Peaceful Bullpen Life [EN]: Chapter 82

The Wonha Challengers were a truly fascinating team to observe.

How could they win so little with this lineup?

How could they win so much with this lineup?

It was a team that prompted two contradictory questions simultaneously.

The former was praise for the starting members, and the latter was criticism for the backup members.

But even with the criticism, the praised starting lineup continued to achieve good results.

After about 65 games in the 2019 season, Wonha had a record of 38 wins, 1 draw, and 26 losses, a team win rate of nearly 60%.

When was the last time they recorded such a high win rate, not just weekly or monthly, but throughout an entire season?

Only after asking such a question about the distant past could I truly realize that this year was Wonha Challenger’s year.

Ding―!

[Unstoppable Force!]

– Pitch 2 innings without allowing a run. (0/1)

– Reward ― Splitter +3

On this day, as we were pushing into Hanseong Winners’ territory to steal a victory, a mission popped up on the screen as I took the mound.

Splitter [a type of fastball in baseball].

Come to think of it, I don’t remember having much success when a splitter appeared as a quest reward.

With an ominous feeling, I began my windup.

Bang!

“Strike―”

I received a somewhat weak-sounding strike call.

The batter was Jung Seong-hoon, who had stolen a solo home run from me at a crucial moment last year.

No matter what, I should never throw an inside curveball.

“Strike―”

After getting ahead in the count with an outside fastball, he fouled off the changeup I threw, making it 1-1. Then, I completed the count by throwing the same pitch as the first ball.

Go outside.

I glanced at Seong-moon’s position, who was heavily shifted towards first base. Gyu-hak, understanding my intention, familiarly called for a sinker sign.

Tick―!

“First base―!”

“Plenty of time, take it easy―”

I got the result I wanted.

While the infielders were making the play, I replenished my rosin [a sticky substance used by pitchers for grip] and blew on my hand. In my slightly blurry vision, I caught the ball heading towards my face.

Stepping back onto the plate, I made eye contact with the unfamiliar batter.

Gwak Chung-hwan.

The batter, whose name was clearly visible on his back as he adjusted his stance, was the next-generation catcher after Lee Jae-myung, who had retired last year.

He was about 27 years old. You could say he had a fair bit of experience, but he couldn’t take Lee Jae-myung’s spot until the latter was 40.

“Swing―”

And he was batting eighth.

Combining these two facts,

“Strike, out―”

He was a player with very low expectations when it came to hitting.

The result matched the batter’s expectations.

I easily handled the batted ball from Lee Kyung-joon, who came up next, with just two pitches, and the inning was over.

I finished the inning and returned to the dugout.

Taking off my glove and placing it next to me was the same as usual, but wearing a jacket over my right shoulder, even while sweating profusely, was different.

Multiple innings.

Before the game, the staff had requested a somewhat unreasonable timetable: they asked me to cover two innings, the 7th and 8th.

The recent strong performances of Eun-gu and Ji-ho, our reliable relief pitchers, were an undeniable justification for this.

“Ugh……”

I made an unnecessary noise and looked around the dugout.

The younger pitchers were clinging to the senior pitchers, demanding all sorts of tips. The senior hitters were clinging to the younger hitters, forcing all sorts of tips on them.

Good.

Everything was to my liking: my condition, which had completely returned to normal; the team’s atmosphere, which had completely gained momentum; and the top of the 8th, which ended after increasing our one-point lead to two points.

Without hesitation, I took off my jacket and headed to the mound.

Play!

Song In-ho entered the left batter’s box. He took off his hat, wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, and prepared to face me.

“Strike―”

Ah, can’t something be done about that call? It sounded so weak!

Throwing the ball while listening to that weak call didn’t feel right. And it seemed the batter felt the same way.

Tick―

Whack!

I sent Song In-ho and Kim Young-guk, who I faced in succession, back to the dugout with similar ground balls in front of the second baseman.

And then, echoing throughout the stadium…….

Number 3 batter, Lee!! Yong!! Ho!!

