Perfect Agent [EN]: Chapter 199

Can I Endure It? (2)

Today, the 4th-ranked Jaguars were scheduled to play a three-game series against the 6th-ranked Vikings.

Turning on the TV indoors, the broadcast was already underway.

As game time approached, I, Lee Joo-hyuk, Olivia, and Thomas went out to the terrace and sat down in chairs.

Watson’s wife seemed too busy chasing after their daughter to have time to watch the game.

Today’s starting pitcher for the Jaguars was Yang Hyun-jae, their ace and a recognized ace in the league.

As befitting a game where the ace was pitching, many Jaguars fans had come to the stadium.

Before the start of the first inning, Yang Hyun-jae began his warm-up pitches.

Having been informed in advance that Watson’s parents had come to the stadium, the broadcast camera focused on us.

Our appearance was shown not only on the TV broadcast but also on the stadium’s electronic display board.

-Donald Watson’s family is here with us today. The person next to CEO Kang Hyun-woo seems to be his mother.

-Jaguars fans will really love this. If it weren’t for his mother, the Jaguars might not have made it this season.

As the broadcast announced Watson’s family with subtitles on the electronic display board, the atmosphere in the stadium shifted.

“Waaaaah-”

The Jaguars fans roared so loudly that the stadium seemed to shake.

Olivia responded by waving her hand.

The roar became even louder than before.

The cheers for Olivia only subsided after the game started.

“Play ball!”

The game began with Yang Hyun-jae’s pitching.

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

“Strike out!”

Starting with a strikeout against the first batter, he successfully induced weak hits from the next two batters.

The Jaguars’ first inning defense was cleanly completed.

And then came the offensive inning.

Two batters successfully reached base, creating runners on first and second with two outs.

Now it was Donald Watson’s, the 5th batter, turn to step up to the plate.

Finally, the introduction video played on the electronic display board as Watson approached the plate.

“Waaaaah-”

“Watson! Watson! Watson!”

The voices of the Jaguars fans filled the stadium.

And then came the lively cheering song.

Thomas and Olivia, seeing this with their own eyes, were startled and widened their eyes.

“Wow. Unbelievable.”

In particular, Olivia seemed very excited as her son’s name echoed throughout the stadium.

She raised her hand high and enjoyed the rising excitement as if she had become one with the Jaguars fans.

The broadcast camera, not missing this sight, focused on us, and our appearance was shown again on the broadcast screen and the electronic display board.

-Watson’s mother seems to be very excited?

-She must be thrilled to hear her son’s cheering song.

-It’s a scene that makes you feel good just by looking at it.

Watson, who was unaware of this atmosphere, was preparing more seriously than ever at the plate.

And the showdown began.

Thud!

“Strike!”

Thud!

“Ball!”

Watson carefully selected the pitches more than ever.

And finally, when the ball flew into the zone he had been anticipating, he swung the bat with all his might.

Clang!

The batted ball landed in front of the center fielder, becoming a clean single.

The runner on second base successfully crossed home plate, and the runner on first advanced to second.

A point for the Jaguars was recorded on the electronic display board.

“Waaaaah-”

“Watson! Watson! Watson!”

The Jaguars fans waved their cheering sticks and cheered for Watson.

“Wow! Watson, you’re amazing!”

Olivia jumped up and down, enjoying herself.

Thomas and I also high-fived Olivia, sharing in the joy.

I thought it would end there, but Olivia hummed Watson’s Korean cheering song, which she probably didn’t even know well, and soon began to sing it enthusiastically.

The broadcast camera, as always, focused on Olivia.

“Waaaaah-”

When Olivia, full of excitement, reappeared on the electronic display board, the Jaguars fans responded with cheers.

Olivia waved both hands non-stop, constantly interacting with the fans.

“Thomas, is Olivia always like this?”

I was bewildered because it was a situation I had not expected at all.

“Well… Actually, this is the first time I’ve seen her like this either.”

I could feel the embarrassment in Thomas’s expression.

After a moment of enthusiasm, everyone’s attention returned to the stadium.

Seo Seong-min, the 6th batter, was at the plate.

The pitcher took a deep breath and threw the ball with all his might,

“He’s running! He’s running! He’s running!”

As soon as the pitcher’s pitch began, Watson ran towards second base without hesitation.

The Vikings catcher threw the ball towards the shortstop as soon as he caught it, but,

“Safe!”

Watson had narrowly stepped on the base first.

It was a fleeting moment, so the pitcher and catcher’s expressions were full of regret.

-Watson successfully steals another base!

-He has already hit 12 home runs and stolen 15 bases, even though he hasn’t played 80 games yet. At this rate, he might even achieve the 20-20 club [20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season]?

Even after the stolen base, Seo Seong-min stubbornly continued the at-bat.

Eventually,

Clang!

The batted ball went over the second baseman’s head.

Watson, who was on second base, was able to easily step on home base.

Seo Seong-min succeeded in connecting with a timely hit, not missing the opportunity for a fast runner to be in scoring position.

And then came the Jaguars’ defense.

Clang!

The batted ball hit by the Vikings batter flew far into the outfield.

