Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 121

After the game ended,
The Braves and Pirates series continued to be a hot topic among fans of both teams, and baseball enthusiasts in general.

[Pittsburgh Pirates win Game 3 against the Braves, a disappointing losing series.]

-Honestly, it’s not even *that* disappointing.

-After watching Game 2, I was prepared for a sweep. A losing series isn’t the worst outcome.

-If we had been swept after that intentional walk to Lee, it would have been truly embarrassing.

-I’d almost rather have been swept. How could they give an intentional walk to a rookie in his first year like that?

-Why *couldn’t* they? Look at his stats before you complain. See if he’s really just a rookie.

The Pirates won the final game of the series, narrowly avoiding a sweep.

But some fans felt a twinge of shame.

It would have been more understandable if they had intentionally walked a proven player like Joey Fredman, who’s been performing well for a while.

Instead, they yielded to a rookie who had just debuted this year—no, just three months ago.

It felt like a hollow victory. And even then, he hit a home run at the end.

Thus, the Pirates fans were both ashamed and thrilled.

And it wasn’t just Pirates fans.

Fans of Harding [Braves’ star player] were captivated.

And anyone who tuned in hoping to see a showdown between the hottest players in the National League felt a surge of excitement.

[Jungwoo Lee, a stellar performance with 2 hits, 1 home run, 3 RBIs, 2 walks, and 1 stolen base in 4 at-bats.]

[‘Coronation at PNC Park?’ Across both teams, Jungwoo Lee was the real winner!]

-I want to say no… Haa, I don’t know anymore.

-Honestly, it’s hard to argue. He was the best player throughout this series.

-Harding was great as always, but this guy is really something…

-He suddenly transformed starting in Game 2. He was good in Game 1, but still within the realm of possibility.

-I agree. Something definitely shifted.

-Was I the only one who got goosebumps watching the game? Everything else is amazing, but what’s with his speed? It’s like timing doesn’t even matter when he’s that fast.

-There *is* a point to timing. Stolen bases are 80% timing. It’s just that our catcher is trash, so we got burned. Of course, I was a little nervous too.

A rookie with impressive power.
A young shortstop with Gold Glove-caliber, or even better, defense.
A promising player with exceptional bat control.

It wasn’t just that.

In terms of sheer impact, hitting 4 consecutive home runs in one game was the most memorable.

But the shock he delivered this series was even more profound.

In a situation where he was seemingly neutralized.

He forcefully created an opportunity.

And completely changed the game.

It was like watching legends of the past, not current players.

But even after witnessing all of this,

Of course, some people reacted negatively.

It wasn’t simply a matter of criticizing a rookie who was making a name for himself.

More than that, they were unwilling to acknowledge that his current skills were legitimate.

In particular, the pundits who had actively downplayed Lee Jungwoo’s performance since his call-up doubled down, desperately trying to protect their reputations.

[‘People need to remember.’ Lee has only played for 3 months. Other players have played two months more than him.]

-Isn’t that ridiculous?

-It is ridiculous. Lee also played in the Australian League.

[Lee’s performance is a temporary fluke, a fleeting climate anomaly. It’s hard to consider it genuine skill…]

-If that “climate anomaly” continues for 3 months, doesn’t that suggest something’s wrong with the Earth?

-It’s just funny to see these has-beens acting like experts.

-It’s not inaccurate, but it’s so transparently biased that it’s pathetic.

-Let’s be honest. Would this reaction be the same if Lee were white and American? I don’t think so.

-If that were the case, he’d probably be hailed as the second Honus Wagner [Hall of Fame shortstop], Cal Ripken Jr. [Hall of Fame shortstop], all sorts of comparisons would have already been made.

The main thrust of most criticisms was that his sample size was too small to draw definitive conclusions.

It’s a common refrain whenever a super rookie emerges.

And because it’s often proven true,

Those who disliked Lee Jungwoo,

Or those who were still unsure, latched onto these criticisms.

But naturally, some people were annoyed.

In particular, Braves fans treated those who criticized Lee Jungwoo as enemies.

In their eyes, any criticism of Lee Jungwoo was rooted in racism.

However, since that wasn’t entirely off-base, they didn’t take any drastic action.

They simply hoped that Lee would continue to excel and silence his detractors.

####

Amid the criticism and excessive expectations, Lee Jungwoo quietly continued his season.

