Peaceful Bullpen Life [EN]: Chapter 42

Urgency

Hwang Hyuk-joon No-Hitter, No-Run! Season’s 6th Win, Solo Lead in Wins.

Hwang Hyuk-joon (24) is developing. He will probably develop more than you think.

What former Wonha Challengers coach Lee Seung-jae (57) said seemed to be true. The season’s fourth game between KP Stars and Wonha Challengers, held at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on May 22, was Hwang Hyuk-joon’s coming-out party.

In the bottom of the 1st inning, he started *unsteadily* by allowing two consecutive walks to the leadoff hitter and the second batter, but he struck out the next three batters to cleanly end the first inning. Afterwards, he showed *instability* again by allowing another walk to the leadoff hitter in the 2nd inning, but this walk was KP’s last time on base.

After walking Lee Chang-hyun, Hwang Hyuk-joon showed off his skills to the fullest. He then shut out 24 consecutive batters, becoming the first pitcher this season and the 14th in league history to throw a no-hitter, no-run game.

His fastball, with a *top* speed of 157km [approximately 97.5 mph], and Hwang Hyuk-joon’s trademark slider were still there, and the curve he revealed he’d newly developed this season was also a masterpiece.

Despite being a starting pitcher, he was sometimes ridiculed as a two-pitch pitcher. After two years of *effort* to develop a third pitch out of spite, he showcased it on the main stage, and it became quite an effective weapon.

But what was most surprising was Hwang Hyuk-joon’s control. Hwang Hyuk-joon’s control *hadn’t been* very good; he could barely get it into the zone. He, who had been suppressing batters with his overwhelming stuff, now showed a *side* equipped with the weapon of control.

When three consecutive fastballs were called balls to Kim Ki-yoon, who came up as the third batter in the 6th inning, he threw a 117km curve [approximately 72.7 mph] into the low part of the zone to get a strike, which was especially impressive.

After striking out Kim Ki-yoon with a fastball and a slider, there was nothing else that could be called a crisis.

In an interview after the game, Hwang Hyuk-joon once again mentioned Kim Han-wool (28), a pitcher on the same team. Just as Kim Han-wool is achieving *historic* results by referring to his form, he also said that he is improving his control by referring to Kim Han-wool.

Hwang Hyuk-joon, who is known to openly have hopes for the major leagues, how much further will he develop before knocking on the door to America? Hwang Hyuk-joon is even more *anticipated* in the future.

* * *

No-hitter, no-run. One of the phrases that makes a pitcher’s heart pound relentlessly.

Hyuk-joon did it. The number of pitches was 121. Especially from the 7th or 8th inning, no one approached Hyuk-joon. An unspoken rule that no one should approach him so that he can *completely* focus on the game.

But there was someone who broke this long-standing traditional rule,

“Hyung [older brother or respected male figure], is it good to throw the curve like this?”

It was Hwang Hyuk-joon himself. I knew the *atmosphere*, so I was huddled in the bullpen, but this guy came all the way to the bullpen to find me. I calmed my eyes, which were *filled* with embarrassment and blinking, and answered Hyuk-joon’s question.

It seems that among the *inconsistent* condition of the curve, today was a day when it was *working*.

He couldn’t find the answer on his own, so he eventually came to me and *begged* for *teaching* about the curve, and I readily *passed on* my tips. And from the 6th inning, he started *flying* even more.

I had only heard of a no-hitter, no-run, but seeing it in front of my eyes was quite a *fresh* experience. Moreover, it was even more so if it was not us who suffered it, but a player on our team who did it.

When the last batter’s *hit* floated high, we had already *rushed out of* the dugout, and the moment Hoon caught the *ball*, we were already about to *reach* Hyuk-joon.

It would have been nice if this was home.

It was a little *disappointing* that no one but us *congratulated* him, but so what, we only need to *celebrate* him.

With that *thought*, I hit the back of Hyuk-joon’s head even harder. At the same time, I had an *uneasy feeling* on one side. Today’s *commotion* should end here.

‘The emotions of the baseball field that day should be left on the baseball field.’

What a certain major league hitter *senior* said. When I first heard it, I wondered what it meant, but as the years went by, I realized it was an *amazing* *saying*. It wasn’t easy.

Kyu-jin hyung, who usually *controls* the *turmoil* of his *mind* with the power of religion, followed the *senior’s* words well.

Despite the *chaos* of the previous day, he continued to pitch *thrillingly*, allowing only one run during 6 innings. He allowed *runners on base* in the middle, but he soon *handled* the *subsequent* batters.

“*Do your best*.”

“*Okay*.”

7th inning. Kyu-jin hyung *held* the glove in his hand *familiar* and headed to the mound. Unlike me, he only applied a *moderate* amount of rosin and started throwing the ball.

