Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 135

Villain of the Mound – Episode 135

Andrus replaced Michael Young, the Texas Rangers’ franchise star, at shortstop.

He lived up to the team’s expectations, finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting last season.

And in his 10th season, he was leading off for the team, providing solid defense and reliable hitting.

[Jung Ha-sung prepares to throw the first pitch.]

Whoosh-!

Thwack!

“Strike!”

[The first pitch is a fastball that comes inside on Andrus, clocking in at 97 miles. Is Jung Ha-sung not fully warmed up yet?]

[Usually, his first pitch is around 100 miles.]

Ha-sung, after receiving the ball back, lightly rotated his shoulder.

‘Nothing feels different. It’s strange that the speed isn’t there.’

Ha-sung was also a little puzzled.

The routine of throwing the ball hadn’t changed significantly.

His physical condition wasn’t bad either.

But the speed had dropped.

‘Was the warm-up insufficient?’

That was a possibility.

For the body to function correctly, it needs to be adequately warmed up.

This allows the muscles and joints to move properly and transmit power efficiently.

However, if the warm-up is inadequate, this transmission can be affected, reducing speed.

‘I followed my usual routine.’

The strange thing was that he had prepared according to his normal routine.

But the usual speed wasn’t there.

‘I can’t dwell on it.’

He couldn’t change his pitching form just because the speed was down.

That could lead to even greater injuries.

‘I’ll gradually build up my physical condition.’

The problem was the immediate crisis.

It wasn’t just that the speed had dropped; the power wasn’t the same as before, so he had to avoid relying on fastballs.

‘I have no choice.’

Ha-sung is classified as a power pitcher.

This classification was natural because he intimidated batters with fastballs exceeding 100 miles per hour.

But that doesn’t mean he’s *only* a fastball pitcher.

[Jung Ha-sung exchanges signs with catcher Trevor.]

[Hopefully, he’ll throw a 100-mile fastball this time.]

[What kind of pitch will he throw? He’s throwing the second pitch!]

The ball left Ha-sung’s hand and darted toward the batter.

Andrus swung his bat, anticipating a fastball.

But at that moment, the ball dropped sharply, throwing off Andrus’s timing.

Andrus tried to slow his swing to make contact, but that was a mistake.

Thwack!!

[He hit it! But the batted ball is soaring high! The center fielder catches it easily! One out!]

[He disrupted Andrus’s timing by throwing a changeup on the second pitch! Excellent!]

[Unlike usual, he’s throwing breaking balls early, getting Andrus out quickly.]

The camera focused on Ha-sung on the mound.

‘If the fastball isn’t working, there’s no need to force it.’

On the outside, he appeared as a young man in his twenties.

But inside, he was a veteran pitcher obsessed with baseball.

* * *

Thwack-!!

[He hit it hard! The third baseman makes a great diving catch! He gets up and throws to first base!!]

Whoosh-!

Thud!!

“Out!!”

[It’s an out! Kevin’s great defense! It eases the pressure on Jung Ha-sung!]

[Ah~ this is Major League caliber! A masterful defensive play makes Jung Ha-sung’s pitching easier!]

[Although he gave up one run, Jung Ha-sung’s good pitching continues!]

3 innings, 1 run, 3 hits.

The stats were a little different from Ha-sung’s usual performance.

Looking at the game itself, it was even more noticeable.

Why are there so many fly balls today?

Why isn’t he throwing fastballs?

There hasn’t been a ball over 100 miles.

I don’t think he’s in normal condition?

He’s allowed too many hits.

Why is he like this today?

Is he in trouble?

Is his stamina running out?

Baseball fans watching the game voiced various opinions.

Their observations were valid and insightful.

They noticed that Ha-sung hadn’t thrown over 100 miles and that he was relying on breaking balls.

This meant that Ha-sung’s pitching today was different from usual.

‘Clearly, the power and speed are different from usual games. But…….’

Tony looked at the stats and reviewed Ha-sung’s pitching.

‘The number of pitches is actually lower than usual.’

The number of pitches decreased as he focused on getting outs.

This was natural because he was throwing fewer pitches per batter.

He had only thrown 31 pitches through the third inning, showing how efficient his pitching was.

‘At this rate, he could even complete the game.’

Ha-sung is known as an inning eater [a pitcher who can consistently pitch deep into games], but he only had one complete game in the opening series.

Due to his power pitcher style, which relies on strikeouts, it was difficult to pitch long innings.

But today was different.

‘Although he gave up a run, it’s only one run. Our lineup can take care of that.’

Tony looked at Ha-sung sitting on the bench and started planning the rest of the game.

That was the manager’s job.

He was the one who created scenarios throughout the game and adjusted them as needed.

That’s why he always had to be thinking.

Just then…

Thwack-!!

[He hit it! But it’s right to the left fielder!]

Thud!

“Out!!”

[Cliff Lee ends the top of the 4th inning with three strikeouts!! He continues his excellent pitching, allowing only 2 hits so far!]

The opponent, Cliff Lee, was also a tough competitor.

‘This is a headache.’

It was turning into a pitching duel.

The Athletics’ headache was Cliff Lee, who had become a new rival.

* * *

Thwack-!!

[Well-hit ball! But the shortstop catches it with a backhand and throws to second base!]

Thud!

“Out!”

[Leading runner out! The second baseman jumps and throws to first base!!]

