Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 104

Pitcher Done, Batter Up – Episode 103

“Ah, we should have come here for vacation after the season ended.”

“I was worried it would be too hot, but it’s better than I thought.”

“It’s almost like a spring training location. Luckily, it doesn’t rain much.”

“I thought it would pour like crazy because it’s the rainy season. The weather is great?”

The national team players, having arrived in Manila, seemed satisfied with the better-than-expected local conditions.

As they looked around and nodded, Lee Jungwoo was bustling about.

“Oh? Lee? You’re Lee, right? Wow, I’m seeing Lee here.”

“Excuse me, can I get an autograph?”

“Lee! I’m a fan! Can you take a picture with my kid?”

To be precise.

It wasn’t Lee Jungwoo himself.

But the surroundings were a bit bustling.

Travelers at the airport, especially those from countries where baseball is popular, recognized Lee Jungwoo.

They flocked to him, asking for autographs, and there were quite a few locals among them.

He didn’t think baseball was that popular here. How did they recognize him?

Lee Jungwoo, seeing the Filipino man and his son rushing towards him for a photo, glanced at the coaches.

“Can I give them autographs?”

“Yeah, yeah, it’s okay. The bus is delayed because the road is a bit congested anyway. Feel free to sign.”

Lee Jungwoo nodded at the head coach’s words and began to deal with the people one by one.

The national team players who saw this chuckled.

“Most of them seem to be from other countries, but there are some locals too… Didn’t they say baseball isn’t popular here?”

“I guess so. If you’re a Major Leaguer, you have fans even in countries where it’s not popular.”

“He’s really in a different world, a different world.”

Lee Jungwoo, unintentionally showing off the dignity of a Major Leaguer even locally, got on the bus after excusing himself when it arrived.

“Ha~ I’m not one to be outdone in popularity, but… I’m a bit envious today. You’re really a superstar. Should I go to the Major League when I’m eligible for posting [when a player’s team allows them to negotiate with MLB teams]?”

“The Majors aren’t something you can just go to on your own. You need a team to call you. And it’s not just about going. You have to do well there too.”

Sung Youngjun seemed speechless at Lee Jungwoo’s textbook answer.

He sulked and grumbled.

Kim Heechang watched this with sparkling eyes, and since he was sitting on the opposite aisle, he carefully asked Lee Jungwoo.

“Senior, excuse me, but what’s the Major League like?”

‘Why is he suddenly so into it again? He’s supposed to become a legend in professional baseball.’

Lee Jungwoo was dumbfounded by Kim Heechang’s sudden question.

At this rate, one of the legends destined to happen might change because of his regression.

He acted like this when they met in Australia last time, and he’s doing it again this time, so Lee Jungwoo was flustered.

He only gave textbook answers.

“It’s not that different. It’s still a place where people live, and it’s still baseball. The rules aren’t that different either. It’s just the same.”

“Is that so? Then what about the facilities or… the players’ skills?”

“The facilities are, of course, great. I’ve never played professionally in Korea, so I can’t really say anything. Compared to the minors, it’s like heaven and earth.”

In fact, he could have made a direct comparison since he had played in Korea for a long time before his regression.

But Lee Jungwoo held back.

At least here, Lee Jungwoo himself has only experienced Korean baseball outside of school baseball.

Also.

‘There are many eyes watching. If I make the wrong comparison, I might ruin the atmosphere that I’ve managed to build up.’

There were many eyes watching.

He thought he was speaking quietly.

But the players were subtly listening to Lee Jungwoo’s story, pretending not to.

Even some of the coaches and perhaps even Director Do Myungwoon.

That’s why Lee Jungwoo didn’t speak carelessly.

It’s natural for baseball players to have a strong longing for the Majors.

But no player would like to look down on the league they are working hard in.

“And the skills aren’t that different. As I said, they’re all people. I haven’t played for a long time either, so I can’t say for sure. But in my opinion, it’s just a paper-thin difference.”

“I guess… that’s probably true.”

“Yeah, it’s not that big of a difference. They’re all professional players after all.”

“Should I try to get some good stats and get posted? I want to go to the Majors once.”

The players, thinking that there wasn’t much difference between them and Major Leaguers because of the paper-thin difference, smiled happily.

Each of them spread their wings of imagination.

In the warm atmosphere, Lee Jungwoo was convinced that he had given the best answer.

Of course, it wasn’t the right answer.

But Lee Jungwoo didn’t bother to correct it.

‘Well, it’s all good. Let’s not ruin the mood.’

None of the players would be thinking seriously anyway.

Other players know it too.

That the Major League is different.

It’s just that the feeling of accepting it when you think about it alone is different from hearing it from someone else’s mouth.

‘It’s similar to a lottery ticket.’

A lottery ticket is something that you know has a much higher chance of not winning.

You deeply feel that, but once you buy a ticket, you start to imagine what you would do if you won.

The current situation is the same as that.

Lee Jungwoo told a lie for the best.

