The Pitcher Just Hits Home Runs Well [EN]: Chapter 337

337. Two-Way Player (1)

“Hey, what do you think about switching to a 6-man rotation?”

“Excuse me? A 6-man rotation?”

I frowned slightly.

A 6-man rotation.

It’s a system mainly used in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Considering that Japan also has Mondays off, like the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO), it’s a format where each pitcher starts approximately once a week. Of course, teams don’t have an infinite number of pitchers, so with a 6-man rotation, the number of innings pitched per game increases significantly. In NPB, it’s common to see pitchers throw 100 pitches easily, and even 110 or 120 or more.

So, you pitch hard and rest well for a week. That’s the concept. Actually, if you think about the pitcher’s health and recovery, this is arguably the better approach. The number of pitches thrown on the mound increases a bit, but it’s only about 20 or 30 more, right? Of course, you could argue that throwing 120 pitches instead of 100 is a 20% increase, but the pitches thrown during the game aren’t the only pitches a pitcher throws. Anyway, if you only consider the pitcher’s well-being, a 6-man rotation is definitely preferable.

Of course, despite these advantages, there’s a reason why Major League Baseball (MLB) primarily uses a 5-man rotation instead.

Let’s think about it logically.

Is it more advantageous for the best pitcher to pitch more often? Or is it more advantageous for the sixth-best pitcher to grind out 5 or 6 innings?

And is it more effective for a pitcher who has already thrown 100 pitches to throw 20 more in a tired state? Or is it more effective to throw only 100 pitches with one less day of rest?

Of course, the latter is better.

So, in the end, a 6-man system is only viable when the starting pitchers are of relatively similar caliber, and even the fifth starter can consistently get outs against opposing batters.

In the major leagues, even a big-market contender team typically has, at best, an ace one-two punch, solid 3rd and 4th starters, and a 5th starter with ace potential. There’s a reason why the Atlanta Braves’ rotation of Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, and Steve Avery from the 90s is still talked about 30 years later.

Wait a minute.

Domingo, Gerrit Cole, and Stan Owens are almost comparable to that trio, aren’t they? Two Cy Young Award winners?

Ah, of course, Greg Maddux wasn’t just any Cy Young winner. And Stan Owens was a bit less established compared to John Smoltz, who was also a Cy Young winner. But anyway, all three are ace-level pitchers.

Considering how crucial ace-level pitchers are in the postseason, this is definitely a situation where we can realistically aim for the World Series title.

“I know you’re committed to being a two-way player. But the team is now in the final stages of the championship race… You can see from this trade that the front office’s desire to win is very strong.”

“Well, I don’t mind… But what about the other guys? I don’t think Domingo or Gerrit would be okay with a 6-man rotation.”

Besides, the more of an ace a pitcher is, the more likely they are to reject a 6-man rotation. Starting pitchers tend to have pretty big egos. Postponing their appearance even once? Over the course of the season, it means reducing the number of starts from 33 to 27.

“Ah, sorry. I misspoke. It’s not a 6-man rotation. I meant to say that we’re going to have a little more flexibility in managing the starters.”

“Excuse me? What does that mean?”

“We’ll be switching you and Andrick around a bit…”

“Wait, wait a minute. So, what you’re saying is that even though it’s not officially a 6-man rotation, Stan Owens came, so I’m effectively out of the rotation. Is that what you’re saying?”

“Suwon. Don’t get worked up. That’s not what I’m saying. Just listen to me without getting agitated. So… (omitted).”

No, the explanation was lengthy, but that’s what it boiled down to.

The words were long, but in the end, it was about using me as a kind of part-time starting pitcher, giving me a little more rest.

“Manager, is this a notification or a request?”

“It’s not that…”

“As you know, my contract stipulates that the team will do its best to support me as a two-way player.”

“Yeah, I know. That condition guarantees three starts each year regardless of performance. And more than 20 innings pitched.”

Ah, damn it…

“Manager, I’m one of only five perfect game pitchers in Major League history. A perfect game pitcher.”

“Yeah, but you’re also the only 40% hitter since World War II.”

“Manager!!”

“Suwon, I’m really not just notifying you. I’m asking you for a favor. Of course, if your body is up to it, I’ll try to squeeze you into the rotation as much as possible. I want to get you to qualify for both the innings pitched and at-bats leaderboards.”

Wow, this is driving me crazy.

If I were a twenty-year-old, naturally gifted Yankee, I would have stormed out of the office and posted some angry rant on social media. Or, if I had a little more sense, I would have had my agent make a scene. But I was born in a country of courtesy and respect for elders. Seeing a senior in the industry with 30 years of experience, whose hair is starting to thin, asking me so earnestly, my heart softens again.

“You have to make this debut season one that will go down in history. Huh? Isn’t that right? A historical season only truly shines when it ends with a championship. Suwon, you know that well because you won a championship in Korea.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

It wasn’t just that I was swayed by his flowery words.

There are 61 games left.

If we stick to the regular rotation, that’s 12 starts, but if that’s reduced to 8, I lose a total of 4 starts.

