The Pitcher Just Hits Home Runs Well [EN]: Chapter 380

380. The Batter Just Throws Well (6)

Newcomers often fall into the trap of feeling compelled to prove themselves in crucial moments. I could see that powerful resolve on Oswald Wells’ face as he grabbed his bat right after the inning change.

Well, I didn’t bother offering advice.

Most of the time, that firm resolve ends in a ridiculous strikeout, but sometimes it leads to surprisingly amazing results. Besides, who is Oswald Wells? He’s being touted as the most remarkable lower-round draftee since Mike Piazza [Hall of Fame catcher known for being drafted late]. Although he’s still developing, he’s a talent who will soar greatly someday.

-Whoosh!!

“Strike!! Out!!”

Yes, in fact, the most important part of that sentence is that he *might* become great someday, but for now, he’s ‘weak.’ Oswald struck out weakly with a wild swing.

That makes nine strikeouts.

Yes, out of a total of 16 outs, a whopping nine are strikeouts. I’m the only batter who’s reached first base so far. Moreover, that was also the result of the dugout’s instruction, not the result of a fair contest, so David Steele’s performance today is truly overwhelming.

He glared at me.

And I could sense it from that burning gaze.

*This* at-bat is also ruined.

I twirled the bat a couple of times with a slightly frivolous posture and walked to the plate. If you could visualize the conceptual word ‘provocation,’ it would probably look a lot like my current stance.

His face turned a little redder, which meant my intention worked perfectly. Of course, me showing this kind of provocation won’t change what’s already been decided. This was all predetermined anyway.

[Ah, automatic intentional walk. It’s an automatic intentional walk.]

[Top of the 6th. One out, no runners. Choi Su-won gets his second automatic intentional walk of the game.]

I lightly tossed the bat as if I knew this would happen and walked to first base.

“Tell me in advance next time.”

“Huh?”

“No, it’s annoying to put on and take off the protective gear. If I’m going to walk anyway, it would be easier to just wear the stolen base gloves from the start.”

“Watch your mouth. Just because I’m being patient doesn’t mean I’m a pushover.”

Actually, he didn’t say exactly that. If you combine the English words, that’s roughly what he meant, but that short sentence contained more Spanish curses than actual content.

“Patient? What did you even put up with?”

“If the pitcher isn’t confident in his control, he shouldn’t throw inside.”

“The batter shouldn’t stand so close to the plate if he’s not confident in dodging. And what, are you talking about *not* throwing a beanball [pitch intentionally aimed at the batter] as being patient? Hey, is that being patient? You’re just enduring because you’re screwed if David Steele gets ejected, right? Being patient, man, is *not* doing something you *can* do. This is just *not being able* to do it. You idiot.”

“What? Idiot?”

“What? You’re getting worked up over just ‘idiot’? You just dropped a family insult in Spanish?”

Perhaps he didn’t expect me to understand Spanish curses? Diego Vegas was momentarily speechless.

“Hey, and… I’m not an orphan. I don’t have a mom, but I still have a dad. He’s watching my game well over there.”

“I didn’t know that. I’ll take back that word. My apologies.”

It wasn’t intentional, but the conversation that started with my provocation ended warmly with his apology. And even as we continued our warm conversation, the game progressed quickly.

Whiff

Ball

Foul

And

-Thwack!!!!

[He hit it!! Anthony Volpe!! But Rocky Chavez!! Amazing jumping catch!!! Immediately to 2nd base!! And back to 1st!!]

“Out!!!”

A clean double play that didn’t even require a good slide.

─WhaaaaaaaaA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amid the tremendous cheers, David Steele looked at me and roared loudly. His neck veins were bulging so much that I wondered if he would lose his voice tomorrow. I picked up the helmet that had fallen off while sliding, dusted off the dirt, and smiled at him.

‘Yeah, but I’m still 0-for-2.’

I don’t know if he understood my lip movements, but anyway, I felt like his anger had risen a little more as the bottom of the 6th inning, my turn, began.

***

It’s about time to get tired.

Ohtani Shohei looked at the mound with that expectation.

There are times like that.

Those days when young pitchers pitch like crazy.

Yes, that’s how I felt in the semi-finals a long time ago when I threw my first 160 kmph [~99.4 mph fastball]. I sometimes get the illusion that I’ve opened my eyes to pitching.

But it can’t last long. History proves it. It takes a long time for a pitcher to be complete. Yes, it was clear.

-Whoosh!!

“Strike!! Out!!!!”

The sharply dropping curveball created a strikeout.

That’s the seventh strikeout of the game.

“Alright, stay calm.”

Number 9 hitter Sergio Gonzalez stepped up to the plate. He’s the weakest hitter on the team, but he’s still a major leaguer. Besides, he has 11 home runs this season, so he has some power. If he gets a good hit!!

Three fastballs in a row.

The fastballs that cleverly caught the outside border line mocked Sergio. Of course, he’s also a big leaguer. He powerfully hit the fourth ball coming in a similar course.

-Thwack!!!

But his swing couldn’t overcome the 101 mph full fastball on the outside low course.

[Sergio Gonzalez hit it!! But a mis-hit!! Right in front of Dennis Martinez!! Dennis Martinez catches the ball and throws it to Aaron Judge!!]

