The Pitcher Just Hits Home Runs Well [EN]: Chapter 289

“I think I understand why the management wanted to push these two so hard.”

“I agree. They definitely create a good image together. They’re both visually appealing, and since they’re only twenty years old, they could be active for a long time if they avoid injuries.”

“No, it’s more than that; their synergy is great. Maybe it’s because they’re from the younger generation, but they’re so natural on broadcasts.”

“Well, kids these days have been familiar with video-based social media since they were born. They’re different from old guys like us.”

“Hey, what’s with that? Old guys like us? I’m an influencer with 1.8 million followers, you know.”

“That’s all managed by the company anyway. Anyway, the feeling is good. Rob Manfred’s [MLB commissioner] star marketing hasn’t really paid off since Shohei Ohtani, but these guys might just hit it big.”

Neil Smith agreed with the PD’s [Production Director’s] opinion.

“Alex wasn’t bad last year, but he seemed too quirky and childish. But when he’s with Choi Su-won, the picture is quite good. It’s like Choi Su-won has at least half a foot in reality, balancing Alex’s eccentricity. If they both perform as well as Alex did last year, it’ll be really something to see this year.”

“Isn’t it possible? Alex is starting better than last year, and that Su-won kid’s stats are insane.”

“Well, it’s only been nine games. And the big leagues are generally tougher on rookies who haven’t even come up through the minors properly. More than anything, they’re Asian and Latino. I wonder if the umpires will…”

“Huh? What is it? Neil, are you being racist right now?”

“No, what nonsense. Racist? I’m Black. It’s just that the overall atmosphere in the big leagues can be a bit like that for rookies and non-white people. That’s all I’m saying.”

***

-Thwack!!!

“Strike!!! Out!!”

[Top of the 4th!! Choi Su-won strikes out the lead batter with a swing and a miss!! That’s his fifth strikeout of the game!!]

[That curveball was very sharp. Especially the movement that slightly breaks away to the outside is very good.]

My second start and first start at home were going smoothly. Was the curve good?

Yes, it was pretty good.

I thought I had already ‘adapted’ to the slippery ball, but the more I threw it, the more I felt like I was ‘adapting,’ and that it suited my hand better when throwing a curveball. It felt like the spin rate was increasing. Maybe it’s thanks to learning the curve from Coach Park Gwang-sik in Korea in a more American style.

Anyway, a curveball is originally a ball that drops ‘more’.

And considering that my arm angle isn’t a complete overhand but somewhere between overhand and three-quarters, it’s only natural for it to curve slightly outward for a right-handed batter. However, the difference is that the change has been very minimal until now, but today it’s showing up to a slightly significant degree.

[Now, Toronto’s number 3 hitter, Corey McGregor, is at the plate. He’s been hitting very well this season with .333/.395/.576. In fact, it’s no exaggeration to say that he’s the most threatening hitter in Toronto right now. He got an infield hit off Choi Su-won in his previous at-bat.]

[Still, I think we can expect good results this time. Choi Su-won is getting better and better as the innings go on.]

But the number one contributor to my performance today wasn’t the curve, which had improved its movement.

[First pitch!! High outside ball!!]

-Thwack!!!

“Strike!!!”

A call that was a little, no, too generous, even to me.

Toronto’s number 3 hitter, Corey McGregor, looked at the umpire with an expression that asked if that was right. Of course, the umpire’s expression was very firm. Good job.

Second.

Similarly, outside. This time, a low course.

-Tap!!

A foul ball that completely missed the first base foul line.

In an instant, the count is 0-2.

Honestly, it doesn’t make sense to hit a ball like that into fair territory. Even if I went in and hit it, I’d be lucky to get a hit one out of three times.

And the third.

-Thwack!!!

[Ah, he tries to take one out a little, but Corey McGregor doesn’t bite. The count is now 1-2.]

Ah, he doesn’t call that one that’s too far out.

Fourth.

A curveball that drops from a high outside course and slightly breaks to the outside.

-Whoosh!!!

“Strike!! Out!!”

The umpire clenched his fist.

Already the fourth strikeout of the game.

Yeah, baseball is a team game after all.

If the umpire is on our team, we’re invincible.

-Tap!!!

First pitch hit.

The inning ended as center fielder Jake caught the ball easily.

[End of the 4th. Choi Su-won shuts down Toronto’s offense with a three-up, three-down inning.]

[In fact, if we only look at the weight of the starting pitchers today, Toronto has a slight edge. But Choi Su-won is doing an amazing job of shutting down Toronto’s lineup.]

Today, Toronto’s starter against me is Jace Adams, a $90 million pitcher for 6 years. He’s Toronto’s number 2 starter, but his start schedule was pushed back a bit due to a fingernail injury in his first appearance, and he ended up facing me.

As you can guess from the words fingernail injury, this guy is a curveball pitcher who throws more curveballs than fastballs, like curve master Rich Hill, who used to play for the Dodgers.

-Whoosh!!

“Strike!! Out!!!”

[Troy Johnson strikes out swinging!! Choi Su-won is at the plate!!]

