Peaceful Bullpen Life [EN]: Chapter 48

“What’s that?”

“What do you think?”

What came out of the bag wasn’t the usual glove I used.

That glove, which had faded from a glossy red to a dull crimson.

Not anymore. A black glove, gleaming with the sheen of cowhide, popped out. The excitement of something brand new is always beautiful.

Could I dare use such a work of art? That long deliberation crumbled with the one extra word: ‘Sponsored.’

“I got sponsored.”

“Wow. Kim Han-wool, you’ve made it.”

“So, let’s play catch.”

It needs to be broken in.

It’s been about a week since I received this glove. Every day, I came home and fiddled with it for about 10 minutes.

Slapping the thumb side, slapping the pinky side, slapping the index finger side, rolling up the palm side and slapping it again, just like the breaking-in method I learned from the production manager.

Thanks to that, the stiffness I felt as soon as I received it had mostly disappeared.

I liked the rough feel unique to American-made gloves.

Bang!

“Throw it gently, hyung [older brother or male friend]. You’re scaring me.”

“I need to throw it like this to break it in.”

Bang!

“I’m not a catcher, you know!”

“Shut up.”

The small space inside the glove, called the pocket.

Receiving the ball in this space is advantageous for the next play, and from the thrower’s perspective, it makes a satisfying ‘pop!’ sound.

If you can’t do that…

Slap!

“Wah!”

This is what happens.

A new glove with not a speck of dust on it, I should cherish it!

That resolution crumbled in the face of the pain that tingled through my palm.

I threw it off as if discarding it and quickly rubbed my palm. The tingling was felt simultaneously in my palm and my eyeballs.

Hyung Gyu-jin was grinning, happy about something.

As the tingling subsided, I soon put the glove back on. And the catch continued.

Bang!

I’m glad it’s a 211 pattern [refers to the glove’s web design]. If it were 1111, my index finger wouldn’t have survived.

Since the focus is more on throwing than receiving, my ability to catch the ball properly is admittedly lacking.

Because of this, Hyung Gyu-jin’s heavy fastball occasionally delivered a rough body check to my palm.

Son of a B[itch].

So, I came up with a countermeasure.

Thwack!

“Hey, you’re not catching it with the web, are you?”

“N, no way……”

“Come on, Kim Han-wool has his pride. No way he’d catch it with the web just because it hurts a little, right?”

“……”

Son of a B[itch], I got caught.

Catching the ball with the web part between the thumb and index finger, on the opposite side of the palm from the pocket.

I changed my mind not because of Hyung Gyu-jin’s criticism, no really, but for the sake of glove maintenance.

If I only catch the ball with the web, the strings in this area will continue to be impacted, and it will develop an unsightly shape.

For a combination of reasons, I tried to catch it with the pocket. Let’s just think of it as practice for fielding comebackers [a batted ball hit sharply back to the pitcher].

Slap!

“Son of a B[itch]!”

* * *

4th place, Gaya Perfectors, 5th place, Wonha Challengers. The game difference is three games. And the games to follow are also three games. If we sweep, we’ll be tied for 4th this time.

The concept for this season is ‘tied’.

I was running that happy circuit. The first button was buttoned to some extent.

Hyung Gyu-jin struck out 14 in 7 innings with overwhelming stuff, shutting them out. It feels like he’s solidifying his position as the league’s strikeout leader.

In 13 games started, he threw 76 and 1/3 innings and recorded a whopping 81 strikeouts.

Hyuk-joon, who pitched on Sunday, is chasing him by two, and Hyun-jin of Dongseong is chasing him by another two.

It seems like Gyu-jin hyung, not me, had an awakening.

I approached Gyu-jin hyung, who threw 117 pitches, finished 7 innings, and was coming down. High five. Afterward, I caught a glimpse of him going to the locker to change into an icing tee [a compression shirt designed to aid recovery].

Is he not going up today?

Even though the 7th inning was over, there was no particular call. I turned my head to the bullpen, wondering if another pitcher was going up, and I saw Senior Choi Eun-gu.

Ah, I see.

He rested for 3 days, so it’s possible for him to go up.

However, it wasn’t Senior Choi Eun-gu who went up after shutting them out, but Ji-ho.

“Huh.”

Today’s opponent was Yoon Seok-ho, the first starter of the Gaya Perfectors. No matter how good our team’s hitting is, it would be difficult to stop the first starter.

Or, to put it another way, no matter how good the hitting lineup is, a first starter is still a first starter.

While taking a few bullets from the rifle squad [facing a barrage of hits], he threw 7 innings like Gyu-jin hyung, minimizing the runs allowed to 2.

Yeah, 2 to 0. Only a two-run difference, why Ji-ho here?

I was doubtful, but I watched helplessly because it was the manager’s decision.

The maximum velocity is a relatively ordinary 144km [kilometers per hour]. On average, it’s in the early 140km range. The breaking balls are one slow curve and one ambiguous slider.

