Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 340

#339. Partner

If I had to pick the most glorious moment of my baseball career before the regression, it would undoubtedly be when I lifted the World Series trophy wearing a Cleveland uniform.

However, if I were to consider my individual achievements rather than the team’s, the moment I led Seattle to its first-ever World Series appearance would be the pinnacle of my past life.

As a pitcher, I recorded 17 wins in the season, and as a batter, I hit 54 home runs.

Yet, back then, I don’t think I was ever satisfied with myself.

I was just too greedy,

and too young to know how to be content.

And another mistake I made was assuming that those glorious moments would last forever.

I thought the cheers of the people would be eternal.

I never imagined that my shoulder would be shattered the very next year.

If I hadn’t had the chance to regress, I might be wandering around T-Mobile Park now, nearing forty, reminiscing about my glorious past.

‘I used to be so great,’ I’d say, dwelling on the memories of those brilliant days.

As always, humans don’t truly know what is precious.

They don’t realize how valuable what’s right next to them is, or how precious the moment they are living in is, wasting time waiting for an uncertain future that may never come.

The second chance someone gave me,

maybe it’s making me a slightly better human being.

“Play!”

Seattle’s winning streak continued in the season’s fourth and fifth games against the Detroit Tigers over the past two days.

In the first game, with Dimon Anderson Jr. pitching, they won 6-4 thanks to Chuck Clark’s three-run home run, and in the next game, Ryan Tibo pitched well with 8 innings and 3 runs allowed, leading to another victory.

The winning streak increased to 15, and the voices of fans praising our team grew even louder.

The only downside is that I haven’t added a single home run in the last two games.

It can’t be helped. Pitchers who don’t want to have their names etched next to the single-season home run record avoided me like crazy.

It would have been better if Tyra was here.

Well, now that the situation has become like this, I might have to take it a little easier.

If I recklessly swing to hit a home run here, I might ruin the postseason.

Anyway, what I need to think about now is pitching, not hitting.

Unless something special happens, the manager has publicly stated that today will be my last start of the season. He said that while the winning streak is important, managing the stamina of the starting pitchers is more important in preparation for the postseason.

The last game of the season between the two teams, Detroit’s Patrick Mason, the lead-off hitter, glared at me with sharp eyes.

‘Inside hard sinker.’

Nod.

I nodded immediately at the sign from Leonard Jones, who has become my exclusive catcher since some point.

A winning streak is a flow. My job now is to maintain this flow, which has been favorable to us in the last 15 games, for as long as possible.

Thwack!

“Strike!”

Patrick Mason, who I’ve faced a few times since the WBC [World Baseball Classic], is a slightly classic type of lead-off hitter who makes pitchers throw a lot of pitches based on his precise eye for the ball.

Therefore, there’s no need for clumsy breaking balls.

You can get good results by betting on a quick match with the mindset of ‘hit it if you can.’

‘Low outside course, cutter.’

Nod.

Thwack!

Crack!

Patrick Mason’s bat broke as he tried to pull the cutter that was moving away, and the game was briefly stopped to clear the debris.

Including today’s game, we have only 10 games left.

With the Yankees in the East Division, the White Sox in the Central Division, and Seattle in the West Division almost certain to win, the Red Sox and Athletics are likely to take two of the three wild card spots.

The last wild card spot is the problem, and depending on the results of the remaining games, either the LA Angels or the Toronto Jays will likely take it.

That means I might end up competing against Ryu Han-gyul and Lee Chan-ho seniors in the postseason.

‘Outside changeup.’

Nod.

I thought it would be better to go straight to the fastball, but to help Leonard develop his independence and judgment, I decided to just throw as he led.

It’s the same for other positions, but catchers in particular are not easy to develop.

It means that countless experiences and mistakes are piled up, and only after they are sufficiently fermented can they become catchers who can be used in actual combat.

I can’t grab him by the scruff of the neck and lead him down the right path every time I throw a ball.

Sometimes it might help to follow him as he leads and then realize that it’s not the right way.

Of course, I can’t give up the game for that.

Swish.

Preparing the best changeup I can throw at this point,

Accurately to where he wants it,

Whoosh.