[Lee Jungwoo, ‘Great performance!’ against the Orioles. Recorded 3 hits, 1 home run, 1 walk, and 2 RBIs in 4 at-bats.]

[Lee Jungwoo selected as the MVP by the players in the Brewers series! ‘He is always the best.’]

[Jungwoo Lee, 27th home run of the season against the Phillies! Phillies fans, ‘Please disappear.’]

However, his performance wasn’t quite as consistently amazing and unbelievable as it had been earlier.

If his earlier play was otherworldly,

Lee Jungwoo after the Pirates series was simply an ordinary (?), albeit league-leading, hitter.

But there was a key difference.

He didn’t experience any significant batting slumps, or even the minor slumps that had occurred mid-season.

Perhaps because of that consistency, or maybe because the initial shock wore off and he seemed more human,

His reputation became even more favorable than when he was performing at an almost superhuman level.

That’s likely why public opinion shifted even more in his favor.

And one particular program capitalized on that.

####

With September drawing to a close,

And the post-season picture becoming clear,

A famous sports broadcaster covered and filmed teams that were likely to advance to the playoffs.

The Atlanta Braves were also featured in a segment titled [‘Turbulent Braves!’].

Despite the Braves’ strong performance, the Phillies were also playing well, keeping them in 2nd place. But since there was still a chance of taking 1st place,

And thanks to their consistently high win rate, it was clear that they would be major contenders in this season’s National League Wild Card race.

[Actually, the Braves are generating the most buzz. Everyone’s curious.]

[More than the Red Sox?]

[Within the National League, yes.]

[Then I agree. I’m most curious about the NL.]

[It’s understandable. They were terrible last season. Suddenly they’re good.]

[Where do you live? I’m coming to find you.]

As one proud Braves fan put it, people were curious.

The Braves were the strongest of the second-place teams and had undergone a dramatic transformation.

Compared to last year, people wanted to understand the driving force behind their 180-degree turnaround.

Or they wanted to identify the weaknesses of a team that was likely to be a tough competitor in the post-season.

####

“Everyone heard in advance, right? It’s going to be a simple documentary. Don’t be too nervous. Just act as usual. If you feel uncomfortable, let me know. They said they’ll edit it out.”

“No, we’re not celebrities…”

“Well, let’s think of it as providing a service for the fans. They said they’ll try not to interfere with training or games as much as possible.”

“Rollins, how do I look? Does my hair look okay today?”

“As I always say, Peterson, if you want to look handsome, you need to replace your face, not your hairstyle. Why are you torturing your perfectly fine hair?”

A bustling clubhouse.

Despite captain Derek’s reassurances, the players were wearing new, stiff uniforms that they usually avoided.

Or they were meticulously grooming hairstyles that would inevitably be ruined by sweat.

They were professional players who were filmed every day, but this felt different from a regular broadcast camera.

Of course, some players, annoyed by the filming, simply hid in the corner of the training ground.

Or they ignored it and went through their usual routine. Lee Jungwoo belonged to the latter group.

“Lee, you seem indifferent too?”

“I don’t like it when someone distracts me during training.”

“Well, you do have that tendency. You’re a bit too diligent. But the fans will want to see you the most.”

“I’m a little sorry about that… But it’s better to perform well in the game than to disrupt training and compromise my condition.”

“That’s not wrong.”

Mason smiled and headed out to the pitching field.

Lee Jungwoo, feeling isolated, focused on training, but of course, he couldn’t avoid being caught on camera as he had hoped.

He was the player that viewers were most eager to see.

Still, the filming crew was unobtrusive.

They only completed the necessary filming and left.

Fortunately, Lee Jungwoo’s concentration wasn’t broken.

No, not just Lee Jungwoo.

The entire team went through training as usual, seemingly unaffected by the quieter-than-expected filming.

Whether the “documentary” label was a misnomer or not, only the camera crew came in and filmed without reporters.

Except for asking Derek, the captain, about his aspirations,

They didn’t interview the players.

Instead, the filming crew focused on the club officials.

The coaches and trainers.

How they achieved and maintained their current performance was the program’s main focus.

Rather than disrupting the atmosphere, they only captured what was essential.

As a result, the filming itself was relatively low-key compared to the players’ initial fuss.

But the reaction was explosive.