Just a typical first-year high school graduate pitcher who joined the pros.

Ah, slider.

For a moment, I thought of my slider. I should throw it in the bullpen later.

While I was distracted, Ji-ho finished his practice pitches, and Choi Jae-won, the 3rd batter, came up to bat.

Gaya’s strength and weakness is… what should I say… a very average mid-tier team? They have a decent first starter, a decent closer, and a decent core lineup, but that’s all.

The fact that a team with only that maintains at least a mid-tier ranking every year means that the key members are pretty solid. That starts with Choi Jae-won now.

He’s not scared, is he? Show me your spirit, Ji-ho. You’re good at that.

I leaned my arm on the dugout railing and watched the batter, not Ji-ho. Batter, look at me. Feel some discomfort.

Looking at the scoreboard, it’s 144km. It seems like a fastball, but it started with an easy ball one as it plunged into the ground.

Ji-ho’s face froze after throwing just one ball. Thinking that the next ball would probably be a fastball too, I watched Ji-ho’s pitching form.

The ball left his fingertips and flew toward home plate, hitting slightly behind the ideal hitting point.

I thought it would be a foul and stared blankly, but the ball gradually, quickly filled my vision.

“Wowsers!”

Thank you, survival instinct.

Whump!

I ducked my head, wanting to live, and felt a chill on the back of my head. When I turned around, the tempered glass inside the dugout was broken. If I had taken that to the face, I probably wouldn’t be in this world anymore.

“Hey, focus. You’ll die if you don’t.”

Hyung Gyu-jin, who had finished icing, appeared in clothes that looked several times bigger than his small frame. He put his arm back on the railing as if to show off, placing the tiny hyung next to him.

The batter hit the ball forward without betraying my expectations. The only complaint is that he dropped it right in front of the center fielder.

“I bet your win is going to fly away, hyung.”

“Son of a B[itch].”

Hyung Gyu-jin responded to the sincere curse with high praise. I grinned and watched the start of Lee Won-woong’s at-bat.

Now it’s a right-handed batter, so the foul ball won’t come this way again, I thought, relieved, and leaned my body forward a little more.

I felt like this would convey my feelings to Ji-ho a little more.

“Ball, base on balls!”

Oh, come on.

He sent out a runner with just four pitches with economical pitching.

As soon as it started, with a hit and a walk, the tying runner went out in an instant, and Gyu-hak called a timeout.

“I bet your win is going to be broken.”

“I bet that first. Let’s bet on the opposite side, teacher.”

“…How much.”

“100,000 won [Korean currency]?”

“Call. You traitor.”

“I’ve always dreamed of giving hyung 100,000 won.”

“Bullshit.”

To have my defeat wished for so earnestly.

I saw Gyu-hak talking to Ji-ho and returning to home.

I wondered what Gyu-hak said when he went up there. I suddenly wondered what Gyu-hak would say to the other pitchers when he called a timeout and went up.

“Hyung.”

“What.”

“What does Gyu-hak say when he cuts in and goes up?”

“He doesn’t say much.”

“What does he say?”

“He asks if we’re going to eat after it’s over, or if we should eat chicken.”

Useless things…….

“Then what would he have said to Ji-ho just now?”

“Wouldn’t he have said let’s eat spicy pork stir-fry?”

“Are you out of your mind.”

“Right.”

I wonder if Ji-ho doesn’t like spicy pork stir-fry very much.

The next two pitches after Gyu-hak cut in were balls again.

Another bouncing fastball, and a slider that doesn’t fall from the high zone.

“Hey, Ji-hoooo!! Hyung also likes spicy octopus stir-fryyy!!”

I put my hands to my mouth and shouted loudly. Ji-ho widened his eyes and made eye contact with me when he suddenly heard a voice pointing him out in the dugout.

He blinked his eyes like that for a moment, then laughed, and stepped on the plate again.

“Han-wool.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I think you’re really crazy.”

“Ah, thank you for the high praise.”

It seems that Ji-ho likes spicy octopus stir-fry more than spicy pork stir-fry.

Strike!

Strike, two!

Immediately after catching two counts,

Clang!

“Three, three!”

“Right to 1st base!”

“First!”

He threw a slider that went out and stopped.

Bae Jun-ho, who made ambiguous contact, sent the batted ball toward 3rd base. Thanks to the fact that it was slightly attached to the line, Hyung Seong-hoon only had to come out one step, catch the ball, and throw it calmly to 1st base.

Even though the runner remained on 2nd base, this alone is very significant considering the speed of the runners who started.

Thwack—

Although he gave up a timely hit to the next batter, resulting in a one-run loss and changing the score to a one-point difference, the next batter was caught by Myung-jin again, who tossed it to 2nd base, and all three outs were recorded.

“Prepare 200,000 won.”

“Please just take it.”

I ran out to Ji-ho, who was coming down after finishing the inning. I patted him on the back and encouraged him. After high-fiving the other teammates, Ji-ho came to me again.

