Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 94

#93. All Grown Up

Bang!

Jung Tae-ho gave up a lead-off home run to the irritating Seo Hyeong-ju, and as if that wasn’t bad enough, he followed it with a two-run homer to Han Su-hyeok.

The Falcons’ president, who felt they had suffered a tremendous loss in the recent trade, involuntarily slammed his fist on the desk, though he was relieved that Jung Tae-ho was pitching better than expected.

“…Are you okay?”

“Shut up……”

“I think there’s blood…”

“…Get me a band-aid. It’s in the second drawer under the bookshelf over there.”

Yang Du-seok, the Falcons’ general manager, who had been watching the scene, rummaged through the drawer, retrieved a band-aid, and handed it to the president.

“You should really consider your age, Mr. President.”

“Shut up! Haa, this is driving me crazy. I wonder if the chairman is watching the game today?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

“Jung Tae-ho said he was confident about today’s game, didn’t he? Then why is he pitching like this? Oh, oh, that’s going far again!”

As he spoke, the ball hit by Jo Seong-oh, the cleanup hitter, soared powerfully toward the right field fence.

“No!”

“Oh no!”

The Falcons’ president and general manager involuntarily clenched their fists and screamed, but at that moment.

“Haa……”

“Whew….”

The ball, which looked certain to clear the fence, was caught by the Falcons’ right fielder just in front of the wall.

They felt like they aged ten years in that moment. If that had gone over, it would have been an immediate first-inning substitution for sure.

“General Manager Yang.”

“Yes, Mr. President.”

“Should we just resign together and go fry chicken somewhere?” (A common Korean expression for giving up and starting a simple business).

“Are you serious?”

“This is too hard on my heart. You know I already have high blood pressure, right? I’m really going to die like this.”

“What about your son’s tuition and your daughter’s wedding?”

“That’s, well… Huh! No!”

The crisis for Jung Tae-ho, which they thought was over, continued.

After barely getting Jo Seong-oh out, Jung Tae-ho allowed a hit to Jang Deok-su, the fifth batter.

And then Walter Smith, the next batter, also got a hit. One out, runners on first and second.

The Falcons’ president and general manager couldn’t even breathe properly, and only after confirming that Jung Tae-ho had gotten Lee Chang-mo and Kim Su-hak out with ground balls were they able to finally exhale.

“Hoo… this is so awful, I can’t do this anymore.”

“Mr. President, would you like to have a drink after the game today? I’ll pay.”

“…I really think I need to. Every day is hell when we play the Warriors, really.”

* * *

The Warriors’ long top of the first inning ended, and it was time for the Falcons’ at the bottom of the first.

Our team’s starter, Senior Cheon Sang-jin, slowly walked towards the mound.

Even after the team assigned a dedicated analyst from the scouting team, Senior Cheon Sang-jin still hasn’t stopped his own reconnaissance activities, scrolling through their social media.

How do I know? Because I caught him on his smartphone again at night.

I asked him. Isn’t it unnecessary now? The team staff will take care of it anyway.

Even though the team used its budget to hire new personnel, if the player doesn’t feel the effect, I can’t help but feel uneasy.

But Senior Cheon Sang-jin’s answer was a little different from what I expected.

‘I just enjoy getting to know people, so I can’t stop.’

‘You enjoy getting to know people?’

‘Yeah, these days, you can see what kind of life a person has lived, how they are living now, and what they want to do in the future just by looking at their social media, right? That’s really interesting.’

You find that interesting?

I don’t know.

Basically, as someone who lives with extremely limited relationships like me, I can’t understand that senior’s mind at all.

Maybe that senior is just a natural social butterfly.

Good-looking, speaks well, and enjoys getting to know other people.

Talking about it now, it seems like he perfectly meets the conditions of a playboy.

“Strike!”

The first pitch that Senior Cheon Sang-jin threw against Daejeon’s lead-off hitter today was a straight fastball right down the middle.

It’s amazing.

What did he do to make the batter flinch and step back from an ordinary 142 km/h fastball [approximately 88 mph] coming right down the middle?

After getting the first strike, Senior Cheon Sang-jin glanced back at me. The clear smile on his face is somewhat meaningful.

“Ball.”

“Ball.”

“Strike!”

With the count at two balls and two strikes, Kim Se-jun, Daejeon’s third baseman and lead-off hitter who had argued with me last time, bit his lip tightly and glared at the pitcher.

And the ball left Senior Cheon Sang-jin’s fingertips.

