Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 152

Returning to Truist Park, the atmosphere was quieter than expected. We were facing a formidable opponent, unlike any we’d met so far.

The LA Dodgers.

Having edged out their rival Giants, who had acquired the star player Harding, they narrowly held onto first place in the Western Division. Despite it being early in the season, many critics were already predicting the dawn of a new Dodgers dynasty.

Aidan Styles, once considered an unfinished prospect, had finally unlocked his potential this season by adding a changeup to his repertoire. The starting lineup, rebuilt around him, was as impressive as in the team’s glory days. The hitters were also performing much better than last year.

However, one player overshadowed all of that.

‘Arthur Hunter. I’ve finally met him.’

Standing at six and a half feet tall, nearly two meters, with a massive frame of 225 pounds.

Despite his size, he boasted flexibility and the unique, springy muscle quality often seen in Black athletes. Early in his career, he was already one of the league’s top hitters, despite being injury-prone. But he overcame that, and after playing a full season, he hit 50 home runs, becoming the best slugger of this era—no, the best hitter, period.

‘If Harding is the best player, then Hunter is the best hitter. That’s probably right. The advanced stats might tell a different story, but in the end, home runs are what people remember.’

Truist Park was filled with a hushed anticipation as it welcomed such a player.

In effect, it was a match between the two most powerful teams in the National League this year.

‘A preview of the postseason.’

The media didn’t hesitate to call it that. Unless a major incident occurred that led to a large number of regular players leaving either team, their advancement to the postseason was almost guaranteed.

Since the two teams were likely to meet on a higher stage in the future and would face each other several more times during the regular season, no one took this preliminary match lightly.

As the home fans quietly took their seats, the players warmed up, determined to do their best. The Braves pitchers couldn’t stop stealing glances at the Dodgers players, trying to act nonchalant.

The Dodgers pitchers were just as busy stealing glances at the Braves.

Both teams’ pitchers had formidable opponents.

‘I have to beat them, even for the fans. And… for my pride.’

Lee Jungwoo, who had briefly stopped running and was looking at the most prominent player on the opposing team, soon met his eyes. The confrontation between the two hottest players in Major League Baseball was already a compelling narrative in itself. The broadcast cameras, which were lightly capturing the pre-game atmosphere, all focused on that one spot.

Amid the tension, something unexpected happened.

Even Lee Jungwoo couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

“So, you were here. Wow~ You’re even more impressive in person. Are you a bit bigger than on TV? Well, you’re still smaller than me, but definitely big. I guess that’s why you can hit them so freely.”

Arthur Hunter, who had been making eye contact, flashed his signature bright smile, revealing his gums, and suddenly walked towards Lee Jungwoo. The other players around him sensed something unusual and became wary, but their wariness dissipated due to his innocent face and cheerful words.

“Ah, nice to meet you, Mr. Hunter.”

Lee Jungwoo, momentarily flustered, spoke awkwardly, but Arthur Hunter shook his head with a firm look, as if to say that wasn’t allowed.

“Don’t be so formal~ Not between us. Are you going to make me sad?”

‘What kind of relationship do we even have?’

Lee Jungwoo was dumbfounded.

When had he ever seen him act so friendly? Especially such a big star. He knew how the media would frame his match with Hunter and the stories they would create. He knew that if he, the current top player, fell behind even a little, there would be a huge reaction. So why was Hunter acting like this?

Lee Jungwoo’s mind became confused, but Arthur Hunter simply smiled brightly, vigorously shook the hand that Lee Jungwoo had inadvertently extended, and nodded.

“Just call me Arthur, Arthur. How friendly and nice is that? Geniuses like us should be friendly with each other. That way, the league will develop, the box office will increase, okay? You’re good, I’m good, everyone’s good. How great is that? Oh, but you’re definitely different. A guy like you wouldn’t neglect practice, would you? Did you file down your calluses?”

“Ah, yes… I have to maintain my feel.”