I still couldn’t believe this was happening. Using the excuse of having to receive the ball that had been passed around in the infield, I turned towards the scoreboard instead of home plate.

0.323/0.382/0.456 16 home runs, 47 RBIs.

Is that the Lee Yong-ho I knew? The world is really ending.

After the bench-clearing brawl last year, even though it feels a bit much for me to say this, Lee Yong-ho suddenly raised his performance sky-high as if he had some kind of awakening.

A senior should act like a senior.

I never imagined the snowball from that casual remark would roll this far.

I pretended to look at home plate while observing the batter’s gaze. The arrogant look from before had faded a lot, replaced by a fierce determination.

Especially when facing me, that determination seemed even stronger.

It seemed like he wanted to crush me, who had humiliated him.

“Strike, out…”

No way.

Ding―!

[Unstoppable Force!]

– Pitch 2 innings without allowing a run. (1/1)

– Reward ― Splitter +3

Control ― Top

Power ― Medium

Stamina ― Medium

Four-seam fastball ― 67

Curveball ― 55

Slider ― 45

Splitter ― 44+3=47

Changeup ― 51

Sinker ― 51

Traits

Detachment ― Accepts any batted ball or situation with equanimity.

Discomfort ― Makes opposing batters uncomfortable when they look at the pitcher in the batter’s box.

Comfort ― Makes those who look at him feel comfortable.

On the way back to the dugout, I heard someone shouting “F***!” from behind, but I didn’t pay much attention.

Taming [in this context, refers to how a baseball glove is broken in to fit a player’s hand].

Just like a glove that is very difficult to return to its original state once it has been broken in incorrectly, a nemesis relationship was similar.

Because an image gets imprinted.

No matter how much he has improved, no matter how much he has awakened, if Lee Yong-ho comes up, I’m always thankful.

* * *

– Aww… What a shame…….

“What can I do? It’s my fault for screwing up so badly.”

– Still, Han-wool, you’ve been doing really well lately…….

In the world of professional baseball, July always holds great significance.

It marks the middle of the regular season, and as summer begins, it’s when the players’ physical endurance is truly tested.

But what most people think of first is definitely the All-Star Game.

A stage that every professional player dreams of and wants to be on. I had the chance to step onto that field for two consecutive years until last year.

If the All-Star Game was just a popularity vote, I would have been able to step onto that field again this year.

But the baseball fans, who were captivated by my high performance for two consecutive years, realized the true meaning of the All-Star Game.

The meaning of those three letters, All-Star, was no longer a name that could be given to just handsome and popular players.

“It’s okay. Thanks to this, I can get some rest.”

– I guess it’s good to think that way.

“I need to conserve my energy. You know, Min-young, this year, the regular season isn’t what’s important.”

– That’s right. The Postseason! The Korean Series!

In that sense, with my performance, which had been a huge mess since the beginning of the season, it was impossible for me to be selected.

– But what if you get a recommendation from the manager?

“I’ll decline. I really want to rest this year.”

– You’ve made a good decision!

For a week, including the days around the All-Star Game, I plan to enjoy a true All-Star break.

The night sky in Daejeon seemed somehow clearer than the night sky in Seoul.

As much as that, Min-young’s voice, coming through the phone, sounded clear and full.

I plopped down on the curb in front of the dorm, not even on a bench or chair, and rambled on. I laughed, “Ahahaha,” and sighed, “Aigo [Korean expression of frustration or exhaustion]…….”

“Yes, yes. Then I’ll see you when I go up.”

– Yes, Han-wool, good luck!

Feeling a sense of comfort, as if I had a small bonfire lit in my heart, I got up from my seat.

“What are you doing?”

“Just made a call.”

The weather was somewhat chilly for the beginning of summer, and Gyu-jin, who was directly rejecting this, approached me, sweating profusely.

“Did you go for a run?”

“Yeah.”

One of Gyu-jin’s routines was to sweat lightly with a light run the day before he pitched.

More than sweating itself, it was one of the procedures to sleep soundly the day before pitching.

