The Pitcher Just Hits Home Runs Well [EN]: Chapter 152

152. Are the Marines Really a Strong Team? (5)

“Wasn’t that too hasty a decision?”

“You agreed, though. That, whatever the situation, it’s statistically the most likely choice.”

“But, Charlie, you know that if you only consider the odds in baseball, you’re screwed. The players on the field aren’t game characters; they’re living people. They change based on their emotions. And what if Noh Hyung-wook manages to do something here…”

“First, game characters don’t have emotions only because we can’t set those variables. And second, that’s why we have a manager in the dugout. To judge that aspect on the field and make decisions. Did you forget? Our recommendations aren’t absolute directives. They can make decisions on the field and then bring appropriate justification afterward.”

Intentional walk with the bases loaded.

It was such a dangerous choice. Kang Ji-woo, the Griffins’ general manager, had suggested that it would be better to engage in a difficult match where they wouldn’t mind giving up a walk. But Charlie Kim, the head of the power analysis team, thought differently.

“Just watch. Soon, everyone else will have to admit that our team’s choice was the smartest. As you know, what we need now is proof that this data guy has enough value to overwhelm the huge connections that *player出身* [player background/lineage] have. Recognizing that monster first will be enough grounds for that.”

VIP room.

Their eyes turned to Noh Hyung-wook, who was stepping up to the plate.

***

A huge shock swept through Sajik Stadium.

The situation was tied 3:3 from a 3:2 situation.

It was even a home game. But the stadium wasn’t as noisy as one might think. No, considering the situation, it was an understatement to say it was quiet.

“Huh? What? Is that an intentional walk with the bases loaded? Doesn’t that give up a point?”

“Uh… yeah.”

“I feel like I’ve watched quite a bit of baseball, but I think this is the first time I’ve seen this? Ah, is it because it hasn’t been that many years since they stopped throwing four intentional walk balls and just let them go?”

“It hasn’t been a few years; it’s already been nine years since they implemented that…”

“Gyuhwan, have you ever seen an intentional walk with the bases loaded?”

Gyuhwan was famous among his friends as a baseball fanatic.

So, even though this was a rare sight, I thought that a baseball fanatic like Gyuhwan wouldn’t be seeing this scene for the first time.

But his answer completely deviated from expectations.

“Would I?”

“Huh?”

“That’s a record that hasn’t even come out a few times in the major leagues. It doesn’t exist at all in Korea.”

“So, they gave an intentional walk to a rookie with the bases loaded?”

“Ah, seriously. You can’t understand. There’s just no intentional walk itself with the bases loaded. What crazy person just gives up a point with the bases loaded? No, it might be advantageous in terms of probability, but this is just too openly saying they don’t trust their player. How would the player’s pride accept that?”

Strictly speaking, Gyuhwan’s statement that there had never been an intentional walk with the bases loaded in Korea was incorrect. It was a record that existed in college and high school baseball.

But at least in the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization], it was a record that had never happened since the league started in ’82.

“But didn’t Barry Bonds get it a lot?”

“Are you comparing Barry Bonds to Choi Soo-won now? He was a crazy guy who destroyed the league for years, and Choi Soo-won is just a rookie, so the way the pitcher accepts it is different. Besides, Barry Bonds only had one instance of an intentional walk with the bases loaded where it was like, ‘Oh? What?’ and they just let him go without competing.”

“So, the conclusion now is…”

“It’s one of two things. Either the Griffins’ dugout is crazy, or our Soo-won’s bat is really crazy.”

***

Noh Hyung-wook laughed.

Is it because people only laugh when their anger exceeds its limits?

No, that didn’t seem to be the case.

He didn’t think they chose the bases-loaded walk to ignore him because he had hit into a triple play earlier.

So, it wasn’t anger but rather disbelief.

Honestly, when I see Choi Soo-won hitting, I often get the feeling that this is what an *out-of-規格* [out-of-specifications, meaning beyond standard or exceptional] monster is like. Sometimes, they compare him to Lee Gyu-man during his prime seven-title days, but well? It’s hard to agree.

It’s not just because Choi Soo-won now is a complete player with Lee Gyu-man’s seven-title days plus base running.

His hitting is different. Ah, of course, if you ask if his performance can be better than Lee Gyu-man’s during his seven-title days, I don’t know. The upper end is fixed everywhere, and Lee Gyu-man at the time should be seen as having reached that upper end.

But what if the upper end changes? So, for example, in Major League Baseball? In Noh Hyung-wook’s view, if Choi Soo-won and Lee Gyu-man at the time played in the majors, there would definitely be a meaningful difference. And what proves that is the bases-loaded intentional walk right now.

But that’s that, and this is this.

Already the second bases-loaded opportunity in two innings.

Kicking the table once was enough.

29-homer hitter Noh Hyung-wook stepped up to the plate again.

Jeff Kaelon was silent for a moment.

How could he feel good? Honestly, even if it’s a bases-loaded walk, there was a huge gap between pitching with the mindset that it’s okay to give up a walk and letting them go without throwing a single ball.

One choice, an intentional walk.

And the pitcher and batter, wounded by that one choice, faced each other.

Three balls went back and forth between the pitcher and catcher.

The bat came out only once during that time.

The count was 2-1.

Not as much as Choi Soo-won.

