Perfect Agent [EN]: Chapter 285

Team Korea (6)

The Korea-Japan match.

Just the matchup itself made the hearts of our people race.

Moreover, it was bound to be even more heated because it was the final game with the championship on the line.

Tension lingered from the interviews conducted before the final.

└I wanted to say we did well just by making it to the final, but if the opponent is Japan, it’s a different story.

└I don’t mind if Korea finishes as the runner-up, but I don’t want to see Japan win the championship.

└Win no matter what.

└This year is the perfect time to win the championship. Looking at the ages, there are quite a few players in the current lineup who might not be seen in the next tournament.

└The perfect time to win, LOL. Do you not know who’s starting as Japan’s pitcher? He’s tearing up Major League Baseball right now.

└Scoring a lot of runs is too greedy. Just let anyone hit a home run.

└I’d have to acknowledge anyone who can get a hit against a pitcher who throws a 160km/h fastball and a splitter that clocks nearly 150km/h.

└His style seems similar to Scott, but since we’ve competed against him, wouldn’t it be a little better?

└Didn’t you see how hard it was for our batters to even touch Scott’s pitches in this tournament? That was after analyzing Scott and competing against him multiple times throughout the season. It’ll be even harder against a pitcher they’re seeing for the first time.

└Plus, you have to see him as an upgraded version of Scott in terms of speed and movement. In conclusion, there’s no answer.

└The only chance we have is the pitch count limit. If there wasn’t a limit, he could just pitch all the way to the 9th inning and finish with a shutout.

└Then we need to increase his pitch count from the beginning, no matter what.

└First, to win in the final, move Park Seong-ju’s batting order to the back, no matter what. Or just take him out completely. Honestly, I question how he even became the home run king this time.

└He swings too big because he wants to hit a big one, and that’s too fatal. How can you swing that big against pitches that are basically over 150km/h?

Finally, the day of the final match between Korea and Japan dawned.

Of course, today’s game was sold out.

Even though most of the fans from the eliminated countries canceled their tickets, it was impossible to accommodate the enthusiasm of the Korean and Japanese fans.

Waiting for canceled tickets until the last minute was pointless.

Moreover, even though there was still plenty of time before the game started, it was hard to find empty seats in the stands.

The stands, packed with spectators, were filled with the waving Taegeukgi [Korean flag] and Rising Sun Flag [Japanese flag], and the cheers never stopped.

Even sitting in the broadcasting booth and watching, I could feel a sense of determination.

The broadcast began 30 minutes before the game started.

Just watching the video sketching the stadium situation conveyed the atmosphere of the stadium.

The commentary began by analyzing today’s game.

“Japan has put up their best ace pitcher as their starting pitcher for the final. We’re going to face a player who’s been heating up Major League Baseball these days. He’s a really great player.”

“Even if you’re not a baseball fan, you’ve probably heard this player’s name at least once. He’s a player who shows top-notch performance in Major League Baseball as a pitcher as well as a batter, truly like a character from a comic book.”

“Even if you’re good at just one thing, you can be considered the best in the world, but how can he be good at both pitching and batting?”

“Actually, with the logic we’ve had until now, we can’t explain how this is possible at all. We can only express him as a really great player.”

Now, the screen switched to introducing the Korean players.

“Now, we should introduce the starting pitcher for Korea. It’s Go Ji-hoon. He showed very good performance even when he started in the first game of the preliminaries, right?”

“It’s no exaggeration to say that he’s the best starting pitcher in the country right now. He’s had enough rest, so I think he’ll be able to show his best condition.”

“How do you see the matchup between the two pitchers, Director Kang?”

“Frankly speaking, it’s a cold fact that Japan is ahead in terms of name value alone. But baseball isn’t such a simple sport. And as we saw in the game against the United States, our players have the potential to overcome it.”

Soon, our players’ batting order appeared on the screen.

“Here is the batting order for Korea. There were changes in the batting order to match Scott in the game against the United States, but this time it has returned to the original batting order.”

Oh Seok-hoon, the 2nd batter and right fielder, Na Jun-ho, the 3rd batter and left fielder, Park Seong-ju, the 4th batter and third baseman, Han Gyo-jin, the 5th batter and designated hitter, and So Young-jun, the 6th batter, took their places.

Seo Seong-min was on the list of reserve players.

The caster, who read the lineup one by one, immediately continued and asked me a question.

“Perhaps the most noticeable part is that Park Seong-ju, who has been sluggish in this tournament, is still playing as the 4th batter. Will Park Seong-ju be able to break his silence in today’s game?”

“The 4th batter, especially in an international tournament for a team representing our country, is definitely not an easy position. But a player with Park Seong-ju’s skills should be able to overcome it.”

“What does Park Seong-ju need to do to fully demonstrate his skills?”

“I think he needs to let go of the pressure that he has to solve it himself. There are more than one or two players among our batters who can hit home runs right now. I think it’s necessary to relieve some of the burden and play the game.”

