Peaceful Bullpen Life [EN]: Chapter 40

The first day’s game was decided by our team’s superior concentration at the plate. The final score was 8 to 5.

I pitched the 8th inning and retired the 4th, 5th, and 6th batters with a foul fly to the third baseman, a fly to center field, and a ground ball to the third baseman, respectively. It was a satisfying comeback game, a feeling I hadn’t experienced in a while.

In the 9th inning, it wasn’t me, Senior Shin Kyung-seok, or Senior Choi Eun-gu who took the mound, but one of the bullpen pitchers who had been with the team from the start.

The rest of the team, except for the three of us, seemed unchanged. They gave up 2 runs and left two runners on base before Senior Shin Kyung-seok came in to face two batters and secured the save.

What are we going to do about our team’s bullpen?

The next day’s game featured Tae-woong, our 4th starter. He’s like a less polished version of Hyuk-joon.

He has good physical attributes, and in terms of raw pitching talent, he’s rated higher than Hyuk-joon. However, his velocity, control, and breaking balls are all noticeably inferior.

His stamina is excellent, so even if he allows a lot of runs, he can eat up a lot of innings.

He did give up a lot of runs—6 in 6 innings—but our team’s batting lineup capitalized on the opponent’s errors to tie the game at 6. Then, in the 8th inning, Sung-moon hit a three-run homer, shifting the momentum, so our bullpen trio didn’t even have to pitch, and the team won.

Yes, a single victory immediately impacted the team’s standings. We escaped the dreaded last place in the league.

No matter how poorly we’ve been evaluated, there’s a clear difference between a mid-to-lower-ranked team and a team that consistently finishes in last place.

With this victory, we moved up to 7th place, just one game behind 6th place. Our next target is the KP Stars, currently ranked 6th.

Everything except their hitting is terrible, but their hitting alone is so potent that they somehow maintain a mid-to-upper rank. However, this year, their hitting has been a problem from the start. At this point, the difference between our team and them is only three games. It’s definitely within reach.

And today is the last day of the series against the Hanseong Winners. Both teams engaged in a fierce hitting battle.

Let’s ignore for a moment that the high score was due to the instability of each team’s pitchers and the errors of the fielders. The score itself was so high that it must have been quite a spectacle for the viewers. But only we, the ones playing, are feeling the pressure.

The starter collapses, the bullpen collapses, and then the defense collapses.

Both teams faithfully adhered to these three phases, and by the end of the 7th inning, the combined score of both teams exceeded 20.

For some reason, our team’s defense, usually known for its solid play, is a complete mess today.

Starting with Senior Seong-hoon’s nutmeg [ball passing between the legs], followed by Hoon’s throwing error, Gyu-hak’s passed ball [catcher failing to catch a pitch], and Ki-sung’s catching error.

A complete disaster.

But it was the same on their side too.

Tick―

Waaaaah!!

In the bottom of the 7th inning, Ki-sung led off with a hit and was replaced by pinch runner Ki-beom. Ki-beom relentlessly chipped away at the opposing pitcher and defense’s mentality with his unique sly antics, then easily stole second base on a wild pitch.

He caused even more trouble at second base. With a ground ball to the shortstop, he faked a run to third base, inducing an error, and ended up safely at third while Jin-hyung reached first.

“He’s out!”

“Go, go, go!!”

“Run, run, ruuuuuun!!”

And Seung-joo delivered a timely hit.

Ki-beom, who was on third base, practically walked home with a left-field hit. Seung-joo stepped on first base and clenched his fist, feeling good.

From there, our team’s atmosphere heated up, and we solidified the victory by scoring 5 runs.

“Han-wool.”

“Yes. Am I going in?”

“I’m counting on you.”

“Yes.”

14 to 15.

One-point difference, top of the 8th inning, the manager chose me, not Senior Choi Eun-gu, who has been in good shape recently, nor Senior Shin Kyung-seok, who has been handed the closer position again.

Looking at the recent pitching stats of the two seniors, it might be better for me to go out.

