Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 182

Pitcher Done, Batter Up – Episode 181

As everyone expected, Lee Jung-woo was named Player of the Month for May.

[‘Player of the Month for May’ Jung-woo Lee Wins, Just as Expected…]

[‘Unanimous Choice’ Jung-woo Lee Dominated May!]

[‘Best 5-Tool Player’ Offense, Defense, Base Running, Everything Was Perfect in May!]

Like the ensuing praise, no one complained about the award itself. No one could argue with a monster boasting an OPS [On-Base Plus Slugging, a key baseball statistic] of over 1.3.

Therefore, interest in the award itself was rather tepid. It was already so overwhelming, and the talk of it being confirmed had been steadily coming out since the end of May, so the excitement was less.

And there was a topic of interest that was incomparable to the Player of the Month award, so interest was bound to wane even more.

-I heard Lee is going to hold a press conference, is that true?

-No way… it’s not going to be some kind of national apology, is it? Like he actually did dope and is revealing it…

-Don’t talk crap, absolutely not. It’s not even certain that he’s holding a press conference, and even if he does, it’ll be the opposite.

-Is that dirty drug addict finally going to give in? I predict he’ll admit to all the allegations, say he’s leaving the baseball world, and go back to his country and never return. He’ll be forgotten forever. No, he’ll be remembered, as the player who debuted most spectacularly and retired spectacularly!

The fact that Lee Jung-woo was holding a press conference began to spread.

Being the most famous and popular player in Major League Baseball right now, it attracted attention that was incomparable to the Player of the Month award.

Some people simply dismissed it as a rumor, but fans and anti-fans alike were busy speculating about the content of the press conference.

-Lee Jung-woo? Still don’t know? After watching him so much? ‘I’m sorry, I won’t do it again, it was a desire to do better. The doctor prescribed it. I’ll take time to reflect, I’ll accept the punishment,’ and then he’ll come back and hit an ‘atonement home run.’

-Ah… feels like déjà vu…

-It’s a Lee Jae-yong story.

As the rumor spread, people in Korea brought up the repertoire that had always been there whenever there was a doping controversy. And there were quite a few people in the United States who made similar predictions.

Lee Jung-woo had thoroughly defeated Iwakuma and shocked Japan with his provocation at the Asian Games, so the Japanese side almost considered doping as a foregone conclusion. Even the media seemed to be taking a neutral stance while subtly posting articles with that kind of nuance.

With baseball fans around the world focusing on a player who was only in his first year, Lee Jung-woo, who had everyone on edge, maintained his composure even in that situation. He digested the league schedule, and eventually the day of destiny arrived.

####

‘It’s here.’

Lee Jung-woo watched the slowly flying ball straight on. It seemed quite high, but the ball was slowly falling.

It was the pitch Lee Jung-woo was most confident in, and the one he had a hard time seeing until now. That’s why he cherished it without missing it.

With a long wooden bat.

[He hit it! The ball is stretching out! Is it going over! Is it going over! Over the right fence – it’s gone! A go-ahead three-run home run! Jung-woo Lee’s 17th home run of the season!]

The slow motion was released the moment it was hit, and the ball, which had clearly felt very slow, disappeared so quickly this time that it couldn’t even be followed with the eyes.

People were ecstatic and shouted at the refreshing, exhilarating, and very satisfying home run. Lee Jung-woo nodded.

“That’s why I win Player of the Month!”

“Two in a row? Are you trying to win it this month too? You greedy bastard!”

Colleagues playfully beat him.

Enjoying their camaraderie, Lee Jung-woo looked around. People were still cheering. Outside, they’ll be talking about drug use and whatnot, but it didn’t matter anymore.

‘Because it’ll all be over tomorrow.’

The day of destiny had arrived. And the main characters of that destiny were Lee Jung-woo himself and those outside.

With all preparations already completed, Lee Jung-woo, who had been focusing only on the game, suddenly thought about the actions that those who had doubted and criticized him would take the next day, and then refocused on the game.

Because it was still during the game.

[A swing and a miss! The Pirates fail to catch up, and the game is set! The score ends with 5 to 3!]

[The Braves and Pirates each take 2 wins. After suffering 2 losses first, it seemed like the Braves would record a losing streak for the first time in a long time. But there was a decisive blow.]

[Conversely, the Pirates also had many opinions that it would be difficult to avoid a crushing defeat in the away game against Atlanta, but they unfortunately failed to win the series, but still won 2 games.]

[Certainly, compared to last May, the Braves’ momentum has subsided a bit. They recorded 2 wins and 1 loss in the last Cincinnati Reds game, and 2 wins and 2 losses this time, starting with a different record of 4 wins and 3 losses so far.]

And before long, the game ended as it was. And this time, it was perhaps Lee Jung-woo’s decisive blow that brought it to an end.

It was the Braves’ victory. The series score was 2 wins and 2 losses, with neither a winning nor a losing series.

