Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 180

[Jungwoo Lee! His 16th home run of the season! A beautiful swing! He sent that slider soaring!]

[That’s nine home runs this month alone. Just one more, and he’ll hit double digits. Truly, regardless of his batting form, he’s showing the makings of a natural slugger.]

Lee Jungwoo’s blast completely shattered the Giants’ momentum, which had been threatening to revive.

A momentary chill permeated the stadium, and there wasn’t enough time to regain the flow. With the batters’ morale already crushed, the Giants had to accept the impending defeat.

[Stevenson strikes out the final batter! Game 1 ends, with the Braves taking the victory with a score of 4 to 1.]

[A disappointing result for the Giants. It was a game they could have won, but they failed to seize their opportunities time and again.]

[It looks like Jungwoo Lee has been named the MVP. With 2 RBIs and 1 run, he was responsible for the team’s overall score, so it’s only natural. But Allen O’Donnell, who pitched 6 innings and allowed only 1 run, might feel a bit disappointed.]

After Lee Jungwoo’s home run, both teams’ scores remained frozen, and the game ended with the Braves’ victory. But after the game, perhaps the real beginning was just getting started.

The ‘comparison’ that every sports fan finds intriguing.

[‘Perfect Performance’ Lee, Multi-Hit Including 1 Home Run Decides Team’s Victory!]

[Lee Adds 1 Home Run! Paints Nine Stars in the Sky During May!]

[Harding Shines Alone Amidst Disappointing Lineup, 4 Plate Appearances, 3 Hits, 1 Walk, 1 Home Run, Shows His Class, But Game Ends in Defeat…]

[‘Lee’s Pyrrhic Victory?’ No! The Flying Dutchman Shone Much Brighter]

[Jungwoo Lee Shows Harding the Trend of a New Era!]

The media tailored their headlines to their respective key demographics, and various experts, such as columnists and professional reporters, also opened fire according to their inclinations.

As a team game, the Braves overwhelmed the Giants by showcasing everything from an excellent starting pitcher to a strong bullpen, but regarding the two players, several points of contention existed.

Four plate appearances, three at-bats, two hits, one home run, one walk, two RBIs [Runs Batted In], one run. And four plate appearances, three at-bats, three hits, one home run, one walk, one RBI.

These were the stats recorded by Lee Jungwoo and Harding in this game, each having completed the same four plate appearances.

Lee Jungwoo, who accounted for half of the team’s total RBIs, and Harding, who single-handedly scored the team’s only RBI and successfully reached base in every plate appearance, were undoubtedly the center of the game. However, it was also true that they hadn’t definitively suppressed each other.

Also, since it was the last series of May, the Player of the Month award was on the line, so people evaluated the game with different reactions.

-It seems like Lee Jungwoo did better today?

-Yeah, even if you only consider the score involvement, he was involved in 3 points alone. That’s 75% of the team’s total score.

-Harding’s teammates behind him couldn’t perform, but his individual stats are better.

-Harding hit more singles instead of one less RBI. Statistically, Harding is better.

-Pitching is about winning, batting is about RBIs. Lee Jungwoo did better. Face reality, human.

-If you’re going to adopt such a lame concept, at least know what you’re talking about. Pitching is about winning, batting is about RBIs? How long ago was that?

-Your grandfather would smack you in the head with his dentures if you brought up ‘Pitching is about winning, batting is about RBIs.’ Saying his grandson doesn’t know baseball.

The side supporting Lee Jungwoo mainly argued about score involvement, claiming that Lee Jungwoo scored two more points than Harding. The Harding side talked about hits and getting on base instead.

In the case of scores and RBIs, the individual player’s skill is important, but the help of other players within the team is also necessary.

The debate continued without end, and just like in Korea, many people in the United States raised their voices.

Since they were players who were like the pride of both teams, the fans couldn’t help but think that their player did better.

Especially in the case of Giants fans, they wanted to protect their pride instead of losing the game.

-When talking about game performance, you can’t exclude defense either.

-Not mentioning defense, is that a balance patch for Harding? Well, if you include defense, Harding is too lacking compared to Lee.

-If you include defense, not just batting, it’s incomparable. Seriously, who in the big leagues defends as well as Lee Jungwoo right now?

-Harding is also good at defense, why is it incomparable? How many Gold Gloves does Harding have?

-Oh~ are you talking about his career now? Wow~ then Harding is a better player~ I admit it. He debuted much earlier, how nice!

