Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 68

Pitcher Over, Batter Up – 67

[Exclusive) Pro Baseball League Player Caught Drunk Driving! Suspected to be from the Dragons!]

[Witness Account of Pro Baseball Drunk Driving Incident: ‘There were passengers, they were also drunk’]

The incident, occurring at the height of baseball season, sent shockwaves through the baseball community.

The Dragons, reeling from the sudden loss of their starting shortstop, backup infielder/utility player, and second-string catcher, were in a state of disarray.

Adding fuel to the fire, reports surfaced alleging that the player had attempted to bribe the police officer administering the breathalyzer test, a move that was rebuffed.

The news spread like wildfire.

[Kang Min-soo, ‘I am deeply sorry for disappointing everyone; I will live in repentance’]

[Noh Young-joon, ‘As a senior player, I should have intervened, and I can only apologize for failing to do so’]

[Do Kyung-mo, ‘I am sorry for causing trouble at such a crucial time’]

The implicated players swiftly issued statements of apology.

However, public sentiment had already taken a sharp turn for the worse.

Even the most ardent Dragons fans, who had initially defended the players, abandoned their support following the bribery allegations.

The situation spiraled out of control.

Public reaction intensified.

[Seriously, how can a professional athlete drive drunk during the season? They should be released immediately.]

[Noh Young-joon, that idiot, is supposed to be a veteran. He should have stopped his junior from driving drunk. Instead, he happily hopped into the passenger seat.]

[The league needs to take decisive action. No covering up for their own and handing out lenient punishments. We’re watching.]

The fact that these were key players on a team vying for second place only amplified the outrage.

Fans of rival teams seized the opportunity to exacerbate the situation, hoping to weaken a competitor.

But beyond team rivalries, the fans’ genuine anger was palpable.

The scandal quickly expanded beyond the realm of professional baseball ethics.

It morphed into a broader dissatisfaction with the Asian Games roster selection.

[The Asian Games are doomed anyway. Might as well send a team of high schoolers again.]

[I knew it. Typical Reja move.]

[I bet they’ll just get a slap on the wrist in the pro league and then get selected for the Asian Games.]

[They were boasting about a guaranteed gold medal before the games even started. I knew something like this would happen.]

There was a collective mocking of the Dragons.

However, when the focus shifted to the Asian Games, a shared national goal, a sense of unease emerged.

Some even directed their anger toward the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), the association overseeing professional baseball in South Korea.

[2034 Manila Asian Games Baseball National Team Roster in Jeopardy.]

[Baseball Association, It’s Time for Change.]

[Pro Baseball Players’ Misconduct: A Recurring Problem!]

[Fundamental Reform is Needed, Not Just a Focus on Showy International Tournaments.]

Certain media outlets, known for their contentious relationship with the KBO, subtly fanned the flames.

The KBO, facing mounting pressure from all sides, attempted to deflect attention by strategically mentioning several players as potential replacements.

[Jeong Han-sol to Join the Asian Games? Association Official Says ‘Positive Discussions Underway’]

[Oh Myung-deok to Manila? ‘If Selected, I Will Do My Best’]

[Director Do Myung-woon ‘There are players I have been watching with interest; I will review them again given this opportunity’]

Naturally, most people were curious about who would fill the vacancies created by the scandal.

[Jeong Han-sol isn’t a bad choice, right? He’s a shortstop who can play other infield positions. He could replace Do Kyung-mo.]

[No way! Get lost, you scrub who barely hits .200 in the minor leagues. It’s obvious Oh Myung-deok is the frontrunner. Agree?]

[Oh Myung-deok? Ben Na-am? They always screw up when they play. LOL]

The KBO’s strategy seemed to work, at least partially.

The fans, previously united in their outrage, splintered into factions, each advocating for their favorite players.

Consequently, interest in the players’ misconduct gradually waned, replaced by speculation about the Asian Games roster.

But while this captivated pro baseball fans, Korean Major League fans remained largely indifferent.

However, news began to surface that piqued even their interest.

[Major League Shortstop Lee Jung-woo to Join the National Team? Recommended by Field Staff!]

[Major Leaguer to Play in the Asian Games? Lee Jung-woo’s Inclusion ‘Common Knowledge Among Field Staff.’]

The mention of Lee Jung-woo’s name ignited excitement among Major League fans.

He was a player rapidly gaining recognition, and, importantly, he was young.

