Chapter 72

Hidden Fastball -1-

#

“I don’t think this is a joke. I believe you felt the same way. After all, it’s not an ordinary thing. I have the authority to set up a pitcher on the mound. If it were another player, I might have sought your advice, but it seems you found a different path.”

Pitching coach Ronberger Kin smiled slyly, saying something that contrasted with his expression.

In fact, I agree with this person. As a pitching coach, it could be a matter of pride.

But I also have my reasons.

“I’m not sure how you’ll take it...”

“My ears are quite open.”

“The previous pitching coach required all pitchers to throw forkballs.”

“Yeah, I heard that.”

“Personally, I thought forkballs didn’t suit me, so I prepared separately.”

And one more thing.

“If the pitching coach hadn’t changed, I would have focused only on hitting.”

“Is that related to injury concerns?”

“Yes.”

In any case, it’s not a complete lie.

Ronberger Kin, the pitching coach, smiled slightly.

“You’re a unique player.”

“Maybe so.”

“Especially here. Other players don’t talk like that.”

“Is that so?”

“One of our starting pitchers has only said ‘Yes’ since I arrived.”

I’m not sure, but it might be a matter of national character.

That’s one thing. Our manager also found it strange that other players didn’t clearly express their intentions to him.

Players are a bit awkward with the foreign manager and seem to perceive him as someone who will leave after a few seasons, unlike Korean managers who remain in the baseball community even after stepping down.

I said clearly.

“If you use me as a closer, you can use the existing closer, who has stamina issues, as a setup man. We can operate more flexibly with a left-handed and right-handed setup man.”

“That depends on your stuff. And you haven’t thrown in the pros, right?”

If it were a Korean coach, they might have called me arrogant. But Ronberger Kin’s expression showed interest.

“I hadn’t hit a home run in the pros until April this year.”

“Hmm.”

“And my OPS is over 1.4.”

“A pitcher and a hitter are different.”

“You’ll think differently when you see me pitch.”

“Alright. I’m ready to be surprised. I hope you surprise me a lot.”

#

I held back a bit during practice.

The reason is injury concerns.

Generally, pitches like sliders, forkballs, and sinkers are known to have a higher risk of injury.

Throwing a pitch, regardless of the type, puts a lot of strain on the body, but pitches that involve twisting the elbow are even more dangerous.

Actually, fastballs are no different. So, I deliberately reduced my speed a bit.

I maintained a speed just over 150 km/h, focusing more on control.

Of course, if needed, I can throw faster. During training with Yool, I simulated and expected to reach up to 162 km/h.

I know how to throw other pitches, but for now, I plan to focus on four-seam fastballs and changeups.

How well can a batter react when a 160 km/h fastball suddenly comes after a 150 km/h fastball?

Or.

If a batter is expecting a four-seam fastball or changeup and gets a slider or curveball instead?

“...”

“Was it okay?”

“Damn. To be honest, when I saw you throw, I thought about developing you as a pitcher. I was tempted by that shoulder.”

“What about now?”

“It’s not as fun to develop a fully grown pitcher.”

The reaction is to this extent. But I need to think more about my position.

Of course, I should mention to Park Yihyun that I will throw other pitches in actual games. It would be problematic to deceive the catcher.

Anyway, we prepared for the game against the Angels in Seoul.

I can’t sit in the dugout due to my suspension. Watching from the stands felt a bit off, so I returned to my accommodation to watch the game. Before leaving, I noticed a change in National’s expression for the first time.

“...”

“...Are you okay?”

“...No.”

Even without much conversation, I could understand National’s feelings to some extent, perhaps because I was a pitcher myself.

National had a bitter expression (slightly closing his eyes and gently biting his lower lip), and I couldn’t say anything.

Still, I can play tomorrow. Andy said that last week was terrible, but he wants this week to be happy.

Anyway.

National pitched 5 innings with 2 runs and 109 pitches, and the bullpen was activated again.

What our bullpen did...

- Yool: ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠJae-Wooㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

- Yool: What about the bullpen? ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

I wanted to surprise her, but Yool became a crybaby in the messenger.

- Me: I’ll throw.

- Yool: Jae-Woo will throw? ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

- Yool: Really? ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

- Yool: Did Bangeongnim allow it? ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

I wanted to tease the crying Yool more, but I just called and told her what happened.

“Keep it a secret from the family. How about a surprise?”

- Ah, of course!

