Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 60

#59. National Team Number One, Ryu Han-gyeol

The first encounter between the league’s best ace and the super rookie who has dominated almost all batting categories since his debut.

Beyond that, it’s a match between the Daejeon Falcons, showing their first real hope for a top-5 finish in decades after consistently ranking low, and the Seoul Warriors, last year’s worst team, striving to rebuild their prestigious legacy.

It’s a game that’s undeniably interesting.

Daejeon Baseball Dream Park, now in its third year since opening.

The area in front of the state-of-the-art, Major League-style stadium, featuring one basement level and four above-ground levels with a capacity of 22,000 spectators, was packed.

“Wow… what’s with the crowd? This is the first time I’ve seen so many people at the Daejeon baseball stadium.”

“They’re aiming for the playoffs for the first time in 10 years, so it’s a big deal. I heard the team atmosphere is great, too.”

“Well, we can’t really talk, can we? Our attendance has also increased a lot.”

It feels a bit strange to be in such a modern stadium after so long.

It’s hard to compare it to my old home stadium, which could hold almost 40,000 people, but that’s because the market size itself is different.

“I’ve been here before… no, Su-hyeok, this is your first time in the locker room. What do you think? Isn’t it awesome?”

“It’s okay.”

“You’re young, but you’re so indifferent to everything. Hey, this isn’t just okay, it’s awesome. When will we ever get to use a place like this?”

Um.

It’s true that the locker room environment at Jamsil Baseball Stadium, which we share with the Jamsil Magicians, is a mess.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government, which promised to build a new stadium, keeps postponing the schedule, and the Magicians, who were planning to build a separate stadium and become independent, haven’t made any progress lately.

I’m also tired of the 45-year-old, outdated facilities.

“Oh… it’s my first time in Daejeon too, and it’s really awesome, hyung [older brother or senior]!”

“Right? Yeah, that’s the normal reaction. Su-hyeok is like an old man…….”

It feels like I’ve brought kids who grew up in a rural village to visit relatives living in a fancy apartment in Seoul.

Why do I feel so pathetic?

As the owner of the club, I want to build a state-of-the-art dome stadium.

To do that, I need money…….

Damn it, if I had known I would regress like this, I would have memorized a Super Bowl winning number when I was playing in the United States.

No, I should have memorized a stock that would explode.

All I know is Apple, Amazon, Tesla… useless things like that.

…Oh, wait.

I think something’s coming to mind?

“Su-hyeok, what are you doing? Let’s go. The manager wants us to gather.”

“Yes? Ah, yes. Yes.”

I’ll think about this later.

I need to contact Min Tae-hyun about this.

* * *

“Okay, here’s today’s starting lineup. I notified you in advance yesterday, but let’s check it again.”

The starting lineup sheet written by Manager Lee Dae-jun was posted on one wall of the visiting team’s dugout.

Today, Manager Lee Dae-jun’s lineup was as follows:

1st batter, 2nd baseman Lee Chang-mo (right-handed)

2nd batter, center fielder Choi Min-seok (right-handed)

3rd batter, shortstop Han Su-hyeok (right-handed)

4th batter, 1st baseman Jo Seong-oh (left-handed)

5th batter, designated hitter Kang Jin-seok (right-handed)

6th batter, right fielder Max Walker (left-handed)

7th batter, 3rd baseman Ahn Chi-wook (left-handed)

8th batter, catcher Jang Deok-soo (right-handed)

9th batter, left fielder Kim Su-hak (right-handed)

Starting pitcher Jung Tae-ho

“Ah…….”

“Um.”

Exclamations and sighs with various meanings erupted from the players.

The players who were going to start today were notified in advance yesterday, but it seems that some players had hoped for something different.

Against Ryu Han-gyeol, known as a left-handed hitter killer, Manager Lee Dae-jun included the three left-handed hitters Max Walker, Jo Seong-oh, and Ahn Chi-wook in the starting lineup.

The only change was that Kang Jin-seok, a right-handed hitter with power, was placed at number 5.

Yoo In-cheol, who has been playing as a designated hitter, hung his head down.

At the beginning of the season, he often played as the designated hitter with his speed and decent eye for the ball, but as players like Kang Jin-seok emerged, his playing time decreased.

Due to the team’s lack of depth, he’s playing as a designated hitter in the first team, but he should be playing as a starting shortstop in the second team to gain experience.

For that to happen, Kang Jin-seok has to perform well…….

His power is undeniable; if he connects, it’s gone, but the problem is that he has to connect first.

One month into the season, his batting average is .200, his on-base percentage is .240, his slugging percentage is .400, and he has 4 home runs.

