Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 28

A particularly pleasant day.

Perhaps I had a good night’s sleep.

Even though I woke up early in the morning.

There was no fatigue from the previous day’s game, such as stiffness or a headache.

The weather was also moderately cloudy, so the sunlight wasn’t strong.

It wasn’t humid or dark.

The road to the stadium.

I didn’t get stuck at any traffic lights, so I was able to arrive earlier than usual.

“Lee, you’re here early again today?”

“I always have to stick to my routine.”

“You’re so diligent.”

“Then, have a good one.”

After arriving at the stadium.

Even in the training that started after a short conversation with the groundskeeper.

The swing felt more powerful than usual.

And my body bent more flexibly.

Perfect condition, as if everything in the world was helping me.

When I thought that it couldn’t get any better than this.

Lee Jung-woo nodded.

It seems like today is the day.

A chance to achieve my goal.

‘Being this perfect, I should cause an accident.’

ABL [Australian Baseball League] 33/34 season.

Just before the last regular league game against the Perth Heat.

The players who arrived later approached Lee Jung-woo, who was steeling himself, and made unnecessary fuss.

“Lee? Are you in good condition?”

“Perfect.”

“Oh~ then that’s good. Just hit three more today. Then it’ll be the best.”

“Actually, it’s already the best ever. Except for stolen bases, everything is number one. Batting average, home runs, RBIs [Runs Batted In]. All three have already broken records.”

“That’s true. Still, it’d be nice to go even higher, right? Smash it!”

In fact, it’s not a very meaningful game. The Adelaide Giants have already clinched the division title with 29 wins.

And the manager, conscious of the postseason, filled the roster mostly with rotation-level players.

However, Lee Jung-woo personally had one goal that could motivate him.

‘Since I broke the record anyway, it should be to the point where no one can surpass it.’

17 home runs this season.

The existing league record was 16 home runs, so I already broke it.

But Lee Jung-woo aimed for more, something that had been talked about since the beginning of the season.

‘20 home runs, I should try it.’

A height that no one in the ABL has dared to aim for.

Lee Jung-woo wanted that.

‘I’m confident.’

I’m confident in my skills.

If I connect, it’ll go far.

Even if I don’t connect, if I give it the right impact, it’s enough to get it over the fence.

‘The problem is whether they’ll compete with me….’

Perth Heat.

Currently the second-place team in the Southwest Division, they have a history of being crushed by Lee Jung-woo once.

During the series, I hit 2 home runs and had 8 RBIs.

Even in the previous 3 games of this series.

I didn’t hit a home run, but I still managed to get 5 RBIs.

Leading the team to victory.

So they’ll be very wary.

‘And they’ll be conscious of the postseason too.’

Even though they’re in second place, their winning percentage is low.

This is because the Giants have been equally crushing other teams in the same division this season.

So, they’ll have to play a wild card game against the Canberra Cavalry, which has the highest winning percentage among the 3rd place teams in the ABL.

Anyway, since they’re in the same division, there’s a possibility that they’ll meet in the semi-finals in the future.

In that situation, it’s questionable whether the Perth Heat will boost the morale of the opposing team’s ace, whom they might meet in the semi-finals.

‘Since there’s attention, they can’t blatantly avoid it. But they’ll do a lot of ambiguous contests.’

That’s much simpler.

If they throw it ambiguously outside the zone.

It’s not that they avoided the contest, but that Lee Jung-woo just couldn’t hit it.

‘In the end, I have to hit anything that comes in similarly….’

Lee Jung-woo raised the corners of his mouth.

‘That’s what I’m good at.’

It’s not like I’ve been picking and choosing pitches until now.

If I thought I could hit it, I hit it no matter if it was inside or outside the strike zone.

So, unless it’s an intentional walk.

It doesn’t matter.

‘A league I’ll never come back to. I might as well engrave a name that will last forever.’

####

Before the game.

When the starting lineup was announced.

The Perth Heat manager let out a hollow laugh.

‘They’re being very blatant.’

That’s because.

The opposing team’s starting lineup showed their team’s intentions very clearly.

Jungwoo Lee.

The player who has been receiving the most attention this season, no, since the launch of Australian professional baseball.

He was the opposing team’s leadoff hitter.

‘They’re trying to get him as many at-bats as possible. To extend his record.’

