Peaceful Bullpen Life [EN]: Chapter 71

71. The Mob

In a multi-game series, the importance of winning the first game cannot be overstated. It simply cannot be.

In that sense, our team was heading into the second game with a great deal of significance.

“Wow! What’s the percentage of teams that win the first game and then go on to win the Korean Series? Wow!”

“One to two.”

“No way.”

Hyung-gyu Jin pitched well for 6 innings without allowing a run. Eun-gu allowed two walks, but ultimately, no one made it home.

Ding―!

[Ventilation]

– Pitch 1 inning without allowing a run. (1/1)

– Reward ― All pitches +1

Control ― Top

Power ― Medium

Stamina ― Medium

Four-seam fastball ― 61+1=62

Curveball ― 54+1=55

Slider ― 42+1=43

Splitter ― 43+1=44

Changeup ― 50+1=51

Sinker ― 48+1=49

Traits

Detachment ― I take any batted ball or situation in stride.

Discomfort ― Makes the batter feel uneasy when they look at the pitcher from the plate.

Comfort ― Those who watch me feel at ease.

Even when I cleanly handled three batters in the 8th inning, maintaining a one-point lead.

Thwack―!!

“Whoaaaaaa!!

It’s gone! It’s gone!!”

But who would have guessed that Kyung-seok would give up a walk-off two-run homer there?

The playoff score eventually became tied. A somewhat anticlimactic away series of two games compared to winning the first game.

After a solid day of rest, we returned to our home stadium and prepared for the third game.

The difference between the semi-playoffs and the playoffs. The difference between having the word ‘semi’ attached or not was like heaven and earth to those involved. For players, coaches, and fans, the stakes were much higher.

It was very unfamiliar to us, who had experienced the beginning of the finals, the semi-playoffs, last year and this year. We were still adjusting to the increased pressure and intensity.

The cheers of the fans. The pressure of the in-game.

Unlike our team, which had a strong impression of having come up by chance, Dongseong was already familiar with this environment. They were seasoned veterans of high-stakes games.

Steadily, do what you can do now. They were showing the motto I had to fulfill. Focus on the present and execute.

2 to 2. And the top of the 8th inning.

Ding―!

[Real Hold]

– Pitch 1 inning without allowing a run. (0/1)

– Reward ― All pitches +1

I had a day off yesterday, but from the game track’s perspective, it was three consecutive appearances. My arm felt it.

Holding the ball in my right hand, I readjusted my hat. If I can stop them here, they won’t score at least one point, right?

Ju-ho was visible as I shifted my gaze, which had been idly resting on the text hanging in one corner of Dongseong’s dugout. I tried to read their strategy.

It was the aftermath of the ultra-aggressive move to put in a pinch hitter instead of Gyu-hak in the bottom of the 7th. A bold move that could have backfired.

Hmm.

Kim Seok-ho, the ninth batter, was ready to hit in the left batter’s box. Today, Kim Seok-ho recorded a strikeout and a hit in the previous two at-bats. He was unpredictable.

The difficult thing about being a relief pitcher. It’s that I don’t have ‘today’s’ information about the batter I’m facing right now. I’m coming in cold.

I just have to rely on the hints the catcher got and the records that are already saved. Data and intuition.

Sometimes, the previous pitcher who faced them first would casually tell me how they seemed today. A quick scouting report.

Play!

I heard the play call just as I was about to take my eyes off the scoreboard, which I had been looking at while fiddling with the rosin bag. Time to lock in.

Focus, focus. Let’s follow Ju-ho for now. Trust my catcher.

His eyes scanned to his right, and then his index finger flicked once. A fastball inside?

Bang!

“Strike―!”

The ninth batter, considered the second first batter. A dangerous spot in the lineup.

Especially if he appeared as the lead-off hitter, he wouldn’t swing easily unless it was a major mistake, so I guess he started with an outside fastball. Trying to get ahead in the count.

So, what’s next?

Simplicity. That’s what I noticed about Ju-ho’s calling.