Thwack!

“Center!”

My hunch was right.

Patrick Mason swung his bat as if he had been waiting for it.

The ball flew powerfully towards the center fielder,

Objectively, the ball flew on a course that was likely to be a hit,

Thud,

Derek Fleming, who has now become a truly reliable center fielder, was standing in the center of our team.

Derek, who caught the well-hit ball with accurate judgment, raised the ball high above his head and shouted powerfully.

“Let’s go! Mariners!”

“Oooooh!”

* * *

“Okay, I’m ready.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m ready to walk to first base. So if you’re going to apply for an intentional walk, do it quickly, you son of a bitch.”

“…Everyone has their own unavoidable position.”

“Position? Okay, then I’ll tell you my position. We’re going to completely crush you today. Your fans, who have suffered three consecutive losses on the road, will rush to the airport and throw raw eggs at you. They’ll shout, ‘We’d rather have our dog play baseball than have you guys do that!'”

“…Unnecessarily detailed.”

“Anyway, do you remember the balls I threw in the previous inning? Even if you can’t throw those balls, at least throw the ball where the bat can reach, you sons of bitches.”

I said that, but there’s no way I’m going to get a good ball with one out and no runners on.

Thwack!

“Base on balls.”

“Woooooo, those cowardly Detroit beggars!”

“The Houston morons were better. These guys don’t even know how to throw a strike!”

Another walk came out, and boos poured in from all directions.

After the walks poured in on me in the two games yesterday and the day before, the secretariat and people who were called Major League experts came out and talked about how much intentional walks were eating away at baseball, but as expected, there was no special effect.

In the end, what I can trust in moments like this is my teammates behind me.

‘Should I run?’

‘No, absolutely, never, I can’t allow it. Just wait.’

When I sent a steal sign to the dugout, the head coach sent back a fierce opposition sign.

Well, you might get injured while stealing a base near the end of the season.

Especially on days like today when I’m starting, my body tends to sag a little without me knowing it, and that small difference sometimes leads to injury.

It can’t be helped.

I have to give up stealing and rather disturb the pitcher’s nerves to help Chuck’s hitting.

Thwack!

“Safe!”

By touching his nerves as if he was about to run, the pitcher, whose face was full of annoyance, threw check pitches one after another.

Baseball is like this after all.

Sometimes seemingly meaningless actions can help teammates, and those things add up to lead to victory or defeat.

Before the regression, I didn’t know that, so I had to fight a much lonelier and harder battle than I do now.

Thwack!

“Safe!”

“Woooooo! Stop it and hurry up and compete! You cowards!”

Anyway,

Chuck Clark, who is at bat, looks quite dark.

If there is a player on our team who has the most burden after Tiger is gone, it is that guy.

The opponent pitchers’ checks focused on me, and the burden of supporting them.

No matter how indifferent he pretends to be, he can’t help but be nervous.

The guy who had been observing the world with half-closed eyes glared at the pitcher with poison in his eyes.

And,

Thwack!

He properly hit the slider that was rolling into his body, but the Detroit shortstop was already in place.

“Out!”

Thwack!

“Out!”

“Damn it! Again! Again!”

“Do something! You can’t be this messed up just because Tiger is gone!”

“Home run! Help that friend hit a home run!”

Chuck Clark, who was heading to the dugout with his shoulders drooping, and his teammates, who were looking at him with pitiful eyes,

At this moment, there is only one thing I can say.

“It’s okay. I’m not going to give up a single point today. Let’s start over slowly.”

* * *

– Ah, Commissioner Go Dong-sik. Today’s game is not going well. Josh Oliver’s double play turned a one-out, first-base situation into a two-out, no-runner situation in an instant. There have been three double plays in Seattle today alone.

– Yes, it seems that the team has accumulated a considerable amount of fatigue while running a 15-game winning streak. The fatigue I’m talking about here includes mental fatigue. It seems that the Seattle players are feeling quite a bit of pressure because Han Soo-hyuk’s home run record is also at stake.

– As expected, Ty Johnson’s absence seems to be great at times like this, right?

