The Pitcher Just Hits Home Runs Well [EN]: Chapter 51

51. Do Your Best and Forget the Rest (3)

I already knew this wasn’t anything special.

You learn that after living just a little while. That’s how things are in the world. You can’t always get good results just because you did your best, especially in a competitive game like baseball. That’s because the other side is also doing their best.

But just because that’s how things are, and just because this isn’t anything particularly special, doesn’t mean I wasn’t upset.

Losing the championship right in front of your nose is frustrating, whether it’s professional baseball, Major League Baseball, or high school baseball.

Top of the 9th inning.

I could only stand blankly on first base and stare at the dugout.

Our dugout. Mungae, who had given up 5 runs in 4.1 innings, was angry. It was a rare sight. Of course, it wasn’t rare to see Mungae angry; that was a common occurrence. But the direction of his anger being himself, not others, was definitely something Mungae himself was experiencing for the first time in his life.

And not far from there, Senior Jinwoo, who had given up 6 runs in 2.1 innings, was crying. He had already shed tears after giving up 3 runs in 4 innings in the third game, but the tears he was shedding now had a very different, heartbreaking meaning. In fact, these tears were so contagious that they made all the kids around him sob.

Ironically, Senior Gyuhyuk, who was in charge of the last attack, was frozen at the plate in the same pose as when he struck out. It was a stark contrast to the Cheonnam High kids who ran out onto the mound immediately after securing the championship. In fact, even if Senior Gyuhyuk had gotten a hit here, the game’s outcome wouldn’t have changed. Two points were too small to affect the result. But for some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to go and comfort Senior Gyuhyuk.

There is no player greater than the team.

Han Minjoon, the ace of Baekwon High, who broke that saying by achieving a no-hitter in the second game, paradoxically proved in the following third game that the saying was an insurmountable truth. And the same was true for me, who had perfectly broken that saying with a home run and a no-hitter in the semi-final.

We lost to Cheonnam High.

13:1

It was inevitable. I did my best. And baseball is a sport where you have to do your best and forget the rest. Isn’t there a saying that baseball is a game of managing defeats?

But why was it?

Just like Mungae was angry, just like Senior Jinwoo was crying, just like Senior Gyuhyuk couldn’t leave the plate, I couldn’t leave first base for a long time.

***

Legendary Major League scout Jimmy Palmer twitched his cheek.

“Baek, was it?” The pitcher who stood on the mound today was also excellent. If he were a player belonging to the NFHS [National Federation of State High School Associations], wouldn’t he be a shoo-in for at least the second round of the draft? Of course, I know that today’s game was the best game of all his games. It wasn’t easy for a high school student to show a performance that seemed good enough to play in AA [Double-A Minor League Baseball] right away. But it wasn’t just about the ball. In the eyes of old-school Jimmy Palmer, the spirit of being able to rush in even after being hit by a home run was the greatest quality a starting pitcher should have. Yes, he certainly deserved to enjoy the victory.

But today, Jimmy Palmer was focused on someone else. Beyond the mound, which was noisy with players pouring out of the dugout, his gaze was fixed on a young man standing on first base as if nailed there.

In fact, there was nothing that hitter could do in today’s game. And that is the fate of the sport of baseball. Even Barry Bonds, the greatest hitter he had ever seen in person, the man who took drugs and challenged God, couldn’t make the San Francisco Giants World Series winners.

But is that Barry Bonds’ problem? The same goes for that hitter today. The reason he has to dwell on defeat instead of enjoying victory is simply because his teammates couldn’t keep up with his level.

Jimmy Palmer took out his notepad.

The company told him to use that damn tablet or something to write and send it, but new technology didn’t suit a dying old man.

Suwon Choi (OF) [Outfielder]

Hit: 50~65(?)

Power: 70(?)

Run: ??

Fielding: ??

Arm: ??

Several lines were already drawn on the number 55~70(?) in the Hit section, and the number 50~65(?) was written small behind it. Jimmy Palmer drew lines on the number 55~65(?) again.

A moment of hesitation.

No, it’s not just Hit. I had to re-evaluate Choi Suwon himself.

Suwon Choi (DH) [Designated Hitter]

Power: 65

Run: 50~60(?)

A talent that can definitely work in the majors.

‘2 million dollars······.’

Is it really possible?

Jimmy Palmer scribbled his opinion in his notepad and quickly pulled out his smartphone, took a picture, and sent it to his boss across the Pacific.

***

There was still plenty of time to discuss the end of 2025.

That’s because it was only early August. Seasonally, it wasn’t even autumn yet. Naturally, high school baseball wasn’t over yet either.

But the baseball of the seniors was already over.

Lee Jinwoo tore off the slogans that were attached to his desk. People who lived far away could use the dormitory until graduation, but his house was 15 minutes by bus. It was a distance that he could commute to school.

-Water dripping wears away stone.

-Victory goes to the person who works the most persistently.

-It’s not what a person does that makes them strong. It’s what they try to do.

The place where the slogan was torn off left traces of hardened glue. Lee Jinwoo swept the spot with his fingertips.

How much stronger have I become in the past two and a half years? No, have I become strong enough? If so, was it the effort to do it that was lacking, or was it the talent?

