Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 164

Pitcher Over, Batter Up – Episode 163

The way people treat a challenger varies. Some might find it annoying, others might fear it, and some accept it willingly. Lee Jung-woo’s choice was the third.

Of course, the opponent might not be on his level. No, they weren’t. The difference in standing and prestige between Lee Jung-woo and Jordan Nash was so vast that it easily overshadowed any advantage Nash had from starting earlier.

But…

‘He’s my first challenger, I can’t avoid it. At least, not if I want to be a true champion.’

That’s why Lee Jung-woo chose to compete. And choices, no matter how small, influence an individual. Lee Jung-woo was no different. His gears shifted from the moment he willingly accepted the challenge.

Of course, his play didn’t change. A professional should always do their best and make the best plays. And Lee Jung-woo was always prepared for that.

However, his mindset changed, and it manifested in a more thorough, even somewhat brutal defense than usual.

‘Here it comes.’

As with most defensive positions in baseball, most balls handled by the shortstop are ground balls. Diving or jumping catches of high balls may be pleasing to the eye, but ground balls are ultimately the most frequent.

In that respect, Rogers Centre, with its artificial turf, was not an easy place for ground ball defense. Even shortstops known for their defensive skills sometimes let balls slip through due to the faster and more erratic bounces. Or they face unexpected situations.

Just like now.

‘What is this?’

A fast ground ball that rolled towards the 3-hole [the area between the shortstop and third base], slightly closer to third base, bounced erratically. Lee Jung-woo, who had already run and positioned himself, widened his eyes as he bent down to catch the ground ball.

His posture was completely off, so usually, in this case, the ball would go behind him, but…

Lee Jung-woo thoroughly caught everything within his range, just like the pitchers who trusted him expected.

[Fast ground ball! Ah! The ball bounced – he catches it and throws to 1st! Out! It’s an out!]

The situation ended in an instant.

What unfolded before the eyes of the spectators who had expected a hit was a seamless, athletic play.

Following the bouncing ball, Lee Jung-woo leaned back, almost lying down, and stretched out his glove to catch the ball that had bounced erratically. That alone was amazing, but considering he managed to throw the ball to first base safely while falling, the word ‘amazing’ wasn’t enough.

[Really, when I see this player’s defense, it seems like he makes baseball both difficult and easy. It’s always amazing and surprising.]

[It could have been a hit situation, so it’s a shame for the Toronto Blue Jays.]

It was truly overwhelming defense.

Fortunately for Toronto, the second baseman, who had expected an infield ground ball, stayed quietly on the base, so a double play didn’t happen, but it didn’t matter anyway.

[He hit it! He dives – he caught it! He caught it again! Two outs!]

[It’s a scene that always comes out when the Braves have a game. It’s not surprising anymore.]

Lee Jung-woo usually boasts a wide range of defense, but today it was as if he was going to defend the center line all by himself. Just like how the Braves’ chance in the top of the 1st inning was thwarted by frequently encroaching on second baseman Derek’s defensive range, he impartially erased the Blue Jays’ runner on second base in the bottom of the 1st inning.

“Nice!”

[No, why is he there?]

[Those watching the broadcast might be a little puzzled. They might be thinking, ‘Is Lee playing as a second baseman today?’]

[Lee concluded the bottom of the 1st inning by recording three outs with amazing defense.]

The direction and angle of the batted balls were all different, but Lee Jung-woo was involved in all of those situations.

The 2nd batter’s batted ball rolled to the 3-hole, so you could understand the ensuing super play. But the 3rd and 4th batters, who were left-handed hitters, pulled the ball towards right-center, and Lee Jung-woo caught them all.

The diving catch that suddenly invaded the screen was so sudden that the people watching the broadcast widened their eyes in surprise. As the commentator joked, some people even thought Lee Jung-woo was playing as a second baseman. Of course, Derek’s appearance to the right of Lee Jung-woo, who flew in and caught the ball, told them that wasn’t the case.