“The world is really ending, isn’t it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Lee Yong-ho is batting third.”

“I guess so.”

The two people who had experienced all kinds of absurdities could share the same emotions.

Gyu-jin’s expression, which was a little darker than mine, was slightly hardened.

“No matter how I think about it, it’s been like that since you hit him.”

“What? Lee Yong-ho’s performance went up?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s true. Should I not have hit him?”

Just as I was expressing my regret about the snowball that had started rolling last year, Gyu-jin paused for a moment, thinking, and then,

“But it felt really good.”

“What did?”

“Seeing that bastard in pain.”

He was talking nonsense.

“You’re not in your right mind either.”

“You think I’m as crazy as you?”

“Ah, what a compliment.”

“Crazy bastard.”

We spent time laughing and chatting.

He confirmed the plan for my appearance tomorrow, and we brought up stories from our memories that we had shared countless times.

“But who were you on the phone with?”

“Why?”

Then came the story of Min-young.

“Ah, f***, I didn’t know your voice could sound so disgusting.”

“That’s a bit harsh.”

“Yesss, then I’ll see you when I go upppp~”

“Argh! Argh! F***!”

When I responded to the extreme disgust with extreme disgust, Gyu-jin calmed me down with his middle finger.

“Is she your girlfriend?”

“…No. Not a girlfriend.”

“Something going on?”

“Something… I guess. Maybe.”

“What do you mean, maybe?”

“I’m just worried that I’m the only one who thinks that way.”

“You’re worrying about nothing.”

“It’s not nothing. What about you? You know, the story you told me before with Seung-joo and Hoon.”

“Ah, Ji-eun.”

“Her name is Ji-eun?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow… So.”

“We’ve been dating for quite a while. Didn’t you know?”

“……”

Bad person.

“When are you guys going to date?”

“I don’t know… I keep thinking I should talk to her soon, but it’s not as easy as I thought.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m a baseball player.”

“Hmm…….”

The person next to me, who was in the same profession, immediately understood what I wanted to say.

“Do you feel sorry?”

“I do. I have to make money, so it’s natural for me to be running around like this. But from the other person’s perspective, is that natural?”

“That’s true. Even on Mondays, which are supposed to be rest days, you disappear if there’s something special.”

“That’s why I’m worried. But I can’t exactly confess after I retire.”

“You said you’re going to play until you’re 50.”

“That’s why I’m even more worried, because I’m serious.”

Crazy bastard.

I chuckled to myself, and the dating senior gave me advice.

“Why are you worrying about something like that? Just go for it.”

“Because she’s a really good person. I don’t want her to see anything… weird.”

“You should go for it even more because she’s a really good person. Hey, who do you think you are, playing games? She’s a really good person, why should she have to wait for you?”

“That’s…….”

Because I’m a member of her favorite team? Because I’m her favorite player?

“She’ll get stolen away if you keep that up.”

“Okay, okay, I got it.”

Just as the conversation was about to end, the two of us shook off our butts and got up from our seats.

Gyu-jin, who was feeling even colder as his sweat had dried, let out an “Ah!” and continued walking.

“And I’m getting married at the end of this year.”

“Oh… Congratulations.”

“I’m looking into wedding invitations now.”

“…Wait, you’re getting married?”

“What did you hear?”

“Really? You’re getting married? You? Really?”

“What’s wrong? Can’t I get married?”

“No…….”

A height of around 160cm [approximately 5’3″]. A cute face with chubby cheeks.

Gyu-jin, who hadn’t changed at all from his high school days more than 10 years ago.

That’s why, unconsciously, I had always thought of him as the *hyung* [older brother or close male friend in Korean] who would always be by my side.

“You’re old enough to get married. It’s also the end of the year, and you’re a free agent. Your performance has been pretty good in the past, and your performance is good this year too. You should have enough money to get married.”

“That’s… true.”

The strange shock stopped my steps, allowing me to see Gyu-jin’s back as he confidently walked into the dorm.