Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 71

Pitcher Done, Batter Up – Episode 70

[Lee Jung-woo’s Skills in Full Bloom! US Media, ‘He Showed the Best Performance.’ ]

[Lee Jung-woo Joins Rookie of the Year Race?]

[Lee’s Rookie of the Year, Experts: ‘Debut Was a Little Late, But There’s Potential.’ ]

[Lee’s Rookie of the Year Is Still Premature; He Needs to Prove More.]

[Jeff Shelton: ‘He’ll Hit at Least 15 Home Runs, Otherwise It’s Just Ridiculous’ ]

[Leonard Watkins: ‘Get Past Evan First. It’s a Little Unpleasant Right Now’ ]

With the Braves and friendly local media giving extensive coverage,

fan expectations grew even higher. Soon, it became a national sensation beyond the region.

[Honestly, Isn’t It Funny That a Power Hitter Like Evan Is Treated Like a Top Dog Simply Because He Debuted Before Lee?]

[It’s Absurd. What’s His Batting Average? Around .270?]

[.260. If He Does Twice as Well, He’ll Be Similar to Lee]

[He Did Hit Some Home Runs, But Lee Has Already Hit 8, Right?]

[Maybe Lee Will Catch Up by the End of the Season?]

[Why Is Leonard Watkins So Confident When He’s Just a Contact Hitter?]

[It’s Amazing That a Rookie Hits .320, But Lee Is Better.]

Braves fans openly compared Lee Jung-woo’s performance with that of his Rookie of the Year competitors.

Comparing batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage was absurd, given Lee Jung-woo’s seriously small sample size.

But they were very serious.

Thanks to the previous general manager leaving the farm system in shambles, the Rookie of the Year was like a legendary unicorn in the Braves organization.

Something you’d only see on TV or the internet.

But now, a seed that might become such a legendary animal appeared right before their eyes.

Playing directly for their team, in their stadium.

As a result, the excitement was bound to be strong, and it created a slightly distorted reaction.

[The Braves Are in Second Place for the First Time in a While, So They Must Be Too Excited. They Seem to Have Gone Crazy?]

[These Madmen Are Now Comparing the Batting Average of a Guy With 60 At-Bats to Evan’s Batting Average Since the League Opened.]

[Everyone Does That Much When They Debut Because There’s Not Enough Data.]

[Remember the Swing He Showed When He Hit a Home Run Against the Mets? That Fan, I Mean. There Were So Many Holes.]

[I Predict He’ll Drop to the .100s in Another Month?]

Naturally, the players who had been vying for the Rookie of the Year award until now expressed their displeasure.

And so did their fans.

Frankly speaking, Lee Jung-woo’s Rookie of the Year candidacy was still a long shot.

The very act of talking about a player who had only played for a month made them uncomfortable.

But the fact was that Lee Jung-woo had shown the potential to elicit such ridiculous reactions.

The immediate fame could not cover their discomfort.

However, there were also some different side effects for Lee Jung-woo personally.

####

After the Mets game, Lee Jung-woo, who returned to the Braves and had a day off, had to experience his newfound fame.

Because he was being bothered by people.

Of course, if it were reporters or fans, it wouldn’t matter because that had always been the case.

But this time, the ones bothering him were a slightly different kind of people.

-Mr. Lee Deserves to Be an Even Bigger Star Than He Is Now.

The voice heard over the speaker was very serious.

But Lee Jung-woo, who was listening to it, was making a more indifferent expression than ever before.

“I’m sorry, but I have no intention of changing agents yet.”

-Please Think Carefully and Feel Free to Contact Us If You Change Your Mind at Any Time. Goodbye, Then….

Lee Jung-woo sighed deeply at the other party who cut off the phone, leaving room for further discussion despite his firm words.

‘It’s terrible,’ he thought.

What was bothering Lee Jung-woo were agents, or rather, agencies.

He had been contacted from time to time since his debut. Now, the scale had changed.

Whether they saw definite value in the player Lee Jung-woo,

they went beyond simply probing and took more direct action.

E-mails were a matter of course, and sometimes they would call him directly, somehow knowing his number.

Occasionally, agents would come directly to the training field to persuade him.

And the size of those companies was extraordinary.

‘MVP Sports Group, huh,’ he thought.

Lee Jung-woo shook his head and shoved a bite of his breakfast, which had gone cold in the meantime.

