Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 49

The Villain on the Mound – Episode 49

Ha-sung, on the mound, received the ball from Tony.

Tap, tap!

Ha-sung put the ball in his glove and rubbed rosin on his hand.

Then, standing on the mound, he calmly began his practice throws.

Thwack!

Thwack!

He threw the ball repeatedly, checking his condition.

‘I feel light because I rested yesterday. I might have to throw a lot today, so I should keep my practice throws light.’

Ha-sung finished his practice throws shorter than usual.

“Huh? Are you finishing already?”

“Yes. I don’t know how many I’ll have to throw.”

“Geez, a rookie thinking about that already. You’re a really unique guy.”

“Is that so?”

“Since you’re thinking that far ahead, you know what you have to do, right?”

“It’s the same as always. Not giving up any runs.”

“Right. If this flow continues, we’ll have a chance in the top of the 9th. But this flow won’t come if the score widens.”

“I’ll shut them down easily.”

Tony chuckled at the confident answer.

“I really like that about you. I’m counting on you then.”

Ha-sung watched Tony pat his shoulder and walk down, then smoothed the dirt on the mound.

The mound wasn’t in good condition, as many pitchers had been on it.

‘Runners on first and second with no outs. If they score even one run, it’s a reversal.’

After regressing [reincarnating or returning to a previous point in life], he had been on the mound in various situations.

But this was a first.

Early deployment in a huge slugfest.

‘Normally, a rookie would have a mental breakdown in this situation. But I’ve experienced many games like this in my previous life.’

Ha-sung used to be a starting pitcher.

However, it wasn’t like he only played as a starter.

He had also been deployed in the middle of very important games.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve pitched with runners on base, but what I have to do hasn’t changed.’

Getting outs.

That was what a pitcher always had to do.

‘If I overcome this crisis, my value will increase even more.’

Some players might dislike this situation.

But not Ha-sung.

He rather liked it.

Because his value would increase.

‘I won’t give up a single run.’

Ha-sung stood on the mound.

* * *

[The Yankees have a chance with runners on first and second and no outs. Closer Jung Ha-sung has come in to stop the Empire from scoring additional runs and taking the lead.]

The camera focused on Ha-sung.

[Jung Ha-sung, who debuted in the major league as an expanded roster player last year, has been on the roster since opening day this year and has a perfect save percentage with a 0.00 ERA (Earned Run Average) and 5 saves in 5 games.]

[He is proving that last year’s performance was not a fluke. But today’s game will be the most difficult situation in his baseball career.]

[That’s right. If there’s even one extra-base hit, the runner on second will charge home.]

The Yankees replaced the runner on second.

It was a professional pinch runner with great speed.

It would be impossible with a single, but he was a runner fast enough to try for home if the ball got past the outfield.

[The Yankees are sending Allen in as a pinch hitter here. He’s a player known for hitting fastballs well, right?]

[That’s right. The Yankees are showing their will to win today’s game by going all-out.]

It was truly an all-out war.

They were playing every card they could.

[How he handles the first batter is important.]

Ha-sung and Trevor exchanged signs.

[Jung Ha-sung, having finished exchanging signs, puts pressure on the runners with his eyes from the set position.]

[He’s calm even in this situation. Very good!]

[He throws the first pitch!]

Whoosh-!

Crack!!

[He hit the first pitch!]

“Foul!!”

[It goes out of bounds! Although it was a foul, he timed the 97-mile fastball.]

[He’s swinging aggressively from the first pitch. He definitely seems confident against fastballs.]

The batter had no hesitation.

He seemed to be thinking of swinging at any fastball that came.

‘He hits well for sure. Then how about this?’

Ha-sung nodded at Trevor’s sign.

[He throws the second pitch.]

Whoosh-!!

This time, the ball flew toward the outside of the batter.

Allen didn’t miss it and swung his bat.

At that moment.

Swoosh!

The ball curved outward.

Whoong!!

Thwack!

“Swing! Strike!!”

[A swing and a miss on the second pitch! The pitch he threw this time seems to be a sinker, right?]

[I think so. He threw it a few times last year, but this is the first sinker he’s thrown this season.]

[The movement is art.]

[With this level of movement, you can say it’s top-notch even in the major league.]

The card Ha-sung pulled out was a sinker [a pitch that drops sharply as it reaches the plate].

It was the least exposed of the pitches Ha-sung had thrown so far.

Above all, the movement was close to a breaking ball, so it was suitable for throwing off the batter’s timing.

[He continues to throw the third pitch!]

Whoosh-!

Thwack!

“Ball!!”

[The bat comes out and stops! Trevor checks the swing with the first base umpire!]

The first base umpire’s arms spread left and right.

[The ruling is that the bat didn’t turn. If you look at the slow motion, it looks like a check swing.]

[It looks like the bat turned, but the first base umpire is ruling that it didn’t. That’s too bad.]

Ha-sung looked at the first base umpire, turned around, and rubbed rosin on his hand.

‘It turned.’

Even to him, it looked like the head of the bat had passed over home plate.

But they said it didn’t turn.

The first base umpire might have missed it, but the ruling had already been made.

‘Nothing I can do.’

Regretting the past doesn’t bring it back.

Ha-sung had experienced that painfully.

‘I shouldn’t have thrown that ball in the Korean Series. I shouldn’t have pitched,’ he repeated countless times, but it was an unchanging result.

He had to focus on the present.

That was the only way to produce good results.

‘Focus, focus.’

Ha-sung maximized his concentration.

“Hoo…….”

He calmly regulated his breathing and brought his foot to the pitcher’s plate.

Then he leaned forward and checked Trevor’s sign.

‘One ball and two strikes. I have to make a decision here.’

Trevor’s sign was a cutter [a type of fastball that breaks slightly].