“Wow~ The average guys whine and beg to be recognized if they put in even a little effort. You’re really different. You remind me of when I was young! By the way, Lee, what’s your social media handle? I can’t find it no matter how hard I look. Is it a secret account? Tell me, just me~”

Lee Jungwoo looked to his teammates for help at the sight of Hunter spouting words on his own, but he gave up on that as well, seeing their smirking faces.

At first, his teammates were wary when Arthur Hunter approached, wondering if he was going to start a fight, but they soon relaxed and simply watched with interest at his noisy and frivolous behavior, as if they were watching one of the ‘characters’ in the Braves’ clubhouse.

With no help coming, Lee Jungwoo simply gave up and listened, trying to be patient, but on the other hand, he couldn’t help but admire him.

‘His behavior is a bit much, but he’s no joke. This is… Arthur Hunter.’

Unlike his frivolous appearance, his massive frame, which seemed to twitch with contained power every time he made a light gesture, was incredibly solid. There was definitely some fat on his frame, which was intimidating just to look at. But none of it seemed unnecessary, not even an ounce.

The body, which was perfectly equipped with only what was necessary for playing, told the story of the effort behind his seemingly light appearance. And the grip he felt in the hand he lightly shook conveyed tremendous power, even without Hunter putting in any particular effort.

‘He’s maintained 225 pounds from his debut to his peak. As expected, top players are different.’

A playful appearance like a neighborhood friend you might see on the street, but with a glimpse of something more beneath the surface. That glimpse filled Lee Jungwoo’s heart, which had only been dumbfounded, with a desire to compete.

“Hey, Arthur! Are you going to keep talking to the enemy? Aren’t you going to warm up?”

“Huh? Oh, oh, I’m going soon! They’re calling me. I have to go now. Anyway, send me a DM as soon as you start using social media. You’re the first guy I’ve seen who doesn’t use it at your age. Oh, and tell your team’s pitchers I’m sorry. After I posted that [likely referring to a social media post], it was too provocative. Of course! But also tell them to prepare well! I’m in good condition today. It’ll be hard to hit four home runs like I did when I was just messing around, but I can easily hit one.”

Then, Arthur Hunter turned around with a smile. Lee Jungwoo, who had been listening to his words with a blank look, soon changed his expression and parted his lips.

“Arthur, you should prepare well too. I think I’m in good condition today too.”

Arthur Hunter, who turned around again at those words, still didn’t erase the smile from his lips. No, it became even wider, as if he had been waiting for those words.

“Oh, that’s… going to be fun. You’re really an interesting guy. I have a good eye for people.”

Then, Arthur Hunter walked away again, beaming, but the energy emanating from his broad back was definitely different from before.

‘Did I wake up a tiger with unnecessary words?’

Lee Jungwoo, feeling a strong desire to compete, licked his lips. As Arthur Hunter had asked him, he thought he might have to apologize to the pitchers, but for a slightly different reason than at first.

####

“Man, I really like him.”

Arthur Hunter couldn’t hide his smile. He liked him even more after meeting him in person. Now, his hair was standing on end. Even the curly hair on his head felt like it was stiffening.

“So, did you have a good conversation with the enemy?”

Aidan Styles asked with a sullen face as he returned. He didn’t feel good because he had been thoroughly outplayed by Lee Jungwoo in the past, so it was an involuntary reaction. Arthur Hunter, looking at him as if he were cute, nodded.

“He’s exactly my style. Moderately serious, moderately playful. His skills are amazing. His talent is great. This, this, it’s really like seeing the old me?”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s great. I’m worried that you just poked the bear and made him angrier.”

Arthur Hunter, lightly ignoring his teammate’s grumbling, scratched his stubbly chin.

The first time he really took notice of him was when he hit four home runs in a game. No, even before that, he knew his name because he was a rising star. But he started paying attention to him in earnest from then on.

‘It was amazing. Harding and I are still young, but another guy like that came out.’