“Senior, do you happen to like spicy octopus stir-fry?”

“Huh?”

I really didn’t expect him to say spicy octopus stir-fry.

“No, Gyu-jin hyung said you don’t seem to like spicy pork stir-fry very much.”

In a word, it was just nonsense.

“Why? Should I buy you spicy octopus stir-fry? Isn’t there a delicious spicy octopus stir-fry place in Daegu?”

“Ah, no. I suddenly felt energized seeing you, senior.”

“Ugh, son of a B[itch]. Don’t say cheesy things, please.”

Even though I made a disgusted expression, Ji-ho smiled faintly and greeted me.

The top of the 9th inning started with Seong-hyun at number 2, but they didn’t score any additional points. And this time, Senior Choi Eun-gu, not the original closer, was seen heading to the mound.

Senior Choi Eun-gu here?

What big picture is the manager drawing?

“Senior!”

“Huh?”

He stopped walking when I called out to him.

“Would you like to go eat spicy octopus stir-fry later? I’m planning to go with Ji-ho. And Hyung Gyu-jin here.”

“Uh……”

It was a random nonsense, but Senior Choi Eun-gu nodded.

“Okay. If we win, I’ll buy.”

“No, he’s going to buy it.”

“Ah, hyung. The senior is buying, are you going to talk nonsense.”

“Shut up.”

Senior Choi Eun-gu, who was watching the tiki-taka [close passing or skillful maneuvering] between the shortest and tallest members of the team, smiled faintly and headed back to the mound. He lightly touched the rosin and watched him practice pitching.

Not too much, just up to the waistline, and then slowly going down on his knees. His butt is facing the catcher, and his hands are just splitting apart, and soon they’re just looking at the same place,

156km.

“Hyung.”

“What.”

“What’s your maximum velocity, hyung?”

“55.”

“Son of a B[itch]. The world is unfair.”

“Want to die?”

“Why.”

“How tall are you?”

“……”

Sorry.

I shut my mouth because I thought he would jump up and hit the back of my head if I provoked him any further.

If there’s tofu behind you… back of the head… hehe…….

“Argh! Lee Myung-jin, you son of a bitch!”

Myung-jin was bewildered when he heard his name being called as Gyu-hak was receiving his long pack from 2nd base, but he soon started rounding.

“Why?”

“He’s a very bad guy.”

Is he crazy?

I muttered to myself and ignored him.

Play!

One point difference, Senior Choi Eun-gu, who was not the usual setup and was appearing as the closer after a long time, didn’t seem to be awkward in his old clothes.

His unique unstable control remained,

“Swing, out!”

He sent the first batter back with a swing strikeout,

“Swing, out!”

He also sent the next batter back with a swing strikeout.

The next batter was only competing with fastballs and reached a full count. On the 9th pitch, he aimed for a swing and miss with a slider that fell downward, but failed.

The opponent naturally sent out a pinch runner. Soon, Gyu-hak glanced at him and touched every corner of his body with his right hand.

Interpreted, it just means the pitcher only looks at home and the infield only looks at 1st base. Don’t worry about the runner. Good judgment.

“Strike!”

156km. It came out again.

“Isn’t Senior Choi Eun-gu exceeding his maximum velocity today? Does the Daegu stadium have a good velocity reading?”

“Haven’t you pitched in Daegu before?”

“……”

Thanks to that, I knew the neutrality of the Daegu stadium’s speed gun well.

“Swing!”

A swing came out on the slider that fell low, aiming for the fastball.

The runner, who didn’t care much, didn’t miss the immediate opportunity and headed to 2nd base, but as the pitcher did, the catcher didn’t throw to 2nd base at all.

Seong-moon, who was covering 2nd base, stopped going. Judging by Senior Choi Eun-gu’s stuff today, it seems like he can keep doing that.

“Fastball?”

“I’m on slider.”

“100,000 won call?”

“You know it’s 200,000 won if you lose, right?”

“…Ah.”

1-2. The runner is on 2nd base, but there’s no reason to worry about it.

Senior Choi Eun-gu made the situation up to this point and couldn’t throw the ball easily.

He took his foot out once, and then again.

After taking his foot out twice and entering the set position, Senior Eun-gu was looking at an ambiguous place, not home, not the front, and not the 2nd base runner.

Me.

Me?

After making eye contact with me, he nodded his head slightly once. After that, his left leg was lifted, and the ball quickly headed to the catcher.

Tap―

“Swing, swing!”

Slider! Not out!

Of course, the batter, who couldn’t give up like this, threw his bat far away and sprinted to 1st base, but thanks to the clean blocking, Gyu-hak was able to throw the ball to 1st base comfortably.

That’s how the game ended.

“Oh my, we won.”

“Win, congrats.”

I congratulated him with indifferent applause, but the person who received the congratulations demanded cash.

“Hey. 200,000 won.”

Ah, son of a B[itch].