I slowly headed to the mound, my entrance song playing, which I’m now used to. The home fans were cheering loudly. Both teams have made a mess of the score, but that’s none of my business.

What I need to pay attention to is how many points behind we are and who the lead batter is.

Ding―!

[I’ve come to end this war!]

– Shut out the inning. (0/1)

– Reward ― Slider +1

The appearance of the quest made my already tense heart even more determined.

As I was applying rosin for practice pitches, the catcher rushed up to the mound.

“S, Senior.”

“Yeah.”

“The lead is…”

“Ah, I’ll handle it. Let’s go with an overwhelming feeling.”

“Yes, yes. I understand.”

In the midst of the slugfest, Gyu-hak was taken out in the 6th or 7th inning, and backup catcher Joo-ho was in. Unlike Gyu-hak, who focused his stats on defense, Joo-ho focused his stats on hitting.

Catching, blocking, leading, etc., not really, to be honest… well, just bad. But he has good power, so his throwing speed is good, but his accuracy is not very good.

A conversion [to a different position] is urgently needed.

“7th batter, designated hitter Jung Seong-hoon.”

The stadium announcer’s monotone announcement rang out. The batter entered the batter’s box on the left side of my vision, swinging his bat and going through his routine. I tried not to look at him and fixed my gaze only on Joo-ho.

Play!

Overwhelming. Is that even a word that applies to someone like me?

“Hoo…”

It’s possible.

I rejected the first two signs asking for the ball, and then a fastball inside sign came out. I nodded and put my hands behind my head.

“Ha-ik!”

Ignoring the strike call that I couldn’t understand, I waited for the next sign. This time, a fastball going outside. I nodded because I liked the sign right away.

“Ball.”

I thought it went in, but maybe it looked a little off because of Joo-ho’s weak framing [subtly influencing the umpire’s call by how the catcher presents the ball].

Joo-ho waited two more seconds while holding the ball, protesting silently, but I didn’t really care. A miss is a miss. I can always throw a strike, so I didn’t have much regret.

Slider digging into the body, slider bouncing, backdoor slider outside.

Three consecutive slider signs came out. I shook my head twice, but the slider sign continued, so I wondered if there was something going on and nodded.

It was the slider that I was least confident in throwing, so I wanted to avoid it if possible.

Tak―

As expected.

I pulled the ball that I thought was a ball, even for me, so hard that it passed by Ki-sung’s side. Only then did Joo-ho realize why I kept shaking my head, and he patted his protector, saying it was his mistake.

I didn’t really care, so I showed my palm to mean it was okay. As the opposing dugout called a timeout, I took my foot off the plate.

What is it, and when I looked, it was a pinch runner. I quickly checked who it was and stepped on the plate again.

8th batter Choi Hyung-sun appeared. I was going to throw without much pressure because it was the bottom of the batting order, but I felt like it was starting to go wrong from the start. Even if I tried not to care, I couldn’t not care at all.

“Ball!”

Did that show on the outside? The slider that I threw with a little more concentration this time went way off and started with a ball.

Something doesn’t feel right. The next sinker went well where I wanted it to go, but the batter easily picked it out, and at the same time,

Chwaak―

“Safe!”

With the timing, anyone could see it was an out, but even if the second baseman jumped up and grabbed the ball and tagged it, it was long overdue.

It’s okay, it’s okay.

I encouraged Joo-ho and glanced at the scoreboard. I stepped on the plate again. 2-0, I have to get the count first. The other side knows that too, so conversely, throwing a ball to create a variable wouldn’t be a bad idea. After all, first base is empty.

But the score is only one point difference, and the opposing batter is the 8th batter. It’s a shame to give him a free pass to first base. I applied rosin all over my right hand and gripped the ball.

“Keuk!”

Whoong―!

“Swing―”

A swing and a miss on a fastball thrown with all my might. I glanced at the scoreboard again and saw 141km [approximately 88 mph]. The ball is stretching a bit today.

