Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 241

Pitcher Done, Batter Up – 240

Before long, the wait was over. The downpour, so heavy it was hard to believe this was LA, was enough to dampen even the most ardent enthusiasm for baseball. The game was called due to rain.

“…Therefore, we regret to announce that today’s second game of the series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves has been canceled and will be rescheduled for 9:30 AM tomorrow. The third game will be played as a doubleheader immediately following the second game. Tickets for today’s canceled game can be refunded or exchanged for tickets to a future game of your choice…”

The voice echoing through the stadium speakers betrayed the speaker’s own bewilderment, though it was nothing compared to the players’ dismay.

Frustrated sighs leaked from every corner of the dugout, and some players crammed their bats, still wet, into their equipment bags with unnecessary force.

“Ugh… a doubleheader after all. Can’t we just count the first game of this series and play a two-game series sometime in early October?”

“The front office hates messing with the schedule. Especially with a West Coast-East Coast series, they have to consider rest days, so they’ll just try to finish it somehow.”

“Why a doubleheader in August of all times? Especially at the end of the month. It would be less tiring if it were in September because of the expanded roster.”

“What can you do? It’s the damn weather’s fault. Who knew it would pour like this in a city where it hardly ever rains?”

No player likes a doubleheader. Correction, not many players do. People who love baseball a little too much, like Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks, might be happy to play another game.

Of course, except for those special cases, no player welcomes a doubleheader. Baseball might seem not that strenuous because it is somewhat static, but it is one of the most physically demanding sports.

Especially a doubleheader late in the season like this one, which not only drains the already exhausted players’ stamina but can also inflict serious cumulative damage to their bodies.

“If I play a doubleheader at my age, I swear I can’t walk the next day, can’t walk. It’s not just tingling or aching; I completely lose sensation.”

“I used to be able to play three games a day when I was young, but now I’m getting old…”

“Hey, young guys. We’re counting on you. You guys have to do well in the afternoon game. We’re hopeless.”

Veterans like Peterson, Poppin, and catcher Michael Lipton were already making groaning noises and throwing out jokes, but their gloomy expressions, like the weather, showed it wasn’t all just a joke.

‘A doubleheader, it’s my first time too. Pitchers hardly ever experience a doubleheader. No matter how much they plan to use someone and then dump them, no one is crazy enough to have a pitcher pitch twice in one day.’

Even including his past life, Lee Jungwoo wasn’t exactly familiar with doubleheaders. The position of pitcher is so sensitive that they can break down at any moment, so no matter how much of a workhorse they are, they can’t just be made to pitch continuously.

Especially having them pitch twice in one day, which is practically telling them to die, is even less likely to happen.

So, this was perhaps his first real doubleheader, and Lee Jungwoo felt a strange emotion.

‘I do have good stamina. It’s almost strange to explain it as just that. I recover quickly even after playing a full game.’

Even though he was a shortstop, one of the most physically demanding positions in baseball, he had never felt a significant lack of stamina while playing.

He did seem a little winded towards the end of the season due to accumulated fatigue, but even that was a godsend compared to other players.

So, Lee Jungwoo was a little curious. Would his stamina, along with his wrist strength, which could be considered quite absurd, be okay even after playing a doubleheader?

‘Still, I need to be careful. I could suddenly snap. Injuries always come so suddenly.’

Already having experienced it once, Lee Jungwoo felt a bit of curiosity while also giving himself thorough warnings. Someone approached him.

“Lee, is this your first doubleheader?”

“Huh? Oh, yes, it is. Coach, did you ever play in a doubleheader during your career?”

“About three times. I thought I was going to die. Tell me right away if it’s too hard for you. Players your age often get injured because they’re stubborn. If you feel like something’s wrong, don’t hesitate to raise your hand. As you know, your body isn’t just any body, right?”

It was the head coach, and he gave Lee Jungwoo strict instructions with a stern expression. Lee Jungwoo nodded at the coach’s fatherly demeanor, but afterwards, coaches from every field came up to him and said the same thing, making his neck stiff.

“So, don’t overdo it…”

“I’ll be as careful as possible, so don’t worry.”

It was a somewhat comical sight, but in a way, it was only natural. Lee Jungwoo’s body wasn’t ordinary right now. If he got injured, they would seriously have to consider the possibility of a riot breaking out across Atlanta. So, the team had no choice but to be careful.

Of course, there was a backup player, so he might not have to play two consecutive games, but that wasn’t very likely. No matter how much of a backup they had, it was still a 25-man roster, and even if they could call up one more player specifically for the doubleheader, that was only 26 people. Excluding the pitchers, there weren’t many fielders. No, not many, but at most three or so besides the starters.

‘We have Clarkson, who is an infielder utility player, but we can only replace one of either the Captain or me… Well, our pitching staff is so strong, and the starting rotation is six players, so they might call up a shortstop and add him to the extra roster. Anyway, I have to be prepared.’

Two games in one day. That dizzying situation was right around the corner.