[Choi Su-won is showing a great performance as a starter today!! But that’s not all this player is. He has recorded a hit in every game he has played since his debut on the 1st, continuing his 7-game hitting streak. 20 years old. The longest record in Yankees history and the 4th longest in MLB history when limited to after his debut. Will Choi Su-won be able to continue that record for 8 consecutive games today?]

[I certainly think it’s possible. There’s something special about this player’s hitting.]

Data showed that Jace Adams throws three main types of curveballs. But from the perspective of a player on the field, that distinction doesn’t really mean much. That’s because he controls the curve with his ‘sense,’ adjusting his arm angle, the distribution of his finger strength, and even the speed at which he swings his arm.

-Thwack!!!!

“Strike!!!”

First pitch. Looking strike on a curveball that doesn’t even graze the zone.

Wow, I held back on a ball that I thought was giving a strike for something like this. I didn’t look at the umpire.

Yeah, that umpire guy today. When I’m on the mound, he’s my reliable friend, but when I’m at the plate, he quickly turns into an enemy. If I make a bad appeal to guys like that, they often get petty and give me terrible calls when it’s my turn.

I’ll hold back for now.

Second.

-Thwack!!!

“Strike!!!”

Wow, damn.

Wait a minute.

He’s calling that a strike?

Is this umpire even able to see?

[Ah, Choi Su-won just lets two balls go by.]

[The umpire’s outside calls are quite generous today.]

Okay, let’s just do it.

Third.

Outside course. A curveball that’s not much different from the previous two.

-Whoosh!!!!

“Strike!! Out!!!”

No, it was a curveball that was very different from the previous two.

The form was the same and the trajectory seemed similar, but it was much faster and didn’t drop as much. It’s a curveball, but its trajectory and speed are like a slider. Yeah, there are a lot of perverts in the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization] who use sliders like curveballs, so it wouldn’t be too strange if there was a pervert in the MLB who throws curveballs like sliders.

[Swinging strikeout!! Jace Adams strikes out Choi Su-won with three pitches.]

[Next up is number 9 hitter Jose Trevino!!]

-Tap!!

[A high fly ball!! Doesn’t leave the infield. Jose Trevino’s infield fly out!! The Yankees’ 4th inning attack ends in vain.]

[The score is still 0:0 at the end of the 4th. Both teams are having a surprisingly tight pitching match.]

[In fact, this is probably quite different from what the fans who came to the stadium today were expecting. As you know, both teams have been hitting really well recently, right? The Yankees are currently 2nd in scoring in both leagues. Toronto is also ranked 7th.]

[That’s right. In that sense, I want to praise Choi Su-won even more. Frankly, Jace Adams has already shown several times that he can be untouchable on days when he’s on. But Choi Su-won is having a tight game against such a player without giving an inch.]

The game continued.

The umpire, who was my enemy at the plate, immediately turned into my best friend again as soon as I stood on the mound.

-Thwack!!!

“Strike!! Out!!!”

6 innings, 5 hits, 1 walk, 0 runs allowed.

It was a little close in the top of the 6th. I had been throwing with all my might since the 1st inning, so I lost some strength in my fingers and the ball didn’t extend as well as I thought it would. But anyway, it’s 6 innings without allowing a run. Manager Jeff Clark gave me a thumbs up as I returned to the dugout.

Now I can rest in the bottom of the 6th and prepare for my at-bat in the bottom of the 7th.

Unlike the KBO, which didn’t have the Ohtani rule [allowing a player to be both a pitcher and hitter], the big leagues have the Ohtani rule, so even if the pitcher is replaced, he can just enter as a designated hitter without the designated hitter disappearing.

-Whoosh!!

“Strike!! Out!!”

Yeah, the hitters are swinging their bats wildly.

Honestly, it’s quite difficult to record a hit against today’s umpire… no, against the pitcher.

-Tap!!!

Even if they hit the ball like that, it ends up as a foul, or the ball doesn’t have enough power. In the first place, it’s not the Marlins, so that kind of ball is definitely out… Huh?

[Austin Battle!! Lucky hit!! Runner on 1st with one out. Number 6 hitter Jake Domingo is at the plate.]

I was expecting a three-up, three-down, but a hit comes out here? If either Jake or Troy succeeds in getting on base, it’ll be my turn.

I was prepared, but I thought it would be better to rest a little more and recover my stamina before going out. I have doubts about whether I can muster enough strength to pull that off right now.

-Tap!!!

And Jake cleanly blew away my worries.

[Shortstop to 2nd!!]

“Out!!”

[And back to 1st!!]

“Out!!!”

A clean double play.

Our attack in the bottom of the 6th ended.

Following in the top of the 7th.

Jace Whittaker came up to the mound. He failed in the starting competition, but honestly, he’s better suited for the bullpen than a starter who goes through more than two rounds of the batting order.

-Tap!!!

[Center fielder right in front!! Angel Cabrera handles the ball easily.]

It was a pitch that could be described as ‘making do’, but anyway, Jace Whittaker safely blocked Toronto’s attack in the top of the 7th.

And again in the bottom of the 7th.

As expected, lead hitter Troy Johnson was retired with a ground ball out.

Runner on first with one out.

The score is 0:0.

Jace Adams’ pitch count is 91 so far.

First pitch.

Outside course. A curveball that goes out of the zone.

-Thwack!!!

“Strike!!!”