It was a slightly disappointing result as they suffered 2 losses to the Pirates, who were weakened by Harding’s absence and the departure of several key players. But none of the Braves fans were relaxed enough to care about such things.

Because there was a more important and much more serious issue right from the next morning.

While a small number of Pirates away fans enjoyed the victory, the home fans stared intently at Lee Jung-woo, who had finished his last defense and was trudging back from the ground to the dugout.

All they wanted was one thing.

“Please… it’s not, right?”

“Of course not! He’ll probably tell them all to screw off, right? With a lawsuit on the side.”

It was to see Lee Jung-woo in the next series as well. If possible, the next one, 1 year later, 10 years later.

In the eyes of people who sent trust but couldn’t erase their worries, Lee Jung-woo’s face, which was always as indifferent as an evergreen pine tree, felt unkind for the first time.

It would have been nice if he had expressed some emotion, but his stiff expression left all possibilities open.

Until recently, it was just a trustworthy face, but since they couldn’t guess what was inside, the fans’ hearts were burning.

Thus, the 4-game home series against the Pirates ended with a somewhat mixed reaction, regardless of the result or content of the game.

People who left the stadium spent the night with their eyes open, waiting for the news that would break the next day. Reporters from other regions who had arrived in Atlanta for the press conference were also catching their breath and killing time.

-Are you really okay? Should I, the general manager, be there with you…

“No, it’ll be counterproductive. If the story unfolds that the club forced the test, it’ll cause great damage to both the Braves and Lee. Although I’ve asked for understanding, if such a word comes out anyway, the union will officially raise the issue, and Lee may be called a ‘traitor.’”

Like those people, Lee Jung-woo and Mark also spent their last night busy. Mark immediately stopped Pratt’s anxious words.

As he said, it wasn’t good for the club to step in on this issue. Also, Mark had no intention of letting the club put a spoon in something that was already coming to an end.

-Hoo… I’m worried because it’s an important matter for the future of the club. I wonder if it’s right for the club’s front office to wait with their hands off like this. And is the result certain?

“You have to trust the hospital that represents the region. We’ve already cooperated with the secretariat. The test results have also been officially recognized through the secretariat. As you know, they also hate the league’s popularity being harmed. And the club has already done enough. The club got the venue for the press conference in the first place, didn’t it? That’s enough.”

-Then, I’ll trust you and just send the staff.

The call ended like that.

Mark, who had been so confident until just now, distorted his expression as soon as the connection was cut off.

He was just as nervous as Pratt.

“Is everything ready?”

“What’s there to prepare? I just have to tell the truth.”

“Yeah, that’s right, but be careful. If they catch one word, they’ll bite and deliberately create controversy, right? You know?”

“I know it well. Seriously. But that doesn’t mean I want to be scared.”

“Yeah, it’s better to be confident. Rather than being as scared as a chicken.”

Lee Jung-woo, who made people so anxious, was very calm. Mark, who felt strangely resentful of that, grumbled for a while and then left the house.

Thus, unlike the appearance around him, Lee Jung-woo himself spent the night with a very comfortable mindset, preparing for the storm of the next day.

“Now that I’m ready, let’s end the game.”

Like yesterday’s game.

Like at the plate the day before, Lee Jung-woo came out of the room with a confident step. Yesterday’s glory was a go-ahead three-run homer, but today Lee Jung-woo is aiming for a walk-off grand slam.

####

[Lee, Official Press Conference on Allegations! Venue is Emory University Hospital?]

[Jung-woo Lee, Revealing the Truth About the Allegations Surrounding Him?]

As the sun rose the next morning, numerous newspapers decorated the front page with similar headlines. As if to wage a preliminary battle for what would happen shortly.

The newspapers that sold like wildfire and the accumulating article views made the reporters happy and gave them expectations.

The main event hasn’t even started yet, but so much attention is being poured out, so if something comes out of Lee Jung-woo’s mouth, the issues they will cause are beyond imagination.

Emory University Hospital.

Inside the auditorium provided for the press conference, numerous people were crowded. They each installed cameras in just the right position, and were ready to write down every word, every vowel, every consonant that came out of their mouths.

“When is he coming?”

“If he admits to doping or announces his retirement, it’ll be really crazy.”

“It’s not just crazy, the entire Major League Baseball will be turned upside down, right?”

Reporters gathered at the press conference and whispered, and some of them even said that it would be good if Lee Jung-woo admitted to doping for the sake of the story.

If so, there would be no bigger incident than this, at least this year.

Some of the reporters from the pro-Braves or Atlanta media glared or stared at those words. As time was running out, Lee Jung-woo appeared, opening the door to the conference hall.

“Lee! What’s the reason for today-”

“Are you admitting to doping-”

“Why a press conference-”

“Why is the venue a university hospital-”

Words poured out in an instant.