When I put one index finger on my left shoulder, Joo-ho paused for a moment and then moved his hands busily. Little finger, index and middle finger, index and thumb. In other words, outside fastball, outside curve, inside slider.

That’s not it.

When three strange signs came out in a row, I quickly took my foot off the plate. At the same time, the batter also took a step out of the box. It was ambiguous to call the catcher during the game and say something, so I sent a signal roughly.

Put your right hand on your groin and wiggle your fingers, then point to my eyes with your index and middle fingers, then point to the catcher with your index finger. In other words,

Hey, can’t you see the signs properly?

I stepped on the plate again. I could see the panic in his eyes. His eyeballs were shaking from side to side, just like a baseball player who has difficulty fielding. Still, it seems like it wasn’t a lie that he got a professional title, and soon a proper sign came out.

“Kkeuak!”

Whoong―

“Swing!”

A high fastball thrown with all my might, not much different from before. A swing and a miss came out, not much different from before. The count that started with two balls was tied again.

Okay, Joo-ho. What should I throw here? No outs and a fast runner on second base. A right-handed batter who is not very good at hitting is in the batter’s box. He swung and missed at two high fastballs after taking two breaking balls for balls.

Joo-ho looked at the batter and seemed to organize his thoughts and gave a sign. Splitter [split-finger fastball]. I thought it was a pretty good choice.

After nodding, I turned my head from the set position. The runner on second base was staring at me quite fiercely. I didn’t like that look, so I quickly turned 180 degrees and faced second base.

Chwaak!

Just pretending to throw made the runner flinch and slide back to the base.

Yes, that’s right. Where do you think you’re going?

When I stepped on the plate again, the sign came out with only the front and back order changed from before. With only one index finger attached to the ball, I easily completed the forkball grip by spinning it.

“Swing, swing!”

The ball, which started about one and a half balls higher than the bottom of the strike zone, dropped sharply! The batter, who had already swung his bat, responded with a swing that looked like a slapstick routine from the viewer’s point of view to try to hit it somehow,

“Safe!”

The real slapstick was separate.

Ah, it’s not Gyu-hak.

A wonderful nutmeg with a motion somewhere between blocking and not blocking with a mitt. The batter, who watched the ball until the end, threw his bat and ran to first base, and the runner on second base who saw it also started running to third base.

“Don’t throw it!”

“Stop!”

I and the infielders worked together to barely stop Joo-ho, who was grabbing the ball that rolled back and trying to throw it to first base. As soon as the umpire’s time call came out, Joo-ho bowed his head, blaming himself.

It’s okay. It’s also my fault for throwing it so deep without thinking about the catcher.

I clapped my gloves to mean it was okay. Now is not the time to worry about allowing a runner and a продвижение [progression]. The problem is that there are runners on both corners with no outs.

Who is our next batter?

It’s Seong-hyun.

After looking at the scoreboard once, I looked at our dugout and made eye contact with Seong-hyun, who was reserved as the lead batter for the next inning.

Wouldn’t one point be okay?

The 9th batter was struck out to put out the urgent fire. And Song In-ho is up in the 1st batting order.

– Pinch hitter, Lee Yong-ho.

Suddenly?

Lee Yong-ho appeared out of nowhere. Suddenly? Him? Here? Taking out Song In-ho? Why? I tried not to show my emotions, but I don’t know if it worked.

Lee Yong-ho didn’t laugh at me like before. He knows his situation now. It’s not time to laugh at others. Especially not me.

Ah, then I can’t allow a hit even more.

Joo-ho showed only one pinky finger. After nodding, I checked only the runner on first base and threw it. I can’t throw it as full as usual. But wouldn’t that be enough?

“Ball―”

Eh.

A ruling that Lee Yong-ho, who doesn’t have a good relationship with me, would be more embarrassed about, appeared. If you try to catch the mitt from the inside to the outside, wouldn’t it obviously look like a ball, Joo-ho?

Everyone knows, but only Joo-ho doesn’t know why this is a ball.

“Ha-ik―!”

What should I throw, really?

