Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 102

The Villain on the Mound – Episode 102

My second game as a starter is over.

As soon as Ha-sung’s game ended, news of it plastered every media outlet’s website.

[Jung Ha-sung finishes his second exhibition game with 4 innings, 1 run, and 1 walk!]

[The highest velocity is 97 miles! Still a fastball, but pathetic compared to his closer days!]

[Experts question Ha-sung’s transition to a starting pitcher.]

The media was still giving negative opinions.

With the situation like this, General Manager Chris had no choice but to make a move.

Knock-knock-!

“Oh, welcome.”

The next day.

He called Ha-sung to his office.

Chris greeted Ha-sung, who was entering the office, and offered him a seat.

“How’s your condition?”

“Good. Did you call me because of the recent game?”

“Well, you’re always so direct. Yes, from the general manager’s point of view, I’m a little worried.”

“The manager and pitching coach didn’t say anything.”

“They seem to think your problem is in your stride.”

“That’s correct. As I got taller, I had to change my stride. I’m in the process of testing that.”

“So, the somewhat shaky appearance you’re showing now means you haven’t caught your stride yet?”

“No. I’ve already adapted to the stride.”

Chris looked puzzled at Ha-sung’s words that he had adapted.

But he couldn’t bring himself to ask a question.

Ha-sung smiled at Chris’s expression and asked.

“But you’re curious as to why I did that today, aren’t you?”

“Was it on purpose?”

“Not on purpose. I just threw with less force. Is there any need to go all out in an exhibition game?”

“You threw with less force?”

“Yes. Once the pennant race [the championship series] starts, I have to play as the first starter for six months. The race from hell begins. I have to save my stamina when I can to endure it.”

“Hmm…….”

He was momentarily upset at the words that he threw with less force.

But after hearing the reason, he was convinced.

More than anything, the club should be happy with that kind of attitude.

It meant that the player was controlling himself.

‘But is it normal for a second-year guy to be showing this kind of attitude?’

That was the biggest question.

But he shook his head and brushed off the unnecessary thoughts.

“If what you say is true, then I don’t have anything to worry about.”

“Yes. Not at all. Oh, now that we’re on the subject, I have a favor to ask.”

“What is it?”

“I’d like you to cancel my third appearance.”

“Cancel it?”

“Yes. There’s no point in any more actual appearances. I finished all the tests in today’s game. My current feeling isn’t bad, so I want to go into the actual game in this state.”

Ha-sung’s idea wasn’t particularly strange.

Exhibition games were essentially where players checked their final condition.

So, veterans actually pace themselves in exhibition games.

They adjusted their condition and checked technical aspects. As a result, their performance naturally tended to be worse than in the pennant race.

‘Newbies don’t know this fact and go all out, so their performance can’t help but be good.’

Ha-sung was adjusting like a veteran.

It was astonishing.

‘It was an unnecessary worry. This guy is a complete pro. He’s already preparing according to his routine.’

Chris breathed a sigh of relief that his worries were unfounded.

“Okay. I’ll cancel your last appearance as you wish.”

“Thank you.”

“I look forward to your performance in the pennant race.”

“You can definitely look forward to it.”

Chris’s smile deepened at Ha-sung’s confident words.

* * *

Chris immediately announced through the media that Ha-sung’s last appearance would be canceled.

And this fact made public opinion even more negative.

[Last exhibition game abruptly canceled! What’s the reason?]

[Athletics cancel Jung Ha-sung’s third appearance, which was unstable even in his second appearance!]

[General Manager Chris said, “I canceled it because there’s no point in any more appearances.”]

[Many domestic Major League experts say that Ha-sung’s prospects for this season are cloudy!]

[Famous American Major League columnist: Jung Ha-sung’s transition to a starting pitcher is a failure!]

Huge articles covered the cancellation of Ha-sung’s appearance.

Antis [anti-fans or haters] pounced on Ha-sung as if they had been waiting for it.

-The club gave up on him lol [laugh out loud]

-Isn’t this like a movie that flopped in the trailer?

-Just go back to being a closer.

-Even if he goes back to being a closer, he can’t show his old self anymore.

