Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 244

End of Pitching, Start of Hitting – Episode 243

After stepping on home base, Lee Jung-woo paused for a moment. It wasn’t intentional. Whether it was the release of tension and the sudden rush of fatigue, or just the heaviness in his body, he felt weighed down.

The catcher, who had been watching him with a complicated expression as he hunched over and panted, patted him on the back, and his teammates rushed out to support him.

“Do you want to win that badly?”

“I have to win. I’m a professional player. If there’s a chance, I have to win no matter what.”

“…Yeah, that’s right.”

The catcher chuckled at his barely audible words and gave him a thumbs up. Doing such a thing at the moment of being reversed might have earned him glares from the home fans, but fortunately for him, he was in their good graces today. The home fans were showing the same reaction.

Even though he had contributed to the team’s loss, they couldn’t help but acknowledge the home run.

“Oh, after Atlanta, you’ve charmed even LA?”

“Ha… I guess so. It’s worth running my legs off.”

“You’re not going to the Dodgers, are you? When you’re a free agent. By then, I’ll be retired, so it doesn’t really matter.”

A quiet applause rippled through the stadium. At first, it was just a few spectators clapping softly, but soon the sound grew like a snowball, gently filling Dodger Stadium.

Lee Jung-woo, being led back to the dugout by his teammates, chuckled and bowed to the crowd.

“Fucking awesome! That was fucking awesome!”

“That’s what a major leaguer should be! It’s fucked up, but you killed it! You nailed it!”

“You! I’ve got my eye on you! When you become a free agent, you have to come here no matter what! Let’s build an empire with Hunter! Money? Who gives a fuck, the team will handle it!”

In the final moment, when everyone was exhausted, the sprint that changed the course of the game was so captivating that even the home fans, who couldn’t help but feel resentful, were charmed, and the praise mixed with curses proved it.

Returning to the dugout amidst that magnificent sound, Lee Jung-woo collapsed as if dead. His teammates, who would have been enthusiastically hitting him for a home run at any other time, didn’t do so today.

They just patted him on the shoulder as if to say good job, or nodded as if to trust him, with firm expressions.

“Lee, don’t take deep breaths, breathe short and repeatedly. Slowly.”

“Just relax. We’ll take care of the defense, so just watch from here. Okay?”

“They’re doing this much for us, it would be really embarrassing to lose. We might be a bit of a joke, but we’re not embarrassing guys, so trust us.”

The youngest player on the team had secured the victory with a crazy run, so it was the duty of the seniors to protect it, and the Braves players knew that duty well.

“Defensive substitution, Derek.”

The manager immediately replaced Lee Jung-woo with Derek, seeing his condition, and with the rest given to him, Lee Jung-woo, sprawled on the bench, barely managed to breathe.

‘This is rewarding as hell, but if I do it twice, I’ll retire that day.’

As the next batter was out and the team went out for the final defense, Lee Jung-woo had his legs massaged by the physical trainer, trying to relieve the overload on his body as much as possible.

He blankly stared at the ground, hoping that his efforts would not be in vain.

‘They’re desperate too. Well, they almost had it, but they blew it with back-to-back home runs at the end, so they must be feeling terrible.’

The Dodgers, who were on the attack in the bottom of the ninth, were just as desperate. Despite being in the lower batting order, they tried to prolong the game as much as possible, trying to make contact even if it was just a little.

Eventually, they swung their bats wildly, as if saying, ‘What the hell,’ and tried for a home run, just like the Braves had done.

However, the Braves, whose concentration had definitely increased, firmly blocked even that desperate attack, tightening the noose around them little by little. Instead of the applause and intense expressions that had echoed earlier, only quiet sighs of regret flowed through Dodger Stadium.

And when the last batter hit a ground ball to the infield, a sigh of ‘Ah’ escaped, and Derek, who had come on as a substitute, easily caught it and threw it to first base, ending the game.

[Out at first base! The doubleheader between the Dodgers and the Braves comes to an end. The Dodgers led for the first eight innings, but eventually gave up the victory with back-to-back home runs in the top of the ninth, suffering a sweep.]

[That’s baseball. You never know until the end. In the end, the team that wins in the ninth inning wins the game, that’s baseball.]

The moment the game ended, the cameras all focused on the inside of the dugout, and of course, what the broadcasters wanted was Lee Jung-woo’s face. When he was caught on the broadcast screen, the viewers at home cheered again, and the commentators nodded with subtle smiles.

