Perfect Agent [EN]: Chapter 123

123. A Desperate Reach (4)

Up until the first half of the season, Buffaloes fans would get excited whenever Park Sung-ju stepped up to the plate, expecting him to deliver a big hit.

However, the situation completely changed in the second half.

Not only did his RBIs [Runs Batted In, a statistic in baseball] and home runs disappear, but he also grounded into double plays in crucial situations, killing opportunities more than once.

As a result, fans were just hoping he wouldn’t disrupt the flow of the game.

It’s not uncommon for things to go wrong in a game or two during the season, but the slump continuing throughout the second half clearly meant something was wrong.

Park Sung-ju himself seemed unsure, and the speed of his bat swing had noticeably slowed down.

I watched Park Sung-ju’s batting videos over and over again, trying to pinpoint the problem.

I carefully examined his batting form from the first game of the second half to yesterday’s game.

Toc. Toc. Toc.

Soon after, I heard a knock, and Lee Joo-hyuk came in and sat at the conference table.

“You called for me, sir?”

“Joo-hyuk, I was wondering if you could compare Sung-ju’s batting videos and put them on one screen?”

“Of course.”

“Let’s compare when he hit a home run in the first half with his batting in the second half.”

As soon as I finished speaking, Lee Joo-hyuk busily moved the mouse.

It didn’t take long for the video I wanted to be ready.

Comparing the batting stances simultaneously allowed me to see the difference between his good condition and his current form at a glance.

“What do you think, Joo-hyuk?”

“Comparing it to the first half, it’s clear that Sung-ju’s unique swing was completely ruined in yesterday’s game.”

“What about compared to the first game of the second half?”

“Hmm… I’m not sure. It doesn’t seem much different compared to his batting in the second half.”

It was a subtle change that Lee Joo-hyuk couldn’t easily notice.

But there was definitely a difference between the two scenes.

It wasn’t the batting stance, but the swing trajectory was slightly different.

As someone who knew Park Sung-ju’s batting form when he wasn’t realizing his potential better than anyone else, I could tell right away.

I could easily figure out why this change occurred.

“Joo-hyuk, let’s put the video on the tablet and go see him right away.”

I headed to the training field with Lee Joo-hyuk.

* * *

Park Sung-ju was already doing batting practice at the training field early in the morning.

Unlike his usual playful banter with Oh Seok-hoon, they were quietly focusing on their training.

He must have been training for quite a while already, as his workout clothes were soaked and dripping with sweat.

I quietly approached and watched Park Sung-ju’s batting practice.

Park Sung-ju was so engrossed in his batting practice that he didn’t even notice I had arrived.

Tick!

Tick!

Tick!

Just by listening to the sound of the bat hitting the ball, I could tell that his batting was off.

“Sung-ju, stop for a second.”

“Oh, you’re here?”

Park Sung-ju finally wiped away the sweat and took a sip of water.

-He feels extreme pressure every time he steps up to the plate.

-He doesn’t feel the confidence he had when he was in good condition at all.

“Is batting difficult these days?”

“Ha… It’s driving me crazy. I was definitely in good condition until recently.”

Park Sung-ju shook his head with a gloomy expression.

“What do you think is the reason?”

“…I don’t know. I think I’ve just completely lost my feel for it.”

It wasn’t wrong, but it wasn’t that simple.

“Shall we talk while watching the video?”

At my words, Lee Joo-hyuk unfolded the tablet.

It was a comparison video of his home run at-bat in the first half and yesterday’s game.

Park Sung-ju carefully examined his batting form in the video.

Could he figure it out himself?

“Hmm… Is the swing trajectory different, perhaps?”

“That’s right.”

Lee Joo-hyuk, who was listening next to him, was amazed that Park Sung-ju noticed it right away.

“Why would the trajectory that was so good until recently change?”

“Could it be…?”

“It seems like you’re unconsciously trying to do an uppercut swing now.”

“Ah…”

Park Sung-ju let out a sigh as soon as he heard my words.

The uppercut swing training he did while preparing for the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby.

In fact, it was rare for a professional player to lose their swing trajectory just by doing a few uppercut swings.

The problem was that Park Sung-ju practiced too much while preparing for the Home Run Derby.

After practicing hundreds and thousands of times with a different stance, it was no wonder he lost his old swing.

“Then what should I do first?”

I brought the batting tee.

“Let’s start by fixing your swing again. Focus on swinging with a level swing.”

Every time I put a ball on the batting tee, Park Sung-ju swung the bat powerfully.

Thwack!

Thwack!

Thwack!

The more he trained, the more his swing from when he was in good condition started to come back.

A slight smile also appeared on Park Sung-ju’s face.

However, as the weather became hotter, it was difficult to stop the sweat from flowing down even with the air conditioner on.

It seemed like he might collapse if he continued any longer.

“You’ve worked hard. Let’s stop here for today.”

I patted Park Sung-ju on the shoulder and gestured for him to go inside.

But Park Sung-ju stood there without moving.

“I’ll do a few more swings.”

“You’ve already done a lot. You need to rest if you’re going to play in the game later, with this hot weather.”

