Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 151

End of the Pitcher, Start of the Batter – Episode 150

After the Marlins series, Lee Jung-woo continued his impressive performance during the away series, following the end of his comfortable home stand. The first opponent, the Milwaukee Brewers, had to watch helplessly as a player from the opposing team dominated their home turf, Miller Park.

‘Now!’

The timing was crystal clear.

Lee Jung-woo fully utilized his gradually developing sense.

“Safe!”

“Ah….”

The second baseman gave up protesting, as Lee Jung-woo had already arrived a step ahead of the throw.

The start was perfectly timed. It was distinctly different from his previous all-out sprints.

[Since the last game, his base running has truly become one of his key weapons. It was a perfect steal.]

[He used to be criticized for lacking base-running instincts compared to his speed. At least that criticism will disappear now.]

Beyond just being a minor annoyance, Lee Jung-woo was now clearly demonstrating his influence as a runner, causing opposing pitchers to look increasingly grim.

[After his call-up to the major league last year, he showed great performance, and various countermeasures emerged. The first was the defensive shift, but that was overcome with harder hits. Next was the ‘intentional walk.’]

[Yes, we often saw him being intentionally walked openly from the second half of last season. We’ve seen it several times this year as well.]

[That was possible because it was believed that Lee’s base-running sense wasn’t that great. But now that’s been blocked.]

In simple terms, pitchers facing Lee Jung-woo now had to choose one of two options.

‘Will you give up a clean hit? Or will you get your mentality shattered by allowing a stolen base?’

Both options invariably led to an effect similar to a long hit.

“Ball, base on balls.”

“Huh? Why? You called it a strike earlier?”

“No, it was a bit lower. That’s a ball.”

It was simple logic.

Either give up a big hit in the batter’s box, or walk him and end up giving up a stolen base.

In the end, it didn’t really change the fact that there was a runner on second base or higher.

It would be easier if he just ran recklessly, but even after equipping himself with the new weapon of base-running sense, he continued his previous annoying behavior.

“I think your pitcher has a problem? He’s throwing like ten pitches just to me.”

“Please, just shut up and stay put. Would it kill you to do that?”

Constantly being a nuisance and loudly getting on the pitcher’s nerves easily crumbled their mentality.

Now that he had solid stealing ability, it was hard to ignore him, as he would just run if they did.

It was a relief if there was a lead runner ahead. Even if they gave up a walk, that guy would at least stay on the base.

As a result, there were even laughable incidents where the pitcher was happy even with two runners on base.

After that, the Braves’ bench didn’t just sit around. Just as Lee Jung-woo had become more ruthless, the bench, which had to utilize him to the fullest, also needed to become more ruthless.

That was revealed during the away series against the Nationals after securing a winning series against the Brewers.

Top of the 4th inning of the first game. One out, runners on first and second. The opposing starting pitcher was holding the Braves scoreless, doing a good job of holding on.

Lee Jung-woo, who was widening his lead and harassing the pitcher as usual to shake him up, widened his eyes at the bench’s signal.

‘A signal… are they really doing it?’

He had expected it, having heard about it from the manager before the game, but Lee Jung-woo was taken aback when the signal actually came. Nevertheless, his body moved naturally.

After exchanging glances with Derek, the runner on second base, Lee Jung-woo started without hesitation the moment the pitcher wound up and threw the ball. Along with Derek on second.

[Ah! A double steal!]

The stadium erupted into chaos with the Braves’ surprise attack that struck the Nationals in the back of the head.

The Nationals players, who had been caught off guard, couldn’t hide their embarrassment and scrambled to react.

[Safe at third! Safe at second! The Braves pull off a double steal!]

[Ah… Manager Mancini’s gamble paid off. It seems he was trying to shake the pitcher’s focus, and he succeeded.]

Fortunately, Derek, the leadoff hitter positioned in front of Lee Jung-woo, was also a decent base runner, so the double steal, which was intended to shake up the pitcher and pose a threat, was successful.

The stadium turned cold.

When the Nationals players felt twice as stressed as they had against the Brewers, the home fans felt the same.

“Seriously… they’re playing so dirty.”

