Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 43

The Villain on the Mound – Episode 43

As the exhibition games continued, the players’ skill levels became more apparent.

Clang!!

[He connects! But it’s a weak grounder! Right to the second baseman. The second baseman fields it cleanly and throws to the shortstop! One out!! Relay to first, double play! A bases-loaded opportunity is extinguished.]

[Jack gets another chance at the plate after a long wait, but he fails to capitalize once again.]

Jack was one of those players struggling.

The opportunities afforded to him in the exhibition games were limited.

And he rarely seized the chances he got.

It wasn’t just that his hitting was poor.

‘He’s intimidated. That’s why he’s not playing to his strengths.’

In Ha-sung’s estimation, Jack possessed the talent to compete in the major leagues.

But he wasn’t demonstrating that ability at the moment.

The reason was simple.

‘The pressure of experiencing this for the first time, coupled with the thought that he can achieve his dream if he overcomes this hurdle, is suppressing his performance.’

As with everyone, encountering something new brings an inherent fear of the unknown.

So, when facing that challenge, they often make mistakes they wouldn’t normally make.

It’s the same when approaching the final hurdle.

The thought, ‘If I get over this, all my efforts will be rewarded,’ this expectation soon becomes a burden, weighing the player down.

‘If you can’t handle these high-pressure situations, you can’t survive in the big leagues.’

Triple-A and the major leagues.

There’s only one step separating them, but the difference is vast.

‘It’s nearly impossible to play consistently in the major leagues if you can’t get your head right.’

Even within the major leagues, the tension fluctuates depending on the importance of the game.

Plus, you have to perform in front of tens of thousands of fans.

That pressure is a different beast altogether.

That’s why teams are hesitant to promote players who aren’t mentally prepared in the first place.

‘If you can’t overcome it, you’ll be left behind.’

It’s a harsh assessment.

But it reflected the reality of the sport.

* * *

Even as the exhibition games continued, players were quietly being cut from the roster.

They failed the final evaluation and were sent back down to the minor leagues.

‘Looks like only the players who will be on the opening day roster are left now.’

Of course, nothing was set in stone yet.

There were still players being evaluated.

‘Just because you make it through the exhibition games doesn’t guarantee you’ll stay on the roster until the end of the season.’

Of course, that had little to do with Ha-sung.

‘It’s practically confirmed that I’m the closer.’

The bullpen coach’s instructions had changed.

He no longer had him warm up early in the game.

Instead, he had him warm up in the late innings, preparing him to pitch the ninth.

This signified one thing.

‘I’m now the Athletics’ closer.’

He would be entering games as the closer, starting with opening day.

Things were progressing according to plan.

Ha-sung finished his drink and left the training facility.

The Athletics’ spring training camp included an indoor batting cage located past the main indoor training area.

As Ha-sung walked by, he overheard a familiar voice.

“Puhahaha! So, you’re asking me to teach you how to bat?”

Looking towards the source of the voice, he saw Matt Holliday.

And standing in front of him was Jack, looking dejected.

‘Is he asking Matt for help because he’s struggling at the plate?’

It was a plausible scenario.

Jack was in a desperate situation.

He must have swallowed his pride and asked for assistance, desperate to stay in the big leagues at any cost.

‘He must be grasping at straws. I was the same way when I first tried to learn the cutter [a type of fastball that breaks sharply].’

He had initially learned the cutter from a foreign player.

He mainly played in Triple-A and relied on the cutter as his primary weapon.

At the time, the cutter, a type of modified fastball, was very popular in Korean baseball.

Ha-sung was eager to learn it and approached him.

He thought it would be possible since they were teammates.

But the response he received was cold.

“Why should I teach you something that could make you my competitor?”

That was the blunt truth.

Ha-sung frowned and glared at Matt.

Actually, there was nothing inherently wrong with that.

It was up to each individual to decide whether or not to share their skills.

There was no real reason to say anything about it.

“Ah, I misspoke. You’ll never be my competitor. You’ll just be floundering in Triple-A and then disappear.”

That wasn’t right.

“If you don’t have talent, at least try to work hard. That’s the only way you’ll be able to stay in the big leagues for a while, right? If not, just find another job.”

That wasn’t right either.

“…….”

Jack was speechless.

He simply clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.

It was clear he was suppressing his anger.

His cheeks were even twitching.

Matt laughed at Jack’s reaction.

“What? Are you getting angry? Then improve your skills. If you become a big leaguer, I’ll apologize for what I said. Of course, that will never happen.”

He had crossed the line.

