Cheat Hitter Eats It All 87

Chapter 87 – Episode 86. National Team VS Australia (1)

[Hello. Viewers. Korea and Australia, Australia and Korea. Opening match of WBC Group B. Delivered from Tokyo Dome. Caster Lee Cheol-woo, Lee Sang-hyun and Kim Jong-gun for help.]

[Hello. This is Lee Sang-hyun.]

[Hello. This is Kim Jong-gun.]

[The tournament many baseball fans have been waiting for, the World Baseball Classic. A lot of people are looking forward to it, right?]

[Yes. At the Qatar World Cup, the national soccer team unfortunately failed to advance to the round of 16, and the public was very disappointed, and I hope the baseball national team can heal the pain.]

[Commissioner Lee Sang-hyun, isn’t that a dangerous statement?]

[Ah! Is that sohaha, sorry But anyway, I hope that the Korean national team will return with good grades and a golden return as it is evaluated as the best ever.]

[You said it was the best ever, but how does the national team now compare to when it won glory in Beijing in 2008? Commissioner Kim Jong-gun.]

[In fact, it was true that the 2008 Olympic team was also strong. Joo Hyeong-jin, who was active in the major leagues, and Seong-hyun, who won the MVP for two consecutive years while winning the Triple Crown for the second consecutive year in his 2006 debut. Lee Ki-cheol, the greatest catcher of all time, and Woo Kwan-hyung, who set a record of 150 hits and 20 homers for 4 consecutive years at the time. And it could be said that it was a strong power such as Kang Han-beom and Lee Jin-hong, who were blooming as newcomers. However, this year can be said to be a little stronger than the national team then.]

[What do you think is the reason? Commissioner Lee Sang-hyun.]

[Once there are a lot more players who have experienced the major leagues than at that time. Aside from active major leaguers Seonghyeon Sung, Woosung Jung, and Joo-tae Choi, Ki Sang-joo Gi and Kang-beom Kang were also active players in the major leagues until last year, and Jin-hong Lee is also considered a player who can advance to the majors anytime without injuries. However, he came out of the swamp of injuries last year and the year before last and won two consecutive Golden Gloves. Besides that, there are many good pitchers.]

[But aren’t there a lot of brilliant players in the US and Japan teams?]

[That’s why this World Baseball Classic has a lot to see. Power struggles of each country. And the Korean national team, which is the best ever. I am very excited as a baseball fan, leaving the commentator to see how this spectacle-filled match will proceed.]

[Okay. And in order for our national team to laugh there, we must catch this game, right?]

[You’re right. Australia. It’s definitely not an opponent to be laughed at, but you can see that the objective power is inferior to that of the Korean national team. This is a must-win game. And as there is a saying that you have to sew the first button well, I am looking forward to showing you a good look in the first game.]

[Then, the first button of the Korean national team. The match against the Australian national team Let’s start now. Australia’s first inning, attack. South Korea’s first starting pitcher is Choi Joong-hoon, left-hander ace of Hyunseong Madcats. He had 14 wins and a 3.15 earned run average last season.]

*

“Play ball!”

The umpire’s call was heard and Australia’s ace pitcher, Lime Hendricks, focused on the catcher’s sign. At the beginning of the first inning, Australia’s attack ended with a three-way attack, so Hendricks also wanted to take the lead.

‘Lime. Let’s go lightly for the first pitch.’

‘OK.’

Laim Hendrix, a player who started his career as a starting pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, but changed his position as a relief pitcher and blossomed into his heyday. He was a seasoned player in the major leagues, twice winning the Rivera Award for the best finishers.

‘Let’s put a fastball lightly toward the body. Lime.’

‘OK.’

His main weapon is a heavy fastball of 98 miles (157 km/h) and a curve with a difference of about 20 km/h. Slider at 89 miles. When I went to the game as a finisher, I used to throw most of my balls with fastballs, but now it was different. Because he had to start and be responsible for long innings.

Phut!