Everyone in the bus knew it was a lie.

But they were pretending not to know for a moment to indulge in pleasant fantasies.

For the sake of his and the surrounding people’s feelings.

That’s why the atmosphere soon subsided.

But there was one player with serious eyes.

“Major League… paper-thin.”

Lee Jungwoo scratched the back of his head, watching Kim Heechang muttering to himself.

He calculated the surrounding situation and just gave a rough answer.

‘He’s 6th in all-time strikeouts and 10th in wins in professional baseball. There might not be one this time. I ruined a legend. I’m sorry to Korean professional baseball.’

That common and textbook word.

It seemed to have triggered that guy instead.

‘He’ll figure it out on his own. He’s a guy who can make it in the US if he just adapts.’

Lee Jungwoo felt a sense of guilt for no reason.

He became increasingly disturbed.

He tried to forget the adventure-like thing filled in Kim Heechang’s strangely excited face and eyes.

####

“I won’t prohibit you from going outside the accommodation. However, strictly observe the curfew. And…”

Director Do Myungwoon, who had gathered the players to issue team instructions, suddenly stopped talking.

He glared coldly at some of the players who didn’t have a good reputation.

Manila, unlike common prejudices, is a very developed city as the capital of the Philippines.

It is a huge metropolis and the core axis of the Philippine economy.

But there are also unavoidable problems.

That was entertainment.

“If you are caught drinking or engaging in misconduct that tarnishes the team’s name in entertainment districts, you will be immediately expelled from the national team. Keep that in mind. That’s all. You’ve all worked hard to listen to the long story. Rest comfortably. The gathering is at 9 a.m. tomorrow, so be aware of that.”

In the past, there had been cases in other sports besides baseball where national team players were hit by public opinion for their misconduct.

Director Do Myungwoon did not want such an unfortunate incident to occur in the team he managed.

It was a natural story, so most of the players understood and dispersed without any problems.

“Oh~ I’m in the same room as you here too?”

“They’re probably putting us together because we’re close.”

Sung Youngjun made a fuss as if he liked being assigned to the same room following Korea.

But Lee Jungwoo thought it was natural.

If they put a player who wasn’t close to him, there would be a problem.

The aftermath would be unspeakable.

That’s why Lee Jungwoo packed his bags without much thought, took a cool shower, and looked around the room. The accommodation wasn’t too bad as he had heard.

‘They said they prepared thoroughly. It’s not bad. This is about the level of a tourist hotel. The training ground will be better than I thought. The problem is whether the food suits my taste. Well, the association said they prepared it themselves, so at least I won’t get sick from eating it.’

Lee Jungwoo finally arrived in the Philippines.

But Lee Jungwoo didn’t keep the surrounding scenery in his eyes.

He’s leaving soon anyway.

And he’ll probably never come back. At least until he retires and lives like a carefree person.

‘They’ve set the stage well. All that’s left is to smash everything and return with a gold medal.’

####

Whether the director’s words worked properly or because the fans’ eyes were sharp.

Even though going out was allowed.

The players did not go outside the accommodation.

They just went back and forth between the accommodation, the training ground, and the restaurant, preparing diligently.

‘Well, they wouldn’t dare to do such a thing in the Philippines.’

It’s not just a friendly match.

It’s the Asian Games.

Their baseball life (military service) depends on this one tournament.

There is no player who wants to be selected for the final roster and eventually come to the site and throw away everything with one act of nonsense.

That’s why the game preparation was completed smoothly.

Fortunately, there were no problems with food poisoning or food not suiting their taste, as they prepared the meals as Korean as possible with carefully selected ingredients.

“The association prepared properly this time. The meals, the training ground, everything is so different from what the seniors said.”

“I agree, I really thought I had to do well no matter what.”

“Really? I felt a bit pressured. It feels like they’re pressuring us to win no matter what.”

“Think positively. This is probably the last time they’ll treat us this well. They’re treating us this well now because they’ll be embarrassed if we don’t win. If we win later, we won’t get this much treatment. If we don’t win, they’ll be disappointed and won’t do it.”

The players were determined by the much better facilities than expected.

The full-scale curtain was slowly approaching.

A total of 8 national teams participated in the baseball event at this Asian Games.

In Group A, there were Japan, China, Hong Kong, and Mongolia.

Group B included South Korea, Taiwan, Pakistan, and Thailand.

After the group stage, it was not a super round but a tournament.

The first place in each group and the second place in the other group faced off in the semi-finals to advance to the finals.

Therefore, Korea’s goal was unconditional first place in the group stage.

It was clear that the first place in Group A would be Japan.

“If we end up playing against Japan in the semi-finals and lose…”

“Then we’ll have to swim to Korea.”

“We have to go to the finals to even get on a boat. Keep that in mind.”

In such a united atmosphere, the first opponent Korea met, belonging to Group B of the group stage, was Thailand.

Inevitably, the difference in skill was clearly different.

