Chapter 67

The Worst Kid -1-

#

The tradition of Ocean's fans insulting the bullpen pitchers was an old one, but certain situations could create a different atmosphere.

Especially after Kang Geon-woo dramatically hit a game-tying home run against none other than Lee Dae-hoon, it was inevitable.

Ocean's closer, Jo Hyung-oh, has two nicknames: 'Jjokhyung-oh' and 'Jo-pan Daesang,' a combination of Jo Hyung-oh's name and the term for a final boss.

Of course, fans of other teams never call him 'Jo-pan Daesang.' Even Ocean's fans don't use it that often.

The difficulty of being a closer is that you never know when you'll be called to the mound. You might finish your warm-up and not pitch, or depending on the manager's style, you might pitch in several consecutive games. Some managers might assign only one inning to a closer, while others might assign multiple innings.

In any case, today's Jo Hyung-oh had the makings of a 'Jo-pan Daesang.'

He had rested for three days and hadn't warmed up at all during that period.

It's a simple manual: never assign more than one inning, and if you do, don't exceed about 25 pitches.

If he pitches in two consecutive games, he needs at least two days off, and three is better.

But how often does a closer get to pitch under such ideal conditions? Sometimes he might not pitch for a week, and other times he might have to pitch for several consecutive days.

Despite his frequent breakdowns and serious durability issues, Jo Hyung-oh has never been discarded by the many managers who have passed through Ocean, all because of his blazing fastball when he's in top form.

And today, in full condition, Jo Hyung-oh perfectly shut down the Vikings' three batters: strikeout, catcher's pop fly, and shortstop groundout.

[Jo-pan Daesang>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Lee Dae-hoon]

lolololololololol

lol Lee Dae-hoon is trash lolololololol

lol If Lee Dae-hoon wants to be a closer, he should learn from our Hyung-oh lolololololol

lol Would a closer blow a save and be used? lolololololol

lol Vikings, we'll specially allow the Jo-pan Daesang-Jjok Dae-hoon trade this time because we feel sorry for you. Be grateful.

lol What the hell, you bastards.

lol You can't develop your own players, so you always covet other teams' players.

lol Lift your heads, Vikings. Losing to a strong team like the Ocean's is nothing to be ashamed of.

lol You crazy Vikings, even in May you're this annoying. If you win the championship, it'll be a real mess.

The game ended with an Ocean's victory. The Vikings players couldn't hide their disappointment, but the Vikings fans were enraged by the Ocean's fans' comment attacks.

As for the Ocean's fans, they were elated.

There couldn't be anyone as happy as they were today.

[Retiring the gallery due to the Vikings' incompetence]

lol If you're that bad, you should have won.

lol Your closer is a piece of shit lololol

lol Delicious.

lol 770 million

lol It's hard to support a declining club.

lol The Ocean's have a broad heart like the sea, you bastards lololol

lol If you really mean it, buy a King Geon-woo jersey and switch teams.

lol I feel so sorry for a team with such a weak bullpen lololol

lol You must be jealous of the bullpen kingdom Ocean's. That's why you're retiring the gallery, huh?

lol Damn, you Busan bastards are really getting on my nerves.

lol Sorry, Viking friends, we've forgotten what it feels like to lose, so we can't empathize with your sadness.

lol You bastards, get out of our gallery!!!!!!!!

#

[The dramatic two-run home run by Kang Geon-woo, which even brought down the national team closer Lee Dae-hoon.]

[Ocean's, achieving a 4-0 record against the Vikings this season, breaking the nemesis relationship?]

[Coach Hugh Breadman, boldly using rookies and unknown players to improve the Ocean's.]

[The hero of the game-tying home run, Kang Geon-woo, reveals the secret of today's home run: 'Yuri-ssi said, "Yuri-ssi asked for a home run."']

lol What the hell is this?

lol This guy is really full of crap.

lol What the hell is this nonsense? Does he want to die?

lol You can't resist when Yuri-ssi asks for a home run, huh? lololol

lol Did Yuri-ssi relay a message from another Yuri-ssi? Is there a meeting? Are there two Yuris?

lol Just get a grip.

lol Why the beef?

lol When did I start the beef?

lol Is this not beef? The average character of a bastard lolololololol

[Coach Hugh Breadman, 'Gang's (Geon-woo) swing was beautiful. Jo's (Hyung-oh) pitching was perfect. While that's not the only reason we won today, no one can deny that their performance in the 9th inning was the most impressive.']