A refreshing swing that knew how to hit the ball with power and precision. The plays he made during the game were truly the best a hitter could show. So he initially thought of him as just a promising kid. But as time went on, his thoughts continued to evolve rapidly.

A genius like himself. Not just the label the media often throws around, but a genius who could really shake up the league.

‘I’m glad I came to the National League. I was just thinking about Harding, but there was another guy like that.’

Such a genius came back changed once again. He abandoned what he was already good at and learned something new, then came back. At first, he was honestly disappointed. A batting style that knew how to split the ball properly, reminiscent of the great Babe Ruth, or the home runs that attract people like the flawed heroes of a bygone era. It seemed like he had diminished his own specialty a little and chose balance instead.

But it wasn’t. As he watched him excel more and more as the exhibition game started, he thought, ‘That guy is really greedy.’ He was trying to have everything: Harding’s versatility and his own power.

‘And, even the qualities of a star that can’t be hidden. Whether he predicted everything or just moved according to his instincts, he’s a guy who knows how to create buzz on his own.’

The beautiful ceremony he showed against the Mets. He started moving in earnest after seeing that. Now that it was proven, there was no reason to hesitate.

‘It’s something anyone can do, but it’s hard to do it first. It’s also hard to maintain that image. I can’t stand to see a guy like that being torn down by the media.’

Rather, he deliberately made a fuss all over the place, amplifying the situation and attracting the attention of fans. Lee Jungwoo also moved properly in line with his judgment. A quiet guy suddenly showed a great performance. The ripple effect was beyond imagination. He timed everything perfectly, just like he does at the plate.

Whether it was due to meticulous judgment or just instinct, he didn’t know, but he liked it either way. The reactions that were initially divided into “arrogant rookie” and “cool guy” were gathered into one:

‘A superstar who can lead the league’s box office.’

‘In the end, it’s business. Baseball, sports—it’s useless if there’s no interest. No matter how good you are, a star with a blocked mouth is worthless.’

At least Arthur Hunter thought so. It’s not that he doesn’t love baseball. No, he loved baseball so much that he thought so. The reality of Major League Baseball is that it is gradually declining, although the fire was kept alive by aggressive hero marketing.

Harding was a genius he recognized and a player who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him, but that kind of noise was a little lacking. He captivated the hearts of fans with overwhelming skills, but in the end…

‘Respect and fear—that’s not love.’

A hero can only exist if he is loved by the citizens. A vigilante who is not supported is no different from a rebel. The eyes toward Harding are never filled with love. Of course, the fans of the team he’s on will have honey dripping from their eyes, but what about the others?

From that point of view, Lee Jungwoo was the perfect guy for Arthur Hunter’s vision.

A player who is always at the center of attention, whether it’s his skills or his external factors. A star who is not limited to the Braves, but receives a lot of support and love nationwide. A hero who has created overwhelming popularity himself, even breaking down racial barriers.

It was more than enough to revive the league’s box office.

“And… seeing him today, he has a pretty strong pride. That’s why it’s more interesting. If the other side responds, the applause will be louder.”

Arthur Hunter couldn’t hide his smile at the fact that his instincts were accurate. But he also couldn’t hide the desire to compete in his eyes. Up to this point, it’s business, but after that, it’s a matter of pride as a player. And…

‘I’m too strong to lose right now. At least not until I get white hair. It’s okay to work together to save the league, but not more than that yet.’

Looking at Arthur Hunter, who was grinning, the Dodgers players nodded. He was a frivolous, noisy, and slightly eccentric player, but he was definitely the most reliable player on the field. And he was properly motivated now.

“We’re going to win today.”

“Did you see Arthur’s eyes? Lee is good, but it’s still going to be tough.”

“It’s not Lee who’s the problem; it’s the Braves pitchers who are going to be screaming.”

The Dodgers were confident of victory.

Only one person, Aidan Styles, had a slightly dark complexion.