han Su-hyeok started as a 6th starter at the beginning of the season and quickly rose to 2nd starter, Dimon didn’t like it because it seemed like he was threatening his idol Ryan’s position. He also frowned at the way Han Su-hyeok did whatever he wanted, even though he was a rookie.

But now, after 46 games into the season, those negative feelings had long vanished.

In fact, he had developed a strange feeling towards Han Su-hyeok.

It was different from his admiration and respect for Ryan.

It was more like awe for an existence he couldn’t dare to approach.

If his idol Ryan Tibo gave off the feeling of a very sophisticated and refined sports car, Han Su-hyeok felt like an armored vehicle that smashed through any obstacles in its path.

And that armored vehicle could reach speeds faster than a sports car?

‘That’s beyond anything I can achieve.’

Therefore, Dimon Anderson Jr. didn’t even consider trying to emulate Han Su-hyeok.

He knew that no matter how hard he tried, reaching for something unattainable would only lead to a deep sense of futility.

Tak!

“Third!”

Bang!

“Out!”

“All right!”

The moment Han Su-hyeok effortlessly handled a hard-hit ball that seemed destined to slip through between 3rd base and shortstop,

Dimon Anderson Jr. became convinced that they wouldn’t lose this game today.

“Damn it, Han. After today’s game, I’m buying you the most expensive and delicious steak in Seattle. Don’t refuse. You can’t refuse.”

“Steak… well, that wouldn’t be bad.”

“Okay, you’re the best third baseman in the league, no, the world.”

“That’s a given.”

* * *

“Ball!”

Bottom of the 3rd inning, Seattle’s third at-bat with a 3-1 lead.

Ty Johnson, who led off the inning with a walk, scanned the field with a serious expression.

‘Hmm.’

It’s slightly advantageous when Han Su-hyeok is already on base when he steps up to the plate, but when he’s the lead-off batter like now, the pitchers rarely give him good pitches to hit.

Of course, Chuck Clark and Jim Brown, who follow him in the lineup, are also good hitters, but from the pitcher’s perspective, it’s much easier to face them than Ty Johnson.

In other words, Ty Johnson is experiencing the same problem that Han Su-hyeok faced in the KBO.

As a result, Ty Johnson, who consistently recorded a slash line of .300/.400/.600 with 40-50 home runs every year, has seen his on-base percentage increase significantly this season, while his slugging percentage and home run totals have decreased slightly.

The fact that he is maintaining his career average batting average without swinging at bad pitches is a testament to how great a hitter Ty Johnson is.

“Play!”

Ty Johnson had never told anyone, but he experienced a significant slump when he participated in the WBC [World Baseball Classic].

He was on track to surpass Albert Pujols, considered one of the greatest players of all time in terms of career statistics, but he began to feel weary of building his career year after year.

That’s often the case at the top.

As you build your legacy, your rivals and colleagues gradually fade away, leaving you alone to face the solitude of continuing your work.

Becoming the greatest hitter of all time required overcoming that loneliness, and like the legends who had walked that path before him, Ty Johnson was doing his best to overcome his negative feelings.

Then, at the WBC, which he participated in without much enthusiasm, Ty Johnson was deeply impacted.

He was completely outplayed by a rookie who was only twenty years old.

Ironically, Ty Johnson rediscovered his passion for baseball through that defeat.

So he challenged again.

The best hitter in Major League Baseball, who is guaranteed a spot in the Hall of Fame even if he retired immediately, challenged the twenty-year-old rookie by participating in the Olympics.

But,

The moment he tasted defeat once again at the Olympics, which he participated in with unwavering determination, Ty Johnson’s perspective shifted.

I want to play with this guy.

I want to spend the rest of my baseball career playing alongside this amazing rookie.

Han Su-hyeok would understand his loneliness and be the perfect partner to support him.

In the end, Ty Johnson’s instincts were correct.

After joining the same team as Han Su-hyeok, Ty Johnson was rekindling his love for baseball.

The only issue was that Han Su-hyeok, who he thought would be his partner, was actually leading the way and pulling him along.

But that’s why he was experiencing feelings of inferiority for the first time in his baseball career.

Whoosh

Tak!

“Foul!”

Ty Johnson, who had instinctively started running on Chuck Clark’s hit, returned to first base after realizing it was a foul ball.

Ty Johnson still couldn’t comprehend it.

How can a rookie who is only twenty-three years old play like that?

When you watch Han Su-hyeok play, you sense the presence of a seasoned veteran who is more skilled than himself.

This is absolutely impossible, no matter how talented you are. It’s not something a rookie in his early twenties can do.

‘Hmm.’

That’s why Ty Johnson is still observing Han Su-hyeok, drawing inspiration from him, and feeling stimulated while playing baseball.

Some say.

Leaving St. Louis, where he could contend for the World Series every year, and wearing the uniform of a struggling team will have a detrimental impact on Ty Johnson’s career.

Well.

That’s not going to happen, and I’m not going to let it happen until it does.

Even if that were to happen, Ty Johnson was confident that he would never regret it.

Playing with Han Su-hyeok,

Being able to play with this player, who can only be described as the greatest genius of all time, is a priceless opportunity that cannot be exchanged for anything else in this world.

Taak!

At that moment, Chuck Clark’s hit broke through the center-right gap and landed between the center fielder and the right fielder.

Ty Johnson gritted his teeth and sprinted towards second base.

He rounded second base and headed for third base. The base coach signaled him to stop, but Ty Johnson ran straight towards home without any hesitation.

The running speed that allowed him to steal thirty bases early in his career had diminished as he aged.

If he were to get injured during a running play, it could significantly impact his career.

‘I can’t show him a weak side.’

He pitched a complete game as a starter yesterday, and he’s starting as a third baseman right away, so he’s saving his body in a place like this?

That was something Ty Johnson himself could not accept.

“Home! Home!”

The second baseman, who received the right fielder’s throw, fired the ball towards home plate.

And Ty Johnson, who had rounded the bases with all his might, dove towards the plate to score.

Chwaak!

“Safe! Safe!”

“Wow!”

“Yes! Ty! You’re going to the Hall of Fame wearing a Seattle uniform!”