Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 126

Villain on the Mound – Episode 126

Mound Villain 126

17th appearance of the season.

VS LA Angels.

[Jung Ha-sung is showcasing his skills, racking up 13 strikeouts against the Angels in just 5 innings.]

[Jung Ha-sung’s pitching is truly dominant today.]

[He’s only thrown 67 pitches after 5 innings.]

[Jung Ha-sung’s personal best for strikeouts is 18, achieved in the opening game where he pitched a perfect game.]

[At this rate, could he possibly get more than 20 today?]

[Absolutely! Jung Ha-sung is capable of it!]

Just then, Arnold, caught on camera, took a swing at the third pitch.

Thwack!!

[He connects! A solid hit!! It slams directly into the fence! Meanwhile, the runner on second rounds third and heads for home! The Athletics score another run!]

[Now the score is 3 to 0, taking some pressure off Jung Ha-sung.]

[On the other hand, the Angels’ hitters must be racking their brains trying to figure out how to overcome this 3-point deficit.]

[Earning 3 runs against Jung Ha-sung is a near-impossible feat. His current ERA [Earned Run Average, a measure of runs allowed per game] is an incredible 0.51, the only sub-1.00 ERA in the major leagues.]

[It’s a record straight out of a comic book.]

Amidst the commentators’ praise,

The Athletics’ half-inning ended.

And Ha-sung returned to the pitcher’s mound.

[Bottom of the 6th, Jung Ha-sung takes the mound.]

[We’re eager to see what he’ll deliver this inning.]

Ha-sung’s commanding presence on the mound continued.

Pow-!!

“Strike! Batter out!!”

[He strikes out the first batter, marking his 14th strikeout!]

Whoosh!!

Pow!

“Swing! Strike out!!”

[A swinging strikeout on a slider! That’s his 15th strikeout!]

[He’s making strikeouts look effortless.]

[It’s not just raw power; his pitch selection is exceptional.]

[Exactly. His fastball is phenomenal, and his changeups are equally deceptive, driving the hitters crazy.]

Ha-sung, with two strikeouts already, faced the third batter.

Pow-!

“Strike!”

[First pitch, a 101 mph fastball that cuts inside!]

[The batter is frozen!]

Thwack!!

“Foul!!”

[The second pitch is fouled off. It was a 94 mph cutter.]

[It breaks sharply at the last moment, like a razor, making solid contact nearly impossible.]

[Jung Ha-sung has the advantage with two strikes. What will he throw for the third pitch! He winds up and delivers!]

“Gasp!!”

Whoosh!!

The ball flew towards the strike zone.

Whoosh-!!

The batter swung with everything he had, but the ball didn’t drop, sailing over the bat and landing squarely in the catcher’s mitt.

Pow-!

“Swing! Strike! Out!!”

[The final pitch was a 103 mph fastball! A high fastball, but the batter had no choice but to swing!]

[The ball came in at eye level, forcing a reflexive swing!]

[Just 13 pitches for three strikeouts in the bottom of the 6th! His pitch count is at 79! And his strikeout total climbs to 16!]

* * *

Ha-sung returned to the dugout, immediately taking a seat on the bench to maintain his focus.

‘My condition is incredible today.’

He felt fantastic, a rare sensation lately.

‘Did I release stress by landing that punch?’

The punch he’d thrown at Neil Walker flashed through his mind.

It seemed illogical, but his exceptional performance defied explanation.

‘I could break my record today.’

The 18 strikeouts he achieved during his perfect game.

He felt capable of surpassing that today.

‘You have to seize record-breaking opportunities when they arise.’

Like a predator eyeing its prey, Ha-sung’s gaze locked onto the Angels’ hitters.

* * *

Bottom of the 7th.

[Pow-!]

[Strike! Batter out!!]

[Another strikeout! He adds two in the 7th, bringing his total to 18!]

[Wow, is he about to make history today?]

[Isn’t this the first time he’s reached 20 strikeouts since debuting in the major leagues?]

[That’s right. Jung Ha-sung is challenging his own personal best.]

Watching the game on TV, his father clenched his fist as he listened to the commentators.

“Your son is amazing, sir!”

“Keuh……! To think such a talented player is our manager’s son.”

