Cheat Hitter Eats It All 605

Chapter 605 – Episode 592. A South American Powerhouse. (3)

[Ji Maeng-ho! Run! Safe at second base! Ji Maeng-ho shows off his prowess as the KBA stolen base king for three consecutive years against the Dominican Republic!]

[This is Ji Maeng-ho! Since he is one step further than other players, the only way to catch him is to keep him in check, but Alcantara has already checked him twice, right? If you throw one more time and don’t catch it, a balk is declared, and even if you’re an Alcantara player, there’s nothing you can do about it.]

[Ji Maeng-ho overcomes two checks and heads to second base! And Ji Maeng-ho’s time is not over yet.]

[Yes. Since the number of checks per at-bat is limited, it is also impossible to check second base as long as Joo Seung-cheol’s at-bats continue.]

[And the moment I tell you! Ji Meng-hoi steals third base! … Safe! Ji Maeng-ho creates a situation with 1 out and 3rd base with his quick feet!]

[Great! Since it is a one-out situation, unless it is an infield fly or a short outfield fly, you can always score one point!]

[Joo Seung-cheol, who is at bat, is not a player who would miss a situation like this, right?]

[Of course. There’s no way Joo Seung-cheol, last year’s National League Rookie of the Year, would miss this opportunity!]

The scoring situation came from the first inning. The Korean broadcaster raised the tension and explained the situation, and the Dominican defenders began to advance their defensive positions with the intention of not giving up even a single point.

“Hmm… I’ve seen reports and videos, but you’re really quick on your feet. Even the boldness to take a step forward at that speed…”

“Is that so? He is the best player I have ever seen in Asia. Power and speed. His physical ability is such that even the average black athlete can’t be defeated. But to start with that kind of guts, it really makes no sense.”

And there were people watching the situation. He was the head of the Dodgers’ Far East Asia scouting team and general scouting team leader. The Far East Asia scouting team leader, who received a large bonus for winning the Rookie of the Year award by bringing Joo Seung-cheol to the Dodgers last year, naturally raised his voice in front of the general team leader.

“How does it compare to Joo?”

“Of course there is no need to compare. Ji is superior. He also talks about the KBA league records. In three years he has stolen over 200 bases, and he has only been caught twice.”

“I wondered if it would work because it was a record recorded in a low-level league, but after seeing it in person, you are right.”

“This is my 10th stolen base in international competition. Of course, there are no failures. Not only his hitting but also his base running ability is not inferior at all compared to the best players in the Major League. Oh, his batting is not bad, but his base running ability would be better with Ji than any other player in the major leagues.”

“But I heard the defense is a bit vague. Although Choi showed good performance at shortstop, it is difficult to trust an Asian infielder to play infield defense. The outfield is already full. Will he be able to adapt to the fast batting of the big leagues?”

If anyone heard it, they might have thought that the Far East Asia team leader was forcing a rebuttal because he didn’t like it, but the general team leader was serious right now. Ji Maeng-ho’s estimated price is at least several hundred million dollars. He didn’t want to even think about what would happen next if he spent that kind of money and couldn’t get the price he paid for it due to failure to adapt to the defense.

“Of course, he is not a player with perfect defense. But, look at his athleticism. “If he sharpens himself during spring camp, he will be as good as any other fielder.”

And the Far East Asia team leader wanted to recruit Ji Maeng-ho despite taking such risks, so he actively appealed to Ji Maeng-ho’s strengths.

“Ji is added to Ohtani, Freeman, and Betts? Winning five years in a row like the Yankees? No, we might be able to build an empire even greater than that.”

And the moment those words ended, Joo Seung-cheol’s batted ball rolled into the infield, and Ji Maeng-ho did not miss the moment and drilled home. It was a fantastic display of base-running ability that made fools of the infield, which was playing forward defense.

“… Obviously athletic ability alone doesn’t make sense. It could work in the NFL too. But usually, guys like that believe in their own abilities and don’t have the basic skills, so it’s really neat who they learned the batted ball judgment and base skipping movements from.”

“Yes. That guy will be the infielder that combines Bonds and Henderson. “We must catch it next year.”

“… If you say so. But what about Korean pitchers? Jang?”

“Well, a pitcher who throws 100 mph is a pitcher worth scratching at any time. “As long as it’s not too expensive.”

“I thought you always gave Koreans high praise, but that wasn’t the case.”

“I tend to only do that with certain players. Seonghyeon, Joo, Ji. “They were all like that.”

At the time when the Dodgers scout team was leaning towards recruiting Ji Maeng-ho, scout teams from other teams were also having similar conversations.

“It would be nice if I had money. Joo had 100 million dollars, so he will get at least 200 to 300 million, right?”

“I guess so…”

Starting with small market teams with no money.

“I’ve been watching him since the last Olympics, but he’s definitely a player who can score one point on his own. That kind of blow against Alcantara…”

“A player of that caliber should be recruited even if it costs hundreds of millions of dollars.”

“How much of the club’s salary cap is left?”

“What’s important about the salary cap? “They’re asking us to pay luxury tax for a player like that.”

Even big market teams that don’t have to worry about the salary cap. Everyone was fascinated by the play that showed who he was against Alcantara.

If he had shown something like this in one game, one tournament, you could have thought it was just an Asian player’s fluke, but this is the third major international tournament that Ji Maeng-ho has participated. He had already proven that he was not a fluke, so in a way, it was a natural reaction.

Although he is still in a small league in Asia, Ji Maeng-ho’s talent is shining even in the eyes of major league scouts,

“How does it look?”