The trajectory of a prospect’s career can shift dramatically, but based on his performance thus far, he was projected to have a bright future for at least five more years.

Therefore, Major League fans enthusiastically supported his selection.

[Lee Jung-woo is a solid choice, right? He’s young, hasn’t served his mandatory military service, and his skills are undeniable…]

[Lee Jung-woo’s talent, in Reja’s terms, should be compared to players like Kim Jae-yoon, not others his age.]

[Wow, if we can’t win the championship with Lee Jung-woo, it would be a major embarrassment.]

Of course, there was some resistance.

He wasn’t a seasoned Major League veteran.

He was a rookie who had only recently begun to make a name for himself.

Some were hesitant to include him on the roster, potentially at the expense of established pro baseball players.

[What has he done for Korean pro baseball to deserve a spot in the Asian Games?]

[Hey, he hasn’t proven anything yet. The national team is too soon.]

[He’s shown more than that scrub Han-sol at least. If that guy went to the Major League, could he even hit .200?]

[Your precious Jung-woo is inconsistent; can’t you see that from his stats?]

[No matter how inconsistent he is, he’ll hit .500 when he comes to Reja.]

The divided factions ultimately focused their attention on Lee Jung-woo’s games.

Pro baseball fans scrutinized the broadcasts, searching for any flaw to criticize, while Major League fans hoped Lee Jung-woo would silence those they considered ignorant of baseball.

This polarized atmosphere converged on the Braves vs. Mets broadcast.

The MBS Sports Bureau, delighted by the soaring viewership and streaming numbers, even on weekdays, held its breath.

They desperately hoped Lee Jung-woo would continue his impressive performance.

####

‘Asian Games, it would be nice to go.’

When Mark mentioned it, I was incredibly excited.

But now I’m a bit more grounded.

Nothing is certain yet. And Lee Jung-woo himself was skeptical.

‘Even for the Olympics, the Asian Games almost always selects players from the pro league. And I wasn’t even on the preliminary roster. No chance.’

Therefore, instead of dwelling on a long shot, Lee Jung-woo tried to focus on the game at hand.

“Let’s sweep! Captain! Joey! Lee! I believe in you!”

Lee Jung-woo, waving to the small group of Braves fans in the away section, refocused his attention.

In the game that started shortly after, he was batting fifth, just like the previous day.

Unfortunately, his turn at bat didn’t come in the first inning.

Rollins reached base.

But Derek grounded into a rare double play, resulting in two outs.

Joey then struck out on three pitches.

“What’s with the double play all of a sudden?”

“I hit it a little off-center. Well, it happens.”

Derek awkwardly rubbed his clean-shaven chin.

The atmosphere, previously charged with the anticipation of a sweep, began to falter.

Knowing this wasn’t ideal, Lee Jung-woo deliberately acted more energetic than usual.

“I’ll make up for the captain’s missed hit, so take it easy today.”

“Oh~ you’re saying things like that now. Becoming quite the veteran, huh?”

“Yeah, right. Oh, I guess I’m getting old too; it’s not like the old days.”

“If it were the old Derek, that would have been a two-run homer instead of a double play~”

The team’s spirits lifted, but not for long.

In the bottom of the first inning, Christensen surrendered a leadoff home run to the Mets’ leadoff hitter.

[Ah~ a perfectly located fastball. He hit it well.]

[It can’t be helped. Baseball is a game where you can’t always perform perfectly.]

‘Something doesn’t feel right….’

Lee Jung-woo had a nagging feeling of unease.

The players seemed generally tense.

‘Did the fans’ high expectations create too much pressure?’

Could the players be feeling the weight of the potential sweep and the chance to secure second place?

Lee Jung-woo tried to dismiss his worries, telling himself he could carry the team even if others struggled.

However, the Mets didn’t seem inclined to give him that opportunity in this game.

[Oh… the Mets are walking Lee. Lee is good, but I didn’t expect them to do this from the start.]

“Huh? Aren’t they being a little too generous to the rookie?”

“Isn’t it great? Easy base. Now, hustle down to first.”

As soon as Lee Jung-woo stepped up to the plate after Peterson’s infield pop fly in the top of the second inning, the Mets sent him straight to first base.

Automatic intentional walk. Lee Jung-woo reached base without even swinging, but he didn’t feel good about it.

Aside from the Mets acknowledging his ability, he sensed that the game might unfold differently than he anticipated.

