Peaceful Bullpen Life [EN]: Chapter 5

5. Observation

Observe Hyukjoon’s five fastballs.

In reality, this itself isn’t particularly difficult. How long does it take to watch five pitches?

If you roughly estimate 20 seconds per pitch, it’s 100 seconds, less than 2 minutes. Even including trivial things like applying rosin and listening to the coach for a moment, it shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes.

However, there are two reasons why achieving this mission is difficult in the current situation.

The first, as mentioned earlier, is that my catch partner is Lee Hyo-jae, the most senior pitcher on the team.

If it were any other teammate, I could just ask for their understanding and watch openly. Hey, even though I look like this, I’ve been in this baseball scene for almost 10 years. Wouldn’t that much be okay?

However, that doesn’t work with this person.

Professional.

This four-letter word is his life motto, and even now, nearing forty, he’s famous for maintaining a very regular life.

He wakes up at the same time every day, moves at the same time, eats at the same time, plays games at the same time, exercises at the same time, and finally, goes to sleep at the same time.

Tough life.

Doing the same thing for over 25 years—that isn’t really something a person should do. My respect grows immensely.

His performance is also good enough that it’s a shame he’s retiring at the end of this season, not quite A-class, but around B+.

Moreover, his personality is excellent, so it’s only natural that he’s a role model for all the juniors… but…….

“Hey!”

Oh, please.

Ding―

[Moving your body isn’t the only form of training]

– Observe Hwang Hyukjoon’s five fastballs, who possesses the best fastball in the country. (1/5)

– Reward ― Fastball +5

It wasn’t intentional, but thanks to spacing out for a moment, I’ve already completed one out of five. That means I have to do this four more times…….

And…….

Thwack!

“Was that a curveball?”

“How was it?”

“Did you even practice it?”

“Was it bad?”

It’s bullpen pitching, not fastball pitching.

Well, even so, that guy is a professional, so he must have a few breaking balls.

He only has one useful breaking ball, a slider, but that’s why he can practice throwing other breaking balls during times like these.

In other words? There’s no rule that he’ll only throw fastballs.

Damn it.

I was carefully watching and managed to see one more pitch, but it was a curveball he’d been practicing since last year.

Thwack!

Whack―

While lightly warming up my shoulder by throwing the ball back and forth with Hyo-jae, every time I heard a ‘thwack!’ I couldn’t show it, but it felt like my heart was collapsing inside.

“How many pitches have I thrown so far?”

“Roughly… 20?”

“19.”

“Ah, thanks.”

It’s not a real game. It’s not a match. It’s a light test. It’s like warming up.

He’ll probably only throw around 30 pitches at most before coming down. Since he likes throwing so much, if he throws a tantrum… no, if he begs, he might throw about 3 more.

“Hey.”

“…Yes? Ah, yes.”

Again, I was subtly looking at Hyukjoon and got caught by Hyo-jae. It would be better if he shouted, but it’s scarier when he calls me quietly like that. It feels like when you come home from school and your mom quietly calls you, ‘Han-wool, let’s talk for a moment.’

Only 2 points were added to my fastball stat, but the difference was definitely there. It wasn’t a dramatic difference, but it was enough to fill me with confidence.

But it’s 5. Although I failed, it’s a quest that appeared a few months after meeting him in the Sangsoo game at the end of last year.

The stat I raised during the Hawks game before that was 4, and fastball was 2 of them. In the pro scene, where even small nuances react greatly, stat 2 was big. But this is 5. That’s 2.5 times the big stat 2.

“Hey. What are you doing?”

“Yes?”

“Not focusing?”

“Ah, that…….”

“Don’t you want to play baseball? Are you sick somewhere?”

“No, I’m not.”

“Or are you unhappy with me?”

“No, I’m not.”

“Tell me. What’s the problem?”

“…….”

I need to complete the quest.

For a moment, those words filled my throat, but I forced them back down.

I slightly raised my head, which had been lowered, and looked into Hyo-jae’s eyes.

I should say he’s angry; his feelings are mostly displeasure right now, but there’s also a very slight hint of curiosity and concern.

Hmm…….

“Um… Senior.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you remember me at the end of last year?”

“When last year?”

“Um… around September, when we played the Hawks.”

“Why then?”

“Didn’t I get 3 strikeouts in 2 innings then?”

“Yeah.”

“Actually, I changed my form slightly then.”

“How?”

“Um… I tried to bring the release point a little further forward, and it worked well. My velocity was actually faster than usual, wasn’t it?”

