Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 16

Lee Jung-woo wiped his face.

It was just one inning, not enough to be satisfied yet.

He needed to see at least one full game to properly judge his defense.

Lee Jung-woo realized he was getting ahead of himself.

‘Forget about the highlight-reel plays. Too much confidence is never a good thing.’

Thinking that, he shook off the lingering daze. After grabbing his favorite bat, Lee Jung-woo carefully put on his helmet.

Although his position had changed from designated hitter to third baseman, his batting order remained third, as always.

At this point, it was safe to say his name was permanently etched there.

The team’s core hitter.

Having done it a few times now, the pressure had lessened somewhat, so Lee Jung-woo calmly finished his preparations. Then,

Leaning against the dugout fence,

He watched the opposing team’s pitcher throwing his practice pitches on the mound.

A right-handed pitcher with a sturdy build, standing around 6’4″ and weighing in at 230 pounds.

‘He’s strong.’

Even in these practice pitches, he showed noticeable power and control.

Due to the unique challenges of pitching at this stadium,

It was difficult to attract pitchers from outside, so the Rockies often focused on drafting pitching prospects. Their recent first-round pick clearly knew how to throw the ball.

His style also seemed well-suited to the team’s needs.

‘A typical Coors Field style. Focused on inducing ground balls to get outs.’

Optimized for the Rockies and their notoriously hitter-friendly environment.

That’s how the pitcher was generally described.

Most teams would be happy with a pitcher like that, but he wasn’t necessarily someone to get overly excited about.

A fly ball that would be a routine out in another stadium could easily become a home run here [at Coors Field, due to the thin air].

Getting strikeouts was difficult, making inducing ground balls essential for success at Coors Field.

To the Rockies, he must have felt like a godsend.

Because he was exactly the type of pitcher they needed.

‘Aside from that, his skills are solid. He can get strikeouts when he needs to. His ERA [Earned Run Average, a measure of pitching performance] is only 2.11 over the last two months. He’s a good pitcher.’

Beyond just his statistics,

Considering his obvious strengths,

His deception is also impressive.

He hides the ball well with his large frame until the last moment, creating the illusion that it suddenly explodes out of his hand.

And his velocity is definitely there.

‘They said he throws a 96 mph sinker. He’ll definitely be showing that off today.’

The sinker itself isn’t necessarily a slow pitch, but 96 mph makes it a true power pitch.

Even in the major leagues, where there are plenty of pitchers who can throw over 100 mph,

Anything consistently over 95 mph is considered a fastball.

‘But if he’s such a good fit, why don’t I remember him?’

That was the puzzling part.

He was such a perfect fit for the Rockies, yet Lee Jung-woo had no recollection of him.

He didn’t know every single player, but he usually remembered the names of the starting pitchers.

He didn’t recognize this guy.

‘Injury or some kind of mental issue, probably.’

Making that guess, Lee Jung-woo carefully watched the pitcher finish his practice pitches.

He had already reviewed the data provided by the team, but seeing it in person was always different.

Maybe he could pick up on an unexpected tell or habit.

So, as he mentally prepared to compete,

Lee Jung-woo hoped the leadoff hitter would at least force the pitcher to throw a lot of pitches.

But the hitter couldn’t resist swinging at the first pitch, which looked deceptively hittable.

The sinker mercilessly darted past the swinging bat.

The third baseman easily scooped up the ground ball that rolled weakly off the end of the bat.

The pitcher used just three pitches to retire the leadoff hitter.

Efficient pitching.

However, that efficiency was somewhat negated when the second hitter battled to a full count before barely striking out on the ninth pitch with a curveball.

But thanks to that, Lee Jung-woo had the opportunity to observe the pitcher extensively.

Calmly stepping into the batter’s box,

Lee Jung-woo replayed what he had just seen.

‘…I can’t be completely sure, but there might be something there.’

He wasn’t entirely confident in what he thought he had discovered.

So, this time, he intended to confirm his suspicion, even if it meant sacrificing this at-bat.

‘I’ll hold back for now. They say he tends to walk a lot of batters, so it’s worth being patient.’

Clearing his mind,

He calmly focused on the pitcher.

The pitcher generously applied rosin to his hand, took a deep breath, and delivered the ball.

Sinker, changeup, curve.

The first pitch he chose was a sinker.

The ball came in low, below the strike zone, spun diagonally backward, and tailed away, resulting in a ball.

Taking the first strike, Lee Jung-woo nodded.

‘Come to think of it, this is actually the first time I’ve faced a sinker. It’s still amazing to watch.’

He hadn’t faced many pitchers yet, but this was the first time he had seen a sinker in person.

He had seen other pitchers throw it before his regression [likely referring to a time travel or reincarnation element], and it always seemed like a magical pitch.

The two-seam fastball that Lee Jung-woo used to throw also had a strong running action, but.

The sinker felt like it was in a completely different league.

‘Is this what it feels like from the batter’s box?’

The ball seemed to be coming right into the hitting zone, then playfully slipped away at the last moment.

Now understanding why the leadoff hitter had grounded out so weakly, Lee Jung-woo took a deep breath.

He focused on the pitcher again.

