Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 189

Mound Villain – Episode 189

Ha-sung’s single statement caused an enormous stir.

[Jung Ha-sung Declares Two-Way Player!]

[What’s Behind Jung Ha-sung’s Two-Way Player Declaration?!]

[Jung Ha-sung Aims Higher Than Top Major League Pitcher! His Challenge Isn’t Over!]

[Jung Ha-sung Declares a Reckless Challenge! Experts Voice Concerns.]

Opinions were divided between anticipation and concern.

However, as time passed, the voices of concern gradually grew louder.

[Major League player Jung Ha-sung has declared he will be a two-way player. To learn more, we’ve invited two Major League experts.]

[Hello?]

[Nice to meet you.]

[Let’s get straight to the point. Jung Ha-sung has declared he will be a two-way player. What exactly *is* a two-way player?]

[In short, it means both pitching and hitting.]

[Is that even possible?]

[Well, it’s not impossible under Major League rules. A pitcher can play in the outfield defensively, and if you eliminate the designated hitter, the pitcher has to bat.]

Being a two-way player was an unfamiliar concept.

There wasn’t a single player in professional baseball worldwide who was doing it.

[So, is it realistically possible to be a two-way player?]

[I don’t think it is.]

[Why is that?]

[First, there’s the physical aspect. The Major League schedule is brutal. Unlike Korean professional baseball, there are no rest days in a week, so games are played every day. Of course, there’s rest on travel days, but the demanding schedule remains.]

Negative comments came directly from the expert.

[In fact, players who used to play in Korea or Japan have difficulty adapting to the Major League, and the schedule is a major reason.]

[If there are no days off, recovery becomes a huge problem.]

[That’s right. Starting pitchers expend a tremendous amount of energy at once. They recover that energy through several days of rest and training, then return to their pitching routine.]

[Isn’t a consistent routine important?]

[Absolutely. Major League players stick to their routines religiously to maintain their rhythm.]

[Jung Ha-sung is a prime example.]

[Yes. But if you’re also a hitter, maintaining that routine becomes impossible.]

If he were a two-way player, he’d also be playing as a hitter.

In that case, resting would be nearly impossible because he’d be doing both.

[Jung Ha-sung said on his YouTube channel that he wouldn’t just bat when he’s pitching, but also play as a fielder. What do you think about this?]

[That’s the hardest part to understand. Some say baseball doesn’t require much movement, so it’s not difficult, but that’s not true.]

Some fans underestimate the energy expenditure in baseball.

They argue that there’s little movement during defense, so it requires less energy than sports like soccer or American football.

[Baseball requires a long playing time and a brutal schedule compared to other ball sports. Plus, it demands a lot of physical exertion because you have to maintain intense concentration throughout the game.]

[Major League is especially energy-consuming.]

[That’s right. Ace pitchers like Jung Ha-sung throw over 100 pitches a game, consuming a lot of energy. Playing as a fielder on top of that is a reckless challenge.]

[You call it reckless, but some say it’s like hitting a rock with an egg [an idiom meaning attempting the impossible].]

[To be blunt, it is.]

Until now, the media had been very favorable to Ha-sung.

No media dared criticize a player who set a new Major League record.

But this time was different.

The conservative media had no choice but to criticize this unprecedented challenge.

[I understand that Jung Ha-sung has a strong spirit of challenge because he’s young, but challenging the impossible is foolish.]

[That’s right. Above all, Jung Ha-sung is an excellent pitcher, but he hasn’t played a long season. He needs to focus on solidifying his current position first.]

From the older generation’s perspective, Ha-sung’s challenge seemed like youthful folly.

That’s why they framed their criticism as advice.

But Ha-sung’s response was simple.

[There’s a lot of talk about being a two-way player. It’s funny because it’s the same reaction I got when I switched to being a starter. I don’t know what to say when the people who told me to stay a closer are now telling me to focus on pitching.]

One year prior.

Ha-sung announced his transition to a starting pitcher.

Experts advised him to remain a closer [a relief pitcher who specializes in pitching the final inning of a game].

But Ha-sung pushed forward and became a top starting pitcher.

That’s why he dismissed their advice this time as well.

Fans were divided by Ha-sung’s reaction.

-Kuh-! Jung Ha-sung is so cool.

-He might fail, but his challenging spirit is amazing.

-The same people who said he’d fail last year are talking again lol.

-I want to shut those guys up.

-Even so, this time it’s too much.

-Agreed. Even Ha-sung can’t be a two-way player.

-His arrogance is astounding.

-Does he think baseball is a joke?

-I don’t think you can say that to the best pitcher in Major League.

