Peaceful Bullpen Life [EN]: Chapter 29

Series record: 2 wins, 1 loss. Although we easily secured victory in the first game with Hyuk-jun’s shutout, we suffered complete defeats in the second and third games, exposing our team’s weaknesses and shortcomings. Thus, the series score was reversed.

And our manager made a significant decision: he announced me as the starting pitcher, even though I had only started in three games this season.

It doesn’t seem to be a decoy start or an opener concept. He actually asked me for at least 5 innings, and if possible, a shutout victory.

“Let’s see…….”

Sitting on a chair in the bullpen, I was lost in thought for a moment.

In fact, when you think about it, whether it’s a start or relief, regular season or postseason, or even an elimination game within the postseason, the job I have to do is ultimately the same: pitch and win.

Tap―

Tapp―

Bawl! Bawwwl!!

Whoosh―!

The sounds of each team practicing batting, the sounds to signal foul balls, etc., were noisily mixed together. I let out a silent groan, picked up my glove when I saw Gyu-hak entering the bullpen, and stood up.

* * *

In fact, there’s no need to think too hard about the act of throwing a ball.

A legendary great pitcher once said: It becomes difficult because you think it’s difficult.

That seems right. He added one more thing:

The situation a moment ago and the situation after this are important, but the most important thing is now. Prioritize what you need to do right now, and execute it.

Our attack in the bottom of the 4th, trailing 1-0 after unexpectedly getting hit with a solo home run by Shin Yong-hee, the 7th batter, in the 2nd inning. I sat in the dugout, blankly watching the team’s attack.

Our attack started with Sung-hoon hyung [older brother/friend], the 6th batter. Runners were getting on base every inning, but we couldn’t take any significant follow-up measures.

KP’s starting pitcher today is Kim Mu-jung. His role within the team is a swingman, but he’s mainly focused on the bullpen. A similar position to mine. But it’s true that he’s a bit less weighty than me.

After watching the first and second pitches, he cut the third and fourth pitches in a row. The count was still 0-2. After a short interval, the thrown ball didn’t make a particularly good sound and rolled towards the shortstop.

Oh… Whoa-aaa―!!

But he dropped an egg [made a critical error] magnificently. Lead batter on base.

Baseball, the sport of momentum. Our team’s momentum and the opposing team’s momentum, which influence will be greater? Wouldn’t they be similar? But a point that can be stated more clearly is that momentum is also relative.

It doesn’t matter whether the opponent falls or we rise. It’s not about competing to say, “You’re 20, we’re 30, so we’re higher!” but about fighting 50-50 over a large bowl of 100, gradually tilting to one side.

The bowl we had was 40. But is our share gradually increasing with that error just now?

“Keep it going, keep it going!!”

This time, it was third baseman Ha Eun-min’s throwing error. Or more accurately, first baseman Ahn Byung-guk’s catching error.

It didn’t bounce out very far, so Sung-moon stopped at first base, but Sung-hoon hyung, who started running with the hit, had already settled at third base.

An opportunity at 1st and 3rd base without consuming any outs. Moreover, an opportunity created not because we played well, but because the opponent played poorly.

The opponent was forcibly scooping two or three spoonfuls from the bowl and feeding it to us.

The action we need to take in this situation is decided.

“Base on balls!”

Just quietly accept it.

Even Gyu-hak, who can’t perform well in batting, just stood still, watched four balls, and walked to first.

There’s no need to try to do something in front of an opponent who’s self-destructing. The moment you try to do something here and your shoulders get tense,

“Swing, out.”

This is what happens.

With bases loaded and no outs, the 9th batter only contributed one out with three swings and returned.

Ah…….

Please.

As soon as the third swing ended, sighs flowed from the dugout. Everyone tried to hide it, but humans aren’t animals that can suppress emotions so easily. Even I sighed.

But it’s still bases loaded, right?

I tried to turn on the happy circuit [think positively].

Myung-jin, the 1st batter, started with two balls. The next ball was an ambiguous fastball on the outside that he watched, and then a foul on the slider that came in next, making the count 2-2.

