The Pitcher Just Hits Home Runs Well [EN]: Chapter 285

285. Victory Fairy (2)

The three-game series against Tampa Bay was followed by a three-game series against the Washington Nationals. They belong to the National League East Division, not the American League. Unlike the Tampa Bay or Boston teams in the American League East, who play 13 games a year, we only play them three times a year.

To properly understand this, you have to start with the history of the American League and the National League. What that is…(omitted)…So, with the designated hitter rule introduced to the NL last year, the rules were revised in 2023. We play 52 games against teams in the same division within our league, 64 games against other divisions in the same league, and three games each against all 14 teams in the other league, either home or away. Oh, why only three games against 14 out of 15 teams? That’s because there’s an interleague regional rivalry where one team is chosen to play two games each, home and away.

In the case of our Yankees, we play against the Mets, and that completes a total of 162 games in a year.

Anyway, the conclusion of this long story is that, just like how we moved to Tampa Bay without a day off after the last three-game home series against Boston, Washington is also in the East Division, although in a different league, so we’ll be playing a three-game series right away without a day off.

“Hahaha, Mr. Choi Soo-won. You’re very popular among our Korean residents these days. It’s really nice to see you in person like this.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you, Representative Rebecca.”

“Oh, Representative Rebecca is too much. Just call me Becky.”

Representative Rebecca Kim.

A three-term House Representative representing the Koreatown area near LA, California, she even came to the Washington game with a few reporters from California.

Well, it’s inevitable since politicians showing up, taking pictures, and disappearing is pretty much their main job in the US, just like in Korea. It’s also true that it’s convenient in many ways to get acquainted.

“It’s a shame. Los Angeles has the largest Korean population in the United States, but New York is too far. If Mr. Choi Soo-won played in LA, he would receive as much support as if he were playing in Korea.”

“Haha, thank you. But sports tend to transcend countries or even races if you just play well, right? I’ll work hard to play really well for the Yankees and receive a lot of support. If that happens, maybe I’ll get a little hate from the Koreans who support the Dodgers when I go to LA for an away game.”

“Oh, come to think of it, you do come to Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles for away games, right? If so, I’ll definitely go see the game in person. At that time, I’ll be cheering for the home team, the Dodgers, but at the same time, I’ll also be cheering for our Choi Soo-won.”

“Yes, unfortunately, the game against the Dodgers will be at home this year, but there will be an away game next year, so I’d appreciate your support then.”

“Yes, I also support Representative Becky’s successful political career.”

We exchanged pleasantries and took a big picture in front of the reporters.

“If you ever have any difficulties, don’t hesitate to contact me at this number.”

“Yes, thank you.”

***

The Washington Nationals won the World Series once in 2019. The market size is considerable, not quite a mega-market, but big enough to be on the borderline of a big market.

However, their performance since 2020 has been truly miserable, thanks to not one but two high-paid players on the team being sidelined. Still, what they did smartly was to give up on ‘win-now’ and turn to tanking [deliberately losing games to secure better draft picks] very quickly. In mid-2021, they sold off everything except for one pillar, which was a great example of how to tank properly.

It didn’t end there. In 2022, they finally sold off that last remaining pillar, and as a result, they managed to reduce the payroll from nearly $200 million at the time of the 2019 championship to below $80 million in 2023. Of course, in the process, all the championship members from 2019, except for one injured player, disappeared from the team.

So, if you ask whether that absurd level of rebuilding was a success, well?

In the end, the goal of all things like ‘tanking,’ ‘rebuilding,’ or ‘win-now’ is ‘winning the championship.’ If they achieve a second championship with those collected prospects, their rebuilding will be remembered as a success. If not, it will be remembered as a terrible rebuilding that failed to create loyal fans by cutting off all the original championship members.

Stan Owens came up to the mound for Washington.

[Okay, Stan Owens is on the mound. Stan Owens signed a 6-year, $170 million contract last winter, right? He doesn’t have any particularly impressive pitches, but he feels like a very solid and tricky pitcher.]

[That’s right. This player was also called ‘the next Clayton Kershaw’ during his prospect days. Of course, he didn’t quite reach his full potential as expected at the time, but his fastball, curve, slider, and changeup are all excellent, scoring 55 to 60 points on the 20-80 scale [a scouting scale used to evaluate baseball players].]

[All four pitches are close to plus pitches. He must be a tricky pitcher.]

Anthony Volpe stepped up to the plate.

Although he showed a slightly disappointing performance against Tampa Bay’s ace, Sean Carpenter, in the last game, he is showing a fairly decent performance overall this season, befitting his name as the Yankees’ next franchise player.

However, many of the cameras on the field were not pointed at Stan Owens on the mound or Anthony Volpe at the plate.

[And in today’s game, the batting order adjustment that I’ve been talking about has finally been made. Choi Soo-won is now batting second, and Aaron Judge is batting third. Considering the running abilities of the two, this is only natural.]