Perhaps the similar playing styles of Lee Jungwoo and Harding contributed to the current controversy.

Both players were types of hitters who added a strong power element to batting, closer to a contact hitter rather than a typical power hitter.

Unlike their physiques, their running speed was decent, and they possessed a high level or top-notch defensive ability in their respective positions.

As a result, there was continuous debate, but apart from that, there were quite a few people who were simply busy admiring.

[‘Surprisingly Developing Player’ Lee, the Secret to Conquering Sliders?]

[‘Disadvantages Slowly Disappearing, Advantages Increasingly Growing!’ The Player Who Showed the Most Remarkable Skill Improvement Compared to Last Season!]

[‘Shocking Hot-Cold Zone’ What Should You Throw to Catch Him?]

-Lee couldn’t hit sliders very well even last year. Why is he so good at it this year?

-He was slightly lacking last year, but he hit better compared to the league average. But this season is truly insane.

-Pitchers keep throwing only sliders when they see him, so he can’t help but get better.

Lee Jungwoo was showing crazy stats in every area, from a hot-cold zone that was red to the point of being crimson to overwhelming matchup stats by pitch type. People were even letting out hollow laughs at the various articles that pointed this out.

Clearly, he was already evaluated as a finished product last year, but he had improved even more than that. And that change was quite effective.

It was as if he had foreseen the current situation.

-It’s really fortunate that he supplemented his slider. There weren’t many curveballs or splitters thrown at him, which he’s not good at.

-Those two have the lowest stats. No one throws them! lolololol

-That’s what’s crazy about Lee. The most common breaking ball is the curve, and many people enjoy using splitters, but he’s forcibly erasing them in his at-bats.

-Honestly, I wouldn’t throw them either if I were them. He’s bound to get a hit.

-Since you have to seal off the vertical movement itself… pitchers facing Lee are really going to have a headache.

This season, there weren’t many stats themselves, so people said that Lee Jungwoo’s slider supplementation was foresight, with the vertical movements being completely white [meaning he dominates pitches with vertical movement].

If turning a disadvantage into an advantage gave a great impression to the fans, the next thing that became shocking was related to the overwhelming defense throughout this game.

-You can supplement the slider because it’s a disadvantage, but his defense is even crazier than that. No, it was originally just number one level. Is it possible to get even better from there?

-Actually, strictly speaking, Lee doesn’t have a particularly good arm, right? It’s decent. His throwing speed is only in the mid-to-upper range. But how is he like that?

-The speed itself isn’t that fast. But instead, his accuracy and throwing speed, that is, the timing of throwing the ball, is fast. This year, it’s gotten even better, so his arm is being evaluated as almost Plus-Plus (70) level [an exceptionally high scouting grade].

-I wonder if he rested during the offseason, didn’t he just keep training? Does he have time to rest a little?

A player who has improved in everything compared to last year. The fans were busy admiring because it was a game that clearly showed him improving even more, even though he was already considered the best.

As it had been until now, they also glared at Lee Jungwoo with suspicious eyes. If he was already the best, as the fans said, and he had improved even more from there. If he hadn’t worn out even in such a tight schedule. There was the easiest way to explain it.

-Okay, let’s say he can get better. Everyone develops as a person. That’s why it’s suspicious.

-Lee has already played a lot of games last year. From the Australian League to the minors, majors, and even the exhibition games and postseason.

-Usually, you get worn out then. Then you recover again around the end of the first half. Not like Lee, who keeps flying around.

-I would have understood if Lee had been sluggish in this game and continued to be bad for a few weeks. Because that’s normal. But it’s not, right? That’s why it’s suspicious.

Simply put, it was a problem caused by Lee Jungwoo being too good. Several tabloids reported that Lee Jungwoo’s slump was because he was pricked by his conscience.

People who seriously suspected him thought it was reasonable. ‘Ah, he’s finally wearing out a bit.’

However, when he showed similar performance to usual again, the suspicion reignited. More people than before, especially those who considered themselves professional, sent suspicions to Lee Jungwoo.

And that was what Lee Jungwoo and Mark wanted. More and more attention was being focused.

In order to perfectly detonate that reaction, Lee Jungwoo aimed for the last puzzle piece.

####

[May, the Final Showdown for the Player of the Month! ‘Lee’s Clincher or Harding’s Comeback’ What Will Be the Result?]

The last game of May.

With Lee Jungwoo still in a dominant position, the media deliberately incited the current atmosphere with words like these to mislead people.

