Peaceful Bullpen Life [EN]: Chapter 127

127. Team Level

No matter how much baseball is a team game, an individual can definitely dominate a game.

A starting pitcher who pitches well, allowing only 1 run in 8 innings.

A batter who hits a *gyeokjeon manru* [game-winning grand slam] in a bases-loaded situation with two outs and a one-point difference.

A relief pitcher who comes in with the bases loaded and no outs and strikes out the side (KKK).

Of course, the word “dominate” doesn’t always have a positive connotation.

A second baseman who makes an error in a bases-loaded situation with two outs.

A batter who hits into a 5-4 double play on the first pitch in a bases-loaded situation with no outs.

A pitcher who starts his outing by walking the first three batters.

Scary, isn’t it?

Ideally, our team’s players should dominate the opposing team, but sometimes it feels like they’re dominating *our* team! And that’s why we lose the game!

So, public opinion on that kind of player is, of course, fiery. It starts with, “Is that guy even a pro?” and escalates to, “Send him down to the minors,” or even, “Just release him!”

Our Tae-woong, who is the fourth starter for the Wonha Challengers… or rather, just the fourth guy in the starting rotation, is a prime example of such a player.

He’s tall, has long arms, and his ball isn’t super fast, but his control is the problem, his control.

On days when he pitches well, he shows stuff that’s as good as Hyuk-joon. On days when he doesn’t, he pitches like the old Wonha bullpen pitchers – and not in a good way.

That Tae-woong…

Thwack-!

“Nice ball! Tae-woong is looking good!”

He’s changed. He’s definitely changed.

“Here! Tae-woong, can you throw it here?!”

Gyu-hak was sitting in the area inside the batter’s box for right-handed hitters, showing his mitt. Tae-woong lifted his right leg high, then…

Thwack-!

“Nice!”

He threw a fastball accurately to where Gyu-hak wanted.

Yes, the fastball, which is the foundation for any pitcher. But what’s more important than fastball control is breaking ball control.

“Tae-woong, let’s throw a changeup here!”

Gyu-hak, knowing that, went to the outside of the batter’s box for right-handed hitters this time. The place where he held out his mitt was on the outer edge of the plate.

If he threw it accurately to where Gyu-hak wanted, the changeup would appear to be heading there, then…

Thud!

“Wow, that would definitely be a swing and miss, good!”

It would sink with a swoosh.

If it fell outside on a full count, it would naturally be called a ball, but Gyu-hak nodded his head, raising the pitcher’s spirits.

Why?

“Wow, when did Tae-woong practice his changeup so much?”

“Ah, thank you.”

Because he showed a quality that was worth the encouragement.

When it came to the starting rotation, not the bullpen, the Wonha Challengers were a team that relied more on hitters than pitchers.

The good pitchers are Hyuk-joon, Gyu-jin *hyung* [older brother/respected male figure], me, and Kyung-seok *senior* [respected senior colleague]. If we include the decent pitchers, we can add Jun-hyuk, Eun-gu *senior*, and Ji-ho.

On the other hand, the lineup and defense are flashy. The defense of all the fielders except the first baseman was among the best in the league, and the lineup could also be placed in the upper ranks.

But from some point on, this gap began to narrow, and now…

Thwack-!

“Haaah-!”

You could say that it has almost been reversed.

“Nice, Tae-woong, good job.”

“Yes, thank you!”

The hitters didn’t fall behind, but the pitchers improved dramatically. The pitchers did well, so they were relatively superior to the hitters.

In other words, the team’s overall level has skyrocketed.

Therefore, the recent game flow of the Wonha Challengers has become somewhat predictable.

The pitchers don’t give up runs. And the lineup explodes. So,

“Seong-won, where’s Seong-won?”

“Yes! I’m here!”

“You’re going out in the 8th, get ready.”

“Yes!”

The number of appearances I’ve made, as the primary setup man, has decreased.

Hey, let me pitch too.

“Hmm….”

“You’re a secret weapon for the second half and the postseason.”

“No….”

Even if I listen to Kyung-seok *senior’s* warm comfort, well, it’s not very comforting.

Tsk.

It’s good that the team is winning, and it’s even better that the rookies are growing up.

But being stuck in the bullpen like a sack of barley is not very welcome from the person involved.

Because of that,

“Ah, Seong-won, nice. You’re doing well.”

“Thank you, *senior*!”

The expression on my face as I greeted the first-year rookie who had finished the inning wonderfully was a smile with something missing.

* * *

“Hello.”

“Oh, Tae-woong, good job yesterday.”

When I went to the stadium as usual, Tae-woong bowed his head and greeted me.

But the expression on his face is…

“You look really good, huh.”

“Yes. I feel good.”

It’s good to see.

Tae-woong, who used to be more of a fringe starter than a reliable fourth starter, has now grown into a pitcher who can be confidently penciled into the team’s plans.

A very good example of that is yesterday.

Tae-woong allowed only 1 run in 7 innings yesterday, faithfully playing the role of a bridgehead for the team’s victory.

It hasn’t even been a month since the season started, but Tae-woong has already earned his third win of the season.

After exchanging brief greetings, I stood next to Tae-woong and headed to the locker room.

Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I’ve talked to him like this.

“What did you do during spring training?”

I threw out a question that came to mind because I felt a strange awkwardness.

“I didn’t really do anything….”

“Hmm.”

“I don’t know either.”

“There are some players like that sometimes.”

“Oh, really?”

Of course, there are.

“It’s not like you put in a lot of extra effort or less effort than usual. It’s just that you did what you always did, but suddenly you get better. It’s not a bad thing, so don’t worry.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

“But Tae-woong.”

