Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 93

#92. Daejeon’s Miscalculation

“Jeong Tae-ho, fighting!”

“Tae-ho, do your best!”

“Let’s go for a shutout today!”

Jeong Tae-ho, who joined the Daejeon team after being traded for Seo Hyeong-ju, was happy every day.

The Falcons coaching staff, well aware of his strengths, scheduled him to pitch only in home games.

After the trade, he pitched a total of 12 innings, once as a middle reliever and twice as a starter, giving up only 3 runs.

Seo Hyeong-ju, who had exchanged uniforms with him, was making a splash as the Warriors’ new leadoff hitter, causing a stir, but Jeong Tae-ho didn’t pay any attention.

Who cares? He was so at ease now.

Tired of living alone in Seoul, he found comfort in his parents’ home in his hometown, friends he could meet anytime, and the Falcons’ home stadium, which he had frequented since childhood.

Today, Jeong Tae-ho was facing his former team, the Warriors, in his third start.

First inning, the Warriors’ attack.

Stepping into the batter’s box was the rookie he was traded for, Seo Hyeong-ju.

A player who was drafted by the Falcons in the first round and joined the team, but eventually failed to adapt and left for another team as if he was being chased out.

However, after moving to the team, he thrived and established himself as the Warriors’ new leadoff hitter, becoming an object of both admiration and resentment for the Falcons’ front office and fans.

The feeling in the dugout before today’s game was like this:

‘Seo Hyeong-ju, no matter how I look at that guy, it seems like he deliberately slacked off when he was on our team.’

‘No way, why would he do that and ruin his career? He was lucky that things worked out for him after being traded.’

‘Logically, that’s right… Haa, strangely, I don’t like seeing him succeed.’

‘What are you going to do if you don’t like seeing him? Are you going to start a fight? Don’t do that.’

I only heard up to that point and left the dugout. I felt like if I listened any longer, they would tell me to throw a beanball [a pitch intentionally aimed at the batter] at him.

From the beginning, there was no reason to throw a beanball at a rookie I had no personal feelings for, and even if someone told me to, I would never want to do such a thing.

I knew best how dangerous Jang Deok-su and Han Su-hyeok were, as I had been on the same team as them.

Surely they wouldn’t beat up someone who was their teammate until recently, but…….

‘Ugh……!’

You never know what might happen. Even if the manager ordered it, I didn’t want to take that risk.

‘Let’s just focus on playing baseball.’

* * *

Seo Hyeong-ju, standing in the left batter’s box, tapped the dirt off his cleats and took his batting stance.

The Warriors’ top hitter, currently batting .257 with an on-base percentage of .343, a slugging percentage of .388, 3 home runs, 20 RBIs [runs batted in], and 18 stolen bases as of the first week of July.

His play style had changed a bit after joining the Warriors, but the Falcons knew Seo Hyeong-ju the best.

The Falcons had scouted him for years and drafted him in the first round.

So, their conclusion was this:

Basically, he swings at pitches in his favorite zone from the first pitch, but he is a patient player with a good eye who can wait for a full count when necessary.

The only weakness is his lack of power. He has a fast bat speed, but he holds the bat short and uses a concise swing, so even if he makes contact, he doesn’t get many extra-base hits.

Considering these points, the best way to deal with Seo Hyeong-ju is…….

‘Inside fastball.’

‘Nod’

Once the ball count starts to become unfavorable, it only makes it harder for the pitcher.

Even if he hits it, it’s just a single. His ability to steal bases is a problem, but that’s the same even if you walk him.

In addition, Jeong Tae-ho’s few strengths include the velocity of his fastball.

Therefore, the Falcons battery [pitcher and catcher] decided to use an inside fastball as the first pitch to try and get a quick out.

The ball was thrown with force from Jeong Tae-ho’s hand, who still had a smile on his face.

Whoosh

And the next moment.

Crack!

As if waiting for it, Seo Hyeong-ju’s bat connected. The bat and the ball, which were almost touching the innermost part of the strike zone, met perfectly.

– Ah! This is huge! Seo Hyeong-ju has hit Jeong Tae-ho’s first pitch! The right fielder goes back, back, back, he even jumped in front of the fence… but couldn’t catch it! Seo Hyeong-ju hits a leadoff home run!

– He hit it perfectly! Let’s watch the slow motion. It was a well-placed fastball inside to the left-handed batter, but it seems Seo Hyeong-ju had already anticipated that pitch. His 4th home run of the season, Seo Hyeong-ju smiles brightly as he rounds the bases!

