Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 383

382. The Man Who Endured to the End

“Jang Deok-su, you had a great game today with 3 hits including 2 home runs. Can you tell us the secret? Is your chronic side injury completely healed?”

Jang Deok-su, who played a key role as the team’s main hitter with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs in the third game against the Magicians, answered the reporter’s question with a cautious expression.

“Well… I think when you get to my age, you just carry injuries around with you. The secret to hitting home runs today… um… there’s nothing really special. I just used the bat Su-hyeok gave me and tried to swing a little lighter than usual, and I think that was the key.”

“The bat Han Su-hyeok gave you? Ah… so that black bat… I thought you were using a lighter bat than usual, so I was going to ask, but I guess I was right.”

“Yes, Su-hyeok said it’s the bat he used when he hit his 700th career home run in the Major League…”

“Wow! His 700th career home run bat? Is it okay to just use something like that?”

“…Honestly, I’m not sure. I thought a bat like this should be kept in a museum, but Su-hyeok insisted so strongly… Anyway, I think it’s all thanks to this bat.”

Jang Deok-su, who was selected as the MVP [Most Valuable Player] of the third game against the Magicians, attributed his excellent hitting to the bat Han Su-hyeok gifted him.

It wasn’t just a polite gesture.

As befitting a bat that recorded 700 home runs, it seemed to have some kind of mystical energy, and even a light hit would send the ball soaring, which surprised even himself.

‘I really need to cherish this bat.’

First game of the three-game series against the Busan Titans,

Jang Deok-su, holding the precious bat close to his chest, prepared for his at-bat.

[4th batter, 1st baseman Jang Deok-su]

Bottom of the 1st inning, 2 outs, runner on 2nd, created by Han Su-hyeok’s hit and Ahn Chi-wook’s advancement.

On the mound is Park Jang-yeol, the third starter for the Busan Titans, who respects Han Su-hyeok more than anyone.

A typical power pitcher who pressures hitters with fastballs and strong pitches rather than precise control.

It’s a bit of a burden for Jang Deok-su, whose bat speed has decreased a lot with age, but…

‘Lightly, just focus on making contact.’

It’s okay. This isn’t the Major League where pitchers throw 100-mile-per-hour fastballs.

The maximum speed of Park Jang-yeol’s fastball is around 152 km/h [approximately 94 mph].

It’s a fast ball at the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization] level, but Jang Deok-su’s slowed-down bat can still handle it.

Jang Deok-su’s gaze turned towards Park Jang-yeol’s face.

His face was redder than usual, perhaps because he was facing a crisis.

Since the next batter, Choi Jae-min, is considered better than him in terms of precision, he won’t try to walk him. There’s a high probability that he’ll throw a breaking ball that crosses the edge of the zone.

Paang!

“Ball.”

As expected, a slider came in from outside and broke further away.

Jang Deok-su barely stopped his bat, which almost went after it, and unconsciously shifted his gaze to Han Su-hyeok on second base.

A long time ago, when he was just a backup catcher and was being harassed by that jerk Hwang Seong-min,

Han Su-hyeok, a reliable junior and grateful benefactor, suddenly appeared and resolved the situation at once.

Long after that, when he found out that Han Su-hyeok was the owner of the Warriors, he finally realized how lucky he had been.

As an irreplaceable colleague and as the owner of the team who secretly solved the problems of the team,

Han Su-hyeok was a more outstanding person than anyone else in the world, and Jang Deok-su was able to become a new person because of him.

Steadily.

That’s why Jang Deok-su wanted to bring Han Su-hyeok home at this moment.

That was all he could do for his junior who cherished this team more than anyone else.

The giant, who had lost his prime strength and speed, gathered all his remaining strength and swung at the pitcher’s ball.

Ttaaaaaaaak!

The sound of the bat hitting the ball was so loud that even he was surprised.

All the players on the field stopped and stared blankly at the batted ball.

Jang Deok-su, who instinctively knew it was a home run without having to check, slowly placed his bat on the ground and rounded the diamond.

The pain in his side and knee that started three years ago continued even at this moment. It was so difficult to play without taking painkillers.

That’s why Jang Deok-su always prepared for the end. He played every game with the thought that today might be his last.

But,

“Waaaaaah!”

“Warriors! The best!”

“Jang Deok-su! Jang Deok-su! Jang Deok-su!”

Seeing his junior smiling broadly at him after stepping on home plate, he began to feel a little greedy.

Just a little more, he wished this time could continue.

He wished he could stay on the field a little longer with Han Su-hyeok and his other precious teammates.

Jang Deok-su let out a loud shout filled with such sincerity.

“Uwaaaaaa!”

* * *

As spring passed, filled with the hope and excitement of the new season, and the 10 KBO teams had each faced each other once,

People realized.

What happens when the best baseball player in the world plays on the Korean stage.

