Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 86

Villain on the Mound – Episode 86

The playoffs weren’t just for the fans of the teams that made it. They captivated all baseball enthusiasts as the season’s climactic series.

In particular, the New York Yankees, being the most popular team in Major League Baseball, drew a larger-than-usual audience, and online discussions about their games exploded.

-ALCS [American League Championship Series] started.

-Sabathia is awesome, even in the CS [Championship Series].

-Shouldn’t he lose some weight?

-That’s his baseball pouch, lol [laughing out loud].

Yankees ace CC Sabathia pitched incredibly well, proving his worth as a player deserving of his lucrative contract.

Thwack-!

“Strike! Batter out!!”

[Strikeout! CC Sabathia shuts down the first inning with a clean three up, three down, showcasing a dominant start!]

The Athletics failed to score against Sabathia in the top of the first, squandering their initial offensive opportunity.

But the Yankees were a different story.

Clack-!!

[Hit! Well-hit ball! It drops in front of the center fielder!]

[He’s swinging aggressively from the first pitch and gets a hit.]

The leadoff hitter reaches base.

Clack!!

[Shortstop fields a fast ground ball! Ah, but he bobbles it and can’t make the throw to second base!]

[He’s creating a crisis with a ridiculous error.]

[The Athletics are facing a crisis right from the first inning! Derek Jeter, the number three hitter, steps up to the plate.]

The online community buzzed with excitement at the sight of Derek Jeter, who was having a phenomenal season.

-Jeter’s here!

-Yankees captain is up.

-This guy is perfect except for his womanizing.

-That’s right, lol.

-Jeter is sure to score this year.

Jeter’s performance this season had been outstanding. Even at 35, he was batting .330, demonstrating remarkable skill.

And that high level of play continued into the Championship Series.

Clack!!

[Hit! A hit that falls in front of the left fielder! The runner on second holds at third, and the Yankees load the bases in the first inning!]

The Athletics’ situation grew dire as they faced a bases-loaded situation with no outs.

Watching the game, Chris frowned.

‘Damn it! The players are too tense.’

He could sense it even from a distance.

‘No matter how strong the Yankees’ support is, this is too much. It’s almost like playing against the Red Sox.’

Yankees and Red Sox.

The rivalry between the two teams always unfolded with intense animosity.

The fans would exchange taunts and hurl scathing criticisms and accusations at each other.

That kind of atmosphere was being replicated in the game between the Athletics and the Yankees.

‘To face that guy in this atmosphere…’

Chris’s face hardened as he saw the batter stepping up to the plate.

[Superstar Alex Rodigo steps up to the plate with the bases loaded and no outs!]

* * *

The atmosphere in the bullpen was more subdued than usual.

‘Facing a crisis in the first inning is dragging the whole team down.’

It seemed the many rookies were overwhelmed by the stadium’s atmosphere.

On top of that, the early crisis added another layer of pressure.

[Alex, who recorded his 13th career 30-homer, 100-RBI season this year, was caught up in a scandal at the beginning of the season, but now he’s completely revived.]

Although the game was being broadcast on ESPN, the commentator didn’t dwell on Alex’s past drug use.

‘Well, considering Alex’s influence, it’s understandable.’

Alex wasn’t just a superstar representing one team; he represented Major League Baseball itself. His connections extended beyond sports to various industries, including entertainment.

His influence was so vast that he even had ties in the political arena.

‘Well, thanks to that, my name can become more well-known too.’

Although Ha-sung had gained national recognition, it was primarily due to his performance this season.

Alex Rodigo had been building his reputation for over a decade in Major League Baseball.

Being associated with someone like Alex would naturally etch his name into the public consciousness.

That’s what Ha-sung was aiming for.

‘If you take down a guy at the top, attention will naturally be focused on you.’

Being at the top means you’re always a target.

Even he himself had been under intense scrutiny when he was the best starting pitcher in the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization].

The media monitored his every move, and he had no privacy.

‘But for a guy at the top to be using drugs… it’s karma.’

It’s his own fault for using drugs.

It’s not wrong for fans to criticize him for that.

Right now, most Yankees fans were ignoring the truth to protect their superstar.

Alex used drugs, and his performance was enhanced by those drugs.

And he faced no consequences because it was a thing of the past.

This was incredibly unfair.

‘That’s why most Major League Baseball fans, except for Yankees fans, hate him. My comments are relieving their frustration.’

The number of fans and detractors increases simultaneously, but it wasn’t a major concern.

The number of fans was overwhelmingly greater.

‘One side effect is that these guys are out of it, which is a problem.’

The team’s atmosphere was heavy due to the pressure of the Championship Series and the overwhelming home-field advantage of their opponents.

Clack-!!

And the worst-case scenario unfolded.

With a resounding crack, a towering hit soared through the air.

Alex, visible on the monitor, was jogging slowly toward first base.

“Waaaaaa-!!”

“Woowaaaa!!”

And the moment the ball cleared the fence,

The crowd erupted in unison.

The deafening cheers made the stadium feel like it was shaking.

‘A grand slam in this situation…’

The atmosphere couldn’t have been worse.

* * *

[New York Yankees! Dominate ALCS Game 1 with a decisive victory!]

[Is this the limit of a small market team? Athletics lose completely, 8 to 2!!]

[Superstar Alex Rodigo leads the empire to victory!]

