Chapter 37

Chapter 37. A Meeting That Defied the Era

The Daejeon Hawks were definitely a team everyone had predicted to finish in last place.

But in my previous life, that prediction had been completely wrong.

Why?

Simple.

Because I had been there.

Of course, even without me, they were doing well right now.

Still, the absence of a true ace in their starting rotation was the biggest obstacle standing between them and a championship.

The Daejeon Hawks had made it this far purely through their hitting and the manager's ability.

We had to beat them here and cut down their momentum before they became even more dangerous.

And Manager Park Pilseong of the Daejeon Hawks was probably thinking the exact same thing about us.

“Jaejun, did the head coach say anything?”

I asked calmly while helping him train before the game.

“Not really. He just told me to play freely for now.”

Was that trust?

Or were they simply being careless because it was still early in the season?

“You know their first and second hitters are ranked first and second in stolen bases, their third hitter is batting .500, and their cleanup hitter is leading the league in home runs, right?”

Their offense had suddenly exploded.

The prospects the Daejeon Hawks had collected for years were finally starting to break out.

“Uh... yeah, I know.”

“And today's starting pitcher has a hundred wins in America.”

“R-Right?”

I let out a small sigh.

This team was being far too relaxed.

“Their first and second hitters won't steal unless they get the signal. Their manager keeps a tight grip on them. If either one reaches base, watch the opposing bench and judge from there.”

Yoon Jaejun nodded.

The team that had inspired me the most in my previous life wasn't from America or Japan.

It was Park Pilseong's team.

He had turned a last-place team into champions almost overnight.

“Against the third hitter, focus on breaking balls. Against the fourth, use mostly fastballs.”

Yoon Jaejun quickly memorized everything.

Without saying anything else, I continued the training.

Kwon Geonwoo and Go Gyeongtae approached me.

“Seong, do you know how to deal with Martinez too?”

Martinez was a foreign pitcher who had recorded more than a hundred wins in Major League Baseball.

He was the starter we were facing today.

He had started two games so far and had a record of two wins, zero losses, with a 2.34 ERA.

“There is a way.”

“What is it?”

“Simple. If you get on base, keep getting on his nerves.”

The three of them widened their eyes before slowly nodding as if they understood.

Martinez was unquestionably a talented pitcher who had proven himself in America.

But mentally, he was unbelievably fragile.

He constantly clashed with teammates, and a few years ago, he had even set a new record for causing the most bench-clearing incidents.

If someone slightly broke an unwritten rule or got in his way around the bases, he would immediately start a fight.

“Will that really work...?”

Kwon Geonwoo seemed more worried because he was the leadoff hitter.

“Try it if you get on base. You're the fastest player on our team right now, aren't you?”

He had good baserunning instincts.

And if his hitting improved just a little more, he could probably become a .300 hitter.

“Got it. I'll do my best.”

Kwon Geonwoo agreed right away.

It had been quite a while since I had last seen Park Pilseong, so my heart was beating a little faster.

I had sacrificed my arm for the last-place team that had won its one and only championship in 1999.

Even so, Park Pilseong's title as a great manager had never disappeared.

Besides, I had still performed well even while injured.

Naturally, the controversy over player overuse eventually faded away.

This time, however, I was meeting him as an opponent.

That made the whole thing feel strangely different.

What kind of baseball would he show me?

Starting Lineup

• Starting Pitcher: Norman

• 1st Batter: Kwon Geonwoo (Center Fielder)

• 2nd Batter: Yoon Jaejun (Catcher)

• 3rd Batter: Go Gyeongtae (Second Baseman)

• 4th Batter: Choi Seong (Designated Hitter)

• 5th Batter: Daniel Sanchez (Third Baseman)

• 6th Batter: Kim Hakseong (First Baseman)

• 7th Batter: Yoo Gam (Right Fielder)

• 8th Batter: Park Hyeonghwan (Left Fielder)

• 9th Batter: Kwon Seonho (Shortstop)

There had been several changes to the lineup.

