episode_0099

‘Darvish… .’

When Joo Seung-cheol saw Darvish, a memory from his childhood came back to him for a moment.

‘Darvish debuted for Texas during my father’s last season playing for Texas.’

Although his father was not in the United States when his father was in Texas due to his mother working as an actor in Korea, Joo Seung-cheol always watched his father’s games on video.

And then I saw Darvish’s pitching in front of the TV. Darvish’s first impression was a sense of awe that even Asians could do that. Darvish was the first wall that Joo Seung-cheol saw and admired.

The young Asian player who played with his father, who had created a wall for Joo Seung-cheol, was now a veteran and was blocking Joo Seung-cheol’s path.

Pa-ang!

“strike!”

‘It’s heavy as expected.’

It was confirmed in the video, but the pitch was not much different from the prime. Darvish’s performance in recent years has been good enough to be considered his second prime.

And Darvish’s crystal ball… .

“Swing strike!”

It was a slider, like the current ball that Seung-cheol Joo swung. It was an obvious pattern, but Joo Seung-cheol had no choice but to be fooled by the slider, which flew like a fastball in the beginning and then took a sharp bend.

‘I guess you’ve decided to go with the slider. Come to think of it, I hit seniors Ju-tae and Sang-ju with fastballs, and I hit seniors Jin-mo and Han-beom with sliders. Yes, Darvish’s key today is the slider.’

Joo Seung-cheol quickly thought of the preceding at-bats and was able to decide which ball he would target. And then Darvish hit the ball.

Whoa!

“Swing strike! out!”

“Ugh!”

Joo Seung-cheol’s anger boiled over the fact that he couldn’t hit it even though he knew about it. However, this slider falls in a different direction than the previous slider that bent horizontally. It was a ball that Joo Seung-cheol, who was only thinking about a slider that bent laterally, had no choice but to be deceived.

“Senior, you also threw a slider that hit the bell.”

“okay? “I didn’t throw it in the first inning, so I thought he would go with a horizontal slider today, but it looks like he mixed it up.”

Kim Su-ho’s speech became unusually long. Kim Su-ho was also feeling the pressure. However, the situation was better than Joo Seung-cheol. The right-handed pitcher’s slider was a ball that was clearly visible to left-handed hitter Kim Su-ho.

It was safe to say that Darvish’s main weapon, the slider, was sealed in front of left-handed hitter Kim Su-ho. But even so, he couldn’t let down his guard because he had the determination to face left-handed batters. A two-seamer that flows to the outside of the left-handed batter. But I had no intention of defeating Darvish through force anyway. Pushing the pitcher. Those were the thoughts that filled Suho Kim’s head.

‘Let’s just aim for the two-seam. Two-seam only.’

Su-ho Kim went to bat thinking only about Darvish’s two-seamer. And after a persistent battle that reached the 7th district.

widely!

“short!”

The shortstop hit a ground ball and retired.

“It’s a little late.”

A voice full of regret. As Kim Su-ho was returning to the dugout, he saw the next batter, Ji Maeng-ho. A junior from the club who said crazy things to Seonghyeon, a senior. Kim Su-ho, who had moved to three clubs, was a junior he did not want to be associated with.

but.

“Ji Maeng-ho!”

“… yes?!”

“Hit one. Believe!”

After the first episode, I was scolded by myself, so I wanted to give words of encouragement to my frozen junior. Even though we had no concept, we were still one team.

‘I did something uncharacteristic of myself.’

Kim Su-ho, who did something he didn’t usually do, entered the dugout with a slightly red face.

*

Why is that person suddenly talking to me? Were you sorry? While I was talking with Rossby, Kim Su-ho suddenly spoke to me, which made me a little embarrassed.

‘Mr. Rossby, are you ready?’

‘okay. I’m ready. you?’

‘I’m ready too.’

I told Seonghyun that, but what would happen if I struck out here? I got fully prepared and walked to the plate.

‘The first pitch is a horizontal slider that goes outward.’

‘okay.’

Sliders filter. The angle was bigger than any pitcher I saw in Korea, so I wasn’t confident about getting the timing right. Even if you get a strike, you have to give up the ball.

The ball thrown by Darvish deceives the eye and flows outward. If I didn’t know what the ball was, I would have swung it right away.