* * *

As he embarked on his new life, Ha-sung established one guiding principle.

He would repay those who helped him and seek retribution against those who harmed him.

He had adhered to that principle meticulously until now.

Jack was someone who had helped him.

‘It was a short time, but thanks to him, it was easy to integrate into the RockHounds [a minor league baseball team].’

Jack was the heart and soul of the RockHounds.

Because he approached him without hesitation, there were no issues with his other teammates.

‘Now it’s my turn to help.’

In truth, Ha-sung didn’t know much about hitting.

That’s why he couldn’t offer direct assistance with that.

But there was something he could provide.

“Jack.”

“Oh, Ha-sung.”

Jack was sitting in front of his locker.

He looked utterly defeated.

He was a far cry from the energetic guy he’d known in the RockHounds.

“You must be worried because you haven’t been hitting well lately.”

“Haa… I’m going crazy.”

Jack poured out the story he had been holding back, as if he had been waiting for the opportunity.

Everyone has things they keep bottled up inside.

And they deal with them in their own way.

But sometimes there are things that can’t be resolved no matter what you try.

In those cases, the best course of action is to confide in someone.

But people often find it difficult to talk about their inner feelings.

It’s like exposing their weaknesses.

But when you’re backed into a corner, you can’t help but share them.

Jack was in that state.

“Aren’t you putting too much pressure on yourself?”

“Huh?”

“This is your first camp, right? You’ll have another chance next time. Don’t think of this as your last shot.”

“I know that… but I want to seize the opportunity that’s in front of me.”

“Then you have to get your mentality right to match it.”

“Mentality…….”

“You’ve been playing baseball for a long time, so you know. If your mentality is shaken, you won’t be able to perform to your usual level.”

Jack bit his lip at Ha-sung’s words.

“But I get nervous when I step up to the plate. The opponents are big leaguers. Unlike the pitchers I’ve faced so far…….”

“What are you talking about?”

“Huh?”

“Isn’t what you want to do play in the big leagues?”

“Tha…… That’s right.”

“Then of course you’ll be competing against big leaguers. And not just guys who are building up their pace like now, or prospects. Real big leaguers.”

Ha-sung spoke firmly.

“This isn’t the major leagues yet. If you can’t overcome this, you’re really done here.”

It was harsh, but he was telling him the truth.

* * *

As the camp progressed, the front office continued to hold meetings every day.

“How’s Matt doing?”

“He seems to be in the process of finding his rhythm. He’s not performing well right now, but he’s had a successful career in the past, so we expect him to perform well when the regular season starts.”

“It’s his first time coming down from the mountains [likely a reference to a previous team or playing style], so pay attention to him. He needs to be the centerpiece of the team this season.”

“Yes. And Giambi is definitely showing his age; his hitting seems a little sluggish.”

Giambi is one of the Athletics’ key hitters.

His salary increased, and he was traded to another team, but they brought him back this season to contend for a championship.

It was a significant expense for the Athletics, so they couldn’t help but be concerned.

“Let’s keep an eye on him for now. How are the rookies doing?”

The meeting primarily focused on the hitters.

There were no major concerns regarding the pitching staff.

The starters were set, and Ha-sung had been chosen as the closer.

Chris didn’t place much emphasis on the bullpen.

This was due to Chris’s inherent tendency.

He didn’t trust relief pitchers.

If there was a talented pitcher in the bullpen, he would convert him into a starter.

“Jack is struggling to adjust to the pitches of major league pitchers.”

“Hmm, is he not meeting expectations?”

“Yes. At this rate, it will be difficult to call him up in the middle of the season.”

Chris checked Jack’s name on the list.

‘I had high hopes for him because he’s a catcher with home run potential. Was it too early for him to come up to the big leagues?’

There are countless players like this.

Numerous players challenge the major leagues, fail, and return to the minors.

But the catcher position is particularly disappointing.

‘It would make the season easier if we had a reliable backup catcher.’

It was a shame.

That’s why he wanted to give Jack more opportunities.

“There are only a few exhibition games left anyway, so let’s give him a few more chances.”

“I understand.”

That’s why he was given one last chance.

* * *

The exhibition games were drawing to a close.

Ha-sung appeared in 4 games during the exhibition period and continued his scoreless streak while recording 1 save.

The fans’ attention was focused on his performance in the exhibition games.

-Today is the last exhibition game.

-Will Ha-sung pitch?

-It’s the last game. Won’t he pitch to get a final check in before the opening game?

-The majors will be really exciting this year.

-I’m already excited to watch the majors after such a long time.

It’s just his performance in the exhibition games.