Since he broke the record.

They want to extend it as much as possible.

The Perth Heat manager smiled briefly, feeling the team’s determination to engrave their name.

But he couldn’t hide his burning eyes.

The record has already been broken.

But he absolutely hated the fact that Perth Heat would be the victim of the increased record.

‘I don’t want to blatantly interfere. But I also refuse to let my team, my kids, become sacrifices.’

“Kay, control him well. Even if you have to give up a walk, never give him a good pitch. And you know he’s strong against falling balls, right? If you’re going to throw a splitter, make sure it hits the ground.”

“Don’t worry, manager. I can’t possibly let him set any more records, especially not to a part-timer who’s only here for a year. I’ll make him satisfied with hitting 17.”

The catcher showed a trustworthy appearance as if he understood everything at his instructions.

The manager was relieved.

He’s lacking in fundamentals.

But he’s smart.

He’ll lead the pitcher exactly as he wants. He’s a veteran, so he’ll comfort the pitcher whose pride has been hurt.

‘Let’s see what you can do. Do you think we’ll be easily defeated?’

The game started soon after.

The manager, who gave his own hitters a look full of trust and the opposing team’s fielders a cold look.

But in the play that unfolded soon after.

“Waaaaa!”

“Lee! Lee! Lee!”

Like the cheering home team fans.

He couldn’t help but admire.

‘Right, he’s also good at defense. Damn it.’

Lee turned the Perth Heat leadoff’s line drive into an out by jumping up with all his might to catch it.

The manager frowned.

The heavens are so heartless.

How can they give him everything?

If his hitting is monstrous.

He should at least be bad at defense.

He thought that guy was tormenting him in so many ways.

‘Hoo. Our offense doesn’t matter anyway. It’s hard enough to just focus on blocking him.’

He tried to erase the super play by thinking that way.

But the anxiety didn’t disappear.

Judging by the light movements he showed while defending, he seemed to be in good condition.

His positioning was also better than usual.

‘He’s on a roll, he’s on a roll. Doesn’t he ever get tired?’

Still, trusting the pitcher.

He reluctantly turned his gaze away and swallowed hard as he watched Lee Jung-woo slowly walk to the plate after the change of offense and defense.

A hitter with solid muscles and an ideal balance.

The helmet looked like a helmet.

The bat was like a sword.

A sharply honed energy, like a gladiator, emanated from Lee.

He had a bad feeling.

‘Damn it, should I just walk him?’

There is a sure way.

Intentional walk.

If he decides.

He could prevent the hitter from even touching the ball.

But…

‘How can I do that? I’d rather give up a few home runs. If I do that, I’ll become a laughing stock.’

His pride wouldn’t allow it.

As the catcher said.

Just a part-time player.

He’s probably someone he won’t meet again after this season.

For Perth Heat, who built a dynasty in the early days of the ABL, to give in first to such a guy.

As the manager of this team, and with a strong attachment to it, he didn’t even want to imagine it.

There are also practical reasons.

The morale of the players.

It will waver.

‘Intentional walk, it’s a humiliating thing. The immediate criticism is criticism, but the team may be shaken.’

It’s 싫지만 [although I don’t like it] to be a victim of records, but at least he wants to block it with dignity.

That kind of competitive spirit separates professionals from amateurs.

If that wavers.

Eventually, morale will waver.

Ahead of the postseason.

If the team’s morale declines.

Let alone the semi-finals.

They’ll fall in the wild card.

The manager knew that well.

That’s why, in addition to personal feelings, an intentional walk is impossible.

‘I can only hope the battery [pitcher and catcher] will take care of it.’

Thinking that way.

He focused on the game.

The first pitch was a fastball.

The hitter held back his swing on a ball that was far outside.

Careful hitting.

Only then did the manager’s face soften a little.

‘Right, you’re human too. You have no choice but to be careful. You must be greedy.’

I’d be grateful if you just stayed still like that. The manager, hoping that he would just get on base nicely, frowned at the ball the pitcher threw next.

‘It’s too obvious. I told you to do it gently.’

A splitter that completely crashed.

When the catcher caught it, the glove was so low that it touched the ground.

The manager grumbled because it was too blatant.

But after a while.

He retracted his thoughts.

He should have bounced it completely.

