Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 109

The Mound’s Villain – Episode 109

Team Leader Lee Jin-cheol frowned.

“Why isn’t he calling?”

He had clearly told him to call after the game.

But there was no reply.

Just in case, he checked the time in Oakland.

It was already past midnight.

“Damn it… I can’t call him now.”

He should have called right after the game ended.

He was sure to be sleeping now.

“I’ll have to call him tomorrow.”

Since he started, he wouldn’t be playing tomorrow.

The thought of having to call him first made him annoyed.

“That impudent brat. What does he think of the Association? And a junior is making his senior call him first?”

“Team Leader Lee, why are you so angry so early in the morning?”

“Ah, Manager Kim. It’s not that, it’s that bastard Jung Ha-sung. I told him to call, but he didn’t.”

“Is it him again?”

The KBO [Korean Baseball Organization] had many former players as employees.

Both Team Leader Lee and Manager Kim were former players who had played professionally.

From their perspective, Ha-sung’s attitude was displeasing.

“What can we do? The opponent is a major league superstar. How would we, mere employees of the Association, look like seniors to him?”

“Well, that’s true. But isn’t it a bit unfair to just stand by like this?”

“There’s no other way.”

“It’s like that now, but if he keeps not answering, should we leak it to the media?”

“How?”

“Last time, the WBC [World Baseball Classic] was virtually canceled because of his lies, wasn’t it? So, this time, we can leak that he’s not calling because he doesn’t want to be on the national team again, along with that story.”

Lee Jin-cheol, who was looking at Manager Kim quietly giving his opinion, raised the corner of his mouth.

“That’s not bad.”

“If we hit him too directly, it’s easy for us to be counterattacked, so let’s build it up enough.”

“Very good.”

Team Leader Lee smiled satisfactorily.

* * *

Ha-sung was heading to New York on a private jet.

It was already mid-to-late April.

Ha-sung’s fourth start was approaching.

In this start, Ha-sung’s opponent was the New York Yankees.

As soon as the match with the Yankees was set, the media went wild.

[Jung Ha-sung Meets Last Year’s Champion Yankees!]

[Frontal Confrontation with Archenemy Rodrigo!]

[Rodrigo says in an interview, “Jung Ha-sung is a great pitcher, but I am a great player.”]

The media was especially busy tying Rodrigo and Ha-sung together.

That’s because Rodrigo had regained some of his fame with his outstanding performance in last year’s postseason.

The blemish was still there, but his star quality remained.

With Ha-sung, who had emerged as a rising star, having a bad relationship since last year, it was good for the media to write articles.

‘By the way, when will this guy’s drug use be detected again?’

The 2009 drug admission incident was fading away.

But two years later, he would fall into the abyss again with another drug scandal.

He avoided punishment once, but the next time, he would not be able to avoid punishment and would receive a suspension of more than 200 games.

‘Well, it’s a thank you for me if I keep getting involved with this guy.’

A rivalry is always beneficial.

Because it creates a story.

Fans liked and were enthusiastic about this kind of relationship.

Knowing that well, Ha-sung didn’t care much.

Rather, he was pondering how to use this relationship.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve done some mic work [publicly making provocative statements].’

He decided to give the media and the public what they wanted and took a good rest.

* * *

The Athletics team, having arrived in New York, headed to the hotel on a private bus.

When they arrived at the hotel, a group of fans had gathered.

There were many local fans as well as Koreans.

It was an unusual sight.

It was not like the Athletics were a popular team, but this many fans were gathering.

The doors opened, and the Athletics players began to get off one by one.

And the player they were waiting for got off the bus.

“Kyaaaa!”

And when that player got off the bus, a huge cheer erupted.

The figure that appeared with the overwhelming cheers of many female fans was Ha-sung with red hair.

He was flooded with autograph requests.

“Okay, one by one.”

Ha-sung signed autographs for those fans and slowly moved to the stadium.

“Just one handshake!”

“Call me!”

The fans were not only asking for autographs.

Starting with autographs, they asked for photos and even skinship [physical contact].

When Ha-sung shook her hand, the female fan screamed and hugged him.

It was a sudden action, but Ha-sung lightly patted her back and moved on to the next fan.

It took a long time, but Ha-sung did not show any displeasure and continued to provide fan service.

And that scene was captured by reporters’ radars.

“Ha-sung’s fan service is really amazing.”

“I know, right.”

“Is he doing that for that many people?”

“Look at him doing his best, even if it’s not all of them.”

“He doesn’t even frown once.”

Evaluations of Ha-sung were getting higher day by day.

* * *

After lightly warming up, Ha-sung arrived at the clubhouse, where reporters were waiting.

The reporters asked Ha-sung various questions and tried to get his comments.

They were similar questions, but Ha-sung answered them faithfully.

Then a reporter asked a slightly provocative question.

“Have you seen the interview article of Rodrigo?”

“Which one?”

“He evaluated Ha-sung as a great player, but he expressed himself as a great player. What do you think?”

Ha-sung chuckled.

“That’s the funniest joke I’ve heard this year. Since when did the performance of a great player smell like steroids?”

The reporters quickly wrote down Ha-sung’s direct comments.

It wasn’t just a day or two, but this time his remarks were different.

‘Jackpot!’

‘I can’t believe he’s provoking him so directly.’

‘Last year, he was a closer, so there wasn’t a big problem, but this year it’s not.’

