Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 123

Villain on the Mound – Episode 123

Last year, Ha-sung played in the All-Star Game and pitched for one inning.

He perfectly finished the game as a closer, making his name known.

Ha-sung was likely to participate in the All-Star Game this year as well.

[Jung Ha-sung’s performance is dazzling. Last year, he set a new record for the most saves in a season as a closer, and this year, he made the surprising move to become a starter.]

[When I first saw the news, I thought it was a misreport.]

[I thought something was wrong too.]

[It was shocking news, but what’s even more shocking is his performance this season.]

Special broadcasts about Ha-sung were no longer surprising.

However, what was surprising about this program was that it was being broadcast on ESPN, a major sports broadcasting channel in the United States.

[But looking at his performance this season, I think it was a really good choice.]

[He has recorded 143 strikeouts while pitching 119 innings in 17 games until June. Isn’t it possible for him to reach 300 strikeouts at his current pace?]

[That’s right. If he doesn’t get injured, he will be able to pitch in 15 more games. If he gets 12 strikeouts per game, which is his current strikeout pace, he will record 180 more strikeouts, surpassing Rube Waddell, who is ranked 6th with 361 strikeouts.]

[For reference, the all-time single-season strikeout record is 383, set by Nolan Ryan in ’73.]

[Nolan Ryan’s record feels terrifying again.]

When Ha-sung’s record was mentioned, it was now being compared to those of legendary players.

Nolan Ryan is known as the player who threw the best fastball in Major League history.

Just looking at the fact that his career strikeouts record is ranked 1st with 5714, you can tell how great his fastball was.

[Jung Ha-sung’s popularity has been soaring recently. This table shows the sales of uniforms for all Major League teams this season.]

The screen changed and a table appeared.

Ha-sung’s name was at the top in 1st place.

[Oakland Athletics is in 1st place despite being a small market team. He easily outstripped Derek Jeter, who is in 2nd place.]

[It’s been a while since Jeter has dropped to 2nd place in sales.]

[Jung Ha-sung’s marketability is really amazing.]

[That means he’s not just a good player, but also a player who is loved by the public, right?]

[That’s right. He’s a player with great star quality that attracts public attention.]

[Recently, his shoes have been a hot topic on social media.]

The screen changed again.

There, photos of Ha-sung’s daily life were posted.

Walking to the hotel, entering the stadium, or even providing fan service to fans.

It was just an ordinary daily life, but the focus of the photos was on his shoes.

[The Vigor sneakers he’s been wearing recently are a hot topic.]

[The design is quite nice.]

[I know Vigor products well. I’ve never seen this model before?]

[So, after our reporters’ confirmation, it is said to be a limited edition model that Vigor will release soon.]

[Oh, is it Jung Ha-sung’s limited edition?]

[I want to have this.]

Shoes were one of the most collected items worldwide.

In particular, Vigor’s rare models were sold at high prices, so they were also used as a means of financial investment.

Ha-sung, who was watching TV, smiled.

“ESPN is promoting me. Is this a thank you?”

Ha-sung got up from the bed and moved to the window.

The view of downtown Oakland seen from the window was now familiar.

“Haa… It’s almost the All-Star Game.”

It’s already July.

As summer begins in earnest, they were about to face one of the biggest events, the All-Star Game.

“I’ll be starting in the All-Star Game, right?”

The Major League All-Star Game is where the best players in the world gather.

As players representing each team and popular players in the Major League compete, attention is focused on who will be the starter.

“Looking at all the stats, there is no better pitcher than me.”

Currently, Ha-sung and Felix Hernandez are being mentioned for the Cy Young Award [Award given annually to the best pitchers in each league] in the American League.

However, when looking at the detailed stats, Ha-sung was overwhelmingly superior.

“A starter…….”

Last year, he was the closer in the All-Star Game.

But now he’s a starter.

It was a series of unbelievable events.

“Finish the first half perfectly.”

That was what he had to think about right now.

Ha-sung packed his bags for the game and left the hotel.

* * *

From July, as the heat begins in earnest, the players’ pace begins to drop.

But that was unrelated to Ha-sung.

[Jung Ha-sung is continuing his scoreless pitching until the 4th inning.]

Ha-sung was continuing his scoreless streak in today’s game as well.

Except for allowing 1 hit and 1 walk until the 4th inning, he was continuing a near-perfect pitching performance.

Bang-!

“Strike! Batter out!!”

[It’s a strikeout! Jung Ha-sung strikes out the third batter, creating a three-up, three-down inning in the 5th!]

[It’s scary how Jung Ha-sung is still throwing over 100 miles per hour even though he has thrown over 70 pitches.]

Ha-sung, who returned to the dugout, took off his glove, put on his batting gloves, and sat down.

Jack said to Ha-sung.

“You have to get a hit today, right?”

“I wish I could.”

As the camera captured Ha-sung talking to Jack, the commentator brought up a story related to him.

[Jung Ha-sung is wearing batting gloves.]

[If even one batter succeeds in getting on base in this inning, the batting order will come back around, so it seems like he’s preparing in advance.]

[Since Interleague play has started, Jung Ha-sung has been up to bat a total of 6 times, but he has not yet recorded a hit.]

[But there were quite a few well-hit balls.]

[That’s right. Out of 6 at-bats, 3 were fly balls sent to the outfield, so he has power.]

American League and National League.

The two leagues were not just divided into teams.

There were also different rules, namely the designated hitter [A player who bats in place of the pitcher] system.

Originally, in baseball, it is a basic rule that pitchers also enter the batter’s box.