– It’s been a while since Seo Hyeong-ju hit an extra-base hit. Ah, it must be something he wanted to show Jeong Tae-ho, who is facing his former team for the first time since the trade… He looks very disappointed.

– It’s okay. It’s only the first inning, right? If you pitch well from now on, it’ll be fine.

“Did you see that? Did you see that?”

“…Just you wait. I’ll hit one too.”

“Hehe, I don’t know. Will it really go your way?”

Seo Hyeong-ju, who came back to the dugout after hitting a home run, tapped Ahn Chi-wook’s shoulder and provoked him.

These two guys have almost nothing in common except that they are both left-handed hitters.

Seo Hyeong-ju is the type who changes his batting method to suit the situation, while Ahn Chi-wook is a hitter who can hit strong balls from his own standardized batting stance to the right side of the field.

Ah, there is one thing they have in common.

They keep saying they’re going to surpass me whenever they see me.

Especially this guy Seo Hyeong-ju has a slightly more serious case of it.

“Just wait, Han Su-hyeok. I’ll catch up soon.”

“I have twenty-nine home runs, and you have… how many now? Is it four?”

“…That’s because I missed the beginning of the season.”

“Then should I add about ten more? If you calculate it that way, it’s fourteen?”

“……”

“Stop talking nonsense and focus on what you can do first.”

“Damn it.”

Unlike Ahn Chi-wook, who resembles a large Korean Spitz [a breed of dog], Seo Hyeong-ju is like an untamed wild fox.

It’s good to work hard, but sometimes he tends to cross the line.

After lightly dismissing his nonsense, I turned my gaze back to Ahn Chi-wook, who was in the batter’s box again.

The batting mechanism, which had been wavering between extra-base hits and precision at the beginning of the season, has now completely settled into place.

Season batting average of .295, on-base percentage of .352, slugging percentage of .421, plus 6 home runs and 35 RBIs.

Looking only at OPS [on-base plus slugging], it doesn’t seem very outstanding at 0.773, but that’s because Ahn Chi-wook’s identity is that he is an aggressive hitter rather than waiting, so he loses a bit in on-base percentage.

In other words, in terms of productivity, it may not be anything great, but it is more than enough to play the role of a link between the 1st and 3rd batters.

Even the fact that most of his batted balls are hit to the deep right side between 1st and 2nd base, so even when he is out, he often advances the runner, must be taken into account.

Such Ahn Chi-wook hit Jeong Tae-ho’s first pitch.

Crack!

The batted ball that brushed past the first base bounced inside the right foul line and rolled into the outfield.

Ahn Chi-wook, who may be the slowest of the hitters in the starting lineup in terms of running ability, ran towards second base with all his might.

“Safe!”

I think my belly is shaking because I haven’t been managing my late-night snacks lately.

I think I need to tighten the reins again.

Anyway, that’s how the no-out, runner on second chance was created.

Jeong Tae-ho’s face, which had been flushed with blood when the game started, turned white.

It’s a familiar face that I’ve seen countless times. It’s the same face he had when he stood on the mound in a stadium other than Daejeon.

“Batter, to the plate.”

Stop thinking about unnecessary things. Focus.

Now is the time to bring Ahn Chi-wook home.

* * *

– Ah! Jeong Tae-ho is facing a big crisis from the first inning in the game against his former team. After allowing a home run to leadoff hitter Seo Hyeong-ju and a double to 2nd batter Ahn Chi-wook, he is now facing Han Su-hyeok.

– We’re screwed… I’m sorry. It’s a big crisis for Daejeon. Let’s look at Han Su-hyeok’s record. He is a hitter with a batting average of .424, an on-base percentage of .527, a slugging percentage of .977, plus 29 home runs and 55 RBIs. If I were him, I wouldn’t be able to handle the pressure. My heart would be pounding so hard I might die!

– But if you walk him, the next hitter isn’t easy either, right?

– That’s right. Jo Seong-oh, who is batting .310 with 13 home runs and 41 RBIs, is waiting behind him, and even if you get past that crisis, you have to face Jang Deok-su and Walter Smith, two right-handed power hitters.

– It’s terrible. Commissioner Go Dong-sik, when did the Warriors’ batting lineup become so strong? When I think about it as a pitcher, I break out in a cold sweat.

