episode_0144

‘Wow, look at this kid’s eyes. ‘Fire coming out of your eyes?’

How did you throw a fastball in the middle of the first pitch? Maybe it’s because I’ve been analyzing myself lately, but the timing was a little late for the first fastball that came in a long time.

‘I have to pass on that ball. ‘It took too much effort.’

‘Hey, it’s an over-the-park foul home run, but it’s almost like it’s over.’

‘Tsk, I’m so tired after hitting the walk-off home run. So, there’s only been one home run since that day.’

… is it? Rossby had a point. I passed one before NV, but it seemed a little out of place these days.

‘done. For now, don’t think about unnecessary things.’

‘All right.’

‘Slider, low.’

Minjun Kim is an orthodox right-handed pitcher who is a two-pitch type pitcher who throws a fastball in the low 140s and a slider that drops to the bell. In particular, the bell slider was in the low 140s, so it was quite threatening.

‘First of all, since it’s my first time seeing a ball, I’ll skip one.’

In the past, I would have just swung, but considering the team’s situation these days, I am reluctant to swing without thinking. There was almost no chance of the team winning unless I took advantage of the opportunity and hit something big, so there was nothing I could do about it.

“cheek.”

‘One ball, one strike.’

“I heard that he hits well, but is it because he’s a rookie that he’s afraid of breaking balls? “Don’t be scared, I won’t let you fit my body.”

“Just focus on the game.”

“You guys are so cheap. “Hehe.”

The catcher trash-talked me in an attempt to sway me, but I just ignored it. Maybe it’s because Rossby curses me every day, but these words didn’t really hurt me.

‘Towards the body of the fastball.’

‘It’s definitely because it’s a two-pitch type, but the pitching pattern is monotonous.’

Should we watch if it’s a ball near the body? I was a little anxious because I remembered that my batting skills were strangely bad during batting practice.

Minjun Kim did a windup and threw a fastball. The trajectory was slightly outside the strike zone, and it flew toward my body. Also towards the arm.

“Fuck! It’s a surprise!”

Did you pass by? I felt something on my forearm, but it was a bit unclear whether I had brushed it or not. When I glanced at the referee, it seemed like he was also worried.

“I passed by?”

I’ll have to give it a try first. Even if it didn’t pass, it was a good situation to shake the pitcher’s mentality, so I appealed for a dead ball while looking at the umpire.

“… really?”

“yes. Did you see the uniforms flapping? I’m dying from pain. Senior, what if I make you throw a ball like this, saying you won’t hit it? Oh, is it just a control issue?”

“Hmm… . Hit by Peach Ball!”

Oh, I guess I really passed by. Gao was a little upset that the first base hit was a ball that brushed against his uniform, but getting on base for free wasn’t bad.

“Hey, teacher. “Where did you see this?”

“If something is strange, ask for criticism. Because I definitely passed it when I saw it. And you didn’t throw it on purpose, right? “If you say something like that and throw a ball like that, it could get ugly, so be careful.”

“… … .”

The opposing team’s catcher quickly changed his opinion in the first inning, perhaps because he didn’t want to start an argument with the umpire. I took a quick look at the pitcher’s expression, and as expected, he had a shit-chewing expression on his face.

‘My batting performance wasn’t very good today, but I’m glad I got on base for free.’

‘Tsk, tsk, the more I think about it, the more I have to think about hitting. ‘Kids these days have so little grit.’

‘Yes, I guess so.’

Contrary to Rossby’s complaints, the situation was quite good. First base with no outs in the top of the first inning. I was the runner who stole five bases and never failed. Of course, since he only threw breaking balls, he never failed to steal bases.

“How big was the catcher’s shoulder?”

“League average level. Pop time (the time the ball thrown by the catcher travels from the catcher’s mitt to the second baseman’s glove. The average is about 1.95 seconds) is 1.97 seconds. “It’s not at a level that warrants that much attention.”

After hearing the first base coach explain the catcher again, I received base running equipment. Mittens for running on base. This glove, which was one of the sponsorship items, was not bad, but it was a must-have piece of equipment if you got on base as a runner because there was nothing worse than getting hurt while running the bases.

