Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 85

The Athletics team, having arrived in New York, unpacked and rested. Although the travel wasn’t long, insufficient rest could negatively impact their performance. Therefore, they dedicated their time to resting and recovering from fatigue. After a day, the team traveled to Yankee Stadium on their private bus.

Upon arriving, they were met by a throng of fans and reporters. “Mr. Bailey! This is your first Championship Series. Any words for the fans?” “Mr. Arnold, can we expect another home run from you today?” “Jack! How are you feeling?”

The players’ faces tightened under the barrage of questions. Unaccustomed to such intense media attention, they seemed unsure how to respond. The reporters, sensing their inexperience, quickly lost interest. They needed a compelling quote to justify their presence.

Just then, a player emerged from the bus. “It’s Ha-sung!” “It’s Jung Ha-sung!” The season’s breakout star, Jung Ha-sung, had arrived. The reporters surged toward him like thirsty travelers spotting an oasis.

“Mr. Jung Ha-sung! How do you feel heading into the Championship Series?” “Same as always.” “What’s your mindset for the game?” “To win, of course.” “Are you confident?” “Isn’t that obvious?”

Ha-sung’s answers were concise, offering little excitement for the reporters. He, in turn, wasn’t impressed with their line of questioning. “Seriously, are you guys reading from a drama script? Don’t you have any better questions?”

Ha-sung’s challenge visibly startled the reporters. One of them, raising his hand, responded, “I’m Michael from the New York Times. Fans are eager to hear your thoughts on the upcoming showdown between you and the Yankees’ superstar, Rodrigo. Care to comment?”

“Superstar? Should the New York Times shut down now?” Ha-sung retorted. “What did you say?” the reporter asked, taken aback.

“For a reporter from the famous New York Times, a media outlet renowned even in Korea, to call a ‘roid user [someone who uses steroids] a superstar is ridiculous, isn’t it?”

Ha-sung’s words struck a nerve, touching upon an unspoken truth. The reporters’ eyes lit up as they held out their recorders, sensing a story. “What sanctions did Rodrigo face after admitting to using drugs? None. Why is that?”

“Because he revealed it himself…!” one reporter stammered.

“The exposure came first, and he confessed when he was cornered. Am I wrong?” Ha-sung pressed. “But he is sincerely repenting,” another reporter countered.

“Oh, is repenting enough? Then can I use performance-enhancing drugs now and simply apologize if I get caught in a doping test later?” Ha-sung challenged. “That’s absurd!” the reporter exclaimed.

“That’s the logical conclusion of what you just said, you know?” Ha-sung pointed out. “That’s not what I meant…!” the reporter sputtered. “Then what did you mean?” Ha-sung stared intently at the reporter, who bit his lip, unable to formulate a coherent response.

Seeing his hesitation, Ha-sung scoffed and said, “I don’t care what Alex ‘Roider’-igo said. Superstar? Great achievements? Don’t talk nonsense. The achievements that guy made are nothing but a mirage.”

Ha-sung’s tone was firm, his politeness gone. The reporters, noticing his shift to more direct English, scribbled furiously in their notebooks. ‘Ha-sung speaks English well, so there’s no language barrier for him even after coming to America. He’s clearly choosing his words deliberately to criticize Rodrigo.’

At Ha-sung’s words, the reporters’ eyes gleamed, sensing a juicy story. Undeterred, Ha-sung continued, “He said in an interview with the New York Times that he has represented Major League for over 10 years. Is that right?”

“Y-yes,” Michael stammered, nodding under Ha-sung’s intense gaze. “I’ll make it clear,” Ha-sung stated, his voice loud enough for all the reporters to hear. “‘Roider’-igo can never represent sports. If there is such a sport, do you know what it is?”

“…….” The reporters remained silent.

“That’s not sports; it’s entertainment.” The reporters swallowed hard at Ha-sung’s blunt remarks.

* * *

Ha-sung’s remarks sent shockwaves through the media.

[Jung Ha-sung Refers to Alex Rodrigo as ‘Roider’!] [Alex Rodrigo’s Achievements Are Nothing More Than a Mirage!] [Alex’s Admission of Drug Use Was Not Repentance but a Confession Forced by a Dead End!] [‘Roider’-igo Cannot Represent Sports! If There Is, It’s Not Sports but Entertainment!]

Ha-sung’s statements were reported as breaking news, eliciting a wide range of reactions.

-What’s with the breaking news?
-Did he really say that?
-Wow… Even though Rodrigo’s influence has decreased, isn’t that a bit harsh?
-Jung Ha-sung doesn’t hold back.
-Doesn’t Rodrigo have a lot of influence in the players’ union too?

Some expressed concern.

-Refreshing-!
-Wow~ There’s a player who thinks like me?
-That’s right! I hated seeing Alex in the media again!
-What kind of superstar is a drug user?
-Yankees can’t even create stars without drugs!
-Everything he said is right, what’s the controversy?

Others agreed with Ha-sung’s sentiments.

And then there was another group.

