Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 174

Ha-sung felt a new emotion as he stood on the mound.

‘Originally, Texas should have been on this stage instead of Oakland.’

And the ace showdown should have been between Cliff Lee and Tim Lincecum, not me.

But history has changed.

Texas didn’t even make it to the Division Series, and Cliff Lee didn’t make it to the postseason despite moving teams.

I don’t know what this change will bring.

But that’s not what’s important now.

‘Overpowering the opposing lineup. That’s the most important thing.’

San Francisco’s first batter was stepping up to the plate.

[San Francisco’s leadoff hitter, Buster Posey, is stepping up to the plate.]

[Buster Posey, who briefly debuted in the major leagues last year, is showing great performance as soon as he debuted this season, living up to San Francisco’s highest expectations.]

[He has appeared in 108 games, recording a batting average of .350 with 18 home runs and 67 RBIs (runs batted in), with an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.862 and a slugging percentage of .550.]

[Since Molina was traded to Texas, he has also been demonstrating his ability as a catcher, serving as San Francisco’s home keeper.]

Buster Posey’s performance was remarkable.

The proof was that he won the National League Rookie of the Year award.

With a brilliant debut, he made a name for himself as an offensive catcher representing the 2010s.

Although his prime was not long due to injuries, he was outstanding in both offense and defense, earning him the reputation of being a complete catcher.

But.

Thwack-!

“Strike! Batter out!!”

[Strikeout! Jung Ha-sung strikes out the first batter, Buster Posey, with a 100-mile fastball in just 5 pitches!]

Ha-sung was on another level.

He would surely become a player representing the major leagues in the future, but the current Ha-sung was a pitcher that even top-class major league hitters couldn’t touch.

Ha-sung’s pitching didn’t change just because it was the World Series.

[Jung Ha-sung is throwing his pitches wonderfully even on the big stage of the World Series. He’s really amazing.]

Ha-sung’s parents were watching their son pitch from the stands, feeling anxious.

“To think he’s throwing a ball in front of so many people…….”

“I think Ha-sung is really amazing.”

“I agree.”

It was a completely different feeling from watching it on TV.

Just being among so many people made their hearts race.

They couldn’t imagine how nervous he must be to actually throw the ball.

“Let’s cheer him on enthusiastically.”

“Yes.”

The father nodded, holding his mother’s hand tightly, and sent his support to Ha-sung.

Was it thanks to that support?

Thwack-!

“Strike! Batter out!!”

[Strikeout! Jung Ha-sung strikes out two batters in his first appearance in the World Series!]

[The stage has become bigger, but Jung Ha-sung hasn’t changed! He is still untouchable!]

He raised the momentum by striking out two in the first inning alone.

Tim Lincecum smiled at Ha-sung’s performance.

‘He’s really amazing.’

Tim Lincecum acknowledged Ha-sung.

No, not just him, but all the players in the major leagues were acknowledging him.

There were many incidents and accidents, but when it came to baseball, there was no player who wouldn’t acknowledge him.

That’s how untouchable Ha-sung’s skills were.

‘But I’m not going to back down.’

Tim Lincecum grabbed his glove and left the dugout.

‘This time, it’s my time.’

His pitching began.

* * *

Tim Lincecum was famous for throwing 100-mile pitches despite his small physique.

In particular, his pitching form, which deviated from the standard and seemed to contort his entire body, provided dynamism to those who watched.

‘That ended up consuming him.’

Ha-sung, who was resting in the dugout, watched Tim Lincecum throwing the ball on the mound.

‘I thought it was very dynamic when I saw it on the screen. Seeing it in person, it’s even more dynamic.’

It’s a little different from Hideo Nomo’s tornado pitching form.

But the principle of squeezing the whole body to draw out all the power was the same.

The problem is that when you throw the ball in that way, the damage to the body increases.

‘Pitching already causes great damage to the body. If you squeeze it out like that, the damage will naturally increase.’

Pitching mechanics will develop more dramatically 10 years later than this time.

With the introduction of various technologies, the development was incomparable to what it is now.

But Tim Lincecum followed his father’s advice entirely.

It was Lincecum’s misjudgment that he, as an expert, failed to accept the developing pitching mechanics.

‘Well, that’s in the future. The important thing is that this guy is in his best condition at this time.’

Lincecum in 2010 is one of the best pitchers.

It was clear that the Athletics lineup would not be able to easily attack him.

‘With Arnold out due to injury, the only score we can expect from our lineup is about 1 point.’

Arnold’s injury was painful.

With low expected runs, there was only one thing Ha-sung could do.

‘I’ll shut them all down.’

Nothing would change just because it was the World Series.

Strike them out and strike them out again.

That way, the door to victory will eventually open.

Like always.

* * *

Ha-sung’s prediction was wrong.

“Damn it…….”

As of the 7th inning.

The score of the two teams was still 0 to 0.

[A pitching battle like this in the World Series…….]

[Really, there is an unbelievable good fight going on.]

Jung Ha-sung’s good pitching was expected.

He was the best pitcher in the pennant race and had perfect results in the postseason.

Although the stage has changed to the World Series, no experts predicted that he would collapse.

[The key was whether Oakland could score while Jung Ha-sung was pitching well.]

[But there’s something that experts didn’t expect.]

[That is that Tim Lincecum is a better player than expected.]

Tim Lincecum was showing perfect pitching in today’s game.

