episode_0297

[After AT Thunderz easily secured a victory in the first round with their explosive batting lineup, anticipation is high for the unfolding of the second round today. What kind of game will we witness?]

[In short-term games, pitchers are usually crucial due to the cycle of hitting. Many experts and fans predicted a victory for the powerful pitching of Hyunseong Mad Cats, but in yesterday’s game, AT’s batting lineup exploded, leading them to an effortless win.]

[The signs of AT Thunderz’s batting explosion were evident from the pre-playoffs, right?]

[Exactly. By scoring double digits in the fourth round, the batters showcased their abilities. They are indeed being hailed as one of the best batting lineups in history.]

[At the core are formidable hitters like Kim Suho and Choi Jincheol.]

[That’s correct. From Kim Suho and Kisangju, who are currently top league hitters representing the national team, to Choi Jincheol, who has held the position of four-time home run king in his prime and solidly taken on the role of the national team’s fourth batter along with Kang Hanbeom and Lee Jinhong. And then there’s Ji Maengho… He needs no introduction, a player who can be seen as the present and future of Korean baseball.]

The 2023 AT Thunderz batting lineup, hailed by experts as the best in history, was primarily driven by the roles of the four players introduced by the commentator. While other players were considered ordinary starting players, the synergy created by these four was undeniably exceptional.

From Kim Suho, who recorded 118 runs and a WAR of 5.36, to Kisangju achieving a career-high season with 186 hits, ranking second in hits and boasting a WAR of 6.91, and Choi Jincheol with 44 home runs, second in home runs, 142 RBIs, second in RBIs, and a WAR of 6.45.

Kim Suho trusted the batters behind him and displayed his keen eye for baseball, while Kisangju succeeded in joining the .300-30-100 club with 106 runs and 115 RBIs through his unique ability to produce hits. Choi Jincheol showcased his enduring power, proving why he could secure the title of four-time home run king.

Even if these three formed the cleanup, it was the presence of Ji Maengho, who achieved the best record in Korean baseball history as the fourth batter, that made the difference. Ji Maengho’s presence made it challenging for Kisangju and provided numerous opportunities for Choi Jincheol.

The combined WAR of these four players stood at 36.02. Even when compared to all other teams’ batting WAR, this figure was outstanding and easily recognizable. With the additional contributions from Woo Gwanhyeong, Yoon Seongtae, and Kim Juyeop, each recording a WAR between 2 to 3, the total WAR of the AT lineup surpassed 40 this season, leaving a mark in the league’s history as the lineup with the highest WAR ever recorded.

However, Ji Maengho’s extraordinary WAR exceeding 17 points led some to doubt the effectiveness of the lineup.

– Seriously, isn’t the AT lineup overrated?

– Isn’t Ji Maengho part of AT?

– Why exclude Maengho?

– Haha, there are still people like this, thinking Kim Suho, Kisangju, and Choi Jincheol are useless?

– Kim Suho just benefits from Maengho, and Kisangju and Choi Jincheol get the umbrella effect from Maengho in front and back, right? It affects the pitcher’s mentality.

– Kisangju had a terrible season in the majors last year, and Choi Jincheol had an OPS of 0.786 with only 23% last year. They’re just riding Ji Maengho’s coattails.

Nevertheless, as if to cleanly dispel the doubts that lingered throughout the season and playoffs against Hyunseong, AT’s batting lineup has once again started to explode, much like the 13 runs they scored in yesterday’s game.

[The Second Pitch by Vanderbilt…!]

Thud – Ouch!

Hyun-seong’s starting pitcher, Vanderbilt, managed to get the first batter, Kim Juyeop, out, but with Kim Suho’s hit as the second batter and a timely double, the situation quickly turned into one out with runners on second and third.

[Now Ji Maeng-ho steps up to the plate. The choice from Hyun-seong’s dugout is, of course, an intentional walk.]

[Ji Maeng-ho may have a strong batting sense, but it would be absurd to face him with first base open in such a crucial game.]

And so, Ji Maeng-ho walked intentionally, loading the bases with one out. It was now Choi Jin-cheol, who had smashed two home runs yesterday, stepping up to bat.

“Hurry up and give me the sign.”

In this do-or-die situation with one out and the bases loaded, Vanderbilt’s gaze pierced through Hyun-seong’s main catcher, Park Junghyun. Catching that gaze, Park Junghyun, who had shone during the team’s peak in the 2010s and his own prime, winning Golden Gloves in 2011, 2012, 2016, and 2018, following in the footsteps of Yi Gicheol and sharing the league with UG’s Baek Gyeong-ho until Han Cheol’s era emerged, momentarily paled.

Even now, past his prime, Park Junghyun possessed enough skill to be called up as a backup catcher for the national team.

Having experienced much and reached the pinnacle of his career, Park Junghyun knew well the aura surrounding Choi Jin-cheol standing at the plate.

“Damn, why has this guy been so intense since yesterday?”

It was the pressure only felt from top-tier batters.

Throughout Park Junghyun’s long professional career, there were few batters who exuded such pressure. Kang Han-beom before heading to the U.S., Choi Jin-cheol during his two consecutive seasons of over 50 home runs, and Ji Maeng-ho this season. Only these three batters had displayed such momentum at the plate.

When faced with such an atmosphere, Park Junghyun opted for a walk. There was no need to unnecessarily challenge a top-tier batter at the peak of his concentration. But with one out and the bases loaded, a decision had to be made.

“Let’s make it tough. Make it tough.”

After deliberation, Park Junghyun decided on the first pitch and signaled to the pitcher. It was a fastball breaking outside. Considering Choi Jin-cheol’s slowed reaction due to age, Park Junghyun thought it was a wise choice that the bat wouldn’t catch up with Vanderbilt’s pitch.