Paang!

“cheek.”

Fortunately, the referee ruled it was a ball.

‘After the slider, a fastball to the body?’

‘It’s a change-up.’

Are you throwing a changeup here? Darvish’s changeup wasn’t that famous of a pitch. Just knowing how to throw? However, it was natural that throwing a changeup that had not been shown before in this situation would have a great effect.

‘If only I didn’t know the pitch.’

However, there was no ball that was as easy to hit as the changeup that I knew and hit. After Darvish did a windup, he sprayed the ball.

A ball that suddenly seems to stop for a split second. And the bat had already arrived to meet the timing.

Perfect!

‘You got hit!’

The batted ball tore through the infield like a bullet and rolled in front of the center fielder. And I was able to get to first base comfortably. It was my first time seeing Darvish’s changeup, so it was disappointing that he couldn’t produce a home run, but this was a good enough result.

-Wow!

While listening to the cheers of the crowd, I looked at the dugout and raised my fist.

“Meng Hao! it was good!”

“nice! “Let’s go for one more point!”

“can do!”

“Courage! “Let’s fly one!”

Lee Yong-ki, who played as the number 9 hitter today, also looked satisfied. While I was appreciating the excited atmosphere, the first base coach grabbed my shoulder and whispered in a low voice.

“Meng Hao. Shake the pitcher. “Have the courage to hit a good ball.”

“All right.”

Shaking up the pitcher is my specialty, and I held the lead longer than usual. Four steps. This is a situation where if a good check comes, they can catch me right away.

At a glance, Darvish is looking at me.

‘Okay, I’m conscious.’

‘Fastball grip. ‘Be careful of checks.’

‘yes.’

I prepare to return to first base right away and pay full attention to Darvish’s every move.

Huh, pah!

“Safe!”

Tuk-tuk, shake off the dirt and take the lead of four steps again.

‘Fastball. ‘It seems like you’re a bit worried.’

As I participated in the WBC, Japan would also have accumulated data about me. So you probably know my quick feet. Even if it’s two outs, you can’t not care about me. If you don’t care, I’ll run to third base.

“cheek.”

‘Now all I have to do is play it well.’

Lee Yong-gi’s WBC record is 3 hits in 14 at-bats. It was a disappointing performance considering he is currently the best catcher in Korea, but Lee Yong-gi is clearly a player with a lot of potential. please. Give me just one hit.

‘It’s a fastball.’

I wanted to shout out what I had discovered, but I held back that desire and trusted Lee Yong-gi. Lee Yong-gi’s biggest advantage is BQ. He was a player who was evaluated as having excellent ball mixing skills and ability to lead the team as a catcher. Good ball combination was synonymous with good aim.

‘You can understand this much, right? If you are the best catcher in Korea!’

Paang!

“Safe!”

Checks flying again. This time, I expanded my lead to four and a half steps. This lead width is such that a breaking ball can never catch a runner at second base. And it was a lead that I could never return to unless I had the mindset of returning home unconditionally.

At a glance, Darvish’s eyes are fixed on me again. Like a major league veteran, his eyes seem to say, ‘You will never be able to play.’ My heart grew cold. At that moment, right-handed hitter Lee Yong-gi made eye contact. Those eyes that tell me they know what I’m aiming for.

And Darvish threw the ball toward home plate. I couldn’t check the electronic display, but it was probably the fastest ball Darvish threw today. When you reflexively try to return to first base,

Perfect!

A cheerful hitting sound rang out. Lee Yong-gi extended his arm and pushed the ball outside!

“run!”

Before I even heard the first base coach’s voice, I was already running toward second base.

‘spittoon!’

‘First base line! ‘Keep running!’

Passed second base.

‘ball!’

‘The right fielder caught it!’

Current location 3rd base. Third base coach’s stop signal! But I kept running.

‘I threw it!’

And then he slid into home plate. And while I was lying down and catching my breath, I heard the referee’s call sign.

“out!”

out? I’ve never even touched a mitt?

‘It’s out at second base.’

When I turned my head after hearing Rossby’s words, I saw Lee Yong-gi lying down on second base. When I saw that, I immediately knew what was going on. Lee Yong-gi saw me reach home and ran all the way to second base, and Japan probably made a cut at the broadcaster and threw to second base.