That’s what it was like watching Ju-ho’s ball distribution. Predictable, but effective.

Fastball, fastball, breaking ball.

Breaking ball, breaking ball, fastball.

It wasn’t much different this time either. Sticking to the basics.

Thwack!

“Foul!”

Kim Seok-ho, who had pushed the fastball that went into the same location and started towards first base, picked up the bat that was lying on the plate again. He was battling.

He lightly brushed off the dirt on the grip and got back into position. Resetting.

Thumb and index finger. A curveball coming?

A very classic ball distribution. Will Kim Seok-ho fall for it? Will he bite?

Bang!

“Ball―”

It was a changeup that ran outside, but Kim Seok-ho didn’t even react. He laid off it. Good eye.

After a foul on the sinker once more, he watched the splitter and slider go by without any reaction. He was patient.

This won’t do. I need to mix it up.

The urgency made my index and middle fingers fidget with the brim of my hat. Feeling the pressure.

Thwack―!

“First, first!”

There’s no point in trying to take it out. Just get the out.

The changeup, which I put into the zone, was pulled strongly and rolled towards the second baseman at a high speed. A hard-hit grounder.

The bounce at the end hit Seong-moon’s stomach and bounced out, but the batted ball itself was fast enough to make the out. Close play.

I stared at the scoreboard while the infielders were rounding. One out, runner on first.

First batter, Choi Yong-hwan. A tough out.

Damn it.

In some ways, he’s a more annoying batter to face than Woo-seok. He’s a grinder.

“Swing―”

I had a strong desire to start by catching the count with a fastball again, but he responded with a clumsy swing. An awkward hack.

Why is he doing that? What’s wrong with his swing?

If you really want to nitpick, Choi Yong-hwan is a player who could be picked for the national team. But his swing is somehow strange. Off-balance.

Is he sick somewhere? Is he injured?

On the way back to the mound after receiving the ball, I shifted my gaze to the scoreboard again to check. Looking for any clues.

Choi Yong-hwan’s record for today in one corner of the scoreboard. Three strikeouts. A rough day.

It’s just not his day. He’s struggling.

There are days like that. Days when you can’t see the ball at all. Today is one of those days for Choi Yong-hwan. A slump.

A day when you can’t even see the 135km [approximately 84 mph] ball coming in, begging you to hit it. He’s lost at the plate.

“Swing―”

But I can’t really throw it right down the middle, so I threw the same outside ball as before. Likewise, a clumsy swing. Another weak attempt.

Okay. He’s guessing.

Low-falling forkball, running slider, falling changeup. Breaking balls.

Why are all the balls like this? Why is Ju-ho calling so many breaking balls?

Frustrated, I gave the sign myself. He blinked blankly and the sign came back. He seemed confused.

“Strike―!!”

It’s over if you throw a clean fastball inside. Don’t give him anything to hit.

The era when it was customary to throw a breaking ball after getting two strikes is over. The old ways are outdated.

How long will a young guy like you be stuck in old-fashioned ball distribution? He’s too predictable.

I thought you’d gotten a little better, but you still have a lot to learn, Ju-ho. Room for improvement.

The second batter appeared right away. No time to dwell.

The first sign was a slider. I shook my head. Not feeling it.

A sinker sign came out. I shook my head. Nope.

A fastball sign came out. I shook my head. No way.

Uh…

Another slider sign came out. In a different location than the first sign. Inside this time?

However, seeing that there was a bit of a gap between the third sign, I have a strong feeling that he just showed anything. He’s lost.

A slider wouldn’t be bad either… Maybe I should trust him.

In the end, my little finger had to move here and there. Changing the sign.

Still, I’m a pitcher with six pitches, so let’s use them a bit. Show them what I’ve got.

“Strike―!”

What I wanted to throw was a curveball. A surprise pitch.

The large vertical drop with almost no horizontal movement broke the batter’s will to hit from the start of the pitch. It froze him.

Uh!

