Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 274

“Damn, I’m terribly tired.”

“Those guys must feel the same. So, let’s all hang in there.”

“I hope today ends a little early.”

The day after playing a long game that would go down in Major League history.

The Seattle team’s condition, as they prepared for the third game against the Rockies, was a complete mess.

Everyone greeted me with these words.

Whatever happens, please let today end quickly.

That’s what I want too.

Right now, my head is such a mess that I can’t even think about starting today.

It was late last night.

Min Ye-rin, who had followed me all the way to Denver, called.

I told her to just meet me in person, but she said there was no need because I was tired, and it was a short story, so she would just tell me over the phone.

Her unusual attitude made me think something was wrong, but I decided to listen.

‘Oppa [Korean term for older brother, used by females], I think I found that woman.’

‘What?’

‘The person you asked me to find. I got a call from the side I asked. Yes, she’s staying in LA right now.’

‘…….’

My mind went blank.

The first thought that came to my mind was that I had to take a flight to LA right away.

‘Oppa, calm down. I’ll go and meet her first. So, you can finish your away schedule and come back. I’ll make sure to hold onto her. I’ll follow her if she tries to go somewhere else, so don’t worry.’

‘Ye-rin…’

Min Ye-rin’s words brought back the reason I had briefly lost.

Yes, she’s right. Now that I’ve found her, I won’t lose her again.

Nothing will go wrong if I see her a day or two later.

And I needed time.

When I meet her again, when I confirm that she is the her in my memory,

What should I say, with what eyes should I look at her,

I needed time to prepare for that.

‘Ye-rin. Then, I’m sorry to ask, but please do me a favor.’

‘Okay, Oppa.’

Min Ye-rin’s voice seems a little shaky.

I’m not stupid.

I think I know roughly what Min Ye-rin is thinking right now.

But for Min Ye-rin’s sake, I need to quickly resolve the issue with the her in my memory.

My true second life will begin from there.

* * *

“Play!”

Unlike yesterday, when the batting lineup exploded from the start, Seattle’s attack in the top of the first inning passed without scoring.

1st Center Fielder Derek Fleming

2nd Pitcher Han Su-hyeok

3rd 1st Baseman Ty Johnson

4th Right Fielder Antonio Garcia

5th Left Fielder Jim Brown

6th Catcher Bruce Matthews

7th 3rd Baseman Liam Landman

8th Shortstop Josh Oliver

9th 2nd Baseman Jonathan Owens

Chuck Clark, who suffered a minor injury in yesterday’s game, was out, and Tony went in as right fielder instead.

Thanks to that, the right space became quite empty,

But it doesn’t matter.

I just need to avoid sending the ball that way as much as possible.

In today’s game, I’m going to take a slightly different approach than usual.

This Coors Field is a paradise for hitters, where even mis-hit balls go over the fence.

It’s no coincidence that records related to scoring poured out in yesterday’s game.

As a result, the Colorado Rockies hitters, who call Coors Field home, maintain a slightly different hitting mechanism than the other 29 teams’ hitters.

Whoosh

Paang!

“Strike!”

With the speed revolution and the emergence of pitchers throwing over 100 miles, the main hitting method of hitters has become an upper swing that strongly pulls the ball to aim for a long hit.

This is because it has become impossible to cope with strong and fast balls exceeding 100 miles with the same clumsy contact-oriented level swing as before.

But in Coors Field, there is no need to do that.

Since you can send the ball far without having to swing strongly, many of the Rockies hitters are using a contact-oriented level swing. It means they are focusing on hitting.

For that reason, Rockies hitters who left Coors Field often struggled in other stadiums, which led to the ridicule of being called mountain men.

Anyway, the important thing is this.

Whoosh

“Swing!”

What is the best way to neutralize such a level swing?

Whoosh

Ttaak!

“Out!”

It’s a reverse spin ball.

A pitch that sinks to avoid bats flying in a near-horizontal angle, inducing a large number of ground balls.

Today, I’m going to face the mountain men with two-seam, sinker, and curve, not fastball.

* * *

Whoosh

“Swing! Out!”

– Ah, it’s really amazing! I have no other way to explain it! Han Su-hyeok finishes the inning by striking out the Rockies’ 3rd batter in the bottom of the 7th! With the score tied 0-0 in the bottom of the 7th, Han Su-hyeok has not allowed a single hitter to get on base until the 7th!

