Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 266

The score widened in an instant.

[Jung Ha-sung’s grand slam puts the score at 14 to 10!]

[Jung Ha-sung resolves the situation at the most crucial moment! He’s truly amazing!]

[With this, the momentum of Game 5 of the World Series has completely shifted in favor of the Yankees.]

It had completely shifted.

However, manager Joe Girardi wasn’t relieved.

“Get Rivera ready to go in right away.”

“Understood. But what about the right fielder?”

“Hmm…….”

Putting Rivera on the mound was the right move.

Unlike the Cardinals, who had used their closer early, the Yankees had been saving their ‘Rivera card’ [referring to Mariano Rivera, their star closer].

The problem was the right fielder.

‘There are no right fielders left. But if I take out a player from the infield who can play outfield, I won’t have any substitutes in the infield either.’

Thanks to Ha-sung’s good pitching, the Yankees had been able to conserve their pitching staff to some extent.

So, they could afford to have each middle relief pitcher throw a little longer, allowing for more flexible management.

However, the same couldn’t be said for the batting lineup.

‘Too many players have been used.’

There were many crucial moments, so players were substituted each time.

Thanks to those strategies working out, they were able to bring the game this far.

In other words, it wasn’t the wrong choice.

The problem was that there weren’t enough fielders to send out in the bottom of the 10th inning.

‘What should I do? Should I just have Ha-sung play right field as he is?’

Under normal circumstances, it would be absurd.

But there were no available substitutes, and more than anything, he only needed to field for one inning.

Above all, the fact that it was right field, which has less defensive burden, was another reason to consider this.

‘If there’s a mistake, I can choose an alternative then.’

There was an alternative.

Putting Adam, one of the backup catchers, at first base and moving Teixeira, who was at first base, to third base.

And then moving McKeller, who was at third base, to the outfield.

But this would cause problems.

‘It’s better than having both hot corners become unstable.’

In baseball, first and third base are commonly called hot corners [the areas where the most hard-hit balls are likely to be fielded].

Fast, hard-hit balls often come, and balls with irregular bounces also fly in.

Above all, if a ball gets past, there was a risk of it turning into a long hit.

On the other hand, in the outfield, especially right field, the ball’s speed usually decreases, making it easier to handle.

Handling fly balls was the problem, but since pitchers also practice fielding, it wouldn’t be a big issue.

Girardi, having made his decision, approached Ha-sung.

“Ha-sung, can you play defense?”

“Excuse me?”

Ha-sung asked back, wondering what he meant.

* * *

The Yankees’ attack ended.

[No additional points were scored after Jung Ha-sung’s grand slam.]

[But with a 4-point lead, closer Rivera comes to the mound.]

[The momentum of this game has shifted too much.]

The Cardinals had only three outs left in the bottom of the 10th inning.

But on the mound was Mariano Rivera, one of the greatest closers in Major League history.

[The guardian Rivera is on the mound!]

Then the camera showed the outfield.

There, an unexpected player was standing.

[And in right field…… Jung Ha-sung is playing as he is?!]

[Ah~ this is unexpected!]

Ha-sung’s appearance as a right fielder.

The internet exploded when that scene was captured on camera.

-What is this?

-Is this real?

-Why is Ha-sung playing defense?

-Are they using a pitcher as an outfielder in the World Series?

-Has Girardi finally lost it?

-Even though Ha-sung is a two-way player, making him play defense is too much, isn’t it?

-What kind of situation is this?

-Unbelievable!

The reactions were mainly disbelief.

Regardless.

Ha-sung was lightly warming up in the outfield, tossing the ball with his teammates.

‘Girardi is making an unexpected choice.’

He, too, was somewhat dumbfounded that he was playing as an outfielder.

But considering the team’s situation, it wasn’t incomprehensible.

[Jung Ha-sung playing in the outfield. How should we interpret this?]

[Um, after checking the roster, there are no players on the Yankees who can be sent out to the outfield right now.]

[Ah~ does that mean all the players have been used?]

[Yes. So, it seems they are using Jung Ha-sung as a last resort.]

[But Jung Ha-sung hasn’t properly played outfield defense. Is it reasonable to use him in such an important World Series game?]

[It’s not impossible. There have been players who have played in positions other than their own in past postseasons.]

Major League Baseball has a long history, so there have been various events.

So, Ha-sung’s appearance as an outfielder could be understood in some way.

But it was a difficult move to simply accept.

[How will this choice determine the fate of the Yankees? The game resumes!]

The World Series Game 5, which was dyed with shock, began the Cardinals’ final attack.

* * *

Crack!!

With a dull sound, the bat shattered.

[The batted ball goes weakly to the shortstop! Jeter safely catches it and throws it to first base!]

Thud!

“Out!!”

[The first out count is up!]

[As expected, Mariano Rivera, the bat breaker! He breaks the batter’s bat from the first out count!]

Rivera’s main weapon is his natural cutter [a type of fastball that breaks sharply].

His nickname was Bat Breaker because he had broken hundreds of bats with his cutter.

‘The ball will hardly ever come to me.’

Ha-sung, watching the game from the outfield, wasn’t too worried.

Rivera had blown a save in the World Series before, but he had a 4-point lead.

Even if they gave up a run, it wouldn’t be a big problem.

But there was one thing he overlooked.

‘They’re sending Ha-sung out to play defense against us?’

‘How much are they looking down on us?’

That’s right, Ha-sung’s appearance on defense had raised the Cardinals’ anger gauge.

And that anger gauge didn’t just make them angry.