“Hmm…….”

He doesn’t seem to remember well; his head is tilted. Please remember quickly.

Thwack!

“Nice ball!”

Hyukjoon is throwing the ball.

“Yeah. I think I remember.”

“Actually, I was referencing Hyukjoon’s form.”

“Hyukjoon’s?”

“Yes. So… I was planning to apply it more fully starting this season, but I couldn’t quite remember it, so that’s why. Sorry.”

“You can look at that later.”

“I’m in the second pitching group, aren’t I? I was going to try using it right away.”

Hmm…….

After thinking for a moment at my words, the senior said,

“Okay. Then instead of just playing catch, go watch Hyukjoon throw and keep referencing it. You’re not the type to warm up that much anyway.”

“Th-thank you!”

I love you, senior. You know, right? That I gave a lot of money as a wedding gift when you got married?

Inside, all sorts of nonsense continued, but I absolutely didn’t show it on the outside and quickly ran to Hyukjoon.

“What is it?”

“Ah, I came to watch Hyukjoon’s pitching for a bit.”

“Why?”

Thwack―!

Ding―

[Moving your body isn’t the only form of training]

– Observe Hwang Hyukjoon’s five fastballs, who possesses the best fastball in the country. (2/5)

– Reward ― Fastball +5

“Do you remember back then, last year? When I said something about the release point?”

“Yeah.”

“Actually, I was referencing Hyukjoon a bit.”

“Well… okay. Are you warmed up? You’re up next.”

“Ah, of course.”

Thwack―!

Ding―

[Moving your body isn’t the only form of training]

– Observe Hwang Hyukjoon’s five fastballs, who possesses the best fastball in the country. (3/5)

– Reward ― Fastball +5

I rotated my shoulder back and forth, signaling that I was fully prepared. Like this, while talking with the coach, I watched two more fastballs, leaving only two quests left.

By the way, how many has he thrown?

This time, instead of a fastball, I used the sign I usually send, tilting my gloved hand downwards. A sign that I’m going to throw a curveball.

Thwack!

Is it just my imagination, or does the curveball feel faster than my fastball?

“No. You keep unconsciously bending your wrist. I told you not to bend it, right? Because you don’t get any spin, and because you don’t get any spin, the ball floats, and because it floats, it doesn’t break. It just hangs there.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Try one more.”

Again, a curveball sign.

Thwack!

“No, no. Try it like this. Just throw it with your wrist bent from the start. From the beginning. Like that.”

“Yes.”

He keeps twisting his wrist during the release, so the spin isn’t working properly and it’s floating.

So, as a last resort, the coach had him enter the set position with his wrist bent in the curveball grip so he couldn’t twist it.

“Maintain it. The angle of your wrist.”

“Yes!”

Thwack!

“That’s it!”

Only then does a bit of a curveball-like change appear.

“Try one more.”

“Yes!”

A fastball exceeding the mid-150km/h range [approximately 93 mph], and as a second pitch, a sharply breaking slider.

Hyukjoon’s physique is so overwhelming that he can overpower batters even without perfect control.

However, as he gains more experience, he’s being analyzed, and as a result, he’s slowly starting to get hit, so he must have felt the need for a third pitch.

If he practices a curveball for pace control, away from just fastballs and sliders, and properly equips himself with it, Hyukjoon will truly become the perfect ace for our team.

Thwack―!

“That’s it. Now throw a fastball.”

“Yes.”

That’s it!

Wham―!

Ding―

[Moving your body isn’t the only form of training]

– Observe Hwang Hyukjoon’s five fastballs, who possesses the best fastball in the country. (4/5)

– Reward ― Fastball +5

“As you can tell from throwing it, the wrist angle is completely different from a fastball. Throw a lot of curveballs during catch practice later too. That way you won’t lose the feel for it. I’m saying it again, but the curveball is the most difficult pitch.”

“Yes, thank you.”

These words from Coach Shin Young-joon, who had an amazing curveball during his active career, even though his overall performance was just okay, are nothing short of the truth.

“Okay, go down now.”

What?

“Ah, Coach, can’t I throw a few more?”

Yes, yes!

“There’s no time. We need to move quickly. We’re way behind schedule.”

What?!

“Just… three more.”

“I said no.”

“Aaaang, Cooach~”

The sight of the monstrously built yet adorably cute guy acting cute was quite endearing. With that cuteness, Coach, please just one more…….

“…Just one.”

“Yes!”

As soon as permission was granted, he smiled happily, stepped on the plate, and pulled his right foot back. And signaled for a curveball to the catcher… what?!