He slightly *shifted* the left leg, and *poured* the center forward with a *completely unexaggerated* motion. Then,

*Whack!*

The sound of *the ball hitting the mitt* echoes loudly even from the dugout.

I thought of Kyu-jin hyung, who was still *analyzing* the J-pad [likely a tablet or device used for tracking player stats] and notebook alone while everyone was *asleep* on the bus down to Busan.

Until right before I *fell asleep*, and after I *woke up*, the conversation we had, KP’s team weekly batting average is *this*, *BABIP* [Batting Average on Balls In Play, a baseball statistic] is *that*, he was *blocking* effectively and well, unlike what I *worried*.

*Crack!*

*Waaaaah!*

*It’s over!*

Except for one person, the third batter Kim Ki-yoon.

The only run our team allowed and KP’s only score was Kim Ki-yoon’s solo home run from the bottom of the 1st inning.

Kim Ki-yoon, who was well *held* the leadoff hitter in the 7th inning, seemed to have *aimed* from the first pitch, and he pulled it with all his might, *over* the left *fence*. The *distance* was so great that Hoon just stood there *blankly* and *watched* the *ball* as soon as it was hit.

Only then did the pitcher’s expression *sour*, as if he had been *tricked*.

Waaaaah!

But what can we do? It’s already *over*.

It’s been over 10 years since we’ve been *living together*. I could see what Kyu-jin hyung was thinking right now.

Strike!

Striiiiike!

He probably doesn’t have *any thoughts*.

The reason why we’ve *gotten along well* for 10 years without even a *small argument* is because of the *similarity* of our personalities. Similar thoughts, similar *responses*. That *aspect* appeared even in the in-game.

*It can’t be helped*.

We *let go* of the parts that can be *let go*. If we can’t *let go*, we *try* to *let go*.

That was Kyu-jin hyung and my *mentality*.

“Ah, F*ck!”

As soon as he came in, he *threw* the glove in his seat and *shouted loudly*.

Frustration 10%, absurdity 10%, *a curse word for changing the atmosphere* 80%.

“Yo, two home runs, man.”

“Shut up.”

“Oh dear.”

2 runs in 7 innings. A good pitch by anyone’s standards. It was a *pitch* that could *predict* that team’s victory with a very high *probability*, but

Out!

Waaaaah!

If the team doesn’t *value my performance*, it’s just a *losing pitcher*.

“Hyung [older brother or respected male figure], you did well.”

“What’s the point of *doing well* if we *lost*.”

“Do you want to say that to the hitters?”

“…….”

The game *difference* between 7th and 6th place is 3 games. It became 2 games with yesterday’s *victory* of the 7th place team, but it became 3 games again with today’s *defeat*.

If we *win* the remaining *tomorrow’s* game, it will be 2 games again, and if we *lose*, it will be 4 games, which is very *distant*.

It’s only a little over the middle of May, but we’re starting to *feel* the *emotion* of *urgency*.

* * *

Fastball… curve… splitter… sinker and changeup… and…….

“…slider.”

I don’t know.

“…It’s not *breaking*?”

“That, that’s right.”

The next day, the bullpen. The game is ahead 10 to 7. Jun-hyuk, who had only allowed 1 run, changed the *score* to 4 in an instant with a *sudden* three-run in the 5th inning, but there was still plenty of *room* thanks to the *runs* that had been *scored* from the beginning of the game.

Jun-hyuk, who had quite a few *pitches*, came down right there, and *senior* Choi Eun-gu was *put in* in the 6th inning.

KP Stars would have *received* and *hit* a ball in the mid-150km range [approximately 93-97 mph] *usually*, but *starter* Jun-hyuk’s fastball was a *pathetic* early 140km [approximately 87 mph] in comparison.

They couldn’t *grasp the momentum* to the *overpowering pitching*, which was like raising the *gear* by three stages.

He *blocked* the 6th inning *cleanly* with three strikeouts, two ground balls, and one ground ball, and then *rookie pitcher* Ji-ho went up in the 7th inning.

KP, who had been *overwhelmed* by the mid-150km ball, started *flying* when they faced a mid-140km ball this time.

3 points.

They made a *small* big inning of 3 points without any means to *press further*, such as big *hits* or *walks*.

However, the *trap* is that they *reversed* it again with an *error* in the very next inning.

More than that, as soon as the *go-ahead runner got on base* right before, the *standby order* was *issued* right away. As always, he was *scheduled* to *go on the mound* in the 8th inning. So, he *arrived* the bullpen, and after a *light stretching*, he *sat down* Gun-young.

Fastball. It’s going in well.

“Curve. Good.”

“Splitter isn’t working well.”

“Sinker. Good.”

“Changeup, perfect. But…….”

“One more.”

“Slider!”

Bang!

“…It’s not breaking?”

“…….”

My slider wasn’t listening to me during the bullpen session.

It was like dealing with a foreigner who speaks some language I’ve never heard before, not an English speaker. I just couldn’t communicate with it.

