Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 318

“Remember, no fighting. If someone gets hurt, it could ruin the entire season. Ignore that awful Asian guy. Oh, Hamasaki, I’m not talking about you, don’t get me wrong. Anyway, listen carefully. No matter what, no fighting. Remember, no one who’s tangled with that guy has ever walked off the field on their own two feet.”

After White Sox’s starting first baseman and captain, Hector Martinez, earnestly warned his teammates in the dugout, he headed towards the on-deck circle.

He meant it sincerely.

Han Su-hyeok, starting as Seattle’s number one hitter and third baseman today.

This season, a truckload of guys have gotten into it with him, gotten wrecked, and ended up in the hospital or out for the season.

Starting with Oakland’s catcher Desmond King, known for his nasty temper and fighting skills, to New York Yankees’ ace Tyson Barsham, Chicago Cubs’ Sean Tucker, Dodgers’ starting catcher Tegan Burkhead, and Atlanta’s Yamamoto Kenichi, who was a force to be reckoned with in Japan.

The fact that guys who got into it with Han Su-hyeok on the field couldn’t even throw a proper punch and got destroyed is well known by all 30 MLB teams.

A former UFC champion who appeared on an ESPN special even said it himself.

That an ordinary person who hasn’t professionally trained in martial arts can never beat Han Su-hyeok.

That even if he were to step into the ring right now, he could easily handle about three rounds.

“Play!”

Even if it weren’t for that, this four-game series is crucial for the White Sox.

At the start of the season, the team was evaluated as potentially entering another tanking phase [a period of intentionally losing games to secure better draft picks], but thanks to the blunders of other teams in the same division, they suddenly surged to first place.

As the situation unfolded, the owner opened his wallet, and starting with Akinori Hamasaki, brought in from Cincinnati, quite a few decent players joined the White Sox.

Now, they’re almost there.

To advance to the World Series, they absolutely must go directly to the Division Series. And to do that, they absolutely cannot give up the second-highest winning percentage in the American League.

The White Sox were secretly aiming for a sweep in this four-game series.

Clack!

“Damn it, how did that get through!”

“Liam! Move faster! You could have caught that one!”

Top hitter Hamasaki struck out, but the next batter hit a ground ball that deflected off the second baseman’s glove for an infield hit.

With one out and a runner on first, it was finally this team’s captain, Hector Martinez’s turn.

A pillar who has led the White Sox for the past 10 years, and a true franchise star voted as the fans’ most beloved player.

Stepping into the batter’s box, he carefully looked at the opposing players.

Ty Johnson,

A player he personally respects, and furthermore, a very good first baseman who maintains a league-leading level despite his considerable age.

The combination of second baseman Liam Landman and shortstop Josh Oliver is also among the league’s best.

And Han Su-hyeok,

The best player in the Big League at the moment, who almost caused a bench-clearing brawl as soon as the first inning started, and who is bound to be the worst opponent to face as an enemy.

‘Hmm.’

As Hector was about to sigh, looking at Seattle’s infield that was suffocating just to look at, Bruce, sitting behind home plate, spoke up as if he knew him.

“That was a mistake, Hector. Dimon’s control isn’t perfect yet.”

“Doesn’t matter. It didn’t hit me anyway.”

“Good thing we understand each other.”

“More than that, tell that guy not to scare other teams’ players.”

“That guy? Ah, Han? Hehe, okay. I’ll be sure to tell him.”

He has been playing in the Big League for over 10 years and has built connections everywhere.

In terms of skill, it was hard to call him the best first baseman, but at least in terms of character, Hector Martinez has been respected by players from other teams.

Whoosh

Clang

“Ball.”

“…Like I said before, his control isn’t good. Haha.”

But he almost cursed without realizing it.

A fastball coming close to his body, almost brushing his uniform.

The pitcher, making eye contact, tapped his glove with his fingers, signaling an apology.

Of course, Hector knew that wasn’t sincere.

He could feel it just by the pitcher’s gaze alternating between himself and Han Su-hyeok.

It was as if he was saying this.

‘So what? Are you going to hit me? You’ll get beaten to death by Han if you do?’

“Hmm… Bruce.”

“Yeah? What? I’m telling you it was a mistake.”

He felt like he was getting caught up in Seattle’s atmosphere.

He had a lot to say, but he decided to stop here.

What’s important now isn’t arguing.

More than anything, it’s important to beat these damn Seattle guys who keep chasing after them no matter how much they run away.

The White Sox have the advantage in today’s starting match.

Even if Juan Velez is the 5th starter, he’s a good pitcher who played as the 3rd starter until last season, and is temporarily in the 5th starter position due to an early-season injury.

That’s why scoring the first point is more important than anything else.

One out, runner on first, the worst is a double play, and the best is to bring the runner home with a big hit.

At that moment, the second pitch thrown by the opposing pitcher flew towards his body again.

But unlike the first pitch, it was a ball that curled into the strike zone,

It didn’t matter whether it was a mistake or intentional.

It was a course that could lead to a double play if hit wrong, but could create a big hit if hit well.

“Hmph!”

A shout came out without him realizing it as he tightly pressed his elbows to his torso.

He tightened his ribs to the point where they caved in and started swinging with all his might.

Clang!

That’s it.