“Braves, you sons of bitches! Do you really have to go this far? Do you have to do that against the worst team!”

The thoroughly shaken pitcher soon threw a meaningless mistake pitch to Peterson at the plate, giving up a huge three-run homer.

He had managed to maintain his focus until just before, but in the end, he couldn’t hold on, because of this situation.

Afterward, even knowing they couldn’t catch him, opposing pitchers would force themselves to throw check throws [a quick throw to first base to keep the runner close] when Lee Jung-woo was on base, trying to keep him as close to the base as possible.

[He doesn’t seem to be able to focus on the game. It would be better to ignore him and get the batter out, right?]

[The pitcher won’t hear that advice right now. Lee is very cleverly moving around, eating away at the pitcher’s nerves.]

Even knowing that throwing would only lead to losses, they couldn’t bring themselves to focus on the game.

Especially when the pitcher was trying to regain his composure, Lee Jung-woo would openly walk away from the base, appealing as if to say, ‘Look at me,’ so pitchers who weren’t mentally strong or lacked focus couldn’t help but fall into the trap, even knowing it was a trap.

As meaningless pitch counts continued to be wasted, and the pitcher’s mind was on the verge of collapse, it was usually the subsequent hitters, Choi or Peterson, who would finish it off, but Lee Jung-woo would also finish it himself.

####

In the final third game against the Nationals, Lee Jung-woo licked his lips at the face of the starting pitcher, who seemed much older than when he had first seen him.

‘He’s barely holding on, but he’s reaching his limit. Aren’t they going to replace him?’

Looking at the opposing team’s bench, the coaches were in the middle of a discussion, but in the end, no one came up to the mound.

[Jung-woo Lee, this is his third at-bat of the game. His record today is 1 hit, 1 walk, and 1 stolen base in 2 at-bats.]

[The pitcher looks a bit tired. The displayed pitch count is still only 81, but in reality, he’s consumed far more pitches than that.]

A battered pitcher.

At this point, either his mind or his stamina is already gone. But since his other teammates haven’t been able to finish the job, Lee Jung-woo carried out his final task.

“Foul.”

“Ball.”

“Foul.”

“Ball.”

The pitcher desperately wants to get Lee Jung-woo out because of what he’s already suffered. Whether there’s a lead runner or not, he doesn’t want to let him get on base, using every method to shake up the pitcher.

But his already exhausted stamina and mentality didn’t allow the pitcher to do even that.

As the pitcher sank deeper and deeper into the swamp, and when the opposing team’s bench couldn’t let go of a shred of hope, the hit explodes.

[He hit it! The ball is soaring! Is it going over? It hit the fence and bounced back! But the runner scores! Jung-woo Lee’s RBI single! The balance of the game is rapidly tilting!]

Lee Jung-woo’s power, who had already hit five home runs in less than a month since the opening, didn’t allow the exhausted pitcher to hold on.

It’s not difficult.

‘Base running is just teamwork. This is the real deal anyway.’

Because it’s the play he used to make.

It was just that it had lost its luster for a moment due to the new aspects. This ability as a clutch hitter [a player who performs well under pressure] is what Lee Jung-woo is most confident in from the start. That’s why, even in the slightly changed play, Lee Jung-woo didn’t forget to show his unique hitting.

People, especially the commentators who watched every game directly, expressed an undeniable sense of awe at such Lee Jung-woo.

[He’s a truly amazing player.]

[Yes, he’s very powerful-]

[No, that’s not what I mean.]

[Yes?]

[In fact, it’s as if there are two hitters taking turns in the Braves’ number two spot.]

[What does that mean?]

[It’s a simple story. Sometimes like a traditional table-setter type number two from the past, and then suddenly like a modern baseball-style strong number two hitter. Every at-bat, no, every pitch, from the perspective of facing Lee, who freely switches back and forth, it must feel like two players are constantly alternating.]

[So, the opposing team has to face just one hitter, but they have to worry about two people’s worth.]

Monster.

That word momentarily lingered in the caster’s mouth, but he didn’t bother to say it, because everyone watching had the same thought in their heads.

####

While Lee Jung-woo was making his name known throughout the league again, his competitors weren’t just standing still either.

