The Pitcher Just Hits Home Runs Well [EN]: Chapter 217

I felt like I was truly flying.

And when I reached home plate, my Marines teammates rushed out, making my feelings a reality.

“Ah, wait!! Just a moment!!”

To be honest, I thought they were going to toss me in the air, so I tried to stop them, but the atmosphere wasn’t exactly cooperative. Besides, if you struggle too much when they’re trying to throw you, someone might get hurt—either me or the person trying to throw me.

“Swan, don’t worry. Don’t worry.”

No, that’s not quite right.

Looking at Diltz, who ran out ahead of everyone else, I didn’t get the feeling that *he*, at least, would get hurt at all.

“Okay.”

And my body really did fly into the sky.

Even though I weigh well over 90kg [approximately 200 pounds] now, the guys throwing me were incredibly strong. It felt like I was floating higher than the second floor of an apartment building.

When I was floating in the air, I briefly turned my head and thought I made eye contact with Jake Bohr. If I wasn’t mistaken, he looked like he was about to cry.

Anyway, it was a meaningful moment in many ways.

Even before turning back time, I had won the home run title several times in the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization], and even in the MLB [Major League Baseball]. But this was the first time I had broken the record for the most home runs in a season. And what I liked even more than that was that I had created something truly amazing in a historic moment.

There are some players like that. They’re good, but bland. If you look at their stats, they’re clearly the dominators of their era, but they lack impact. In other words, they lack star power.

Of course, before turning back time, I was a home run hitter, so I was still a fairly popular player. But whether I had *star power* or not, that’s definitely debatable.

Usually, when someone is chasing 60 home runs, the whole of America is buzzing. Considering that it’s normal for the story to be talked about not only on baseball-related channels but also on broadcasts that have nothing to do with baseball, I was quite modest for a home run hitter. That’s true even when considering racial factors.

-Waaaaaaaaah!!!

But look at those fans who are still cheering wildly for me even after I’ve finished being tossed in the air and come down. Of course, Sajik Stadium is a pretty enthusiastic place, and the Marines have fans that don’t necessarily match their win record, but that enthusiasm can’t be explained by that alone.

My play is clearly moving people greatly right now.

Among the people gathered here, someone’s life direction may have changed because of my four consecutive home runs.

This is by no means an overestimation of my self-importance. Maybe. Some child who was brought along might remember this moment and pick up a baseball. Also, someone might become a Marines fan because of my play right now and suffer for the next 50 years, leaving behind words like, ‘The choice of a moment determines life,’ as their last words before passing away…

I put aside the unnecessary thoughts.

And I waved vigorously at the people who were cheering for me. Then I went back to the dugout.

-Waaaaaaah!!!

But the cheers didn’t subside.

Rather, the cheers grew even louder. They wouldn’t die down easily. Just when I thought this wouldn’t be enough, Lee Jung-hoon and Lee Gyu-man said to me.

“Hey, Choi Soo-won. People are calling for you.”

“Yeah, Soo-won. You have to go out for this. Even if the game is delayed a bit, they’ll all understand. If there’s anyone in the Elitz [opposing team] who doesn’t understand that, tell me.”

“Whoa, Captain. That sounds like you’re going to *persuade* them with physical force if they don’t understand.”

“Yes, just a moment.”

I walked outside and took off my hat. My hair was a bit messed up from being pressed down, but I bowed my head anyway. Once to the left, once to the right. And then I turned around and bowed once more to the back of home plate.

Amidst the people’s enthusiasm, I returned to the dugout.

Of course, people were still cheering and calling my name. But they can’t do that forever. In that chaotic atmosphere, Noh Hyung-wook went up to bat.

It was such an enthusiastic atmosphere that it felt like the game was over, but it felt a bit strange because the game was still going on.

But in the midst of all that, another really surprising thing was that Jake Bohr, who was almost certain to lose and had been hit with four consecutive home runs, was still on the mound.

If you look for a humiliating record related to home runs in the baseball world, especially for pitchers, you can’t leave out Han Mandu. It’s the worst record that a legendary Korean pitcher experienced in the major leagues about 30 years ago.

Two grand slams in one inning.

In fact, if you only hear this, you might think, well, that could happen? It’s actually a record that has happened once in the KBO, and if you look closely at the major leagues, it happened once more around the 19th century.

So, you have to say more precisely, ‘one’ pitcher hit ‘one’ batter for two grand slams in ‘one’ inning. It was such a ridiculous thing that I didn’t even believe it when I heard my father talk about it once when he was talking about baseball.

Anyway, the reason why I’m talking about that worst record now is because the reason why it’s a record that will never happen again is because of the dugout’s problem, not the pitcher’s problem. In the first place, it doesn’t make sense to not take the pitcher down in a situation where the pitcher is facing the batter for the second time in one inning. It’s not like they’re throwing some kind of punishment ball in the classical era.

And I thought Jake Bohr being on the mound right now was a similar situation.

No, no matter what, the starting pitcher was hit for 4 home runs by the same batter for 7.2 innings, but they’re leaving him on the mound?

In my opinion, what Jake Bohr needs right now is psychological treatment.

To be honest, if I was throwing the ball on the mound and a batter hit 4 consecutive home runs, I think I’d get the yips [sudden and unexplained loss of skills in experienced players] and never be able to throw the ball again.

