Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 346

#345. Someone’s Last

‘Alright, finally my chance!’

Samuel Ramos, a 21-year-old rookie called up during the September expanded roster, had made several appearances as a middle relief pitcher.

Watching pitcher Han Su-hyeok’s incredible performance this season, he considered him his mentor and idol, and he had finished preparing for his first start.

“Samuel, even if your pitch count goes up a bit, you need to be as careful as possible. You understand what I’m saying, right?”

“I agree, man. I’m going to throw every pitch thinking every batter is my last opponent.”

“Good.”

Catching Leonard Jones patted Samuel on the shoulder, then left the mound with a satisfied expression.

Like Samuel, Leonard was a rookie catcher who debuted in the big leagues this season. He had already proven his skills by working with Han Su-hyeok several times.

When paired with Han Su-hyeok, the games moved quickly, but now Leonard was telling him to throw as many breaking balls as possible.

* * *

Perhaps it was a pledge to himself, Samuel thought, turning his gaze to the batter at the plate.

The leadoff hitter for the Texas Rangers, Max Lawrence, a Gold Glove winner in center field last season.

He was glaring at Samuel with a stern expression.

This season, he was a franchise star for Texas, competing with Seattle’s Derek Fleming for the title of best center fielder.

Samuel, burdened by the fact that his first batter as a starter was such a big name, turned his head slightly to look at third base.

There he was.

Han Su-hyeok, the best player in the major leagues, whom he respected and admired the most, and whose perfect season made it impossible to even think of a rival.

The moment their eyes met, Han Su-hyeok nodded slightly, reassuring him.

Suddenly, something surged from within his chest.

Samuel pondered for a long time what that emotion was, and finally, he found the answer.

It was courage.

Courage, the emotion he needed most right now.

“Let’s go!”

“Ooh! Nice! The rookie’s on fire!”

“Go! Go! Mariners!”

The pitcher’s shout was met with laughter from his teammates.

At that moment, he felt confident that he could do anything.

‘Inside, a four-seam fastball that misses by about a ball.’

Samuel nodded and began his windup with a powerful spirit.

Whoosh

Crack

“Strike!”

The pitch, which he intended to take outside the zone, wavered and drifted into the zone, but the batter couldn’t swing.

103 miles,

The number on the scoreboard explained why.

* * *

“Bobby, I’m going to leave today’s game entirely up to you. Whatever choice you make, there won’t be any signs from the dugout first.”

“Thank you for your consideration, Manager.”

“Good, congratulations again. On your last game in the big leagues.”

The Texas Rangers, who had already been pushed out of the wild card race a long time ago, had one last goal: to show that next season would be different, that they could do it.

Of course, there was one thing they had to do before that.

Bobby Durant, a veteran pitcher who had played for the Texas team for 15 years, from his rookie season to the present, even though he had never been called the best.

His last career start had to be completed without a hitch.

It was a little disappointing that he couldn’t have his retirement game at home due to a slight schedule mix-up, but the Texas organization prepared a small pre-game event to commemorate Bobby’s dedication, and Seattle actively cooperated with this.

Bobby Durant, who had prepared for his last start in his life, took the mound to block Seattle’s attack in the first inning.

From the start, today’s game was going in a completely different direction than Texas intended.

A rookie was pitching instead of Han Su-hyeok, who had finished his regular season schedule.

From the first inning, he was throwing 103-mph fastballs, striking out three Texas batters in a row.

Bobby Durant, who watched the scene from the dugout, felt the transience of time.

Of course, he couldn’t throw a 103-mph ball even in his prime.

The only thing he and Samuel had in common was that they were both left-handed.

That’s why the feeling he’s feeling right now is closer to envying Samuel’s youth than his fastball.

But what can he do?

There is always an end if there is a beginning.

Now, as someone begins a new baseball life, he must end his long career.

[Number 1 Hitter, Third Baseman Han Su-hyeok]

With an intense bass riff that sounded like a hard slap to the back of the head, Seattle’s leadoff hitter stepped up to the plate.

A batter who is recording unbelievable numbers as the season is almost over: a batting average of 0.421, an on-base percentage of 0.534, a slugging percentage of 1.027, and 75 home runs.

He let out a hollow laugh without realizing it.

Is that really human?

It may be unfortunate to face such a monster in his retirement game, but

Well, Bobby Durant’s thoughts were a little different.

For the past 15 years, he has been an ordinary pitcher who has never made his name in Major League history.

An existence that has filled the team’s shortcomings as a 4th or 5th starter.

Before the game, the manager said.

He would leave today’s game entirely up to his judgment.

He wouldn’t ask for an automatic intentional walk from the dugout, nor would he order an intentional walk, and how he faced the batter was up to Bobby’s judgment.

“Play!”

Han Su-hyeok’s expression at the plate was a little different than usual.

Throughout the season, he had looked down on pitchers as if he were a transcendent being looking at insignificant beings, but now he stood there with an utterly serene face.

Was it because he had achieved everything as a baseball player?

He chuckled.

At that moment, Bobby was able to decide which pitch to throw to Han Su-hyeok.

He would throw the best pitch he could throw, the one that suited the best player.

Nod

The catcher, who received the sign, nodded at once and held out his mitt.

With a smile on his face, Bobby went into his windup with a powerful stance.

Swoosh

From his fingertips, the best pitch of Bobby’s 15-year baseball career was fired at Han Su-hyeok.

An 89-mph fastball that relentlessly dug into the outside low corner.

And,

Crack!

