The Pitcher Just Hits Home Runs Well [EN]: Chapter 102

At that moment, a brief silence swept through the stadium.

Huh… So, what was that just now?

Was the pitch bad?

Diego Rodriguez wasn’t exactly on fire today, but to take his low cutter and send it over the fence in one swing?

It felt like I could clearly hear the thoughts of the people around me. Well, I can’t say I don’t understand their reaction.

In fact, a cut fastball, or cutter, is a difficult pitch to hit. Or, more precisely, it’s a pitch that’s hard to hit even when you know it’s coming.

The era of Dae-gu speed.

Starting in the 2010s, it became a trend throughout Major League Baseball. Strictly speaking, it’s closer to a fastball that imitates a breaking ball rather than an actual breaking ball.

A properly thrown cutter is almost untouchable for opposite-handed hitters.

If Diego Rodriguez’s average speed was just 6-7 km/h faster, he would have been able to survive in the majors with just that cutter. And considering the difference in average speed between the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization] and MLB [Major League Baseball], the cutter that Diego Rodriguez throws would be no different to KBO players than the cutter of a top-tier closer in the majors.

And I was a hitter who could hit a real major league top-tier closer’s cutter with about a 25% success rate. Even though my power might be a bit lacking compared to then, my reaction speed and control are a bit better. Of course, sending a proper cutter far is really about power. You need the power to hit it even if it’s a bit off.

But that’s only the story of a 100-mile cutter. A cutter that’s only around 90 miles per hour? And I can’t send a pitch that’s just being thrown low over the fence?

I can’t let that happen, thinking about the tears of the self-proclaimed guardian of the Yankees, who almost set a season ERA [Earned Run Average] record in the 0s during his prime, only to have his ERA end up at 1.2 after getting hit with solo home runs by me in two consecutive games.

I rounded the bases and landed at home plate. I felt a slight emptiness. Maybe it’s because Jjoyu, who always greeted me warmly after a home run, wasn’t there?

One out remaining.

I went back to the dugout and immediately prepared for the next inning.

“Wow, 2 billion. What? I thought he was just good at pitching, but his batting form is amazing. He’s been unusual since the airport, so he deserves to be cocky. I admit it. If you have that kind of skill, you should be that cocky. How about it? Tonight… Oh, right. This is America, isn’t it? What to do… Okay, I’ll be generous today. I’ll take out a couple of bottles of alcohol. Let’s have a drink together in my room later. It’s a bit gloomy to drink with just guys, but it’s better than taking unnecessary risks. Okay?”

Lee Jung-hoon, who had come to my side, was rambling on as he pleased.

It’s not like he’s an alcoholic or anything, but I can’t completely dislike him. I haven’t pitched against him today, but looking at his overall play, what should I say… 4.42 billion seems reasonable? No, rather, it feels like a discounted amount considering his love for entertainment and alcohol.

Wide defensive range, hits the ball well. And most importantly.

“Ah, this is my first spring camp this year, so I don’t want to get caught up in any rumors, and I want to focus on baseball. I’m sorry.”

“Huh? No, no. What are you sorry for? Honestly, with your skills, I don’t think you need to do that… Well, either way, instead of drinking expensive alcohol in a cramped room with just guys here, let’s go to Korea and have fun. I know a lot of good places, so don’t worry.”

He doesn’t have any sense of authority and is quite reasonable. In fact, Lee Jung-hoon was the first to take me in when we got on the plane. So, what should I say? He’s a bit of a nuisance to the team atmosphere as a whole, but personally, he’s not that bad.

-Clang!!

Ground ball out to the infield.

Diego Rodriguez got the last out.

“Ah, it’s my turn.”

“Okay, then good luck. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t send the ball my way if possible. I drank too much yesterday, so I have a bit of a headache.”

“I’ll try.”

I grabbed my glove and got up.

“Whoa, whoa, you’re so serious that I can’t even joke around. Joke. Joke. Just kidding. Understand?”

“Are you joking about having a hangover from drinking too much?”

“No, that’s real. I handle whiskey well, but it’s been a while since I had Jim Beam, so it’s not working out. But it’s okay to send the ball my way. Today and in the future. Honestly, even if I have a slight hangover, my defense is the most reliable here.”

The intrasquad scrimmage continued.

I finished the inning against the Blue Team’s bottom lineup with one hit allowed and no runs.

2 innings, no runs allowed.

“Soo-won, let’s have you bat one more time. Can you do it?”

“Yes. Anytime.”

So, my role as a pitcher was over, but perhaps because I had just seen him hit the first pitch over the fence, the manager seemed to want to see me one more time.

Originally, it’s best to ice the arm after pitching, but aiming to be a two-way player means aiming for something similar in a real game. Moreover, in the KBO, which doesn’t have the Ohtani rule yet, I might have to go up as a fielder after pitching. Like Ohtani before the Ohtani rule.

Choi Min-hyuk went up to the mound for the Blue Team.

I broke his record with a ridiculous amount of 2 billion, but originally, in the history before my regression, it was a great record that hadn’t been broken until 2043, three years after Choi Min-hyuk retired. And the Choi Min-hyuk I remember was definitely a pitcher worthy of that amount.

-Clang!!

Ah, not now, of course.

I’m talking about from two years later, when I was challenging for my first KBO MVP [Most Valuable Player]. Choi Min-hyuk, who gave up two clean runs, came down from the mound with a slightly tired expression.

And after him, Hamin hyung went up to the mound. Is it because he went up to the mound after Choi Min-hyuk? No, it’s just that Baek Hamin is a different breed.

Indeed… 41.1 innings last year with a 4.14 ERA. He has the visuals of a pitcher who recorded the third-best performance among the bullpen pitchers, but his uniform sales were second in the team. No matter how I think about it, Hamin hyung’s true talent isn’t his shoulder that throws 150, but his face.