[31 wins, 9 losses, winning percentage of 0.775, the unstoppable Seoul Warriors’ run]

[Warriors, who barely made it to 50% winning percentage last season, challenge the highest winning percentage in KBO history (0.706 / 1985 Daegu Buffaloes) with the addition of Han Su-hyeok]

[Team batting average of 0.331 (1st all-time), team home runs of 69 (1.73 per game / 1st all-time), team ERA [Earned Run Average] of 2.27 (1st all-time), the invincible fleet Seoul Warriors is making history]

[Rival team officials such as 2nd place Seoul Magicians, 3rd place Busan Titans, and 4th place Suwon Commanders say, “It’s a bit early, but we have to give up on catching up with the Warriors. There’s no way to stop them no matter what we do.”]

[Han Su-hyeok, who recorded a batting average of 0.488, on-base percentage of 0.595, slugging percentage of 1.219, 27 home runs, 62 RBIs, ERA of 0.25, and 7 wins and no losses in 40 games, says, “Until now, it was time to adapt to Korean baseball after a long time. I will show you a better performance in the future.” Baseball fans are shocked]

The Seoul Warriors are showing an overwhelming pace in all aspects of pitching and hitting, unprecedented in the decades of KBO history, including the team’s highest winning percentage.

And Han Su-hyeok, who recorded a batting average in the high .400s and an ERA of 0.25, an unbelievable number, is the center of the team.

Last season, the unbelievable indicators he recorded in the Major League, pitcher WAR [Wins Above Replacement] of 11.9 and hitter WAR of 17.1, were proven to be true.

He was a god of baseball who could raise the level of the team by several levels with his own strength, a character that would only appear in cartoons. Moreover, it was a disaster for other teams.

[Seattle Mariners, without Han Su-hyeok, barely reach a 50% winning percentage with 25 wins and 23 losses in 48 games]

[Seattle Mariners desperately feel the absence of Han Su-hyeok despite the acquisition of LA Dodgers’ ace Joshua Kaloo (2039 season ERA 2.45, 18 wins 5 losses) and St. Louis Cardinals’ star hitter Grant Dixon (2039 season batting average 0.345, 25 home runs, 41 stolen bases)]

[Mariners president Daniel Mitchell says, “It can’t be helped. He was a player who led the team to victory just by existing, he was baseball itself. No matter how great a player we acquire, it is impossible to completely fill his void. We can only do our best in the current situation.”]

[The global baseball world fluctuates according to Han Su-hyeok’s whereabouts, and Korean baseball fans who can watch Han Su-hyeok’s games live are lucky]

The Warriors’ advance continued despite the heat that had already arrived.

Starting with 1st starter Han Su-hyeok, the strong starting lineup of 2nd starter Choi Ma-ru, 3rd starter Jose Carlos, and 4th starter Cheon Sang-jin suppressed the opponent’s lineup, and the strong offense with a team batting average of .330 devastated the other team’s mound.

As the Warriors’ undefeated streak continued, the strategies of the remaining 9 teams were drastically revised.

Rather than making an all-out effort in the Warriors game that they couldn’t win anyway, they would adjust the starting rotation and focus on the games with other competitors; in other words, a blatant avoidance began.

But,

There were also problems with the Warriors.

Lim Jun-yeong, the veteran who is in charge of the last of the 5 starting rotations and is celebrating his retirement season at the age of 44 this season.

The problem with the veteran, who recorded 1 win and 5 losses with an ERA of 4.88 in the last 7 starts, which made fans sad, has surfaced.

It wasn’t that there were no alternatives at all.

Rookie pitchers who had achieved reasonably acceptable results as alternative starters last season were looking for an opportunity to step up as starters.

Nevertheless, the club and manager Jo Seong-oh wanted Lim Jun-yeong to hold on a little longer.

They wanted the veteran, who had dedicated himself to the team for a long time, to leave the field with good memories, and they wanted the rookies, who were still young, to challenge the starters in a state where they had grown a little more while the veteran was buying time.

And above all, they wanted the fans who had been cheering for Lim Jun-yeong for a long time to see his last appearance even once more.

“Jun-yeong, how’s your body?”

“Coach Man-sik, no, Coach. My body is always the same. It’s very good.”

“…You rascal, that’s right. That’s Lim Jun-yeong. Then are you going for a perfect game today?”

“A perfect game is impossible, but if I do well, I might be able to get a no-hitter.”

“Okay, then I’ll talk to the front office and have the champagne ready in advance. Good luck.”

“Thank you, Coach.”

Lim Jun-yeong, who was about to start the home game against the Daejeon Falcons, finished his conversation with pitching coach Lee Man-sik and returned to his seat.

His heart suddenly aches at the jokes he exchanged without much thought.

When was it that this wasn’t a joke?

Lim Jun-yeong, who has recorded 2 no-hitters and 1 perfect game in his career, openly aimed for records on days when his actual condition was good.

But not anymore.

On the days he starts, what Lim Jun-yeong wants is to somehow endure 5 innings safely and to hand over the mound to his juniors while the team is winning.

That was all.