She was a crybaby in the messenger, but she was tough on the phone.

“You’re cute.”

I couldn’t help but say it sincerely. No voice came from the other side of the smartphone.

“Hello?”

Did the call drop?

No, it didn’t.

- ...Hey, Kang Geon-Woo.

“Ah, I thought the call dropped.”

- You...

“Yeah?”

- ...Didn’t you say you preferred sexy over cute?

Did I?

When?

Thirty years ago? Was high school-era Kang Geon-Woo that kind of guy?

But what can I do about being cute?

“I like cute and sexy. But I like you no matter what.”

#

[Oceans lose 9-4 to Angels, suffering their first 6-game losing streak.]

└Are you pros????

└6-game losing streak ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

└What’s wrong with the Oceans bullpen? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

└Even with Kang Geon-Woo, the bullpen would have been in the same spot

└The bullpen is crumbling because Kang Geon-Woo is missing

└Is it normal for a team to fall apart without a rookie?

└Kang Geon-Woo is not just a rookie

└Is this team even a pro? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

[(Yong-Gil’s Baseball Circuit) With Kang Geon-Woo gone, victory is also gone.]

└Isn’t it crazy how a team can fall apart with just one player missing?

└The defense is completely off ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

└The batting lineup is a mess

└A bunch of misfits ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

└What kind of battle has Kang Geon-Woo been fighting for the Oceans?

└He’s been fighting at the Irons’ home field

└Jung-29 Hyun, the great educator, Kang Geon-Woo Sensei...

└As an Angels fan, I’m getting chills. In the early season, we tried to get Go Eun-Tae as a second baseman, but the GM didn’t release the catcher, so it fell through ㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷ

└If that had happened, Go Eun-Tae might have exploded today

└Angels, you’ll lose tomorrow. Kang Geon-Woo is back

└Kang Geon-Woo won’t let our players lose

└With his personality, he might even fight ㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷ He should wear a mouthpiece ㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷ

[Coach Hugh Breadman, “There are tough times, and overcoming them is our job.”]

[Angels Manager Park Jae-Jeong, “I don’t think the team has problems just because one player is missing. We’ve done well, so please praise our players.”]

[Is Kang Geon-Woo, whose suspension is lifted, ready for immediate action?]

[Is a hierarchical order necessary between seniors and juniors in professional sports?]

#

“Uuuuuuuu!”

I’m not sure if those boos are directed at me. But it doesn’t matter.

“I hope you play as usual.”

Other people are more worried than I am. I nodded to the manager and replied.

“I’m ready.”

“Both aspects?”

“Of course.”

The manager made it clear that I wouldn’t be brought in mid-inning.

If I were to enter mid-inning, I wouldn’t have enough time to warm up in the bullpen.

According to KBO rules, if a position player takes the mound, the designated hitter is eliminated. Since Yang Daegun, a key hitter, would be removed, I might not get many chances to pitch.

If I’m brought in as a pitcher, I need to consistently show strong performance, as decided by the coaching staff.

If I take the mound, there will be a gap at shortstop, and the loss of a powerful hitter like Yang Daegun will also be significant.

Since it’s an away game, we bat in the top of the first inning.

Daegun gathered the players and said,

“I have a request.”

He had a calm face.

“I hope the veterans will protect Geon-Woo if the Angels players try to provoke him.”

He’s changed a lot since we first met. Bae Young-Han smiled slyly and replied,

“Sure, sure. If Yang Cap says so, we’ll do it.”

Anyway, the game started.

Our starter is Andy. The Angels’ starter is Marc Panya.

We met in the opening exhibition game before the season. I hit a home run that day and had a 5-hit game.

But an exhibition game is different from a regular season game.

Our batting order is almost the same as before my suspension.

The only changes are that Lee Si-Wook is now 5th, and Wolfpack is 6th.

And Kim Sung-Hoon is out, with Yoo Jun taking the 9th center field position.

Crack!

Hwang Seok-Kyu’s hit was well-struck, but Angels right fielder Song Byung-Jae caught it while running.

“Hmm. It would have been a home run at Sajik.”

Of course, Jamsil is large, but not to that extent.

But hearing Hwang Seok-Kyu’s boring joke made me feel like I was really back.

When I first joined the Oceans, I was lost, but now I feel quite attached.

Crack!

Bae Young-Han’s hit went straight to the shortstop.

Watching on TV, I felt the hitters’ timing was a bit off.