Center fielder Watson instantly judged where the ball would fall and turned to run towards the fence.

Even though Watson’s start was fast, it seemed difficult to arrive and wait in advance.

Watson ran furiously, never taking his eyes off the flying ball.

When he thought it was time to try to catch it, he jumped and stretched out his glove.

Thud!

Eventually, Watson succeeded in getting the ball into his glove.

“Waaaaah-”

The Jaguars fans roared again as if the stadium would collapse.

And, as if celebrating the good defense, he threw the caught ball forcefully towards the infielder.

Of course, I could also hear Olivia’s excited shouts.

“Ah……”

On the other hand, the batter and Vikings fans, who had naturally expected a long hit that would go over the center fielder’s head, could not hide their disappointment.

-Watson showed really good defense again this time.

-It’s the most difficult thing for an outfielder to catch a flying ball while running backwards. It wouldn’t have been possible without accurate judgment of the batted ball and speed. Moreover, the jumping timing was also perfect.

-Watson is a player who has been recognized in the major leagues for his hitting, but his defense was a bit unstable. It doesn’t seem to be the case at all now.

Watson’s second at-bat.

This time, there were no runners with one out.

-Watson recorded an RBI [Run Batted In] with a clean hit in his first at-bat, right?

-In that respect, it’s a shame that there are no runners in Watson’s at-bat right now.

The Vikings pitcher exchanged signs with the catcher for a long time and then threw the ball with all his might.

Watson quickly dodged, judging that the ball was coming dangerously close to him.

Thud!

“Ball!”

Watson, who barely avoided the ball while turning his body, tilted his head and returned to the plate.

-The first pitch went way inside on Watson.

-He almost got hit by the ball.

-Was he putting too much effort into it while facing Watson? It seems like the pitcher’s control wasn’t good.

Shortly after, the Vikings pitcher threw the second ball.

“Ugh!”

This time too, the ball flew threateningly as if it would hit Watson.

“Ball!”

Watson looked at the pitcher with undisguised displeasure.

-Two consecutive pitches have come way inside. Is his control not good?

-Deliberately throwing to the inside is also one of the strategies. But I don’t think that last ball was such a strategy.

“Why is that player doing that?”

Olivia could not take her eyes off the field with a worried look.

“Is the opposing team trying to provoke Watson’s nerves……”

Thomas looked at Watson with a worried look.

“I hope Watson doesn’t get shaken.”

I couldn’t hide my worry either.

For whatever reason, I hoped that he would not leave behind an unpleasant scene of a rough bench-clearing [when both teams leave their benches to engage in a brawl], which eventually happened in Korea as well.

2 balls and 0 strikes.

It was a very advantageous ball count for the batter.

And then came the third ball.

“Ugh!”

This ball flew behind Watson’s back.

Watson, whose expression had darkened even more than before, stood still and was lost in thought.

Feeling what the pitcher’s intention was, the Jaguars teammates rose from their seats, ready to jump out at any moment.

“Woooooo-”

“Don’t play the game like that!”

“If you hit Watson, we’re going to fight!”

The Jaguars fans began to boo the Vikings.

Then, Jaguars manager Kim Min-guk came out to the field with the head coach and approached the referee.

Manager Kim Min-guk deliberately raised his voice and protested to the referee.

In the meantime, Watson was just looking at and fiddling with his bat, perhaps to regain his composure.

-Why did Manager Kim Min-guk come out now?

-I think he thought that the Vikings pitcher’s ball was a threatening ball. It seems to be an action to protect the player.

-There is tension in the stadium. I hope there is no collision.

The referee, who had spoken with Manager Kim Min-guk, approached the Vikings pitcher and gave him a warning.

The momentarily chaotic atmosphere was cleared up, and the game resumed.

3 balls and 0 strikes.

It was a very advantageous count for the batter.

It was a time to wait for one more ball, but Watson’s pride did not seem to allow it.

As soon as he thought that the ball thrown by the pitcher was entering the strike zone, Watson’s bat swung without hesitation.

Tick!

Unfortunately, Watson’s bat did not hit the ball properly, and a weak ground ball came out.

The pitcher on the mound caught the ball without difficulty.

But Watson was still far from reaching first base.

It was almost impossible for a hit unless the pitcher or first baseman made a serious error.

Watson put his disappointment behind him and ran towards first base with all his might.

“Oh, what is it?”

I, who was watching the game, could not help but tilt my head.

The pitcher was just holding the ball and not throwing it to the first baseman.

Then, just as Watson was about to reach first base, he tossed the ball to the first baseman.

“Out!”

Watson stopped running only after hearing the referee’s call.

-The pitcher threw the ball quite late. Is there an intention behind it?

-There were pitches that could be misunderstood even during the game. Is it because Watson’s condition is at its peak right now that they are targeting him? It doesn’t seem very pleasant from Watson’s point of view.

Watson, who was slowly returning to the dugout, glared sharply at the pitcher.

The pitcher on the mound prepared for the showdown with the next batter as if nothing had happened.

The atmosphere in the stadium was flowing strangely.