Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 137

Mound Villain – Episode 137

[Michael Young, the heart of the Texas Rangers, steps up to the plate!]

[Michael Young is the player who surrendered Jung Ha-sung’s first career home run.]

[So, at this moment, he must feel like the ultimate obstacle for Jung Ha-sung.]

Michael Young was a veteran.

Although his skills had declined, he was still a formidable hitter.

He was leading the Rangers’ powerful lineup this season.

He was the leader of the clubhouse and practically synonymous with the Texas Rangers.

With his appearance, the crowd filling Globe Life Park in Arlington, the Rangers’ home stadium, cheered in unison.

“Michael!!”

“We believe in you!”

“Knock one out of the park!!”

“Don’t let a rookie get the best of you!”

The ground shook with the crowd’s tremendous cheers.

[The support is overwhelmingly in his favor.]

[As expected of a franchise star. The fans’ support is fervent.]

[Can he overcome this pressure? The biggest challenge to Jung Ha-sung’s record attempt has arrived!]

Everyone thought so.

That it was Ha-sung’s biggest crisis.

But the person in question didn’t think much of it.

To be precise, the home run Ha-sung had allowed to Michael Young was already a distant memory.

‘I’ll get him.’

There was only one thing in his head.

Strike him out.

Send him back to the dugout.

Break through him head-on.

His mind was full of simple but necessary thoughts.

‘Don’t block my path.’

Ha-sung went into his windup.

Following the kick, he twisted his body to concentrate his power.

And released it with all his might.

“Hup!!”

Whoosh-!!

The ball, leaving his hand like a bullet, flew and nestled into the mitt.

Thwack-!!

“Strike!!”

[The first pitch is a 103 mph fastball that bores in on the batter!]

His assault didn’t stop.

“Huuup!!”

Whoosh-!!

Crack!!

“Foul!!”

[Second pitch is a foul! Michael Young completely mistimes it!!]

In an instant, he was down to two strikes.

Michael Young stepped away from the plate and glared at Ha-sung on the mound.

‘Crazy bastard.’

In his eyes, Ha-sung was a crazy bastard.

He was in the middle of a great record attempt.

Yet he didn’t shy away from the showdown.

‘How can he do that? The fastball blazes through the zone, and the slider cuts in sharply.’

All the pitches were direct challenges.

There were no [deceptive] pitches.

If he didn’t swing, the count would be against him.

‘Is this the spirit of a second-year player?’

Michael Young had played in the major leagues for a long time.

He had been a rookie himself, and he had watched many rookies.

The difference between a rookie and a veteran is multifaceted.

The biggest of these was the momentum.

In particular, ace-level pitchers all had tremendous momentum.

They came at him with the spirit of devouring anyone who dared stand in the batter’s box.

‘It’s like facing Randy Johnson.’

Michael Young began his major league career in 2000.

Of course, he also faced Randy Johnson, who was at his peak at the time.

He was a monster.

He overwhelmed him by throwing fastballs over 100 mph and an even scarier slider.

What was most frightening was that he didn’t avoid the showdown.

‘Roger Clemens, Carpenter, Webb, Peavy, Halladay, Zito, Martinez. It was the same no matter who I faced.’

Pitchers who dominated the era.

He felt the same thing in his duels with them.

But even among them, the greatest was Randy Johnson.

‘It feels like facing that Randy Johnson.’

He was overwhelmed.

Michael Young felt that way.

‘If I were young, I would be crushed by this feeling.’

As time passed, he gained experience.

He might be overwhelmed, but it didn’t paralyze him.

‘I’ll hit it.’

Michael Young stepped back into the plate.

Ha-sung threw the ball at him in succession.

“Hup!!”

Whoosh-!

Crack!!

“Foul!!”

[Two consecutive foul balls! Michael Young is gradually finding his timing!!]

Michael Young kept fouling off the ball, waiting for the pitch he wanted.

And Ha-sung and Trevor knew that too.

‘If we throw a [bait] pitch at this time, we can finish him off.’

Trevor’s sign came out.

But Ha-sung’s thoughts were different.

