Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 17

Pitcher done, batter up – 16

Lee Jung-woo advanced to third base thanks to a hit by the cleanup hitter that followed.

But the fifth batter grounded into a double play.

Leaving him stranded on third.

Lee Jung-woo, returning to the dugout, threw down his batting helmet in frustration.

Taking a brief breather before heading out for defense, he assessed his physical condition.

‘My body doesn’t feel heavy. Guess my stamina is still okay.’

It was his first time playing both offense and defense in a game, but his body was holding up well.

Maybe it was because he didn’t have to move much at third base.

But it also suggested Lee Jung-woo had good stamina.

‘If I keep this up, I might get another at-bat.’

Despite his stellar performance, the score was still tied 2-2.

If it stayed that way until the 9th inning, he might get another chance to bat.

‘Though they’ll probably replace the pitcher. Still, I made good use of him.’

He got a home run and two hits, driving in two runs, all off that one pitcher.

It was worth the effort of studying the pitcher’s tendencies.

At this point, he wouldn’t be too disappointed to face a new pitcher.

‘Now, if I just focus on defense… this will be a successful game.’

Lee Jung-woo smiled contentedly.

Just as he finished his thoughts and reached for his glove.

“Lee, you’re on fire today! You got this, right?”

“I’ll make sure you get another at-bat no matter what! Just swing for the fences and run like hell!”

The players came up and cheered him on.

Lee Jung-woo was confused.

‘What are they talking about? Swing for the fences and run?’

He didn’t quite understand what his teammates were implying.

But he nodded anyway.

Just playing along.

Afterward, he went out onto the field.

It was only when the opponent’s leadoff hitter stepped into the batter’s box that Lee Jung-woo realized.

‘Wait, I hit a home run, a double, and a single today. Then…’

What he was on the verge of achieving.

‘It’s a cycle hit?’

[Hitting for the cycle: achieving a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game.]

Commonly referred to as a cycle hit in Korea and Japan.

If he achieved it, he would be in the spotlight of fans and the media alike.

First, he had to get four hits in a single game, which wasn’t easy.

On top of that, he had to hit a triple, which is even harder than a home run.

The difficulty was quite high; it’s a rare feat that usually only happens 4-5 times a year in professional baseball.

Lee Jung-woo was now attempting it.

Although the most difficult hit, the triple, remained.

‘For now… I’ll try not to think about it. If it were a double or a single left, maybe I’d be more focused. But a triple requires luck. And I might not even get another at-bat.’

Based on the current batting order.

Even if all the batters were out, he would be leading off in the bottom of the 9th.

If the other batters got on base.

The opportunity would come sooner, but there were no guarantees.

It was also uncertain whether he could hit the relief pitcher.

So Lee Jung-woo tried to push the thought of the cycle out of his mind.

But honestly.

He couldn’t help but be excited.

If he succeeded.

He would receive unprecedented attention.

The front office would have higher expectations.

And his photo and video would probably be on the front page of the minor league website.

He might even get an interview with a local broadcasting station.

In short.

Everything would change.

That’s the power of making an impact.

Therefore, Lee Jung-woo tried to focus, but he couldn’t hide his pounding heart.

####

Time passed.

The Rome Braves gradually adjusted to the opposing starting pitcher.

But the opposing team’s bench made a quick decision.

They immediately replaced the pitcher in the bottom of the 7th with one out.

It was a smart move.

The batters, who had become accustomed to the starting pitcher’s pitching style, struggled against the fresh relief pitcher.

With that, the 7th inning ended with both sides going down in order.

After that, the relief pitchers continued to shut down the innings.

Perfectly erasing any offensive threat.

And the anticipation for Lee Jung-woo’s next at-bat grew even more.

The highlight of it all was the scoreboard.

[3rd Baseman Jung-Woo Lee. Attempting to Hit for the Cycle]

Minor league teams, no less than the majors, were enthusiastic about promotion and marketing.

The team didn’t miss this opportunity and used the scoreboard to inform the audience.

Some people may have already known, but those who didn’t were now aware.

The stadium was gradually filled with a palpable excitement.

‘They’re really putting the pressure on.’

Lee Jung-woo looked at the scoreboard with a slightly displeased expression.

Why are they doing this?

It’s just adding unnecessary pressure.

He understood the marketing aspect, but honestly, it wasn’t helpful for the player.

Lee Jung-woo, who let out a long sigh, was approached by hitting coach Scott, who patted him on the shoulder.

