Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 134

The Mound’s Villain – Episode 134

A few days later.

An article was published.

[KBO Technical Committee Chairman Kim Min-gyu Announces Resignation Due to Health Reasons.]

[Technical Committee Chairman Resigns Just Three Months Before the Asian Games! How Should We Interpret This?]

Kim Min-gyu resigned.

It was a puzzling situation, with the Asian Games just around the corner.

Since his last action was meeting with Ha-sung, reporters directed their questions to Ha-sung.

“Do you know anything about Chairman Kim Min-gyu’s resignation?”

“I don’t know the internal affairs.”

“But the resignation was decided after meeting with Jung Ha-sung.”

“Then isn’t it because they couldn’t get me to join?”

“Did they come to America to ask Jung Ha-sung to join?”

“Yes. But I refused for the same reason. Right now, the Major League is important, and the Asian Games are secondary. Why would I go to a tournament they can win without me?”

Based on Ha-sung’s consistent claims, reporters published articles with their own interpretations.

[Is Chairman Kim Min-gyu’s Resignation a Disciplinary Action?]

[KBO Insider: Chairman Kim Min-gyu’s Resignation Was Due to Pressure from Above!]

[KBO Puts Everything on the Line for the Success of the Asian Games, But Why?]

[International Stage Becomes a Venue for Military Service Exemption; Is Military Service Benefit Really Necessary?]

What Ha-sung threw was a small pebble.

But the repercussions did not easily subside.

Rather, it spread wider, and various opinions poured out.

“They should have just left me alone.”

Ha-sung clicked his tongue after seeing the article.

It was something that wouldn’t have happened if they had left him alone.

But the KBO [Korea Baseball Organization] crossed the line again, and Ha-sung lightly pushed them away.

“Let’s focus on the season.”

What he needed to do was focus on the season.

“Just maintaining the current performance is a perfect season.”

Currently, Ha-sung’s record in 20 games is 12 wins, no losses, an ERA [Earned Run Average] of 0.9, and 245 strikeouts.

He pitched 139 innings, averaging over 6.95 innings per game.

Such a record in his first year as a starter was truly remarkable.

If he finishes the season with similar stats, Ha-sung’s value will rise endlessly.

So people were curious.

How long Ha-sung would maintain this performance.

“Thirteen games left. Let’s focus.”

Ha-sung, determined, began training.

* * *

Recently, a change began to occur in Ha-sung’s training.

Thwack-!!

“Nice batting!”

Thwack!!

“Very good!!”

He started putting more effort into batting practice.

If he had been doing it reluctantly before, he recently swung the bat with passion.

Whoosh-!!

Crack!!

“Good batting!!”

Every time he swung the bat, batting coach Burton exclaimed in admiration.

Ha-sung’s swing was powerful.

There were definitely many areas to improve in terms of skill, but the confident swing was impressive.

Then Ha-sung finished batting practice and came out of the batting cage.

“Hoo…….”

“Good job! Your swing was great today too!”

“Was it?”

“Yes. The biggest advantage of your swing is that you put your power into it properly. So if you hit it right, it’ll go over.”

Ha-sung’s original power was immense.

If he could put all that power into the bat, good results would naturally follow.

Ha-sung smiled and asked at the coach’s compliment.

“Should I do both pitching and hitting?”

“Huh? Haha! That wouldn’t be bad either. If a pitcher aiming for 20 wins hits more than 10 home runs, that would be a huge issue!”

The batting coach laughed it off.

But that becomes a reality.

In fact, even before Ohtani appeared, many players challenged themselves to do both pitching and hitting.

However, most reduced the burden on one side by playing as middle relievers or designated hitters to distribute their stamina.

Ohtani also distributed his stamina, but he played as a starter, outfielder, and hitter.

He played an all-around role.

‘That’s why he caused such a sensation that shook the Major League.’

In particular, winning the MVP [Most Valuable Player] in the 2021 season was something that would be remembered in baseball history.

‘Why can’t I be like that?’

People view those who challenge things outside of common sense negatively.

Since they are deviating from the already laid-out path and running on a different one, they are often considered eccentric.

But if it succeeds, the story changes.

‘That person becomes a pioneer and a hero. And many people try to follow the rails he laid down.’

Followers also receive a lot of applause, but they don’t gain as much honor as the pioneer.

‘If you gain honor, money naturally follows.’

A smile spread across Ha-sung’s face.

‘I should seriously consider it.’

It’s just a picture being drawn right now.

But he thought about seriously drawing the picture when this season ends and moved on to the next training session.

* * *

As July came to an end.

The Major League began to stir.

[Seattle Mariners’ Cliff Lee Traded to the Texas Rangers in a Shocking Move!]

Cliff Lee, the 2008 Cy Young Award winner, decided to leave Seattle and transfer to Texas.

Chris’s head started to get complicated after hearing this decision.

“Damn it! Texas is taking Lee after all. Damn it! I got played by a kid!”

The kid meant Texas Rangers’ general manager Jon Daniels.

He was played by him, who became the general manager of the Texas Rangers at the youngest age in Major League history, 28 years old.

“That’s too bad. I was somehow matching the cards…….”

“It was a card that could have been matched enough if Seattle didn’t want Bailey. Crazy bastards…….”