Maybe it was because it was cold, but the taste was so-so, so he didn’t feel much better.

Before the game, Lee Jung-woo worked hard to put food in his stomach to fill his rumbling belly.

‘Legacy. Boras Corporation. CAA [Creative Artists Agency]. ACE, and now MVP Sports Group. Well, almost all the major agencies have contacted me.’

Almost all of the major agencies with many big-name players had contacted him.

Among them, there were those who said they would make him a superstar, like the MVP Sports Group just now.

There were also scammers who tempted him by saying that they could get him a $10 million salary right away.

They included all of those and even offered to pay the contract termination penalty.

Free agency was still a distant future for Lee Jung-woo, who had just debuted.

Even salary arbitration was a long way off.

But for now, his potential was high and his fame was great.

It seemed like they were trying to promote the company and make future investments by signing a contract with him.

Lee Jung-woo was indifferent.

‘Mark can do everything for me, and there’s no reason to move,’ he thought.

Large agency.

Of course, it’s good.

First of all, there are many people and the scale is large, so it is natural to do a good job.

They’ll also bring in sponsors and advertisements.

But Lee Jung-woo liked Mark.

He didn’t hate money because he was also human, but he liked Mark himself.

‘He didn’t give up until I let go first, and he’s good at his job,’ he mused.

He always found a place to train in the off-season, a place to stay, and a trainer, and he also provided the best training equipment.

Mark found this house, which he got out of the non-married player dormitory provided by the club where he stayed for a while.

‘The company’s not doing well. He’s so devoted. What did he like so much about me?’

Lee Jung-woo was curious again.

Excluding himself, Mark’s agency has five players as far as he remembers.

Most of them are in the minor leagues or playing in the NPB [Nippon Professional Baseball, Japan’s highest baseball league].

Now that Lee Jung-woo himself has become a major leaguer,

he could be said to be a more important player in the company than them.

Before the regression, even when he was struggling, Mark was selling his feet everywhere for Lee Jung-woo, a failed pitcher who didn’t even reach Single A.

He made it possible for him to play in the minor leagues somehow until he suddenly terminated the contract and returned to Korea.

From that point of view, Mark was extraordinarily good to him.

That’s why Lee Jung-woo didn’t want to break his loyalty with him first.

‘And he’s good at sales. He made a guy like me play in the US, even in the minors.’

That’s why Lee Jung-woo didn’t have any intention of changing agents, so he soon blocked the number.

Of course, he doesn’t hate money, and he naturally likes it because he’s human.

It’s just that he likes baseball more than money, so he forgot about it right away.

However, he didn’t want to be burdened by such sweet talk, so.

When Lee Jung-woo tried to empty his head and forget about the agents,

a new message flew to him.

[Lee! You’ve Got a Personal Sponsorship Offer. There Are Two Places. I’ll Tell You More When We Meet in Person Later. Look Forward to It :)]

‘I don’t know how he timed it perfectly,’ Lee Jung-woo thought.

Looking at Mark, who brought him a job when he was upset,

Lee Jung-woo smiled.

After replying briefly, he cleared his head and thought only about today’s game against the Washington Nationals.

####

The Washington Nationals, who are playing against the Braves today, are a team that the Braves cannot dare to compare to.

In a bad way.

“Honestly, they’re almost giving games away,” one player said.

“I don’t know how the Nationals got like that. Didn’t they do well when I was in high school?”

“They did well. The problem is that they didn’t prepare for those good players leaving or retiring.”

When the Braves were digging hard and entering the dark ages due to former general manager Stone,

the Washington Nationals were a team that had a fairly successful 2000s.

Even though they had never won a championship,

they sometimes advanced to the postseason and even reached the championship series.

But now, the Nationals were a team that lost 7-8 out of 10 games.

Looking at the winning percentage alone, they were barely maintaining 30%.

‘The pitching staff is serious, regardless of starters or relievers. The weak hitting lineup feels relatively okay,’ Lee Jung-woo assessed.

Because of such Nationals, the Braves hitters welcomed this game.

They regretted only playing two games in a two-game series.

Lee Jung-woo was the same.

‘I’m a little annoyed because of the phone call I got this morning, but my condition is not bad. It can be said that the cycle that started with the Giants has found stability.’

Lee Jung-woo was preparing for the game, expecting good results because he had a satisfactory swing even in batting practice.