‘Plus, it’s slightly longer than your finger, so it’s helpful in base-running situations where 0.1 seconds are needed.’

‘under… . Can you really just throw away those damn gloves? ‘How did something this ugly get into the baseball stadium?’

‘Hey, these days, if you don’t use good equipment, you’re an asshole. ‘100 years have passed since we played baseball with our bare bodies.’

‘Tsk.’

‘Tell me the type of pitch. Run right away.’

‘It’s a fastball.’

Skip the first pitch. What is the operation? The sign given by the third base coach is just an attack. At the beginning of the first episode, since it was Kim Soo-ho, there seemed to be no particular plan.

“cheek.”

The ball thrown by Kim Min-jun must have been shaken after he hit me and his control was shaken, so the ball escaped far to the outside of the left-hander. It looked like a pitch out, but looking at the catcher’s catching motion, it wasn’t a pitch out.

‘One ball. Mr. Rossby, can we shake it up a little more? Or should I run right away?’

‘Let’s run when it shakes.’

‘All right.’

‘Fastball. ‘Body side.’

If you throw it toward your body, the throw will likely be slightly affected because Kim Su-ho, who is standing at the plate, is a left-handed hitter. It was a fastball, but I decided to run.

‘now!’

After receiving Rossby’s signal, I ran to second base.

‘The penalty is high!’

The second baseman is seen jumping to catch a high throw.

‘sliding!’

And when trying to slide according to Rossby’s signal,

“uh?”

I saw this crazy bastard land towards my hand.

‘Fuck! ‘Is this bastard part of it?’

The gloves haven’t reached me yet!

I quickly removed my hand and tried to touch the base again, but I couldn’t touch the base. Feels more solid than the base. It was a shoe.

‘You crazy bastard!’

And the glove was scanning my body.

“out!”

“no! “You blocked the base with your foot!”

“It was a normal catching motion.”

The second base umpire speaks in a calm tone.

“Hey, if that’s the case with the referee, then that’s it. “You’re a rookie so you have no concept?”

… ? Are you crazy?

‘Oh, it comes out like this, right? ‘Second baseman, what number?’

I looked at the electronic display board right at the opposing second baseman’s red field. Hitting number 8? Wonhyeong Lee. Just try getting on base, this guy.

“What are you doing? “Aren’t you going in?”

Does this guy think he did a good job?

“under… . It really makes the game worse. “Hit the ball and block second base.”

“The little bastard said.”

“Well, it might be nice to be old.”

“This, a cheap bird… .”

“You two, what are you doing on the ground!”

“sorry.”

“… sorry.”

When I apologized to the second base umpire and returned to the dugout, I felt a slightly cold atmosphere. I think he was angry at me for wasting his chance to get to first base with no outs, or he seemed cold because I got into an argument. It was a complex atmosphere.

“It was a waste.”

“sorry. “It’s blocking second base.”

“Tsk. “Look carefully from now on and slide.”

“… yes.”

Fuck, I was the one who was treated unfairly, and I have to apologize to the coach. I feel irritated.

“Hey, why did you come here arguing?”

As I threw down my base running gear and sat down on the bench, Seongtae Yoon approached me.

“No, you block second base with your foot. “You play so fucking dirty, really.”

“Lee Won-hyung, that bastard is always like that. But since it’s a normal catching motion, no one can say anything.”

I wonder if Yoon Seong-tae suffered something too? But no one gave you true education on that?

“Next time, I’m going to go into the bentleg (sliding with the feet).”

“huh? why?”

“If they do that next time, I’ll have to destroy it.”

As someone who protects the justice of the league, this was absolutely intolerable. If the angle doesn’t come out, when defending… .

“Hey, hey. “It’s still a good idea.”

“Senior, he went to high school with me, or he’s on the same team. “They’re just enemies?”

“Look at your mindset. “I’m glad I’m on the same team as you.”

“My brother is so withdrawn. “Baseball is a war, and you have to go in with the intention of killing.”

What Rossby always emphasizes is that baseball is war. And now, blocking second base was declaring war on me.

‘Fuck you, I searched, really.’