It was a mound that I had cleanly cleared out the bottom lineup.

To be honest, the Marines were a bit of a mess, but the lineup from Seo Kyung-joon to Kang Ra-on, Noh Hyung-wook, and Lee Gyu-man was quite threatening. If you only consider the power of the upper lineup, wouldn’t it be in the upper-middle tier of the entire KBO?

Of course, in Hamin hyung’s case, he raised his body a little early with the spirit of a rookie. But the speed at which pitchers and hitters build their bodies is different.

A 144km/h fastball.

Noh Hyung-wook sent it cleanly over the fence.

Two runs allowed, just like Choi Min-hyuk.

Hamin hyung came down from the mound with a slightly tired expression. And Choi Min-hyuk went up to the mound again for the Blue Team. It wasn’t good.

-Clang!!

Of course, I’m talking about Choi Min-hyuk’s mentality.

Choi Min-hyuk’s expression looked a little empty as he watched the ball go over the fence. But what can he do? He should just think he had a good experience.

I lightly circled the ground once.

The ground was still quiet.

***

Director Kim Dae-cheol jumped up from his seat.

It is now common knowledge that BABIP [Batting Average on Balls In Play] has a certain inherent value for each player, but in any case, hitting a pitcher’s ball, and having it lead to a hit, is to some extent a matter of luck.

But three things.

Strikeouts, walks, and home runs.

These three are not in the realm of luck. This is simply the result of skill meeting skill.

Of course, even so, chance still exists. Especially when the sample is small, the influence of that chance is even greater.

I know that Choi Soo-won was an overwhelming home run hitter at the high school level with no pitchers to match. But so what? Some players who were historical home run hitters at the high school level in the past spent almost six years in the minor leagues before finally unleashing their potential. The difference in level between professional and amateur is that great. Even more so now, in the mid-2020s, compared to the mid-2000s. The difference in level has become even greater over the 20 years. The fact that it is almost impossible for a fresh high school rookie to win the Rookie of the Year award proves this.

But what Choi Soo-won showed now was different.

Two consecutive first-pitch home runs.

Of course, the pitchers’ bodies are not in top condition. In fact, other hitters on the team are also consistently showing decent hitting against these pitchers.

But even so, it’s Diego Rodriguez, who recorded 10 wins with a 2.87 ERA in 141.2 innings last year for the Seoul Elites. I know better than anyone how difficult his cutter is because I had my soul crushed by him in two games last year.

And what about Choi Min-hyuk?

Of course, the contract amount of 1.05 billion was an overpay, but he was still a player who ‘almost’ won the Rookie of the Year award as a high school rookie two years ago. If it hadn’t been for his injury at the end of the season, the Rookie of the Year award might have been his.

Two consecutive first-pitch home runs against such pitchers?

And not at a precarious level, but a huge home run that everyone felt, ‘Ah, that’s gone,’ at the moment of impact?

It’s certain.

He’s the real deal.

Director Kim Dae-cheol’s heart beat fast.

“Coach Park.”

“Yes, Director.”

“Contact the nutritionist and schedule a separate 1:1 online meeting with Choi Soo-won.”

“I understand.”

“And give that kid a proper outfield defense test.”

“An outfield defense test?”

“We have Gyu-man this year. He has to play somewhere. He looks agile, and with a shoulder that throws up to 157 on that body, he’ll at least do the basics. It would be good if he could play right field…”

“But he’s only in his first year. Will he have the stamina?”

“We’ll have to find out from now on.”

Just two innings of pitching.

And two at-bats.

That alone didn’t convince me of Choi Soo-won’s skills. But at least the records he obtained in high school and the records he obtained in international competitions gave strength to his speculation.

Choi Soo-won had the potential to pitch ‘as well as’ a foreign pitcher, and he had the potential to swing the bat as well as Noh Hyung-wook, the team’s best hitter, or perhaps Lee Gyu-man in his prime, who was the strongest hitter in team history.

The most powerful player in both pitching and hitting. But as a human being, there is bound to be a limit to his stamina. How much easier would it be if Choi Soo-won was divided into two?

“Ah, and after this game, bring all the records related to two-way players from the NPB [Nippon Professional Baseball] and MLB. Focus on the records related to player management.”

“Yes, I understand.”

***

This first intrasquad scrimmage of the Marines was held in private.

Even if it wasn’t, there wouldn’t be many fans who would come to see the Marines’ intrasquad scrimmage. In Japan, many fans follow the team to spring camp, but it’s not easy in the United States.

Therefore, the reason for holding this intrasquad scrimmage in private was, of course, the reporters.

Since the Changwon Blaze was founded, the Marines have been the Marines, while the Blaze has consistently been a strong team. They even achieved an integrated championship in their ninth year, which the Marines had never achieved in their 45 years of existence. They can’t help but attract all the popularity in the Gyeongnam area.

In fact, before the Blaze was founded, the Marines were the most popular team in the country despite their poor performance, but after the Blaze was founded, they lost their number one spot to the Gwangju Hawks. And that popularity has been steadily declining, and the support ratio in the Gyeongnam area, which was originally about 1:9, has recently been greatly caught up to 3:7, and recently they even lost their second place in popularity to the Phoenix and fell to third place.

Some experts analyzed that the phenomenon is because the Phoenix’s popularity does not decline even if they repeatedly finish last, but the Marines’ popularity tends to be absorbed by the nearby Blaze as they repeatedly finish last.

Anyway, despite this, the Marines were still a popular team.

Therefore, despite holding the intrasquad scrimmage in private like this, some sports reporters from Korea have been personally contacting players or coaches for interviews.

“I knew it!! I knew it.”

And one of them.

Lee Ji-yeon of the Korea Daily nodded.