Lee Jung-woo, who came in with Mark, secretariat [referring to the league’s administrative body] and Braves club staff, and a middle-aged man, nodded at the questions pouring out at him.

As Mark calmed him down lightly, the conference hall, which had been like a market, became quiet again, but the desire in people’s eyes remained.

‘They’re going to eat me up.’

People full of the will to bite without hesitation if they catch anything. Lee Jung-woo thought. It’s perfect.

Because they were grateful guys who would spread today’s press conference here and there for their own benefit and issue-making.

After a moment of preparation, the question order was determined first, and then the press conference began step by step.

“I’m Charlton from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. May I ask why you’re holding this press conference?”

“As those who have come to this place and are wondering are probably expecting, it is to resolve the allegations surrounding me.”

“Are you talking about doping?”

“Yes, that’s right. The rumor that I’m a so-called drug addict.”

When he jokingly referred to himself as a drug addict, a slight smile spread in the hall, which had been full of seriousness. Only until that moment.

“Yes, the reporter over there?”

“I’m Riley from the New York Times. You said you’re going to resolve the allegations, did you get a doping test?”

At that question, Lee Jung-woo looked at the man who had come in with him, not wearing a suit like the secretariat or club staff, but wearing a white gown.

“I’ll tell you about that issue. Uh… I’m Benjamin Walter, a clinical professor at Emory University Hospital here. First of all, Lee Jung-woo came to our hospital last month and had three tests. After the tests were completed, we performed blood tests, urine tests, and comprehensive tests.”

“What are the results?”

“The results came back normal in all areas, including testosterone. Also, no traces of drugs were detected.”

Then the quiet conference hall was filled with voices like a flea market again. Even though the order was clearly set, hands were raised here and there. Some even shouted as if they were screaming.

In fact, it was one of the biggest scandals that hit the first half of this season, so the aftermath was not easy.

“Is there a guarantee that the test results were not manipulated or that there were no errors?”

“Yes, we were also concerned about that, so we had the tests divided into three times, and the secretariat also verified them. All three tests came back normal, and the results were the same as the test conducted in August last year.”

When Lee Jung-woo participated in the Asian Games last year, he had already taken a doping test once, and the result was negative. Therefore, the fact that the results were the same as then was checkmate. Occasionally, there were claims that he doped after that, according to the results at that time, but even that was refuted.

“Isn’t there a possibility that you used drugs that can’t be caught by the current tests? For example, autologous blood transfusions are known to be difficult to detect through doping tests.”

“That’s just a story of the past. Also, Lee’s case is not just a test for doping, but all possible tests were performed. Let me add one more thing, our Emory University Hospital has authority in academia. It has state-of-the-art equipment, an excellent system, and highly qualified medical staff. But if it’s a drug that can’t be caught even with that, the person who made it should come out into the light and receive the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, rather than manufacturing banned drugs in the dark. Because he’s wasting his precious talent.”

Laughter rippled through the room at the joke, including a subtle pride in the place he belonged to, and the press conference continued after that.

As numerous test results and official certifications from the secretariat continued, the atmosphere gradually shifted towards ‘no.’ People who had been watching with excited eyes – mainly Phillies fans – smashed their innocent cell phones or remote controls.

“Isn’t there a possibility of brain doping? Brain doping is almost impossible to catch with tests.”

“I’ll give you the same answer as before. It’s just a story of the past, and modern medicine can catch it unconditionally. It was not detected during the brain examination.”

Not detected. Not detected. Even Lee Jung-woo, a current baseball player, and Mark, his agent, tilted their heads at the bizarre doping methods that the reporters threw out, but Professor Charlton blocked them with the same words. Eventually, the reporters got tired first and shook their heads. Someone raised their hand brightly.

“Is the test you performed related to the club? Did the club ask for it, or did they force it?”

‘Yeah, I was wondering if this question would come out.’

It means that the doping allegations have been resolved, so they’re going to find other issues.

As Pratt was deliberately excluded, Lee Jung-woo and Mark had already anticipated and prepared for it.

“There is no connection at all. It’s purely my will, and the club has only said that they support and believe in me. In the first place, I wouldn’t have taken a doping test just because the club forced me to.”

When the last attack was also blocked in vain. When some reporters were subtly packing their bags as if everything that was going to come out had come out, someone carefully asked the last question in a cautious tone.

“Um… this is a question I want to ask Lee Jung-woo. I understand that Lee has nothing to do with doping. But, then… can I ask how you can get such power?”

Lee Jung-woo smiled at that question. It was something he had expected, and on the other hand, he wanted them to ask him.

‘This will prevent any further allegations.’

As Lee Jung-woo sent a look, Mark nodded and brought someone new in again. It was Rosa Clemens, a sports doctor who was Lee Jung-woo’s last hidden card and was in charge of his medical tests and care during the off-season.

“Dr. Clemens will answer that question.”