The Yankees won the first game thanks to Alex Rodigo’s stellar performance.

The Yankees’ momentum from winning the first game carried over into the second game.

Clack-!!

[Jeter hits the third pitch hard!! It splits the gap between the shortstop and third base!! Derek Jeter gets a hit in his second at-bat!]

With Derek Jeter’s hit, an opportunity arose for Alex.

[Alex Rodigo, who recorded 6 RBIs [Runs Batted In] including a grand slam the previous day, steps up to the plate!]

[Alex Rodigo, who has struggled in the postseason in the past, is showing exceptional performance in this Championship Series.]

[Was the controversy with Jung Ha-sung before the series started the trigger?]

[Some say that, but Alex is a naturally great player.]

[You mean innate skill?]

[That’s right.]

Alex Rodigo, at the plate, took two pitches.

Thwack!

“Ball! Two!!”

[Alex Rodigo lays off a breaking curveball! He’s not chasing the breaking balls like yesterday, showing he’s in good form!]

[He looks to be in very good condition.]

Being in good condition was part of it.

But there was a more significant reason.

‘As expected, the stuff he gave me is the real deal. The ball looks incredibly clear.’

There are countless types of performance-enhancing drugs.

In addition to steroids that simply increase muscle strength, there are also drugs that enhance concentration.

The substance he received was a combination of all these effects.

‘It’s worth paying a fortune for.’

Not only is he skilled, but he also won’t be caught by current doping tests.

Unless there’s unnecessary exposure like before, the chance of getting caught is zero.

[The third pitch!]

The ball left the pitcher’s hand and hurtled toward the catcher’s mitt.

Alex’s concentration was so heightened that he could even see the seams of the ball.

‘Got it!’

Whoosh!!

Alex’s bat whipped around with incredible speed.

Clack-!!

[He crushes it!! This is huge!! A home run that lands in the left-field stands! Alex Rodigo homers in two consecutive games!!]

Alex’s second home run of the Championship Series exploded off the bat.

“Waaaaaa-!!”

“Alex is the best!!”

The fans erupted in cheers.

Other players were also marveling at Alex’s tremendous home run.

But one person wasn’t.

‘It’s like he didn’t predict the ball and hit it, but saw it and then hit it.’

It’s hard to be certain watching on the monitor.

But if he truly saw the ball that clearly and reacted, it means Alex’s condition is exceptionally good, or another factor is at play.

‘I’d assume it’s the former, but because it’s that guy, I’m even more suspicious.’

It would later be revealed that Alex Rodigo had been consistently using drugs even after admitting to past drug use.

This became known as the Biogenesis scandal and shook the foundations of Major League Baseball.

‘Anyway, I have to be careful if I face him in this series.’

Ha-sung organized his thoughts and continued watching the game.

And on this day,

The Yankees won, pushing the Athletics to the brink with a series score of 2-0.

* * *

On the day of their return flight via private jet,

The atmosphere within the Athletics team was somber.

‘Losing two games in a row has made the atmosphere even more subdued.’

The only way to reverse this trend was to start winning.

But to win, a player had to step up and deliver a phenomenal performance. Currently, no such player existed on the Athletics.

‘It’s really comfortable to be a starter in times like this.’

Ha-sung felt a pang of frustration.

In the past, when he was a starting pitcher, if the team fell into a slump, he could simply take the mound and pitch well.

In fact, he had plenty of such experiences, but he couldn’t use that approach now.

‘So this is what it feels like to only pitch for one inning. Rivera did this throughout his career?’

He truly found it remarkable.

As a human being, you’re bound to feel helpless at times like this.

The team is losing, but there’s nothing you can do.

Nevertheless, it was amazing that Rivera never considered any other position throughout his career.

‘I should switch to starting after this season.’

At first, he had simply wondered if he should try starting.

There was also the financial incentive.

As a closer, who is generally paid less than a starting pitcher, switching to starting would allow him to accumulate wealth faster and build a more lucrative career.

‘It’s good to continue building a career as a closer, but being a starting pitcher is still the best.’

One thing that concerned him was the team’s reaction.

Since he had established a legendary career in his rookie season, there was a high probability that they would oppose Ha-sung’s transition to a starter.

But Ha-sung didn’t care much.

‘I’m going to do it, what are you going to do about it?’

Ha-sung was even contemplating a boycott if they opposed his decision.

The fame he had garnered made it possible.

More than anything, the Athletics were in a position where they couldn’t afford to upset him.

‘If they send me down to the minor leagues, the number of spectators visiting the stadium will also decrease. And the Athletics’ financial situation isn’t strong enough to withstand that.’

There was no way to stop him.

Knowing that, Ha-sung was determined to proceed with his plan.

‘I’ll have to finish the Championship Series strong and then think about it.’

Ha-sung’s gaze swept across the interior of the private jet.

‘With this atmosphere, the World Series is out of the question.’

Ha-sung had already given up on the World Series.

He didn’t really have any strong desire to play in it.

Performing well in the World Series wouldn’t significantly impact his career.

It wouldn’t even add much to it.

‘Still, it would be nice to get involved with Alex at least once.’

That would create some drama.

If he clashed with that guy, there was a high probability it would become a major news story.

But since that wasn’t something he could force, Ha-sung cleared his mind and decided to rest.