“Please host a fan meeting at the company when your son comes back to Korea!”

“Ahem! Mr. Kim! How busy do you think the manager’s son is? He wouldn’t have time for a meeting.”

“Ah, my apologies. I misspoke.”

“No worries. It happens.”

The better Ha-sung performed, the more popular his father became at work.

And it wasn’t just his father.

“Oh my! Ha-sung is pitching so well again today! Ha-sung’s mother must be so proud!”

“I’m so envious that she has such a son.”

“My son just plays video games all day. Ugh! It’s so frustrating!”

His mother became a local celebrity in their neighborhood.

She feigned indifference, but her steps were noticeably lighter.

However, not everyone celebrated Ha-sung’s success.

“Tsk! That damn guy. He pitches too well.”

“I know, right?”

“Ugh! He needs to have some weaknesses so we can criticize him.”

Inside the KBO’s [Korean Baseball Organization] technical committee.

The committee members watching Ha-sung’s game on the installed TV wore grim expressions.

The more Ha-sung excelled, the more pressure mounted on the KBO.

“Who wrote this?”

Kim, the head of the technical committee, handed over a newspaper.

The headline screamed: (Is a national team without Jung Ha-sung a true national team?).

“Can’t you manage the media properly?! I’m seeing countless articles like this!”

Thud!

He slammed another newspaper down.

It read: (Is the national baseball team even okay as it is?).

“That’s… the more Ha-sung plays, the more interest grows, so the media can’t help but keep bringing it up…”

“So! You need to feed them other stories!”

The subordinate who answered him pursed his lips.

‘Where can you find a story in Korea that can overshadow Jung Ha-sung right now?’

Ha-sung’s games were so captivating that the entire nation was tuning in.

There was no way to suppress the public’s interest in him.

“Make sure you find a way to keep Ha-sung from being mentioned in connection with the national team!”

“Yes, sir.”

“Understood.”

As Kim stormed out, the employee who had been scolded muttered.

“Ha… what am I supposed to do?”

“I know, right?”

“Should I offer a hundred-day prayer?”

“A prayer for what?”

“Please make Jung Ha-sung not pitch so well. Please let him get injured.”

“Hehehe! That’s a good one.”

“Ehehe!”

Kim Tae-won, who had overheard their conversation, jumped up from his seat.

“Is that what you’re saying?”

“What’s wrong?”

“What’s the problem now?”

“Even though we have our issues with him, he’s still Korean. And he’s one of our juniors! How can you wish for him to get injured?!”

“Does being Korean put food on our table?”

“Besides, did he ever treat us like seniors? He’s colder than ice.”

“And don’t get all serious and jump down our throats for a joke. Aish-! Can’t we even joke around anymore?”

Kim Tae-won sighed and left the conference room, disheartened.

‘They’re all rotten to the core.’

These were days filled with growing disappointment.

* * *

Ha-sung, having finished the 7th inning, returned to the dugout.

Coach Tony approached him.

“Ha-sung, how’s your body feeling?”

“I’m fine.”

“Can you pitch the next inning?”

Ha-sung’s pitch count had reached 99.

It wouldn’t be unusual to replace him at this point.

Nevertheless, asking for his input was a sign of respect.

“I’ll pitch the next inning too.”

“Okay, then. Just give me a signal if you feel like it’s too much.”

“Yes, sir.”

Ha-sung nodded, his gaze fixed on the field.

‘Just 2 more to go.’

The total number of outs needed to complete a game is 27.

For a starting pitcher to record 20 strikeouts means a great deal.

‘It shows he possesses both the inning-eating ability and strikeout prowess that are crucial for a starter.’

Striking out 18 batters while securing 21 outs through the 7th inning was a feat achieved by only a select few elite pitchers in the major leagues.

‘Let’s make some history.’

Ha-sung’s strikeout rate was exceptional.

His current ranking as the league leader in K/9 [Strikeouts per 9 innings] was proof of that.

But he had never recorded 20 or more strikeouts in a single game.

Now that the opportunity had presented itself, he had no intention of letting it slip away.

* * *

[Jung Ha-sung takes the mound in the bottom of the 8th inning.]

[Considering his pitch count, I thought they might replace him. But Coach Tony is sticking with Jung Ha-sung.]

[Is there a specific reason?]

