Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 111

End of Pitchers, Start of Batters – Episode 110

As everyone predicted, the Mets ultimately failed to make a comeback.

Perhaps the shock of being swept again was too great.

Even the curses and criticisms from the previous day’s game were absent.

The spectators were either tearing at their hair or clutching the back of their necks with blank expressions.

“Let’s get out of here. At this rate, we might actually get shot,” Rollins joked, but the atmosphere was so serious that it felt genuine.

Fearing that something might be thrown, the Braves’ team fled Citi Field as soon as the game ended.

Their destination was Dodger Stadium, home of their next opponent, the LA Dodgers.

‘It definitely feels different from the All-Star game.’

After arriving in LA,

Lee Jung-woo, while looking around Dodger Stadium, thought that the atmosphere was completely different from when he pitched as Joey’s partner during the All-Star game in July.

Overall, it was a bit more passionate, yet also slightly edgy.

‘Back then, it was just an exhibition game, but now it’s the regular season. It’s only natural. Plus, now it’s purely Dodgers fans.’

The faces of the Dodgers fans gradually filling the stands held a mix of emotions.

While they were just enjoying themselves during the All-Star game, now there was a desire for victory and a deep trust in the players.

‘The Dodgers… who would have known I’d face them as an opposing batter? Even I couldn’t have imagined it.’

LA Dodgers.

For Korean Major League Baseball fans, it was a team jokingly called “Gookgers” [a derogatory term for Koreans, now considered offensive] in the past.

Even though it’s not to that extent anymore, the Dodgers’ popularity is still immense.

Since two legendary Korean Major League pitchers spent their prime here,

It’s easy to become familiar with the Dodgers and support them, even without a Korean player.

And Lee Jung-woo was once like that too. He also used to be a big fan of the Dodgers when he was young.

To face such a team, not as anything else but as a batter, made him feel different than when playing against other teams.

“Lee Jung-woo! Always supporting you! Go get ’em!”

“I’m a Dodgers fan, but today I’m rooting for Lee Jung-woo!”

“Lee Jung-woo! Lee Jung-woo!”

‘There must be a lot of Koreans here.’

Lost in thought, Lee Jung-woo turned his gaze towards the stands at the familiar language calling out to him.

Koreans were visible here and there.

They were sending passionate cheers to Lee Jung-woo even before the game started.

Since there are many Koreans in LA,

He had already heard that the support for Korean players was great,

But seeing it in person was still a unique experience.

It’s not common to see fans wearing the opposing team’s uniform but cheering for you.

Lee Jung-woo, who slightly waved to the people who were cheering him on so enthusiastically, unconcerned by the glares or unpleasant expressions from other Dodgers fans around them, thought as he warmed up again.

‘It would be quite fun to crush the team I liked when I was young with my own hands.’

Lee Jung-woo wore his usual indifferent expression.

However, his eyes, scanning Dodger Stadium, were filled with competitive spirit.

####

[Gookgers have entered]

[When was Gookgers? Do you know about Jaehan? If you’re Korean, please support Atlanta with Lee Jung-woo or Arizona with Kwak Hyung-sun.]

[I don’t know about Lee Jung-woo, but I don’t want to support Arizona because of Kwak Hyung-sun.]

[Is Kwak Hyung-sun still in Arizona? I haven’t seen him play, I thought he was released lol]

[Release (confirmed) is not far away.]

[He said he would conquer America when he was posted. It must be so embarrassing to return after only a year.]

On various community sites, they started as always by criticizing the underperforming Korean players.

Korean players were always a source of attention for those who wanted to be noticed,

Especially if there was a player who wasn’t doing well, it became even more severe. So, the community naturally opened with ridiculing someone, but soon,

The atmosphere changed to a pure interest in the game, as per the original intention.

[I hate seeing Gookgers fans. I hope God Jung-woo crushes them all.]

[The Dodgers are 1st and the Braves are 2nd. How can 2nd place beat 1st place?]

[Screw you. Are the Dodgers in 1st place with their current skills? They’re doing it with luck.]

[Looking at the Gookgers fans, it’s like the Dodgers are as good as the Boston Red Sox next door.]

There were bound to be disputes wherever people gathered.

In any case, the match between Lee Jung-woo, who is currently the most popular and beloved player among Koreans, and the Dodgers, who still have a large following and recognition in Korea due to their past achievements, drew a lot of attention.

[Who’s the starting pitcher for the Dodgers today?]

[Aidan Styles.]

[Ah, is that how the rotation works?]

Aidan Styles.

The Dodgers’ second starter and a pitcher who is having a good season.

He was a promising player whom the Dodgers hoped would become the new Clayton Kershaw in a team without a clear ace.

In fact, when compared to the various Cy Young [award for best pitcher] winners Lee Jung-woo has faced so far, he was a bit less imposing.

However, the fact that he was the Rookie of the Year winner last season created a story.

The match between the overwhelming Rookie of the Year candidate this season and the Rookie of the Year from last season,

The battle between future superstars who will lead the league’s popularity someday was already a sufficient storyline in itself.