[This season, the memorable game that will symbolize August took place in the last game of the month. The protagonist of that drama was, once again, Jung-woo Lee. I was a little worried just a while ago, but thankfully, he seems to have recovered well.]

[He showed an amazing run at the last moment, didn’t he? Even the Dodgers’ home fans couldn’t help but applaud his fighting spirit. I think it was a really amazing scene.]

[Yes, he’s a player who is beyond the word ‘amazing.’ A player who played two consecutive games in the last inning of a doubleheader makes a home run with his feet. It’s not just about physical strength, but usually, the mind wouldn’t keep up either. This is something only Lee can do.]

The commentators, who spared no praise, even to the point of being excessive and making it seem like a Korean broadcast, were agreed upon by those who watched the game, even if they were Dodgers fans.

The game ended like that, and although it was a sweep, the atmosphere in the stadium wasn’t bad, considering it was a fierce and memorable game between the two teams. And the protagonist of August and the doubleheader that ended like that was Lee Jung-woo once again.

####

[Jung-woo Lee impresses Dodger Stadium! Home fans give a standing ovation for inside-the-park home run!]

[‘A memorable game that reminded us of the true taste of baseball.’ Braves sweep Dodgers!]

[‘It’s not over until it’s over!’ Braves win with come-from-behind back-to-back home runs.]

[Jung-woo Lee, who has only 6 home runs left until 50 home runs, what are the chances of achieving it?]

Of course, the praise for Lee Jung-woo didn’t stop even after the game. He had the best performance in the series, and he also took care of his stats.

In particular, the run in the top of the 9th inning, which forced everyone to imprint his two legs and face into their minds, made the baseball communities burn until dawn. Even other sites made the scene into memes and spread them.

[Jung-woo Lee, 40 RBIs in August! The best clutch ability in history?]

[Achieved 160 RBIs this season. 21st in single-season RBIs. Tied with Sammy Sosa!]

[Challenging the most RBIs in a single season? Tie if you add 31 RBIs!]

Also, the records that were recalculated after the last game of August shocked people.

In particular, the RBIs [Runs Batted In, a baseball statistic], which had climbed to 21st place in history even though there was still more than a month left, were only comparable to Sammy Sosa in 2001, who recorded the same number, and Manny Ramirez in 1999, who recorded 165 RBIs.

Above that were all records from the 1920s and 30s, and even the 1800s, 100 years ago, so the shock was considerable.

-Even if RBIs are less valuable than before. Getting 160 in a season is a different story.

-If he hits one more, he’ll pass Sammy Sosa, and if he hits six more, he’ll pass Manny Ramirez. Crazy, really.

-Lee’s RBI ability is needless to say. Even when he seems to be struggling, he raises RBIs like a ghost, right?

-Wow… it really hits me hard. Lee alone scored 160 points in the team’s total score… what happens if Lee is gone?

-What happens? Just look at the Braves before June of last year.

[‘Still .400’ Now virtually certain to achieve! Lee Jung-woo reaches the gate of the dream .400 hitter!]

[‘.400 batting average’ Lee Jung-woo is knocking on the front door of that faint record. All that’s left is to go in and sit down.]

[Lee Jung-woo’s .400 possibility? ‘90% or more’ confirmed! Enough if you add only 10 hits!]

In addition, the batting average, which is still .400 and may end up like that, has already given people countless thrills, and it has made their pants wet again [an expression meaning they are very excited].

A hitter who may achieve both .400 and 50 home runs. Even the league’s best shortstop, who still maintains a beautiful fielding percentage. At this point, it was safe to say that he alone could promote most of the mid-tier teams to the top tier.

RBIs require the help of others, so their value is lower, but batting average and home runs were purely his own ability.

-If he achieves even half of the records he’s challenging now, is it the best season ever?

-You don’t even need to go halfway, just achieving .400 and 50 home runs is enough for Lee Jung-woo to grab Ruth [Babe Ruth, legendary baseball player] by the hair, slap Bonds [Barry Bonds, controversial home run record holder] in the face, and kick Ted [Ted Williams, considered one of the greatest hitters] in the groin, and no one can say anything.

-Boppa are so angry lol Yankees are making fun of them because the last .400 hitter is no longer a Red Sox player.

-If you can’t beat them, join them. Good saying. The last .400 hitter will continue to be a Red Sox player. Because we’re going to sign him.

-Are you crazy? The Red Sox are already exceeding the luxury tax [a penalty for exceeding the salary cap], and you’re going to sign Lee Jung-woo?