‘Since he’s playing as a starting pitcher, he has to face him countless times. If the relationship between these two is highlighted, it will inevitably attract fans’ attention.’

The confrontation between a superstar and a rising star was a story that was enough to pique fans’ interest.

Then a reporter asked again.

“You’re going to meet Rodrigo today. Are you confident?”

“Reporter, didn’t you check the head-to-head record?”

“Yes?”

“Has Rodrigo ever gotten a hit off me?”

“But that’s data from his closer days…”

“Whether it’s a closer or a starter, my ball is the same. Rather, my ball is more powerful this year than last year. On the other hand, that guy is still the same. Oh, maybe he can hit the ball.”

The reporters waited for Ha-sung’s next words.

“If he took drugs again, he might be able to hit it.”

* * *

[Jung Ha-sung, “Rodrigo is not a great player.”]

[Jung Ha-sung says Rodrigo’s performance smells like steroids!]

[Jung Ha-sung’s endless provocation!!]

Of course, Ha-sung’s remarks caused a huge stir.

-What is this?

-Is this real?

-헐 [Korean slang expressing disbelief or shock]…….

-The remarks are too strong?

-Crazy lol

-No, it seems like he has no brakes?

-Wow… the level is no joke. Is this the American style?

-Even in America, they don’t do this lol

The public was shocked.

I can’t believe he would make such remarks against Rodrigo.

He had made strong remarks before, but not to this extent.

Everyone was shocked by the remarks that were one level higher than that.

Of course, Rodrigo himself was the same.

Bang-!!

Rodrigo, who saw the article in the clubhouse, threw his smartphone.

The smartphone, which was split in half, fell to the ground, and the surrounding players looked at him.

“You son of a bitch…”

But Rodrigo expressed his anger without paying attention to his colleagues’ reactions.

“How dare you say such nonsense to me?”

His anger soared.

* * *

To the Yankees fans, Ha-sung was an eyesore.

“Did this bastard touch Rodrigo again?”

“Ha… it was barely quiet. Why are you stirring it up again?”

“How long are you going to hold on to the past?!”

“You son of a bitch! I’ll show you a good example today!”

“Let’s go!!”

The Yankees fans no longer resented or hated Rodrigo.

After performing well in last year’s postseason, they were rather cheering and supporting him.

Above all, the fact that he had not taken drugs since he transferred to the Yankees made their hearts lighter.

But this was only the Yankees fans’ claim.

That’s why other major league fans were calling their claims double standards.

In particular, the Red Sox fans were openly criticizing and still insisting that Rodrigo should be kicked out.

Anyway, in this situation, Ha-sung’s remarks highlighted Rodrigo’s problem again.

It was not a welcome thing for the Yankees fans.

“We have to win completely in today’s game!!”

“Crush the Oakland punks!!”

“If you guys are groveling to these guys, you’ll be crushed!!”

With the fans’ tremendous support and threats, Sabathia, the Yankees’ ace this season, finished the top of the first inning with three batters out.

[Sabathia, who has 3 wins so far this season, is showing a good start in today’s game as well.]

[Sabathia, who was recruited from the Yankees last year, is showing the appearance of an ace this season as well.]

[And now, the Athletics’ ace is on the mound! He is showing a tremendous performance from the start of this season.]

The scene of Ha-sung coming up to the mound was captured on camera.

And almost at the same time, the Yankees fans shouted as if the stadium was about to collapse.

“Woooooo-!!”

“Get out of here!!”

“You don’t even know manners!”

“You’re ignoring Rodrigo?!!”

The caster was momentarily embarrassed by the jeers that seemed to tear down the stadium.

[Ha… haha. The Yankees fans are very passionate.]

[That’s right. It’s an away game, but the Yankees fans’ jeers are very severe today.]

The jeering sound was transmitted to Korea through the camera.

-The jeering is crazy…….

-Anyone who sees it would think Ha-sung belongs to the Red Sox.

-How do you throw a ball in this situation?

-Just keeping your mentality and standing there must be no joke.

-I’d just freak out and fall down.

-Then Ha-sung was caught on camera.

-Why is he smiling?

-Wow… is this real?

-I didn’t see it wrong, did I?

Ha-sung, caught on camera, was smiling.

He was not just smiling, but looking at the stands from the mound and smiling.

-His mentality is really a national treasure.

-Isn’t he already a national treasure?

-He made a perfect game that has never been seen in Korea at the home of baseball, so he is a national treasure.

-Anyway, today’s game will be fun too.

The fans were already looking forward to what Ha-sung would show.

* * *

The Yankees brought out their usual lineup.

The extremely strong lineup, starting with Cervelli and continuing with Teixeira and Cano, was causing a sensation this year as well as last year.

But.

Bang-!!

“Strike! Batter out!!”

[Strikeout! Jung Ha-sung strikes out Cervelli with a 101-mile fastball!!]

Striking out leadoff hitter Cervelli.

Clang!!

[A strong hit on the second ball! But the batted ball floats high! The right fielder catches the ball stably almost in his position! Two outs!!]

Teixeira was caught with a fly ball to the right fielder in just two pitches.

Lastly.

Whack-!!

“Strike! Out!”

[Strikeout! Jung Ha-sung finishes the inning with three batters out!]

He finished the inning with three batters out, striking out Robinson Cano with three pitches.

It was a perfect start in itself.

Rodrigo gritted his teeth as he watched Ha-sung.

‘Let’s see in the next inning.’