Chapter 93

Oceans, what the heck -5-

#

"Pull yourself together."

During a double play defense training, No Gyeong-woo flinched at Kang Geon-woo's words.

Usually, he would have grumbled that Kang Geon-woo was picking on him again and reported it to the other seniors, but this time, feeling a bit guilty, he responded:

"What, what, what!"

Kang Geon-woo chuckled. No Gyeong-woo sometimes felt that Kang Geon-woo, despite being the same age, was like a cousin who annoyed him.

A cousin who did better in school, went to a better university, built a resume that couldn't be compared to his, and got a better job with a much higher salary.

"Your steps are off. Stop shaking your butt; it looks bad."

"When did I ever!"

No Gyeong-woo jumped up as if having a seizure and shouted. It wasn't just a figure of speech; he really did jump up.

"No Gyeong-woo! Are you practicing jumping catches on your own?"

Yang Daegun, the team captain, now more assertive during training, called out from first base. Due to Kang Geon-woo's dual role as pitcher and hitter, Yang Daegun had recently increased his first base defense training and was showing more focus when playing first base than as a designated hitter.

"Sorry..."

No Gyeong-woo immediately backed down. Yang Daegun was a good person, but during recent training, he had a different vibe.

"Let's start again after the local broadcast is over!"

Anyway, after the double play training ended, Kang Geon-woo said to No Gyeong-woo:

"That girl likes a restaurant called Aimta in Seomyeon Jeonpo-dong."

"What?"

"It's a Thai restaurant..."

"Which girl?"

No Gyeong-woo's eyes flared.

"Call her sister-in-law. At the very least, call her Min-a noona."

Kang Geon-woo thought:

'Could this guy really...'

He wondered if No Gyeong-woo might say something crazy like "I love Min-a noona" in an interview.

#

The last KBO League game before the Olympic break.

The Daejeon Baseball Dream Park was packed with fans cheering for the Meteors, who could enter the postseason mid-season for the first time in several years if they won today.

Of course, there were Oceans fans too.

They wanted to see a victory that would crush the Oceans and compensate for the rotten eyes they had from yesterday's unexpected loss.

"Choi! Kang! Dae! Jeon!"

"Oceans will win—!"

In the past season, baseball fans often mocked these cheers when the two teams faced each other.

Who is the strongest, and who will win?

In Busan and Daejeon, the visiting team was often the winner, and both teams boasted an undefeated postseason.

Of course, they were undefeated because they never made it to the postseason.

Some people even called the two teams welfare professional baseball teams.

Teams that played the shortest season for the welfare of the players.

With the longest off-season but the shortest preparation for the season.

For a few seasons, the two teams always shouted:

"This year is different!"

Despite their words, they were mostly the same, but sometimes they showed a different face.

If the Meteors avoided the bottom and finished 9th, the Oceans would finish last, or vice versa.

Despite the taunts that this was a change, the two teams remained resilient.

However, this season was different.

"The starting pitcher for the Meteors! The invincible ace! His name is—"

The Meteors' cheerleader raised his voice powerfully.

Pretending to be happy when he wasn't, or calling the fans gods.

He thought the time of enduring such comments was over.

No, rather, it had to end.

The crowd responded to the cheerleader's powerful voice.

"Park! Yong! Jae!"

"Yong-jae! Yong-jae! Yong-jae! Park! Yong! Jae!"

Even when the number of spectators dropped during the long period of finishing last or 9th, many fans always came to home games when Park Yong-jae took the mound.

Current Meteors manager Jeong Taegu knew this, so he sometimes adjusted the rotation to deliberately have Park Yong-jae pitch at home games.

Yong-jae, the fans come to see you.

Park Yong-jae, a pitcher with a calm and composed personality, silently followed the manager's instructions.

Today was his last start before the Olympics.

Park Yong-jae bowed respectfully to the fans who were almost shouting his name and finished his warm-up pitches on the mound.

'Today, safely.'

Wishing to finish his start safely.

Wishing the infielders wouldn't drop the ball.

The outfielders, too.

The catcher.

The team's performance had improved as his hitting skills advanced, but strangely, the defense remained stagnant.