“He’s definitely a good player. Batting and base running. As reported, he is a player who will compete for MVP even if he comes to the big league right now.”

“Not like that. There were many players on our team who deserved the MVP award. “What’s important is whether that guy can lead us to the championship.”

“Winning is something that comes from heaven, but…”

“But?”

“If Ji came, even the sky would be impressed. The baseball gods would not approve of a player like that not winning a championship. Winning three years in a row, winning the Olympics. Doesn’t the fact that you won every competition you participated in except the last WBC prove that fact? Haha.”

“Yes? There’s something wrong with my eyes, right? I feel like I discovered Jeter, or rather Ruth, whom I had only heard about. Let’s see how this WBC ends. “Will he be able to lead Korea to victory once again? Will he be our new Ruth?”

Although it is a team that boasts the best history in the league, the general manager of a team that had slipped from the brink of victory many times over the past 10 years, befitting its reputation, was also paying attention to Ji Maeng-ho’s talent.

*

“It’s space. Did you see it? Brother, there are still three more at-bats left. Feel free to give up to 3 points. “I will give you at least 1 point each.”

“This is my brother. “I was a little suspicious yesterday, but he’s my brother after all!”

“… “Why did you doubt it yesterday?”

“… “It’s nothing.”

I wanted to hit my head against the irreverent look in Woo Joo’s eyes, but I couldn’t. Because Wooju played an important role in being responsible for the team’s fate.

‘If we lose today, this bastard is behind.’

“… Brother, your eyes?”

“What are eyes?”

“No, I’ll do well.”

“Don’t feel pressured. Do it as usual. Pyeong. Cow. As soon as possible.”

“… Okay.”

It seemed like the universe had sensed my feelings and was a bit angry, but I couldn’t put that kind of pressure on the pitcher, so I consoled him, grabbed my gloves, and went into the ground. And then Dominica’s attack began in the top of the second inning.

“Strike! Out!”

‘101.2 miles (162.8 km/h)? ‘Baby, I told you not to feel pressured.’

Wooju, who struck out Guerrero Jr., Got off to a good start again. After that, there was a crisis where Soto gave up a double and Rodriguez walked, but the second inning ended with no runs as he led a double play against Diaz.

“Whoa, all the fucking kids are all-star level.”

“This is my little brother.”

“Hehe. “It’s the same when you see it, right?”

Woo-ju clearly shows why the manager chose him as the starting pitcher, and he praises him by giving him a compliment. Because Woo Joo showed a good game as long as he wasn’t overly excited.

‘I wish the universe would keep throwing things at me like this, but it wouldn’t be easy, right?’

If Woosoo continues to show like this, it won’t be difficult to win, but the number of pitches for Woosoo was already approaching 40, and Alcantara was alive and well.

“Out!”

“Strike! Out!”

“Out!”

The 1 point they gave me was because they were making light work of Kang Han-beom, Ki Ki-joo, and Lee Yong-gi, the three winners of last year’s Golden Gloves, as if nothing had happened.

Even though they scored 1 run, the feeling of losing continued, and in the 3rd inning when the bottom batting line came out, both pitchers ended the inning with a three-way throw, but the difference in the number of pitches thrown by Woo-ju was 51 and the number of pitches thrown by Alcantara was 35. Was gradually unfolding.

And in the top of the 4th inning,

Ta-ah!

“Ah…”

“You can do it! Jang Woo-ju!”

“Space! Come to your senses!”

“… Fuck!”

Tatis Jr.’ S solo home run and subsequent hits by Dominican Major League All-Star hitters immediately brought the score to 2:1, and the number of pitches in the universe increased to 74.

‘Fuck, that’s right if you do that. Still, I did a good job blocking the first and second episodes, so I’ll give it a watch.’

If it weren’t for the national team stage, I would have been scolded, but the opponent was Dominica. Against Dominica, I could say that 2 runs in 4 innings was enough for a good save, so I cursed to myself and took the bat.

‘Because the next pitcher was being prepared by senior Woosung… Write, let’s strike a balance no matter who throws it.’

The pitcher preparing in the background is Jung Woo-sung. He was a pitcher who had the ability to block at least one turn of the batting line, so if he could keep two scoreless innings, he would still be good enough.

‘Under… Even two outs are fine, so let’s pile up the runners. Senior Joo-tae looks bad today… Should you have said that Seungcheol would go out after his brother? Tsk.’

It’s a moment of regret. Dealing with Alcantara was difficult with normal concentration, so he went to bat with as much concentration as possible.

“Strike!”

And the guy who boldly throws a strike from the first pitch…

‘Fuck, two first pitch strikes in a row? You fell behind in your next at-bat. Really. Mr. Rossby, what about the next ball?’

In my next at-bat, I promised myself that I would swing the bat from the first pitch and waited for his pitch,

“Ball.”

“Ball.”

“Strike!”

Perfect!

I couldn’t hold back and swung at his fifth pitch, a sinker,

“Out!”

… The batted ball ended up stuck in the infield.

‘Oh, fuck, you’re really throwing the ball so dirty.’

Alcantara is showing his best pitching as if he will not allow a tie in a situation where he has one point to spare. He even smiled while showing his teeth as he saw me retreating to the dugout.

‘That bastard…’

‘Hehe, being laughed at by a bastard. You went as far as you could.’

‘… ‘Shut up, please!’

When I saw that, I got angry, but

‘I really fell behind in my next at-bat.’

I had no choice but to retreat to the dugout, promising my next at-bat.