[Vikings Manager Kim Young-joon, 'The Ocean's are a strong team. No, they have become a strong team. I have to admit it.']

[Vikings catcher Jo Yong, 'Kang Geon-woo? He's really terrifying. Watching him swing from behind makes my hair stand on end. I'll talk to our starter (Kim) Kwon-jong and come up with a strategy.']

#

Yuri still feels a bit embarrassed, but she seems to be enjoying it more now.

- Wow, crazy Kang Geon-woo. Did he really say that in the interview?

"He hit a game-tying home run, so he has the right to say that."

- Yeah, of course. Our Geon-woo has the right to say that. But still, some respect for your dignity... Ah, never mind. Forget it.

I didn't mention that Hyunsu sent me the video. After the game, a baseball highlights show aired, and my interview was part of it.

I asked Hyunsu to send me a video of Yuri's reaction while watching my interview.

Yuri was covering her face with both hands, stomping her feet, and screaming.

- Wow! Wow! Crazy! Kang Geon-woo is crazy! Ahh! Geon-woo!

My mother-in-law was laughing at Yuri, and my father-in-law was tutting. I could hear him muttering, "This house is going to collapse."

In any case, I finished my call with Yuri and went to bed early.

After the chief coach left, the position is still vacant, but the players don't seem to care.

Actually, most of them seem to like it.

A few players might not, but even No Geon-woo said,

"Wow. It's like installing five hundred air purifiers in the locker room. Breathing is so much easier, isn't it? But what did Yook Sung-gun do to deserve this? He'll probably have a great time there as the chief coach."

And there's another thing I learned.

"Let's go for a three-game winning streak. I never thought this day would come, and my eyes are getting wet..."

Perhaps the team captain, Yang Dae-geun, was the one who paid the most attention to that person.

Usually, he only shouted "Ocean's, fight!" but before the game, he gathered the players and acted out a scene.

He pulled out a chocolate pie from his back pocket and pretended to wipe his tears with it.

Then, senior player Yi Si-wook shouted in surprise,

"Ah! Senior! I noticed you were missing a chocolate pie! What are you going to do with it in your back pocket! Ah!"

Baseball is a sport where games are played almost every day, and if you give your best every day, before you know it, a season is over.

In any case, today is a new start.

"One, two, three, deer fawn!"

"Deer shack!"

"Wow, senior. What's a deer fawn? The kids are watching! But, No Geon-woo! Did you just say 'deer shack'?"

"Sorry, I followed the captain without thinking."

"Do you think I don't know it was on purpose?"

#

Top of the 1st inning, Ocean's offense.

Jo Yong watched as Hwang Seok-gyu stepped into the batter's box from behind home plate.

"Seok-gyu, you were fast yesterday."

"Call me the flying squirrel of Yonghodong."

He doesn't seem like a bad guy, but I have no idea how to react to his sense of humor.

Jo Yong cleared his throat and got into position.

Today's starter, Kim Kwon-jong, is in good condition. The easiest way to gauge this pitcher's condition is by how much he talks when he comes to work.

The first pitch is an inside fastball.

As the pitcher threw the first pitch, Hwang Seok-gyu attempted a surprise bunt.

Thwack!

"Foul!"

Hwang Seok-gyu glared at where the ball landed and returned to the batter's box. Jo Yong smacked his lips.

Clearly, this isn't the old Ocean's. I'm not sure where the change started, but in yesterday's game, the decisive moment was definitely Kang Geon-woo's home run, but it began with a surprise bunt hit.

'Ah, maybe I shouldn't have given them a boost.'

But it's already happened. Still, it's not that strange for the Ocean's to be breaking out now.

They've been scraping the bottom of the barrel, gathering prospects.

Of course, Kang Geon-woo and No Geon-woo are rookies this season, so they're not related to the past prospects.

Thwack!

"Out!"

Hwang Seok-gyu grounded out to third on a slider on the fourth pitch.

The next batter is Bae Young-han. Bae Young-han stepped into the batter's box with his usual sly grin and greeted Jo Yong.

"Senior Bae Yong-han. How about some special treatment for a namesake? It's about time, isn't it?"

"Want a free walk?"

Young-han and Yong-han. Clearly different names, but this sly guy never tires of making namesake jokes.

"Free walk? Just graze my helmet with an 80 km/h pitch."

