Peaceful Bullpen Life [EN]: Chapter 10

Ah, I Did Well, But the Team…

The problem erupted in the 6th inning.

The 0-0 stalemate continued. In the previous attack, they had squandered a really good chance with runners on first and second due to a double play and a ground ball.

The first batter in the ensuing defense was the opposing team’s cleanup hitter, Bae Deok-hyun.

Originally, he would have been playing as the first baseman, but he had some hamstring pain. However, he said he was fine, and the team trainers also said he was okay, so he was currently playing as a designated hitter.

Well, like most sluggers, he’s already slow, and if he has even a minor injury to his hamstring, which is directly related to his running speed, how slow would he be?

My career batting average against him is close to .600, so normally, it would be okay to just give him a rest, but it seems they just sent him out thinking he might hit a big one.

However, today’s Bae Deok-hyun had meekly retreated in every at-bat against me, and I thought this at-bat would be the same. The result of pulling the outside curve with all his might was a ground ball that trickled towards third base.

But was it the result of that carelessness? The ball that third baseman Seong-hoon *hyung* [an honorific term for an older brother or male friend] easily caught and threw was a little short for first baseman Gi-seong to catch.

A short hop.

Even a first baseman with average defensive skills could scoop it up with a ‘thwack!’ sound, but our Gi-seong, who has the worst defensive skills in the league…

*Tick!*

He missed it with a short sound. First base runner safe. Yeah, it happens.

Since Gi-seong has below-average defensive skills, everyone applauded and encouraged him, saying it was okay.

However, the situation changed a bit when Bae Deok-hyun was immediately replaced by a pinch runner.

Already taking him out? The cleanup hitter?

Bae Deok-hyun was replaced by Lee Jeong-eun, who is always one of the top runners in the league. If I were facing him at the plate, I could easily get him out, but in this situation, he’s a more troublesome runner than ever.

After Bae Deok-hyun went into the dugout, the umpire made the play call.

Outside curve again. Choi Ju-young, the 5th hitter, is similar to Bae Deok-hyun. It seems like they’re planning to induce a ground ball double play by having the third baseman move forward a step towards the 5-6 hole [the area between the shortstop and third baseman].

I’ve received the sign, so I need to stretch.

Nodding, I put my hands together with my left foot slightly ahead of my right. That’s the end of the stretch.

I stayed still like that for about 3 seconds. But for me, and for everyone watching, those 3 seconds felt like an eternity. Of course, Lee Jeong-eun on first base too…!

*Thwack!*

“Safe!”

Tsk.

It was a good pickoff attempt, but the runner quickly touched the base with his hand and was declared safe. Gi-seong also clapped his first base mitt a few times and threw the ball back to me.

I received the ball and checked the sign again. This time, it was a pickoff sign from the catcher. Nodding, just before completing the motion of putting my hands together for the set position, I quickly turned to first base again!

*Whoosh!*

“Safe!”

A pickoff is a pickoff.

You mustn’t forget the purpose of a pickoff. A pickoff should end with a pickoff. The moment the pitcher tries to create something from there, it gets twisted. Nevertheless, there are times when you get a feeling the moment you turn your body to first base.

I’ve got him!

This was one of those times. Looking at Gi-seong, he signaled that it was safe. Regretting it, I received the ball again.

Another sign. Outside fastball. Okay. This time, as soon as I completed the set motion, I threw the ball to the catcher. The umpire’s hand went up, calling it an outside strike. Count 0-1.

Receiving the ball, I continued with the sign. Another fastball further outside. It seems to be a setup pitch. It would be good if he swung and hit it into the infield, and it doesn’t matter if he doesn’t. It’s also good because it’ll be easier for Gyu-hak to throw if he sees him running.

This time, I went into the set position and waited for 5 seconds. Then, as soon as I took my left foot off the ground, I heard Gi-seong’s voice from behind me.

“He’s running!!”

*Clang!*

“Foul!”

However, the batter barely touched the outside fastball, resulting in a foul ball. The count is 0-2. I’m at a great advantage whether you look at it as pitcher vs. batter or pitcher vs. runner.

No matter how fast he is, Gyu-hak isn’t a catcher who can’t catch him at second base with a pitchout.

Since Choi Ju-young’s condition doesn’t seem to be that good today, it wouldn’t be bad to throw one or two pitchouts to catch the runner.

Should I throw one?

I thought, but Gyu-hak aggressively demanded a challenge.

A sinker that breaks slightly inside. Since it’s a pitch that goes towards the inside of a right-handed batter, it might be difficult to throw to second base, but with Gyu-hak’s defensive skills, he should be able to create a step.

This time, after waiting for 1 second, I threw the ball into the inside corner of the strike zone. Choi Ju-young, who didn’t expect me to come in for a direct challenge, swung hastily.

Despite his desperation, the ball sharply curved inward, resulting in a ground ball to third base off the inside of the bat. As if not wanting to create the same situation as before, third baseman Seong-hoon *hyung* dashed in and threw the ball without even looking at second base.

Great defense!

But as if it was one of those days, he dropped the ball that came to him easily. A common mistake of a second baseman who’s only thinking about throwing to first base.

Runners all safe.

Heh heh.

Trait: Detachment. Nice.

I smiled and showed my palm to Seong-moon, who was apologizing, feeling helpless. It’s going to be an unearned run anyway, so whatever, but Gyu-hak’s head is going to hurt a bit.

I smiled bitterly and stepped back onto the plate. Han Chang-min, the 6th hitter. He has decent contact and surprising power, so he’s been making solid contributions in the 6th spot.

With the score 0-0 in a pitching duel, and runners on first and second with no outs, Han Chang-min surprisingly showed a bunt stance from the start.