By the time he made that sound, the timing was already ruined. It’s better not to hit it unless you were aiming for it. He was completely fooled.

Now… and. A high fastball sign came out. Test his reflexes.

Was this sign a fluke, or was it a sign that Ju-ho had really thought it through? Was he finally reading the situation?

Whoosh―

“Swing―”

I was thinking of asking him about it later, but it quickly disappeared. No time for questions now.

He was asking for the same ball as before, a high fastball. Doubling down.

It was a fluke. He’s just guessing.

I shook my head and a splitter sign came out. Well, as long as it wasn’t a fastball or a sinker, the chances of getting it right would be high. Playing the odds.

I put my hands behind my head and thought for a moment. Trusting my gut.

Can he block it? Can Ju-ho handle it if it gets past him?

But I didn’t really loosen my grip. Committing to the pitch.

He’ll figure it out! He’ll make the play!

Whoosh―!

First of all, I saw the bat cutting through the air. A swing and a miss. Only then did my eyes fall down. Following the ball.

The ball stuck behind home plate, slightly catching Ju-ho’s mitt. A passed ball.

As soon as he confirmed the dropped third strike, Jo Hee-jin quickly ran to first base. Ju-ho also quickly took off his mask and quickly checked the location of the ball. Panic mode.

“Underneath, underneath!!”

I pointed to the ball between Ju-ho’s legs with my finger and ran. Urging him to find it.

“Underneath!!”

After looking around for a while, he grabbed the ball and threw it to first base. A rushed throw.

“Out!”

Wow. Barely.

My heart momentarily turned cold at the thought that it would have been safe if he had done that fumbling thing just one more time. A close call.

Ding―!

[Real Hold]

– Pitch 1 inning without allowing a run. (1/1)

– Reward ― All pitches +1

Control ― Top

Power ― Medium

Stamina ― Medium

Four-seam fastball ― 62+1=63

Curveball ― 55+1=56

Slider ― 43+1=44

Splitter ― 44+1=45

Changeup ― 51+1=52

Sinker ― 49+1=50

Traits

Detachment ― I take any batted ball or situation in stride.

Discomfort ― Makes the batter feel uneasy when they look at the pitcher from the plate.

Comfort ― Those who watch me feel at ease.

Even after completing the quest and confirming that all my pitches’ stats had increased by one thanks to it, I wasn’t happy. The victory felt hollow.

I collapsed onto the bullpen chair, completely relaxed. Exhausted.

I feel like I’m going crazy. The pressure is immense.

That’s exactly how I feel right now. Overwhelmed.

“Han-wool.”

“Yes?”

I wonder if he’s going to praise me for doing well. Acknowledgment.

“Are you okay with the 9th inning?”

“…Yes?”

No way. Not again.

“Well, I’m thinking, if we score in the 8th, I’ll put Kyung-seok up, and if we don’t, I’ll put you up.” Contingency plan.

“Ah……”

Thanks to blocking the top of the 8th, we were maintaining a 2-2 balance. A tie game.

If it were the regular season, we could put up another pitcher, but this is clearly the playoff stage. Every game is crucial.

If there’s a chance to win the game right now, we have to pour everything into it. All hands on deck.

How many points can we score in the bottom of the 8th? Can our offense deliver?

“…Yes. I’ll do that.” I’ll be ready.

“Thank you.”

I decided to believe in the uncertain promise. The batting order is attacking from number 3. I can believe it, right? Hopeful.

“…Let’s go, guys.” Cheering on my teammates.

Hehe, no way. Sarcasm.

How could all three of them strike out and come back? I headed back to the mound, laughing at the absurdity. Trying to stay loose.

I’m going through all this trouble, wouldn’t a quest come out one more time? But no, there was nothing. No bonus this time.

“Out!”

The text that didn’t pop up even though I cleanly blocked the top of the 9th with three batters again made me feel empty for no reason. Disappointed.

But an even more devastating moment was waiting. A cruel twist of fate.

