Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 310

#309. This is Baseball

“– Ah, that pitcher has completely lost it. Just look at his eyes. Doesn’t he look like he wants to run to his mommy and cry his eyes out?”

“– Hmm, well, there’s some truth to what you’re saying, Commissioner… Anyway, Han Su-hyeok has successfully stolen second and then third base in quick succession, putting him on third with no outs.”

With Han Su-hyeok on third base and no outs, thanks to a walk and consecutive steals,

The Texas pitcher, already rattled by the unexpected turn of events, began his pitching motion.

Tai Johnson thought to himself.

Just as Han Su-hyeok had changed his playing style to escape the team’s crisis, it was time for him to adapt as well.

Having been racking up RBIs [Runs Batted In, a key offensive statistic] behind Han Su-hyeok, Tai Johnson had been trying to end everything at his own plate appearances as much as possible. That approach had been working, leading to a career-high season.

But now, the priority was to counter the excessive attention being given to Han Su-hyeok, rather than focusing on personal stats. He needed to make them pay for walking Han Su-hyeok.

Tai Johnson believed that breaking the intentional walk strategy would greatly benefit him, Han Su-hyeok, and the Seattle team for the rest of the season. He relaxed his shoulders and glared at the pitcher.

The pitcher, facing a runner on third with no outs at the start of the first inning, doesn’t have many good options.

A ground ball or a fly ball, aiming for the corners of the strike zone, is the safest bet.

However,

Clang!

Unfortunately, today’s starting pitcher for Texas was no Greg Maddux [Hall of Fame pitcher known for his control].

Tai Johnson’s bat softly pushed the ball that came into the low outside corner, creating a deep sacrifice fly, and Han Su-hyeok, who was on third, trotted home.

Before they could react, the score was instantly 1-0.

And then, Derek Fleming, the team’s original leadoff hitter and boasting a recent seven-game batting average of nearly .400, stepped up to the plate.

From the Texas players’ perspective, it felt like they were repeating the defensive inning twice.

A curse escaped the pitcher’s lips without him realizing it.

“Holy shit……”

* * *

Derek Fleming, who started today’s game as the Seattle Mariners’ number three hitter.

He returned to the number three spot for the first time since the last game of last season, but he wasn’t happy about it.

No, he was rather offended.

If he had done a little better, Han Su-hyeok wouldn’t have been getting so many intentional walks.

Everyone said.

It’s not your fault. Considering your recent batting average and on-base percentage, you’re doing more than your share.

That’s right.

Perhaps it was because of the joy of being selected for the All-Star team, but Derek’s hitting was at its peak since the second half of the season began.

But it wasn’t enough to stop the intense focus on Han Su-hyeok.

The result is this.

Derek, who had been dissatisfied with being pushed to leadoff by Han Su-hyeok at the start of this season, now regarded being deprived of that position as a disgrace.

He had become a true top hitter for Seattle.

With Han Su-hyeok’s walk, consecutive steals, and Tai Johnson’s sacrifice fly, they scored the first point.

The opposing pitcher was flustered by the unexpected turn of events.

Derek knew exactly what he had to do in this situation.

Tap.

“– Ah! Derek Fleming attempts a surprise bunt on the first pitch! The pitcher, no, the third baseman fields it, throws to first, safe at first! Safe! The Seattle Mariners’ number three hitter reaches first with a surprise bunt, continuing the inning with a runner on first and one out.”

“– That was a great bunt. The Texas pitcher is probably losing his mind right now. Han Su-hyeok suddenly appears as the number one hitter, then he gets intentionally walked and steals consecutive bases, and if that’s not enough, the number three hitter attempts a surprise bunt on the first pitch. Man, I know from experience as a pitcher. At times like that, you just want to retire and start a baseball academy. It’s like, you start to question your entire life, you know?”