As YES Network commentator John Sterling said, considering the running abilities of the two, it was only natural for Soo-won to be ahead of Aaron Judge.

But things in the world don’t always work out so rationally. Aaron Judge, who is a first-ballot Hall of Famer [player almost certain to be elected to the Hall of Fame on their first try] and a candidate for permanent retirement even if he retires right now, has been the face of the Yankees for a very long time. And he has consistently played as the second batter.

No matter how respectable Jeff Clark’s career as a manager is, Aaron Judge is a bit of a burden.

[Yes, Jeff Clark said that Aaron Judge himself requested that Choi Soo-won be placed in front until his ankle problem is completely resolved.]

[Well, it’s not a bad thing for Aaron Judge either. This means that if he hits a home run, the probability of it being a 3-RBI home run instead of a 2-RBI home run has increased.]

Therefore, a sufficient amount of time for Aaron Judge to understand and a formality to save his face were needed. It seemed like a trivial matter, but these small emotions ultimately determine the team’s final ranking.

-Thwack!!!

On the fourth pitch.

Anthony Volpe’s first pitch was sucked into the right fielder’s glove.

“Out!!”

One out, no runners.

Choi Soo-won, who had enough rest yesterday, walked to the plate.

“His fastball and slider are definitely good. I don’t know about the rest.”

“Okay.”

The four pitches that Stan Owens throws are all located on the border between above average pitch and plus pitch. But like almost all pitchers in the world, not all four of those pitches go in properly every day. If that were the case, he would have signed a 10-year, $300 million contract instead of a 6-year, $170 million contract.

Choi Soo-won came to the plate.

Stan Owens bent down and touched the rosin bag on the mound once.

Choi Soo-won.

A rookie who has only played in four big league games.

But he couldn’t let his guard down.

What rookie in the world would play in 4 games and have a ridiculous record of 8 hits, 3 home runs in 13 at-bats? 0.615/0.615/1.385.

Stan Owens nodded at the sign sent by Victor Cruz, the catcher of the same age beyond home plate.

***

“Rookie, nice to meet you. Should I give you a gift to welcome you to the big leagues?”

“A fastball right down the middle?”

“Oh, how did you know?”

As soon as he stepped onto the plate, Washington’s catcher, Victor Cruz, started talking. No, it would be more appropriate to say he was running his mouth.

“The Boston and Tampa Bay players all wanted to give me gifts so badly. I’m not one to refuse such things, so I gladly accepted them.”

“No wonder. Is that why your batting average is so good?”

“That’s right. Originally, a batter only needs to receive well to get this kind of result.”

A light psychological warfare.

No, to be honest, it’s embarrassing to even call it psychological warfare. Whether it’s a fastball in the middle or whatever, it’s just an attempt to shake my head even a little bit.

First pitch.

Slightly high course.

I stopped the bat I was moving.

-Boom!!

The end of the bat and the wrist were both perfect check swings. But Victor Cruz jumped up from his seat and asked the first base umpire whether it was a check swing. Of course, the umpire’s decision was a check swing. He grumbled and sat down.

“Ah, too bad… I thought it turned.”

“Well, more than that, you said you’d give me a fastball in the middle, but you threw a curve that bounced from the first pitch?”

“Stan sometimes loses the ball from his hand. In that sense, I’m going to give you a fastball right in the middle this time, so you have to receive it well, okay?”

“More than that, you should be careful. If you throw a ball that bounces like that and it goes behind you, I might run all the way to second base.”

“Oh, you don’t know. I’m like an iron wall. There’s no way the ball will flow behind me.”

Certainly, the previous curve was a bit off. The moment it left his hand, it was clear that it bounced. Should I be careful about the changeup?

Second.

High inside fastball.

Even based on before the regression, it was never an easy ball.

But why?

-Thwack!!!

The ball hit the fence.

[Choi Soo-won!! Past first base to second base!!! At second base!!]

“Safe!!”

[Safe!! Choi Soo-won!! A double that hits the fence!! Top of the first, one out. The Yankees already have a runner in scoring position.]

***

[Game 1 of the New York Yankees vs. Washington Nationals!! New York Yankees win 6:2!!]

[2 hits and 1 walk in 4 at-bats!! The super rookie’s crazy run!!]

[Choi Soo-won!! Hits in 5 consecutive games since his debut at-bat!! Only 2 games away from the Yankees team record!!]

[Choi Soo-won records his 4th home run of the season in the second game of the series!! Truly overwhelming performance!!]

[1 hit and 1 walk in 4 at-bats!! How far will the super rookie’s run go?]

[Choi Soo-won to miss the third game of the series? Will Jeff Clark’s decision be correct?]

[Anonymous official ‘This is just Jeff Clark’s concern. Choi Soo-won has already completed a routine without absences in Korea.’]

[Jeff Clark ‘Choi Soo-won is still a young player of twenty years old. His talent is infinite, and we have a duty to protect that infinite talent so that it can bloom safely.’]