‘We must win.’

They fueled their competitive spirit with anger.

Was that why?

Clang!!

“Foul!!”

[He makes another foul! He got a two-strike advantageous count, but the batter keeps bothering Rivera to the end!]

After the first out count, Rivera couldn’t get another out count easily.

Thud!!

“Ball!”

[9th pitch! It misses. It ends up being a full count!]

[The Cardinals’ tenacity is terrifying.]

He threw nine pitches and couldn’t decide the game, making it a full count.

That’s how much the Cardinals’ concentration had increased.

‘Giving up a walk here would be dangerous.’

Ha-sung felt a strange wind blowing on the ground [sensing a shift in momentum].

And that was the same for Rivera, who was a veteran.

‘I have to cut off the momentum here.’

That thought made Rivera’s hand grip harder.

“Hmph!!”

[He threw the 10th pitch!]

Whoosh-!!

The ball that left his hand flew towards the batter’s body.

Swoosh!!

The batter turned his lower body and swung his bat.

The moment his bat was about to pass over home plate.

Suddenly!!

The bat stopped.

And the ball didn’t cause any more changes and passed over the bat, hitting the mitt as it was.

Thwack!

Breaking the momentary silence, the umpire raised his hand.

“Ball!”

“Swing!!”

At the same time as the umpire’s ball call, catcher Martin got up and checked the swing with the first base umpire.

But the first base umpire indifferently spread his arms left and right.

[Ah~ it’s a ball! A ball call comes out in a full count match!]

[It looked like the bat turned. The final decision is no swing.]

[The Cardinals send out a runner with one out!]

[There’s a 4-point lead, but I’m a little worried about sending out a runner.]

The momentum was changing little by little.

And the Cardinals didn’t miss this change.

Clang!!

[He hit the 4th pitch! Jeter flew his body, but the ball gets past!! The Cardinals succeed in consecutive on-base appearances!!]

[Runners are piling up. It’s the worst situation for the Yankees!]

They got the first out count, but runners piled up.

It was the worst situation for the Yankees.

‘If even one more person gets on base here, it’ll be troublesome.’

The Cardinals’ batting order had moved to the top of the lineup.

They, who are called the strongest batting lineup in Major League Baseball this season, appeared.

[The Yankees are in crisis!]

[If even one more person gets on base, the tying runner will be on deck!]

[The Yankees will definitely want to avoid it.]

But the Cardinals’ batting lineup, which had started to catch fire, began to bother Rivera.

Clang!!

[He hits the first pitch hard!!]

The hard-hit ball flew towards Ha-sung.

[A ball flowing along the right field line! Jung Ha-sung follows it!]

Ha-sung took a step back while looking at the ball.

Anyone could see that he looked uneasy.

But as Ha-sung stopped walking, people’s eyes turned to the ball.

[The ball falls out of the foul line!]

[That’s a relief. I was embarrassed because a big hit came out from the first pitch.]

[Jung Ha-sung followed well, but he still shows an uneasy appearance.]

[It’s probably because it’s the World Series, and the team is in a crisis, so he’s under pressure.]

It wasn’t really like that.

‘I can see it better than I thought.’

The ball was flying surprisingly well.

So, he made a decision early on and stopped following it.

‘By the way, Rivera is getting hit too much?’

It was different from the usual Rivera.

Perhaps because of this situation, even Rivera seemed to be under pressure.

‘The Cardinals also replaced the runner.’

The Cardinals had no intention of missing this opportunity.

By placing fast runners, they showed their will to aim for home at any time.

‘Do your best, Rivera!’

Ha-sung sent support to Rivera.

Whether he knew that mind or not, Rivera’s second pitch was thrown.

“Hmph!!”

Whoosh!!

[He threw the 2nd pitch!]

The ball that left Rivera’s hand was well controlled and flew low.

But as if he had expected it, the batter’s bat turned sharply.

Clang!!

[He hit it!!]

The well-hit ball flew again.

The difference from before was that it was flying low and fast.

‘It won’t go over.’

Ha-sung followed the ball, judged that it wouldn’t go over, and reduced his speed.

It was impossible to catch it.

Then he had to use another method.

As he expected, the ball didn’t go over and hit the fence directly.

And he grabbed the bounced ball and quickly turned his body.

‘The runner on 2nd base has already reached 3rd base.’

It’s a fast runner.

He didn’t seem to want to stop.

A speed that could aim for home enough.

The runner on 1st base was also turning 2nd base and running towards 3rd base.

I have to catch at least one person.

Ha-sung, having judged that, took a running start forward.

‘To home……!’

After a couple of running starts, he took a step and threw the ball with all his might.

“Hmph!!”

Whoosh-!!

The ball that left his hand crossed the outfield at tremendous speed, passing between 2nd and 1st base.

[Jung Ha-sung throws to home! The runner flies to home!!]

It was a speed that couldn’t be caught under normal circumstances.

But Ha-sung, who was in right field, is a pitcher who throws a fastball of over 100 miles even on the mound.

His throw after running start in the outfield was faster than imagined.

Above all.

Thud!!

It was accurate.

Thwack!

“Out!!”

[It’s out!! A laser throw that accurately hits the catcher’s mitt!! Jung Ha-sung catches the runner digging into home!!]

[Oh…… amazing!! Jung Ha-sung’s amazing throw to prevent a run has come out!!]

[The speed is a whopping 107 miles!! Jung Ha-sung renews his highest speed not on the mound but in the outfield!!]

It was Ha-sung who surprised the world once again with an unbelievable play.