General manager Chris was also aiming for Cliff Lee.

It was perhaps natural.

Now that they had risen to second place in the division, they had to aim for postseason advancement.

And to advance to the postseason, they needed to increase their starting depth.

Cliff Lee was old, but he was a player who performed well in the postseason.

“It would have been perfect if we had brought Lee.”

“It’s already a passed card. We have to grab the next card.”

“Hoo……. How’s Houston doing?”

“They are negotiating with Philadelphia and the Yankees. The cards are Oswalt and Berkman.”

“Oswalt was sluggish last year, wasn’t he?”

“He’s been doing pretty well this season. I think the WBC [World Baseball Classic] had an impact.”

Roy Oswalt.

It had been quite a while since the rumors of a trade began to surround him, who was Houston’s undisputed ace.

Houston chose to rebuild and naturally decided to trade Oswalt, the high-priced ace.

“Oswalt…….”

But general manager Chris couldn’t make a decision easily.

To bring Oswalt, they had to give up a large number of promising prospects.

Oakland, which had been lingering at the bottom for several years, had various players sleeping in the farm [minor league system].

He was worried about which cards to play.

“If we bring Oswalt, how many more wins can we get?”

“If Oswalt shows normal condition, we can get at least 5 more wins.”

“5 wins…….”

Not a bad investment.

They could pay half a year’s salary and send him out next season.

“I’ll have to contact Houston.”

General manager Chris began to move.

* * *

Ha-sung traveled to Texas for his 21st start of the season.

‘Facing Cliff Lee…….’

His opponent for the 21st start was Cliff Lee.

The confrontation with him, who was traded to the Texas Rangers, drew a lot of attention.

[Super Ace Jung Ha-sung Faces the Magician of Control!]

[Clash of the Division 1st and 2nd Place Teams!]

[Athletics Must Win to Advance to the Postseason!]

[Can Jung Ha-sung Finish July with a Flourish?!]

This confrontation was a battle that could change the landscape of the Western Division.

The gap between Texas and Oakland had narrowed to 7 games.

If Oakland won just two games in the three-game series, they could significantly reduce the gap.

Naturally, the appearance of ace Ha-sung was important.

-He’s up against the left-handed Maddux.

-Who knew Lee would come to Texas lol

-I know.

-Didn’t Seattle send him too early?

-Whatever, this series seems important.

-It’s a bit of a shame that the winning streak was broken.

Oakland’s winning streak had stopped at 11 games.

But after that, they were showing tremendous momentum by running another 3-game winning streak.

-Lee is great, but isn’t it Ha-sung’s victory anyway?

-Yeah, there’s a high chance.

-It’s not just a high chance, it’s over if the batting lineup explodes.

-Agreed

-If Ha-sung holds on, it’s hard for anyone to compete.

Fans were taking Ha-sung’s victory for granted.

Cliff Lee was a great pitcher, but Ha-sung was recording stats that would remain in Major League history in the 2010 season.

It didn’t seem possible that a pitcher recording such stats would miss a victory.

With such expectations on his shoulders, Ha-sung started the game against the Texas Rangers.

* * *

[Oakland and Texas face off for the hegemony of the Western Division! The Texas mound is guarded by the magician of control, Cliff Lee, who was just traded from Seattle!]

[This season, he has appeared in 13 games for the Seattle Mariners, throwing 103 and 2/3 innings while recording 8 wins and 3 losses. He is recording an ERA of 2.34 and has only allowed 5 home runs, continuing to pitch well.]

[He doesn’t have 100 strikeouts yet?]

[Since he is closer to a finesse pitcher who pitches to contact, he inevitably has fewer strikeouts.]

At the time, Cliff Lee was considered a finesse pitcher.

As the nickname “left-handed Maddux” suggests, few saw him as a power pitcher.

But Cliff Lee was also a pitcher with a power pitcher style who wasn’t afraid to throw the ball in the middle of the strike zone.

And that was well demonstrated from the first inning.

“Hmph!!”

Whoosh-!

Thwack!!

[Ellis hits! But the ball flies high! Center fielder Julio catches it. One out!]

[It was a good circle changeup. He took the batter’s timing and got the first out.]

And he made the second and third batters fly out and ground out, finishing the first inning with 10 pitches.

[Cliff Lee’s pitching seems to be the same even after moving teams. Cliff Lee finished the first inning with good pitching!]

Although he wasn’t the ace in the Seattle Mariners, being pushed back by King Felix, he was good enough to take on the ace role in Texas, surpassing C.J. Wilson.

Of course, that was unlikely to happen right away.

[The Texas Rangers’ offense, which finished the first inning cleanly, begins. But the pitcher they have to face is this player, the best pitcher in Major League Baseball!]

The camera caught Ha-sung.

His pitching during practice was as dynamic as ever.

[This season, Jung Ha-sung’s Cy Young Award is almost certain! Will he be able to pitch well in today’s game and finish July! Jung Ha-sung’s pitching begins!]

Ha-sung, who finished his practice pitching, put rosin on his hand and stood on the mound.

[Texas’s leadoff hitter, Elvis Andrus, steps up to the plate.]

The match against the Texas Rangers has begun.