Therefore, Lee Jung-woo, wearing a slightly annoyed expression, had to return to the bench without any further action.

Poppin and Winters both followed with outs.

‘Hmm… it feels a little ominous, but I’ll get another chance at least once.’

Lee Jung-woo tried to maintain a positive outlook.

But his hopes were quickly dashed.

####

[Lee is walking to first base again.]

[This is not good. The Braves’ lineup is generally struggling. Lee, who is in good form, can’t even get a chance to swing.]

The commentators sounded disheartened as they watched Lee Jung-woo walk to first base with a blank expression.

This walk wasn’t an automatic intentional walk like before.

But in reality, it was no different, as the pitcher only threw pitches far outside the strike zone.

‘I didn’t expect them to do this to a rookie.’

Lee Jung-woo shook his head.

He was surprised by the Mets’ strategy.

He acknowledged that he had played well in the previous game, and his home run in the game before that had been impressive.

But he still didn’t expect this level of respect for a rookie.

‘I’ll gladly take the walk….’

Lee Jung-woo glanced at the scoreboard.

If the team’s batting lineup had been normal, he wouldn’t have worried so much.

But right now, the Braves were far from normal.

‘1 to 0. We can still catch up… but if they add one or two more points here, it’ll be hell from then on.’

Through the 5th inning, the Braves only managed two hits.

And other than Rollins’ hit in the first inning,

all they had was Christensen, the pitcher, who happened to connect with the ball on a blind swing at his at-bat.

It was as if they had lost their sense of hitting. They kept producing weak hits.

In this situation, his walk wasn’t much help.

‘Overall, they’re down. We need something to spark them….’

Lee Jung-woo, who habitually widened his lead, clicked his tongue.

Perhaps their obsession with second place was working against them.

To awaken his teammates, who were showing worse batting than usual,

something different was needed.

And Mancini felt the same way.

“What should we do? Should we send in a pinch hitter….”

“Who are we going to send in?”

At Mancini’s words, Colson, the hitting coach, shut his mouth.

Lee’s addition had greatly improved the lineup’s structure, but the problem was that it only applied to the regulars.

The Braves didn’t have a hitter who could come in as a pinch hitter and change the momentum.

Schultz, the backup first baseman, was a singles hitter who usually batted first or at the bottom of the order, unlike the starter Peterson.

Clarkson, the backup shortstop and utility infielder, was originally brought in by General Manager Pratt to strengthen the defense.

The remaining players also didn’t have a significant punch.

No, if they had such a player, they wouldn’t be so enthusiastic about Lee right now. They wouldn’t have been stuck in a long dark age.

“Then what….”

“Perez, how’s Lee’s stealing these days? He’s been training steadily since the minors, right?”

The base-running coach furrowed his thick eyebrows at the manager’s sudden call and unexpected question, but he soon answered.

“It’s much better than before, but he still lacks a lot. He can’t even get the timing right.”

“What’s his success rate?”

“Probably… a little less than 50 percent.”

“50 percent….”

Mancini muttered briefly and looked at Lee.

Although he was the youngest of the team’s youngest players, his inner self was as deep as that of a seasoned veteran.

It seemed that Lee was also worried about the current situation.

He seemed to know that they needed something to spark them, too.

So he was desperately trying to shake up the pitcher, but the Mets had already confirmed in previous games that he wasn’t running.

So it had no effect other than irritating the pitcher.

Of course, even that was appreciated.

“What if it’s not just irritating him?”

“Yes?”

“Send Lee the sign. It doesn’t matter if he fails. Tell him to run.”

####

“Huh?”

“Why? Is something wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Lee Jung-woo involuntarily exclaimed when he saw the sign from the bench.

‘Is that… a steal? Is it?’

He knew the sign itself because he had learned it after being called up.

But he wasn’t sure because it was the first time he had seen it in a game.

No, even if it was a green light [permission to steal a base], he wasn’t sure if it was really directed at him.

‘Run? Now? Why?’

Lee Jung-woo couldn’t understand.

The base-running coach had helped him a lot, so he must know.

That his stealing was terrible.

But to run now? In a game where every point was precious.

Lee Jung-woo sent his own sign to confirm.

And what came back was almost the same as what he had seen.

Except that it added that it was okay to fail, just run.

‘What does it mean, to just run….’

He wondered what the bench’s intention was.

While pondering, Lee Jung-woo, who was habitually increasing his lead, glanced at second base.