“Out!!!”

[Okay, bottom of the 6th. Two outs, no runners. Rocky Chavez is at the plate. Rocky Chavez showed a great defense in the previous inning. There’s a saying that good defense leads to good offense. Besides, the Dodgers are now in their third at-bat, right? According to the major league statistics of the last 10 years, when a starting pitcher faces the second at-bat, the opponent’s OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging) increases by about 0.4 compared to the first at-bat, whereas when they face the third at-bat, it increases by about 0.55 compared to the second at-bat. It’s natural that it becomes more difficult as the number of opponents increases, but it means that the difficulty increases even more. So, what will Choi Su-won be able to show?]

Back to the top of the order.

Choi Su-won’s deception wasn’t bad. It looks like an honest pitching form, but the rotation of his right arm creates a subtle off-beat, confusing the timing. But most of the top of the order have become accustomed to that timing in their own way.

-Thwack!!!

First pitch.

A 101.3 mph fastball.

But Rocky Chavez’s bat followed the ball. The result was an unfortunate foul. But he was definitely starting to get the timing down. He can do it. He can hit it. Now is the chance, while the Yankees haven’t taken Choi Su-won off the mound and the top of the order has returned.

-Thwaack!!!!

The second one was also a foul.

The outside low course location was so good. But not every ball can come in with such a good location.

Third.

High course.

It was a tricky ball.

There’s almost no whooshing feeling unique to the curve. In particular, the action of hiding the hand until just before throwing the ball is amazing, making it even more difficult to catch.

But I know now.

It’s a curve.

A feeling that I can’t explain. I felt the unique feeling of top spin. And perhaps Rocky Chavez could feel it just like Ohtani himself.

-Whoosh!!

“Strike!! Out!!!!”

─ah······

I heard people’s sighs full of regret.

Damn it.

Yes, I got used to the timing and knew it was a curve.

But even so, the movement of the curve was too good. It’s a ball that’s hard to hit even if you know it. Clearly, Choi Su-won’s curve today had the power to receive more than a plus pitch even by major league standards.

Change of offense and defense.

David Steele was really amazing today. His talent was great from the first time I met him. His skill already surpassed me last year. He has already filled his vessel. But even so, there was still a very slight, indescribable aura that only players who dominate an era emit. It’s not enough to simply fill your talent, it’s something beyond that.

And in today’s game, he finally completed that little something that was lacking in his own way.

Again, change of offense and defense.

The score is still 0:0

But on the other hand, Choi Su-won? Well?

Of course, baseball player Choi Su-won is great. As a hitter, he’s already beyond complete. If he can maintain his current skills well for about 10 years, he’s almost guaranteed to be the best hitter of all time.

But what about his talent as a pitcher? Because his skills as a hitter are so overwhelming, it’s hard to say for sure that he can do as well as a pitcher. Of course, he gives me a feeling no less than when I first met David Steele. It’s a big vessel. But that big vessel is not yet full. There’s still a lot to fill, and when he’s on the mound, I don’t feel the same ‘specialness’ as when he’s at the plate at all.

“It’s a mistake.”

“Huh? What?”

“I’m talking about the Yankees putting Choi Su-won on the mound again this inning.”

I was worried.

I was worried that they wouldn’t put Choi Su-won on the mound anymore.

Third at-bat.

A rookie who has thrown quite a bit. Even if he’s recording a no-hitter, wouldn’t they take him off the mound? The Yankees are a team that takes rookies off the mound even during the regular season when they’re no-hitting. What if it’s an important game like the World Series? Considering the importance of the game as well as managing the number of pitches, it’s right to use the bullpen now, or a player like Andrick Naba who won’t be starting in this series.

But the Yankees put Choi Su-won on the mound again in the bottom of the 7th.

Ohtani Shohei packed his equipment and headed to the on-deck circle.

The batter at the plate is pinch hitter Eric Garcia.

-Whoosh!!

“Strike!!”

He couldn’t get his bat to Choi Su-won’s timing properly.

I had another bad feeling.

Are they thinking of only facing Eric Garcia and then taking him off the mound? Because he’s a hitter who has never faced Choi Su-won before?

-Bang!!

“Strike!!”

It was a ball that was slightly out of the zone, but a strike call was made. Eric Garcia gestured to the umpire that he was dumbfounded. Of course, it didn’t work.

Third.

One ball missing.

He filtered it out well.

And fourth.

Another ball missing.

“Strike!!!”

Just as Eric Garcia was about to throw his bat away in excitement

“Eric!!!!”

Ohtani Shohei shouted loudly at him.

That voice was surprisingly accurately stuck in Eric Garcia’s ear in the baseball field, which was noisy with the murmurs of 56,000 spectators. He grabbed the bat he was about to throw away and returned to the dugout.

Choi Su-won on the mound leisurely received the ball turned by the infielders and threw it to 3rd base once again, as if to say, “Turn it around one more time.”

Ohtani Shohei stepped into the batter’s box.

The Yankees didn’t change the pitcher.

In his eyes, Choi Su-won was still not emitting the specialness of a pitcher who dominates an era. Far from special, he’s closer to a fledgling who hasn’t even filled his wide vessel yet.

So today is not the day.

Ohtani Shohei prepared to hit.