The starting pitchers remained the same, but the batting order had been rearranged.

Right before the game started, Manager Rodriguez called a strategy meeting.

For the first time, I had been placed in the cleanup spot.

“We've made several changes to the lineup for today's game. I expect the final score to be very close. That's why we've placed Yoon Jaejun, who has power, in the second spot.”

No one disagreed.

Yoon Jaejun currently had five home runs.

That was first on our team and third overall in the league.

For reference, I had four home runs, putting me second on the team and tied for fourth overall.

“Putting both a catcher and a pitcher near the top of the batting order is certainly a burden... which means the other position players need to work harder, don't you think?”

Manager Rodriguez didn't name anyone directly, but he didn't hold back his criticism either.

The players naturally lowered their heads.

Of course, he was speaking through an interpreter...

But the interpreter seemed to agree with him too, because he delivered the words with extra force and emotion.

“We've also placed Choi Seong fourth. His hitting has been strong recently, so I trust him to fulfill his role in the heart of the order. Kwon Geonwoo has a high on-base percentage and excellent speed, so cause as much trouble as possible on the bases. Hitters one through five are in good form. The rest are not. Work harder.”

Kim Hakseong, our captain, lowered his head the most.

Was I imagining things, or was he looking at me with burning eyes?

I quickly looked away.

I was afraid he might ask me to hit him with a bat again.

Kim Hakseong definitely practiced hitting more than most players.

But his skills weren't improving.

If anything, it felt like he had fallen deeper into a slump.

I knew the clue that could help him escape it.

Still, it was something he had to bring up first.

It would be strange for me to interfere before he asked.

“Starting today, play with the intention of winning all three games in this series. Otherwise, we'll fall behind in the race for the top spots. Show me a game that firmly engraves a winning mentality into this team.”

“Yes, sir!”

Everyone answered loudly.

Manager Rodriguez nodded in satisfaction.

At the same time, Park Pilseong had also gathered the Daejeon Hawks players.

He slowly looked at each player's face before speaking.

“As you all know, we're currently in first place. We've completely turned things around after finishing near the bottom last season. Am I right or wrong?”

“You're right!”

Park Pilseong looked across his tightly disciplined roster once again before raising his voice.

He had stayed awake analyzing data until two in the morning and had discovered Norman's weaknesses, along with the weaknesses of the Oceans' top hitters.

“We can beat Norman. The answer is opposite-field hitting from right-handed batters and pull hitting from left-handed batters.”

Everyone quietly nodded.

They had already received the relevant information from the analysis team that morning.

“Our faster hitters near the top of the order should try to reach first through bunts and infield hits whenever possible. Norman's pitches have decent stuff, but he's weak at fielding. Exploit that as much as you can.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Pitchers, listen carefully. Against hitters one through four, give it everything you've got. Especially Kwon Geonwoo. He's fast, so think of it as absolutely necessary to keep him off base.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Putting Yoon Jaejun second probably means they expect this to be a close, low-scoring game. That's how most of our recent games have gone. Yoon Jaejun's weakness is ultimately breaking balls. Mixing slow curves with four-seamers should be enough to deal with him... Hey, you! What did I just say?”

“Huh? Yes...”

“This punk isn't even paying attention before a game. You think you can fool around because you're not starting? Want to go down to the second team? Anyway, their third hitter bounced back in the previous game, but we'll need to keep watching him. The real problem is the fourth hitter. Number four.”

The moment Choi Seong's name came up, everyone swallowed nervously.

A pitcher currently batting over .400 while holding a record of two wins, zero losses, and an ERA below 1.00.

Everyone in the league was amazed by his talent.

“Throw everything outside the strike zone against him. If there are no runners on base, just pitch around him. He's the greatest genius I've ever seen.”

If Choi Seong had joined the Daejeon Hawks, the final piece of their championship puzzle would've been complete.

But somehow, the Oceans had stolen him away.

It was a painful memory.

An ordinary pitcher had taken the worst high school team in the country to a championship.

Then he had joined another last-place team.

His potential had already fully bloomed.