Lee Jinwoo shook his head.

It’s all over, but I’m just getting sentimental. It was a useless thought. There are countless kids who give up baseball, which they have been running for their whole lives, without doing anything, but I still burned my last stage in the most splendid place.

It would be a lie if I said I had no regrets, but I regret it less because I tried everything to make myself stronger.

The juniors who shared the room with him spoke with difficulty as they looked at him.

“Senior, you don’t have to move out; you can stay until you graduate······.”

“That’s right, Senior.”

Jinwoo chuckled.

“You’re saying things you don’t mean. Okay, you guys. The person who’s leaving should leave quickly so that the person who’s left behind can feel comfortable.”

“Senior Jinwoo······.”

“And I didn’t say it, but you guys snore too much at night and smell a lot, too. I have to go all-in on studying now, so let’s do it in a room that my mom cleaned up.”

One huge trunk.

And two backpacks.

The juniors volunteered to carry the bags and trunks. I was going to tell them not to do that and just stay in the room, but I didn’t bother to stop them. Still, it’s the last time I’m going, so it’s okay to accept this much hospitality.

A small dormitory where the smell of men is thickly embedded in the building itself.

And now he’s only eighteen years old. Jinwoo’s steps leaving the space where he had lived for one-sixth of that time were not light.

And in front of him, Ahn Byeongyeong opened the door and came out to see him off in his own way.

“Are you leaving?”

“Yeah. Are you really going to stay?”

That declaration was quite confident and seemed like Ahn Byeongyeong to the end.

“You son of a bitch. You’re making the kids suffer until the end.”

“Stop talking nonsense and go quickly. There’s no need to say goodbye for too long. We’ll keep seeing each other at school anyway.”

“Okay.”

He greeted someone, then greeted someone else, and then greeted someone else again. Even though he had already decided to leave and had a good meal once, there were so many things to say.

“Senior, come visit often. If you only study, your body will stiffen, so come out for morning exercise sometimes.”

“Okay.”

And the last of that long greeting.

One face that didn’t fit in was seen.

Choi Suwon.

“What? What are you doing here?”

“I just have something to do with Jjoyu.”

“Yeah, it’s good to see you getting along well with Yujin.”

“We’re not getting along well. We’re just… around each other. I heard you’re preparing for the college entrance exam?”

“I have to. I’m not Ahn Byeongyeong. I’m too lacking to expect the draft.”

“No, even Byeongyeong senior in the draft······.”

“Still, he’ll be able to go to college.”

He was a very unique guy.

He seemed like the epitome of an unsociable genius, but at some point, he permeated the center of the team and led everyone. Lee Jinwoo prided himself on having a very good personality for an athlete. But even he would shake his head if he were told to reconcile with Kim Jeonghoon, who was one year his senior.

But this prickly guy even accepted Ahn Byeongyeong. Of course, they were writing reflections and stuff between themselves, but the fact that they were having such conversations in the first place was a great thing.

“Senior, I’m sorry.”

“Sorry? What for?”

“Just because. I couldn’t keep my promise.”

“Promise? Ah······.”

I had really forgotten.

When Jinwoo himself expressed his gratitude to him, the story that he would make his last one end as the strongest in the country.

It was okay. No, it was more than okay; it was grateful.

But Lee Jinwoo didn’t say thank you to this arrogant junior who said he was sorry for something he wasn’t sorry for.

“Really? Well, you don’t have to be sorry. But if you’re really sorry, please do me a favor.”

“A favor?”

“Yeah, win the championship. If possible, in a national tournament. No, it would be even better if you went beyond that and created a dynasty like Gyeongha High School.”

“Uh······.”

Trouble was written on his face.

It was the first time. This guy, who was always confident, was in trouble. That look was so cute. But I couldn’t leave him in trouble like that forever. The moment Lee Jinwoo was about to say that it was just a silly joke…

“Yes, well. Let’s do it. A dynasty. If we can somehow make Jjoyu a person by next year, roll the first graders, and have one or two useful pitchers among the new kids, it will work out somehow.”

Looking at the guy who was spouting such ridiculous stories without a word, all Lee Jinwoo could do was reach out his right hand.

“Take care.”

“······.”

One handshake.

He received the bag from the children who had followed him to the entrance of the dormitory. He dissuaded them from loading the luggage into the car. For some reason, he wanted to cross this dormitory gate alone. Lee Jinwoo finally opened the front gate of the dormitory.

His father’s old SUV was parked right in front of the dormitory.

When I was young, I was so ashamed of that old car. But now that I knew that the reason my father’s car was old was all because of my lack of talent, was I more ashamed of that immature time being only two years ago?

“Did you pack all your things well?”

“Yes, Father.”

“Okay, give me the luggage and get in the front. Your mother said she marinated your favorite bulgogi [Korean marinated beef] for dinner today.”

“No, it’s okay. I’ll load it.”

I loaded my luggage into my father’s old SUV and buried myself in the aging leather chair. And I thought: Someday, I will definitely replace my father’s car.

Just before departure.

Father said a word to Jinwoo.

“You worked hard.”

“······.”

His father’s thick hand stroked his sobbing back.

It was the moment when the prologue of Lee Jinwoo’s life came to an end.