He wanted to see the changeup.

But the pitcher’s choice was another sinker, this time catching the outside edge of the strike zone.

One ball and one strike.

Unlike his earlier fascination with the sinker’s trajectory,

Lee Jung-woo wasn’t even interested in this second sinker.

‘Throw the changeup. You kept throwing it to the guys before me, didn’t you?’

He just wanted to confirm what he thought he had seen from the batter’s box.

If he was right, he could exploit the pitcher for the rest of the game, even if he had to give up this at-bat to do it.

Muttering a bit obsessively, Lee Jung-woo stared intently at the pitcher.

‘At this point, I’m definitely expecting a changeup….’

Contrary to his expectations, the pitcher threw another sinker.

Perhaps unable to control it, the ball sailed outside the strike zone again.

‘Good guts.’

Throwing the same pitch three times in a row to the same hitter is a bold move.

No matter how inexperienced you are, you usually start to pick up the timing around that point.

Briefly acknowledging the pitcher’s courage, Lee Jung-woo gripped his bat tighter.

Committing to the timing.

If he threw another sinker here, it would be almost foolish.

If another sinker came, Lee Jung-woo was ready to hit it with everything he had.

It was still a relatively unfamiliar pitch.

And his eye for the ball wasn’t perfect.

But after seeing it this many times, even Lee Jung-woo felt like he could anticipate the timing.

‘And if they’ve scouted me, they’ll know I’m strong against curveballs.’

So, Lee Jung-woo fully expected a changeup this time.

And he was right.

The ball was released after a quick windup.

He couldn’t see the ball clearly as it came from the pitcher’s sidearm delivery, which whipped like a lash.

He only saw the pitcher’s toes right before the throw.

When he was in the on-deck circle [the area where the next batter warms up], he had noticed that

The pitcher bent the instep of his lead foot downward when throwing a changeup.

He had happened to notice it during the previous prolonged at-bat.

He wanted to see if he could spot it from the batter’s box.

And he saw it clearly.

No matter how flawed his hitting technique might be,

If he knew what kind of pitch was coming, he could definitely hit it.

Lee Jung-woo, connecting solidly with the slowly floating changeup, dropped his bat and started running, already contemplating.

‘Should I share this?’

He had identified the pitcher’s tell.

There weren’t many games left in the season,

And since he was a first-round pick, he might be promoted to Double-A [a higher level of minor league baseball] next season.

Or he might correct the tell during the winter and come back stronger, so in the worst-case scenario, he could only use this information for one game today.

Still, he could exploit the pitcher in this game.

Should he share this with his teammates?

The same teammates who had accepted him as a colleague on defense earlier.

They had looked at him with disapproval when he was transitioning to being a hitter, but that couldn’t be helped.

There were no hard feelings.

But…

He shook his head.

‘This is the minors. Getting called up [to the major leagues] comes before teamwork or a good reputation.’

If it were the major leagues, he would gladly share the information, but not now.

If he shared the pitcher’s habit,

It would probably be reported, and he might receive some positive recognition.

That he has excellent observation skills.

And that he knows how to prioritize the team.

But, that’s about it.

A player with good stats and skills is ultimately the priority for a call-up, rather than a player who always puts the team first.

That pitcher will get hammered.

He’ll probably be taken out of the game quickly.

Most of the hitters will perform well, so even if he exploits the pitcher, he won’t stand out significantly.

‘But if I use it alone and show great results, it will create a value that can’t be compared.’

A first-round draft pick.

A player they are hoping will become at least a solid starting pitcher.

If he easily targets such a player, Lee Jung-woo’s value as a prospect will increase even more.

‘Holding hands and laughing can wait until I get to the top.’

What’s most important now is.

His own stats and getting called up.

Lee Jung-woo chose himself.

####

During the rest of the game.

Lee Jung-woo played excellent defense.

Not quite as spectacular as the amazing play in the first inning, which would have been replayed endlessly if it had happened in the major leagues.

But Lee Jung-woo, true to his resolution, didn’t let any of the balls hit by right-handed hitters, which often screamed towards the hot corner [third base], get past him.

This was a much better defensive performance than anyone had initially expected.

But it was overshadowed by his hitting.

While fielder Lee Jung-woo was excellent,

Hitter Lee Jung-woo dominated the game like a true star.

In his second at-bat, the pitcher threw his hardest sinker, putting all his strength into the pitch, as if to redeem himself for the previous long hit.

But Lee Jung-woo didn’t care.

Aside from the sinker,

There were two other pitches he could anticipate.

One of them came in a full count situation.

‘His instep is bent downward. It’s a changeup.’

Once he had recognized the tell,

He could see it without even focusing.

Changeup.

If executed well, it’s an effective pitch that can easily generate good results.

But a changeup that doesn’t disrupt the hitter’s timing is useless.

It’s just batting practice.

‘This time, I’ll really get under it.’

The swing he unleashed was smooth and powerful.

He couldn’t easily take the power off his swing like he had in that strangely comical game against the River Dogs.

But his naturally rotating body connected with the ball perfectly.

The swing, which continued cleanly through the follow-through, made solid contact.