A white baseball flew from Hendrix’s hand and passed through home plate in the blink of an eye, making a cheerful sound and getting stuck in the catcher’s mitt. The speed recorded on the electronic board was 149.6 km/h, which was not the average speed during the finishing period.

“Cheek.”

‘Sheesh, is it a ball? Also Choi. Are you saying you can’t get your hands on a ball like this?’

Choi Joo-tae, South Korean shortstop for the Angels. A sophisticated hitter who debuted in 2019 and hit 30% for 4 consecutive seasons. Even for Hendricks, who can be called the best finisher in the American League, Choi Joo-tae was a tricky opponent.

‘But I was expecting it.’

However, he knew that Choi Ju-tae would not be able to get his hands on this kind of ball because he had a lot of experience dealing with his prime and Choi Ju-tae’s debut in the major leagues at the same time. On the contrary, Hendricks would have been disappointed if his hand went out on such a ball to see the liver.

‘The only boundary batter in Korea. It’s easy to get there once you cross the choi. Let the second ball be a slider.’

The second ball that Hendricks chose to face Joo-tae Choi was the slider. Choi Joo-tae, who has sophisticated batting ability and a pioneering mind, does not get a bad ball. To fool Choi Joo-tae, you need a ball that licks the zone like a slider.

‘OK. Throw it to your heart’s content.’

Hendricks took another deep breath and started the windup. Hmm! Hendrix’s 89-mph slider passed through the strike zone as the bell roared through the field.

“Strike!”

‘Write. Is the ball good? Is this Hendrix after all?’

Choi Joo-tae had no choice but to swallow Hendrix’s ball. Because the angle of the falling ball was quite good.

‘This must be difficult for other hitters, right?’

1st batter’s task. Look at the ball as much as possible. No matter how developed and analyzed the video is, the ball actually seen is different from the video, so the first hitter needed to see as many balls as possible for the next batters.

‘But it must be difficult that way.’

However, when he went into the at bat thinking about watching the ball a lot, the bat naturally had to be late. His speed on his fastball wasn’t much, perhaps because he was a starter, but that breaking ball was quite tricky. Choi Joo-tae decided to hit his own, leaving behind the duty of the first hitter.

‘I saw the fastball and the slider. The deciding ball, the curveball, has not yet been thrown. It’s dangerous when the count rushes. I’m going to hit it now.’

– Blow it up, blow it up! Choi! Joo! Tae! Blow it up, blow it up! Choi! Joo! Tae!

And just in time, I heard a familiar cheering song I had heard in Korea.

‘I have to show this at bat this time for the fans who come all the way to the next country and sing cheering songs.’

When I focused on the pitcher again, the sound of the cheering song that had been ringing in my ears diminished and I fell into the illusion that there were only pitchers and batters. Choi Joo-tae, who maintained such a state of concentration, glared at Hendricks while timing the fast ball. Their eyes met and soon Hendricks threw the third ball.

“Huap!”

‘Come!’

The hitter trying to match the timing of the pitcher’s ball and the pitcher trying to divert the batter’s timing interlocked, and the trajectory of the bat hit the ball flying toward home plate.

Widely!

“Fuck!”

“Fucking! Yeah–!!”

And Hendrix’s cheers spread. Like Hendricks, who is famous for his strong emotional expression in the major leagues, he had to throw Choi Joo-tae, the first hitter, to treat it as a pop fly, and the ceremony was spontaneously performed. Although it is a game with the first batter, the weight of the title of national team makes the ceremony understandable.

“Senior, what about the ball?”

“Similar to the video, but the fastball is slow. Since it is a selection, it seems that I am also making rapid adjustments. But the breaking ball seems to be similar.”

“Confirm.”

Choi Joo-tae told the next hitter, Joo Seung-cheol, what he felt and headed to the dugout.

‘If it’s Seungcheol, can he hit it?’

I don’t know about other hitters, but I can trust Joo Seung-cheol. Such a thought came to Choi Ju-tae’s head. Other than Joo Seung-cheol, there were hitters who had been to the major leagues, but to be honest, Ki Sang-joo was a failed hitter in the major leagues, and Kang-beom showed good performance, but looking at his performance in the previous season, he was a retired hitter.