[It’s a match between the Rookie of the Year (genuine) and last year’s Rookie of the Year.]

[You can just see it as a match between Rookies of the Year. Unless his season goes down the drain, Lee Jung-woo will definitely win this season.]

[Aidan is good too. No sophomore slump, and his pitches are good, right?]

[Aidan is good…]

[He’s good… but unfortunately…]

Just like Lee Jung-woo has crushed most teams this season,

Aidan had torn apart several teams last year.

It was quite an interesting contrast.

On the surface, that is.

Among the people waiting for the game,

Those who knew Lee Jung-woo could only scoff at the word “match.”

No, to be precise,

They were busy sympathizing with Aidan Styles, who happened to be facing Lee Jung-woo.

[Isn’t this a second Kershaw execution ceremony, not a match?]

[Yeah, Aidan is screwed.]

[Aidan is meeting Lee Jung-woo of all people. He’s really going to get his soul crushed.]

[If I were Aidan, I would grab the manager’s pants and say I can’t pitch.]

[Aidan, just close your eyes and eat the spoiled food. Is your pride important? Your stats are important. That’s the only way.]

People predicted.

That Lee Jung-woo would not only tear Aidan Styles apart but completely destroy him.

It wasn’t just a friendly feeling towards Lee Jung-woo.

More than anything, there was a clear, undeniable reason.

[Isn’t Aidan good? He’s performing like a second starter without a sophomore slump, right?]

[Lee Jung-woo fans are so disgusting. I admit Lee Jung-woo is good. But do you see Styles as a joke? Do you even know his current stats?]

[I admit Aidan is good too. He’s really good. Seriously, if he grows more, he might even win the Cy Young. But at least right now, he can’t beat Lee Jung-woo.]

[Why? Is Lee Jung-woo some kind of King God General Emperor? It’s good to support Koreans. But please, tone down the national pride. No matter how I look at it, it’s a similar matchup.]

The Dodgers fans, who were dissatisfied with the people who were acting as if the victory or defeat had already been decided and the atmosphere they had created, treated it as mere national pride and rebelled, bursting with thick anger.

On the contrary, the ones who were dumbfounded were on the opposite side. They pitied those who were rambling without knowing.

If they had watched Lee Jung-woo’s game even a little seriously.

Everyone would have thought the same.

[It’s not that, you idiot. Go look at the stats.]

[What stats? Lee Jung-woo? I know he’s good, you idiot. But Aidan is good too.]

[You son of a b*tch, look at this (link)]

[What is this?]

[Just go look at it. After you see it, you’ll admit it too.]

A Dodgers fan, who was bursting with anger, checked the stats that someone had linked with annoyance.

After checking, he too had no choice but to agree with those who had predicted that Aidan would be torn apart.

It was enough data to shut the mouths of those who had been talking based on fandom.

[Wow, I just saw it, and Aidan is really screwed. What is this?]

[Isn’t Lee Jung-woo crazy? What’s with his stats against certain pitches?]

The fans of the team that had already been hit by Lee Jung-woo nodded as if they understood the shock and horror of the Dodgers fans.

What they showed was Lee Jung-woo’s batting average against curveballs. That alone was enough to explain everything.

[I told you. This isn’t a similar matchup. It’s not that Aidan is bad. He just met a really bad matchup.]

After several data were posted on the bulletin board, the atmosphere of the community generally became similar to this.

People thought.

Even if they didn’t know the outcome of the game.

It seemed difficult for Aidan Styles to face Lee Jung-woo.

####

‘Aidan Styles. Come to think of it, Aidan was a rookie at this time. I think he was called the second Kershaw?’

Lee Jung-woo watched the opposing pitcher, who was walking confidently to the mound, with an interesting look.

The pitcher, with sparse, bright yellow facial hair, had a height of 6.4 feet, which could be considered ideal for a pitcher.

His reach was even longer than his height. The hand at the end of his long arm was as large as a pot lid.

Aidan Styles.

A player who will become the Dodgers’ number one ace in the future in a team without a clear ace right now.

If his memory is correct, he never won the Cy Young Award until he regressed, but he essentially had a career that was almost as good as winning it once.

‘According to the data’s evaluation, the second Kershaw. It’s similar. To be precise, it’s similar to the early Kershaw or Sandy Koufax.’

Kershaw and Koufax. The Dodgers’ proud and eternal legendary pitchers.

It was an excessive nickname to give to a rookie player, but he was not a player who would be ashamed even if he fell short of that.

His pitching style was also similar.

‘Left-handed, overhand. A powerful fastball with an average of 94 mph and a maximum speed of 98 mph, and a curveball with a 70-point rating based on the 20-80 scale [a common scouting scale for evaluating baseball skills], and a perfect 80 points if it develops further. As expected, he was extraordinary even in his rookie days.’

A player who resembled them so much that anyone would feel as if the Dodgers had used their past legendary players as a mold and stamped them out.

