Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 122

End of Pitching, Beginning of Hitting – Episode 121

With the Braves facing their final series of the regular season, Manager Mancini called his players together.

The players looked at him with determined faces, among them Lee Jung-woo. A quiet but sharply honed atmosphere filled the room.

Manager Mancini nodded, seemingly pleased. “First of all, everyone has worked hard. This season, we shattered everyone’s expectations and made fools of the experts. Thank you for showing this kind of performance despite having an incompetent manager.”

The players chuckled at his self-deprecating speech.

As he said, the Braves had delivered a solid blow to the preseason rankings. One famous baseball critic on the internet had predicted, ‘Of course, the postseason is impossible, and they will be third as always. Maybe even lower.’ And that so-called expert is now fervently praising the Braves through columns and articles.

Perhaps he thought it would alleviate his embarrassment, even if only a little.

They shattered the expectations of countless others in a spectacular fashion and transformed the always gloomy fans into the most passionate ones.

But… not everything is over yet. No, rather, it was about to begin.

“Of course, that doesn’t mean there are any morons who are already satisfied. At least not among my players.”

The players nodded or shouted loudly in agreement.

With three games remaining until the end of the regular season, they had already racked up 96 wins. Due to the Phillies’ incredible performance this season, winning first place was already impossible. Their winning percentage had long surpassed other teams, and the magic number [the number of wins needed to clinch a playoff spot] that everyone hoped for didn’t exist at all.

The Wild Card was already secured. So, it was fair to say that the Braves’ regular season was already over. But they didn’t want to be satisfied with that—not the Braves, not the fans, and not Lee Jung-woo.

Because there was an even bigger stage ahead: fall baseball, the postseason. Having made it to the Wild Card, no one would be satisfied with just that, and Lee Jung-woo’s desire for that fall baseball was greater than anyone else’s.

‘Since high school, I haven’t… I’ve never been to the postseason even once.’

Being on a team that wants a pitcher to be used and discarded meant that the starting lineup was in serious trouble, to the point where there weren’t even mediocre pitchers to fill the spots. He had only played on such teams, and he was always released or demoted to the minor leagues once the team stabilized.

Lee Jung-woo had never experienced the postseason in his life. That’s why he was even more excited.

Yes, fall baseball, something he had only heard about from others—not on the bench in the dugout, but sitting alone in the stands or in a room, sipping a can of beer and watching it on TV.

Fall baseball. The postseason.

‘Wild Card… I can’t end it with just that.’

Lee Jung-woo’s eyes burned with determination.

Of course, having secured the Wild Card and with the postseason ahead, no manager, general manager, or team would bother throwing in the starting players for the last series of the regular season, which was essentially worthless. Lee Jung-woo calmly watched the field, which was almost entirely filled with players called up from the expanded roster.

Since they had given him a valuable rest, his job was to cheer on his teammates and diligently replenish his stamina.

“Catch it!”

“First base! First base!”

So, while staying quiet and watching the bustling field, Lee Jung-woo was still burning brightly. He had greedily racked up achievements and had the best season as the best player this season, but the fire in his heart had not yet gone out.

If the Braves fans knew that, they would have cheered even louder than they were now.

‘Let’s go, postseason.’

####

[Braves Finish Season with Winning Series Against Marlins]

[‘Braves are Going to Fall.’ Wild Card Berth! A Triumph After a Long Wait!]

[ATL vs SFG Wild Card Game Showdown!]

The regular season was over. The fans of each team either cried or laughed at their standings. The Braves were the latter. They had won the Wild Card, and because their winning percentage was higher, they would even play the game at their home.

“Cheers!”

In Atlanta, or rather, in most bars in the southeastern United States, such cheers were often heard. The fans were purely happy. Now that the postseason was starting and the Wild Card game was just around the corner, it might be a little early to celebrate already, but for the Braves, just reaching the postseason was incredibly sweet.

It was a story that was far, far away, something they thought they wouldn’t see for at least ten years. So, people cheered and celebrated as if it were their own birthday and praised the players who fought bravely. Of course, there were players whose names were called out even more loudly: the Braves’ franchise star and captain, Derek Hunt, and the Braves’ best hitter and strongest slugger, Joey Freeman.

