Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 244

The Mound’s Villain – Episode 244

[New York Yankees, led by the untouchable Jung Ha-sung, secure the top spot in the league and advance to the postseason.]

[New York Yankees advance directly to the Division Series!]

The Yankees advanced directly to the Division Series.

Before signing Ha-sung, they weren’t even close to reaching the Wild Card, let alone the Division Series.

Achieving the feat of advancing directly to the Division Series put the Yankees in a festive mood.

[Experts are calling the New York Yankees’ acquisition of Jung Ha-sung the best signing since Babe Ruth.]

[The prevailing opinion is that Jung Ha-sung’s addition led the New York Yankees to the Fall Classic (World Series).]

[Jung Ha-sung’s popularity is soaring in New York…]

[In an internet poll, Jung Ha-sung surpassed legendary players such as Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera to top the popularity rankings.]

The Yankees’ advancement to the Fall Classic made Ha-sung’s popularity reach its peak.

Ha-sung was already gaining popularity not only in the United States but also in Europe.

However, his status was slightly lower in New York, their home.

The reason was Alex Rodrigo’s situation.

[Jung Ha-sung was the decisive factor that ended the career of the outstanding player Alex Rodrigo.]

[That’s right. He was an eyesore for Yankees fans.]

[In fact, many fans had antipathy towards him at the beginning of the trade.]

[But now the story has changed. Jung Ha-sung’s popularity in New York has become so high that it cannot even be compared to any other player.]

[He is even enjoying tremendous popularity, ranking first in fan voting among all-time Yankees players.]

[All baseball fans around the world are paying attention to how Jung Ha-sung will finish this season.]

The Yankees’ postseason appearance was confirmed.

Now, all that remained was Ha-sung’s individual record.

[Jung Ha-sung is currently challenging two records. The first is the home run record.]

[Currently, Jung Ha-sung has hit his 59th home run of the season. If he adds one more home run in the remaining 5 games, he will become the second player among non-drug users to surpass the 60-home run mark.]

[The first player is his teammate, Roger Maris, right?]

[That’s right. He holds the American League single-season home run record, having broken Babe Ruth’s previous record of 60 home runs.]

[Ironically, both players have the commonality of being Yankees players.]

[That’s right. Now, if Jung Ha-sung records 60 home runs, all three players who have recorded 60 or more home runs in the American League will have done so wearing the Yankees uniform.]

Ha-sung’s quest for 60 home runs was a huge topic.

There had been players who had recorded 60 home runs before.

But they were all National League players, and only Babe Ruth and Roger Maris were American League players.

And Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Barry Bonds, who recorded it in the National League.

It was revealed that all those players had used steroids.

In short, they were players who had received help from performance-enhancing drugs.

That’s why baseball fans were paying great attention to the 60-home run challenge.

[Above all, Jung Ha-sung’s challenge is drawing attention because he is attempting to be a two-way player (a player who both pitches and hits).]

[Even if he had only played as a hitter in a single season, he would have garnered tremendous attention with these kinds of stats. But a two-way player? It’s a performance that’s hard to believe even when you’re seeing it with your own eyes.]

One of the reasons why Ha-sung’s record is so impressive is that he is playing as a two-way player.

Experts couldn’t help but be amazed that he was challenging for 60 home runs in a season as a two-way player, something that had never happened in Major League history.

[Now that we’ve talked about the two-way player aspect, let’s take a look at his challenge as a pitcher.]

[As a pitcher, he is on the verge of his career-high 27 wins.]

[27 wins in a season. It’s truly a dreamlike record.]

[I never imagined that such a record would be possible in modern baseball.]

[Jung Ha-sung is scheduled to start in one more game considering the upcoming schedule. I think he will succeed without difficulty.]

[Jung Ha-sung has been the winning pitcher in every game he has started this season, so he will easily achieve 27 wins.]

27 wins and 60 home runs.

No one had ever imagined that one player would achieve these records in one season.

But it was happening in reality.

[Please pay a lot of attention to what kind of performance Jung Ha-sung will have in the remaining games this season.]

The attention of baseball fans was hotter than ever.

* * *

Originally, the number of spectators visiting the stadium decreases once the postseason appearance is confirmed.

It was natural for interest to decrease since the results had already been decided.

But the New York Yankees’ games were different.

[It’s hard to find empty seats at the New York Yankees’ last away game.]

[Originally, home fans come to these kinds of games a lot, but today is different.]

[Most fans have come to see Jung Ha-sung.]

[There are many fans wearing Jung Ha-sung’s uniform even in the home team’s cheering section.]

[There are also many foreigners holding cheering slogans written in Korean.]

[Judging from the number of Koreans being shown, I think they went to cheer on the road (at an away game).]

Ha-sung’s popularity was transcending race and country.

The fact that he could be a part of Major League history was drawing fans to the stadium.

“If Jung Ha-sung wins today, he’ll get 27 wins.”

“I’ve been watching baseball for 10 years, but 27 wins? I never thought that this number was possible.”

“If you draw this in a cartoon, you’ll get 욕 (criticized/flak).”

“Hahaha! That’s right. Saying there’s no plausibility.”

“They must have heard that story already from the two-way player.”

The fans waited for the game with anticipation.

It was then.

“Waaaaaaaaa-!!”

With a roar that seemed to make the stadium float away, Ha-sung entered the stadium.

He went up to the empty mound and prepared for his last game of the season.

‘I’ve come this far.’

Ha-sung’s feelings were special.

When he challenged to be a two-way player, many people opposed it.

‘Everyone said I would fail, but now there is only cheering for me.’