-Who is this guy to criticize Rodrigo?
-Just a flash in the pan.
-He has no respect for his elders.
-What kind of Rookie of the Year [ROY] is this guy!
-I don’t think he should even receive ROY.
-Trash talk is all he’s good at.
-Why is a thug like this a professional baseball player?
-Let’s see what he can do on the field!

These were the people who were openly criticizing Ha-sung.

This dynamic was familiar. Alex Rodrigo had been a source of controversy throughout the season. Red Sox fans, in particular, relentlessly attacked the Yankees and Rodrigo online. Undermining Rodrigo, a symbol of the Yankees, was seen as a way to weaken the team. Yankees fans, in turn, defended their star player.

This rivalry was now playing out in the Championship Series. Red Sox fans, hoping to see the Yankees eliminated, were now supporting Ha-sung’s attacks on Rodrigo.

In any case, the incident significantly heightened interest in the Championship Series.

* * *

Alex, relaxing at his New York mansion, frowned as he read the article. “That damn bastard…!”

No player dared to call him a ‘roid user. That’s how unique his existence was. But for a mere rookie to use that term was unacceptable. “How should I deal with this young punk to relieve my anger?”

Alex threw his smartphone down in frustration. He couldn’t shake his anger. He wanted to confront Ha-sung directly, but he knew that would only worsen public opinion. “If I cause another incident, the sponsors will drop out again. I barely managed to stop the bleeding by improving my performance, but the impact from the previous losses is still significant.”

Alex Rodrigo was a high-paid player, but his income extended far beyond his salary. He earned as much from sponsorships and advertising as many other players earned in salary. This was possible because he was a superstar representing Major League. Therefore, his admission of drug use had a significant impact.

“There was no other way at the time. The evidence was overwhelming. If that had been exposed first, I wouldn’t even be playing now.” He was now barely returning to his former glory. He recorded 30 home runs and 100 RBIs this season, achieving his 13th career record. This was the most in Major League history, and Rodrigo had once again made history.

Thanks to this, his image had somewhat recovered, and advertisements were starting to come in again. “To bring up drugs again in this situation… Damn bastard!” That’s why Ha-sung’s remarks were so infuriating.

“I’ll crush you in this series,” Rodrigo muttered, picking up the phone and dialing a number he knew by heart. Beep-!

A short ringing tone ended, and a familiar voice answered. [Oh, Rodrigo. What’s up?]

“I think I’ll need that in this series,” Rodrigo said.

[What? I thought you said you’d quit for a while?] the voice replied.

“It doesn’t matter. You said it yourself: it can’t be detected with the current system,” Rodrigo said.

[That’s right. Current technology can’t catch it. You’ve been tested so many times, but you’ve never been caught, have you?] the voice confirmed.

“Yeah. So, I need it,” Rodrigo said.

[Okay. Then I’ll send it to you today. But you’ll have to pay 30 percent more than what we talked about last time,] the voice stated.

“What? Why all of a sudden?” Rodrigo asked, annoyed.

[It’s a sudden request. I have to charge a fee for that,] the voice explained.

“Damn it, okay. Send it to me,” Rodrigo conceded, frowning as he hung up the phone. “A money-grubbing bastard.” But he trusted the guy’s skills. If he used it, he would be able to achieve what he wanted easily. “I’ll show you what kind of guy I am.”

* * *

All seats for the Championship Series were sold out well in advance. This was not unusual; it would be more surprising if the postseason wasn’t sold out. But the atmosphere at today’s game was different. “How dare a rookie talk to our Rodrigo like that!” “Damn bastard! Just step onto the field!” “Rodrigo is the pride of our Yankees!”

Yankees fans arrived at the stadium with a fierce look in their eyes. They had all read about Ha-sung’s remarks. They already felt betrayed by their superstar’s drug use. Nevertheless, they had forgiven Rodrigo because he claimed he hadn’t used drugs while wearing the Yankees uniform. They chose to believe his words that he had quit drugs in the past. But now, a rookie was bringing up the past again, and they couldn’t contain their anger.

“The atmosphere is intense,” one Korean tourist said nervously. “If we say one wrong word, we won’t get out of here alive,” another replied. “Why did we book seats on the Yankees side?”

There were many Korean tourists and Korean residents at Yankee Stadium. They felt intimidated by the Yankees fans’ fierce energy and were afraid to cheer. There were also groups supporting the Athletics, but their numbers were small because it was an away game. As a result, they were overwhelmed by the atmosphere of Yankee Stadium.

In this tense situation, the Athletics team entered the field. “Those bastards are out!” “How dare you insult the Yankees in New York?!” “Get your ass kicked today!” “Wooooooo-!!”

As expected, a deafening chorus of boos erupted from the Yankees fans. The booing was so intense that even neutral observers would feel uncomfortable. But.

“Yaaawn-!” Ha-sung yawned, deliberately provoking the crowd. And it worked perfectly. “Yawning?!” “I’m going to kill you!” “I’ll make you crawl out of here today!” “We must win!!”

While the booing threatened to tear the stadium apart, the announcer’s voice boomed: [American League Championship Series! New York Yankees vs. Oakland Athletics! Game 1 of the Oakland Athletics vs. New York Yankees is about to begin!!]

Game 1 of the ALCS has begun.