[I believe it reflects Jung Ha-sung’s determination. 18 strikeouts is impressive, but I think he’s aiming for 20.]

[I see. Let’s see if Jung Ha-sung can record 20 strikeouts in a game. The inning begins!]

Ha-sung exhaled.

“Hoo… Hoo….”

He took a deep breath, but his breathing remained uneven.

‘Recovery is definitely slower by the 8th inning.’

Normally, he would have fully recovered while resting on the bench.

But this time was different.

‘I can’t let it affect me.’

Even if he wasn’t fully recovered, he would pitch through it.

[Jung Ha-sung gets the sign and winds up! He throws the first pitch!]

Whoosh-!

Thwack!!

[A well-hit ball! But it goes foul into the stands! Jung Ha-sung’s pitch count reaches 100!]

[The velocity of the 100th pitch has dropped to 97 mph.]

[It’s somewhat ironic that what would be considered a top speed for other pitchers is his reduced velocity.]

[Haha! That’s right.]

Ha-sung, after receiving the ball, rubbed rosin on his hands.

‘My concentration is wavering because of the fatigue. I’m losing focus when trying to transfer power to my fingertips.’

His concentration was fading as his stamina waned.

‘I need to rely more on the power of my lower body.’

Ha-sung knew how to handle these situations.

With experience from hundreds of games, he had a solution.

[Jung Ha-sung gets the sign and prepares to pitch.]

Ha-sung, with his arms together, slowly exhaled.

“Hoo…….”

He focused his mind as he exhaled, and began his windup.

‘Focus more on the lower body…….’

And the moment his foot landed on the mound with a stride,

He concentrated all his energy and felt the power surging.

‘More, more, more!!’

He channeled that power as much as possible, sending it to his fingertips and throwing the ball with force.

“Gasp!!”

Whoosh-!!

Whoosh!

“Strike!!”

[Second pitch, strike! The speed is back up to 99 mph!]

[This is incredible. To think that his velocity would increase again after exceeding 100 pitches.]

[It really feels like he’s squeezing out every last ounce of strength.]

Ha-sung, having thrown the ball he wanted, intensified his focus even further.

“Gasp!!”

Whoosh-!

[He throws the 3rd pitch!]

Whoosh-!

The batter swung at the ball flying straight towards him.

At that moment, the ball curved like a snake, darting towards the batter’s body, evading the bat and landing directly in the mitt.

Pow!

“Swing! Strike! Out!!”

[Three-pitch strikeout!! Jung Ha-sung strikes him out with a 95 mph sinker!]

[Ah~! It wasn’t a fastball, but it had a trajectory like a rising fastball!]

[Jung Ha-sung threw an amazing pitch! Records his 19th strikeout!]

Ha-sung, having recorded the strikeout, induced a routine flyout to center field from the next batter in just three pitches.

Thud!

“Out!”

[The second out is recorded!]

[It’s a ground ball, but it’s a shame it wasn’t a strikeout.]

[Let’s see if he can record his first 20-strikeout game of his career. Jung Ha-sung faces the third batter.]

There was no hesitation in Ha-sung’s pitching.

Whoosh-!

Thwack!!

“Foul!!”

[The batter is jammed by the first pitch, a 99 mph fastball! Foul!]

Pow!

“Strike! Two!”

[The second pitch is a high-speed slider that nicks the edge of the zone! Two strikes!]

[Ah-! One more strike will give him 20 strikeouts.]

[Jung Ha-sung carefully gets the sign, and begins his windup!]

Ha-sung, slowly entering the windup, gathered all his strength.

‘I’ll finish it with this.’

Whoosh-!

With a powerful push off the rubber, he extended his leg.

Whack!!

As his foot hit the mound, he rotated his body.

Whoosh-!!

Finally, he swung his arm with all his might and released the ball.

“Heave!!”

Whoosh-!!

[The 3rd pitch is thrown with everything he has!!]

The ball flew quickly, piercing the strike zone.

Pow-!!

“Strike! Batter out!!”

As the crowd roared, the umpire signaled the strikeout.

[Three-pitch strikeout!! Jung Ha-sung gets his 20th strikeout with a 101 mph fastball!!]

It was the moment he recorded his first 20-strikeout game of his career.