####

“It’s like they’re playing with us… It poured like crazy yesterday, and today it’s sunny.”

“Oh? It’s Spears? Ah, they ended up calling up a pitcher. I thought they’d call up a shortstop or second baseman.”

“Well, it’s good to have a pitcher. But if that’s the case, either Lee or the Captain is going to be dead today.”

“Lee will be dead. Derek is older, so they’ll be more considerate of him. Good luck today, Lee.”

The next day, the Dodgers Stadium, which they revisited, boasted cloudless, clear weather as if to mock the players who had to play a doubleheader today. The sky was so blue that you might think it was a good day for a picnic.

The players, grumbling at the weather, tilted their heads at the new face filling one corner of the locker room, or greeted him as if they knew him, and some looked at Lee Jungwoo with pity, as if feeling sorry for him that the team had ultimately chosen a pitcher for the special entry.

‘It’s not like he’s only suffering for a day or two… I guess I’ll just have to manage my stamina properly. By the way, a pitcher, who is it?’

Lee Jungwoo, who simply shrugged at his teammates’ gazes, saw the newcomer trembling at the glances he was receiving, and he too was a player he had met last year during the expanded roster.

A pitcher from Triple-A [the highest level of minor league baseball], it was practically the same as calling up a player who was going to be promoted in a few days in advance. Of course, even so, the newly promoted pitcher seemed a little happy, as he had been promoted earlier than others.

‘Since they’re playing two games in a row, they need a pitcher. It’s a logical choice, but…’

In fact, as pitchers are always important, it was an extremely logical choice, so Lee Jungwoo nodded, but he couldn’t help but sigh slightly.

He had wanted to test his own stamina, but the thought of having to play two games in one day felt a little daunting.

‘It’ll work out somehow. The team will take care of it.’

“Do well today too, Captain.”

“I will. Try to manage your stamina as much as possible. Don’t try to catch everything like you usually do, and pass some to me.”

“I might get substituted out, you know? Clarkson can play both shortstop and second base, right?”

“Hahaha, I have to yield to the old man. You’re still young and energetic.”

Lee Jungwoo shook his head without realizing it as he watched Derek pat him on the shoulder and disappear with a hearty laugh, but he soon steeled his resolve.

‘I have to hope that my innate workhorse constitution will work well this time too.’

####

Once the game started, Lee Jungwoo received several instructions. Never steal a base, and unlike usual, try not to handle the ball alone during defense, and pass some to Derek or third baseman Poppin.

He was already a shortstop who consumed a lot of stamina, and his play style of covering a wide range of defense alone was perfect for wasting stamina, so he was told to refrain from that as much as possible.

Similar instructions were given to the other players as well, and the game began, and the Dodgers players’ faces, who were walking out, were not very bright, as if they were just as annoyed.

‘Well, it’s not like the home team gets a few extra entry cards, so they must be just as annoyed. By the way, it’s bone dry, bone dry. Is that a good thing?’

Lee Jungwoo, who was doing practice swings in the waiting batter’s box, both to observe the opposing team and to kill time, clicked his tongue as he looked at the ground, which was bone dry without a trace of moisture, after it had poured so heavily.

It was a relief that he didn’t have to worry about falling during defense, but he couldn’t help but feel resentful.

“Base on balls!”

While he was grumbling about the ground conditions, Derek, who had gone out as the lead-off hitter, walked to first base after getting a walk from the pitcher, and the hitting coach shouted again to Lee Jungwoo, who was heading to the plate after him.

“Conserve your stamina as much as possible! Keep it light, keep it light!”

“Yes, yes.”

Lee Jungwoo, who answered vaguely, walked out to the plate and scanned the atmosphere of the entire ground. It was a moderately relaxed atmosphere compared to the fierce atmosphere of the previous day. It could be seen as a lack of tension, but this was also a kind of game management.

‘Being nervous or highly focused also consumes stamina little by little without you realizing it. They’re going to tighten up only when necessary and maintain a much more relaxed atmosphere than usual when it’s not.’

Lee Jungwoo, who nodded appropriately as this was what the Braves coaches had also instructed the players, walked to the plate and thought about ways to manage his stamina.

‘How to save stamina? It’s simple, if I just keep hitting home runs, I won’t have to waste stamina at the plate at least. If possible, that is.’

It was simpler than he thought. If he hit a home run on the first pitch of every at-bat, he would hardly lose any stamina at the plate. Base running is just walking, and he could stroll home as if he were taking a walk around the neighborhood.

Of course, it was questionable whether that could be called ‘management’ or ‘control’ since it was not something that could be done at will.

‘Don’t worry about the doubleheader. Let’s just do it like usual. Calmly, leisurely. The other side must be just as frustrated.’

Lee Jungwoo, who calmly filled the batter’s box, glanced at the pitcher, and the starting pitcher, who was scheduled to pitch the day before, did not look very happy.