‘Now is the battle of momentum. If I lose here, the record attempt will be over.’

For some reason, he felt that way.

If he avoided the challenge here, the record would also elude him.

That’s why Ha-sung made the decision to break through head-on.

‘Don’t block my path.’

When he saw the sign, Trevor swallowed hard.

18.44m [60.5 feet].

The distance from home plate to the mound.

Even though he was so far away, he was overwhelmed by Ha-sung’s momentum.

‘I have no choice.’

Trevor nodded.

[Jung Ha-sung exchanges signs! Windup!!]

For some reason, he knew.

This is the turning point.

He has to get him out.

To do that, only one thing is needed.

‘Full power pitching.’

He concentrated all his strength.

“Hup-!!”

Whoosh-!!

And poured it out.

[He threw the fourth pitch!]

Michael Young also knew.

‘This showdown……!’

He sensed that the fastball was coming.

Because it’s a turning point.

He judged that Ha-sung would challenge him directly based on his personality.

That’s why he swung his bat with all his might.

‘I’ll win!’

Whoosh-!

The bat turned with a tremendous sound.

The moment the bat, which seemed poised to split the ball, tried to connect.

The ball no longer dropped and passed over the bat.

Thwack-!

Whoosh!

“Swing! Strike! Out!!”

[Strikeout! Jung Ha-sung strikes out even Michael Young! Succeeds in 8 consecutive strikeouts!]

[I really can’t believe it! He met the big mountain called Michael Young, but he broke through it with a head-on showdown!]

[The decisive pitch is a 103 mph fastball! Michael Young also expected it, and he swung his bat! But he couldn’t hit it!]

Michael Young, who became the victim of 8 consecutive strikeouts, entered the dugout with a stiff face.

‘The speed was the same, but the intensity was even greater.’

He couldn’t believe it.

His intensity increased even in the second half of the game?

‘That guy is crazy.’

Who can stop Ha-sung now?

Michael Young shook his head.

‘No one can stop a crazy bastard.’

And his thought soon became a reality.

Thwack-!

“Strike! Batter out!!”

[Three consecutive strikeouts! Jung Ha-sung succeeds in 9 consecutive strikeouts!!]

Ha-sung’s rampage continued.

* * *

“Hoo…… Hoo…….”

Ha-sung, sitting on the bench, gasped for breath.

Watching him, Tony reviewed the data.

‘He found his original form from the 6th inning. And from then on, the strikeout parade began.’

It was an overwhelming pitching performance.

But there was a problem.

‘As strikeouts increased, the number of pitches naturally increased.’

Until the 5th inning, he saved the number of pitches with [pitching to contact].

But from the 6th inning, the number of pitches increased rapidly as he racked up strikeouts.

As a result, Ha-sung’s number of pitches at the end of the 8th inning was already 103.

‘Replacement is not an option.’

He has already struck out 9 consecutive batters.

If he strikes out just one of the remaining three batters, he will tie the new record, and if he catches two, he will achieve a new record.

There could be no substitution at this moment.

‘The batters should buy as much time as possible.’

Tony’s wish came true.

Crack-!!

[He hit it! The Athletics’ lineup is stringing together consecutive hits!]

After Cliff Lee went down, the Athletics’ bats began to come alive.

In the top of the 9th inning, they bought him 20 minutes.

Thanks to that, Ha-sung’s breathing returned to normal.

‘Very good.’

Ha-sung, who got up from the bench, could feel that his body was a little lighter.

‘I’ll smash it.’

It was time to go out again to renew the record.

* * *

[In the bottom of the 9th inning, Jung Ha-sung takes the mound with the score at 3 to 1.]

[The number of pitches has already exceeded 103, so it wouldn’t be strange to replace him. But not today.]

[That’s right. He has already struck out 9 consecutive batters and is only 1 away from the new record in this category.]

All eyes were on Ha-sung, who took the mound.

Since he had already succeeded in achieving the first record in the major leagues, the fans’ interest was at its peak.

-I’ll witness history again today.

-Keu~! That’s why I can’t miss Ha-sung’s game!

-Let’s go~

-Wouldn’t he get a hit from the first batter?