Thud!

“Out!!”

[It’s a double play! A great 6-4-3 double play! Jung Ha-sung! He also ends the bottom of the 4th inning without giving up a run!]

Ha-sung was getting batters out by inducing contact.

As a result, the fielders made some great defensive plays, delighting the audience.

What’s with the Athletics’ defense today?

The guys are flying all over the place.

Were they always this good on defense?

Yes, the Athletics’ defense is pretty good.

They usually make these kinds of plays when other starters are pitching.

Ha-sung has been pitching so well that they haven’t had many opportunities to shine.

As a result, the Athletics’ defense seemed ordinary or below average to Korean fans.

However, today, Ha-sung was pitching with more finesse, allowing them to receive attention.

[Jung Ha-sung VS Cliff Lee’s ace match! Cliff Lee has the edge so far after the 4th inning.]

[That’s right. Jung Ha-sung gave up one run in the second inning, while Cliff Lee continues to pitch without allowing a run.]

[It’s amazing that Cliff Lee is showing his full potential even though he just joined the team.]

Cliff Lee was proving his worth in his first appearance after being traded to Texas.

Watching him, Ha-sung clicked his tongue.

‘Tsk! The postseason monster is performing well from his first game after the trade.’

Normally, Cliff Lee doesn’t perform that well in the regular season.

However, he proved his worth with incredible performances in the postseason.

But he was showing monstrous performance from his first appearance today.

Ha-sung was puzzled by his performance, which was different from what he had heard.

Cliff Lee, on the mound in the 5th inning, glanced at the Athletics’ bench and thought.

‘When I was in Seattle, I didn’t get a chance to face you because of Felix [Felix Hernandez, another star pitcher].’

The ace of the Seattle Mariners was Felix Hernandez.

Naturally, Felix mainly faced off against Ha-sung, and Cliff Lee had no chance to meet Ha-sung in the regular season.

‘If I beat you, my value will increase too.’

Cliff Lee, who was becoming a free agent at the end of this season, wanted to increase his value further.

To increase his value, it was good to make an impact by winning in the playoffs or in a match between aces.

That’s why he was motivated in the match against Ha-sung.

‘This match is mine!’

Cliff Lee’s competitive spirit soared.

* * *

Cliff Lee’s scoreless pitching continued until the 6th inning.

Thwack-!!

[He hit it! But this time, the ball is caught by the left fielder! Cliff Lee achieves 6 innings of scoreless pitching!]

[His command of almost all his pitches is excellent today, making it difficult for the batters.]

[It’s impressive that he’s completely shutting down the Athletics’ lineup, which has been on fire recently!]

Cliff Lee left the mound, and Ha-sung came up to pitch in the bottom of the 6th inning.

[Jung Ha-sung has allowed 5 hits and 1 run so far, the most hits he’s allowed in a single game since his major league debut.]

[But he only allowed concentrated hits in the second inning. After that, the hits were scattered, so there was no major crisis.]

[That’s right. But it is somewhat concerning that he is not showing his usual dominant form.]

The commentators’ concerns were valid.

Each pitcher has his own style, and it’s unusual for that style to suddenly change.

Ha-sung, a power pitcher representing the major leagues and possessing a fastball that easily exceeds 100 miles, had a top speed of 99 miles in today’s game.

Just looking at this, it was inevitable that it would cause concern.

But not for Ha-sung.

‘There are days like this.’

Ha-sung, who had pitched in countless games in the past, had experienced many situations like this.

‘Responding to these variables is the top priority. I gave up one run, but it’s not a big problem.’

Ha-sung, on the mound, lightly checked his physical condition.

‘Should I slowly increase the speed?’

Because he pitched with a finesse style, he had only thrown 60 pitches even after the 5th inning.

In addition, because he pitched with a focus on control rather than all-out power, his stamina was better than usual.

‘My body is fully warmed up.’

He felt his physical condition gradually returning as he threw the ball.

Ha-sung, judging that he could now throw harder, sent a sign directly from the mound.

‘I’m going to throw a fastball.’

‘Is it finally here?’

Trevor smiled and held out his mitt.

The target was right in the center.

In short, it meant to go all-out.

[Jung Ha-sung exchanges signs and goes into the windup.]

The reason why Ha-sung was confident that his physical condition had returned was because of his concentration.

‘When your condition isn’t perfect, your concentration is bound to drop. That’s why this phenomenon doesn’t happen.’

When he focused his mind, the surrounding scenery turned black.

It was a phenomenon that usually appeared when Ha-sung’s condition was at 100 percent.

All he could see was Trevor’s mitt.

Nothing else came into his sight.

‘Concentrate all your strength.’

Whoosh-!!

Ha-sung, twisting his body and kicking off the mound, rotated his pelvis to concentrate his strength.

As he shifted his balance forward, his body, which had been standing on one leg, collapsed forward.

The moment he took a stride with acceleration, he rotated his body and concentrated all his strength on his fingertips.

“Hup!!”

And he released the ball, unleashing that power in an instant.

[He threw the first pitch!]

Whoosh-!!

The ball left Ha-sung’s hand and crossed the space in an instant with a tremendous sound, passing over home plate.

Before the batter could even react, the ball was in the mitt.

Thwack-!

“Strike!!”

[A fastball that blazes through the center of the strike zone! The speed is…… 103 miles!]

His condition has returned to normal.