Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 195

The Mound’s Villain – Episode 195

With the unveiling of Ha-sung’s batting, expectations soared.

Chris was, of course, among them.

“He’s even better than I expected.”

“I agree.”

“He’s truly incredible.”

“It’s clear that all that bulking up wasn’t for nothing.”

“The media is full of praise as well.”

The staff also agreed with Chris.

The practice batting Ha-sung had shown was enough to shock anyone who saw it.

“If Ha-sung can perform at his practice batting level in a game, the overall level of our lineup will improve this season.”

Hitting coach Shane was overflowing with anticipation.

Having been involved in hitting for many years, he accurately grasped how outstanding Ha-sung’s batting was.

Chris, the general manager, also felt hopeful after hearing Shane’s words.

“The first exhibition game is in a week, right?”

“Six days to be exact. We plan to divide the players in the camp into A and B teams for a practice game.”

“How will the teams be structured?”

“We’ll divide them into major and minor league teams.”

The reason for this team composition is to allow the major league players to coordinate in advance.

There may be a difference in strength, but since the minor league players will be chosen based on potential, it wasn’t a big issue.

Chris came up with an interesting plan from this setup.

“Let’s put Ha-sung on the minor league team.”

“Excuse me?”

“Ha-sung is the core of the team. Putting him on the minor league team could cause coordination issues.”

Coordination isn’t something you can achieve in a day or two.

Since the players have been apart for months, there will be some misalignment.

The only way to fix that is to coordinate through actual games.

That’s why they had the major league players team up even in internal practice games.

Naturally, most games end in the major league players’ victory.

The difference in skill between the major and minor leagues is like heaven and earth.

The goal of the practice game was to check the players’ condition, not to win or lose, so it wasn’t a big problem.

But putting Ha-sung on the minor league team?

It was a decision that wasn’t immediately understood.

“Putting Ha-sung on the minor league team is to fully assess his skills.”

“Skills?”

“Yes. As a pitcher, Ha-sung has nothing left to prove. But as a hitter, he needs to be tested.”

A hitter can’t just be good at hitting.

From baserunning to team hitting.

They had to help the team in various ways.

Above all, they needed the ability to deliver a crucial hit when needed.

“To check those aspects, starting in the disadvantaged minor league team would be better for understanding his abilities.”

“Hmm… There’s definitely some truth to that, but…”

“Will Ha-sung accept that?”

Just playing in a practice game on the minor league team could be upsetting.

The front office was worried about that.

But Chris was firm.

“Jeong Ha-sung is definitely a great player, but as a hitter, he’s a rookie. It’s not strange for him to play in the minors.”

Chris still had doubts about Ha-sung as a hitter.

To be precise, he wanted him to focus on being a pitcher.

That was the best-case scenario for the team.

“In the first exhibition game, Ha-sung will join the minor league team.”

“Yes.”

“Understood.”

The front office nodded in unison at Chris’s decision.

* * *

Unlike the other staff’s expectations, Ha-sung didn’t object to Chris’s decision.

“Understood. I’ll join the minor league team.”

The staff member who delivered the message was surprised by how coolly he made the decision.

In fact, Ha-sung didn’t care much about which team he joined.

‘The important thing is that I get to play in the game.’

Whether it was the minor or major league, it was important for him to be at the plate as a hitter.

‘I might have fewer opportunities if I joined the major league team. This is good.’

What he needed now was opportunity.

The more opportunities he had to prove his abilities, the higher the chances of him being at the plate when the season started.

‘And starting in the minor league team would be better as a showcase.’

The major league team’s win rate in practice games against the minor league team was overwhelmingly high.

The difference in skill was overwhelmingly large.

But what if the minor league team won with Ha-sung’s addition?

‘The media will come to cover it. If I show them an overwhelming performance as a hitter…’

Ha-sung imagined it.

From the media to the public.

Everyone would be amazed.

Thinking about that made him smile.

‘The world will be surprised once again.’

* * *

The Athletics’ practice game schedule was released.

And when the roster for the first practice game was revealed, the reporters were shocked.

“What? Why is Ha-sung on the minor league team?”

“Isn’t this a mistake?”

“He’s playing as a hitter in the minor league team, not as a pitcher?”

“Why isn’t he on the major league team?”

As Ha-sung had expected, the reporters were surprised that he was playing in the minor league team.

“Well, this should be interesting.”

“I agree.”

“It’s Ha-sung’s first time in a real game as a hitter, right?”

“We’ll definitely be able to see what kind of preparation he’s been doing.”

“He showed a good performance in practice batting, so won’t he show an amazing performance in a real game too?”

“Practice batting is different from a real game.”

“That’s true.”

“I’m so curious to see what he’ll show us.”

With anticipation, worry, and concern, the reporters waited for the practice game.

And there was another group that was looking forward to it.

“Ha-sung is playing with us?”

“Is that real?”

It was the minor league players.

To them, Ha-sung was a star among stars.

It was an honor just to be able to play with an amazing player who had conquered the major leagues.

But it was surprising that they would be playing together as teammates.

“I heard he’s joining as a hitter?”

“So that was real?”

“It seems like he’s really going to do both pitching and hitting.”

Doing both pitching and hitting was a huge topic among the players.

That was because no one had ever done it before.

If Ha-sung succeeded, it would open up a new path.