Normally, it wouldn’t garner this much attention.

But the fact that he is a Korean major leaguer who has emerged after a long absence.

In addition, the media is fueling the excitement, so the public’s response is fervent.

[The Athletics’ final exhibition game before the opening game. The score is 4 to 7.]

[Well, in this situation, Jung Ha-sung may not pitch.]

[But since it’s the last game, won’t he come in to get a final look?]

[That’s possible, but he’s already in top form, so there doesn’t seem to be any reason for him to pitch.]

The game was trending in a direction where the Athletics were likely to lose.

It was past the 6th inning and into the second half, so it seemed difficult to turn it around unless a home run was hit.

Clang-!!

[He connects! A hit that splits the left-center field gap! The runner advances to 2nd and stops at 3rd, putting a runner in scoring position with no outs.]

But baseball is a game of momentum.

As they entered the second half, the Athletics had an opportunity.

Thud!!

“Ball! Base on balls!!”

Two hitters successfully reached base in a row.

[The bases are starting to load up with no outs. And Matt Holliday is at the plate! Matt Holliday, who joined the Athletics this season, but he hasn’t been showing a good performance in the exhibition games?]

[Yes. Both his batting average and slugging percentage are below expectations. He hasn’t hit a home run yet.]

[Some are saying it was a mistake for him to leave the Rockies [a professional baseball team].]

[It’s still the exhibition game period, so we’ll have to wait and see a little longer.]

Matt was at the plate.

The fans, as well as the front office, were hoping he would hit a home run here.

They had invested a lot of money in him, so they wanted him to deliver a performance that justified the expense.

But.

Clang-!!

[He hits the first pitch! But it’s a weak ground ball! It doesn’t travel far. The center fielder runs in and catches it. The runner couldn’t advance at all.]

[Ah-! That was too hasty a swing. There’s a runner in scoring position, so what kind of swing is that?]

Matt was out, failing to meet expectations.

The problem was that he reacted as if it wasn’t a big deal.

“Ah, it just doesn’t feel right.”

Watching him nonchalantly, Jack thought.

‘Although he’s an unlucky guy, maybe that’s the attitude I need.’

It was then.

“Jack! You’re up next.”

He was given one last chance.

* * *

Ha-sung was waiting in the bullpen.

His eyes were glued to the monitor.

‘I’d like to get one last outing in if possible. Will I get the chance?’

In the current situation, there was a high probability that he wouldn’t pitch.

[Clang!!]

[He hit it well. A hit that lands in front of the center fielder, the runner on 2nd stops at 3rd, loading the bases.]

[Matt should have hit it like that too.]

Then a hit came.

With 1 out, the bases were loaded.

And a familiar face stepped up to the plate.

[The Athletics are using a pinch hitter here. Minor leaguer Jack appears. He hasn’t had a hit in the exhibition games yet, but they’re putting him in the game in a crucial situation.]

It may seem like a questionable decision.

But the exhibition game is just that, an exhibition game.

Since it’s not a regular season game, they test as many players as possible.

Of course, it’s somewhat surprising that Jack is still around, but.

‘It’s his last chance. If he doesn’t seize the opportunity here, it will be difficult for him to play in the big leagues this year.’

Did the advice he gave him help?

Ha-sung calmly assessed his demeanor.

The change was evident from the first pitch.

[Thud!!]

[Ball!]

[First pitch is a ball.]

He didn’t swing at the breaking ball.

You could sense his composure.

And that calmness was his true self.

“Hmm.”

Ha-sung observed this and rose from his seat.

“Chavez, I want to warm up.”

At Ha-sung’s words, bullpen coach Chavez looked puzzled.

“There’s a high possibility that you’ll rest in today’s game…….”

Clang!!

Then a resounding crack was heard.

Followed by.

“Waaaaaaa-!!”

The deafening cheers of the crowd shook the stadium.

[He cleared the bases!! He celebrates his first hit in the exhibition game with a grand slam!!]

Ha-sung, after confirming that the grand slam had been hit, asked Chavez.

“Can I warm up now?”

“Huh? Uh, uh! Of course!!”

* * *

[Jung Ha-sung records a save in the final exhibition game!!]

[Jack Orton’s grand slam in the 7th inning! And Jung Ha-sung, who secured the victory!]

[Are the concerns justified? Mountain man Matt Holliday, struggling in the exhibition game!!]

[Jung Ha-sung’s regular season is highly anticipated as he continues his perfect pitching with 2 saves and no runs allowed in 5 games!!]

The major league exhibition games have concluded.