Derek, who reached first base with a surprise bunt towards third, took off his protective gear and gloves and handed them to the base coach. Then, he received a pair of brand-new, all-black gloves that looked like oven mitts, with no separate fingers.

These were base-running gloves developed to prevent injuries while running the bases, which he had refused to wear until yesterday’s game because they didn’t look good.

“Derek! You’re the best leadoff hitter ever!”

“Tear those guys apart!”

“Cowardly bastards, acting like big leaguers when they’re too scared to compete properly.”

With the one-sided support pouring in from the stands, Derek began to take his lead.

Wham!

“Safe!”

A sharp pickoff attempt to first, but Derek’s hand, already prepared, touched the base first.

It’s the first time he’s using it in a real game, but it definitely helps.

This silly-looking base-running glove, which looks like something you’d use in the kitchen.

The fact that Derek, who loves looking at pictures of his cool plays on camera, is wearing these gloves is like a declaration that he’s going to do everything he can to win today’s game.

Wham!

“Safe!”

Another pickoff attempt to first,

It looks ridiculous, but it’s the best thing for preventing finger injuries.

Derek trusts the glove and makes a daring headfirst slide.

The pitcher’s complexion grew paler and paler, eventually leading to an irreversible mistake.

“– Ah! Wild pitch! A wild pitch here! The runner on first goes to second, to second, safe! He’s safe! First base runner Derek Fleming easily makes it to second.”

“– The pitching coach is coming to the mound. That’s a good move. If they leave him like that, the pitcher’s mentality will be shattered, and who knows what he’ll do.”

“– The Seattle Mariners’ first-inning attack is getting longer. The Texas bench might be regretting giving Han Su-hyeok a walk right now.”

“– They’re definitely regretting it. This is all a butterfly effect from the intentional walk to Han Su-hyeok. The intention to exclude the league’s best hitter from the game was good, but… the Texas manager seems to have forgotten an important fact.”

“– What’s that?”

“– Baseball is played by humans, not machines, so mistakes can happen anytime, anywhere, and Seattle is no longer a one-man team led by Han Su-hyeok.”

* * *

“Boo!”

“Are you going to walk him again, you cowards! Go ahead and try!”

“Change your team name! How about the Cowards instead of the Rangers?”

With Seattle leading by two runs, 2-0, in the bottom of the second inning.

Josh Oliver, batting ninth, got a hit, creating a situation with a runner on first and one out, and Han Su-hyeok stepped up to the plate again.

The Texas pitcher’s gaze turned towards the dugout, and a huge amount of booing poured in from all over the stands.

‘Damn it, just leave me alone.’

The Texas pitcher, who started today’s game, shook his head, shuddering.

The bench absolutely wouldn’t allow him to compete against Han Su-hyeok, and he was being subjected to jeers and taunts from Seattle fans throughout the game.

He couldn’t understand why the Seattle fans, who had been relatively well-behaved until last season, had changed so much.

Anyway, although they were down by two points, it was only the bottom of the second inning.

Even if Han Su-hyeok hit one out of the park here, it would only be a three- or four-point difference.

Considering Texas’s recent offensive power, they could easily catch up.

Above all, he was born into a family of cowboys who ran a ranch and had lived his whole life as a macho man, and he didn’t want to be called a coward anymore.

However,

“Batter, to first base.”

“Damn it, you sons of bitches, they walked him again!”

“Okay, this makes it official. You guys are cowards, you’re scared, and you’re like castrated pigs! Die! Just die!”

Another automatic intentional walk was requested, and the booing from the stands grew even louder.

The pitcher looked at the dugout with a resentful expression.

But there was nothing he could do. They were in an all-out effort to win a wild card spot, and he couldn’t refuse the manager’s orders.

The pitcher shook his head and focused on pitching again, following the catcher’s lead.

One out, runners on first and second.

At the plate was veteran Tai Johnson, who was on track for a career high.

‘Are they going to run away again?’