“Yes.”

“Uh….”

Should I tell him this?

“…There’s one thing I’m a little worried about. Right now, about you.”

“Yes? Yes. It’s okay.”

“You…you don’t really know why you’re getting better right now, do you?”

“That’s right.”

“Then, um….”

How should I explain this so that it’s easy to understand?

After thinking for a while, I decided to just say what was on my mind.

“Of course, it would be best if that time never came, but you never know what might happen to a person, right?”

“That’s right.”

“That’s why I’m saying this. It would be nice if you just kept getting better and better. But someday, you might suddenly get worse.”

“Ah…that’s right.”

“As much as you don’t know why you got better, it will be hard to find out why you got worse then.”

“Ah.”

In fact, if I only told him this much, I would have conveyed everything I wanted to say, but I can’t end it here.

If I end it here, it’s just a *senior’s* nagging, or a bit of jealousy towards a successful player.

I have to present a proper solution to be a proper *senior* and fulfill the duty of a captain.

“Um…it’s good to visit the analysis room often.”

“The analysis room?”

“They know your weaknesses that you don’t even know. Anyway, you were the starter yesterday, so you’re taking the whole day off today, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Go there later. Yoon-seong is there, he’s a nice guy and will give you a lot of advice. Buy him some coffee or something when you go.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

I also gave Tae-woong some simple advice related to the mentality he should have.

Because it’s his first year as a successful player, I was a little worried about the mental gap he would feel when he inevitably slumps.

After giving him the appropriate advice, we arrived right in front of the locker room.

I put my bag down and took out only the necessary equipment before heading straight to the dugout. Tae-woong headed straight to the analysis room as I had advised him.

After taking my eyes off Tae-woong’s back, I scanned the scenery of the field.

Ki-beom is doing batting practice.

Joo-ho is doing agility training.

Dong-gyun is running.

It’s hard to say that they’ve secured a firm position in the team, but I was smiling happily as I watched my friends who were playing an important role in our Wonha Challengers,

“Kim Han-wool, you look like you’re in a good mood today!”

“……..”

Before I knew it, Jjomulttak appeared.

“Ah. Why are you making that face?”

“Because of Eun-seo.”

“Why me again!”

“Just, I just become like this when I see Eun-seo.”

If I used a line that wouldn’t be too awkward even if it was used in a drama in this situation,

“Wow, disgusting.”

That’s the reaction I get.

“So, you look like you’re in a good mood today.”

“Do I look like I’m in a good mood?”

“Yes! So today is a Kim Han-wool special after a long time!”

“So, that phrase isn’t supposed to be used like that.”

“What does it matter.”

Even if I throw it out sarcastically, her resilience is quite good, and Eun-seo raised her camera again.

“But I’ve done a few specials, right?”

“That’s true…it’s not that the other players aren’t important, but Kim Han-wool’s popularity is a bit higher, right? So it’s like a monthly Kim Han-wool feature.”

Monthly Kim Han-wool….

“Your naming sense is really something.”

“Right! I thought about it quite a bit.”

She likes it.

Since I gave her a place to set up, Eun-seo happily pushed me into a corner of the dugout. Before I knew it, I was sitting down and listening to her.

“It’s been about a month since the season started, how would you evaluate this month!”

“It’s good. It’s good just to see that we’re ahead of Sangsoo by one game.”

“Um…Wonha also had a pretty good start last season.”

“Right?”

“What are the differences from last year?”

“Differences…first of all, me?”

“Kim Han-wool?”

“I’m…not in a slump…or anything?”

I tried to tell the story without using the overly blunt word “shoveling,” so it came out quite awkwardly.

“That’s true?”

“That’s also true…well, I don’t know if it’s just me, but it seems like the overall level has improved a lot this season.”

“Pitching? Or hitting?”

“Everything. Pitching and hitting, everything.”

“Hoo….”

“Actually, I thought about it a week or two after the season started. At that time, I just vaguely thought that the start was good, but it’s already been a month.”

“Yes, so?”

I smiled happily at Eun-seo’s question asking for the next answer.

“Wouldn’t it be good to look forward to this year as well? Regular season record.”

I thought it would be a great answer by now, but the listener’s reaction was a bit lukewarm.

“Um, the pennant race is the pennant race, but what do you think about the postseason?”

Just push it a little bit.

“Uh…well, I don’t think we couldn’t adapt to the big stage called the Korean Series, or that we couldn’t overcome the pressure.”

“Don’t you usually talk like that?”

“That’s true, but it’s just what I felt.”

“I can’t say that there isn’t any truth to that, but other factors were bigger?”

“No, I don’t think there was any of that. No. We had a really good spirit. No, I think it was just a pure skill issue.”

“Skill?”

Eun-seo seems to be quite disappointed because I gave the most difficult answer to accept and the answer she would hate to hear the most.

“Sangsoo just did well. They did really well. It’s not that our Wonha didn’t do well, it’s just that Sangsoo did better. We have to admit what we have to admit.”

“Umm…still….”

“What can I do, it’s a fact.”

“Still, it’s an interview, is it okay to send this out as it is?”

If it were any other reporter, they would have just said thank you and left, but Eun-seo here is completely on my side.

“It’s okay. But we’re not going to end it with this.”

“Then?”

Therefore, there is plenty of opportunity to add to what I said.

“I said that Sangsoo was better than us last year, so we lost. But what did I say before that?”

Eun-seo forgot her duty as an interviewer for a moment and was lost in thought. I felt sorry for her, so I had to start by saying something first.

“I said our team level was improving, right?”

“Ah.”

I thought she would have understood by now, so I was able to smile brightly again.