But Noh Hyung-wook was also a batter to be wary of. In the worst case, he was an opponent who had to take the ball as difficult as possible, even if it meant giving up another point with a walk.

Fourth.

Deep inside course.

The very course that had caught the triple play earlier.

Noh Hyung-wook’s bat moved.

He was a great hitter.

Instinctively, he remembered the two-seamer from the previous at-bat, and his bat was aimed about 3 centimeters lower.

-Clang!!!

At the moment of the hit, he knew.

It was a little late.

And it was high.

A four-seamer, not a two-seamer. It was also a four-seamer that came in almost perfectly.

The batted ball flew high. Of course, the bat, which he pulled to the end with all his might, had enough power. But it was by no means enough power to go over the fence.

The left fielder, who had taken a few steps back, easily caught Noh Hyung-wook’s batted ball.

Fly out to the outfield.

Bottom of the 2nd inning.

Tied 3:3.

Noh Hyung-wook kicked the bases-loaded table twice in a row.

And the Marines’ second attack ended.

***

Change of attack and defense.

Even though they had tied the score after being 3 points behind, the atmosphere in the dugout was not good. It’s not just because it was a fly ball with bases loaded.

Until right before my at-bat, it felt like we were cheering each other on to catch up, and we actually succeeded in catching up, but the problem was that the decisive moment of catching up wasn’t something we achieved, but rather an investment by the opponent to minimize bleeding. In other words, it was a bases-loaded walk.

It’s like the opponent took the steam out before we, who were close to the critical point, exploded! And if Noh Hyung-wook had done something there, it would have been different, but in the first at-bat, it was a triple play. In this at-bat, it’s an outfield fly.

Of course, strategy is something you choose according to the probability of each moment, but looking at the results now, it’s become a picture that follows the Griffins’ intentions as they intended?

Besides, the atmosphere is even more so because of Noh Hyung-wook’s and my position in the team? The like.

In fact, everyone knows that I’m hitting better these days, and everyone is aware that there is a bit of a class difference, but still, I’m a rookie, and Noh Hyung-wook is a 12-year veteran. He was the best hitter on the team until last year. There is no player who can openly say that in just over ten games. At least, maybe if I hit well for about a year and win the MVP.

However, if the opposing team declares so blatantly that there is a difference in class, and that suddenly becomes a reality, not only the players who are younger than Noh Hyung-wook but also the players who are older than him can’t help but be a little conscious of Noh Hyung-wook.

Jo Yu-jin, who had been creating a cheering atmosphere until now, didn’t say anything. Well, that guy is amazingly perceptive, so it’s natural.

“Hyung-wook.”

“Yes?”

“It’s all like that when you’re hitting. Double plays and everything else come along because they’re all good hitters.”

Lee Gyu-man’s story brought a moment of silence to the dugout.

Lee Gyu-man himself seemed a little embarrassed by the silence, so he glanced at Jo Yu-jin next to him. And Jo Yu-jin didn’t disappoint.

“Wow, as expected, Captain. You’re amazing. It seems like there’s definitely weight in the story because Korea’s best hitter is telling his direct experience.”

“Yeah, I’ve hit the most double plays in Korea.”

“No, senior. That’s not what I meant…”

Light comedy.

The expressions of the people watching Jjo-yu, who was noticeably embarrassed, softened a little. Noh Hyung-wook also raised the corners of his mouth with a smirk.

“Okay, everyone, if you’ve cheered up, let’s go kick those guys’ butts and come back. It’s a little disappointing that we didn’t make a comeback, but if we score one point at a time like this, we can definitely win today’s game. Today is the day this body is throwing.”

Dilton grabbed his glove and shouted at the other players.

Of course, he didn’t know what kind of conversation had taken place between the other players. Few of the other players accurately understood what Dilton was saying now.

But sometimes, people can understand each other’s intentions with just something nonverbal, such as atmosphere, facial expressions, and voice. This was the case now.

The players who had put on their gloves ran out onto the ground.

“Jjo-yu, that was pretty good just now. It was the best play you’ve made this year.”

Did he notice that he was indirectly criticizing him for not being good at baseball?

Jjo-yu’s expression wasn’t very good.

The game continued without additional points.

Dilton threw the ball with excitement, as if it were a lie that he had given up 3 points in the top of the first inning.

Jeff Kaelon was a little different from Dilton.

Four-seam, two-seam, and slider.

Usually, in order to induce ground balls, you need a fastball with a dirty end or a ball that runs away from the outside low course.

In the former case, the power of the ball was important, and in the latter case, command was important, but based on the KBO, Jeff Kaelon could be seen as a pitcher who satisfied both of those things.

Basically, he mainly competes on the outside low course, and when the count is high, he actively competes, but based on MLB [Major League Baseball] standards, a ball of about 153 km/h, which is good for getting hit, belongs to the category of fastballs based on KBO, so it works a bit. Besides, the two-seamers that come in from time to time were also a bit tricky.

“Soo-won, what would you aim for if you were you?”

Suddenly, Noh Hyung-wook asked me a question.

No, this should be seen as asking for advice rather than a question. Well, you could say that age doesn’t matter when asking for advice, but in fact, it’s not easy to ask a younger junior for advice.

“Well… I think about one out of every four or five comes into the zone, so I think I’d aim for that kind of ball. But if I were a senior…”

“If you were you?”

“Wouldn’t you just not hit it?”

“Huh?”