[Tim Lincecum, who pitched until the top of the 7th inning, has recorded 15 strikeouts so far, with 2 walks and zero hits.]

[Looking at the detailed records alone, he has a better record than Jung Ha-sung, who allowed 2 hits in today’s game.]

Tim Lincecum was recording a no-hitter.

[One of Jung Ha-sung’s two hits was an error, but one was a clean hit. So far, Tim Lincecum is clearly pitching better.]

The important thing was that both pitchers were pitching well.

To the point where the opposing lineup couldn’t do anything.

[As of the end of the 6th inning, Jung Ha-sung has recorded 94 pitches.]

[Originally, Jung Ha-sung’s pitch count might not have allowed him to come up in the 7th inning, but today is a little different.]

Ha-sung maintained an average pitch count of just over 100.

If today was a pennant race, Ha-sung would have been replaced.

But in the top of the 7th inning, Ha-sung returned to the mound.

Looking at him, manager Tony sent a worried look.

‘Stamina drops rapidly after 100 pitches. On top of that, the game is not going well enough to be frustrating. I don’t know if you, a young man, can handle it, but…….’

If it was another pitcher other than Ha-sung, he would have been replaced.

‘But I believe in you because it’s you.’

However, Jung Ha-sung can be trusted.

No, no one other than Ha-sung can come up to this mound and hold on now.

Manager Tony was filled with the thought that it would be like that.

‘It’s just a feeling, not data…….’

Baseball was increasingly being decided with sophisticated data.

But manager Tony is an old-school manager.

There were times when he relied on something that could not be expressed in words.

Just like now.

‘Please block it.’

Manager Tony was desperately hoping.

Ha-sung on the mound had the same thought.

‘Usually, a situation where the team wins has been created after about 100 pitches. But today, such a situation is not being created.’

If it was a winning situation, he wouldn’t have tried to throw it.

He would have requested a replacement, but today was different.

‘I can’t help it. Well, my stamina isn’t that low.’

In the past, experts said that 100 pitches was Ha-sung’s limit.

But that was really wrong.

‘In the past…….’

“Play ball!!”

Ha-sung, who exchanged signs with the umpire’s cry, threw the ball.

“Hiss-!!”

Whoosh-!

Thwack!!

“Strike!!”

[He throws the first pitch inside with heat! The speed is still 100 miles!! Jung Ha-sung throws a 100-mile ball even after 100 pitches!!]

The stands were heated up by Ha-sung’s pitching.

Ha-sung smiled, looking at the surprised batter.

‘I just didn’t throw more than that because there was no reason to throw it.’

Even Ha-sung himself cannot know the limits of his stamina.

He did hard training that much.

In terms of cardiorespiratory endurance alone, he was far beyond the level of most elite athletes.

‘Let’s go to the end.’

What Ha-sung was aiming for was victory.

It was for his own title rather than for the team.

‘I can’t lose the title of the first Korean to win the World Series.’

It was still vacant, but it will come out in the future.

Knowing that, Ha-sung was thinking of getting this title.

By obtaining this unprecedented title in history, his value will increase even more.

“Hoo……!”

Ha-sung took a deep breath and faced the batters.

* * *

[In the bottom of the 7th inning, Jung Ha-sung is continuing the march of 0 by cleanly retiring three batters.]

[The problem is that the number of pitches has already increased to 114.]

[At this point, it wouldn’t be strange to replace him in this at-bat.]

Top of the 8th inning.

Ha-sung will be up to bat last this inning.

It was a situation where he had to consider replacement depending on the situation.

[Will Tim Lincecum’s no-hitter continue! Top of the 8th inning, the Athletics’ attack begins.]

Tim Lincecum’s pitch count had already exceeded 110.

It wouldn’t be strange to replace him, but the Giants’ coaching staff also trusted him.

‘A game like this in the World Series…….’

Both teams’ dugouts had the same thought: they didn’t want to break the flow of the game.

And that continued until the 8th inning, with one out.

Thwack-!

“Strike! Batter out!!”

[Strikeout! Tim Lincecum retires the batter in 6 pitches! But the number of pitches increases to 116!]

[You can see that he is starting to get tired.]

Tim Lincecum’s speed was dropping.

And Lincecum’s ball did not overwhelm the batter.

As a result.

Clang-!!

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

The ball hit by the 8th batter, Johnson, flew towards center right.

It was a huge hit that could reach the fence.

At that time, right fielder Pat Burrell measured the jumping timing in front of the fence.

And he accurately caught the timing of the ball falling and threw his body.

Thud!

[Caught it! Pat Burrell catches a long hit ball!]

[An amazing defensive play!]

[Lincecum on the mound applauds Burrell.]

[It was a disappointing moment for the Athletics as a good opportunity vanished.]

The second out count went up with Burrell’s good defense.

It was a disappointing moment as they could have seized the opportunity to attack.

As the situation turned out like this, manager Tony’s head became complicated.

‘I was going to replace him if he succeeded in getting on base, but…….’

Ha-sung conveyed his intention to go up in the 9th inning as well.

That’s why he couldn’t call him back, who was in the on-deck circle [waiting to bat].

‘It’s better to keep him in than to take him out now.’

If the game goes into a long-term battle, it was best to save the bullpen somehow.

[Jung Ha-sung is walking up to the plate!]

[It seems like he’s going to send him back to the mound without replacement.]

Ha-sung stepped up to the plate.