The location was on the batter’s side at thigh height.

Considering the movement of the cutter Ha-sung throws, it goes to the center and then changes.

If you think of the center and swing the bat, there was a high probability that it would hit near the handle.

‘If the bat breaks and there’s a hit, there’s a high probability that a ground ball will come out. I can even aim for a double play.’

Trevor calculated that far and gave the sign.

Ha-sung nodded and went into the set position.

Then he glanced at the runner on first base to check.

‘The center of gravity has shifted, but there’s almost no intention to run.’

He turned his head to check the runner on second base as well.

‘The lead is a bit long, but…….’

The count is bad.

A run and hit or hit and run could come out, but if I think that far, my head gets complicated.

‘What I have to do is…….’

Swish-!!

Ha-sung stepped forward.

‘Throw the ball!!’

Whoong!!

He turned his arm with all his might.

At that moment.

Tap-!

The lead of the two runners increased.

But Ha-sung didn’t pay any attention to it.

His gaze did not waver from the mitt.

“Hup!!”

[He threw the fourth pitch!]

The ball left Ha-sung’s hand.

The batter’s bat turned sharply toward the fiercely flying ball.

‘Caught it……!’

The moment the trajectory of the bat and the ball were about to match.

Swoosh!!

A slight change occurred in the trajectory of the ball.

‘Cutter……!’

Crack!!

The changing ball deviated from the sweet spot of the bat and hit near the handle of the bat.

The mis-hit ball flew toward Ha-sung.

‘Infield?!’

‘It’s caught!’

It was a situation where he could catch the ball.

The runners, who looked like they were about to run at any moment, showed movement to return to their bases.

At that moment.

Thud!!

The ball fell weakly in front of Ha-sung.

Ha-sung immediately grabbed the ball and threw it to first base.

Thwack!!

“Out!”

The first base umpire’s hand went up.

The first baseman, who caught the ball, immediately threw the ball to second base.

Thwack!

“Out!!”

This time, the second base umpire’s hand went up and the ball headed to third base.

Thwack!

“Out!!”

In an instant, three outs were recorded.

* * *

A triple play.

It means a play that puts three offensive team players out in a series of actions.

Since three outs are recorded at the same time, the inning must end.

But there were still Yankees players on the ground.

And one more person.

[Yankees manager Girardi’s protest is getting longer. It seems like an appeal about the infield fly rule, right?]

Infield fly rule.

It means a fly ball that an infielder can catch with ordinary effort in a no-out or one-out situation with runners on first and second, or bases loaded.

The infield fly rule is in place to prevent double plays through intentional drops.

A controversy arose here.

[That’s right. Manager Girardi is arguing that the ball was one that pitcher Jung Ha-sung could have handled easily.]

[But the infield fly rule only takes effect when the umpire calls it, right?]

[That’s right. This ball was mis-hit and returned to the pitcher, and the umpires didn’t make a call because it fell in such a short time.]

[Can the ruling be overturned?]

[It seems unlikely. As explained earlier, it only takes effect when a declaration is made, but since that didn’t happen, it can’t be seen as an infield fly situation.]

The batter is out and the runners must return to their bases only when the umpire declares an infield fly.

But in this case, the ball fell before it could be declared.

In other words, the umpires saw it as a liner because it was a situation that happened in a short time.

[We should praise Jung Ha-sung’s awareness for this. He judged the situation in a very short moment and made a great play.]

Manager Girardi didn’t get anywhere with his protest.

The umpires did not accept his protest and the Athletics’ triple play stood.

[Jung Ha-sung sets up the triple play, and the Yankees’ chance in the bottom of the 8th disappears!]

The game moved to the 9th inning.

* * *

There is a saying that opportunity comes after a crisis.

This saying fits very well in baseball.

Crack!!

[He hit it! The Athletics are getting consecutive hits! It’s now 1 out with runners on 1st and 3rd!]

[They’re seizing an opportunity against Rivera.]

There was closer Mariano Rivera on the mound, but the Athletics seized an opportunity.

Ha-sung watched the scene and gulped down a drink.

‘If they score even one run, I’ll finish the game.’

It’s a game where even a triple play came out.

It’s natural to want to win.

If they lose, the spotlight will fade that much.

At that time, a sharp crack of the bat rang through the stadium.

Tap-!!

“Waaaaah!!”

“He hit it well!!”

The dugout was buzzing.

Ha-sung also got up from his seat and watched the batted ball flying to the outfield.

‘Toward center field. This will be a close play.’

The third base runner, who judged so, was also preparing to tag up [advance to the next base after a caught fly ball].

Thwack!

The moment the ball was caught.

The third base runner kicked off the base and started running.

At the same time, the center fielder threw the ball toward home with all his might.

Whoosh-!!

The ball flew quickly home like a laser beam.

The runner slid toward home plate at the gesture of his teammate waiting at home.

Shwaaa-!!

Thwack!

The catcher’s mitt, which received the throw, tagged the sliding runner.

A moment of silence fell, and what broke it was the umpire’s cry.

“Safe!!”

“Waaaaah-!!”

[He’s safe! The Athletics barely touched home first! They are finally taking the lead in the game!!]

They started taking the lead in the 9th inning.

It was only 1 point, but it was enough.

‘To win the game, you see.’

Ha-sung grabbed his glove.

* * *

[Jung Ha-sung records his first major league win!]

The game between the Athletics and the Yankees went to the Athletics’ victory.

As a result, Ha-sung recorded his first major league win.

But what became more of a hot topic than that was the triple play.

[Jung Ha-sung, the catalyst for the triple play with fantastic awareness!]

[A controversial triple play?]

[New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi! Explodes with anger in a post-game interview!]

The triple play became the center of controversy.