Therefore, people no longer hesitated to say that it was the best season ever. On the other hand, fans were estimating his value. Lee Jung-woo was showing unprecedented performance, so a rough calculation was not possible.

-If Lee comes on the market, what’s his value roughly? WAR [Wins Above Replacement, a comprehensive baseball statistic] seems to be breaking all-time records.

-He’ll start at $50M a year unconditionally, and if he signs a long-term contract, the total amount will be more expensive than most small-market teams.

-That’s the problem. He’s so good that there are teams that can handle that value with a long-term contract. Even if you only sign Lee and fill the rest with scrubs, you’ll definitely exceed the luxury tax.

-At that level, isn’t it safe to say that there’s no one but the Dodgers and Yankees?

-The Dodgers are struggling too. They brought in Arthur Hunter. But the Cubs are also possible. There aren’t many players with high values than you think. In fact, they’re already preparing bullets for Lee’s FA [Free Agency].

-So when you look at the local Braves fans, they’re actually telling him to do a little worse lol If he keeps doing this, the Braves can’t handle it lol

-No, the Braves can do it too. The owner is Liberty Media, so even if you count all the other teams, they’re one of the top three richest. The problem is that they don’t open their wallets well, but once they decide to open them, they can handle Lee’s FA. In fact, if you look at this year’s offseason, it seems like they’re finally getting interested in baseball.

-It’s true that the current chairman seems to be more interested in sports than his father, John Malone.

As such, there were countless all-time records hanging in the balance, in addition to the already famous .400 or 50-50, so people were shocked and terrified, and looked forward to the next month. Even those who didn’t like Lee were looking forward to September. Hoping that all those things would end as a dream.

It was a secret that even the teams that those who cursed were cheering for were looking at his FA with all their souls gathered.

If Lee Jung-woo’s great performance, which did not stop in August, captivated people like this.

The next most popular topic was the specialness of September.

[End of August. September expansion roster begins. What are the faces?]

[40-man roster status of 30 MLB teams]

[The final thruster for the postseason! What are the new faces to watch for each team?]

[‘Call-up of prospects’ What impact will it have on the league?]

September expansion roster. A time when the prospects that each team expects or a kind of duct tape that will block the immediate anxiety a little bit show their faces in the league. That was finally coming.

####

When I returned to the Braves after the difficult Dodgers expedition, I was given a day off. It was a suitable day off that could be called honey considering the situation of playing a double header, but the training ground was a little more crowded than usual.

Among them was Lee Jung-woo, who had been drooping like a withered onion due to the hustle of the previous day.

“Why don’t you rest a little more? You looked like you were going to die. What if something goes wrong with your body?”

“You have to rest scientifically. I’m only going to focus on stretching. By the way, there are a lot of people- ah, expansion roster.”

Lee Jung-woo, who showed off his muscles as if to say don’t worry to Peterson, who was scolding him, nodded his head at the familiar faces in the crowded people, and then felt a slight sense of déjà vu.

“Isn’t that a new face over there?”

“Who? Ah, is that so? I don’t think I saw him in the exhibition game either… who is it?”

‘I think I’ve seen him somewhere.’

The player, who was about 6.5 feet tall and had a huge physique that made even that big height feel insufficient, stood out the most in this training ground. Joina Peterson and pitcher Mason also boasted great physiques, but they were so huge that even they looked down. [The new player was even bigger than them].

And Lee Jung-woo, who had seen that player’s face somewhere, turned his head at the sound of someone calling him, trying to revive his memory.

“Lee, the manager is looking for you.”

“Oh, me?”

It was the head coach, and at the words that Mancini was calling him, Lee Jung-woo tilted his head, wondering if there was anything the manager would be looking for.

“Ah, Lee, you’re here? How’s your body today? Have you recovered a lot?”

“Yes, it’s not perfect yet, but I think I’ll be back to normal tomorrow.”

“That’s a relief. Um… sit down for a moment.”

Lee Jung-woo, who was still questioning the manager who asked him to sit down without hesitation, looked at his expression. He was kind as usual, but there was a slight sense of dissatisfaction.

‘What is it? If there’s anything that would make the manager feel bad… there’s nothing, right? Especially these days.’

The team is doing incredibly well, and new blood has been transfused thanks to the expansion roster. Fans are praising him as a great manager.

So there’s nothing more that a manager could want, but he, who had a sense of dissatisfaction, paused for a moment and then sighed.

“The story came out from the front office.”

“The front office? Oh, don’t tell me it’s an extension contract?”