I put the sinker into the zone as if it were up to fate. It was caught as a strike for now.

“Ball!”

“Ball―”

After the slider and sinker that I threw afterwards became balls, Lee Yong-ho noticed that he was in a favorable situation and started to put on his usual sneer.

Ignoring it and the next sign, when only one pinky finger was shown, I flinched inside.

Can I throw it so that Joo-ho can catch it and it looks like a strike for sure, but the batter can’t hit it?

Tak―

No way.

Ding―!

[I’ve come to end this war!]

– Shut out the inning. (0/1)

– Reward ― Slider +1

– Failed quest.

The ball, with excessive thought and power added, was accurately 몰렸다 [concentrated] in the middle to be easy to hit. Still, Lee Yong-ho is also a pro, so he didn’t miss the ball and delivered it in front of the left fielder, and that’s how the score became tied.

Downward love [affection for someone lower in status].

Gyu-hak. I think I need downward love.

Lee Yong-ho, who stepped on first base and 풀어 [loosened] the arm guard and handed it to the first base coach, was smiling brightly. Isn’t that a smile of продление [prolonging] life?

Son of a B.

I forcibly suppressed the burning inside and waited for the next batter. I made a game plan while watching the small Kim Young-guk enter.

Let’s press with power.

Even if his power is much lower, it seems that tempting Kim Young-guk, who easily hits in the early to mid 30%, with breaking balls will not yield good results.

God of the game, please give me a buff.

Tick―

Foul!

Even though the sinker that went inside went lower than the expected point, or rather, thanks to going lower, I was able to get the first pitch count as a foul. I thought while receiving the ball. What else should I throw?

Hat, elbow, glove, elbow, shoulder, glove. With the index finger.

Even though my head was complicated, my body was automatically giving signs. Joo-ho nodded and moved his fingers again. After nodding, stretch.

Hoo…….

I wish it would end here.

“Kkak!”

Tak―!

While watching the thrown ball pass by my side, I thought it would be quite funny if this shout was broadcasted.

I quickly turned around and saw Seong-moon running hard. After throwing his body almost diving, he caught it and tossed it to second base without even looking.

“Out!”

One up.

Myung-jin caught the ball and threw the ball to first base without even looking properly.

Knowing that Lee Yong-ho, who is known for his dirty base running, was the first base runner, the ball that jumped up greatly was 박혔다 [embedded] into the ground.

I’m screwed.

I had all sorts of thoughts while watching the ball share a deep kiss with the grass. I should have just not thrown it. How is Ki-sung supposed to catch that?

Тадак― [sound effect]

How to catch it!

“Awooout!”

It doesn’t have to be Ki-sung!

“Niceuuu!!”

“Hey, why don’t you throw it straight.”

“Dehet, the first base runner was scawy [scary].”

Ki-beom, who entered as Ki-sung’s pinch runner earlier, was on first base. God!

Ki-beom’s wonderful scoop completed the double play. I ran to Seong-moon first and hugged him tightly. After hearing him say, “Hyung, I can’t breathe,” I let him go and high-fived Ki-beom as well.

“Kim Ki-beom is alive!”

“I’m a little handsome.”

I headed to the dugout, 실실거리며 [grinning] with another peer. Thanks to the good defense, I felt uplifted because I didn’t give up any more runs, but I soon fell again at the thought of allowing a run.

No, you can give up a run.

But what if it’s a blown save.

You can have a blown save! I’m human.

What if it’s the first blown save after pitching for more than 40 innings.

Are you going to try to get 0 points all season?

No. I’m not that great.

It’s just that I felt dirty that I got a hit, even a timely hit, from the guy I didn’t want to give a hit to more than anyone else in the world.

The team comes first, and I should be angry that I allowed the tying run, but the sight of him 실실거리고 [smirking] in the opposite dugout was 어지간히 X같았다 [extremely infuriating].

Let’s watch. Our team’s hitting. There’s the bottom of the 8th inning, and there’s the bottom of the 9th inning. Seong-hyun will do something about it.