‘Damn it, I don’t want to either. But it’s the bench’s orders. Just accept it.’

‘Fucking hell!’

The pitcher, receiving the catcher’s sign, which conveyed the bench’s intention to pitch around again, blushed and threw the first pitch.

“Ball.”

The Texas manager’s intention was firm.

Just like in the past two games, he intended to completely exclude Han Su-hyeok, and if necessary, even Tai Johnson.

Following the bench’s instructions not to throw any good pitches, four consecutive balls went outside the strike zone, and eventually, Tai Johnson walked after Han Su-hyeok.

A situation with one out and the bases loaded was created.

And Derek Fleming, who had reached base with a surprise bunt in the previous at-bat, stepped up to the plate.

Perhaps offended by the fact that two batters in front of him had been walked, Derek Fleming took several big swings at the plate, threatening the pitcher.

Fortunately, today’s Texas starting pitcher had a .211 batting average against Derek until last season.

Remembering that fact, the pitcher forced himself to calm his pounding heart and threw the first pitch to Derek.

Tap.

“Ugh!”

“Home! No, first! Damn it! To first!”

Another surprise bunt that rolled exquisitely between the pitcher and the third baseman,

Perhaps not hearing the base coach’s shout to throw to first, the third baseman threw the ball straight home as soon as he caught it.

But it was already too late.

“Safe!”

“Alright! Another point!”

“Derek! You’re the best!”

Derek, who had successfully executed a surprise bunt for the second consecutive at-bat, raised his right hand high to the fans.

The pitcher’s face, who had never dreamed that another surprise bunt would come out here, turned white, and the entire stadium was shaking with the tremendous cheers pouring in from the stands.

3-0, a three-run lead, and the crisis of bases loaded with one out continued.

The moment the next batter, Chuck Clark, hit a bases-clearing double, the Texas starting pitcher fell to his knees on the mound.

* * *

“Are you going to stop that useless crap now?”

“…….”

“Hmm, I must be seeing things, right? There’s definitely an idiot wearing a catcher’s mask sitting here, right?”

“…….”

“Umpire, I think I need to call time. I think I’m seeing something strange.”

“…Damn it, stop talking nonsense.”

“Hmm, I guess my eyes weren’t wrong. It’s just a cowardly idiot who’s lost his words.”

“Stop it. It’s not like we want to do this either.”

“Really? Okay, then show me your will. I’ll decide what to call you after I confirm it.”

Seattle, who scored their sixth point with Derek Fleming’s surprise bunt and Chuck Clark’s bases-clearing double, gave up one point in the top of the third inning on defense.

The score was 6-1.

In the bottom of the third inning, with two outs and no runners on base, Han Su-hyeok stepped up to the plate.

Would there be another intentional walk in this situation?

Seattle fans glared at the Texas dugout with angry eyes, and perhaps sensing that, or perhaps having given up on today’s game, the automatic intentional walk request did not come.

Han Su-hyeok, finally facing his first at-bat, tapped the end of his bat on his spikes and looked at the pitcher.

The young starting pitcher, who Texas had been painstakingly developing, had given up six points in just two innings and was chased off the mound.

Han Su-hyeok thought.

If he were the owner of the Texas team, he would have fired the manager who chose to win the game right now instead of the promising player’s future.

In his opinion, baseball was ultimately played by the players, not the manager.

He believed that the manager’s job was not to manipulate the team according to his own subjective judgment to squeeze out a win right now, but to nurture and discover players so that they could win games throughout the season.

Han Su-hyeok, glancing at the Texas dugout with a nonchalant look, took the first pitch from the veteran pitcher who had come to the mound from the bottom of the third inning.

Clang!

The batted ball, soaring at a 35-degree angle, continued to fly and hit the center field scoreboard directly.

Han Su-hyeok, standing at the plate, admired his batted ball for a long time and said to the opposing catcher.

“How is it, isn’t it cool? This is what baseball is all about, kid.”