At least a person would use gestures, but this…….

Sharp as a razor, with a big break like a slurve [a type of breaking ball that combines the characteristics of a slider and a curveball].

It doesn’t really have any of those advantages. It’s just… I guess you could call it a slider. It’s actually the pitch I’m least confident in among the ones I throw.

I have to throw the fastball, of course, so I’ll leave that alone, and my curve is ranked in the upper-middle of the league.

The amount of break isn’t anything special, but my control and fastball combination elevate its rating.

I really liked the sinker. It’s a pitch that’s justifiable no matter when or to whom I throw it. When I want to get ahead in the count but I’m worried about getting hit, when there’s a runner on and I want to get a double play, when I want to get a quick strike.

The splitter was a bit hit-or-miss. On days when it works, it boasts the most overwhelming performance of all my pitches, but on days when it doesn’t, it’s terrible. Most of my runs allowed come from flat splitters.

The changeup is also very useful. I throw it to right-handed hitters too, but it really shines when I’m facing left-handed hitters. My control and command are top-notch in the league, so the changeup makes facing lefties very easy.

And then there’s the slider…….

“Slider!”

Bang!

The pitch I’m least confident in. The pitch I want to seal away if I could.

I don’t think I ever really worried about the slider before. Whether I threw a slider or a fastball, I’d get hit anyway.

But after ‘that day,’ the frequency of my slider started to decrease.

“Let’s go up.”

“Ah, yes.”

I headed to the mound, leaving behind only a lingering feeling of unease. About eight practice pitches are given to the pitcher before the start of the inning. Normally, I would start with a few fastballs and then throw the other pitches one by one, but from the start, I tilted my glove to the left.

Bang!

‘……?’

Gyu-hak’s expression was like that. He blinked his eyes and threw the ball back to me. I didn’t even look at Gyu-hak and tilted my glove to the left again.

Bang!

“…….”

Again.

Bang!

“…….”

Bang!

…Ah.

Bang!

Again.

Bang!

I filled all eight practice pitches with sliders. Still, the frustration didn’t go away.

Why isn’t it breaking?

I received the ball from Gyu-hak and tilted my glove to the left out of habit, then came to my senses.

Ah.

“Play!”

The practice pitches were over.

Only then did I check the scoreboard. It was the number two hitter.

‘I need to focus,’ I thought, glaring at Gyu-hak. The sign came. Inside fastball, outside sinker, outside curve, outside fastball, all were shaken off.

Gyu-hak gave the sign again with a ‘could it be…’ look.

“Ball!”

The slider, which I aimed for a backdoor strike [a pitch that starts outside the plate and breaks back over it], didn’t break at all and flew like a fastball to the outside for a ball.

Thwack!

“…This is driving me crazy.”

The slider, which I expected to dive inside, just became a mistake right down the middle and went over the center-right fence. At this point, I got stubborn.

The number three hitter, Kim!! Gi!! Yuun!!!

As the stadium announcer shouted his name loudly, anticipating a consecutive home run, the crowd began to stir with Kim Gi-yoon’s entrance music. Busan Sajik Stadium, synonymous with cheering!

The cheering section, which was already noisy, became even more crowded as the team’s best hitter appeared.

Thwack!

And I didn’t betray their wishes.

“…Fucking hell.”

The slider I threw after getting ahead with two strikes.

Oh, it broke a little this time, I thought, but it was just my imagination.

No, it did break, but it was no match for Kim Gi-yoon, who seemed to be on a hot streak.

It’s not the first time I’ve been hit with consecutive home runs. How many times did I rationalize it during my scrub days, thinking, ‘I need to give the hitters some confidence!’

But I was different then than I am now.

Who do they think I am!

“Strike! Sliiide—augh!”

I gave up.

After that, no matter how much I shook my head, the slider sign didn’t come. Eventually, I declared a self-imposed slider ban and obediently followed Gyu-hak’s calls.

“Strike! Sliiide—augh!”

Then the results followed.

“Whoosh!”

I returned to the dugout, leaving behind the pitching mound that had lost even the shape of the word [meaning he was thoroughly defeated].

“…Gyu-hak.”

“Yes, hyung [an honorific term used to address an older brother or male friend].”

“Should I just seal away the slider?”

“Suddenly?”

“…How do you even throw a slider?”

Slider. A pitch that breaks sharply and falls after release.

I know. I know.

At this point, something similar to a Gestalt collapse came over me [a psychological phenomenon where the mind loses its ability to perceive the whole of something].

How do you throw it?

I sat still, staring at the ball, studying the slider. Gripping it this way and that way.

Do you break it like this? No, that’s not it.

I couldn’t come to my senses until Senior Shin Kyung-seok came to the mound in the bottom of the ninth and got all three hitters out on ground balls.

Only when all the teammates stood up and cheered was I able to awkwardly get up and pretend to be happy.