In fact, most people reacted that Lee Jungwoo should take it this month. Harding also recorded regrettable stats.

And Vincent Harding, who checked such articles on his phone while changing clothes, wore a subtle expression.

“When you think about it, it’s almost impossible.”

“What was that?”

“No, nothing.”

Harding, shaking his head at his teammates’ questions, also wanted to shake his head at the reporters who wrote such articles and the fans who were misled by them and believed in them.

‘There’s almost nothing I’m ahead in. Not to mention home runs. Is it just RBIs?’

At least during May, Harding thought that Lee Jungwoo had done better than him.

He wasn’t the type of person to be proud in that way in the first place, so he admitted it much faster than other people thought.

So, from his point of view, the media spouting nonsense were incomprehensible beings. But as a veteran and a superstar himself, he understood.

Why there are so many of those words.

‘It’s what the fans want to see. Such a result.’

People who always think of themselves as the best and believe in it without a doubt. There were countless of them, and even the people of San Francisco, who didn’t like him as a threatening player from another team until last year, now mostly thought so.

And they became afraid. That such expectations would be shattered, that Harding, whom they believed in so much, would be pushed back by a hateful brat.

‘He’s good, incredibly. It’s hard to even compare him to me at that age.’

He could probably boast that he was the best in the league right now.

Not just because he was receiving similar evaluations to himself, but because he was also a baseball fan who loved baseball.

‘And unlike his age, he also shows a hint of experience. That such a guy is on drugs… they don’t know anything.’

The media and anti-fans who were diligently talking about drugs. Harding also knew about it because it was such a famous issue. He just thought it was nonsense.

First of all, there were no signs or side effects of doping on his outward appearance, and he wasn’t perfectly superhuman like they said.

‘He’s just different. Talent and skill. Unlike other players. If he hadn’t been injured, he would have been quite fun even if he was a pitcher.’

Harding knew those kinds of players well. People who were born with sports itself, not just one position or one sport. He was one of those people himself.

That’s why he felt bad on the one hand, but also strangely good. The rookie who caught up with him in such a short time and the position of being challenged by such a rookie.

‘Was Hunter feeling like this too? I’m starting to understand why he was making such a fuss.’

He didn’t really feel like this last year. He was just annoyed by the media comparing a player much younger than him to himself.

But it was different now.

It was more fun than he thought.

And competitiveness and rivalry were also growing little by little. To be exact, his mindset had changed a little.

‘I shouldn’t think of him as a good junior anymore, but as a direct competitor. The Player of the Month will be difficult, but at least let’s not fall behind.’

####

The last game of the Oracle Park away series and the game that would decorate the Braves and Giants’ May was similar to the previous day. As if to solidify the Player of the Month, Lee Jungwoo continued his performance, and Harding also showed his class as on the previous day for his final chase, following him.

[Fair! Lee Records Another Hit!]

[Ah, that was good. It was a very difficult course, high and inside, but he lightly made a hit.]

[If I were the pitcher, I would be angry! I put it in the course that I was most confident in as a pitcher, but he hit it!]

“That’s right! This is it! Screw everything and let’s just keep going like this!”

“Booooooo!”

“Get lost, you damn hillbilly from the East! Take that damn bastard and get out of here!”

[Harding! A clean hit! Straight to 2nd base – Safe! The runner on 1st stopped at 3rd, but the Giants have created an opportunity!]

“Damn it, you should have received 1 billion, not 500 million! We were too stingy!”

“Let’s go for the immediate comeback!”

“This is Harding! Keep teaching that damn brat a lesson! Who is the real best!”

Hits, and hits.

In the continuous chase of reversing and re-reversing, people were busy cheering for the two players, regardless of the outside controversy in today’s game.

[Following yesterday, it’s Harding and Lee again today. Both players unfortunately didn’t score RBIs, but regardless of that, they’re telling us why they’re considered the best.]

[It can be seen as a game that shows the difference between Arthur Hunter, who is often grouped together, and these two players.]

[Yes, they are players with great long hits, but they are also excellent players as contact hitters like today.]

Although they didn’t exchange home runs like the previous day, the two teams’ fierce slugfest, based on the splendid bat control of Lee Jungwoo and Harding, who recorded hits every time they stepped up to the plate, to the extent that even the commentators didn’t spare their praise. The game, which suited the media’s somewhat exaggerated headline of the Player of the Month decision, easily captivated people, and the last game of May, along with the suspicion towards Lee Jungwoo, was slowly heading towards the end.