“Lee, don’t be nervous. Just do what you always do. No one will blame you even if you don’t get it. No matter what happens, you’re the MVP of this game. You know that, right?”

Lee Jung-woo, feeling the weight of expectations, tried to appear indifferent.

No, he tried to.

It’s hard to be nonchalant unless you have nerves of steel.

He was just pretending to be okay, even deceiving himself.

“Yes, I know. This is good enough. If it happens, great, and if not, oh well. I’ll just think that way.”

“That’s right, that’s it. Don’t worry about the record, just think about hitting the ball hard.”

Scott continued to encourage him.

Thanks to him, Lee Jung-woo relieved some of the pressure and refocused on the game.

In the end, both teams remained scoreless in the 8th inning.

With the Rome Braves’ defense also holding in the top of the 9th.

The long-awaited at-bat was finally here.

‘Okay. Let’s do this.’

Leadoff hitter in the bottom of the 9th.

The situation was ideal.

Since there were no runners on base, he could run to third base without hesitation if he got a hit.

‘Let’s do this.’

Lee Jung-woo, repeating it once more, gripped his familiar bat and walked to the plate.

He could feel the eyes on him.

Everyone at State Mutual Stadium seemed to be watching him, and it wasn’t far from the truth.

The audience, his teammates, the opposing team.

No one was missing.

It had been a long time since he had received this much attention.

This was the kind of attention he felt when he pitched a shutout in the WBSC [World Baseball Softball Confederation] finals before his regression.

Lee Jung-woo strode to the plate with the confident gait of a protagonist.

‘Four-seam fastball, slider. The matchup isn’t ideal. I guess it’s fortunate that he’s a right-handed pitcher?’

The opposing team’s closer greeted him on the mound.

First of all, his pitch selection wasn’t a great match for Lee Jung-woo’s strengths.

He didn’t have the vertical movement Lee Jung-woo preferred, and he threw a slider that often resulted in strikeouts.

‘His velocity is pretty good, averaging 93 miles per hour. And they say his power is good too.’

A typical power pitcher who tries to overpower hitters with good pitches.

It was a common profile for a closer.

Lee Jung-woo focused on that.

‘I’m strong, too.’

Except for the mis-hit against Adam Strait, he didn’t remember ever being overpowered by a pitcher.

Even against Strait, the batted ball was caught by the shift, but the contact itself was solid.

‘When he tries to strike me out, I’ll time it and hit it.’

If he connected, he might be able to hit a long ball.

After finishing his thoughts, Lee Jung-woo focused intently on the game.

His concentration was sharper than ever.

His eyes were locked on the pitcher, and the bat he held tightly in both hands was ready to swing at any moment.

And the first pitch was thrown.

A heavy fastball heading straight for his body.

There was no need for a second pitch.

Because Lee Jung-woo swung his bat.

As Scott had observed.

Whatever the situation.

Wherever the ball was.

When a hittable pitch came.

Lee Jung-woo didn’t hesitate to swing.

The four-seam fastball that was tailing inside.

Lee Jung-woo’s body coiled and then unleashed.

A powerful stride.

Digging into the dirt.

Lee Jung-woo connected with the sweet spot of the bat.

The goal was a long hit that would land deep in right field.

‘It’s not a home run.’

The power was definitely there.

But it didn’t have that effortless feel.

Feeling the solid weight of the ball on the bat.

Lee Jung-woo followed through completely.

From the moment the ball left the bat, he tossed the bat aside and started running.

He sprinted with every ounce of strength he had, wondering if he even had this much left in the 9th inning.

He ran without even taking a breath from the moment he hit the ball.

His heart was pounding like a drum inside his chest.

Ignoring the first base coach.

Passing the opposing fielders.

As Lee Jung-woo, who was flying around the bases, passed second base, the third base coach waved his arms wildly.

A signal to keep running no matter what.

At that moment, the batted ball flew past the right fielder and rolled quickly after landing.

Driven by the desperation of not wanting to give up the record.

The right fielder grabbed the ball.

But maybe he rushed it too much.

He bobbled the ball.

Just once.

It was only a few seconds.

But the impact of that short delay was significant.

The moment Lee Jung-woo, who had been charging relentlessly, reached third base.

The throw from the right fielder went through the shortstop’s relay and into the third baseman’s glove.

Normally, the umpire would have called him out without hesitation.

But he hesitated.

They arrived almost simultaneously.

But something arrived just a fraction of a second earlier.

And the umpire saw it clearly.

‘This is definitely-’

The umpire, confident in his decision, finally made the call that so many people were waiting for.