“I hope Park Seong-ju will be able to fully show his abilities in today’s game.”

While we were talking, the preparations for the game were finished and the players were taking their positions.

“Now, let’s start the final game between Korea and Japan!”

Top of the 1st inning.

Korea’s offense proceeded first.

From the moment the Japanese starting pitcher started practicing his pitches, a roar erupted from the Japanese stands.

“What will the pitching of a pitcher who has conquered Major League Baseball be like?”

“I’m really curious to see what kind of batting our players can show against this player.”

In fact, I couldn’t hide my excitement at being able to see this player’s play with my own eyes.

-Play ball!

The game started with the umpire’s call.

The Japanese pitcher started his windup as soon as he checked the sign.

-Whack!

-Strike!

“Wow, he clocked 156km/h from the first pitch. He definitely seemed to throw it lightly, but the speed is amazing.”

“The speed is fast and the control is excellent. There’s no way to deal with it if he throws it like that to the outside low course.”

The Korean leadoff hitter in the batter’s box couldn’t completely hide his surprised expression.

The second ball came right away.

-Whoosh-

-Strike!

He tried to hit it with the bat, but the swing was even later because the pitcher’s ball was faster.

-Tick!

He managed to barely hit the next ball,

-Whoosh-

-Strike out!

In the end, he swung and missed the ball that came quickly to the high course.

“It doesn’t seem easy even though he only competed with fastballs.”

“The speed itself is very fast, and the movement and control are good. It seems like it will take time to adjust.”

Soon, the second batter, Oh Seok-hoon, approached the plate.

“Now it’s a match against Korea’s batting king. He showed really good condition by hitting the game-winning home run in the last game against the United States, right?”

“I’m most looking forward to this match. I hope Oh Seok-hoon will hit a cool one.”

-Whack!

-Strike!

“He started with a 156km/h fastball. It cleanly passed through the strike zone.”

“It’s a course that’s worth aiming for. But since the pitcher’s ball is not yet familiar, I think he just watched one.”

The following ball also passed through the strike zone at high speed.

Fortunately, he managed to pick out one ball thrown as a decoy.

1 ball, 2 strikes.

The ball that left the Japanese pitcher’s hand flew like a strike and then suddenly fell to the ground.

The trajectory of the ball was changing even while Oh Seok-hoon was swinging his bat.

In the end, Oh Seok-hoon’s bat spun in the air.

-Whoosh-

-Strike out!

“In the end, he induced Oh Seok-hoon’s swing with a 147km/h splitter.”

“The reason why this player was able to succeed in Major League Baseball is because of this pitch. Perhaps the batter felt like the ball was flying and disappearing in the batter’s box.”

“I can see with my own eyes that he’s a really great player.”

Soon, the third batter, Na Jun-ho, approached the plate.

-Whoosh-

-Whoosh-

He couldn’t make a proper swing on the 155km/h fastball that pierced the corner.

-Whoosh-

-Strike out!

In the end, he couldn’t stand the falling breaking ball and swung helplessly.

Now it was the bottom of the 1st inning, Japan’s attack.

Our players ran to the ground to find their defensive positions.

And Go Ji-hoon was walking to the mound.

“It’s time to meet Korea’s starting pitcher. What are the important things to watch for in Go Ji-hoon’s pitching?”

“Go Ji-hoon is a player who competes with precise control and various breaking balls. But Japan has many players who are good at detailed baseball. It will be important to see if Go Ji-hoon’s ball can have power against those players as well.”

-Whack!

-Strike!

“Good. It started cleanly.”

Soon, Go Ji-hoon’s second ball came.

-Whack!

-Ball!

“Huh? Is that a ball?”

“It seems like there wouldn’t be a big problem even if it passed through the strike zone.”

My thoughts were no different from the caster’s.

-Whack!

-Ball!

“The strike call didn’t come out on this ball either.”

“If this isn’t a strike, how should he throw it?”

Even after watching the pitching screen again, I tilted my head.

I could feel the embarrassment on Go Ji-hoon’s face as well.

In order to prevent the ball count from being pushed further, he had no choice but to throw it a little closer to the strike zone than before.

However, it was difficult to hit a good ball with a wiggling ball.

-Tick!

For now, he was able to finish the match against the embarrassing first batter well.

-Whack!

-Ball!

In the following pitching, most of the balls that barely touched were called balls.

Naturally, Go Ji-hoon’s pitch count had no choice but to increase.

-Tick!

-Out!

Nevertheless, he was able to force a mis-hit ball and barely raise the third out count.

Go Ji-hoon, who finished the inning, took a deep breath and went down the mound.

“It seems like Go Ji-hoon didn’t have an inning as difficult as this first inning.”

“It seems like today’s umpire is applying a fairly strict strike zone. But there’s no need to be shaken by that. If you just play your game well, you can do it.”

The game continued to the top of the 2nd inning.

The 4th batter, Park Seong-ju, was waiting for the match at the plate.