“Understood. But in his first at-bat, I won't avoid challenging him directly.”

Martinez, who had been listening, finally spoke.

Right.

That bastard never listened.

If Park Pilseong had another pitcher with better physical tools, he would've replaced Martinez immediately.

“Do whatever you want.”

This lunatic would cancel training and lock himself inside his room whenever he got upset.

He had put up solid numbers in Major League Baseball, but there was a reason he'd been released.

“But if you lose that battle, you're the one taking responsibility.”

As the manager, Park Pilseong gave him a clear warning.

Martinez had only survived this long because he had performed well at the beginning of the season.

Otherwise, Park Pilseong would've cut him during spring training.

Park Pilseong sighed inwardly.

He needed an innings eater he could control like his own limbs.

Someone like Choi Seong, who had recently thrown around 120 pitches to complete a shutout.

A pitcher who could burn brightly for this one season.

The away team came up to bat first in the top of the first inning.

Norman, a dark-skinned Hispanic pitcher, climbed onto the mound and threw his first pitch.

• 149 km/h

The leadoff hitter saw the fast fastball coming.

His choice was a bunt.

Norman looked startled as he rushed forward.

Well, he probably hadn't expected a bunt on the very first play of the game.

But he reacted too late.

By the time he fielded the ball and threw toward first—

“Safe!”

The first-base umpire shouted.

Watching Norman's stunned expression, Manager Park Pilseong clenched his fist.

The strategy had worked.

Park Pilseong immediately signaled for the second hitter to show bunt on the first pitch as well.

“Ball!”

The sudden bunt threat shook Norman's command.

His fastball sailed high.

Norman clearly disliked the situation.

He raised his glove and covered his mouth.

“That pitcher's mentality isn't very strong either.”

Park Pilseong gave another signal to the second hitter.

See as many pitches as possible.

“Ball!”

The second pitch was also outside the zone.

Norman had become too conscious of defending the bunt and had shifted his weight forward during his delivery.

“Heh. How's that? Things aren't going the way you want, are they?”

Manager Park Pilseong smiled as he watched Norman struggle.

The second hitter eventually reached first on a walk.

Starting from the third hitter, the Hawks' batters were slower, so it would be difficult to reach base through bunts like this.

Even so, Park Pilseong gave another signal.

Pretend to bunt, then swing.

He had called a fake-bunt slash in the very first inning.

It was normally a strategy used after the fifth inning in a close game.

But Park Pilseong had no intention of holding back.

Becoming the first team to reach ten wins would boost morale.

It would also attract plenty of media attention.

Crack!

Once again, Park Pilseong's plan worked perfectly.

The third batter drove a hit straight through the gap between the second baseman and shortstop.

The runner on second, who had excellent speed, quickly raced home.

The score was 1–0.

No outs.

Runners on first and second.

The next hitter was Lee Byeonghwan, who was tied for first place in the league with nine home runs.

As expected from a power hitter, he looked intimidating the moment he stepped into the batter's box.

Park Pilseong's next instruction was simple.

Attack the first pitch. It'll be a fastball.

After receiving the sign, Lee Byeonghwan swung as Norman delivered the ball.

CRACK!

A sharp sound echoed through the stadium.

Norman collapsed to the ground.

“Nice!”

Lee Byeonghwan's tenth home run flew over the wall at Sajik Baseball Stadium.

The score became 4–0.

The entire momentum of the game had changed in just one inning.

I calmly thought as I watched Norman collapse.

So he had attacked the pitcher's mentality...

Park Pilseong really was different from other managers, even when it came to details like this.

Should we just give up this game?

The moment that thought entered my mind, a status window appeared in front of me.

[Sub Mission: Stop the Daejeon Hawks from Reaching 10 Wins!]

...

• Reward: Title [Spoiler Squad] / Failure: Only Death Awaits!

...

You've got to be kidding me.

How the hell am I supposed to win this?

I let out a sigh.

The ticking sound inside my body began growing faster.

Just like I had a time bomb strapped to me.