He powerfully launched the slowly floating changeup as if to explode it.

Paak-

The moment the ball connected with the bat.

A light sensation resonated in his fingertips. Home runs usually don’t feel heavy to the hitter.

It feels lighter than a swing that cuts through the air.

The pitcher sighed in resignation.

The catcher gritted his teeth in frustration.

And Lee Jung-woo casually dropped his bat.

The ball seemed to defy gravity, continuing to carry even after passing the right fielder and the fence.

It narrowly missed going out of the stadium entirely, but it was a towering solo home run that could have easily cleared the fence with a little more power or a favorable gust of wind.

Since the leadoff hitter had been easily retired, seemingly possessed by a ground ball curse,

He didn’t drive in any runs because there were no runners on base.

But the 0-0 tie was broken with that swing.

The pitcher had retired all the hitters except Lee Jung-woo in the first three innings.

But from the moment his tell had been discovered, this outcome was perhaps inevitable.

What was even more unfortunate for him was.

The tragedy didn’t end there.

####

Bottom of the 6th inning.

The score is tied 2-2.

When Lee Jung-woo stepped into the batter’s box again, the pitcher swallowed hard and greeted him with a noticeably nervous expression.

‘He must be feeling the pressure. He gave up a double and a home run off the changeup earlier in the game. There aren’t many pitches he can throw with confidence.’

The changeup had already surrendered a double and a home run in this game.

It had clearly been exposed.

The curveball was useful as a finishing pitch when trying to get strikeouts.

But it was a risky option because the opposing hitter, Lee Jung-woo, seemed to like that pitch and had been successful against it.

So, the only reliable option left for the pitcher was the sinker.

‘It doesn’t matter what he throws. I’m starting to anticipate the timing of the sinker too.’

Lee Jung-woo confidently stared at the pitcher, and the pitcher, as expected, tried to intimidate him by throwing a series of sinkers.

But he held back, waiting for the right pitch.

He kept waiting.

The count reached two balls and one strike.

Including one foul ball, the pitcher had thrown four pitches.

‘His head must be spinning. He’s thrown four sinkers in a row. He’ll get hit hard if he throws anything else. He must be going crazy.’

Lee Jung-woo focused his strength in his arms.

He was going to swing and try to drive the next pitch, no matter what it was.

Perhaps sensing his determination, the pitcher wiped his sweaty forehead and shook his head repeatedly.

He felt like he was going to get hit hard no matter what he threw.

The pitcher was clearly rattled.

As the signs from the catcher continued to be rejected,

The catcher eventually gestured towards the dugout and called a timeout, walking out to the mound.

“I’m sorry. The signs weren’t in sync for a moment. I’ll get them right and come back.”

The catcher, who quickly reached the mound, spoke intensely to the pitcher.

They talked as if they were arguing, and then he stomped his foot and walked back to home plate.

‘Catchers have a tough job when you see things like that. They have to squat all game and manage sensitive pitchers.’

Lee Jung-woo said to the catcher, who had returned and was settling back into his position behind home plate, letting out a long sigh.

“Pitchers don’t always listen, do they?”

“Hmph, it’s because of you, so don’t talk to me. A ball might accidentally fly over here because of a bad throw.”

It was a veiled threat, indirectly warning him that he might get hit by a beanball [a pitch intentionally thrown at the batter] if he provoked him further.

Lee Jung-woo quietly closed his mouth at the sincere tone.

He wasn’t trying to trash talk in the first place.

‘Still, the catcher handled the situation well.’

Lee Jung-woo swung his bat a few times to regain his rhythm.

Thanks to the catcher’s intervention, the tension had eased slightly.

So, Lee Jung-woo, having refocused his concentration, looked back at the pitcher.

What kind of discussion had the two of them had on the mound?

And what agreement had they reached?

He soon found out.

The Asheville battery [the pitcher and catcher] hadn’t reached any agreement at all.

“That bastard-”

The ball the pitcher threw.

Lee Jung-woo quickly swung his bat at the familiar trajectory.

He didn’t put all his power into it.

It didn’t seem like it would be a long hit, but it looked like it would be enough to get past the infield.

A soft single.

Lee Jung-woo, running as if his calves would explode, reached first base just ahead of the throw.

Heaving and panting with his upper body bent over, he straightened up and saw the catcher shouting angrily at the pitcher.

He had a feeling.

‘He threw it his own way.’

There are occasionally crazy guys like that.

Pitchers who ignore the catcher’s signs and throw whatever they want.

The results are usually disastrous.

Because the catcher is unprepared for the ball that moves differently from what he expected, resulting in a wild pitch.

‘That’s why he failed.’

He seemed like a good fit for the Rockies.

And his skills were decent.

He had wondered why he didn’t remember him.

It seemed like his mentality had been his downfall.

Even though the signs appear to be made by the catcher, they ultimately reflect the strategy of the coaching staff.

No team likes a player who disregards the game plan and does whatever he wants.

Because it undermines the team’s authority.

‘I’m watching an interesting drama unfold.’

Because the opposing team’s battery’s argument was so captivating, Lee Jung-woo hadn’t even considered.

That he was on the verge of breaking a record.