These two were mentioned at every drinking session. Up to that point, it was the same as before, but one more person was added to it. No, perhaps people were shouting his name even louder than the previous two.

“Our angel who flew across the Pacific! For Lee!”

“For Lee!”

Lee Jung-woo. The rookie who debuted only in June of this year had already become a firm belief for Braves fans. To the fans, Lee Jung-woo was a god, and his actual performance didn’t seem to be much different from that.

[‘ESPN Selects Lee’s Debut as the Most Amazing of the 21st Century’]

[ESPN has selected Jung-woo Lee (21.ATL)’s debut as the best of the 21st century. Experts are also known to agree.]

Immediately, various broadcasting stations did not hesitate to praise him as the best rookie, or rather, the best rookie of the 21st century. Of course, many baseball fans protested, but they had no choice but to quiet down in the face of his overwhelming performance.

What first caught the fans’ attention was his batting average.

[‘.461’ Lee, Finishes Season as a .400 Hitter. Record Not Recognized]

The incredible batting average made people’s jaws drop. Of course, Lee Jung-woo, who had only played in 304 at-bats, only half of the required at-bats, didn’t officially qualify for the batting title. Some people didn’t attach much meaning to the rate stats themselves, but even those people nodded at Lee Jung-woo’s slugging percentage.

Even considering that it was a rate stat with insufficient samples, it was so high that it was serious.

[‘Overwhelming Power’ Jung-woo Lee’s Power is Already Close to the Best]

The 27 home runs that surprised everyone, along with his monstrous slugging percentage of 0.996, drew people’s astonishment. Even considering that it dropped due to a decrease in home run pace and slugging pace due to a decline in stamina towards the end of the season, at least Lee Jung-woo’s power was acknowledged even by those who criticized him for no reason.

In addition, Lee Jung-woo had a great on-base percentage and a fielding percentage that was already recognized as the best in the league. Several critics couldn’t even guess how to evaluate this player or what kind of performance he would have next season.

One critic even said this on the air:

-To be honest, I have no idea how to evaluate this player or predict next season.

-Is Lee that good?

-If you only look at this season, even if you put aside the rate stats, he is already the best in his position. But I can’t predict next season.

-Why?

-Usually, if a rookie’s performance is great, we talk about the sophomore jinx [a decline in performance in a player’s second season].

-Yes, it’s different from the second year because data and analysis data are accumulated.

-I have to predict it considering that. Because the grades are so good, it’s rather difficult. Assuming that an average sophomore jinx comes, he will immediately receive the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove next year. On the other hand, because it was so amazing, it could collapse even more.

-I don’t know how a player who was a pitcher until last year can do so well… I don’t know.

-Mr. Lee is a really mysterious player.

The critic, who was talking as if sighing alone at the program host’s gag, glared at him. Rather, such a joke best explained Lee Jung-woo’s performance this season.

[Mr. Lee is a Mystery. His Performance Was Literally a Mystery.]

As such, everyone was surprised. Lee Jung-woo this year was splendid, magnificent, and great enough to give out generous praise. Even in Korea, where there are often people who unconditionally curse Koreans playing in overseas leagues, he became an inviolable area.

[Lee Jung-woo, Sadly Short of 30-30! 27 Home Runs, 29 Stolen Bases!]

-To be honest, it would be crazy to achieve that. He debuted in June, and he missed a lot of games because of the Asian Games.

-It’s ridiculous. Isn’t Lee Jung-woo a shortstop? Is this possible?

-You have to call him God Jung-woo, you bastards. Is God Jung-woo your friend?

[‘The Best Rookie in the Major League in the 21st Century’ Lee Jung-woo, Draws a Line in Major League History!]

-When I see things like this, it’s really cheesy, but I admit it because it’s Lee Jung-woo.