####

[It’s more ordinary than I thought? I assumed training would be incredibly intense because they’re major leaguers.]

[They do it in moderation. It’s about that level in the majors. They have to manage their stamina.]

[Well, they play 162 games a year. That’s understandable.]

The programs, broadcast one episode at a time, were surprisingly understated.

Without particularly promoting any individual player,

Or singling out any specific team,

They focused on showcasing why these teams were post-season contenders and how they were maintaining their performance.

Of course, some players naturally stood out.

And the Boston Red Sox, who were having a phenomenal season, inevitably received the most attention.

But the overall balance was well-maintained.

The Braves were the same.

Some players dressed up a bit more than usual.

But otherwise, they all trained according to their regular routines.

But there was one exception.

One player stood out.

And he was the player the fans were most curious about.

[Isn’t Lee overdoing it a bit?]

[Yeah, what kind of training is he doing during the season? Even on a day off.]

[It’s obvious that the people making this show aren’t Braves fans.]

[If you’re a Braves fan, you know that he’s not overdoing it just because they’re filming.]

[So he’s always like that?]

[You’ll see when you watch him prepare before the game.]

Lee Jungwoo was caught on camera.

He went through his routine as usual.

But he was noticeably more intense than the other players.

From running to light weight training, tee batting, free batting to maintain the muscles he had built during the off-season, stolen base practice, and defensive positioning drills. Finally, thorough stretching.

To prevent the team’s secrets from being revealed,

In the carefully edited scenes,

Lee Jungwoo never stopped moving throughout the training session.

In fact, he had even reduced his training volume due to the advice of veteran players like Derek and the recommendations of the club’s trainers.

Under the supervision of trainers, he was carefully managing his physical limits.

He was only pushing himself to the point where it wasn’t excessive.

But to the average fan, the reaction was that it was too much.

He simply seemed to be working harder than the other players.

But the trainers’ interviews, interspersed throughout the footage, reassured the fans.

On the one hand, it gave them a sense of calm.

-Lee’s recovery ability is remarkable. His natural stamina is also exceptional. I can confidently say that he’s the best I’ve ever seen in that regard. Furthermore, he’s training with his past injuries in mind.

-In fact, only the positive aspects of Lee are highlighted. People don’t fully appreciate it. But from our perspective, seeing it from behind the scenes, his current performance is completely understandable. People who dismiss it as a fluke need to see for themselves how hard he works.

-Lee is constantly striving to improve. Even in his best moments, he’s pushing for even better play. Some people say his current performance is a fluke. I suppose it could be. Maybe even I think so. But one thing is certain. Eventually, that will become his genuine skill, and later on, he’ll become an even better player.

The trainers were passionate.

He was by no means a player who had achieved success solely through talent.

Of course, they acknowledged that it would have been impossible to perform as well as he was without his overwhelming natural talent.

But as they emphasized, Lee Jungwoo was not simply a passive genius.

And people felt a renewed sense of respect because of the brief training scenes that conveyed this.

It was revealed in this broadcast that he was not just an otherworldly player, but a player who endures pain, perseveres, and strives to improve.

That definitely softened the somewhat negative public perception.

Even people who had been critical or dismissive.

Now sincerely acknowledged Lee Jungwoo as a player.

[I didn’t like him much before, but my opinion changed a bit after watching today’s broadcast. He works so hard, it’s no wonder he’s doing so well. I support you, keep up the good work in the future.]

[In fact, just by looking at his batting form, you can tell that his current performance isn’t effortless.]

[Still, I’m a little worried. He’s still a young player, so it’s probably okay, but I hope he reduces his training volume a bit.]

[They’re only doing the right amount, the trainers must have considered it carefully. Still, it’s a little touching. Lee isn’t just a player who relies on his talent.]

[Lee is much better than some of the old-timers who are just obsessed with their image as franchise stars. That’s a true professional player.]

Lee Jungwoo, who was simply training as usual, unexpectedly created a positive impression.

Once again, he attracted new fans and improved his public image and reputation.

In order to perfectly finish the season, Lee Jungwoo, as if striking while the iron is hot,

He continued to perform consistently afterwards.

In reality, he was just playing well as usual.

But the effect was the same.

As Lee Jungwoo and the Braves continued to maintain their form, the end of September was approaching.

And the game that might be the most important of the season was also on the horizon.