‘He’s a very sensitive type. Well, his routine was broken. He must have worked hard to get his body in shape for yesterday, but the game was canceled.’

Even rest requires a routine. Resting at a set time and playing on a set date. The impact of breaking that triviality was not small. Especially for sensitive types.

Perhaps the pitcher on the mound was also that kind of person, and the trivially broken routine seemed to be shaking him, and he had shown signs of control issues in his battle with Derek earlier.

‘Is a home run really possible?’

Because of the pitcher’s appearance, Lee Jungwoo felt a slight expectation and pulled up the tension that he had lowered more than usual even more strongly.

And the battle began. The first pitch was a ball, just like in the previous at-bat, and the pitcher, who was trying to act nonchalant, couldn’t hide his annoyance, as if it was another control miss.

‘96 miles [approximately 154 kilometers per hour]. The speed is similar to usual, but the power seems to be a little lower, just like the control. Let’s watch a little more for now.’

Lee Jungwoo, who let the first pitch go, calmly observed the second and third pitches as well, and the pitcher, who was throwing the ball in a similar course as if he was trying to find his range, got his first strike on the third pitch.

‘Just one more. Just one more similar course.’

And Lee Jungwoo also caught the timing. He looked at the pitcher, whispering inwardly as if casting a spell to seduce him. Soon, the fourth pitch came.

“Uh-”

“Run! Run! Catch it quickly! What are you doing!”

A quick swing. Lee Jungwoo, who hit the pitcher’s ball, which was thrown to the outside as it had been in the strike zone so far, pulled the ball caught on the end of the bat without hesitation. Following the movement of the bat that sucked in like a suction cup, the ball changed course and flew again.

A course that stretched straight at a high angle, the startled right fielder jumped late, but the batted ball had already flown high over his head. The back of the right fielder chasing after it was full of embarrassment, but the right fielder was not the only one in this ground who was in trouble.

‘Will it go over? No, it was a little short – keep running? Or not?’

Lee Jungwoo’s head became very complicated. It was a little ambiguous. First of all, it definitely won’t go over. So, it’s natural to do base running, but the problem is that the batted ball bounced strangely off the fence. As if teasing the right fielder who belatedly ran over.

If the right fielder had shown immediate movement and quickly taken his position, he would have stopped comfortably at second base, but the late half-beat also had an effect.

Because of these slight variations, third base flickered before his eyes.

‘His throwing is not good. Just moderately average. So, he doesn’t often get assists. Even if he catches it late, the timing is late. But, that’s the thing…’

Lee Jungwoo, who was about to reach second base, hesitated. He had to conserve his stamina as much as possible as he was almost certain to play in the doubleheader, but it was also embarrassing as a professional player to give up a base that he could go to.

‘Hey, who knows when I’ll get another hit today. We might just strike out one after another. I have to run first.’

But the choice was quick. No, it had to be quick. Before his head could make a decision, his two legs had already passed second base, so there was no other way but to run.

Uninterrupted running. The third base coach, who seemed to be hesitating for the same reason, must have judged that it was already a foregone conclusion, and now he was just waving his arms hard.

“Come in! It’s already unconditionally Go! Just run! It’s plenty!”

A tremendous speed of base running. The right fielder, who belatedly caught the batted ball, hurriedly threw the ball, but Lee Jungwoo, who stepped on third base two steps, no, three steps ahead of him, with the umpire’s safe declaration, bent his body into a ㄱ shape and gasped.

“…Lee, do you know that you have a doubleheader today? Aren’t you conserving your stamina? Wow~ You must have great confidence in your stamina? Is it good to be one year younger after all? So spirited.”

Arthur Hunter, the third baseman, who safely caught the late-flying throw, looked at Lee Jungwoo as if he was dumbfounded, and Lee Jungwoo, who was panting from the side effects of the full sprint, wiped the trickling sweat with his sleeve.

“Haa… No, why was that right fielder a little late and made my heart… Don’t tell me the team gave instructions? So that I can’t play in the afternoon game. To ruin my stamina.”

“That’s not possible. We’re not such a petty team. I’m not the only one, but you have as much of an overinflated ego as I do. Or did I infect you? Still, it was a great base running play. Your feet also looked a little faster than usual. Are you in good condition?”

“Yes, I guess so. Why is it that my steps are light only today? It’s like they’re telling me to try stealing a base hard in the doubleheader.”

“Wow~ It’s amazing just imagining it. Then why don’t you try it since your body is so good? I’ll clap for you if you succeed today. I think the other guys will laugh it off happily too. How about it?”

Lee Jungwoo, who sighed deeply at Arthur Hunter, who was raising his thumb slightly as if he was impressed and saying absurd things, pressed down on the base for no reason. If his condition was good, everything would be good. His two legs, which were throbbing with strength alone, felt annoyingly irritating.

Doubleheader. Lee Jungwoo, who ran to third base with his two legs throbbing with strength from the very beginning of that arduous day, thought. He had a bad feeling about today for some reason.