Even the Blue Jays fans, who had been cheering enthusiastically for the defense that seemed like a season’s best play being replayed, were in awe as they watched Lee Jung-woo walk to the dugout.

“Wow…”

“I’ve heard a lot about how good he is… but was he this good?”

“I thought it was an exaggeration when they said the Gold Glove was a definite, but I can see why they’d say that.”

“If he always does that… he’ll get the Platinum Glove every year of his career, not just the Gold Glove, right?”

The reaction of the people who directly witnessed his defensive skills, which seemed similar to, or even better than, players known for their defensive skills in the major leagues, was enormous.

It was a little bigger than when Lee Jung-woo usually showed this kind of defense. Unlike the National League, where they had become somewhat accustomed to seeing it consistently, the American League team, the Blue Jays, didn’t have that much immunity.

Almost filling the 49,000 seats of the Rogers Centre, about 40,000 people all had the same thought in their heads.

‘Was he really that good?’

Only taking the highlights can turn even the worst player in the league into an MVP-level player, so they thought he was good, but there was some hype mixed in.

Despite having their chances blown away by his overwhelming defensive skills that made them want to tear their hair out for thinking that way, the spectators couldn’t even bring themselves to criticize him.

They were just speechless except for exclamations. And that was perhaps the reaction that the fans of the American League teams who would meet Lee Jung-woo before or in the future would continue to show.

Until they got used to the player Lee Jung-woo, like the neighboring town that was constantly suffering.

“Aren’t you going too far today? How good is your condition? Or is there something bothering you? It seems worse than usual.”

Lee Jung-woo, who showed overwhelming defensive skills for one inning to the point where even his teammate Derek expressed it was too much, glanced at Jordan Nash, who was expressing a very complicated feeling with a stiff expression, and then smiled.

“I just have a reason to show it clearly.”

“I don’t know what it is, but keep doing this. I need a day to rest on someone else’s back sometimes, considering my age.”

“Don’t worry, at least during this series. I’ll carry you well.”

Lee Jung-woo didn’t erase his smile. The challenger was happy and willingly accepted it, but like the mindset of facing someone’s challenge, the way to counter it was also up to him.

The method Lee Jung-woo chose now was ‘an overwhelming difference in skill that no one would ever dare to dream of again.’

Being happy is one thing, but for the sake of his position, which had become a solid foundation from the bubble, it was necessary to thoroughly cut off the competitors who were trying to get close.

‘Now that I’ve chosen the path of a genius and a superstar, I have to show an untouchable image to protect it.’

Lee Jung-woo had no mercy for his competitors right now.

####

When a batter gets going, the biggest victim is always the pitcher.

If that batter is also a fielder with such a great defensive ability that it’s really frustrating from the opposing team’s point of view, then the batters also suffer, but even that is not enough compared to the losses suffered by the pitchers. In the top of the 4th inning, Lee Jung-woo, as the first batter of the inning and his second at-bat of the game, proved it himself.

‘He was very aggressive in the first at-bat, just like usual. That means he’s a pitcher who has a strong belief in himself. It’s a good attitude, not being intimidated by whoever the opponent is.’

The starting pitcher, who gave up a double to Lee Jung-woo in the top of the 1st inning with a big hit that would have easily been a home run if it had a little more power, couldn’t hide his slight annoyance, even while forcing a poker face when his at-bat came around again.

‘But he’s shaking now.’

Simple annoyance.

Even that was at a very minimal level, but at least in Lee Jung-woo’s view, the pitcher was shaking.

The fact that he had the emotion of annoyance meant that the pitcher on the mound was avoiding Lee Jung-woo. If his belief in himself was as strong as before, then no emotions other than fighting spirit would have arisen even by a speck.

‘I’ve only gained these kinds of things while barely continuing my professional life. If only my hardware had supported me, I would have been better in my later years.’

As he entered the plate with a self-deprecating smile, the catcher looked at him for a moment as if he couldn’t understand, then snorted as if he was seeing all sorts of strange guys, and looked forward again. Lee Jung-woo also erased his 잡념 [japnyum – stray thoughts] and focused on the pitcher.