“Is he really going to keep pitching?”

“Didn’t you see? The coach went up to the mound a while ago, and Jake Bohr seemed to say that he would pitch more.”

First pitch.

Noh Hyung-wook’s swing and a miss.

Honestly, in this atmosphere, it would be understandable if his concentration was completely broken. But in that sense, the one whose concentration was more shattered was the pitcher on the mound.

Jake Bohr calmly threw the ball.

“Damn… He’s definitely an unlucky bastard, but a man is a man.”

Diltz muttered quietly.

It seemed like he was feeling some kind of rivalry. In fact, if you look at the current KBO pitcher stats, Diltz is also marking the top spot along with Jake Bohr. Especially before today’s game, Jake Bohr felt like he was a little ahead, but thanks to me smashing him today…

Ah, wait a minute. Is that why Diltz ran out first and cheered so enthusiastically?

At that moment.

-Clang!!!

The batted ball hit by Noh Hyung-wook flew high.

But a ball that can’t extend.

It was an infield fly ball.

“Out!!”

1:5

Change of offense and defense.

Our team’s closer, Park Jae-hyuk, went up to the mound.

ERA [Earned Run Average] of 1.29 this season.

He was the perfect pitcher to really end the game that seemed to end with my home run.

Even though I was playing defense at first base, people’s eyes kept on me.

-Swish!!

“Strike!! Out!!”

Strikeout.

And

-Clang!!

“Mine!!”

An easy infield fly ball.

And the third.

-Clang!!

[Ah, Oh Hyung-won. Well hit. An exquisite hit!! Escapes the infield.]

[Elitz continues to ignite the flame of hope like this!! The score is a 4-point difference. Only one chance left.]

Oh Hyung-won, who landed on first base, took off his protective gear and spoke to me.

“Hey, I heard you’re going to America.”

“Pardon?”

“What are you pretending not to know? Everyone’s heard the rumors.”

“Well, I really don’t know.”

“Then everyone but you must know. That you’re going to America. Anyway, I’m not trying to pick a fight. I’m just jealous. Of you, and the Marines. Ugh, it’s been so long since we’ve won the championship, why doesn’t a guy like you come to our team?”

“No, was there anything to leave behind?”

“Okay, I’ll say it one more time. I’m not trying to pick a fight. It’s just because of my eyes and tone. Anyway, congratulations on the new record today. Ugh, it’s been a really long time since we won the championship, why doesn’t a guy like you come to our team?”

In Oh Hyung-won’s quiet grumbling, the next batter was struck out.

-Swish!!

“Strike!!!”

***

[Choi Soo-won!! Home run!! Home run!! Another home run!! And finally one more!!]

[Monster!! 4 consecutive home runs in one game!! The epitome of a barrage!! Most home runs in a season!!]

[New home run record in 24 years!! Choi Soo-won’s 57th home run of the season!!]

─What is this? I thought he’d be setting a new home run record around the next series, so I booked all 3 games in the outfield seats for the away game in Incheon, but he hits 4 home runs in one game? To be honest, even when I booked all the games for the next series, I was thinking, he needs to hit one home run in an average of 1.5 games to set a new record, but will that happen?

─Tsk tsk tsk, Soo-won hits 2 or 3 home runs as a matter of course, so you can’t let your guard down. That’s why I booked a train for tomorrow morning to watch tomorrow’s game. But I never thought he’d hit 4 home runs. Is this really real?

As always, the internet was in an uproar again.

Even just breaking the record for the most home runs in a season would have been enough to heat up the internet, but even 4 consecutive home runs in one game. Even the fact that the opponent was last year’s Choi Dong-won Award winner. It was a perfect issue that had everything to attract people’s traffic.

“Ah, damn it. What is he? I was preparing a documentary. How could he not stand it and break the record?”

“You’re stupid. You should have started shooting when he passed 50 home runs.”

“Hey, I was going to start a long time ago. But the problem is that the conditions aren’t agreed upon.”

“Conditions? What conditions? Is he asking for too much in appearance fees?”

“Ugh, I’d rather that be the case. I can just curse at the young bastard for being greedy and get the budget executed. It’s not that, but restrictions on filming equipment and interviewers. And other things. It’s not easy. And to make matters worse, the agency is a lawyer, so it’s even more difficult.”

“Lawyer? What’s so special about a lawyer? They’re hiring so many of them these days that it’s hard for them to make a living. Anyway, if he’s a lawyer who’s a player agent, it’s obvious.”

“A top ace from a large law firm is attached. And a competitor is also attached. But that side must be a little annoyed too.”

“Competitor? Who? MBS [Major Broadcasting System]? They seem to be putting some effort into documentaries these days. Still, we’re the best at sports documentaries. Is there any competition?”

“No, you know that guy who won an award in Amsterdam this time.”

“Him? Isn’t his genre a little different? Besides, even if he shoots it, he’ll eventually have to go through us or MBS to broadcast it, but would they even try to outsource it? They’d try to do it themselves.”

“He’s going to service it through OTT [Over-The-Top media service]. Netflix shot 5 billion won [approximately $3.7 million USD].”

“Crazy… Are they spending 5 billion won on one documentary?”

Choi Soo-won clearly showed the image of a superstar.

And the people who have a duty to capture the image of such a star began to move.