I’ve pitched 114.2 innings in 18 games so far, so I need 47.1 innings to qualify for the pitching title. If I pitch an average of 6 innings per game, I’ll reach the required innings.

“I’ll trust your promise that you’ll somehow make sure I get the required innings if I’m just a little short.”

“Yeah. Don’t worry about that.”

First of all, I received a verbal promise regarding the required innings.

And these days, even though the authority of the manager has diminished and the power of superstars is constantly increasing, Jeff Clark is a manager who was once a player himself. Although he wasn’t a star player, he managed to stick around in the big leagues for 11 years.

And as a manager, he has won four World Series rings with three different teams. If we win this year, he’ll have five rings with four teams. At this point, he has a career worthy of Hall of Fame consideration as a manager. No matter how stubborn I might want to be, there’s a limit to how much I can resist when Jeff asks so earnestly. Of course, the fact that I come from a culture of courtesy and respect was also a significant factor.

August.

First game.

The opponent is the LA Dodgers.

Yes, in this era, the LA Dodgers are led by Shohei Ohtani, the king of baseball.

***

“How are you feeling?”

“I don’t know? Just because the uniform has changed doesn’t suddenly make the work I’ve been doing my whole life feel different.”

“Even though it’s the uniform you’ve been wearing your whole life?”

“I know. I thought it would feel special. But not really. Why are you suddenly asking how I feel?”

“Well, it’s been so hectic lately. We haven’t had time to talk properly. So, it’s kind of an ice-breaker question?”

“You’re being silly. What do you want to say?”

“Shohei Ohtani.”

Mike Trout’s eyes seemed to look off into the distance.

“Ohtani…”

“You played on the same team. I know Ohtani has mentioned you as a player he respects. I know you’re still pretty close. So, do you have any tips on how to approach him? Any secret weaknesses you’ve been hiding?”

“Weaknesses? You’re joking, right?”

Uh…

“Haha, yeah. That’s right. Ta-da!! That was the icebreaker.”

“He was a diligent guy. I didn’t think I would lose to anyone when it came to diligence. But he was even more dedicated than that. What I taught him was… how to push himself to the limit faster and rest thoroughly in the remaining time?”

“Ah, that’s why Ohtani’s training method changed so much when he came to the United States…”

The biggest difference between Shohei Ohtani’s training regimen in Japan and in the United States was rest. Shohei Ohtani in Japan was the type to train for such long hours that you’d think, ‘Isn’t this a bit too much?’ Shohei Ohtani in the United States was the type to train hard and rest properly, to the point where you’d still think, ‘Isn’t this a bit too much?’

“While we’re on the subject, Suwon, would you like to train with me sometime? I think I can share some things related to physical training. How about it?”

“Oh, I’d appreciate that.”

“Okay. Let’s meet after the game.”

“Yes.”

***

[American League East leader New York Yankees. And National League West leader LA Dodgers. Game 1 of the series between the two teams. Sterling, what are your thoughts on today’s game?]

[Of course, I think our Yankees will put on a good show. The LA Dodgers are a strong team that is currently leading the National League in overall win percentage, but our Yankees made some truly amazing additions at the trade deadline, didn’t they? From the pitching staff to the infielders, I can’t even imagine the Yankees losing right now.]

[I see. I agree to some extent. But our Yankees shouldn’t be complacent either. The Dodgers have also strengthened their roster. Above all, today’s game… The opposing starter is not going to be easy to deal with.]

[Ah, that’s right. Shohei Ohtani. I thought he was showing a bit of a slump at the end of the first half, but after the All-Star Game, he suddenly came back to life and pitched amazingly in his last two games, with 7 innings of no runs and 8 innings of 1 run.]

[In fact, I thought he was a little behind in the Cy Young race, but he’s really made a comeback like a phantom.]

[Ah, Gerrit Cole is on the mound for the Yankees. Gerrit Cole, who has a 3.17 ERA so far this season. His ERA is a little higher than in previous years, but he’s been very fortunate to get wins. He already has 14 wins and is currently in contention for the most wins in the league.]

[In fact, it was uncertain whether Gerrit Cole would reach 200 wins within his contract period, but now he’s only 2 wins away from the milestone.]

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is one of the most famous models of human needs.

According to him, once you achieve physiological needs, safety, love, and belonging, the next thing you pursue is esteem.

It’s a theory that has been refuted in many ways, but according to this theory, Gerrit Cole is somewhere between love, belonging, and esteem.

He had already won one Cy Young Award, but it wasn’t enough.

Also, he prided himself on being one of the dominant players of this era, but it wasn’t enough to guarantee a first-ballot Hall of Fame induction, which is a symbol of such a player.

That’s why thirty-six-year-old Gerrit Cole was very motivated in this situation.

3 years from now? Maybe 4 years.

If he gives it his all in his final years with this team, chasing a championship, and reaches 250 wins and earns two or three championship rings?

Yes, if that’s the case, a first-ballot Hall of Fame induction will be a certainty.

-Boom!!

“Strike!!! Out!!!”

A fastball fueled by ambition.

Gerrit Cole cleanly struck out the LA Dodgers batters in the top of the 1st inning.

Change of offense and defense.

Shohei Ohtani came to the mound.