The base-running coach approached him.

“Lee, is your game preparation going well? Are you in good condition?”

“Yes, I’m very good. Is there anything I should do?”

“Oh, it’s not something else. It’s about stealing bases.”

“Stealing bases?”

Lee Jung-woo tilted his head.

Stealing bases, which he tried for the first time in the last game, was fun.

But Lee Jung-woo thought of it only as a joker card limited to that game.

Because his head was full of thoughts that he was still a little lacking.

The base-running coach, who suddenly mentioned such stealing bases, soon said something unexpected.

“Why don’t you try it a few more times today? It looked good in the last game.”

“Wasn’t that because the other side didn’t notice in the last game?”

“Of course, that has an effect, but it looks good even considering that. Your feet are so fast? And if you experience actual combat, you might get a sense of it.”

Lee Jung-woo nodded because he thought actual combat experience was valid.

It wasn’t like he was doing it without being told, and the base-running coach was directly instructing him to run.

It was funny to strongly oppose it.

“Then is today’s game a green light?”

“It’s not a green light. I’ll just send you a sign when the time comes. Think about it carefully and try it if you think it’s okay.”

The base-running coach said that, perhaps because he was worried that his instructions would be burdensome.

Soon, he widened his eyes and added.

“Oh, of course, you’ll have a lot of defensive burden because you’re a shortstop. If you think it’s too physically demanding, you can just ignore it.”

“No, my stamina is always great. Then I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Okay, then good work and continue preparing.”

Lee Jung-woo, who glanced sideways at the base-running coach moving away from him, started running again.

There were unexpected instructions.

But there was nothing different from usual.

His stamina would be a little more exhausted than usual.

But his stamina was always great, so there was no big worry.

‘Well, if they tell me to run, I’ll run,’ he thought.

Lee Jung-woo, who thought lightly, soon focused on preparing for the game again.

####

[The Game Begins. Atlanta Braves vs. Washington Nationals. Mr. Jones, What Do You Think?]

[I Love the Braves, But Objectively, the Braves Are More Likely to Win.]

To the caster’s question, the commentator shook his head as if there was no need to say it.

Not only him, but most experts sided with the Braves.

Once Lee Jung-woo was called up, the size of the two teams was incomparable.

And unlike the Nationals, who were on a 6-game losing streak, the Braves were currently a team causing a sensation in the Eastern District.

The Braves’ victory was taken for granted because they had the skills and morale of the players, as well as the advantage of being on their home ground.

And the actual game went as expected.

“Mai! Everyone step back!”

The Braves, who ended the top of the first inning with no runs allowed as Lee Jung-woo lightly caught the ball as usual,

soon, in their attack, they mercilessly beat the Washington Nationals’ first starter, who was proud of it.

[Peterson! He Hit It – Unfortunately, It Didn’t Go Over, But He Brings Second Base Runner Joey Fredman Home! Already 2 Points! The Braves Are Filling the Fans’ Expectations From the First Inning!]

[It’s Completely Blooming. The Hitting Lineup Is Exploding. Especially in the Last 10 Games, the Scoring Power in the Top Hitting Lineup Is Amazing.]

[I Dare to Predict. I Think This Player Who Is Coming Up Now Has a Big Impact.]

The two eyes of the relay team turned to the player who was slowly rising from the waiting seat.

Likewise, the audience, whose attention was focused, shouted enthusiastically.

He fully revealed his expectations for the player.

“Leeeeeeeeee!”

“Rookie of the Year!”

“Rookie of the Year!”

“Shake the Picket! Shake It!”

“Lee! Please Look Here!”

“Welcome Home! Lee! Hit a Home Run as a Souvenir!”

“You Flew Hard on the Road! Show It Here Too!”

After the Cardinals game,

the reaction of the fans welcoming Lee Jung-woo, who returned home after a long time, was like treating a franchise star.

I don’t know when they made it.

They shook pickets with his nicknames written on them.

He worshiped him, calling him Rookie of the Year.

Some even shouted home runs even though they hadn’t even come to the plate yet.

‘It wasn’t like this when I left. Well, I was screwing up back then,’ Lee Jung-woo thought.

Lee Jung-woo had continued to be scoreless from the second game against the Marlins to the last game against the Cardinals.

At that time, the reaction of the home crowd towards him was not like this.