There was definitely a possibility.

Because he kept fidgeting without actually running, the pitcher seemed to have given up on checking him altogether.

He wasn’t even looking at him.

The catcher was the same.

Considering Lee Jung-woo’s speed and lead, he could easily steal the base.

‘Is it to change the atmosphere with a steal? And to threaten them so they can’t just give me a walk? And to wake up the hitters with hustle.’

A hard-working rookie can stimulate the emotions of veterans.

If that’s the intention, it wouldn’t be bad even if he failed.

‘Well, it wouldn’t be good for me if I failed… but I can’t help it. It’s better to fail a steal than for a rookie to disobey the bench’s orders.’

Lee Jung-woo, having made up his mind, watched the match between the pitcher and Popin.

The pitcher was putting all his energy into dealing with Popin, who was desperately trying to foul off pitches [hit the ball out of play intentionally] and prolong the at-bat.

Watching that, Lee Jung-woo, who had subtly increased his lead a little more, looked at the first baseman.

“Why do you keep doing that when you’re not going to run? Just stay close. You’ll get hit by a batted ball.”

The first baseman, who seemed to have gotten used to him over the past three games, was also indifferent.

Having confirmed that the Mets weren’t wary of his stealing, Lee Jung-woo nodded.

‘Start when the pitcher moves his body. Slide with a bent leg if possible. Avoid the defender’s feet as much as possible.’

Lee Jung-woo, who had heard it so many times that it was ingrained in his ears during training, repeated it to himself and soon focused on the pitcher’s movements.

And he ran as is, matching the pitcher who was winding up even with a runner on base, showing great audacity.

[Oh, oh? Lee- Lee is running! Lee is stealing!]

The commentator, who had been watching the long match with sweaty hands, shouted as he saw Lee Jung-woo, who had been subtly moving from first base, start running.

The commentator also widened his eyes and followed Lee Jung-woo’s sprint with his eyes.

[He’s fast! He’s fast! Lee is showing an incredible sprint that he hasn’t shown before!]

As Lee Jung-woo ran like crazy as usual, the catcher hurriedly took out the caught ball and threw it while still sitting because it was such a sudden situation.

But Lee Jung-woo’s feet were faster.

By the time the throw arrived, Lee Jung-woo had already stepped on the base.

[That’s right! A player with such fast feet should steal! You can’t let that rot!]

[Lee’s first steal attempt was successful. Thanks to that, Popin also earned one more ball. Now it’s a full count.]

While the commentators admired and praised his cool sprint,

Lee Jung-woo, who had run at an incredible speed and stepped on second base while muttering to himself, calmed his pounding heart.

‘Stealing, is this what it feels like? The tension is more intense than I thought.’

The act of watching the opponent’s movements and running in time felt like a spy operation.

Of course, he had never actually done a spy operation.

But it must be similar, judging by how nervous he was.

“Ah, what the hell is that bastard! Why is he suddenly running and causing trouble!”

While Lee Jung-woo was catching his breath,

a spectator shouted at him like a madman.

Although the losing series had already been confirmed,

they still seemed to be able to win this game by a narrow margin

and keep second place.

Lee Jung-woo’s steal had poured cold water on that.

Of course, the score hadn’t been tied because of the run,

so the game was still leaning towards the Mets.

But the atmosphere had changed a bit.

That’s why there was a more sensitive reaction.

But the spectator who shouted so hard didn’t know.

That he should have saved his voice.

‘Stealing, this is quite fun than I thought? I like it.’

A strange sense of elation surged up.

A tingling sensation rose from below,

and the corners of his mouth went up as if someone was pulling them.

Lee Jung-woo was smiling.

Until now, he had been a bit skeptical about stealing.

If he succeeded, he would gain one more base with his feet,

but if he failed, he would end up raising an unnecessary out count

and wasting the opportunity.

So even though he trained, he honestly didn’t have any attraction to stealing itself.

He had only focused on the effectiveness of shaking up the pitcher.

But now he seemed to know.

Why they steal despite the risk.

The satisfaction of running like crazy

or deceiving the opponent’s defense,

and the tension that makes the heart pound.

Those things gave him a deep thrill.

And the joy of succeeding was indescribable.

Lee Jung-woo realized the taste of stealing for the first time.

‘Tell me to do it again?’

The Braves gave Lee Jung-woo wings.

Because the green light went up once more.

That was enough to shake the momentum that the Mets had maintained so far.