Above all, the players were filled with anticipation that the unknown world of doing both pitching and hitting could be opened.

“This practice game will be the peak.”

The internal practice game, which could be said to be the first real game.

Everyone’s expectations for it were rising.

* * *

Internal practice games don’t allow spectators.

In the first place, not many spectators came because they didn’t have high expectations.

Spectators visited spring camp when the exhibition game season started.

But this time was an exception.

“All reservations are full.”

“Sales of related products are also soaring.”

“Jeong Ha-sung’s uniform is selling like hotcakes.”

Oakland decided to open the first practice game to the public.

And they received ticket reservations, and the result was a huge success.

All tickets were sold out in just one minute, proving that the public’s interest was focused on him.

In addition, sales of all products released by Athletics, as well as products related to Ha-sung, skyrocketed.

Ha-sung’s uniform sales also surged.

“He is currently ranked number one by an overwhelming margin, and it is projected that Jeong Ha-sung’s uniform will be the best-selling again this season.”

Uniform sales were a measure of a player’s popularity.

In particular, taking first place overall was a really difficult task.

It was a big issue because it was extremely rare for a foreign player, not an American, to take the top spot.

That’s how much star power Jeong Ha-sung had, already encompassing the entire major league.

“I’m looking forward to this practice game.”

The day of the practice game arrived with the expectations of many people.

Unlike usual, Ha-sung was preparing to play in the minor league team’s locker room.

Around him, the players couldn’t easily approach him.

No player could easily approach Ha-sung, who was labeled as the best star in the major league.

Although he was young, he had become an object of admiration, and he was a player who couldn’t be easily approached.

Feeling the admiring gazes, Ha-sung lightly warmed up and waited for the game.

And the moment of the practice game approached.

“Everyone, let’s go to the stadium.”

With the staff’s guidance, the players headed to the field.

Today, Ha-sung walked to the away dugout with a bat in his hand, not a glove, as usual.

* * *

There were a thousand spectators in the stadium.

It wasn’t a large number, but it was a huge number considering it was an internal practice game, not an exhibition game.

They were waiting for only one person.

“It’s Ha-sung!”

“Oh! He’s really wearing batting gloves?”

“He’s really bulked up a lot, just like the media said?”

“How does he bulk up like that?”

“He’s much bigger than last year.”

People couldn’t help but be amazed when they saw Ha-sung arriving at the dugout.

Ha-sung’s change was that dramatic.

While the spectators were amazed.

Shane, the hitting coach and away manager, approached Ha-sung.

“You’re batting first in today’s game.”

“Yes.”

The reason for placing Ha-sung first in the practice game was simple.

It was to see what level his hitting was at.

Ha-sung knew that intention and nodded.

Since the away minor league team was the first to attack, Ha-sung put on his helmet, grabbed his bat, and walked to the plate.

“He’s coming out!”

“He’s really coming out as a hitter?”

“He’s even coming out as the first batter.”

“Wow~ Looking at him like that, he’s as big as Rodrigo?”

“The bat looks so small.”

The spectators cheered all at once at Ha-sung’s appearance.

With the cheers of the spectators shaking the stadium, Ha-sung stepped into the batter’s box.

“I didn’t know I’d be meeting you as an enemy?”

Ha-sung chuckled at Trevor, who was wearing a catcher’s mask.

“I’ll show you clearly how scary I am when you face me as an opponent.”

“Okay, then I’ll do my best to face you.”

“You better.”

Ha-sung smiled and said to Trevor.

And then he erased his smile and stood at the plate.

Trevor watched Ha-sung carefully.

‘He definitely showed a scary performance in practice batting, but he hasn’t been hitting for long. He must still be unskilled.’

Trevor was coldly evaluating Ha-sung.

‘Most of the time, the difficult part when you first start hitting is attacking inside pitches.’

Trevor chose the most orthodox method.

As he stood in the batter’s box, the game began.

“Play ball!”

Following the umpire’s shout, Trevor sent a sign [a non-verbal signal to the pitcher].

‘Let’s throw one hard inside.’

‘Okay.’

The one on the mound in today’s game was Seager, who had been chosen as Oakland’s second starter.

He was a fastball pitcher who threw an average speed of 95 miles [approximately 153 kilometers] per hour, and he nodded and took his pitching stance.

‘Just because you’re an excellent pitcher doesn’t mean you can be an excellent hitter. You can’t hit my ball!’

Seager, full of confidence, wound up and threw the first pitch.

“Hup-!!”

Whoosh-!!

The ball that left his hand with a shout pierced toward Ha-sung’s body at a fierce speed.

At that moment.

Swish-!!

Ha-sung took an open stance, stepping out of the batter’s box.

And he swung the bat as close to his body as possible.

Whoosh-!!

The bat, passing over the home plate with a heavy sound, struck the ball squarely.

Crack-!!

With a refreshing sound, the ball flew away.

Feeling the sensation in his hands, Ha-sung let go of the bat and watched the batted ball.

The batted ball that reached his gaze fell outside the fence in an instant.

“Home run…”

Trevor muttered in disbelief.

Ha-sung’s voice was heard in Trevor’s ears.

“I told you I’d show you how scary I am, right?”

With those words, Ha-sung started walking towards first base.

Hitter Jeong Ha-sung’s debut game had begun.