Whoosh

“Strike! Out!”

“……”

A 115 km/h slow curveball [approximately 71 mph].

Kim Se-jun, who just stared blankly at the ball, sighed deeply and returned to the dugout.

What, what was the reason for throwing that ball just now?

He’s the only senior who makes me wonder when I watch him pitch from behind.

I have to ask him later. Why Kim Se-jun couldn’t even swing at that kind of ball.

Thwack!

Unlike the lead-off hitter who made him throw five pitches, Daejeon’s second batter immediately attacked Senior Cheon Sang-jin’s first pitch.

The sinker, which was spinning in reverse from outside the zone, caught the end of the bat, and Senior Jo Seong-oh caught the hit and lightly stepped on the base for two outs.

Senior Cheon Sang-jin nodded slightly to Walter, who was wearing the catcher’s mask, as if to thank him.

The last pitch was due to the catcher’s decision, not the pitcher’s.

It was something I already knew, but Walter is also a good catcher. The reason he couldn’t settle in the big leagues and bounced between the majors and minor leagues was due to his hitting and injuries, rather than his defense.

What if he could play a full season as a catcher without injuries?

Well, Senior Jang Deok-su wouldn’t be able to rest easy either. Of course, Walter has to play as a starting outfielder rather than a catcher due to the team’s current situation.

Having a starting-caliber backup catcher who can be deployed at any time will be a significant plus in the long run.

Shake shake

Nod

Daejeon’s third batter, Yang Seung-jun, stepped up to the plate.

Senior Cheon Sang-jin shook his head at Walter’s first sign and immediately nodded at the second sign.

It’s different from when he was working with Senior Jang Deok-su.

Basically, if Jang Deok-su is the type of catcher who respects the pitcher’s judgment, Walter Smith has a bit of a dictatorial side, as you can tell from his demeanor and tone.

He has a baseball philosophy that the pitcher on the mound should follow the catcher’s lead.

That’s why I was a little worried about how well he would work with Senior Cheon Sang-jin, who doesn’t try to throw a ball unless it’s the one he thought of, but the first start doesn’t seem bad.

Whoosh

Thwack!

Following Daejeon’s second batter, the third batter also swung at the first pitch.

A ball flying between the third baseman and the shortstop, or rather, closer to the third baseman.

“Ahn Chi-wook!”

He still has a habit of hesitating when a ball flies in an ambiguous direction.

It helps to call him up like this in those situations.

Ahn Chi-wook, who reacted immediately to my voice, took a step forward without hesitation and snatched the ball.

Recently, he has been receiving throwing motion correction from Jacob after home games.

He was pointed out for some bad habits that he had unknowingly developed because he has a strong arm.

Could it be the effect of the training? The throw, which was much lighter and smoother than before, flew towards first base.

“Out!”

“Nice!”

Ahn Chi-wook, who seemed to feel something different himself, clenched his fist and rejoiced.

“Happy?”

“What?”

“I’m asking if you’re that happy when you’re just at the starting line.”

“Whatever……”

* * *

With Senior Cheon Sang-jin easily finishing the first inning, the Warriors’ attack in the top of the second inning began again.

Walter and Senior Cheon Sang-jin, who had just worked together, were sitting side by side on the bench, talking about something.

Senior Cheon Sang-jin, who is enthusiastic about studying English, seems to be able to have a decent conversation without an interpreter.

“Hey, the last ball was good. I couldn’t understand why you were trying to throw that course, but as a result, your judgment was right.”

“Could you speak a little slower? Then I think I can have a conversation without an interpreter.”

“Ah, sorry. My mistake. Anyway, good. That’s what I mean. I’m going to trust your judgment a little more.”

“That’s a relief.”

I don’t know how many more games those two will work together this season, but I can’t help but smile at the sight of the trust between the battery [pitcher and catcher] building up.

When Max and Senior Jang Deok-su were injured almost at the same time, I was worried about the future, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

While I was distracted for a moment, Senior Choi Min-seok, the ninth batter, stepped up to the plate as the lead-off hitter.

As of the first week of July, he is a hitter with a batting average of 0.285, an on-base percentage of 0.359, a slugging percentage of 0.395, 4 home runs, 29 RBIs [Runs Batted In], and 11 stolen bases.

Perhaps the reason why our team’s batting lineup is strong is largely due to Senior Choi Min-seok, who is performing like that in the ninth spot.

He’s performing well enough to be in the first or second spot.

Some say.