Thwack!

“Good. Don’t lose the feel for it.”

“Yes!”

What?!

Hyukjoon even took off his glove, said he had a hard time to Gyuhak, and finished preparing to come down from the mound.

“Hey, hey!”

No!

“Yes?”

“…Haa, just one. Can’t I throw just one more fastball?”

“Suddenly?”

“Yeah. Just one.”

“Um… that…….”

He himself seemed to regret his pitching; his gaze went to the mound, but the coach was there.

“Coach!”

“Come quickly. Hyukjoon, what are you doing there?”

“Um, can I watch Hyukjoon throw one more fastball?”

“What?”

If it’s Shin Young-joon, who’s famous for being strict, that’s obviously nonsense.

“That thing I mentioned earlier!”

If I go any further here, the coach might get angry, but the answer is to just push through.

“What? The release point?”

“Yes. There are still some ambiguous parts.”

“Watch the video. With the video.”

“I’m up right after this. Where am I going to find the time to check the video?”

“Then throw in the third group. Watch it in the meantime.”

Such logic.

“B-but!”

“But what.”

“The video is different from seeing it right in front of you. Right? You know that best, Coach?”

“…….”

He has an expression that wouldn’t be strange if he swore.

“Ah, I’m okay.”

“I don’t need a fastball, even if it’s just light. I think I’ll get a clue.”

“…Hyukjoon, come up here.”

“Yes, sir!”

This guy must have been regretting it too. He didn’t even think about putting on his glove and went straight to the mound to receive the ball from the coach. He forced the bewildered Gyuhak to sit down and immediately went into a windup stance.

There’s nothing special about his windup. Unlike me, who faces the catcher and pulls my foot back, he faces first base and pulls his right foot back slightly, only about a foot. Not even that high, just up to his waistline. After his pelvis slowly moves…….

Thwack!

The ball is planted like this. It’s amazing. How does that kind of power come from that simple form?

“Are you done?”

“Ah, yes!”

Thanks to that,

Tada―

Quest completed!

[Moving your body isn’t the only form of training]

– Observe Hwang Hyukjoon’s five fastballs, who possesses the best fastball in the country. (5/5)

– Reward ― Fastball +5

“Stats.”

I summoned the stat window small.

Ding―

[Player Stats]

Control ― Top Tier

Power ― Bottom Tier

Stamina ― Low

Fastball ― 27+5=32

Curveball ― 31

Slider ― 19

Splitter ― 23

Changeup ― 29

Sinker ― 25

Trait ― Detachment

Now the fastball has become the pitch with the highest stat. It’s still a terrible stat, but at least.

“Hyukjoon.”

“Yes?”

“Thanks. You know your brother really, uh? Loves you, right? Uh?”

“What are you talking about. I’m more grateful.”

You little…….

The guy smiled brightly and left the bullpen, and I stepped into Hyukjoon’s place.

“Second group! Move it!”

Whether it was a coincidence or not, Senior Hyo-jae ended up using the mound right next to me.

“So, did you get a clue?”

“Yes. Of course.”

“Pulling the release point forward is good, but it’s not always good just because it’s forward. It’s balance, balance. If you pull it forward without thinking, your control will be ruined. You have good control, though.”

“Ah, of course.”

The expression ‘you have control’ is a bit unsettling, but it doesn’t matter.

“Gyuhak, fastball!”

“Yes, fastball!”

I said the pitch with words, but old habits die hard, I naturally gave the hand signal with my gloved left hand as well.

Looking at the catcher, I brought both hands together in front of my chest. My left foot stepped back, and the view of Gyuhak and the position of my hands intersected.

After a slight waist movement, my left knee moved towards my chest, and my hands and view intersected once again.

With my pelvis alive, my right leg bent slightly, and my left hip quickly moved forward towards the catcher.

My hands, which had been reluctant to separate, slowly began to separate, and both of my shoulder blades gathered narrowly.

By the time the power position was completed, my left foot had touched the ground, and only then did my pelvis begin to rotate.

Only after my pelvis opened slightly did my stuffy shoulder line begin to move, and the powerful forward momentum was braked as my left knee straightened.

The strong inertia and the rotational force of my whole body created by the brake eventually made me feel as if the tiny blood vessels at my fingertips were bursting, and the ball was shot out.

Bang!

“Oh! Nice ball, hyung [older brother/senior]!”

Before the follow-through was even finished, I looked at my fastball stuck in the mitt and was certain.

That’s it.