Lee Jung-woo asked that because the only thing that could come out of the front office about him was an extension contract, but Mancini chuckled and shook his head, saying it wasn’t.

“I’d like to hear that news too. You’re going to stay with us, right? I hope so.”

“Such stories are handled through my agent-”

“Yes, yes, anyway, it’s not a contract. In the first place, if it was such a problem, the general manager would have contacted you, not me. Through the agent, like you said. Um… I’ll be blunt. Lee, there’s a discussion about your playing time.”

“Playing time… what about it?”

“Haven’t you played a lot this season? Except for a few games in the beginning, all of them. So they’re asking me to manage your playing time a bit.”

“Well, the expansion roster is open, so that’s up to the manager or the front office…”

Lee Jung-woo, who felt that there was something more than just physical management, looked at the manager, trailing off. Mancini, who met his eyes, nodded as if that was it.

“It’s because of the batting average, right? Probably.”

“Yes, that’s actually why. More than physical strength. Everyone knows that your physical strength is the most abundant on the team, so that’s just secondary.”

.400 batting average. As mentioned earlier, Lee Jung-woo was still maintaining it.

Even though there was only a month left until the end of the season.

‘Even if I calculate roughly, the possibility is seriously high. At this point, it’s not just within reach, it’s almost achieved.’

So, in order to succeed more reliably, the team meant to manage it directly. He had already filled the required at-bats enough, so there was nothing to be a problem.

It was natural for a team that was sure to advance to the postseason to preserve the physical strength of the starting players in September. I couldn’t say anything, but as with everything, the intention was important.

“When the manager thinks about it, is that batting average management or physical strength management?”

“…I want to say both, but it’s batting average. Of course. It’s almost .400 in 100 years. It’s a great achievement that will remain in the history of the club. Maybe it will change the future.”

In fact, if the front office manages it, there’s not much a player can do. After all, it’s the manager’s job to put out the roster, and the manager has to follow the orders of the front office. Of course, if the relationship with the player is damaged because of that, it would be a big loss even if he set a record.

“But it hasn’t been decided yet. Other records are at stake. Records that you can challenge.”

“If it’s another record- ah… you mean 50-50 [50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season].”

“Yes, they say it’s tight at the top right now. Which is bigger, .400 batting average or 50-50.”

It’s simple logic. There were a lot of records that Lee Jung-woo was challenging right now, but the most prominent ones were 50-50 and .400 batting average. If you go into management for .400, the chances will naturally decrease, so the possibility of 50-50 decreases. On the other hand, if he played steadily as he has been so far for 50-50, he could break .400.

.400 is, of course, everyone’s dream, and 50-50 is an unknown area that they have never even dreamed of. Both records are so symbolic and valuable that they cannot be overstated. Both are highly unlikely to come out again in the future.

So the front office has no choice but to worry.

‘Maybe it’s leaning a little towards .400. Rather, this side is much more likely than 50-50, in the current situation.’

In fact, .400 is just taking the risk of getting some criticism and not playing in September. He’s already filled all the required at-bats for a long time. He can pretend to be injured and go on the DL [Disabled List].

On the other hand, 50-50 requires hitting five more home runs and stealing seven more bases. Considering the current pace, it’s possible enough, but Lee Jung-woo’s pace dropped sharply in September last year, and it was a time when physical exhaustion began, so it was a bit ambiguous.

So you can choose .400 and go into management, but you can’t just do that. That’s because…

‘The team doesn’t know what I’m thinking. They don’t know what I want more. So they gave me the choice. Which of the two records will you choose?’

In the end, it’s his job to choose. Lee Jung-woo, who stared at Mancini, who looked complicated, for a moment, chuckled.

“Please only do what is in line with physical management when the manager thinks about it. Other than that… it seems unnecessary.”

“Yes, I will. Sorry for making you listen to annoying stories. Get your body in good shape and let’s do well in the future.”

“Yes, we have to win this time.”

“Yes, we have to. This time.”

Lee Jung-woo and Mancini, who had finished the conversation, both looked a little relieved. 50-50 and .400 batting average. What Lee Jung-woo chose out of the two options was just ‘playing’ the game.

For him, baseball was not about stopping, but about continuing to run. Even when he was staggering and lagging behind others, he always had.

‘And it’s possible, right? To achieve both. If there’s a possibility, I have to aim for it.’

Maybe it was greed. Because the thought that it was worth trying both at this point was rampant in his head. September. The Braves have almost finished the season, but Lee Jung-woo’s season was still a little longer.

There were more dreams to be achieved.