-I don’t really like Lee Jung-woo, but I really can’t criticize his performance. Lee Jung-woo, please have a three-centimeter… [a Korean expression of admiration, wishing the player gains height]

-Not just the 21st century, but even if you look before that, there won’t be many.

Lee Jung-woo finished the regular league, which will remain in history, with numerous praises.

That’s why people expected it.

‘Will he be able to show such a perfect play in the postseason as well?’

Everyone’s attention was the same. Some cheered him on, others looked forward to it, and some watched him, hoping he wouldn’t do well.

####

[‘Lee’s Stamina Decline is Serious.’ Home Run Pace Decreases Sharply After September]

[‘A Rookie’s Full Season is Always No’ Lee is Already on the Verge of Overload!]

[Giants Manager, ‘The Postseason is a Battle of Experience, the Braves Have No Experience.’]

As if the world had changed in a day, the atmosphere, which was full of praise only for the Braves and Lee Jung-woo, changed rapidly. And, of course, the Giants were at the center of it. They shook public opinion as if they were much more advantageous, with a sniper attack to shake Lee Jung-woo, who was a key figure.

The Braves fans either snorted or ignored it altogether. However, Lee Jung-woo, the target of such sniping, was interested and acknowledged it.

-Lee is already tired. Considering the games he played this year, it’s inevitable. He even played in the Australian league.

-On the other hand, Ilya Danilov has maintained his stamina skillfully like a veteran. That’s why I think Ilya will block the Braves lineup, including Lee, in this Wild Card game. I think the Giants will win.

Lee Jung-woo, who was sitting on the sofa and watching TV, scratched his chin. They were openly criticizing the Braves. In fact, he was a commentator who was already famous for being pro-Giants, so he expected it to some extent. Still, it was too much.

If he were an ordinary young player, he would have been angry and excited, or he would have changed the channel. Lee Jung-woo just shrugged his shoulders.

‘It’s not wrong. I’m actually losing stamina.’

Lee Jung-woo himself felt it. It was true that his body was not in perfect condition. Compared to the beginning of the season, he was a little duller. Fatigue accumulated from playing games from the Australian professional league until now began to show.

Of course, he still recorded crazy grades, so if someone else heard it…

“Does such a guy narrowly miss the Player of the Month? Even though he didn’t play in the last series?”

He would have looked at him as if he were dumbfounded, but Lee Jung-woo was serious, and he coolly admitted it.

‘I played too much during this year. It can’t be helped. It’s strange if I’m not tired.‘

Lee Jung-woo was calm. He was a little worried that the pressure of the postseason would come to him, but there was nothing like that. Whether he was born with a strong heart or it was just coming a little late, at least on the outside, Lee Jung-woo was no different from usual.

He kept his schedule evenly. He had the same routine. For the most important game.

‘My stamina is a little low, but my body is still fine. Well, even before the regression, everything except my shoulder was made of steel.’

Lee Jung-woo made a self-deprecating joke, but in reality, his body was strong except for fatigue. Even though he had played so much, he didn’t even have minor injuries. In the first place, his body itself was born with it. Only his right shoulder was missing from such a steel body.

Lee Jung-woo, who was resting his chin and watching TV, briefly glanced at his cell phone.

[Lee, are you watching TV or the internet? Just ignore everything because they are idiots. – Mark]

To maintain concentration, Mark, who had only talked on the phone because he had asked him not to come, sent a message full of emotion, worried that he might be shaken by the provocation. But Lee Jung-woo smiled.

‘Well, there’s no need to ignore it. They’re doing that out of vigilance.’

Numerous provocations and shakes. Lee Jung-woo saw through the truth in it.

Yes, they are afraid.

Lee Jung-woo, who stole a splash hit from them, even against the best player, was afraid that he would do something again, that he would hit a home run at an important moment, just like he always did this season. So, they were afraid that they would bring down their ace, Ilya Danilov, once again.

They are afraid. Lee Jung-woo felt it. According to his experience in professional life before the regression, the side that gets scared first always opens their mouth first.

‘If you’re so worried, I have to make it a reality.’

Like their words, his stamina was low. At least enough to win the first game of his first postseason was still left.