episode_0040

In high school baseball, there are four major tournaments: the Golden Lion Cup held in spring, the Blue Dragon Cup held from late spring to early summer, the President’s Cup held in midsummer, and the Phoenix Cup held in early autumn.

People who enjoy high school baseball would know that it is the President’s Cup even if they do not know the name of the ongoing tournament, as the piercing sunlight felt like being pricked with a needle, raising the discomfort index due to the scorching heat.

I was feeling slightly more uncomfortable than my teammates in the dugout.

“Why do I, who’s the cleanup batter, always have to start as the leadoff hitter?”

“…I’m sorry!”

“Sigh, I didn’t expect much.”

After teasing the juniors a bit, I looked at the scoreboard.

“We gave up 4 runs in the 2nd inning… Today is going to be tough, isn’t it?”

If there was a strength in the Korean Sports High School baseball team, it was Kim Won-ho and Park Young-chul’s one-two punch, although it was awkward to say it myself, along with my presence that was destroying the high school league.

However, Kim Won-ho was under a limit of 30 pitches per game at the request of Silla Triggers, and as a batter, it wasn’t easy to overturn the outcome of the game if the pitcher was holding back.

Especially in a game where the starting pitcher faltered from the beginning, it was even more difficult.

“Bases loaded!”

Four balls were consecutively thrown outside, and I walked to first base. The ace of the opposing team, Im Jun-hoo from Hwiyun High School, nonchalantly let me walk with a walk. His expression remained unfazed even after giving me a walk, unlike most pitchers whose expressions would sour.

“Tsk, does the ace have no pride?”

As I handed over my gear at first base, I muttered quietly. Maybe the first baseman could pass it on to the dugout.

“Umpire, can I talk like this?”

“Refrain from unnecessary remarks.”

“Oh, I was just talking to myself.”

“Shh!”

The first base umpire glared at me. It must be hard even to shake his head with his mouth. Should I try shaking it with my leg?

“Rossby, please.”

I asked Rossby for a grip and took three steps off the base.

“Grip is key.”

If grip is key, then maybe I can hold him back? I shifted my weight towards first base and focused on the pitcher’s foot.

Here it comes!

Sliding into the base like slipping, I touched it, and the first baseman’s mitt brushed against my forearm. Phew, the ball doesn’t matter, but the hold back is good. I stood up and brushed off the dirt on my uniform.

“Out!”

“What? I got here first, didn’t I? Bull…”

…Was it a close call? I barely swallowed the curse trying to come out and opened my mouth again.

“I got here first.”

“The mitt was faster.”

“No, what’s this…”

‘Keep calm!’

“Calm or not, I got here first!”

Just as I was about to protest further, the first base coach’s hand covered my mouth.

“Are you going to get ejected?”

“Uh, uh!”

Ah! The smell of the glove that the first base coach had put on my face stung my nose. Thanks to that foul smell, I could calm down a bit.

“I’m sorry.”

“If you protest one more time, I’ll eject you.”

“It seems like our player got a little excited. Mang-ho, go in, go in!”

“Ha, damn.”

Those damn umpires, if today’s game had been broadcast, I would have requested a video review. Damn it.

“Hey, come here!”

Spitting on the ground and trying to enter the dugout, the first base umpire suddenly called me. What’s this?

“Yes?”

“You spat?”

“No, I spat because sand got in while sliding. Why? Others spit too, don’t they?”

I’m dumbfounded by the first base umpire’s old-fashioned behavior. Should I chew on some sand then?

“Hey! Are you protesting now?”

“No, I’m not?”

“Look at your tone?”

Damn it, would you have a good tone in this situation?

“I’m sorry! Mang-ho, apologize!”

The rushing first base coach bowed my head and shouted.

“Ha, I’m sorry.”

“Be careful next time. Warning!”

When I apologized, yesterday’s first base coach showed a satisfied expression. It’s frustrating to be losing already.

“Yes. I’ll be careful.”

Returning to the dugout, the manager came out first and asked what had happened.

“…There was an argument. But when I saw it from the dugout, I entered first, right?”

“It was a close call, but nothing we can do about it. Still, try not to confront the umpires unless necessary. Understand?”

“…Yes.”

I threw my helmet to the ground and sat on the bench.

“Senior, are you okay?”

“Hey! Did you see me enter late?”

“No. You definitely entered first.”

“That blind jerk.”

“All umpires are like that, you know.”

“Mr. Rosby, there aren’t umpires like this in Major League, right?”

“Nonsense. You haven’t experienced the condescension of Major League umpires, so you’re talking nonsense. I was always respectful in front of the umpires.”

“What? You, Mr. Rosby?”

“Yes. Especially during my playing days, I always showed respect.”

Hmm… I didn’t want to live bending over like that.

“You’ll come to your senses only after shedding tears.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I’ll figure it out myself.”

As I conversed with Rosby, our second inning attack passed without any incident. Well, I didn’t expect much to begin with. The tradition of Han Chego, unable to get on base even against ace pitchers, remained unchanged.

“I got the glove.”

“Thanks.”

“No problem.”

Holding the glove given by the junior, I went to take my position to the right of second base. As I tried to focus on the pitcher’s throw, I noticed first base coach Shim standing away from first base.

He’s just fanning himself because it’s summer. Well, the weather is hot these days. Wait… Is he wearing protective gear only on his body?

“Mr. Rosby, getting hit by a baseball hurts a lot, right? I’ve been hit a lot, and it hurts.”

“No way, this kid…”

“It’s too obvious now, so maybe we should wait a bit?”

“Hahaha, crazy monkey.”

Please come to second base just once. However, strikeout, single to right field, groundout to first base, strikeout – the third inning attack ended for Hwiyunggo without anything happening.

“The ball hasn’t come once.”