– That’s right. If it weren’t for those stupid Oakland guys, Han Soo-hyuk would have already set a new home run record.

– I don’t want to interrupt you today. That’s really true. The 73rd home run, which seemed like it would come out right away, has been silent for days.

– Han Soo-hyuk has been intentionally walked 8 times during the three-game series against Detroit. In fact, he was hardly given a chance to hit. No matter how good Han Soo-hyuk is, he can’t hit a home run if the ball doesn’t come. Ah, I really didn’t know that the players in the world’s best league would do such a shameful thing. I’m disappointed. Major League.

– Well, home runs are home runs, but shouldn’t we win the game first? Today is also Han Soo-hyuk’s last start of the season.

– Of course. There are still two chances to attack in the 8th and 9th innings. Han Soo-hyuk will also have another at-bat. We have to cheer up. Seattle.

* * *

Bottom of the 7th, two outs, no runners, backup catcher with no home runs this season at bat.

That’s why everyone, including Go Dong-sik, thought that this inning’s attack was already over.

Except for one person, Leonard Jones himself, who was standing at bat.

“Play!”

Leonard Jones, who was traded from Cleveland and quickly took over Seattle’s backup catcher position.

He is lacking in many ways compared to Bruce Matthews, the starting catcher, but manager Benjamin values ​​his aggressive game management and gives him as many opportunities as possible.

For this reason, Leonard often wears a mask on the days when Han Soo-hyuk pitches, and he naturally became a similar existence to an exclusive catcher.

Leonard Jones has worked with Han Soo-hyuk to achieve quite a few victories this season.

But,

Looking back, more than 90% of the credit for that victory belonged to Han Soo-hyuk.

All he did was bring the mitt to where Han Soo-hyuk told him to, and try not to let the ball flow backwards.

Even with that, the team won, and Leonard’s area in the team was gradually expanding.

But today, a slight, no, a very big problem has occurred.

With Ty Johnson out and opposing pitchers intentionally walking Han Soo-hyuk, they were driven into a situation where they could not predict the outcome of the game until the bottom of the 7th inning.

At least once, just once during the season, I wanted to create my own victory.

For the precious partner who taught Leonard what baseball is this season.

“Play!”

Leonard is quite aggressive in leading pitchers, but at the plate, he is a somewhat passive type of hitter who prioritizes getting on base based on his eye for the ball.

But now is the time to abandon that attitude.

Two outs, no runners, even if he survives, the next hitter is the 9th hitter, who is not very promising at the plate.

That’s why Leonard decided to take a new approach for the first time since his debut in the big leagues.

Deudeuk

Widening his stance as much as possible, adjusting the position of his grip so that he can hit low balls,

Himself, a rookie hitter whose batting average this season is less than 20%.

The first pitch that will fly to catch the ball count for himself.

Focusing all his attention on the pitcher’s most confident 99-mile fastball on the mound,

Just once,

The biggest and most beautiful thing he can do, reminiscent of Han Soo-hyuk,

Taaaaaaak!

A cheerful hitting sound echoed through the stadium along with a wonderful swing.

“Oooooh?”

“What! What is this!”

“Well hit! Damn it, it was well hit!”

“Leonard! I knew you could do it!”

Excited Seattle fans cheered like crazy, and a Korean pop singer who only moved when Han Soo-hyuk hit a home run began to climb to the top of the safety net and shout Leonard’s name.

And,

Thud

The ball that went over the left fence fell in the middle of the stands.

“Waaaaaaaaaaaa!”

Leonard started towards first base, hearing a huge roar that seemed to collapse the stadium.

“Nice swing, Leonard.”

Leonard’s face turned red at the base coach’s compliment, and he turned around first base, second base, third base, and came home.

Thump

The number 1 was clearly engraved on the T-Mobile Park scoreboard, where a series of 0s continued.

The first person to greet Leonard as he entered the dugout was Han Soo-hyuk, his partner and player whom he respected more than anyone else in the world.

“Good job, friend. Now leave the rest to me.”

The moment he heard those words, Leonard thought.

I’m really glad I played baseball.

I think I’ve been playing baseball for this moment today.