But was it because of the bases loaded with one out? Vanderbilt’s first pitch veered closer to the strike zone than Park Junghyun’s mitt,

Crack!

Choi Jin-cheol pushed that pitch.

“Damn! As expected…!”

It was the push that Choi Jin-cheol only displayed on days when he was in top form. The ball he pushed, perhaps due to his unique strength, swiftly flew, hitting the wall and bouncing off when it made contact.

“Oh, damn!”

By the time the right fielder caught the ball, the runner on third base, Kim Suho, had crossed home plate, and the runner on second base, Kim Sang-joo, was also sprinting towards home.

[Choi Jin-cheol with a double! Two runners score! Ji Maeng-ho is on third base! Choi Jin-cheol on second! Once again, Choi Jin-cheol delivers RBIs today.]

[While we couldn’t say Choi Jin-cheol had a good batting sense in the pre-playoffs, he’s showing a hot streak since entering the playoffs, isn’t he?]

[Now up to bat is the sixth hitter, Yoon Sung-tae. … The ball goes high! Ji Maeng-ho on third. Center fielder catches it! Ji Maeng-ho tags up! Easily scores! 3-0! AT Thunderz leading by 3 runs. Today, AT’s lineup shows no signs of slowing down!]

“Sigh, damn, these guys since yesterday…”

Park Junghyun, usually optimistic and unfazed even by the loss in the first game, now wore a twisted expression. And unlike Park Junghyun’s grimace, the away fans of AT Thunderz, who once again visited Mad Cats Park today, had smiles blooming on their faces.

“Wow, damn. This is it. This is our lineup!”

The Thunderz’s lineup was considered top-notch this year, but there were certainly undervaluations due to the presence of a non-regular player named Ji Maeng-ho. However, the lineup’s performance flawlessly erased such undervaluations, proving their status as the best lineup even without Ji Maeng-ho making significant contributions from the first game.

[Top of the 3rd inning, two outs. Ji Maeng-ho steps up to the plate. Today’s record includes one intentional walk.]

[Ji Maeng-ho has entered this playoff series with 3 hits in 1 at-bat and 3 walks. While his performance has been decent, it falls slightly short compared to his reputation, don’t you think?]

[Ji Maeng-ho lifts the fourth pitch! This hit is…!]

Crack!

Even the silent Ji Maeng-ho, hitting a home run beyond the stadium in his second at-bat, contributed additional points to the game that was leaning towards defeat.

“Hyun-seong strikes back! White’s hit goes over the fence! Score 4:2! The game is not over yet!”

Hyun-seong also scored, but Vellingham did not allow a tie, leaving the mound after 6 innings with 3 runs. Meanwhile, the league’s strongest lineup, AT, consistently scored additional points.

“The game ends! Score 10:6! The AT Thunderz leave only one step to the Korean Series! Bursting out for two consecutive days, the Mega Thunderz show! Now, AT heads to Jamsil! Will the AT Thunderz secure a ticket to the Korean Series after 21 years in front of their home fans?”

“Facing Hyun-seong with the league’s strongest pitchers, scoring 13 points in the first game and 10 points in the second. Pulling off double-digit scores in two consecutive games against such a strong team is truly remarkable.”

“Although there’s one game left, Hyun-seong won’t give up, right?”

“That’s right. Offense is cyclical, and you never know when AT’s lineup will catch fire. Moreover, today, Hyun-seong’s batters scored against AT’s bullpen, signaling a revival, so the third game should be more exciting.”

“Baseball fans are likely looking forward to the third game. The third game between Hyun-seong Mad Cats and AT Thunderz at Jamsil. We hope many of you will tune in.”

“Wow, is this a dream? Beating Hyun-seong like this?”

Even as the game ended and AT fans left Mad Cats Park, the unbelievable victory left them anxious due to watching over 100 games a year.

“But I’m a bit anxious. We’re playing so well; we need to keep it up, but taking a day off…”

“Sigh… if we take a day off, our players’ batting rhythm drops, everyone knows that.”

Fans were well aware of the cyclical nature of hitting, having seen teams blaze brightly only to struggle with double plays in the next game.

“Still, we’ve won two games. We shouldn’t get swept, right?”

“Damn, getting swept? No way. Just one more win, please. Let’s make it to the Korean Series.”

“Yeah, damn, let’s go for the Korean Series!”

However, despite the anxiety, fans didn’t believe the team would slip up with one game remaining. Amid expectations of reaching the Korean Series and concerns about the lineup cooling off, time passed, leading to the impending third game that could determine the fate of both teams.

*

“Damn, no wonder we played so well in the first two games. This must be normal, right? Our lineup has been on fire for too long. Ugh, we took a day off, and now our hitting feels off.”

With just one step remaining until the Korean Series, the playoff third game. Until the bottom of the 3rd inning, we only managed one hit. We were tightly bound by Hyun-seong’s mercenary, Carres.

Fortunately, Senior Jang Yun is holding up perfectly, but who knows how long he can keep it up. I need to score quickly before that happens…

The third round with a 0:0 tie. Unlike the strong lead in the first and second rounds, the start was bleak, but it wasn’t frustrating or anything like that.

“I guess it’s my turn, huh? Hehe.”

In fact, I was slightly pleased. While Choi Jincheol took the spotlight in the first and second rounds, this time, I felt like I might be able to grab that spotlight.

Before the match, I went in with the thought, “Please, just once, you vultures,” but I couldn’t help but get excited in this situation. Did my focus increase even more?

“The bus ride was sweet, but my taste is in situations like this… Today, I’ll show them what I’ve got!”