*

The opportunity came faster than expected. The game unfolded in an unexpected pitcher’s battle pattern, and the game progressed quickly. This is because in the bottom of the third inning when the game was tied 0-0, starting pitcher Kim Chan-young walked leadoff hitter Lee Won-hyung and got on base. It felt like I could hear the fans sighing, but it was actually better for me.

‘Dog, just run.’

Even if I tried not to be conscious of it, my eyes kept focusing on the guy on first base.

Wonhyeong Lee, a veteran player leading the Hwasan rookie infield. In Hwasan, where most players are young, he was one of the few mid-level players in his early thirties. A hitter who could be called the main hitter of Hwasan until Choi Si-woo appeared.

In particular, he won the Golden Glove in 2018, but should we say that he was a victim of the foolish behavior of the Volcano front office, who was taken to the military during the next season? I heard that after serving in the military, his playing became quite dirty, probably because he was overcome by evil.

Especially for second-team players and rookie players. Seongtae Yoon also said that he suffered a lot when he played in the 2nd team.

“… So are you really going to do it?”

Seongtae Yoon, who played as the starting shortstop today, approaches me and talks to me while covering his mouth with his glove.

“Then you’re faking it? “Try tossing the ball well.”

“Ha, I don’t think this is right.”

“Then are you just going to suffer? “I need to change my habits.”

“… “Once I figured it out.”

What I asked was simple. When a ground ball comes to the shortstop, throw the ball slightly higher. Seongtae Yoon seemed to know right away what I wanted.

“Senior Chanyoung! Let’s roll one to the infield. “I will stop everything.”

Kim Chan-young slightly nods his head as if he heard my cheering. Let’s hold it low and try to get just one. senior.

Chanyoung Kim receives an autograph and throws the ball toward home plate.

“cheek.”

A ball thrown low to induce a double play becomes a ball. But it was a good try. If we can keep throwing low and keep the ball rolling, we will win.

‘I think your idea of victory and that guy’s idea of victory are a little different?’

‘That’s not important now. Mr. Rossby. Baseball is war. Right?’

‘Hehe, that’s right.’

After that, Kim Chan-young repeatedly threw the ball low to induce a ground ball. The full count was like that, and the ball finally headed to the low part of the strike zone.

Dang!

‘come!’

The hit is an easy double play headed toward the shortstop. Since the count was full, Lee Won-hyung, who started first, was seen running toward second base. Seongtae Yoon catches the ball with his glove and throws it. The ball bounced higher than expected, probably because he was thinking about what I asked for.

‘It actually worked out well.’

It was a ball that could be caught by stretching out one’s arms high, but he deliberately jumped and caught the ball. I see Wonhyeong Lee sliding in.

‘Search!’

“Aaaahhh!”

I definitely felt like my feet were being stepped on. If it had been an unexpected landing, I could have gotten hurt, but this was the situation I intended. After landing lightly on the opposite foot, I used my glove to caress the cheek of the guy lying down.

“Wow!”

“out!”

And first base!

“Safe!”

“Ah, kabi!”

“Ahhhh! “My feet, my feet!”

“uh? sorry. I stepped on it. “I didn’t see it.”

He immediately bowed his head and apologized. If it is revealed that you did that on purpose, you will be suspended from business.

“It’s a dog, a dog.”

Ugh, by the way, the batter looked slow, so I tried to reach first base, but it was a shame.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Senior, are you okay?”

As Lee Won-hyung is rolling around on the ground holding his feet, Yoon Seong-tae and the second base umpire ask about Lee Won-hyung’s condition.

“Call a trainer!”

“Ugh, my feet. “Fuck.”

‘Baby, you’re lucky. If it had been head first, I would have changed my hands.’

I guess the bone wasn’t broken or damaged because the shoe was stepped on? If I had stepped on it, it would have broken 100%.

As I was looking at him with that thought in mind, I made eye contact with him.

“S-shit, you fucking bastard… !”

I was a little excited to see the guy blushing while holding his ankle, but I held back my laughter and opened my mouth.

“sorry. under. The compliment came high. “I’m sorry.”

I guess this is enough to convey how sorry I am, right? So, you should have played better defense. Tsk.