“I’ll just do a few more and rest well. I think I can get a good feel for it if I do it now.”

Park Sung-ju stood firmly in his place.

In the end, Park Sung-ju did dozens more swings.

The training was finished only after he picked up the balls that had fallen after the swing.

Before long, not only my forehead but also my back was soaked with sweat.

* * *

-The Buffaloes, who are engaged in a fierce battle for the rankings, will face off against the bottom-ranked Pelicans. What are your thoughts on today’s game?

-Considering the situation both teams are in and the caliber of the starting pitchers, it’s highly likely that the Buffaloes will win.

-Besides, the Buffaloes are in a situation where every win is crucial right now, right?

-That’s right. If they lose today’s game, there’s a possibility that they’ll be overtaken by the fourth-place Doubles. They must win today’s game.

“Play ball!”

The game finally started.

The Buffaloes’ starting pitcher was pitching well as expected, not giving up any runs.

However, the Pelicans’ rookie starting pitcher also showed a formidable performance.

Tick!

Whoosh-

-The Buffaloes players aren’t able to get a hit off the Pelicans pitcher at all. Even Oh Seok-hoon, who is in good condition, hasn’t been able to put up a proper fight.

-They seem impatient. The Pelicans pitcher is a rookie, so I think they feel the pressure of having to win today’s game.

-Will a player emerge to change the frustrating atmosphere?

Now, following Oh Seok-hoon, it was Park Sung-ju’s turn to bat.

As expected, the fans’ expressions didn’t show much expectation.

Park Sung-ju gripped his bat and stepped up to the plate.

The Pelicans’ starting pitcher, who had easily suppressed the Buffaloes’ top hitters, now felt confident.

The same was true against Park Sung-ju, who he would normally have to be nervous about.

The Pelicans’ starting pitcher confidently threw the ball.

Judging that the pitch was to his liking, Park Sung-ju swung the bat aggressively from the first pitch.

Thwack!

This time, the ball was hit squarely.

However, one disappointing thing was the direction the ball was flying.

The ball was flying quickly towards the direction where the Pelicans’ shortstop, So Young-joon, was standing.

“Out!”

So Young-joon caught the ball easily while standing in his place.

-Park Sung-ju isn’t having any luck either. Why would this kind of hit go straight to the defense?

-When things aren’t going well, nothing seems to go right. It’s unfortunate.

-The core hitters need to solve the problem as the game is stuck like this. The Buffaloes’ offense is really struggling right now. The Buffaloes must want to win today’s game.

The tense game continued with a score of 0:0.

In the Pelicans’ offensive inning in the 6th, the lead hitter succeeded in getting on base with a walk.

And now, the at-bat against the Pelicans’ shortstop, So Young-joon, continued.

The pitcher was trying to induce a ground ball to create a double play, so he continuously attacked the low part of the strike zone.

But So Young-joon’s bat didn’t budge.

Already 2 balls and 0 strikes.

If the next ball is also a ball, he will be pushed to three balls [In baseball, a batter advances to first base automatically if the pitcher throws four balls].

For now, he had to throw a strike to prevent the situation from getting too out of hand.

The Buffaloes pitcher glanced at the runner on first base and threw the ball towards the catcher.

So Young-joon, who was sure that a strike would come, swung the bat coolly without hesitation.

And he made solid contact.

Crack!

As soon as he heard the satisfying sound of the ball hitting the bat, So Young-joon threw his bat while cheering, as if sensing the result.

“Wow!”

-Oh, oh? The hit is carrying further than expected? Is it going to go over?

-Wow! It goes over the fence! So Young-joon’s two-run home run comes at an important moment.

-A home run has to come out in a game like this. The Pelicans’ game-changer was So Young-joon. It was an amazing swing even when I see it again!

The Pelicans took the lead with So Young-joon’s two-run home run.

And then, the Buffaloes’ attack in the 7th inning continued.

The Buffaloes’ 1st and 2nd hitters hit singles and created an opportunity.

-The runners are now on 1st and 3rd base. Oh Seok-hoon, the 3rd hitter, is coming to the plate.

-Since the runner on 1st base has good speed, a hit here could tie the score and even give them the lead.

-Oh Seok-hoon’s recent condition isn’t bad, and he’s a player who concentrates well in scoring position. How will the Pelicans overcome this crisis?

Oh Seok-hoon sprayed his bat and stepped up to the plate.

The Pelicans’ dugout, catcher, and pitcher seemed busy.

They were giving signs and discussing their strategy.

And,

An unbelievable sight unfolded in front of Park Sung-ju, who was standing in the on-deck circle [the area where the next batter waits], preparing.

The Pelicans’ manager held up four fingers towards the ground.

It was a signal to intentionally walk Oh Seok-hoon and compete against Park Sung-ju.

‘What is this? They’re intentionally walking him to face me?’

It was the first time in Park Sung-ju’s baseball life that he had experienced this.

This had never happened even during his rookie days.

Park Sung-ju tried hard not to lose his composure.

But he could definitely feel what it meant to have his blood run cold.