-He needs to fix those muscles first lol

-This is how a super rookie disappears

-I knew it from the way he was talking.

-You have to be humble as you go up.

Antis tore at Ha-sung like hungry hyenas.

Fans who supported him also posted rebuttals, but they were quickly buried or became new prey for anti-fans.

The community site was now a haven for antis.

In the meantime, the exhibition games were all over, and Major League Baseball was about to open the pennant race.

[Oakland Athletics confirm Jung Ha-sung as the opening game starter as planned!]

[Jung Ha-sung, the second Korean to start the opening game!]

[Jung Ha-sung becomes the opening game starter amid anxious eyes.]

The Athletics put Ha-sung forward as the opening game starter.

It was an obvious choice.

Although it was his first year transitioning from closer to starter, there was no player on the Athletics who pitched as well as Ha-sung.

-The Athletics’ player pool is weak again this season.

-They’ve always been like this.

-They’re a team that you never know when someone will explode ㅋ [Korean internet slang for laughing]

-Ha-sung has to win.

-No way ㅋ

-If you look at the way he throws in exhibition games, it’s a miracle if he lasts 5 innings.

-Let’s go for the underdog-!

As news of Ha-sung’s opening game start spread, negative posts increased even more.

This was happening not only in Korea but also on Reddit in the United States.

-Was it a mistake to switch to a starter?

-Where did last year’s untouchable Ha-sung go?

-I miss the days of The End.

-He bulked up too much. I thought I was looking at Schwarzenegger.

-I wish he would go back to being a closer.

-Isn’t the opening game start too much?

The internet was dominated by a negative atmosphere, but it wasn’t at all like that in Oakland.

“The season is finally starting.”

“This is the first time I’ve looked forward to the baseball season like this since the early 2000s.”

“I had so much fun watching baseball last year.”

“Especially watching our Ha-sung was the best.”

Oakland residents were looking forward to the opening game.

Ha-sung was, of course, at the center of their expectations.

They didn’t attach much significance to Ha-sung’s poor performance in the exhibition games.

They were just focusing all their attention on being able to see Ha-sung’s pitching.

Of course, not everyone was like that.

“But I heard Ha-sung was struggling in the exhibition games?”

“That’s a little unsettling.”

“There’s also a story that it’s because he bulked up a lot.”

Online public opinion was spreading to offline conversations.

However, most Oakland residents were more focused on the game than on the internet’s public opinion.

The result appeared in the ticket sales.

“The first 3 games are all sold out.”

“Hahaha! How long has it been since the opening series sold out!”

Chris smiled broadly.

Since the team’s performance had deteriorated, the opening series had not sold out until last year.

It was a kind of humiliation.

Most teams sell out their opening series because fans who have been waiting for baseball during the winter flock to it.

But the fact that it didn’t sell out was proof that the team’s popularity had declined that much.

So, the opening series being sold out was enough to make Chris happy.

“And the players’ merchandise is being sold through the pre-opened store. Sales have increased by about 300 percent compared to last year.”

“300 percent?”

“Yes. In particular, Jung Ha-sung’s jersey is selling the most. At this rate, there’s a high possibility that there will be a shortage of supply.”

“Of course! Contact them right away and ask for more of Ha-sung’s jerseys.”

“Okay.”

Ha-sung’s star quality had already reached a level that no one on the Athletics could match.

As such, Ha-sung had become the most beloved player in Oakland.

“How’s the food side going?”

“We’ve finished preparing the menus based on bulgogi [Korean marinated beef], which is reminiscent of Ha-sung’s home country, Korea.”

“Isn’t kimchi famous?”

“Yes, but there were many opinions that it wasn’t appropriate to eat while watching the game. The chefs also said it was difficult to incorporate it into the menu.”

“Hmm, well, you guys are the pros, so you’ll do well. You’ve finished the events that will take place later, right?”

“Korean Day is still under negotiation, but most of the events are as written in the documents.”

Chris was planning to hold a Korean Day using Ha-sung’s popularity.

This was a benchmarking of the event that was held at the LA Dodgers in the past.

It was also a possible strategy because Ha-sung’s popularity had increased that much.