A tremendous sound of impact that allowed one to predict the result just by hearing it rang out.

But Bobby didn’t bother to turn his head to check the batted ball.

Because Han Su-hyeok, who was at the plate, was bowing politely to him.

Bobby’s face finally broke into a satisfied smile at Han Su-hyeok’s sincere gesture, who usually acted like the worst tyrant in the world to players from other teams.

* * *

“Alright, now it’s your turn. Let’s get our rookie his first win.”

“Of course, Boss.”

Samuel Ramos, the Seattle rookie who started against Texas veteran Bobby Durant, who was making his last start, pitched better than expected, allowing just two runs to Texas through five innings.

In the meantime, Han Su-hyeok recorded 3 hits and 3 runs in 3 at-bats, including 1 home run, against the veteran who was facing him head-on in every at-bat, taking sole responsibility for all of the team’s runs.

With Seattle leading by one run, Manager Benjamin took Samuel, who had thrown 91 pitches through five innings, off the mound and replaced him with Carlton Bell, a long reliever he had brought in from the Marlins.

With only two wins left to break the major league’s longest winning streak,

But Benjamin had no intention of overdoing it in the remaining games.

Because he knows that what Seattle needs now is not the longest winning streak, but its first-ever World Series appearance and championship.

To achieve that goal, he must manage the mound thoroughly as planned.

If he gets greedy here and pulls up the starter for the next day or brings up the closer in advance, the team could collapse in an instant if the result is not good.

Now it’s time to trust the players he has coached over the past season.

Crack!

“Out!”

Fortunately, Carlton Bell repaid Manager Benjamin’s faith with results.

While Seattle failed to score any more runs and spent the 6th and 7th innings, Carlton Bell also allowed runners every inning but did not give up any runs, and the close game continued with a score of 3 to 2.

As the top of the 8th inning began, people expected Seattle to send out Adam Murphy.

A veteran among veterans who has been holding down Seattle’s unreliable bullpen alone, recording an ERA [Earned Run Average, a measure of pitching performance] of 1.97.

But Manager Benjamin’s choice was Dalvin Schwartz, not Adam.

A young and fresh left-handed pitcher who had blown countless wins while playing as a setup man and temporary closer until the middle of the season.

“Dalvin, don’t feel pressured. It’s just another game in the season, just like usual. Just do what you’ve been doing. We believe in you.”

“Understood, Boss.”

Manager Benjamin’s best-case scenario for the postseason was for the league’s top-ranked 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th starters to perfectly take charge of one game each, going straight from the starter to the closer without the need for middle relief pitchers.

But he knows.

That baseball doesn’t always go according to plan.

In the end, in order to achieve good results in the postseason, pitchers like Dalvin Schwartz, Jonah Burrow, and Jake Howard, who can be called the team’s setup men, must do their part to some extent.

Pitchers grow by getting hit.

Even if today’s game is ruined by his choice, Manager Benjamin was confident that he would never regret it.

No matter what anyone says, Dalvin Schwartz was the most powerful card that Seattle could play right now.

But,

Crack!

The moment Dalvin Schwartz, who had done a good job of getting two outs in the top of the 8th inning, allowed a home run to Texas’s ninth batter,

Manager Benjamin closed his eyes without realizing it.

* * *

It was like a twist of fate.

The fact that a pitcher who started his last game was showing a complete game pace, allowing only 3 runs in 9 innings, and that he was facing the best hitter of the time in the last crisis of the 9th inning.

The two teams were tied at 3-3, and Bobby Durant, who was on the mound once again thanks to the manager’s consideration, struck out Seattle’s 5th and 6th batters in a row.

The Texas manager promised. He would leave it entirely up to him until the 9th inning, no matter what the outcome.

Now all he needs is one out.

If he gets that, he will be recorded as a pretty good pitcher who pitched 9 innings and allowed 3 runs in his last start.

But,

Was it because he was relieved?

His control suddenly wavered, even though he still had plenty of stamina, and he allowed Seattle’s 7th, 8th, and 9th batters to reach base in a row.

A two-out, bases-loaded crisis was created in an instant.

And he was back at the plate.

Han Su-hyeok, the best hitter of this era, who has led Seattle’s offense alone with three hits today, including a home run, a triple, and a double.

Bobby Durant looked at the dugout without realizing it.

He was guaranteed the 9th inning, but if the manager told him to get off the mound here for the team’s victory, he was willing to accept it.

However, the Texas manager did not move. He just nodded at him without saying a word.

In an instant, the adrenaline that had been hidden deep inside Bobby Durant’s body surged.

Today is the last game of his baseball career.

The old pitcher, who always had to check his shoulder condition and worry about being out for the season even with minor injuries, is no longer here.

All that is standing on the mound now is a pitcher who can give it his all to catch the batter, with no regard for his shoulder.

Nod

Bobby Durant, who sent a sign to the catcher first, began his pitching motion to throw what would be the last pitch of his career.

The pitching form that has been repeated so many times that it has become as natural as breathing.

The dynamism has decreased with age, but instead, a white ball emerged from the pitching form, which has reached its peak of perfection,

Crack!

The moment the ball passed over the unoccupied third base with a cheerful sound of impact,

Bobby Durant muttered to himself without realizing it.

“God, thank you. I was able to come this far thanks to your grace.”

It was the moment when the last retirement game of the veteran pitcher who had guarded the Texas mound for 15 years and Han Su-hyeok’s second cycle hit [hitting a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game] of the season was completed.