He took a deep breath and started the first inning.

He threw the first pitch.

"Strike!"

A 143 km/h fastball low and inside. Given that the aggressive hitter, Hwang Seok-gyu, didn't even swing, it seemed to have been a good pitch.

He struck out Hwang Seok-gyu on the fourth pitch with a splitter.

Bae Young-han entered the batter's box with a casual smile. Yesterday, Bae Young-han had sent a message, and Park Yong-jae had taken it in stride. His messages were always similar: "Hey, take it easy."

Snap!

Bae Young-han pushed a curveball on the third pitch.

Talented but still inexperienced rookie shortstop Yoo Byung-seong ran forward.

However, the ball took an irregular bounce and slipped past him.

"Hey! What are you doing!"

Boos rained down from the stands. Yoo Byung-seong knelt on the spot, looking dejected.

"Nice hit, right? Get up. If you turn a double play, it's fine. It's okay."

Park Yong-jae helped Yoo Byung-seong up and patted his back, sending him back to his position.

Park Yong-jae was known for his mental strength.

He didn't have the control of Kim Gwon-jong or the velocity of Min Seung-gi, but he was a pitcher who could always pitch his game.

'Kang Geon-woo. Kang Geon-woo.'

The next batter was Kang Geon-woo. Park Yong-jae tilted his head. There was something special about him. In fact, he had even thought about what it would have been like if the team had brought Kang Geon-woo in during the "Kang Geon-woo season" when they finished last.

But such thoughts didn't last long.

Park Yong-jae's mental strength came from not being overly concerned with the team's performance.

What did it matter if he won 10 or 20 games? As long as his ERA was low, that was all that mattered.

Park Yong-jae was a monster created by the Meteors' team situation.

'What's his weakness...?'

What mattered now was pitching without raising his ERA. He thought hard. Kang Geon-woo's weakness?

High pitches go over.

Inside pitches go over.

Outside or low pitches are better, but they still go over.

No weaknesses?

'Just pitch to him and let the next batter handle it?'

Yang Daegun was on a roll. If he tried to avoid both, the bases would be loaded.

Ishik and Wolfpack were types with low accuracy, but their power hitting was quite intimidating. Especially Wolfpack, who would have already packed up if not for a grand slam.

'Is the opposing starter Kukmin-seong or not?'

He asked himself. Should he trust the batters who scored 15 points yesterday?

It was a question with no answer. The manager had positioned the outfielders further back to prepare for Kang Geon-woo's power hitting, with a shift more to the left.

'Well... it'll work out somehow.'

When there was no answer to his thoughts, he had no choice. Park Yong-jae's choice was to throw his most confident fastball in the strike zone.

Crack!

Anyway, not every hit would go over the fence.

The probability of not hitting it was much higher than hitting it.

Kang Geon-woo hit it hard, but the ball didn't draw the usual rocket-like parabola.

It skewed towards third base and quickly bounced towards Yoo Byung-seong, who was positioned for defense.

Yoo Byung-seong caught the ball and remembered Park Yong-jae's words.

'If you turn a double play, it's fine...'

His throw to second base, however, sailed over the second baseman's head and went to the right fielder.

"What the—!"

"Ah!"

"Pull yourself together!"

A chance to end the inning with a double play.

Yoo Byung-seong, who had created a 1-3 situation with 1 out, looked up with tears in his eyes, and Park Yong-jae chuckled.

"It's okay. If you turn a double play, it's fine. Hey, rookie, don't cry."

Kang Geon-woo was flabbergasted by such a Park Yong-jae.

#

Of the three pitchers known as the national team's Big Three, excluding Seung-gi, the other two entered the major leagues.

Kim Gwon-jong and Park Yong-jae.

Both threw quite well.

Kang Geon-woo, Jeong Jo-jun, Kim Gwon-jong, and Park Yong-jae.

When these four excelled in the major leagues, other Korean players also tried to enter, but they didn't achieve the same success.

The major leagues are a bit like that.

Luck is needed, but more importantly, solid skills are essential.