Expectations for victory were smoldering not only in the media but also within the team.

But there were also those who tried to suppress and restrain such an atmosphere.

“It’s really embarrassing if we fall again. Let’s at least make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“Guys, we’re not a strong team. How many times have we been eliminated in the last tournament? We’re not a strong team.”

The veteran players pulled the young players who were trying to float up, and in line with that, the media, which had been pouring out only good stories, appropriately wielded the whip.

[The long-awaited Do Myungwoon team finally departs! First game of the group stage against Thailand. But don’t be careless!]

[It’s too early to expect, Director Do Myungwoon must remember the time with Japan and Saudi Arabia…]

[Is the baseball team’s weakness only complacency? At least this time, it shouldn’t be!]

It was too much humiliation to be sure of victory and predict the future from the Asian Games in Riyadh and the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.

And there were too many humiliations received in the Olympics, including Los Angeles.

People refrained from putting victory on their lips from the beginning and tried to maintain their concentration as much as possible.

Even so, one thing was certain.

It was the best opponent to get off to a good start.

####

‘Designated hitter, it’s been a long time since Single A [a minor league level in baseball].’

Lee Jungwoo, who was assigned as the 3rd batter and designated hitter for the national team, felt a little awkward.

When he regressed and switched to a batter, he only learned how to hit roughly.

In the beginning, he played in a few games as a backup designated hitter.

Since then, he had only played as a shortstop, so Lee Jungwoo was slightly unfamiliar with the position of designated hitter, which he had met in a long time, but he quickly adapted.

‘It’s comfortable and good. I just have to focus on the bat.’

Lee Jungwoo nodded and glanced at the opposing team. They also looked at Lee Jungwoo.

‘They don’t seem to be interested in the game already…’

Lee Jungwoo could read the thoughts in their eyes.

The goal of the Thai players right now was only one. Against Korea, the overwhelming powerhouse of Group B.

It wasn’t about scoring somehow or winning.

It was the desire to get an autograph and take a picture with the player Lee Jungwoo after the game.

Or the desire to leave a deep impression on Lee Jungwoo and the world.

Only those things were full for them.

Lee Jungwoo chuckled at the game, which was losing steam from the start due to external factors.

He had a long baseball experience.

But to be honest, this was the first game like this.

“Don’t overdo it. Just do it with the feeling of maintaining your batting sense.”

“Yes, I will.”

If even the coach said this, it was all said and done.

Lee Jungwoo was disappointed.

No matter how much it was the Asian Games, it was the first game for the adult national team.

Such a historic start was a vague game…

He felt strange for no reason.

But he soon came to his senses.

‘Hoo, what am I thinking now? Either way, it’s a game. It’s right to do my best in the game. Let’s do it as usual.’

####

15 to 0.

The first game of the Asian Games ended with a cool mercy rule [a rule that ends a game early when one team has a large lead].

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“Yeah, you worked hard too.”

As the result of the mercy rule showed, the batters hit happily.

They definitely hit a lot, but it didn’t feel like they had much of a hand.

Similarly, the pitchers completed a clean perfect game in 5 innings.

They finished the game easily in 5 innings, but they tilted their heads and rotated their shoulders as if their bodies weren’t loosened.

And Lee Jungwoo, who scored 9 RBIs [Runs Batted In] alone in today’s game and played a great role as everyone expected, began to consume his stamina in earnest from after the game.

“Lee! Photo please! Camera this.”

“Please, Lee. My uniform signing.”

“You’re having a hard time. Do everything diligently and come to the locker room. I’ll be waiting.”

“Huh, yes.”

Lee Jungwoo couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of people flocking to him to take pictures or ask for autographs.

But he still did his best.

Once the game was over, they were also fans.

Even though they couldn’t get a hit and lost by mercy rule.

The appearance of passionately playing the game until the end impressed him.

That’s why Lee Jungwoo did his best to serve them.

But the subtle feeling did not disappear. No, it got thicker.

‘I feel a bit…’

He felt uncomfortable for no reason because it felt like he was playing as Yeopo [a historical figure known for being easily manipulated] for no reason.

That was the same for Korean fans.

[Baseball team! 15-0 mercy rule win against Thailand!]

[A good start. Proud of the national team’s pitching power with a clean perfect game!]

[A natural result? It’s ridiculous to be too happy]

[Honestly, we shouldn’t like this.]

[I agree. It’s more embarrassing to be happy that we won this]

[I felt a bit strange. I felt like I was beating up kids for no reason]

[Yeah, you too? I felt like I was doing something bad, so I felt X like watching the game]

[It would have been so refreshing if it was against Taiwan or Japan. Because it’s Thailand…]

[Lee Jungwoo is good, but I can’t get a sense of it because the opponent is Thailand. Is his condition good?]

The fans also showed a slightly ambiguous reaction while rejoicing in the victory, as if they shared the same feeling as Lee Jungwoo.

That was the same in the next game against Pakistan.