The splitter thrown in succession.

This time, it was a really low ball that seemed to hit the ground.

That crazy guy swung.

He expected him to swing and miss.

But the hitter scooped it up as it was.

A beautiful swing.

One spectator.

If he was just an ordinary baseball fan.

He would have just admired and applauded purely.

But since he was the opposing team’s manager.

He couldn’t help but curse.

“Fuck!”

Watching the ball fly endlessly, he thought.

‘Should I have just given an intentional walk?’

Team morale and whatever.

Even if he was ridiculed.

He should have walked him.

####

As befits the nickname Geelong Kollea [Likely a typo, should be Geelong Korea].

The broadcasting station, sighing at the performance of Geelong Korea, which is at the bottom this season, turned its focus.

A hitter who has been making historic moves one after another since his first appearance was unusual.

They shed light on the hitter, who happened to be Korean.

[I thought it was a practice game because it was a broadcast. What is this?]

[This is the Australian League]

[Huh? It’s not Kollea?]

[Kollea is still in last place. I’m too embarrassed to broadcast it]

[It seems like the shortstop here is Korean, he’s so good]

Unlike broadcasting only Geelong Korea, Adelaide Giants.

To be exact, a small number of baseball fans watched the internet broadcast for Lee Jung-woo personally.

Since it’s still the off-season and there’s nothing to watch, they’re broadcasting alone.

One by one, they paid attention to the phrase at the top of the screen.

[Challenging 20 home runs? He already hit that many? He’s so good]

[I saw him last time and got hooked on him, so I’ve been watching him. He’s so good. He has 4-5-10 for OBP [On-Base Percentage]-SLG [Slugging Percentage]-AVG [Batting Average]. He’s a crazy guy]

[10? 100% slugging percentage? Did he join the kids’ game? His stats are crazy]

[Wow, but the home run is amazing. He hit 17 of them]

17 home runs. And the OBP-SLG-AVG that is only possible in games. The viewers were excited about it.

Of course, there were always troublemakers.

[What a load of crap. Challenging with 20 home runs, not 30 home runs? There were 13 guys who hit 20 home runs last season. Sigh, he’s trying to ride the Korean pride coin no matter what lol]

[Australia has 40 regular league games, idiot. It’s like hitting 60 home runs based on the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization].]

[Okay, I admit that. But challenging 20 home runs is really stupid. He has to hit three more. Challenge? And it’s the last game. He’ll never be able to do it lol]

A viewer refuted the unnecessary sarcasm with clear facts.

But he had no choice but to close his mouth at the following words.

Hitting 3 home runs in one game was a difficult record, even if viewed favorably.

That’s why the chat room, which had quickly become quiet, flared up again when Lee Jung-woo made a super play.

But no one thought that 20 home runs were possible.

[Looking it up, he already broke the record. It’d be nice if he just hit one more]

[I’m seeing a Korean record a home run record in a foreign league for the first time in my life.]

[It’s just semi-pro. Australian players all have two jobs lol]

[They have two jobs because the league is short. The league level is High A [A level in minor league baseball]]

In a situation where everyone didn’t expect it, Lee Jung-woo came up as if those thoughts had been conveyed.

He hit a perfect home run that no one could ignore.

Of course, the chat room was on fire.

But that was just a drop in the bucket.

Because it burned even more.

[The home run was amazing. This is what a home run is]

[The golf swing is definitely the best, it’s so cool]

[Oh, he’s doing a ceremony]

[What is he doing?]

[He knows it too. That this is the end lol]

[Shut up and watch. You’re whining so much]

After finishing his base running.

Lee Jung-woo, who was pushed away by his teammates who were running towards him, walked towards the audience.

To the fans who were showing a frenzy towards him.

As if to say that it shouldn’t be like this already.

He pressed down on the air with a calm expression.

Then he turned around and walked away.

Suddenly, he stretched out one right index finger.

Simple hand gesture.

Everyone knew what it meant.

[Wow… that’s awesome. I admit his showmanship]

[I really think he can hit 20 home runs?]

[Did you see him hit the crashing ball with an uppercut? He can definitely do it]

[3 home runs, let’s go!]

Only then did people realize.

Lee Jung-woo, who was calmly entering the dugout, was seriously aiming for a great record, just like the phrase at the top of the screen.