But not everything you desperately want comes true. Just like life, baseball was the same. In the fourth inning defense, I fervently prayed for the ball to come my way, but it never did.

“Alright, alright! It’s 6-0, but it’s still doable. Wonho, are you fully warmed up? With 30 pitches, you can handle two innings, right?”

“Yes! I can go for three innings!”

“Yeah, if one more person goes out now, we get a chance against Mangho! Can you do it? The opponent is wavering!”

But isn’t it a no-hit no-run game right now…? I felt the urge to say that, but I refrained from breaking the team’s morale for no reason.

“From now on, I’ll let you know the pitch types, so focus on the signs. Got it?”

“Yes!”

The manager was quite assertive. Manager Lee Ki-cheol, a catcher who has received the Golden Glove award eight times. He had expertise in pitch selection. His batting style as a player was all about guessing hits. He was a player with good instincts.

“Turn it around nicely. Even if you strike out, I’ll take responsibility.”

With the manager directly informing about the opponent batter’s pitch mix, the team’s morale seemed to rise. He usually didn’t give signs himself unless it was a crisis, but being down 6-0, it seemed like he had to step in.

Well, have I been sucking up to him all this time?

“Yeah! Let one more not pass me!”

“Yes, senior!”

Thud!

“Out!”

Thud!

“Already two outs?”

“Juhyun! I believe in you!”

Even if Han Chego’s lineup is a plant-based lineup, the third batter, Lee Joo-hyun, was a guy who hit about .350. Of course, he mostly got hits against first and second-year pitchers, but he was a guy who knew how to swing a bat. Please, just try once.

“Second!”

The ball Lee Joo-hyun hit heads towards the second baseman. A routine ground ball to second base. However, hitting the boundary line between grass and dirt caused the ball to bounce high.

“Run! Run!”

“Nice! Lee Joo-hyun! Well done!”

Hwi-yoon High School’s second baseman jumped high, but the ball hit his glove and bounced high again. Yeah, I didn’t expect a hit. Where did that error go?

Whoo! Whoo!

Swinging the bat smoothly, he walked into the batter’s box. It’s been a week since he started Pilates as recommended by Cheon So-young. Somehow, it feels like the bat swings more smoothly.

“Darn it, can you really improve in a week?”

“Oh, come on! Don’t you know about the placebo effect? If you believe, you’ll get better. Ah, all because of Mr. Losby, you lost focus for no reason.”

“Rather than a placebo. Fool.”

“…”

That’s not important right now. Im Jun-hu, Hwi-yoon’s ace, a player likely to be selected in the upper ranks, a player who throws changeups at Forsim Base, making it difficult to distinguish between Forsim and Changeup pitching forms at a high level. But it’s not particularly important to me. Because there’s Losby. When we met in the weekend league, he recorded 4 hits in 4 at-bats with 1 home run, and what else was there? There was one more changeup…

“Feeling embarrassed?”

“…Yes.”

“Focus.”

“…Got it.”

Losby chuckled unluckily and flew back behind the pitcher. As usual, with Losby behind the pitcher, the embarrassment began to dissipate. But what was Platini? Was it a person’s name?

“Forsim, it’s going to be outside.”

Maybe because it’s two outs? Even though there’s a runner on first, it seemed like they were planning to walk me. That’s why the coach wasn’t giving me any special signs.

“Ball.”

A ball that goes far outside. Perceived speed around 144 km/h? It was a good ball for me to hit, but I didn’t want to swing at a ball that wouldn’t come to the strike zone.

“Ball.”

“If it’s going to be like this, why not throw an intentional walk automatically?”

Why keep throwing the ball outside every time? The pitcher and I are both lazy. Are they expecting me to swing at a ball outside the strike zone?

“Ball.”

If I walk here, will the next batter bring me home? We’re already up 6-0… But to win, I feel like I have to follow through now.

“Forsim. It’s going to be outside again this time. These days, the kids lack determination.”

Oh well, I don’t know. Without much effort, I swung the bat at the ball that went outside.

“Strike!”

And on the next pitch.

“Strike!”

“What’s going on?”

“Even on a two-strike count, will that guy throw a ball? He’s the team’s ace after all.”

My record doesn’t matter anymore. Since being picked in the first round, it didn’t matter if I didn’t play in the tournament. I wasn’t the type to obsess over meaningless competitions like this, but today, the first base umpire irritated me a bit.

In other words, I didn’t want to just walk to first base like this. Im Jun-hu, you also want to be drafted in the upper ranks, right? You want to have a record like striking out Jimaeng-ho, right! Come on!

“Forsim, closer to the strike zone than before.”

He responded to my provocation. Well, pitchers are all the same. After giving me two free strikes like this, if he doesn’t compete, he’s not a man.

“It seems like he intends to walk the borderline, so be careful.”

In Losby’s words, Jun-hu’s intention to make it difficult even if he gives a walk was evident. The pitch he chose was a changeup he hadn’t shown me at all today.

I focused all my nerves on the right hand of the guy. And I swung the bat in line with the falling trajectory.

Thunk!

“Ugh, did I miss by a little?”

It felt like the ball hit the end of the bat. I threw the bat and ran straight to first base.

“Second! Second!”

“The second baseman caught the ball. Keep running!”

I continued to run towards first base while hearing Rosby’s words. I saw the first baseman stretching his legs slightly ahead and reaching out with the mitt. I stretched my foot towards the base guarded by the first baseman.

Thud!

“Safe!”

The first base coach and I shouted almost simultaneously. Alright! It was close, but I made it for now. Whew, that was a close call. I swung and missed twice and couldn’t even get on base…

“Out!”

…I almost made it, what?

“What?”

What did I just hear? Out?

“I said out. Get in there.”

“No, this is…”

This little punk!