‘Let me trust you.’

Even if Lee Yong-gi hadn’t played second base, he could have made it to home. However, there was nothing to say about Lee Yong-gi’s overrun to second base, which attempted to save the home runner to score, because it was a classic play.

“It was a good run.”

Choi Joo-tae, who had been so angry at me earlier, held my hand.

puck! Choi Joo-tae’s left hand hits my back and passes by. But I didn’t feel bad because I knew it was meant as a compliment, not a reprimand.

“Ugh.”

“Pretending to be sick. It didn’t hit me that hard. Hey. “Let’s go prepare defense for the next inning.”

“All right.”

Now, 1 point. Just go a little further!

*

[Both teams’ starting pitchers go down in the 4th inning, and now a new pitcher from Korea takes the mound in the top of the 5th inning. The pitcher’s name is Jung Woo-sung! He is a pitcher who won 10 games in the major league last season.]

[Seonghyun and Darvish. Both pitchers were experienced players in the United States, and the number of pitches exceeded 85 in 4 innings, right? This result shows how intense the game is today.]

[Seonghyun was shaken by giving up 3 runs in the first inning, but kept the rest of the inning scoreless, while Darvish scored 1 run in the 1st inning and 1 run in the 2nd inning. And they put two runners on base in the fourth inning. Unfortunately, we did not concede a point.]

[The Japanese dugout must be having a hard time right now. They probably thought about going all out in the finals and chose Darvish as the starter. Because Darvish was only responsible for 4 innings? This is an opportunity. And to seize that opportunity, Jung Woo-sung’s pitching is really important. We need to keep this inning scoreless.]

[Jung Woo-sung, you can do it. Jung Woo-sung is currently playing as a starting pitcher, but in the early days of his debut, he was a great closing pitcher, earning 36 saves in the major league. You have to show that skill now. The first pitch is a strike! Restraint is 153!]

[It’s not common for sidearms to show this kind of restraint. Moreover, it appears that Japanese players will not be able to adapt to the variable trajectory of sidearm pitches. In particular, even if it is a left-handed hit, it is clear that it is difficult to deal with a sinker that bends outward.]

However, contrary to the wishes of such commentary, Japan’s batting lineup began to fire again.

[ah… . Murakami’s three-run home run… . The score is now 6:2. The difference is 4 points.]

[With two outs, I can’t believe I collapsed. Jung Woo-sung needs to come to his senses now!]

[Next, Jung Woo-sung strikes out the fourth batter, Yamakawa! The long 5th inning is coming to an end!]

And in the bottom of the fifth inning, Orix’s ace Yoshinobu took the mound.

Yoshinobu announced his era by recording an ERA of 1.99 in 2019, and in 2021, he won 5 pitching awards and recorded an ERA of 1.75 in 2022, and was currently considered the best pitcher along with Sasaki in NPB.

Although he was a pitcher saved for the game against the United States, he made a bold decision to solidify the game.

[Ah, Yoshinobu Yamamoto is standing on the mound… .]

The director who uploaded Yoshinobu, the fans watching Yoshinobu, and Yoshinobu himself. I was thinking that this game would end like this.

and.

[Joo Seung-cheol and Kim Su-ho’s consecutive hits! ah! Skip Ji Maeng-ho here and Japan will launch a bases-loaded strategy!]

[Lee Yong-gi, he had an RBI earlier. Please, this time too… .]

[Catcher Pop Fly!]

[Miss it, miss it… . ah. Catch it.]

[Now, Choi Joo-tae is batting with bases loaded and one out.]

Ta-aak!

[Choi Joo-tae’s sweeping, timely hit! All three runners home! Home! Home! Ji Maengho! Coming in! Still quick on your feet! Ji Maengho! And the shortstop representing Korea! Choi Joo-tae’s fantastic timely hit to right-center! What is the name of this batter who saves Korea from crisis? This is Choi Joo-tae! now! The game is! 6:5! There is a 1 point difference!]

[Aaaah! Choi Joo-tae-ae-ae!]

A strong smell of gunpowder was wafting from Rondipo Park, the home stadium of the Miami Marlins.