Of course, he was still good at defense at that time, so they cheered him on hard.

But now it was different.

That’s because.

Lee Jung-woo at that time and Lee Jung-woo now were very different.

He played fiercely against the championship candidate Giants, hitting two home runs, including a splash hit.

Likewise, he hit two home runs against the Mets,

showing a decisive scene that brought them down to 3rd place, etc.

Lee Jung-woo, who showed off his blooming skills and became the core of the Braves’ exploding hitting lineup recently,

these expectations of the fans were natural.

‘Then I have to satisfy you. I only showed a bad side when I last played at home. I have to erase it all,’ he resolved.

With that mindset, Lee Jung-woo, who came to the plate, did as the previous hitters had done.

He received the opposing starting pitcher’s ball with a confident swing.

The audience jumped up.

But it wasn’t a home run course at all, so they sat back in their seats with embarrassed expressions.

‘I didn’t put in enough strength. It’s a shame, but I have to be satisfied,’ Lee Jung-woo thought.

Lee Jung-woo, who stopped at first base with a hit in front of the right fielder, licked his lips slightly and soothed his disappointment.

It was then.

The sign came.

‘Run? Already?’

Stealing base sign.

Lee Jung-woo was a little embarrassed because he had already heard about it before the game and was prepared for it.

But he didn’t expect it to happen from the first inning.

Soon, he faithfully carried it out.

‘Let’s see, when should I run to be safe? Actual combat experience is good, but I want to succeed if possible,’ he thought.

Lee Jung-woo, who was lost in thought while slowly widening the lead, returned to the base again to the pitcher who was immediately checking.

After repeating that several times,

he maintained an ordinary lead as if he had lost interest.

Then, he suddenly started pitching to match the pitcher’s pitching.

“Second Base!”

Whether he noticed the sign,

the pitcher took the ball out of the zone and pitched out.

The catcher threw the ball immediately.

But Lee Jung-woo’s foot, which came in sliding as it was, was faster than the throw.

“Safe!”

Stealing base succeeded as it was.

The reaction of the audience, which had become a little dull to Lee Jung-woo, who hit a single instead of the expected home run or long hit, boiled fiercely again.

Lee Jung-woo, who got up while dusting off the dirt, thought.

‘Why do I keep succeeding?’

####

[The Second Game Ends With the Nationals Winning After a Slugfest.]

[The Nationals’ Hitting Lineup Showed Its Strength for the First Time in a While. Fortunately, the Mets Also Lost, So We Still Solidified Our First Place.]

The short series with the Washington Nationals ended with the Braves easily defeating their opponents in the first game.

The Nationals took the second game after a slugfest and fired the last shot.

“Ah, this doesn’t fit,” one player lamented.

“Well, it was time to lose,” another shrugged.

“But we’re still in second place, right? Are we really going to the postseason like this?”

“It’s possible if we can just maintain it. We managed our winning percentage quite well, right?”

The Braves were disappointed that their 8-game winning streak, which had continued since the last game against the Cardinals, was broken.

Fortunately, the Mets also recorded a losing series in the 3-game series against the Cubs, so the second place was still solid.

Also, it wasn’t like they were overwhelmingly defeated, but they just had a fun fight with each other.

So the atmosphere of the players was not bad.

But Lee Jung-woo alone was deeply troubled among them.

‘I don’t understand,’ he thought.

Yesterday and today combined, he recorded 3 hits, 2 RBIs [Runs Batted In], and 4 walks in 8 at-bats.

Even if it wasn’t as much as the fans expected,

Lee Jung-woo, who played a valuable role throughout the series,

couldn’t understand himself in this series.

‘Why do I keep succeeding in stealing bases?’

The thought that came to mind when he succeeded in stealing a base in the top of the first inning of the first game occupied one side of his head.

During this series, he attempted to steal three times.

He succeeded all three times.

Lee Jung-woo thought that was strange.

Clearly, he still didn’t have a sense of stealing bases.

He couldn’t even see the timing of the pitcher.

He was just busy running when the instructions came down.

Somehow, every time he tried, he succeeded.

As a result, his stolen base success rate is 100%, even though it’s only 4 times.

Lee Jung-woo was dumbfounded.

‘Why? Is this the mystery of baseball? Was a light heart the answer?’

For some reason, he felt that what he had worked hard for so far was in vain, so he laughed in vain.