Even if they are former major leaguers, it is difficult to easily hit the ball of Hendrix, who is considered one of the best closers in the major leagues.

But Seungcheol Joo is different. He is a person who is questionable why he did not go to the major leagues in the first place. The son of Joo Hyung-jin, a Korean baseball hero, a monster who won two consecutive Golden Gloves from his debut to joining the Jamsil 30-30 club.

‘I’ll see you in the major leagues someday.’

Choi Joo-tae entrusted Joo Seung-cheol with an unfinished mission and entered the dugout. At dugout, the heat was hot as they cheered for Joo Seung-chul.

“Cheol! I’m going to blow a blow!”

“Seungcheol-ah! If you can’t hit it, you’ll fall behind!”

“Seungcheol hyung! Hit me up!”

And I don’t believe it, but he’s an unknown guy even he’s a major leaguer. Maengho Ji.

“Well…. I guess there’s nothing wrong with major league? If it’s 150, well, it’s worth it.”

He’s a guy with a certain confidence that you don’t know where he’s coming from.

‘Well…. I think I know.’

The physicality of Ji Maeng-ho, whom Choi Joo-tae had seen over the past few days, is clearly a non-Asian. He had a physical feel similar to that of Trout or Ohtani, who are not inferior to most American football players. But even though he has the physique, he has never seen a player so confident.

Besides, a guy who has never played in a pro game has this level of confidence.

And more mysterious than his confidence was his state of mind. First of all, unlike Koreans, I had no courtesy toward my seniors. In particular, whenheheard the story of Jin-mo, he was shocked and dumbfounded for a minute. And when he read the interview Cheol-Young told me about, his chin almost fell out.

Yeah, it might not be cheap. Because there may be people who are not cheap. But he had no idea what the hell the question he was asking himself meant.

– “Senior, you said you were close with Ohtani, right?”

-“But why?”

-“Have you ever seen Ohtani say that he can see a ghost, or that he is suddenly alone and dazed?”

– “What bullshit is that?”

– “I was just curious. You mean no anyway? Okay. It sure is great.”

You’re a ghost what a nonsense If a baseball player asks about Ohtani, it’s his routine, his approach to hitting, or Ohtani’s batting style. This was a common question. Or the women Ohtani meets. Such human questions.

However, I had no idea what Ji Maeng-ho’s question meant. A question I’ve never heard before.

‘What an unusual guy.’

But for something unusual, training was hard work. I don’t know if it’s because the weatherman caught me by my side, but it’s because I worked hard in training. Besides, the skills I saw during practice matches were quite good. In particular, bat speed was faster than anyone in the national team, probably because of his superior physical. And using that bat speed, he hit it regardless of whether it was a fastball or a breaking ball.

‘Well…. That’s interesting too. It seems like he’s just spinning without his own zone, but he’s hitting the right hit like a ghost.’

Usually hitters are divided into two types. The type to hit geth based on psychological warfare and the type to see and hit based on superior physical abilities. However, from Choi Joo-tae’s point of view, Ji Maeng-ho did not seem to be of either type.

‘Certainly not either type of hitter.’

Choi Joo-tae, who had talked a lot with top hitters in the major leagues, was sure.

The timing was too good for a fast ball to be called a geth hit, and the timing was too good for a breaking ball to be called seeing and hitting.

‘What is this bastard really about?’

What broke Choi Joo-tae’s thoughts was the shouts from the crowd.

– Wow! Seungcheol Joo! Seungcheol Joo! Ah~ Ah~ Ah~ Joo Seungcheol! Hancheol’s Joo Seungcheol! (Homerun~! Seungcheol Joo!) Ah~ Ah~ Ah~ Seungcheol Joo! Hancheol’s Joo Seungcheol! (Home run~! Joo Seung-cheol!)

And Joo Seung-cheol’s cheering song.

‘It’s also Joo Seung-chul.’

“Cheol! Good day!”

At the end of the first inning, Joo Seung-cheol went on base to take the lead.