The reason why he couldn’t find his place in the Magicians for several years was because of his playful personality.

He’s doing well right now, but that’s it, that’s the limit of Choi Min-seok.

I have only one thing to say.

Shut up and get lost.

There were rumors like that before the trade, but after actually joining the team, Choi Min-seok, who I witnessed with my own eyes, was a person who did his best to fulfill his role regardless of batting order or defensive position.

He likes to play? That’s still the case.

But it’s his freedom to play after he’s done his job. In the past, he was just not a starter, his performance wasn’t as good as expected, so he was criticized more than necessary.

A player who might have been the third batter for the Magicians is now doing his best in the ninth spot for the Warriors.

If Ahn Chi-wook returns to the center of the batting lineup as planned by Manager Lee Dae-jun, it would be nice to see that senior in the second spot.

Thwack!

Ah, and there was one more thing we had forgotten.

When he was playing for the Magicians, Senior Choi Min-seok recorded 8 hits in 12 at-bats against Jung Tae-ho.

Following the first inning, a runner reached first base again without an out.

And Seo Hyeong-ju stepped up to the plate with a strange smile.

You can see that Jung Tae-ho’s mentality is shaking even from the waiting batter’s box.

The pitcher’s mind is still haunted by the afterimage of the home run he gave up to Seo Hyeong-ju in the first at-bat.

“Ball.”

Perhaps conscious of that, the first pitch came in far outside.

Seo Hyeong-ju tilted his head and took a step back from the plate, taking a big swing.

It’s clear to anyone that he’s aiming for another big one.

“Ball.”

Jung Tae-ho’s control, which had barely been stabilized while standing on the Daejeon mound, began to shake wildly.

Pinned at two balls and no strikes, Jung Tae-ho threw a fastball to the lowest corner on the outside as if he had no choice.

At that moment, Senior Choi Min-seok moved.

Thud.

“Uh oh!”

The moment the ball left the pitcher’s fingertips, Senior Choi Min-seok immediately started.

In an instant, Daejeon’s infield shook greatly. The shortstop automatically moved to cover second base, and the third baseman slightly shifted his weight to the left to cover the empty space.

Tap.

Seo Hyeong-ju’s perfectly placed bunt rolled into that empty space.

A course that was difficult for the pitcher to catch, but also difficult for the third baseman and shortstop, who were shifting their weight due to the stolen base, to react to.

“Safe!”

The runner on first was safe at second, and the batter-runner was safe at first.

The synergy of two fast and witty hitters is exactly like this.

Choi Min-seok and Seo Hyeong-ju, who had completely toyed with the Daejeon battery and infield, looked at each other and made a finger gun salute.

Even I think it’s really annoying.

Perhaps a beanball might be thrown at the next batter, Ahn Chi-wook.

But I hope that doesn’t happen. I don’t want to punch the face of a senior who used to wear the same uniform.

Ahn Chi-wook, who had been a fan of the Warriors since before his debut, unlike Seo Hyeong-ju, who was originally a Daejeon player, and Choi Min-seok, who played for the Magicians for a long time, and had some affection for the pitcher Jung Tae-ho, stepped up to the plate with a cautious attitude.

Then, he took off his helmet and bowed to the pitcher.

“He’s all grown up……”

I involuntarily praised Ahn Chi-wook.

That action was Ahn Chi-wook’s greeting to his former colleague and senior, and also a kind of unspoken pressure to just play baseball and not do anything unnecessary.

To think that a rookie who didn’t know anything about how the world works until recently could even calculate that.

Ahn Chi-wook, who calmly calmed down the atmosphere that could have heated up, glared at the pitcher.

Jung Tae-ho, who was barely holding on to his collapsing mentality, threw the first pitch to Ahn Chi-wook.

And a tremendous sound of impact echoed.

Thwaaaaaack!

Ahn Chi-wook, who had finished his follow-through, stared blankly at the huge hit he had just made.

– With no outs and runners on first and second, Ahn Chi-wook’s hit is going far, far, continuing to fly, and it’s over! It’s over! A three-run home run! A huge home run that extends the score from 3 to 0 to 6 to 0!

– Amazing! With this, the Warriors’ first-year rookie trio, Seo Hyeong-ju at number 1, Ahn Chi-wook at number 2, and Han Su-hyeok at number 3, have all recorded home runs!

Top of the second inning, score 6 to 0, was the moment when Jung Tae-ho, who had not recorded a single out, was sadly taken off the mound.