[Ladies and gentlemen! Please stand up and give a big round of applause to our Warriors’ eternal ace, Lim Jun-yeong!]

Before the game started, as Lim Jun-yeong took the mound for practice pitching, the cheerleader led the cheering for him in a loud voice.

Thankful fans who always send him applause,

When he is surrounded by their cheers and applause, he feels like he is going back to his 20s without realizing it.

It’s as if he has become the young Lim Jun-yeong, who was full of strength and passion and felt like he could do anything.

“Lim Jun-yeong! Do well, you jerk!”

“You can’t retire yet! You have to play for 10 more years!”

“Fighting! Lim Jun-yeong!”

Actually, he didn’t intend to play baseball for this long.

He was just going to earn enough money like others, build a career that he could be satisfied with, and then step down from the mound.

But,

At some point, he realized.

That he loved baseball more than he thought and that he was afraid of becoming nothing the moment he left the field.

So he kept running.

The speed that reached 155 km/h [approximately 96 mph] dropped to 145, 140, and eventually to 130 [approximately 90, 87, and 81 mph], and the strength in his grip weakened, making it difficult to throw proper breaking balls, but he somehow found other ways to protect the mound.

Then, when he looked around, no one was left.

The seniors who built the Warriors’ first dynasty with him became coaches and managers, and his peers, and later his juniors, took off their uniforms one by one and left the field.

He felt a little lonely thinking that he was left alone, but he silently threw the ball, relying on his colleagues who were standing by his side and the fans who were sending him unwavering support.

But eventually, the limit came.

In the 2039 season, Lim Jun-yeong, whose average fastball speed dropped to 133 km/h [approximately 83 mph], recorded an ERA of 4.22, WHIP [Walks plus Hits per Inning Pitched] of 1.49, and 7 wins and 8 losses, which were not at all suitable for the name Lim Jun-yeong, and finally decided to take off his uniform.

The veteran’s decision to retire after guarding the mound for over 20 years,

Just when the retirement announcement, which contained the weight of time, was imminent,

That happened.

Han Su-hyeok, his most cherished junior and the person he respects most as a baseball player.

He announced his return to the Korean stage.

Lim Jun-yeong was dumbfounded by the unexpected news, and that night, he received a call from Han Su-hyeok.

‘Hyung [older brother/male friend], don’t retire and play with me for one more season. I’ll help you get another ring [championship].’

‘Ring? Hey, this is enough. I’m done. My shoulder doesn’t even go up anymore.’

‘No, if your shoulder doesn’t go up, throw it sidearm, or if that doesn’t work, I’ll teach you how to throw a knuckleball, so just stay on the mound somehow. The retirement announcement will be made at the final game of the Korean Series [championship series]. This is an order from the owner, not a junior.’

Lim Jun-yeong stayed up all night at Han Su-hyeok’s words.

He fully understood what he meant. The junior’s consideration, who wanted his last stage to be a little more splendid, shook his firm will.

That’s how Lim Jun-yeong’s retirement was postponed for a year, and today, Lim Jun-yeong is leading his creaky body to the mound.

“Play!”

The leadoff hitter of the Daejeon Falcons, who had been wandering around the bottom ranks for years and recently jumped to the middle ranks, glared at him with a frown.

In terms of age, he is closer to his nephew, a junior of juniors that is hard to express in words.

The speed, power, and angle of breaking balls that were among the top five in the KBO,

All the weapons that symbolized the pitcher Lim Jun-yeong have disappeared, but instead, he has gained new weapons of experience and intuition that are hard to explain in words. In return for spending over 20 years on the mound.

By looking at the player’s expression, breathing, the position and angle of the stepping foot, and the position of the bat grip,

You can naturally guess what kind of ball the opponent is aiming for, reaching the realm of what is commonly called a baseball master.

Lim Jun-yeong, who was using that intuition to figure out the opponent’s aim, suddenly had a thought.

A long time ago, about 10 years ago from now,

Han Su-hyeok, a junior who graduated from high school and was just taking his first steps into the pros,

The unknown power he felt from him at the time, the power that was only felt from Han Su-hyeok, might have been this.

Maybe,

Just maybe,

The thought occurred to him that the monster-like guy might have already had this ability, which he barely gained after spending over 20 years, when he debuted as a pro.

Pfft.

Lim Jun-yeong, who smiled at the sense of futility that washed over him, turned his head and looked towards the center fielder.

A genius among geniuses, a monster among monsters, who makes him, who has been called a genius throughout his life while wearing a uniform since childhood, look so shabby.

He was protecting his back with a reassuring expression just by looking at him.

Suddenly, something welled up in Lim Jun-yeong’s heart, and he shouted in a loud voice.

“I won’t let anyone who misses a ball today get away with it! Everyone focus! I’ll stop it somehow, so we have to win no matter what! Warriors fighting!”

“Senior fighting!”

“Fighting!”

Only then did Lim Jun-yeong, who had a satisfied expression, begin a powerful windup.

Swoosh.

Paang!

“Strike!”