It’s a typical power hitter’s stats with a lot of strikeouts.

Um, there’s definitely a lack of fielders.

Let’s think about that problem later.

First, I need to solve that problem over there.

“Seong-oh, Max, Ahn Chi-wook. Come here for a second.”

“Huh? Why?”

“What’s going on?”

“…You’re not going to scold us again, are you?”

Jo Seong-oh, who has a career batting average of .108 against Ryu Han-gyeol, which is much worse than Ryu Han-gyeol’s batting average against left-handed hitters, and Max and Ahn Chi-wook, who had 4 at-bats and no hits in their first match, were all worried about today’s game.

I gathered the three left-handed hitters who were seriously concerned about today’s game.

“There’s only one thing you need to keep in mind to hit Ryu Han-gyeol’s ball today.”

“What? Did you find something? The coach didn’t have anything special to say.”

“He’s a good pitcher. So, first, watch the ball carefully. And wait until the count is two strikes.”

“After that?”

“While exchanging signs with the catcher, if Ryu Han-gyeol touches the brim of his hat once, a fastball will come in, and if he touches it twice, a sinker will come in. You might notice it after getting hit a few times, but you won’t be able to adjust during today’s game.”

“What? How do you know that? No, our scouting report didn’t say anything like that?”

“Just because.”

I can’t say that I actually regressed and that he completely fixed that habit when he was about to finish his third year in the major leagues, right?

“Huh… really? Then tell the other players too.”

“No, this is only for left-handed hitters. Right-handed hitters have other tells, so I’ll tell them separately.”

“Yeah, I see… Su-hyeok, what don’t you know?”

“I don’t know when Ahn Chi-wook will come to his senses.”

“Why are you picking on me again…….”

“Listen carefully. No matter how good the pitch looks, wait until two strikes first. A cut fastball that’s almost the same as a fastball might come in, so don’t swing blindly and wait until you can choose between a fastball and a sinker.”

“…….”

“Answer.”

“…I got it.”

“Hehe, when I see you guys, it’s like you’re not the same age, but like older and younger brothers with a big age difference.”

“Don’t say such terrible things. Max, you understand what I’m saying, right?”

“Of course, I believe everything you say. Thank you. After the game, I’ll go to the most delicious bakery in Daejeon and buy the most expensive bread.”

“You have to wait in a long line to buy bread there, but anyway, that’s all.”

After passing on my know-how to the three left-handed hitters, I gathered the right-handed hitters and told them another secret.

In fact, the information I know about Ryu Han-gyeol is a bit too specific to be included in the official scouting report. It doesn’t mean you can hit everything just because you know this.

But baseball is a sport where hitters are considered good if they get a hit 3 out of 10 times.

The more these small pieces of information are gathered, the more the probability of the hitter succeeding increases rapidly.

I’ve done everything I can.

Then, shall we see what Ryu Han-gyeol’s pitches were like when I was in the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization]?

* * *

– Baseball fans, hello. Today, here at Daejeon Baseball Park, we have the first game of the three-game series between the Seoul Warriors, who are in 4th place, and the home team Daejeon Falcons, who are closely following behind by one game. Next to me is commentator Go Dong-sik, who will be providing commentary.

– Hello, I’m commentator Go Dong-sik, barely making a living thanks to the fans.

– Haha, I remember interviewing you a few times when you were an active reporter, and you seem to have become really funny compared to then. Have you always been so talkative?

It was an indirect warning from the announcer not to say unnecessary things during a game being broadcast live on public television.

But whether he didn’t understand or pretended not to understand, Go Dong-sik’s eloquence was unstoppable.

– No, I was very careful back then because there were so many people I had to be aware of. I can’t just talk carelessly if I want to get paid by the company…….

– Well, let’s put the old stories aside for now and take a look at today’s game. What do you think of the lineups submitted by both teams?

– I’m barely looking at it with my magnifying glass.

– …….

– I’m sorry. The latest trendy gag doesn’t suit me, so I’ve been diligently studying a collection of old-fashioned gags, and I just…….

– Ahem.

– I’ll stop joking now. First, let’s take a look at the Warriors. The most notable thing is that Jo Seong-oh, Ahn Chi-wook, and Max Walker, the three left-handed hitters, are starting against Ryu Han-gyeol, who is known as a left-handed hitter killer.

– Could there be some kind of plan?

– Well, I don’t think there’s any kind of plan that can guarantee success against a pitcher like Ryu Han-gyeol… but I believe Manager Lee Dae-jun has something in mind.

– What do you think of starting pitcher Jung Tae-ho?