Everyone who looked at him was cheering.

Experts no longer put effort into evaluating his future.

Because he had successfully achieved things that seemed impossible.

‘It’s time to finish strong.’

The regular season is coming to an end.

It was a moment to perfectly finish things that he could not have dreamed of in his previous life.

‘Of course, this isn’t the end.’

Finishing strong doesn’t mean everything is over.

The postseason was next.

But what was important now was the present.

‘I need to maintain my senses now for the postseason.’

Being at the top wasn’t always a good thing.

Although he didn’t express it outwardly, Ha-sung was under extreme stress after reaching the top.

Of course, that didn’t cause his condition to deteriorate.

‘Even if I’m stressed about things that haven’t happened yet, there’s no reason for my current condition to collapse because of it.’

Ha-sung, who had finished controlling his mind, stepped onto the pitcher’s plate.

‘Let’s go.’

There was no hesitation.

Because he had done enough of that in his previous life.

* * *

[The last game of the season between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays is about to begin. In the top of the first inning, Jung Ha-sung recorded a hit in the Yankees’ attack, but the inning ended without a follow-up hit.]

[Recently, the Yankees’ offense has been led by Jung Ha-sung, but the problem is that the condition of other hitters has dropped a lot.]

[Most of the points come from Jung Ha-sung’s hands, but if the preceding hitters don’t get on base, they can’t score.]

[That’s right. Above all, the pitcher doesn’t try to compete with Jung Ha-sung when there are no runners.]

Ha-sung has become a dangerous hitter.

There have been many attempts to target him, but they have repeatedly failed.

Even if they try a new method, it is a burden for the teams that have to face Ha-sung right now.

In that situation, no team tried to compete with Ha-sung when there were no runners on base.

That was the same even now that the rankings had been decided.

‘We’ve fallen into the postseason, but I should refuse to be a sacrifice for the record.’

Sacrifice for the record.

Currently, Ha-sung was having a historic season.

Every game, every performance he made was being recorded in Major League history.

This was reminiscent of Babe Ruth in the past.

‘The teams that were sacrificed for decades after Babe Ruth set the record became a laughing stock. In particular, the Red Sox were plagued by a curse for more than half a century.’

It may sound ridiculous, but it was like a jinx.

Above all, people wanted to avoid being talked about.

‘Please show a lack of condition today!’

From the manager’s point of view, it was absurd, but he had no choice but to make this prayer.

But the opponent was the strongest pitcher of all time.

Ppeoeok-!

“Strike!!”

[A fastball that strongly hits the batter’s body on the first pitch! The speed was 98 miles per hour!]

[Despite being the first pitch, the control that sharply hits the body is excellent.]

[In addition, the speed and rotation of the ball also exceed the usual values.]

Ha-sung’s expression after receiving the ball back was the same as usual.

The sight was like a cold-blooded warrior.

From the hitter’s point of view, it was enough to make them shiver just by looking at it.

‘Damn… I knew it was a fastball, but I couldn’t react.’

Tampa Bay Rays’ leadoff hitter Jonathan was not facing Ha-sung for the first time.

‘I only met him once when I was a rookie, but I’ve met him often since then. He was a guy I didn’t want to face back then. Now he’s become a monster.’

Even professional players make steady progress.

But it’s not easy to see a player at the top improve.

Just maintaining the status quo is enough to be praised.

But Ha-sung was improving every year.

The players who faced him felt it the most.

‘Still, I’m a professional. I’m also one of the highest-paid players!’

Jonathan grabbed his bat and stood at the plate again.

He regained his composure and focused.

But.

[The 2nd pitch!]

Ssaeeeeek-!!

Ppeoeok!

“Strike!!”

[A sharp slider is thrown to the farthest edge of the strike zone!]

[It was a slider with excellent speed and movement! From the hitter’s point of view, he would have thought it was a ball!]

The commentator’s words were not just words.

‘Damn… that’s a complete ball. How am I supposed to hit that kind of ball?’

Jonathan really judged it to be a ball.

That’s why he didn’t swing his bat.

‘If you touch a ball that comes in that position, it will just be an ordinary ground ball.’

Jonathan was also an excellent hitter.

He accurately judged what would happen when he hit the ball in the same location as now.

The problem was that Ha-sung was also aware of that.

‘As expected, he didn’t touch the ball now. That means his eye is that good. He also has a lot of experience, so he knows what happens when he hits the ball that comes into each location.’

Ha-sung stepped onto the pitcher’s plate and prepared to throw the third ball.

‘That’s why he’ll be tricked this time too.’

Ha-sung highly valued Jonathan.

That’s why he judged that he would fall for the trick he was throwing.

[Jung Ha-sung winds up!]

He took a step with the windup to throw the third ball.

Kwajik!

The spike was embedded in the mound.

Hwirik!!

His body rotated quickly.

“Heueup-!!”

The ball that left his hand with a shout pierced the center of the strike zone at a tremendous speed.

‘It’s a mistake!’

At that moment, Jonathan immediately judged that it was a mistake.

His body reacted quickly as if he would not miss this opportunity.

Huoong-!!

His bat turned as if aiming for prey.

At that moment.

Hwirik!

The ball disappeared from his sight.

‘This…!’

He realized it was a mistake, but the bat that had already turned did not return.

Peok!!

“Swing! Strike out!!”

[It’s out! Jung Ha-sung strikes out the first hitter with three pitches!!]

[The ball that was coming to the center suddenly dropped, so the hitter must have thought it disappeared!]

[Jung Ha-sung’s splitter is like a magic ball today!!]

His run for 27 wins has begun.