Four-seam fastball, curveball, slider, changeup. A player whose characteristic is an aggressive approach, mixing them appropriately and showing them so far.

He is often criticized for lacking control, but he doesn’t throw balls outside the strike zone, but rather focuses on putting the ball in the strike zone somehow based on his unique aggressiveness, and he was a power pitcher who mainly struck batters out.

In some ways, it could be said that he was a type suitable for Rogers Centre, where both fly balls and ground balls are difficult to defend.

‘So that’s why he’s playing for the Blue Jays.’

He was a type that was difficult for batters to face. In an instant, he would swing and give up a strikeout. In short, he was a good pitcher who fit the team’s situation well, and although his confidence was shaken, that style had not collapsed.

Since he had already been figured out in the top of the 1st inning, he was not a very difficult player for Lee Jung-woo, at least.

Because there was also a clear disadvantage that was immediately revealed.

‘His strategic ability in long-term matches is not very good. In fact, even before, when the 승부 [seungbu – contest/match] dragged on, he was just throwing blindly.’

If a pitcher can’t get a batter out at his desired timing, he has to choose an alternative, and a smart pitcher thinks about three or more in advance. But the pitcher in front of him didn’t even have an alternative. The moment the decisive ball was blocked, he just believed in his raw talent and threw it blindly.

First of all, it’s full-power pitching, so the quality of the ball itself improves, so it’s easy to give up strikeouts, and most of the average level batters in the league don’t even drag the 승부 [seungbu – contest/match] to that point, but they were easily 털렸다 [teollyeotda -털리다 – to be털리다] to batters above a certain level.

‘Like in the top of the 1st inning before. In other words, assuming that the 승부 [seungbu – contest/match] can be dragged on, the longer it goes, the more 유리해진다 [yurihaejinda – 유리해지다 – to become advantageous] this side becomes. And…’

After finishing his thoughts, Lee Jung-woo remained in the same batting stance as always. He focused solely on the pitcher’s fingertips. The pitcher, with an almost reverent appearance, bit his lower lip, but threw the first ball that was deeply 박히는 [bakhineun – 박히다 – to be embedded/lodged] in the strike zone according to the catcher’s request.

‘The pitcher must know too. These thoughts of mine.’

Lee Jung-woo waited for it.

The bat came out at a much faster timing than anyone expected.

The straight level swing, which has now been recognized by people and has become a trademark, cut the home plate like a sharp blade.

The picturesque swing that stretched out as it was was clearly so precise that people watching the screen 송파된 [songpadwae – 송파되다 – to be sent/transmitted] through the relay camera would admire it.

“Fuck…”

A low curse.

It was the catcher’s.

Depending on the umpire’s 성향 [seonghyang – tendency/disposition], a warning may be given for such direct and clear swearing, but the umpire for today’s game was either lenient, or he just thought it was an unconscious 탄식 [tansik – sigh/groan]. He didn’t say anything.

No, he was sorry to say something in the first place. The catcher, who got up from his seat and tried to comfort the pitcher, had his shoulders drooping so much that the person watching lost all his strength.

[Home run! Lee hit the first ball thrown by the 투구 [tugu – pitching] like a thunderbolt! Lee’s 12th home run of the season!]

[As always, it was a perfect swing with nothing to criticize.]

The 0-0 situation in the early game, which had continued after each losing an opportunity once, was 깨끗하게 [kkaekkeuthage – cleanly/neatly] broken.

Lee Jung-woo, who broke the balance, was Lee Jung-woo again, like in most games. After throwing the bat and setting out on his way, Lee Jung-woo passed second base and saw the shortstop who had frozen.

‘What are you doing already? The 승부 [seungbu – contest/match] has just begun.’

As I already said.

No matter what reason he had, or what thoughts he had. Lee Jung-woo had no mercy for the competitors who challenged him first. There was only a desperate and miserable 응징 [eungjing – punishment/retribution] for the moth that flew in on its own.