Slash? 100%?

Gyu-hak seemed to finish his thoughts as he came out in front of home plate and started giving signs. Signs not to me, but to the fielders, especially the infielders.

He touched his mitt, mask, chest, mask, right shoulder, mitt, belt, right shoulder, and left shoulder with his right hand, then tapped his mitt as if clapping and went back to his position.

100%.

Gyu-hak judged this situation to be a 100% bunt and instructed the infielders to prepare for a bunt defense. If Gyu-hak, who has excellent situational awareness, judged it that way, then that’s probably the case.

So, what should I do?

I need to throw a ball that’s difficult to bunt.

What kind of ball is difficult to bunt?

Of course, a high ball. And a high ball that’s close to the body.

A ball that bounces in front of the plate can actually make the success rate of the bunt zero, but if I need to get a strike and consider the possibility of it going astray, a high ball close to the body is the right choice.

I also finished my thoughts and sent a sign. A fastball that goes quickly towards the high inside corner. No… the fastest fastball possible. The catcher nodded.

After going into the set position, I stared intently at Lee Jeong-eun on second base. Shamelessly, even though our eyes met, he didn’t reduce his lead at all. His eyes were saying that he would run if I showed even a slight opening.

Interesting.

Pretending to throw, I pretended to look at home, then immediately turned my head back to second base, and then immediately looked at home again, lifting my left foot slightly and pitching. Even considering the lowered stance due to the bunt, it was a position that could be judged as a strike.

Since he wasn’t a player who often bunted in the first place, his clumsy motion resulted in a foul ball that went behind Gyu-hak.

Good.

I feel good because I led him into a good situation. If I’m lucky, I might be able to prevent any runs.

The sign from the opposing team’s bench is relayed to the opposing team’s third base coach. This sign is then changed into a complex sign and relayed to Han Chang-min at the plate, and the batter starts with a bunt motion again.

Gyu-hak, who had been watching all of this, sat behind home plate again and gave a sign. This time, it was mitt, left shoulder, left elbow, left shoulder, mask, mitt, mask, left shoulder.

Fifty-fifty, 50%.

It seems he judged that it could be ambiguous, or that a fake motion might come out. So this time, a forkball that bounces completely. Okay.

As his left leg slightly came off the ground, the pitching motion began, and as Gyu-hak expected, Han Chang-min pulled his bat back and returned to his batting stance.

*Tick!*

He awkwardly touched the ball that fell lower than expected. The ball that rolled away passed between shortstop Myung-jin’s legs and went out into the outfield.

Huh?

“…”

Jamsil Stadium was enveloped in silence.

“…It was your first start, you worked hard.”

“Ah… yes.”

I couldn’t come to my senses until the pitching coach came up to the mound and spoke to me while I was spacing out. Even while walking to the dugout, my gaze didn’t leave the home plate.

*Ding!*

[The First Step of a Starting Pitcher]

– Win as a starting pitcher. (0/1)

– Failed quest.

A quest is good. Yes, it’s good.

But more than failing the quest, the fact that the momentum shifted to the other side due to the first run in the game. That was more frustrating.

* * *

Wouldn’t today be a day when it’s okay to blame others, blame the team, be a complainer, and all that?

No, I’m going to do it even if it’s not okay. Don’t stop me.

“Haa…”

It’s not like I’m consciously trying to do that, and I’m not doing it. What am I supposed to do with this sigh that comes from my subconscious?

Myung-jin, who was said to have been picked solely for his defense in the early days of his joining the team, has been forced to…

…should I say that? He started being heavily used as the starting shortstop from his second year with the team, and wanting to prove that he was indeed a lottery first-round pick, his hitting broke out from his third year, and he is now famous as a league-top shortstop who excels in both offense and defense.

But that Myung-jin… no, even if everything else is okay, how could he commit an error like that? That’s too much.

The chaotic party that started from a minor error lasted quite a while. The scorecards of the ‘pitchers’ who replaced me after I came down are like this: walk, hit, double play, walk, walk, home run, strikeout. So it became 6-0.

However, after gradually accumulating points, they reached the bottom of the 9th inning, tied 7-7 with runners on 2nd and 3rd. There were no outs, and Myung-jin, who seemed to be wondering whether he would go to heaven or hell today, was at the plate.

The opposing team probably didn’t expect this situation either. To lead 6-0 in the 6th inning and then give up 2, 2, and 3 points in the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings, respectively, and come to this. Did I know? Heh heh.

*Clang!*

“Foul!”

The ambiguously swung ball became a foul. After that, there were two balls and one strike in the next three pitches.

If it’s a battle between the pitcher and the batter, the pitcher has a slight advantage, but if it’s a battle between the pitcher and the team, the team still has a much better advantage.

In a tie situation, there’s a runner on 3rd with no outs. No matter what the count is, no matter what the hitting situation is, the game ends as soon as the runner comes in.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be a hit. A slow infield ground ball, a deep infield ground ball, a fly ball that goes towards the outfielders in their regular positions. Any of these would be fine.

Moreover, there’s no guarantee that the game will end with the ball hitting the bat. A walk could come out by chance, filling the bases, and then a bases-loaded walk could occur, or the opponent could make a mistake due to the pressure. Or else,

*Swoosh!*

“Run, run!”

“Home! Hoome!!”

Wowwww!!

“It’s overrr!!”

Like this, a changeup that falls awkwardly can cause the ball to pass through.

Should I be happy or sad?

With a truly ambiguous expression, I awkwardly followed my teammates who were running out and approached Myung-jin. Of course, with a bottle of opened beverage in each hand.