If we can’t score here either? I won’t have any regrets even if we give up the game.

“It’s passed, go go go go!!”

Oh.

Whether the sky hadn’t abandoned us, the breaking ball thrown with a bit of strain passed between the catcher’s legs and rolled towards the backboard.

The catcher hurriedly ran to catch it and threw it to the pitcher who covered home, but even that slipped out once more and rolled strongly towards the ground, and the shortstop, who was quickly backing up, had to be satisfied with just preventing the 2nd base runner from coming in.

The score is now tied at 1 to 1.

Runners on 2nd and 3rd base, and the batter with a 3-2 count.

But the pitcher, who had already faltered once in the difficult process of getting here, added another ball with a high fastball and filled the bases again.

The next batter to enter the plate is Sung-hyun, the 2nd batter, who is no exaggeration to say is the most reliable in the team when it comes to batting.

Power, accuracy, running, defense, throwing.

All five of the most common and accurate tools for evaluating a batter are the best in our star player.

Tta-aak―!!

Whoa-aaaaang-ah!!

“It’s gone, it’s gone!”

“Wall-ah [Over the wall]!!”

“It’s gooooone!!”

I believed. And I received grace in return.

“Yiaaa!”

“You son of a bitch, you did it!”

“Jeeeeeez!!”

“I was believing in you!!”

Thwack, thwack―

“Ouch, ugh, it hurts! Fucking hell!”

The price for the grand slam was the team members’ affectionate touch.

While Sung-hyun was expressing gratitude for the team members’ affection with swear words, the 3rd and 4th batters were out with ground balls, but we scored a whopping five points in the bottom of the 4th, taking a four-point lead beyond the tie.

The number of pitches up to the 4th inning was 68. If I can somehow drag it out until the 8th inning, and if Lee Hyo-jae senior can stop them in the 9th inning, maybe we can drag it to the 5th game.

Quest.

Ding―!

[Elimination Game!]

– Lead the game to victory. (0/1)

– Reward ― Breaking ball +2

Defense in the top of the 5th inning, I went up to the mound, wiped the plate with my foot, and reviewed the quest details. It’s not asking me to pitch a shutout, pitch a complete game, or even become the winning pitcher. All that matters is winning this game. All that matters is winning. Apart from the content of the quest, I want to win.

“Play!”

To do that, I have to do well.

The top of the 5th inning starts with Lee Chang-hyun, the 6th batter.

Standing on the plate, I focused on Gyu-hak’s fingers. He was good as always, but Gyu-hak’s flow is especially good today. Good signs come out even without me shaking my head. Even if a bad result comes out, the subsequent backup is good.

I immediately nodded at the outside fastball and the thrown ball was a ball, then the thrown slider was watched for a strike, I tilted my head in confusion and the bouncing forkball resulted in a swing and a miss,

“Churaaak [Strikeout]!”

And he only flinched at the fastball that was stuck high on the inside and watched it for a strikeout.

The state of the rosin on my fingers was fine, so I didn’t do anything special and watched the infielders rounding.

“Nice!”

I received the ball thrown by Sung-moon, who received the ball last, and stood on the plate again.

Shin Yong-hee, the 7th batter. He is very small and skinny. He has no power. His batting average is high at .300, but even if he hits, it won’t be a big hit. He is also slow on his feet compared to his physique, so there is less burden as a runner.

“Seurak [Strike]!”

The umpire pointed somewhere with his finger, acknowledging that the splitter had passed through the zone. Another forkball. This time, bouncing.

Tick―

He bothered to touch such a ball. The ball, contacted even to the point of letting go of one hand, went towards first baseman Ki-sung with a bounce similar to fungo [a light, short-tossed batting practice], and I sent a signal that he didn’t need to come, stepping on first base myself.

While the next batter was entering the plate, Ki-sung immediately threw the ball to the shortstop, the shortstop threw it to the second baseman, and the second baseman threw it to the third baseman.

I received the ball from Sung-hoon hyung, who was nodding, and stood on the mound. I suddenly felt like I had become a ball-throwing machine, which was funny. I struggled to suppress the laughter that was trying to leak out.