Bae Young-Han has a career batting average of around .400 against Marc Panya, but he hit a bad ball.

Baseball is like that. Even top hitters have bad times.

It seems most of the hitters are in a slight slump at the same time. Even so, we can’t lose just because I’m missing. Stress might have affected them, but that’s not the whole story.

As I walked to the batter’s box, boos poured in. Bae Young-Han smiled subtly. Could he be worried about me?

I’m used to boos.

I’ve always been a target, and being a two-way player, I’ve received more provocation from opposing teams.

This is nothing.

“Let’s not fight today. Let’s compete in baseball, okay?”

In response to the catcher’s light provocation, I bowed and entered the batter’s box. Responding or showing a bad expression would just give them an excuse.

And here.

I just need to do what I do best.

I don’t think doing well in baseball will forgive everything.

I just think the incident with Go Eun-Tae won’t seriously affect me.

The pitcher throws a 156 km/h fastball. After resting for about 6 games and being caught up in a huge controversy, he wouldn’t let a 20-year-old rookie in his home stadium get the upper hand.

The pitcher threw, and I started my swing, extending my left knee flexibly.

The air is light.

The sweet spot of my bat and the heavy, fast ball met at a single point.

Crack!

This is the Angels’ home stadium, but the Oceans fans in the away section are packed.

When I stepped into the batter’s box, it was full of boos, but when I hit a home run, cheers filled the stadium.

“Kang-Geon-Woo! Kang! Geon! Woo! Kang Geon-Woo! Oceans Kang Geon-Woo!”

“Gang! Geon! Woo!”

“Geon-Woo!”

This was a pretty good start for a return to the lineup.

The Oceans fans went wild with my home run, and I was pummeled as I stepped into the dugout after touching home.

“Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow!”

“Kang Geon-Woo is insane!”

“A home run right after his return?”

“The! Worst! The worst! Kang Geon-Woo!”

...No Kyung-Woo...?

#

Kang Geon-Woo’s solo home run in the top of the first inning proved that his game sense was still intact, but the game remained close.

- Ah! Kang Geon-Woo! He cleanly caught the ball that bounced knee-high! Double play! Double play! Andy Garfield escapes the bases loaded, one out crisis!

- With Kang Geon-Woo back, the stability of the Oceans infield has improved. It was a great play.

Andy Garfield didn’t show the emotional side he displayed in the previous game.

He clapped for the reliable shortstop with a bright smile.

The score was 1-0 after the fifth inning.

Marc Panya wasn’t a pitcher who would be shaken by a single home run, and he engaged in a high-level pitcher’s duel with Andy Garfield.

1-0 in the sixth inning.

1-0 in the seventh inning.

And the eighth inning.

Andy Garfield, who had already thrown over 100 pitches, was taken out of the game.

Left-handed setup man Kim Jeong-Hyuk shut down the eighth inning. He struck out the side against the Angels, who have many left-handed hitters.

Kang Geon-Woo thought he might not get a chance to pitch today.

After all, Jo Hyung-O had been on a break recently.

Even while being criticized, Coach Hugh Breadman didn’t bring Jo Hyung-O in for non-save situations. He even spared Jo Hyung-O in a two-run game against the Eagles, and finally, Jo Hyung-O appeared in the top of the ninth inning.

“Strikeout!”

The closer was still in form, and Kang Geon-Woo hadn’t thrown in a real game yet. It wasn’t strange for the manager to bring in Jo Hyung-O.

Crack!

“Out!”

As if to assert that the manager and pitching coach’s choice was correct, Jo Hyung-O cleanly got two outs.

The Angels’ 4th batter, Mida Valdez, stepped to the plate.

A powerful hitter with a .351 batting average and 11 home runs, he hit Jo Hyung-O’s 4th pitch, a two-seam fastball, over the fence.

“Valdez! Valdez! Valdez!”

“The Invincible Angels!”

Jamsil was as noisy as if it would flip. The Angels fans were excited by the comeback potential, while the Oceans fans reacted as if the inevitable had finally happened.

[Damn, I thought the losing streak was over, but Jo Hyung-O is screwing it up]

└Please retire

└What are the hitters doing?

└Damn, I thought we’d finally win

└I was wondering why we weren’t getting hit

Jo Hyung-O induced a groundout from the next batter, but with the lost opportunity to end the 6-game losing streak, he hung his head and returned to the bench.

However, the