– Actually, he was one of the players I’ve been most disappointed with in the Warriors for a long time. His fastball speed is close to 148 km/h [approximately 92 mph], and his control is good… the problem is that he doesn’t have a reliable breaking ball.

– Yes, I see.

– Fortunately, the Warriors’ new pitching coach is good, and that weakness has improved a lot compared to last year. In particular, the curveball angle has improved significantly.

– And… one special thing is that Jung Tae-ho is very strong against Daejeon, right?

– Yes, his career ERA [Earned Run Average] is 4.75, but he has a career ERA of 1.97 in away games against Daejeon. In other words, he can be called a Daejeon killer.

– Is there a special reason?

– Well, I asked him again before today’s game, but he said there was nothing special. He said he’s originally from Daejeon, so he’s comfortable here, and the Daejeon baseball stadium mound suits him well, something like that?

– I see. Daejeon also aimed for Jung Tae-ho when he came out in the rookie draft, right?

– That’s right. He was pushed back in the order and went to the Warriors.

– Thank you. Next, please say a word about the Daejeon Falcons lineup.

– It’s not much different from usual. Since ace Ryu Han-gyeol is pitching, the arrangement focuses more on defense than offense. Um, it’s noticeable that Seo Hyeong-ju, who used to be in the center field position, has been demoted to the second team.

– It’s a bit unfortunate to see Seo Hyeong-ju, right? He was the biggest rival, known as “Left Seo Hyeong-ju, Right Han Su-hyeok” in his amateur days.

– That’s right. Seeing his contemporary Han Su-hyeok dominating the KBO, ah, I’m sorry. Seo Hyeong-ju must be feeling terrible seeing him leading in all batting categories in the KBO.

– I’m sorry to say this… but some say that Seo Hyeong-ju doesn’t get along well with the other veterans on the team. There are also rumors that he’s not adapting well to life in Daejeon.

– Well, there are sometimes cases like that among rookie players. Seo Hyeong-ju is a native of Seoul, so life in Daejeon may be uncomfortable, and as he has a strong personality, there may be small and large conflicts with the veterans. But as he is a professional, not an amateur, he has to overcome that himself. The world of professionals is cold. No one can guarantee when their position will disappear.

– It seems to be a word that professional baseball players need to think about at least once. Well, baseball fans. Finally, Ryu Han-gyeol is on the mound. Please pay attention to how the match with Han Su-hyeok will proceed today. Thank you.

– Well, Han Su-hyeok will win……. [Implied: I predict Han Su-hyeok will win.]

– We’ll be back after a short commercial break. This is Daejeon Stadium.

* * *

“Can I say a word today, Seong-oh?”

“Man-sik, you? Sure. Go ahead. I was wondering what to say before the game today, so that’s good. Hehe, go ahead, vice-captain. Go ahead.”

“Thank you.”

Vice-captain Lee Man-sik, who usually leaves everything to the captain and quietly takes care of the younger players from behind, stepped forward in front of the players.

The players who have been on this team for a long time were a little surprised that Lee Man-sik had come forward like this for the first time.

“Okay, guys. I’m not going to talk about anything serious, it’s just something everyone knows. Does anyone know how many wins that guy Ryu Han-gyeol has against our team so far?”

At Lee Man-sik’s question, the players looked at each other with puzzled expressions. After a while, outfielder Kim Su-hak, who has become a veteran on this team as its average age has rapidly decreased, raised his hand and answered.

“Including the first game this year, it’s 20 wins and 1 loss in 7 years, Man-sik hyung.”

“That’s right. 20 wins and 1 loss. His ERA is 2.01, and most of that is because Han-gyeol wanted to complete a shutout when he met our team and gave up points while pitching for a long time. What I mean is…….”

The players focused on Lee Man-sik’s next words.

“In a word, we were food. From Ryu Han-gyeol’s point of view, we were dog food. Hehe, did you hear that? They’ve been scratching at the bottom for years, and when they play against our team, they’re all fighting to start.”

“I know.”

“Okay… so what I want to say is.”

Lee Man-sik clapped his hands once and spat out his last words. It was probably a word filled with the resentment of the worst team that has been dominated by Ryu Han-gyeol for more than 6 years.

“Let’s give that bastard a good beating today. Let’s show him what’s what so that he can never target our team again, so that he suddenly gets a stomach ache on the morning of the day he faces the Warriors.”

“Yes! Vice-captain!”

“Good, and we beat Jun-young last time, but if we get beaten by Han-gyeol, I can’t face that guy. We beat the national team number two, so let’s beat number one as well, okay, one, two, three, fighting, one, two, three!”

“Fighting!”