It hit slightly off the bottom of the bat, but considering the position of the third baseman, who was leaning towards second base, it was an impossible-to-catch, strong hit that went over the third base.

Hector, who threw his bat as soon as he heard the sound of the hit, sprinted to first base with all his might, when,

Thwack

“Woo-oh-oh-oh-oh!”

The ball was sucked into Han Su-hyeok’s glove, who had thrown himself with all his might.

Using the tremendous roar pouring from the stands as energy, Han Su-hyeok, who stood up from his spot, threw the ball with all his might towards second base.

“Out!”

Liam Landman, who caught the ball, threw it back to first base.

“Out!”

Hector, who thought it would be a perfect double, dropped his head on first base and muttered something.

“You’re a real… fucking bastard.”

* * *

“Wooooooo!”

“Damn bastards! You want to win that badly!”

“Looks like they haven’t seen what happened to the Texas guys. Stupid bastards!”

The White Sox, who had wasted a one-out, runner-on-first chance in the top of the first inning, requested an automatic intentional walk [a walk given without throwing pitches] as soon as Han Su-hyeok entered the batter’s box in the bottom of the first inning.

In fact, there is no right answer when facing Han Su-hyeok. It’s just a matter of choice.

There was a precedent of Texas getting destroyed after attempting an automatic intentional walk against Han Su-hyeok last time, but in the White Sox manager’s view, Han Su-hyeok was a monster that should never be faced right now.

“Batter, to first base!”

Han Su-hyeok walked to first base, and Ty Johnson stepped into the batter’s box.

At first, Ty Johnson was hurt in his pride when the batter in front of him was intentionally walked, but now he is gradually getting used to this situation.

What’s needed now isn’t useless pride.

Rather, it’s important to thoroughly destroy the enemy so that they don’t try this again.

Whoosh

Clang

“Strike!”

The reason why the White Sox bench requested an automatic intentional walk for Han Su-hyeok is very clear.

They judged that the probability of allowing a home run while gambling on a match against Han Su-hyeok was higher than sending him out, giving him a steal, and scoring a point by hitting a timely hit himself.

And they probably also had the expectation of creating a double play if they did well.

Squeeze

Han Su-hyeok pressured the pitcher from first base as if he was about to run right away.

Ty Johnson’s hand gripping the bat tightened.

Unlike Han Su-hyeok, who creates home run balls with tremendous trajectories based on his natural power and uppercut swing, Ty Johnson was the type of hitter who produced line-drive hits with a clean and stable batting form that was called the textbook of batting.

But after the automatic intentional walk was poured out on Han Su-hyeok in the last Texas game,

Ty Johnson made slight changes to his batting stance with the help of a personal trainer.

An adjustment to increase the probability of a barrel hit [hitting the ball squarely on the sweet spot of the bat] by raising the launch angle.

He himself knew how dangerous it was to make such an attempt during the season, but he decided to take the risk, and as a result, he achieved valuable results.

The opponent is aiming for a double play against him?

The most certain answer he can give to such morons is this.

Claaaaang!

Ty Johnson lifted the pitcher’s low-course fastball as it was.

It was a batting form that resembled Han Su-hyeok, like an unrefined beast.

“Yes! That’s it! You fucking White Sox bastards! How does it taste!”

“That’s it! Are you still going to give Han Su-hyeok a walk, you morons!”

Ty Johnson, who sensed it was a home run as soon as he hit it, calmly put the bat down next to him and started running towards first base.

Unlike Han Su-hyeok, who shows a tremendous bat flip every time he hits a home run, it was a very docile performance, but the applause from Seattle fans was not much different from when Han Su-hyeok hit a home run.

The fans also know.

Ty Johnson’s determination to move to the team to play with Han Su-hyeok this season, and how much effort he is putting in to support Han Su-hyeok.

└ I’m a guy who deserves to be shot twice

└ What are you talking about all of a sudden?

└ When they first said they were bringing in Han Su-hyeok, I left a post on the internet saying, why are they making such a fuss over a guy who was just a home run king in Asia?

└ Okay, let’s start with execution by firing squad. Then what’s the second one?

└ When I heard that Ty Johnson was coming, I blabbered nonsense on the Mariners website. How does it make sense to give so much money to an old man who might retire at any time?

└ This one is at least burning at the stake. Anyway, since you confessed your conscience, I will forgive your sins.

└ Damn it, when I was young, this team’s core batting lineup included Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Edgar Martinez, and Jay Buhner. And the team hit a record-breaking 264 home runs. After those players left the team or retired, I thought I would never see such a batting lineup again. But look at the current Seattle batting lineup. When I see the lineup of Derek, Han Su-hyeok, Ty, Chuck, Jim, and Tony, my heart beats just by looking at it.

└ One thing is certain. Seattle didn’t make it to the World Series back then, but this year, they will definitely crush those fucking Yankees and go to the World Series.

Ty Johnson, who smashed the White Sox’s automatic intentional walk strategy with force, circled the diamond and stepped on home plate.

Han Su-hyeok, who had arrived first, held out his fist towards Ty Johnson.

“Where did you learn such a great swing?”

“Damn it, that’s right. I copied you. You wanted to hear that, right?”

“Exactly.”

“Hehe, you fucking bastard.”