Perfect Agent [EN]: Chapter 120

Desperate Reach (1)

During the All-Star break, the players replenished their stamina to endure the hot summer, and the teams spent time addressing their weaknesses.

The battle for postseason spots was about to begin.

The Wolves, in first place, and the defending champion Dragons, in second, were locked in a championship race, fueled by their strong rosters.

The Buffaloes in third and the Doubles in fourth were neck and neck, foreshadowing a fierce competition that would continue until the last game of the season.

The bottom-ranked Pelicans had long been out of contention, and the Angels, despite acquiring Jang Su-young and gaining a solid closer, remained in eighth place due to the team’s overall weakness.

The Jaguars, in seventh place, didn’t have a high chance of reaching the postseason, but they were reluctant to give up the fight for the fifth spot, the last playoff berth.

With problems plaguing the Jaguars’ starting rotation, Michael Scott got the opportunity to pitch as a starter as soon as he joined the team.

Thanks to his consistent training since arriving in Korea, he was in peak condition.

Before his first start, he worked especially hard to refine his slider against left-handed hitters and his splitter.

On the day Scott was scheduled to start, I met with Jo Gwang-hoon, the Jaguars’ general manager.

As soon as Jo Gwang-hoon saw me, he asked with an expectant look.

“Representative Kang, how well do you think Scott will do today?”

“Considering it’s his first game, I think he can reliably pitch about five innings, right?”

“Five innings… That’s a bit disappointing, isn’t it?”

“It’s his debut. We need to give him time to adjust.”

After hearing my answer, Jo Gwang-hoon cleared his throat and said.

“Anyway, I took a gamble on your word this time, Representative Kang. You know my situation isn’t great these days, right?”

“Of course, I know.”

That was one of the reasons why I sincerely hoped Scott would do well.

Finally, the game began.

The team Scott would face that day was the Vikings, who were fiercely competing with the seventh-placed Jaguars for the fifth spot.

With only a 1.5-game difference, the team that won would gain a slight advantage in the standings.

-The second half of the season is finally starting after the All-Star break.

-I was so bored and had a hard time not watching baseball for a week.

-In the meantime, we heard some interesting news. The Jaguars finally made a decision and replaced their foreign pitcher.

-The new pitcher is said to be a fireballer who can throw fastballs exceeding 150km/h [approximately 93 mph]. However, he has more experience as a relief pitcher in the United States. Another unique thing is that he has no experience in the major leagues or the minor leagues.

-I think the Jaguars took quite a risk. Will the newly joined pitcher be a gift to the Jaguars for the rest of the season?

Scott began practicing on the mound.

The dirt on the mound and the feel of the Korean official ball were still unfamiliar.

However, one thing was certain: his condition that day was optimal.

Thwack!

Thwack!

Even without checking the speed on the scoreboard, I could tell how powerful the ball was.

“Wow.”

Not only the Vikings players but also the Jaguars players were impressed by each of Scott’s pitches.

And now, the showdown with the opposing batter began.

The first batter was a right-handed hitter.

The catcher signaled for a fastball without hesitation.

Scott nodded, as if he had been waiting for it.

Finally, Scott’s first pitch was thrown.

Focusing only on the catcher’s mitt, he threw with all his might.

“Ball.”

-Was he too eager because it’s his first time? It flew to a place that was difficult for the catcher to catch, even with his arm fully extended.

-But look at that speed! It’s 156km/h [approximately 97 mph] from the very first pitch. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a pitcher throw such a terrifying ball.

“Wooooo-”

The spectators, after checking the speed, exclaimed and applauded.

Scott took a breath and prepared to pitch again.

This time, the catcher’s sign was also for a fastball.

He threw his second ball with all his might again.

Thwack!

“Strike!”

-The first strike is in.

-It’s 152km/h [approximately 94 mph]. The speed is a little lower than before, but it’s still a powerful speed.

As soon as Scott received the catcher’s sign, he threw the ball without hesitation.

Tick!

The batter succeeded in making contact with the ball, but he couldn’t overcome the force.

In the end,

Thwack!

“Strike out!”

-Michael Scott easily gets the first out against his debut opponent.

-He didn’t throw a single breaking ball and only went with fastballs, but he still overwhelmed the batter.

The battle with the following batter was not much different.

Thwack!

“Strike out!”

Thwack!

“Strike out!”

Scott, who clenched his fist after getting the last out, entered the dugout to the cheers of his teammates and the crowd.

-Michael Scott strikes out all three batters in the first inning of his debut!

-The scouting report says his average speed is 152km/h, but judging from his first-inning pitching, his average seems to be 155km/h [approximately 96 mph]?

-He shows really impressive performance in his debut game.

He didn’t lose his aggressiveness in the following pitches either.