– Hooo, is it because of the high altitude, or is it because Han Su-hyeok’s pitching is so great? I feel like I can’t breathe well.

– Do you feel that way too, Commissioner? I do too. I saw an oxygen respirator in the relay room, and I wondered what it was for, but the moment when it is really needed is coming.

– Anyway, let me summarize the situation so far. The battle between the two teams has ended in the bottom of the 7th; unlike yesterday, when the most points were scored in a single game, both teams have not scored a single point, and the score remains 0-0. Does that mean today’s game is boring? Not at all!

– It can’t be boring.

– That’s right. In fact, I usually try to be careful about what I say during the broadcast when this kind of situation is in progress, but Han Su-hyeok is an exception. He said in the last interview that he doesn’t care about such jinxes, so do as you please.

– Then?

– Yes, viewers, Han Su-hyeok is continuing his perfect march until the 7th in Coors Field, which is called the graveyard of pitchers! What more needs to be said? Let’s watch it for now. Han Su-hyeok’s great steps.

* * *

Whoosh

“Swing! Out!”

“Damn it…”

Top of the 8th, Seattle’s attack.

Chuck Clark, who came in as a pinch hitter in a situation with two outs and no runners, was struck out, ending the inning.

For Han Su-hyeok, who is continuing his perfect pitching in this hellish stadium,

The Seattle hitters wanted to do something.

Yesterday’s aftermath was too strong.

The swings of the Seattle hitters, who scored 31 points, which is the most points scored by a team in a single Major League game, had become unbelievably large, and they were too tired to correct it through additional training.

The enlarged swing, the collapsed batting balance, and the tremendous fatigue weighed heavily on the shoulders of the Seattle hitters.

“Hey, Han…”

“Shhh.”

Chuck Clark tried to approach Han Su-hyeok, wondering if he had something to say.

But Ryan, the starter of yesterday’s game and the captain of this team, grabbed his shoulder and stopped him.

What Han Su-hyeok needs now is not clumsy support or encouragement.

In order to maintain his razor-sharp concentration, it was necessary to leave him alone.

Han Su-hyeok’s eyes, which had been closed in the midst of the team’s small commotion, suddenly opened.

And in the bottom of the 8th, Seattle’s defense began.

* * *

Paang

“Strike!”

The game is progressing as designed before the game.

Hard sinker, sinker, two-seam, curve.

Today, I’m only throwing these four balls. And despite knowing that fact, the Rockies hitters couldn’t time my ball at all.

If it weren’t for the experience of being hit hard in Coors Field before the regression, today’s pitching would not have been possible.

At that time, I believed in my ball. No, I wanted to believe.

Just because it’s Coors Field, I didn’t want to change my pitching mechanism, and that attitude eventually led to a large number of runs.

But there are no two mistakes.

That’s how scary experience is.

Whoosh

Ttaak!

“Foul!”

Yes,

That’s right, experience is scary.

That’s why I’m having such a hard time because of the memories and experiences of her before the regression.

No matter how hard I try not to care, thoughts of her keep leaving my head.

Whoosh

Paang

“Ball.”

While striking out, while handling the balls rolling in front of me,

The memories of her that keep popping up confuse me.

Min Ye-rin will be meeting her right now.

She, and Min Ye-rin, will be wondering why I’m so restless.

She, who has no memory of the regression, and Min Ye-rin, who has been working on this for years at my request, have no idea why I’m looking for her.

And I couldn’t find a way to tell them the truth.

Whoosh

Ttaak!

“Foul!”

No matter how much I think about it, there was only one thing I could say to her.

I’m sorry, and thank you. I was able to become a slightly better person with your advice,

So if you ever need my help, please tell me anytime,

She won’t understand the meaning of my words. And there’s no way to make her understand.

But I intend to keep that promise. Whatever it is, however long it takes,

Only after I finish that will I be able to live my second life.

Whoosh

“Swing! Out!”

I struck out the Rockies’ 4th batter.

Perhaps because they no longer had the strength to boo, only silence lingered in Coors Field.

And the 5th batter, with a tense face, stepped into the plate.

Whoosh

Ttaak!

“Out!”

First pitch pop fly out.