In interleague games where the two teams exchange, the rules of the league to which the team in the home stadium belongs are followed.

If a game is played at the home stadium of a team belonging to the National League, the pitcher enters the batter’s box directly without a designated hitter system.

Like Ha-sung now.

Clang!!

[It’s a good hit! A hit that falls in front of the left fielder!]

[Ryan got a hit by lightly tapping the ball without trying to do too much.]

With Ryan, who is batting number 6, succeeding in getting on base, Ha-sung would have a chance unless there was a double play.

After that, while two outs were recorded, Ryan only advanced to second base.

[Two outs and a runner on second base. And pitcher Jung Ha-sung enters the batter’s box.]

The camera captured Ha-sung entering the batter’s box.

[They could use a pinch hitter [A substitute batter], but there are still plenty of pitches left, so that kind of tactic won’t be used.]

[If it’s Jung Ha-sung’s number of pitches, he’ll be able to throw for two more innings.]

[Jung Ha-sung is entering the batter’s box with a runner in scoring position for the first time this season. Will he be able to get his first hit in today’s game?]

People’s attention was focused on Ha-sung’s at-bat.

Ha-sung, who entered the batter’s box, lightly grabbed the bat and took a batting stance.

‘I’m not used to hitting.’

Even in his previous life, hitting was all he had done in high school.

After entering the pros, he didn’t do much hitting practice.

It was natural since he was busy playing as a starter. But in this life, there was something a little different.

‘I was a little surprised that Major League pitchers also do batting practice separately.’

Since Interleague play exists, Major League clubs had pitchers do batting practice separately.

Of course, Ha-sung was also learning the mechanics little by little while participating in batting practice.

‘I’ve been trying too hard to hit it straight so far.’

Although he hasn’t gotten a hit so far, Ha-sung didn’t care much.

Since he was a pitcher, not a hitter, there was no reason to be intimidated.

More than anything, he didn’t think his swing or batted ball was bad.

‘I feel strangely confident.’

For some reason, he had some confidence in hitting.

‘Is it because I saw Shohei Ohtani?’

Shohei Ohtani.

A two-way player who will debut in the Major League in about 10 years.

As the first proper two-way player to appear in 100 years since Babe Ruth, he will cause a huge stir in the Major League.

Above all, Shohei Ohtani achieves meaningful results in both pitching and hitting.

As a pitcher, he threw a fastball of 100 miles per hour, and as a hitter, he hit more than 40 home runs.

Caused a huge sensation.

‘He did it. There’s no reason why I can’t do it.’

Of course, it will be difficult to produce such great hitting records.

Ohtani became a player who produced such records through systematic training.

But the important thing was the difference in perception.

In the current situation where the perception that pitchers can’t hit is dominant, Ha-sung thought differently.

‘There’s no reason why pitchers can’t hit.’

With this thought, Ha-sung, who entered the batter’s box, put all his effort into one swing.

Clang-!!

[He hit it!! A well-hit ball!]

“Foul!!”

[The trajectory of the ball curves and goes foul!]

[Although it was a foul, it was a very well-hit ball.]

[Jung Ha-sung’s swing is full of confidence.]

[He is creating good batted balls by taking a confident swing as if he were pitching.]

The biggest advantage of Ha-sung’s swing was his confidence.

But that wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

Whoosh-!!

Bang!

“Swing! Strike! Two!!”

[He swings with a full swing and misses.]

[Haha! His confident swing is very impressive.]

[Jung Ha-sung, whose ball count is cornered, is at a disadvantage.]

Ha-sung, who stepped back from the batter’s box, lightly rotated the bat and checked his physical condition.

‘Well, there’s nothing wrong with it. By the way, it’s not easy to react to breaking balls [A pitch that curves or changes direction as it approaches the plate]?’

He reorganized his thoughts as he re-entered the batter’s box.

‘I need to increase my concentration more.’

Ha-sung increased his concentration as if he were pitching.

‘Let’s maintain a similar level of concentration as when pitching.’

As he decided to increase his concentration, the surrounding scenery seemed to fade slightly.

Following that, the outfielders who were positioned around the pitcher seemed to disappear, and even the infielders disappeared.

“Hoo…….”

In Ha-sung’s gaze after exhaling, he saw the pitcher taking a slide step.

‘More…… More…… More……!’

As he increased his concentration even more, the pitcher’s movements gradually slowed down.

‘Stride.’

The pitcher took a step and began to rotate his lower body.

Ha-sung matched it and took the rhythm of his swing.

‘Lower body…… pelvis… …and upper body…….’

In line with the pitching mechanism, move the arm back to accumulate power.

“Heup!!”

The moment the pitcher threw the ball, he exploded with power.

While focusing his gaze on the flying ball, he swung the bat with all his might.

Whoosh!!

The bat, which spun around with a fierce sound, created a swing in line with the trajectory of the ball.

And the moment the two trajectories became one.

Clang!!

A cheerful sound echoed across the ground.

Ha-sung put strength into the batted ball until the very end while taking his swing.

Thanks to that, the batted ball flew to the outfield, drawing a large trajectory.

[He hit it!!]

The screen was divided into two, with the screen on the left chasing the batted ball and the screen on the right showing Ha-sung.

At that moment.

Ha-sung, who was on the right screen, made a sudden move.

[Ah-! Player Jung Ha-sung……!]

He threw the bat that had gone over his back and was coming back.

[He threw the bat!!]

At the same time as the bat flip, the batted ball landed in the stands.