[‘This Is MVP’ Vincent Harding, 3 hits in 3 at-bats, 5 RBIs, 1 walk, 1 stolen base in 4 plate appearances. Perfect performance!]

[‘King of LA’ Arthur Hunter, his 7th home run of the season! Is his goal 10 home runs a month?]

The two players continued to perform well every day, as if they had no intention of being pushed back by the young rookie who was now considered a competitor.

In particular, Harding, who seemed relatively quiet compared to Lee Jung-woo and Arthur Hunter, who mingled with each other and caused a stir, also began to assert himself. The cries of National League pitchers grew even louder.

As the competition between the three genius hitters intensified, the opening month of April was coming to an end. The fans’ pride battles also intensified, because the opportunity to claim that they were ahead, at least in April, had come.

[Who will be the Player of the Month for April? Arthur Hunter – Vincent Harding – Jung-woo Lee – Three-way battle!]

-Player of the Month? Why are you even asking? It’s obviously Hunter. The only competitors are probably Lee and Harding. How many home runs do they have? More than Hunter? Or even close?

-Go look at Harding’s slash line [batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage]. Would you even say that? Home runs aren’t everything in baseball.

-Lee has 5 home runs. His slash line is also better than Hunter’s. He has more home runs than Harding, and his stats are better than Hunter’s. Shouldn’t Lee get it then?

-Only idiots would think that. Well, what would southern bumpkins know?

-I think they’re smarter than the flower-brained LA morons?

-As a San Franciscan, I admit that. Both of them are just as stupid as us.

-Screw you, you stupid Giants. Frankly speaking, everyone in the world knows that Harding is the weakest of the three.

The arguments between fans were fierce.

Arthur Hunter, the undisputed home run king of the league. Vincent Harding, who draws a beautiful hexagon in all aspects. And Lee Jung-woo, who is positioned somewhere in the middle and has firmly established his image.

The fans’ claims were bound to be one-sided, as the three players’ tendencies were similar yet slightly different.

Also, since the Dodgers, Giants, and Braves all had strong fan bases, they all raised their voices, claiming that their favorite player was the best player of April.

-No, Lee missed five games, are you out of your mind? Lee should aim for next month. There’s no way this time.

-He hit 5 home runs even though he missed five games, isn’t that even more amazing?

-Uh… is it? No, but objectively speaking, missing 5 games is a bit too much. There’s a bit of a difference in the stats they’ve accumulated in the meantime.

-Still, I acknowledge Lee. He knows how to play cool like King Arthur, not like Harding’s pathetic baseball. It’s a bit of a shame about him. If he hadn’t missed those games, he could have been close.

-King Arthur? A fool king befitting stupid LA. It suits him well.

However, the overall atmosphere was closer to a two-way battle between Arthur Hunter and Vincent Harding.

In the case of Lee Jung-woo, who had followed similarly, the absence in the middle was too significant. The other players couldn’t even get close.

At least the other players, who couldn’t even approach, felt comfortable, but it was a situation that Lee Jung-woo couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed about.

The Braves fans once again cursed the paparazzi who had caused Lee Jung-woo’s absence.

-If it weren’t for that damn paparazzi…

-He would have had at least 6 home runs. Maybe even 7. He was absent when his hitting feel was at its peak…

-If Lee had played all the games, he would have been the Player of the Month for sure. Damn paparazzi.

-Still, Pratt declared that he would definitely take care of it, right?

-Yeah, I like that.

Lee Jung-woo and his fans couldn’t help but feel disappointed. Fortunately, there was still an opportunity to save at least a minimum of pride and have a small sense of satisfaction. An opportunity to achieve mental victory if Arthur Hunter becomes the Player of the Month.

[@TrueKingArthur – Lee, let’s have a real showdown this time! I heard you hit 4 home runs in one game last year? I’m going to tie that record this time. Watch me! But you only hit three. I’ll take care of our pitchers.]

[ㄴLee will beat you up.]

[ㄴYou may be able to win the Player of the Month, but you can’t beat Lee. He’s a god.]

The Braves’ last opponent in April was the Dodgers.