He was a player who wouldn’t be lacking even if he became an ace right away, but according to the data given by the scouting team,

It seemed that he had some problems with control at this time. He also didn’t have the aspect of an innings eater [a pitcher who can consistently pitch deep into games] yet.

Lee Jung-woo, who knew that everything would be resolved over time, watched him with great interest.

“I’ll hit one out of the park first. Please let me in.”

“Didn’t you get crushed by him? Is it possible?”

“I’m Rollins. I’ve seen it several times. I’m already used to it. If it doesn’t work, I’ll aim for the fastball instead of the curve.”

As the game started with the Braves’ attack, Rollins, the leadoff hitter, confidently spat out those words and trudged to the plate.

Rollins, who had confidently said that he was already used to it, returned to the dugout much earlier than expected.

“Strike!”

“Strike!”

“Strike out!”

Rollins shook his head as if he couldn’t believe it, showing off a cool swing at the sharply dropping curve.

His bright red ears told how embarrassed he was.

‘The curve is really good. It’s so perfect that you can’t help but get fooled even if you know it, to the point where it’s among the top tier of what I’ve faced so far.’

The curve, commonly called 12-to-6 [referring to the direction the ball breaks, like the hands on a clock], was so perfect that you couldn’t help but get fooled even if you knew it.

It was so good that I understood why the Dodgers fans were cursing for only giving it a 70 rating.

“Ah, what’s with that curve? I can’t get used to it even after seeing it several times.”

“I saw you coolly blow a strong wind with a wild swing to cool off your sweat.”

“You did blow something. The problem is that it was wind.”

“Rollins, your swing was great. Are you going to become a slugger like this?”

When Rollins returned, the players all teased him with the same heart, and Rollins’ face turned red.

However, since he had said those words, there was nothing he could do but sit quietly on the bench.

Fortunately,

Derek and Joey, who went out in succession, were also struck out and returned.

It wasn’t good for the team at all,

But it was enough to erase Rollins’ embarrassment.

“Aidan! You’re the second Kershaw? Koufax? No! You’ll be the first Styles!”

“Aidan! Aidan!”

‘He was popular even at this time. Well, he’s a homegrown ace prospect who has appeared in a while. And that’s what actually happened.’

The people who filled Dodger Stadium chanted Aidan’s name.

At least for this inning, he was a pitcher who showed perfect pitching. Moreover, he was a homegrown pitcher from their farm system [minor league system].

Dodgers fans loved and trusted him. They were sure that Aidan Styles would one day decide the World Series victory.

He was such a beloved player, and Lee Jung-woo, who had been watching his pitching, nodded.

“Amazing.”

“He’s the Rookie of the Year from last year. It’s expected that he’ll win the Cy Young in a few years.”

As Lee Jung-woo, who was packing his glove to change sides, muttered, Derek, who was also preparing next to him, shrugged his shoulders and agreed.

Derek had been struck out looking coolly, but there was no sense of defeat or fear on his face.

And it was the same for the two players who had lost so beautifully earlier and the colleagues and coaches who had watched it directly.

They were sure of victory, at least in today’s game, in this Dodgers series.

“How is it? Lee. Is it possible?”

“Yes, the curve is good, but… it’s similar to Ilya Danilov’s.”

“So you mean you’re going to hit a home run.”

When Lee Jung-woo gave a positive answer to the question of Rodrigo, the starting pitcher for today’s game, the players around him smiled.

The newly joined players looked at them with puzzled eyes, wondering why they were doing that.

Among those people, Desmond was different.

Although he didn’t start in today’s game, he also had deep faith in Lee Jung-woo.

“Aidan Styles is as good as I’ve heard. But it won’t work against Lee.”

“Oh~ the kid knows something. That’s right, it won’t work against Lee.”

“It can’t be helped. This guy is on our team, right?”

He knew.

The source of the deeper and thicker trust in Lee Jung-woo than usual in today’s game.

Desmond himself had also played with him in Double-A [a level in minor league baseball] for a short time and had seen it countless times.

Aidan Styles, as mentioned earlier, resembled the Dodgers’ legendary pitchers as if he had been made in their image.

Especially, he was called the second Kershaw.

But he was more similar to Sandy Koufax.

That’s because.

“In the end, it’s a two-pitch pitcher, fastball and curve. The fastball is good, but it’s not so good that I can’t hit it like Ilya’s, so it doesn’t matter if he doesn’t throw the curve. And the curve… I’m grateful if he throws it.”

Two-pitch, Aidan Styles was a two-pitch pitcher. At least, he was a rare species that could hardly be found among modern baseball starting pitchers.

At least the current Aidan was such a rare pitcher.

‘That’s a relief. It’s the early Aidan Styles that I knew. He only knows how to throw the curve and fastball. I was worried, but he hasn’t equipped the changeup and sinker yet. And the curve is good, but it’s not at an extraordinary level. I can definitely hit it.’

The pitcher who was cheered by the Dodgers became a supernova that the entire league was paying attention to in an instant with just two powerful pitches, or rather, with one highly complete curve.

But it didn’t matter to Lee Jung-woo anyway.