Scott continued to battle with fastballs, except for the occasional curveball he mixed in to disrupt the batter’s timing.

It was after the batting order had made a full rotation that he began to increase the proportion of breaking balls.

-Wow! Did you see that slider he just threw? The slider speed was a whopping 143km/h [approximately 89 mph]. The angle of the break was also sharp.

-It’s no different from the average fastball speed of Korean players. It seems like it will be really difficult for the batters to adjust.

-If he can keep throwing those kinds of pitches, it seems like right-handed hitters will have a hard time.

Whoosh-

“Strike out!”

The right-handed hitters’ bats invariably cut through the air as the slider, which broke sharply with the speed of an average pitcher’s fastball, flew in.

However, the back-door slider and splitter he threw against left-handed hitters were still not as effective.

However, there was no problem in disrupting their timing with a slow, dropping curve and then throwing a 155km/h fastball to the high corner, leaving the batter helpless.

-Why is Scott able to show such good performance from his first game?

-It’s probably because he’s a new pitcher that the batters are unfamiliar with. Speed is important for a pitcher, but how he throws is really important. Scott hides the ball well until just before he throws it. The speed itself is fast, but because his hiding motion is so good, the batter feels it much faster than the actual speed.

Tick!

The weakly hit fly ball didn’t fly far.

The first baseman shouted that he would catch it.

Scott anticipated that it would be an out and started to move towards the dugout.

“Huh?”

The first baseman failed to record the out because he didn’t accurately judge where the ball would fall.

“What is this…?”

Scott froze in place as if he couldn’t believe it.

One error was recorded on the scoreboard for the Jaguars.

Scott had no choice but to stop and return to the mound.

The only consolation was that the runner didn’t get on base because it fell into foul territory.

Returning to the mound, Scott showed the dejected first baseman a gesture to trust him, showing his composure.

And he proved that his composure was not a bluff.

This time, it was a fastball again.

Thwack!

“Strike out!”

As if to prove that he had put all his strength into it, the highest speed of the game, 158km/h [approximately 98 mph], was recorded on the scoreboard.

In that way, Scott succeeded in preventing the opponent from scoring until the 6th inning.

In the meantime, the Jaguars’ batters scored 3 points, creating a lead.

And the 7th inning began.

The player standing on the Jaguars’ mound was still Scott.

Thwack!

“Ball!”

Thwack!

“Ball!”

The pitches were still powerful, but unlike the beginning, his control began to noticeably waver.

-It seems like his control is wavering since he’s thrown over 80 pitches?

-Is it because he lacks experience pitching for long innings? It seems like he’s reached his physical limit. The Jaguars will have to consider a substitution.

Even with the count against him, Scott and the catcher’s choice was a fastball.

But,

Clang!

The batter’s bat swung powerfully at the ball that flew high.

Everyone in the stadium’s eyes were on the ball flying towards the outfield.

The batted ball barely cleared the fence.

“Home run!”

Scott showed his disappointment at the first run allowed.

At the same time, the Jaguars’ dugout became busy.

Eventually, the pitching coach went up to the mound with the interpreter.

“Wooooo- Scott! Scott! Scott!”

The Jaguars fans, anticipating the substitution, cheered him on by chanting his name.

Scott, who couldn’t hide his disappointed expression, smiled at the fans’ cheers and walked to the dugout.

-Michael Scott is now coming down from the mound. It was necessary for the Jaguars to win today’s game, and Scott played an important role in his debut.

-He shows impressive performance from his first game. I’m really looking forward to Scott’s next game.

Afterward, the Vikings’ batters attacked the Jaguars’ relief pitchers, creating a crisis, but it wasn’t enough to turn the game around.

When the game ended with the Jaguars’ victory, general manager Jo Gwang-hoon cheered and hugged me.

6.1 innings, 1 run, 3 hits, 9 strikeouts.

To be honest, I didn’t expect him to perform this well in his first game.

Michael Scott’s first appearance on the Korean stage ended with a strong impact.

* * *

After watching Scott’s game, it took a long time to return to the accommodation.

As soon as I arrived at the accommodation, fatigue washed over me all at once.

I should just wash up quickly and lie down.

I barely dragged my tired body inside when,

“Representative Kang Hyun-woo?”

I heard someone calling me.

Who could be looking for me here late at night?

When I turned my head, something was moving in the darkness.

“Who… are you?”

I couldn’t see his face clearly because it was dark around.

As he came closer, I could recognize who it was.

“Hello. I’m Seo Sung-min.”

Seo Sung-min was an infielder for the Doubles.

He was also four years older than me.

“Senior Sung-min, hello. But what brings you here?”

“I’m really sorry for coming so late, but if you have time, could we talk for a moment?”

“Of course. Shall we go inside and talk?”

I tried to hide my tiredness and went into the accommodation with Seo Sung-min.