Jo Yong isn't the type to enjoy trash talk. He knows that talking too much with Bae Young-han, who likes to chat up the catcher at the plate, is never a good idea.

"I'll put it in the middle of the strike zone, so lean in."

"Okay. If it's not 80 km/h in the middle, I'll expose your dark past today."

He talks big, but he's not a lightweight. They went to a full count in six pitches.

He easily fouled off a fast slider, showing that he's in good form today.

'Ten pitches.'

Kim Kwon-jong needs to go deep into the game today. He needs to get Bae Young-han out here to manage his pitch count.

The next batter is Kang Geon-woo. An aggressive hitter, he could score a run or end the inning with a single pitch, but the safest route is the best.

'Slider.'

Kim Kwon-jong nodded without hesitation at the sign.

He's usually clueless, but on the mound, he's quick to pick up on things. He's always talking nonsense, but he's a serious pitcher when it comes to throwing the ball.

Whizz-

"Strike! Out!"

Bae Young-han swung and missed, striking out.

"Wow. What is this? Cheap underwear."

"Thirty-something, what kind of word choice is that? Just go in."

Bae Young-han grumbled and headed to the visiting dugout.

And Jo Yong noticed the Ocean's super rookie.

Kang Geon-woo was walking up to the plate.

It's only been a month and three weeks since his debut, but the way he walks makes him seem like a veteran who's played 2,000 games.

Some people criticize his casual bat swings as arrogant, but to Jo Yong, they seem like a metronome keeping the rhythm.

No matter how much he tries to provoke a rookie reaction, none comes. No matter how intimidating he and his teammates get, Kang Geon-woo shows no change at the plate.

If he swings harder to retaliate, his weaknesses will show, and if he swings smaller, the probability of a home run, his biggest threat, will decrease. But Kang Geon-woo just swings his own way, no matter what.

Kang Geon-woo's back was visible.

He's not a hulking, intimidating presence like Yang Dae-geun.

But how does he hit those home runs?

Some people speculate about drugs, illegal bats, or even a conspiracy that the KBO gives him special balls for league excitement, but Jo Yong knows.

'Damn. That swing from yesterday won't leave my mind.'

The secret to his power is clearly in the swing itself.

He doesn't have the traditional slugger's build, but the muscles under that uniform must be well-trained to generate explosive swing speed.

Of course, swing speed isn't everything. Jo Yong has seen many baseball geniuses, but this rookie might be a true genius.

"Ball!"

Kim Kwon-jong wanted to throw a fastball, but Jo Yong insisted on the breaking slider that just got Bae Young-han out. Kang Geon-woo didn't react to the sharply breaking slider.

'Damn. Just swing at it casually.'

Given the sharp break, it should have induced a weak contact.

Kim Kwon-jong shook his head at Jo Yong's next sign, but Jo Yong insisted.

"Ball!"

This time, an outside breaking slider. Kang Geon-woo didn't move.

"Ball!"

Kim Kwon-jong looked at the catcher with a puzzled expression. Jo Yong was surprised to find himself feeling comfortable in this 3-0 count.

'...I'm scared without even realizing it. Damn, damn.'

The pitcher is offering a challenge, but the catcher is refusing.

Kim Kwon-jong listens to Jo Yong more than anyone else. He nodded, though not happily, at the sign to walk Kang Geon-woo.

"Strike!"

A low changeup, and an absurd swing.

Kang Geon-woo swung. Jo Yong wondered how to interpret this provocation, but in reality, Kang Geon-woo was just trying to add a pitch to the count.

'Let's add some pitches to Kim Kwon-jong's count.'

The hitting coach's order.

In any case, Kang Geon-woo walked. Jo Yong didn't fall for this non-provocation and stuck to the original plan.

Kang Geon-woo was ready to swing at the next pitch in the strike zone but calmly headed to first base.

Jo Yong felt an inexplicable discomfort. As Yang Dae-geun stepped into the batter's box, he said,

"Senior, your face is completely red. Take a breath."

"Uh, h-ha."

Unable to catch his breath, still scared from yesterday's game-tying home run.

Jo Yong got annoyed. Yang Dae-geun couldn't know, but he was afraid of being seen as scared.

"Just play baseball."

"..."

Yang Dae-geun, worried that his favorite senior was in a bad mood, felt a bit down but forgot it when he aggressively hit the first pitch, despite the hitting coach's order to add pitches.

Thwack!

Yang Dae-geun's line drive split the left and center fielders.

"Damn."

While Kang Ge