“Very good. Let’s proceed as is.”

“But aren’t all these plans conditional on Jung Ha-sung doing well?”

“Of course.”

“What happens to the plan if Jung Ha-sung fails?”

“We’ll have to cancel everything.”

“The penalty for breach of contract will be no joke.”

Chris shook his head at the employee’s concern.

“We’ll know whether Ha-sung will succeed in the opening game. And I’m believing that he will succeed. So, make sure you prepare the events well.”

“Okay.”

It was as Chris said.

We’ll know in two days.

Whether Ha-sung will fail or succeed as a starter.

* * *

Opening day.

The Oakland Coliseum was crowded with fans from early in the morning.

The club does various businesses with fans who come to the stadium to watch the game.

They make and sell uniforms, dolls, and food that are commercialized by the players.

Starting with the opening game, the Athletics were heating up marketing using Ha-sung by releasing a menu called Korean Burger.

“One Korean Burger, please.”

“Yes! One Korean Burger!”

Baek Jun-ki stopped by the store and ordered a Korean Burger.

The burger that came out quickly contained bulgogi and lettuce, reminiscent of ssam [Korean lettuce wrap].

“Oh…… it’s real bulgogi?”

It was the best-tasting bulgogi I’ve ever had in the United States.

It made me think that the club had put a lot of effort into it.

‘The club is pushing him this much. He has to pitch well in today’s game.’

Baek Jun-ki sat down in his seat and looked at the stadium.

There, Ha-sung was lined up with the team.

‘Can he reverse the unstable appearance he showed in the exhibition game in the opening game?’

Ha-sung’s exhibition game performance was not good.

That was a fact.

However, Baek Jun-ki, who had been covering the major leagues for a long time, knew that the exhibition game performance was not everything.

That’s why he was expecting a reversal.

‘I want to see a successful opening game.’

Baek Jun-ki watched the game as a fan.

* * *

Major League Baseball Opening Game.

Ha-sung stood on the mound and looked around.

“It’s amazing.”

There were no empty seats.

Every seat was filled with fans.

It was thrilling that all these spectators were watching him.

It wasn’t the trembling of tension, it was excitement.

‘I’m ready to surprise the world.’

I’ve been waiting for this moment.

Ha-sung, who finished his practice pitching, put rosin [a sticky substance used by pitchers for grip] on his hands and stood on the mound.

“Play ball!!”

[The 2010 Major League Baseball pennant race has begun with the umpire’s call! The End, Jung Ha-sung, is on the mound for the Oakland Athletics!]

[Now that I think about it, it’s time to change Jung Ha-sung’s nickname. The End means to end the game, but now he’s a starter, so he can’t do that, can he?]

While the caster and commentator were joking.

Ha-sung exchanged signs with catcher Trevor.

‘The first pitch is this, right?’

Trevor’s sign was a fastball.

There was no reason to throw a different ball for the first pitch of the opening game.

Ha-sung nodded and went into his pitching stance.

‘Pull up your concentration.’

The moment I decided to increase my concentration.

The surrounding scenery disappeared from my sight, and only Trevor’s mitt came into view.

‘Feel every movement of your muscles.’

While kicking up my leg, I twisted my body to accumulate power.

Then, at the moment of moving my upper body forward.

My body collapsed forward.

However, I still kept my center of gravity behind me and charged my power.

Whack!!

The stride was perfect.

The moment I took a longer stride than before, I firmly fixed my lower body and moved the force from the bottom to the top.

‘Gather even the rotational force…….’

The rotational force from the lower body, pelvis, and upper body was added to the rising force and moved past the shoulder to the arm and fingertips.

‘Explode it!’

I released all the gathered power.

“Heuup!!”

The ball thrown with a shout left his hand.

Whoosh-!!

Pow!!

The ball hit the mitt in the blink of an eye.

“St…… Strike!!”

The umpire was so powerful that he stuttered.

[First pitch strike!! The velocity is…….]

The caster couldn’t continue speaking.

Then the camera caught the scoreboard.

And zoomed in on where the velocity was displayed.

There.

[103mph]

103 miles.

Ha-sung’s highest velocity was updated.