What’s really interesting is that even in this complicated situation, my body is mechanically throwing the ball on its own.

Slowly, quickly, strongly, weakly, outside, low,

To get this body, to have this skill, I have made countless efforts through two lives.

Bottom of the 8th, score 0-0.

A boring series of 0s continues.

The Rockies hitters are not giving me good balls at all, and my fellow hitters are busy swinging in the air. Even Ty Johnson.

But it doesn’t matter.

Whoosh

“Swing! Out!”

Even though I’m half out of my mind thinking about her, I strangely don’t feel like I’m going to lose.

This is not a hunch, but a conviction.

Yes, I’m sure.

There is no player who can surpass me at this moment.

“Damn it, Han, somehow pass the chance on to me. I’ll score even if I get hit by the ball.”

“Ty.”

“Hmm?”

“Don’t worry. We’re going to win.”

That’s how Seattle’s last attack in the top of the 9th inning began.

* * *

“Base on balls!”

Han Su-hyeok, who had earned another walk, walked to first base.

Han Su-hyeok, who stepped on the base, looked far away somewhere.

A look that seemed obsessed with something, and a look that seemed to have mastered everything.

Ty Johnson bit his lip tightly as he looked at such Han Su-hyeok.

‘Damn it.’

The Han Su-hyeok he saw was a player who never lost his composure in any situation.

That guy is playing in the game with half his soul gone, as if he’s obsessed with something today.

Ty Johnson knows, even if no one else does.

He, who has spent 15 years at the highest level of the Big League, was aware that Han Su-hyeok was very different from usual.

That’s why he wanted to help him even more.

Perfect game, a great record in Coors Field, which is called the graveyard of pitchers.

Even if it’s Han Su-hyeok, it will be difficult for this moment of great record to come again.

But,

Whoosh

“Swing!”

Once the batting sense collapses, it doesn’t come back easily.

Because he swung the bat too excitedly yesterday, his swing became unbelievably large.

A baseball player’s body is like a precision machine. That’s why consistent management and coordination are necessary.

Even a player at Ty Johnson’s level is no exception. But today’s game started without time to adjust anything.

Paang

“Ball!”

The Rockies pitchers, who noticed that, have been throwing only decoy balls all day long.

The problem is that the Seattle hitters are in a difficult situation to pick out such decoy balls.

But, we can’t end like this.

No matter how much Han Su-hyeok is, he is not a machine.

He can’t throw more than 9 innings in a place where it’s hard to breathe just standing still because of the lack of oxygen. It’s already been a lot of strain to have him stand on the mound alone while the Rockies are putting up four pitchers.

Perhaps the manager will take Han Su-hyeok down if Seattle doesn’t score this inning.

Benjamin is the first Big League manager, but Ty Johnson knows well enough how strong and determined he is.

That’s why he’s aiming for it. He will definitely score this inning to help Han Su-hyeok’s great record.

Deudeudeuk

The bat speed has decreased compared to its prime, and the wrist strength, no matter how much he tries to reinforce it, does not return to what it used to be.

The opposing pitchers, who know that well, are betting on the outside at critical moments.

At this moment, what he should aim for is the outside ball.

It might be difficult in other stadiums.

But this is Coors Field. A place where you can easily get over the fence if you just hit the center of the bat.

I think back to when I first debuted in the Big League a long time ago.

I try hard to recall the feeling of being a rookie who had nothing but overflowing power.

Bureonjjeok

Ty Johnson’s half-closed eyes widened.

A slider that comes into the center of the zone and flows out came into view.

Swing with all your might towards that ball,

Ttaaaaak!

At the moment of impact, I put as much force as possible on my wrist and pushed the ball out. Even if it’s pushed back a little here, it will be a foul right away.

Jieeing

My wrist is throbbing. It doesn’t seem like a direct hit after all.

Ty Johnson, who threw his bat away, ran madly towards first base.

Anyway, it’s a two-out situation,

The position of the runner and the direction of the hit didn’t matter. What matters now is stepping on first base.

“Heu-hap!”

I even let out a shout and arrived at first base.

Okay. It’s not an out for now.

Where is the runner? How far did Han Su-hyeok go? Second base? Or third base?

At that moment, Ty Johnson heard a huge boo in his ear.

“Woooooooo!”

“You sons of bitches! It’s a home run again after all!”