– Yes, look at Jeong Tae-ho’s face right now. It’s so pale that he’s about to collapse… Hmm, in fact, the team hasn’t been significantly reinforced compared to the beginning of the season. Jang Deok-su and Jo Seong-oh, who are currently in the core batting lineup, have been playing for the Warriors for a long time.

– In simple terms, can we say that the skills of the existing players have improved at the same time?

– As I have said several times, all of this is the butterfly effect that started with Han Su-hyeok’s joining the team. Look at the 1st and 2nd batters as well as the core batting lineup. Han Su-hyeok is holding it down from behind, so the pitchers can’t avoid him, right? So they can hit with peace of mind.

– I remember what the commissioner said on a personal broadcast before.

– Me? What did I say?

– There is no player greater than the team, but perhaps we may see such a player for the first time.

– Haha, yes, when I first said that, everyone laughed at me. But how is it now? Can we explain in other words why the Warriors continue to fight for 3rd and 4th place despite their weak player depth and still insufficient pitching power?

The announcer glanced at his smartphone screen.

The message from the announcer’s office read, ‘Good, a little stronger.’

Do it even stronger than this? He had some doubts in his mind, but he was just a salaried worker who felt most comfortable doing what he was told to do from above.

– Commissioner, then are you confident that the Warriors will continue to maintain this kind of performance this season?

– If I could bet money on it, I would bet my entire fortune.

– Um, that statement could sound quite dangerous depending on how you hear it…….

– I’m sorry. I went too far. Anyway, I’m sure. The biggest variable in this season’s playoff race will be the Warriors. And Han Su-hyeok will be at the center of it.

* * *

“Play!”

Seo Hyeong-ju and Ahn Chi-wook, completely different types of table setters [players who get on base frequently at the top of the lineup] from Lee Chang-mo and Choi Min-seok, the seniors who used to be the 1st and 2nd batters of this team.

I don’t know how long that combination will last.

Recently, manager Lee Dae-jun has been considering putting Lee Chang-mo or Choi Min-seok at number 2, and instead placing Ahn Chi-wook around number 6.

It would be a pleasant problem to have, as the core batting lineup, which was dominated by left-handed hitters at the beginning of the season, is now balanced with right-handed hitters.

Anyway, that’s for later, and what’s important right now is this game today.

“Ball.”

Jeong Tae-ho’s first pitch, with the face we all know well, that is, a face etched with anxiety and impatience, came in ridiculously high.

“Ball.”

This time, the fastball thrown to the outside almost became a wild pitch. If the runner on second base had been Seo Hyeong-ju instead of Ahn Chi-wook, it would have been a ball that could have gone to third base.

“Time, I’ll go to the mound for a bit.”

“Don’t take too long.”

“Yes, yes.”

Daejeon’s catcher Ahn Cheol-yong sighed deeply as if he couldn’t believe it.

Without realizing it, I looked back and forth between both team dugouts.

Heavy silence in the Daejeon dugout, while the Warriors dugout was having a conversation with relaxed expressions.

Daejeon must have been preparing intensely for today’s game.

Jeong Tae-ho had to perform well to prove that the last trade was not a mistake. Although the decision was made by the owner, that’s not important. The people in charge are ultimately responsible.

They must have believed in Jeong Tae-ho, who feels more comfortable on the Daejeon mound than anywhere else in the world, and who becomes stronger as much as he feels comfortable.

But there is one thing they didn’t consider.

Just as Jeong Tae-ho feels comfortable on this Daejeon mound, the Warriors players also feel comfortable facing Jeong Tae-ho.

To be more honest, they underestimate him.

“Heup!”

Whoosh

Jeong Tae-ho threw the ball with all his might with a slightly weak shout.

No outs, runner on second, behind me are senior Jo Seong-oh, who has been hitting well recently, and hitters such as right-handed power hitters Jang Deok-su and Walter are lined up.

In this situation, what ball will a pitcher throw who is driven to a two-ball, no-strike count?

It’s obvious.

Crack!

– He hit it! The ball hit by Han Su-hyeok soars into a black dot! To the left fielder! Back! Back! Back! It’s gone! Home run! Two-run home run! Han Su-hyeok finally hits his 30th home run of the season in the first game of the 3-game series in the first week of July!

– Amazing! It seems appropriate to say that he almost predicted the pitch and crushed it. Ah! 30 home runs before the first half is even over! Truly wonderful! Han Su-hyeok’s challenge to break the home run record continues!