Lee Kyung-mo, the 8th batter. A very similar type of batter to Shin Yong-hee, the batter right before him. However, he has a slightly higher batting average, but feels a little less powerful. But the difference isn’t that noticeable.

“Ball.”

“Foul!”

“Strike, two!”

“Ball.”

“Foul!”

He cut the forkball thrown at 2-2. He is definitely a little ahead in contact than the previous Shin Yong-hee, forcibly pushing out the ball that was about to hit the ground to create a foul.

“Foul.”

“Foul!”

“Foul―”

The next three were cut as well. I was getting a little annoyed that he was doing this when I was busy. But I didn’t show it on my face and stood on the plate again like the machine I thought of earlier.

Whoa…….

A slider that goes to the inside, a curve that falls low, a changeup that goes to the outside.

These are the recent three pitches that have been cut.

“Foul, foul!”

Then he cut the forkball that was falling to the ground. The batted ball came into the ground, but the umpire took a few steps forward and gave a foul sign more loudly than before, as if it had grazed the batter’s foot and came out.

Then the next ball is that one.

One index finger.

That’s right.

After receiving the sign, both hands went behind my head and my left foot stepped back. The recoil of the waist started to the point where it was barely visible.

The left foot soared powerfully and the pelvis moved forward quickly. As soon as the left foot touched the ground, the hips turned quickly and the upper body was pulled out with that force.

Bang―!

“Swing, out!”

High fastball on the inside. Gyu-hak’s lead is good today.

Finished up to the 5th inning with 84 pitches. In the following attack, we added one more point, making the score 6 to 1, and in the defense in the bottom of the 6th inning, I threw exactly 16 balls.

I gave up a ground ball to 1st base to the 9th batter, and a strikeout to the 1st batter. I got hit with another unexpected home run by the 2nd batter in the middle, but I handled the 3rd batter with a line drive to the 3rd baseman, finishing 6 innings with 2 runs allowed, and exactly 100 pitches.

“Good job.”

“Yep.”

I could definitely feel that the power in my pitches had dropped in the 6th inning. I got hit with three strong batted balls. One of them was caught with a good play, another was caught with a line drive, and the other was a home run. It was time to come down. Now, all that’s left is to leave it to fate.

Can’t I just pitch until the 7th inning?

Those words soared up to my throat, but I didn’t say them. I know my body condition best. It’s my loss if I act up and say I’ll pitch more here. Even if our bullpen isn’t trustworthy, it’ll be better than me now, I have to believe that.

Tta-aak―!

“…Ah.”

Am I an idiot for believing?

That’s what I heard from the defense in the top of the 7th inning. The five-point lead was reduced to a two-point lead.

From the top of the 8th inning, we made a strong move by putting in Lee Hyo-jae senior. It was successful. We ran away with another point in the bottom of the 8th inning, increasing the lead to three points, but the incident eventually broke out once again in the top of the 9th inning.

Starting with Kim Sung-soo, the 4th batter, home run, walk, fly ball, hit, double, strikeout, hit, home run, ground ball. The result of the defense allowing a full cycle of batters was devastating. The state of a three-point lead was the same, but the subject had changed.

In the bottom of the 9th inning, trailing by three points, the home fans in the cheering section desperately cheered for us as we were out with a ground ball and a fly ball with 2 outs. It seemed they didn’t want to let go of this autumn scent that they had encountered after a long time.

“Strike, ouch!”

But there are things that have to be let go even if you don’t want to. That was our, Wonha’s, autumn baseball this year.

Series score 3 to 1. The advantages and disadvantages of the team were clearly shown, and the autumn baseball ended. I remained in the dugout until everything was cleaned up and most people were slowly leaving, lost in thought.

Wonha Challengers’ baseball in 2017 is now over. But my baseball isn’t over yet.

“You’re staying, right?”

“Hyung [older brother/friend], please stay.”

“If you go anywhere, you’re really dead.”

“…….”

There’s still the FA [Free Agency] left.