Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 209

The Mound’s Villain – Episode 209

Oakland Athletics.

Thanks to Ha-sung’s performance, they were ranked first in the American League overall.

[Jung Ha-sung is on the mound in the 7th inning as well.]

[Jung Ha-sung is dominating today’s game. So far, he has only allowed 2 hits and struck out 10.]

[Among the two hits, there weren’t any clean hits, were there?]

[That’s right. Most of them were either deflected hits or lucky hits.]

Ha-sung’s pitching was still formidable.

Players and officials were trying to find a way to attack him, but they still couldn’t figure out his pitches.

Thwack-!!

“Strike! Batter out!!”

[Jung Ha-sung adds another out with his 11th strikeout!!]

[He’s incredible! It’s hard to know how to stop him! He doesn’t seem to lose stamina even after pitching more than 7 innings every game!]

[In the United States, they even call Jung Ha-sung the Terminator of the Mound.]

[Haha! That’s an impressive nickname.]

As Ha-sung’s performance continued, his nicknames naturally increased.

Dominator of the Mound.

Terminator of the Mound.

Untouchable, etc.

Called by various names, he became the best star in Major League Baseball.

And he continued to perform in a way that lived up to that attention.

[Jung Ha-sung earns his 6th win of the season!]

[Jung Ha-sung with 7 innings, no runs allowed, 2 hits, and 12 strikeouts!]

[Best performance, maintaining the top spot in all categories, including most wins, most strikeouts, and lowest ERA (Earned Run Average) in the entire Major League!]

[There’s no way to stop Jung Ha-sung!]

When he’s on the mound, Oakland wins.

That was an unchanging fact that had continued since his debut as a starting pitcher in the 2010 season.

And now, another fact was added.

[Jung Ha-sung at bat with a runner on 1st and 3rd with one out!]

It wasn’t just that he was on the mound.

[Jung Ha-sung, who already has a multi-hit game today, is leading the team’s offense with his excellent hitting in May, following April.]

[Batter Jung Ha-sung’s stats are also amazing. He has an overwhelming record in all categories except stolen bases, including 2nd in batting average, 1st in slugging percentage, 1st in OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging), and 1st in home runs.]

Ha-sung, who declared himself a two-way player, showed a truly perfect performance.

He was even credited with complementing the Athletics’ lineup, which had been considered weak in offensive power.

[If Jung Ha-sung hits a home run in today’s game, he will record a home run in 4 consecutive games.]

Ha-sung had hit a home run in all three previous games.

If he recorded a home run in today’s game as well, he would achieve a 4-game consecutive record.

[The Major League record for consecutive games with a home run is 8 games, achieved by Dale Long in 1956, Don Mattingly in 1987, and Ken Griffey Jr. in 1993.]

[If Jung Ha-sung records a home run in today’s game, he will be halfway to their record.]

[That’s right. Above all, it’s amazing that pitcher Jung Ha-sung is challenging a legendary record.]

Ha-sung creates moments that capture the audience’s attention every game.

As he stepped up to the plate, many spectators rose from their seats.

“Jung Ha-sung! Jung Ha-sung!!”

“Let’s go for a home run today!!”

“We’ve been waiting for you to come up!!”

Standing at the plate with enthusiastic support from the crowd, Ha-sung calmly watched the pitcher’s ball.

Thwack-!

“Strike!”

[The first pitch is a fastball inside!]

[Jonathan, the new pitcher, is showing aggressive pitching from the first pitch.]

[Jung Ha-sung is approaching cautiously, perhaps to gauge the new pitcher’s stuff.]

The pitcher had changed.

Jonathan was one of the opposing team’s key relievers, serving as a setup man [a relief pitcher who typically pitches in the eighth inning].

The fact that they brought in the setup man even though it was only the 6th inning meant that they judged this was a crucial moment.

And it was clear they were wary of Jung Ha-sung.

‘His ball is definitely good. The ball has late life and keeps pushing through the zone. If I make weak contact, there’s a high chance of a ground ball.’

It was only one pitch, but I could tell how powerful Jonathan’s ball was.

He’s a Major League pitcher, so that’s a given.

‘I’ll increase my concentration even more.’

The speed was fast, and the power of the ball was strong.

If I responded carelessly, there was a high possibility of a ground ball.

If a ground ball came out in a situation with runners on base, it would be the worst-case scenario.

What was needed in this situation was to increase concentration and drive in more runs [RBIs, or Runs Batted In].

“Hoo… !”

Ha-sung’s concentration increased as he took a deep breath.

In a state of high focus, the scenery in Ha-sung’s vision seemed to darken, and all he could see was the ball.

[The pitcher exchanges signs and throws the second pitch!]

Jonathan had gained confidence by getting a strike on the first pitch.

The fact that his ball was effective against Ha-sung, the best hitter in Major League Baseball, gave him strength.

‘He couldn’t react to the first pitch. There’s no reason to nibble around the edges here. I’ll come right at him.’

As Ha-sung let the first pitch go, the pitcher’s confidence increased.

As the pressure that had been weighing him down due to his reputation was relieved, he gained confidence.

The power of the confident ball became even stronger, and the speed also increased.

“Heup!!”