“Oh my……”

Senior Shin Kyung-seok, who came to the mound in the 10th inning for a similar reason to my 9th inning appearance. Relieving me.

He caught two outs well, but then Ki-sung made an error. The wheels started to come off.

After that,

Thwack―!!

Kim Seok-ho’s two-run home run, which greatly tilted the balance of the game towards Dongseong. A crushing blow.

And so, as it was, in the bottom of the 10th inning of extra innings, we couldn’t even put up a fight and had to go home for real. Defeated.

* * *

There’s a day of rest in between, but it’s been three consecutive appearances on the record. And yesterday was even multiple innings. The toll on my body.

My shoulder is a bit stiff. Sore and tired.

After getting a hard massage from the trainer, taking painkillers, and pulling on the tubing a lot, I started to move like a human again. Trying to recover.

A game where elimination is the end. Win or go home.

We have to push ourselves even harder than yesterday, when we had to go into extra innings. We have to win first, and then promise tomorrow. One game at a time.

This was the only stance we could take right now. Our only option.

But the weight of today’s starter is a bit low. Uncertainty.

Taewoong, who is closer to the fourth starter than the fourth ace. Not our strongest pitcher.

It’s harder to calculate than the three who pitched in the previous three days. A gamble.

So, the manager’s strategy was to sell Taewoong and Jiho together as a 1+1 starter strategy. A combined effort.

If these two can block about 7 innings, the lineup will score points, and then the two seniors will block it, or something like that. A hopeful scenario.

They’ll block it, they’ll hit it, they’ll catch it, they’ll take care of it. Wishful thinking.

I know that these words are the extreme of irresponsible remarks, like the ‘me’ I know, but today I understand that there’s really nothing I can do. Feeling helpless.

Really, there’s nothing I can do. Out of my control.

Play!

Taewoong was pitching better than I thought. He allowed six walks in 4 innings, but the one point he allowed was a solo home run by Kim Seok-ho that suddenly exploded. A lucky hit.

It’s his second consecutive home run following yesterday. He’s on a hot streak.

I said that Taewoong allowed six walks in 4 innings, but to be a little more precise, it’s three. Splitting the blame.

So what about the other three?

Right now, three runners are surrounding Jiho, each stepping on a base. A bases-loaded situation.

The person responsible for creating this mess is the one who came up in the 5th and walked all three batters before being taken down and is now bowing his head pitifully next to me. Feeling guilty.

I have to trust Jiho. Hope he can get out of this jam.

I leaned against the railing of the bullpen and continued to watch Jiho’s pitching. Jiho’s overall record is 1 earned run in 2 innings. A decent performance.

However, considering that he brought in all three runners that Taewoong had sent out, it becomes an ambiguous record. Hard to judge.

When the top of the 6th inning ended, these two had allowed a total of four runs. Trailing by four.

Our team, which had scored three points earlier, followed up with another point in the bottom of the 6th inning, tying the score. Back in the game.

Ah, nice ball!!

Eun-gu is good! He’s dealing!

Argh, Seong-hoon is nice!! Great play!

In the top of the 7th, Senior Eun-gu came up and struck out all three batters. A dominant inning. It seems like he’s having a good day today. In the zone.

In the top of the 8th, Senior Eun-gu also blocked three batters well, including one walk. Solid performance.

In the top of the 9th, Senior Kyung-seok went up and allowed one hit, but blocked three with one double play. Clutch play.

And in the bottom of the 9th, our team’s lineup didn’t score a single point, but the game wasn’t over. Heading to extra innings.

In the top of the 10th inning of extra innings. Senior Kyung-seok was heading to the mound again. Back for more.

“Ah, Senior, fighting, let’s go!!”

As a junior, I was pouring out my energy, Encouraging him.

“Han-wool.”

“Yes?”

The pitching coach came to me. Bad news.

“…I’m sorry.”

If you’re sorry, you don’t have to say anything. I knew it was coming.

“If we don’t score during the attack, I’d like you to go up in the 11th.”