Loud enough to echo throughout the stadium.

With a more emphatic gesture than ever before.

“Safe!”

The umpire’s firm declaration.

The opposing team immediately requested a challenge, but the umpire’s call stood.

Lee Jung-woo, firmly planted on third base, took a deep breath and thought.

‘I did it.’

He really did it.

A cycle hit.

####

He didn’t remember much.

That he scored the winning run.

That the team won.

And that he was doused with water by his teammates after the game.

He took some pictures.

He thought he had an interview too.

But he didn’t remember the details.

He just blankly returned to his dorm, stared at the ceiling, and fell asleep.

Then, the alarm he had set went off, and he woke up early in the morning.

He was still dazed.

‘I really hit for the cycle, right?’

Lee Jung-woo, lying on the bed in a starfish position.

Muttering to himself, he trembled slightly, as if he still couldn’t believe it.

Then, he picked up his cell phone again before getting out of bed.

He looked again at his photo on the front page of the minor league website and the video below it.

He looked again at the short posts on the Braves fan community and the comments on them.

Existing ones and those that were posted while he was sleeping.

Looking at them, Lee Jung-woo finally realized the magnitude of his achievement.

[Our farm prospect hit for the cycle! Hell Yeah!]

[Isn’t he the one who switched from pitcher? Does he really have talent?]

[He showed crazy defense during the game too. (gif of catching and throwing barehanded in the air)]

[Baseball America, are you watching? He should be included in the prospect rankings!]

[He struggled as a pitcher, switched to hitter, and has only been playing for about a month, so it’ll be hard to get into the BA rankings. But he’s the number one prospect in my heart.]

Comments were making a fuss, creating highlight reels of his good defensive plays in the first inning.

Lee Jung-woo, feeling a mix of emotions, smiled faintly and checked all the congratulatory messages that had piled up.

Only then did he finally get dressed and leave the dorm.

####

As Lee Jung-woo expected.

Many things had changed.

First of all, he had gained the attention of the Braves’ core fans.

Capturing the hearts of loyal fans to the point where they directly influenced the club was no easy feat.

But more important than that.

He had caught the eye of the general manager.

“Hit for the cycle….”

“It’s not an easy record. It only happens about five times a year in the majors.”

“That’s true, but right now, this is what catches my eye more than the cycle.”

GM Pratt kept replaying the defensive plays Lee Jung-woo made in the Asheville game.

The scouting team had already evaluated his defense and submitted a report.

But he wanted to see it for himself.

The player he had brought in was exceeding expectations.

He already knew Lee Jung-woo was a good hitter because he had been producing good results so far.

Even if the cycle was amazing.

It didn’t drastically change his perception of Lee Jung-woo.

Or drastically increase his perceived value.

What he was paying attention to was his defense.

“He’s playing this well on defense too. And it’s only his first game at third.”

“He has natural talent. His instincts are excellent. His positioning is a bit raw, but his athleticism is so overwhelming that it more than makes up for it.”

Lee Jung-woo’s defense was flashy.

He made several highlight-reel plays, such as making difficult catches and leaping to snatch balls out of the air.

In reality, a veteran infielder could handle those batted balls without such dramatic movements.

In a way, his fundamental positioning needed work.

But GM Pratt didn’t care.

Because the position switch was proving to be successful.

‘If this keeps up, at least I won’t be criticized for wasting 2.5 million dollars.’

A player who switched from pitcher.

He swung his bat with reckless abandon.

And now he was even playing well on defense.

Because of his performance.

GM Pratt’s initial negative view of the switch to hitter.

Was completely overturned.

‘The field staff made the right call. It was better to switch him to hitter than to keep him as a pitcher.’

That choice mitigated GM Pratt’s initial mistake in signing him.

Not completely, but it faded to some extent.

At least he hadn’t thrown money away.

GM Pratt, smiling contentedly, casually asked his chief of staff.

“The spring training invitation clause that we included in Lee’s contract was for next year, right?”

“Yes, it was for three years, not three invitations. Considering that we couldn’t invite him this year due to his rehabilitation, next year is the last.”

He already knew.

But GM Pratt wanted to confirm it again.

‘If he performs well in spring training before being sent down to the minor league camp, I’ll be able to silence the critics who said I brought in a bust for a lot of money. It’s like stuffing socks in the reporters’ mouths.’

GM Pratt hoped that Lee Jung-woo would continue to perform well in the next spring training.

He looked forward to next year’s spring training, which still seemed a long way off.