-Don’t say unlucky things.

-Shut up.

In a situation where so much attention was focused, Ha-sung was standing on the mound.

‘Concentrate, concentrate!’

He regulated his breathing.

He had recovered some stamina while resting, so his breathing quickly returned.

Recovering stamina was the same as regaining concentration.

‘I’ll crush them with a head-on showdown.’

Ha-sung had no intention of avoiding this moment.

If he succeeds, he will add another achievement to his resume.

These achievements endlessly increase his value.

He can become the greatest player in major league history.

‘If that happens, I don’t have to worry about my old age.’

Even in this situation, Ha-sung was worried about his future.

Of course, it’s not just a simple concern about aging.

Ha-sung was desperate because he was dreaming of a future where he could spend money lavishly and live happily.

[Jung Ha-sung exchanges signs with Trevor the catcher and throws the first pitch!]

“Hup!!”

Whoosh-!

Thwack!

“Ball!!”

[First pitch! It goes in too low! Ball!]

[The speed also reached 98 mph. It seems like his body has cooled down a bit while resting.]

[But the intensity didn’t look bad, did it?]

[That’s right. But because the speed has dropped, it could make him vulnerable to the batters.]

Ha-sung knew it well too.

‘I exerted too much energy in the 8th inning.’

He put too much effort into facing Michael Young.

Thanks to that, his stamina dropped.

He recovered to some extent as the Athletics’ at-bat lengthened, but it was literally to some extent.

Above all, the problem was that his body cooled down again as the at-bat lengthened.

‘Let’s go with a slider.’

‘Okay.’

As Trevor nodded, Ha-sung went into his windup.

[Jung Ha-sung throws the second pitch!]

Whoosh-!

Whoosh-!

Whack!

“Swing! Strike!!”

[The batter’s bat swings wildly at a slider that curves greatly horizontally!]

[The angle of the slider is still sharp.]

[Jung Ha-sung, with one ball and one strike! Only two strikes remain until he ties the record!]

While everyone’s attention was focused.

Ha-sung threw the third pitch.

“Hup!!”

Whoosh-!!

Crack!!

“Foul!!”

[Third pitch is a foul! He barely gets a piece of a 97 mph fastball!]

[This time it was slightly pushed, but the timing is generally improving!]

[Is it because the speed has dropped?]

[That’s right. It seems better not to throw fastballs anymore in today’s game.]

The fastball no longer overwhelms the batter.

Ha-sung knew it well too.

‘But if I don’t throw it, I’ll narrow down the possibilities for the batter.’

In this case, the fastball can be used as a [decoy] pitch rather than a decisive pitch.

‘I’m going with a high fastball.’

The high fastball was the most suitable pitch to deceive the batter’s eyes.

Because it is closest to the eyes, there was a high possibility that the bat would come out reflexively.

Above all, if you throw a breaking ball that falls vertically in the trajectory where the high fastball goes, it immediately becomes a strike.

The batters knew that too, so they often reached out with their bats instinctively.

Ha-sung, who exchanged signs, went into his windup.

[Jung Ha-sung, windup!]

Crack!

Ha-sung, who rotated his body with a stride, unleashed the fourth pitch.

[He threw the fourth pitch!]

Whoosh-!!

The ball, leaving his hand, flew in with fierce speed.

The batter started his swing as the ball flew towards his chest.

The moment his bat was about to pass over home plate.

He stopped his swing and watched the ball as it went by.

Thwack-!!

“Ball!!”

[The umpire’s decision is a ball! But Trevor is checking with the first base umpire for a swing!]

The camera showed the first base umpire.

The first base umpire stretched his hands left and right and declared no swing.

[Ah~ It’s a sign that the bat didn’t go around!]

[It was a good pitch, but it’s a pity.]

[In a situation of two balls and two strikes! Now is the time to decide the outcome!]

If one more ball is called, it becomes three balls.

From then on, it becomes even more difficult to get the strikeout.

That’s why he had to decide the [match] here.

‘I have no choice.’

Ha-sung touched the returned ball here and there.

‘It’s been a long time.’

He gripped the ball with a new hold.