Ha-sung’s remarks sparked a debate not only about being a two-way player but also between older and younger generations.

* * *

Ha-sung’s announcement became a hot topic in Korea and the United States.

As a result, Isabel received calls from the media every day.

“Yes, I’m sorry, but the interview is declined. He plans to focus on training for the time being.”

Isabel sighed as she hung up.

“Sigh… How great would it be if I could book all these interviews.”

Other clients at the agency had to do a lot of promotion to even get an interview.

Even then, they couldn’t get an exclusive interview on national TV.

But Ha-sung was rejecting all those offers.

“Well, he doesn’t need more recognition from doing interviews…”

It was a shame.

The opportunity for free promotion was being wasted.

“Well, he doesn’t have time for interviews…”

Isabel looked through the window.

Ha-sung was sweating in the private fitness center.

He wasn’t just sweating; droplets were pouring down like rain.

Ha-sung’s dedication to training was remarkable.

She wondered how he maintained such focus during that intense regimen.

“That’s how he became the best player in Major League, with that kind of concentration.”

That’s why she was optimistic.

She wondered if Ha-sung would succeed as a two-way player through this training camp.

Bzzzz-!

Isabel’s phone rang again.

She checked the number and sighed before answering.

“Yes, Director. Yes, I’m sorry, but the interview is…”

Time for another rejection.

* * *

Ha-sung’s training intensity was about 1.5 times higher than the previous year.

Even his training from a year ago was twice as intense as the average player’s, so this was extreme.

It wasn’t just the amount of training that increased.

“To be a two-way player, you need to store enough energy. You also need a bulking diet to increase both fat and muscle mass, providing the power you need.”

The amount of food he ate also increased significantly; he had to consume 10,000 calories a day.

Considering the recommended daily intake for the average adult male is 3,000 calories, that’s over three times as much.

Swimming champion Michael Phelps consumed around 12,000 calories, so it was a comparable amount.

“With Jung Ha-sung’s current training volume, we plan to gradually increase the calories to a final total of 14,000 per day.”

Consuming calories was important, but expending them was even more so.

Eating 10,000 calories was difficult, but the menu changed daily, making it more enjoyable.

After finishing his meal, he took a short break and started training.

“The most important thing for pitching and hitting is flexibility. You’re already flexible, but we’re going to make your muscles even more so.”

Ha-sung is a fastball pitcher.

Throwing fastballs puts a lot of stress on the body.

Flexibility minimizes that damage.

A flexible body can better withstand the stress and reduce the risk of injury.

Another necessity was power.

“Ha-sung’s power is already top-notch in Major League, but he needs to increase it further to be a successful hitter.”

The hitter Ha-sung envisioned was a power hitter with the ability to hit long home runs.

To achieve that, he needed to increase his power even more.

He also had to train for agility and explosiveness, so he spent all day training.

Of course, he didn’t just train.

“Rest is as important as training. I’ll relieve the fatigue in your muscles through massage, so relax and rest.”

He finished the day by relieving muscle fatigue through massage and aromatherapy.

It was a grueling schedule, but Ha-sung digested it all and built a solid foundation because he had a clear goal.

Geyer watched Ha-sung and nodded.

‘He definitely has the mentality to take on the unknown world of being a two-way player.’

Geyer was so knowledgeable about baseball that he created his own hitting theory.

That’s why he initially opposed Ha-sung’s two-way player declaration.

‘At first, I thought he was arrogant and couldn’t see what was in front of him. But that wasn’t the case.’

Ha-sung was setting clear goals and preparing accordingly.

He was also enduring a nearly impossible training schedule.

It was so grueling that it made Geyer want to throw up just watching.

He was in awe of Ha-sung’s dedication.

‘If he’s this serious about training, he’ll be able to do what I say.’

Geyer hadn’t been able to translate his theories into reality.

Many of his ideas contradicted existing baseball conventions.

That’s why coaches and players often resisted.

But Ha-sung had recruited him, willing to try his methods.

In other words, Geyer could finally put his theory into practice.

‘This guy can do it.’

Geyer felt confident and prepared for his meeting with Ha-sung.

* * *

A week after the camp opened.

Ha-sung was gradually adapting to the training.

It was still difficult, but as his body adjusted, he had some energy to spare.

It was time to incorporate hitting practice.

Ha-sung made that decision and met with Geyer.

There, Geyer made a shocking proposal.

“I know Jung Ha-sung is a right-handed hitter. Is that correct?”

“Yes. I learned to hit in middle school. I started as a right-handed hitter back then.”

“First, I want to change that.”

“Change it?”

“Yes. Let’s switch to hitting left-handed.”