Swaaaaaack-!!

The ball, which he put all his effort into, even letting out a shout, left his hand.

The moment the ball left his hand, Jonathan knew.

‘Perfect!’

It was the most perfect pitch he had thrown.

The feeling of the seams gripping and the movement, etc.

He felt that everything was perfect.

As he felt, the ball showed tremendous movement and speed, diving in towards the batter, Jung Ha-sung’s, body.

It was a pitch that an ordinary batter couldn’t even react to.

This is what it means to know what’s coming but not be able to hit it.

But the opponent, Jung Ha-sung, was not an ordinary batter.

‘As expected…’

He grasped the pitcher’s psychology and predicted what kind of ball he would throw.

It was something he could do because he had thrown so many balls himself.

And it was the same this time.

‘As he gains confidence in his control, he often aims for the inside, which is usually a difficult spot to hit.’

The prediction was accurate.

Jonathan threw the ball towards the inside, and Ha-sung’s stance, anticipating that, was already shifting into an open stance.

Swish-!!

Ha-sung, firmly planting his lower body, immediately swung his bat.

Whoosh-!!

The bat, which turned with a heavy sound, connected squarely with the ball.

Crack!!

[He crushed it!!]

If you know what ball is coming, it’s not difficult to hit it.

[The batted ball is soaring!]

The camera showed the batted ball and Ha-sung.

Ha-sung, who appeared on the screen, watched the batted ball and flipped his bat with all his might.

[Jung Ha-sung! Bat flip!!]

[Ah~ This is huge!]

The spectators screamed, and the batted ball caught on camera landed just beyond the fence.

[Jung Ha-sung hits a grand slam! An incredible blast!]

[He made perfect contact, swinging at the exact right moment!]

[Jung Ha-sung records a home run in 4 consecutive games!]

4 consecutive games with a home run.

The fans erupted in tremendous cheers for Ha-sung, who had achieved it.

But not everyone was cheering.

“Damn bastard, showing off with that arrogant bat flip.”

It was when he was about to enter second base.

A player blocking his path.

It was second baseman Miguel.

It was quite intimidating to have him, who was 6’4″ (194 cm) tall and muscular, blocking his path.

But Ha-sung was not intimidated, even in front of him.

“Is there a rule in Major League Baseball that says you can’t flip your bat?”

“You son of a bitch. There’s an unwritten rule in Major League Baseball. You’re already in your third year, and you still don’t know that?”

“That damn unwritten rule. Is an unwritten rule above the actual rules?”

Ha-sung’s base running stopped.

The two players exchanged fierce glances and approached each other.

A tense situation where a fistfight seemed about to break out at any moment.

The second base umpire hurriedly stopped them.

“Hey! Don’t start a fight over something like this!”

Despite the umpire’s restraint, Miguel did not stop approaching Ha-sung.

[Ah-! The atmosphere between Miguel and Jung Ha-sung is getting heated!]

[Players are running out of the dugouts of both teams!]

The Athletics’ team, realizing that the atmosphere was tense, moved first.

Ha-sung is the most important player on the team.

His teammates moved quickly because they needed to protect him.

The Texas Rangers team, the opposing team, also moved in response to the Athletics’ team’s movement.

In an instant, the entire field was filled with players, and the dugouts of both teams were emptied.

[A bench clearing has occurred!]

[It’s not escalating into a brawl.]

In Major League Baseball, fistfights often break out when a bench clearing occurs.

But not today.

The players from both teams came out early and restrained them, so it didn’t turn into a fight.

“You son of a bitch, if you do a bat flip one more time, I’ll destroy you!”

However, the two players did not resolve their grudges, and the incident ended there.

And the reporters, who love gossip, seized on this incident.

[Jung Ha-sung’s bat flip! Eventually causes a bench clearing!]

[Should bat flips be banned?]

[Major League’s best superstar breaks Major League’s unwritten rules!]

[An anonymous player association official says there is an awkward reaction within the organization to Jung Ha-sung’s actions.]

Ha-sung’s bat flip has been going on since his Major League debut.

There have been minor incidents before, but it hasn’t escalated into a controversy like this time.

The reason was simple.

[The reason why Jung Ha-sung’s bat flip has become such a big controversy this time is because he declared himself a two-way player.]

[So, it didn’t escalate into a controversy before because he rarely came to the plate as a pitcher?]

[That’s right. But now, as a two-way player, he’s batting as much as regular hitters. In addition, he’s currently leading Major League Baseball in home runs.]

[So, the bat flip that used to appear occasionally now appears more often.]

[Because it’s seen more often, players who complain have started to appear.]

As Ha-sung appeared, players who did bat flips also began to appear in Major League Baseball.

But the number was still small.

The majority of Major Leaguers were still negative about bat flips, trapped in the framework of unwritten rules.

The reporters had no intention of missing the gossip that had arisen after a long time.

They were planning to inflate this incident as much as possible to gain public attention.

“We have to persistently ask Jung Ha-sung about bat flips at this press conference.”

“If that guy’s personality is anything to go by, he’ll definitely explode.”

“It would be great if he caused another scene like before.”

Recently, Ha-sung had been a little quiet.

It was disappointing from the reporter’s point of view.