Park Yong-jae, the pitcher, was treated as a unique pitcher there. He didn't throw fast, didn't have pinpoint control, and didn't have an overwhelming pitch, yet at the end of the season, he was often in the top tier, if not Cy Young level.

His nickname among American fans was the best third starter.

A bit ambiguous as a first starter, decent as a second starter, but a third starter who could hold his own anywhere.

Looking back now, it makes a bit more sense.

I didn't know. I thought the older brother's comment, "If you hadn't played for the Meteors, you wouldn't talk like that," was just a joke.

The 1-3 situation created by Yoo Byung-seong's outstanding play.

Today, it seemed like the Meteors players had made a collective decision. Center fielder Lee Hae-seok missed a somewhat ordinary fly ball from Daegun.

Misjudgment of the hit.

Considering Lee Hae-seok's throwing ability, who was fast but had a weak shoulder, I was standing quite wide at first base. As soon as the center fielder missed the ball, I sprinted all the way to home plate.

"Wow! It's a hit! Fast! Wow! Daegun hyung! If I hit, run like Geon-woo!"

While high-fiving with Noru, I glanced at the pitcher on the mound.

Honestly, if the fielders were to lie down and get up, it would be a justified move. That's my pitching philosophy.

But that guy was pointing to a not-so-bright light tower and comforting the center fielder.

He's a remarkable person.

If this happened because of No Gyeong-woo when I was on the mound, I would have gone over and grabbed his ear right away.

#

"Pull yourself together!"

No Gyeong-woo flinched.

Why did he feel like he was being scolded more today?

Was it just his imagination?

But No Gyeong-woo's wiggling butt calmed down.

The starting pitcher, Kukmin-seong, threw the ball with his usual clean pitching form.

Snap!

Lee Hae-seok missed the timing. The fastball slightly missed, and the ball rolled slowly towards No Gyeong-woo, the second baseman.

Lee Hae-seok is a fast runner. If not handled quickly...

"Stay calm!"

No Gyeong-woo, who was about to run forward, instinctively shortened his step at Kang Geon-woo's shout. The ball slipped a bit on the slightly uneven grass. If he had run forward without thinking, it might have been difficult to handle, but No Gyeong-woo caught it steadily.

"Low!"

In a rush, he was about to throw quickly and strongly to first base, but at the shout, he unconsciously relaxed his shoulder.

"Out!"

Despite his urgency, the out was quite relaxed.

Yang Daegun slightly raised his thumb, and Kukmin-seong returned to his position without showing any emotion.

No Gyeong-woo, a bit dejected, said to Kang Geon-woo:

"Why are you like this to me..."

Kang Geon-woo replied as if it was nothing.

"Why are you so excited? It's not like it's your first date."

"It is my first time..."

"Still a virgin?"

"Bad guy..."

Strictly speaking, Kang Geon-woo had also only met Jeong Yoo-ri.

Kang Geon-woo slightly mocked No Gyeong-woo and said:

"If you get excited and make a mistake, will you meet a moth at the hot springs?"

"Never call Min-a noona a moth at the hot springs again..."

"Focus."

"..."

As if waiting for their conversation to end, Kukmin-seong immediately started his pitch.

1st pitch, ball.

2nd pitch, ball.

3rd pitch, hit.

Snap!

This time, the ball went towards shortstop Kang Geon-woo.

No Gyeong-woo watched Kang Geon-woo's catch with hawk-like eyes.

But Kang Geon-woo caught the ball perfectly. Despite always hearing that he could be in the major leagues now, he never showed any arrogance or took things lightly.

A stable side step.

Lowering his glove to the ground to catch the ball, then covering it with his right hand. Bringing the ball to his body's center to maintain balance, his movements were textbook.

Without trying to show off with a running throw or a jumping throw, he quickly pulled the ball and threw it without losing his posture. His head didn't tilt, and his upper body didn't wobble. The throw was accurate to where the first baseman Yang Daegun extended his mitt, at a good, catchable speed.

"Out!"

It might have looked like a regular play from the outside, but No Gyeong-woo couldn't help but keep his mouth shut.

Kang Geon-woo was good at flashy plays like diving catches and turning throws, but he never did them unnecessarily.

He only did them when there was