VS The Strongest Monsters [1]
I had nothing better to do, so I figured I might as well watch Strongest Baseball.
If it had been our turn to bat, I could have leisurely analyzed Yoo Heegwan's pitching. Unfortunately, we were the home team, which meant we were in the field. On the mound, Kim Sihu was locked in a full-count battle against leadoff hitter Jeong Geunwoo. Jeong Geunwoo was cutting every single pitch like he could read Yang Uijin's signs perfectly.
As expected. His physical tools might be declining, but everything else is still above most pro second-team players.
Stats like speed, power, and stamina gradually drop over time, but innate abilities such as mentality and plate discipline stay almost exactly at their prime levels...
-WHACK!
"Wait, that was a strike?!"
"Hyung, you might need to shrink the zone a little when you throw."
Hmm... guess not?
I thought he'd already adapted to the ABS during the Chungam High and Seoul High games, but apparently that wasn't the case.
Two wins against Chungam, one win and one loss against Seoul High, right?
After checking the Strongest Monsters broadcast schedule, it looked like only up to their first game against Seoul High had aired.
Ah, of course they'd lose once Lee Sanghwi came in.
From what I could tell, Lee Sanghwi had come in during the third inning and delivered the performance of his life. After giving up three runs in the first, the Monsters' bats had frozen solid. Then in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, Lee Byungkyun hit a walk-off grand slam, handing them a heartbreaking 3-4 loss.
You could've at least told me the Monsters were coming on.
Ever since the Na Hyunsu incident, I'd been casually keeping in touch with the Seoul High guys. The last conversation had been with Lee Sanghwi, after I'd given Lee Byungkyun tips on finding the sweet spot for pop flies and told Sanghwi to raise his arm slot a bit. He'd said his performance had gone completely insane after that. And since he was using the form I'd taught him in this game against the Monsters, it seemed like they'd stayed in contact since then...
So our game will probably air in about three to four weeks?
This Saturday was the semifinals against Daeji High. If Seoul High won, the finals against them would be the week after next. Timing-wise, it would probably air after the Blue Dragon Flag was over.
[Me] [Hyung, did you guys already play the Monsters?]
[Sanghwi Hyung] [Oh yeah. I was gonna tell you once the episode with our second game next Monday came out]
[Me] [We're in the middle of a game right now too]
[Sanghwi Hyung] [For real?]
[Sanghwi Hyung] [I got Park Yongtaek sunbae's autograph on my glove?]
[Image]
Looking at the image, it was clear Lee Sanghwi planned to never use that glove again and just keep it as a trophy for the rest of his life.
[Me] [Whoa, nice glove]
[Sanghwi Hyung] [Anyway, the Monsters are sneakily strong so be careful. We let our guard down thinking they were just retired players and ended up losing the second game in a comeback]
"...I just got spoiled."
I knew it was one win and one loss, but I didn't know they won the second game with a comeback. Thanks a lot, Sanghwi.
[Sanghwi Hyung] [Oh right, your semifinal is against Daeji High?]
[Me] [For now, yeah?]
[Sanghwi Hyung] [There's a two-way player named Lee Taehyun. Be careful. There's something about him you can't see]
...So even Lee Sanghwi knows about him?
The only 'tie' that had stopped Seoul High from sweeping the championship had come from Daeji High.
If it hadn't been for Park Minhu's baserunning play, Daeji would've won in a comeback. Sanghwi hyung probably knows that too.
But I already knew all about Lee Taehyun. Daeji High and Lee Taehyun were the kind of team that could beat anyone, but could also lose to anyone.
[Me] [Oh, I've already formed a battery with Lee Taehyun before]
[Sanghwi Hyung] [Lee Taehyun can catch too?]
[Me] [I was the catcher?]
[Sanghwi Hyung] [?????]
[Sanghwi Hyung] [Can you take a call?]
-Vrrrrrrrrring...!!
"Whoa, what the heck?"
"Seojun, I told you to put your phone on silent during games..."
"Sorry, Coach. It's from Sanghwi hyung... Can I take it real quick?"
"Well, you're the DH... Just don't take too long."
"Yes, sir!"
The count had already moved on. With two outs, the second batter Ryu Hyunin had grounded out on the first pitch, speeding things up.
Should have enough time, right?
I needed to finish the call with Lee Sanghwi before Kim Sihu shut down the inning and our lineup came back around to me.
I stepped behind the dugout to take the call, and immediately heard several very urgent voices.
"Lee Seojun, you can catch too?"
"Then what about Donghwan on the bench?"
"Guys, what the hell is this all of a sudden?! I'm still depressed about being benched for the college team because of that bastard Yang Uijin-!"
"...?"
I recognized the three familiar voices. It had to be Lee Byungkyun, Lee Sanghwi, and Park Donghwan.
"Seojun, I'm being serious. Any chance you'd consider transferring to Seoul Hig- GAAAAAH."
"Lee Seojun, perfect timing. In the finals, you better come up as catcher. I'll destroy you catcher versus catcher, you baaaaastard!"
"But if we both get called up for the national team, won't we be on the same team anyway?"
"Uh... yeah, I guess so?"
"GAAAAAH damn it, Lee Seojun, don't you dare steal my spot as the national team's backup catcher...!"
"Hey, that's my phone!"
-Sounds of a phone being dropped
"Anyway, sounds like you're in the middle of a game. I'll hang up now."
-Click.
Did they even have anything to say?
It felt like they just yelled random stuff at me and then hung up. Still, it was nice to see the second and third years getting along so well.
-Clack.
"Seojun, Kyungmin hyung got a hit. Get ready to bat."
"Oh, the call just ended too. I'm coming."
Heo Kangmin had reached base as the leadoff hitter, so unless he got picked off, the lineup would cycle back around to me.
When I returned to the dugout, Oh Jihun was swinging his bat every which way, putting everything he had into trying to hit Yoo Heegwan's pitches.
Oh Jihun, time to show everyone that the 'offensive shortstop' title isn't just talk...
-CRACK!
"GAAAAAAAH... Kaaaaabi!"
A single red light immediately lit up on the scoreboard.
Aish, that Jihun bastard.
Wait, actually, since Heo Kangmin had advanced from second to third, maybe it was still a net positive. Yang Uijin seemed to struggle with off-speed stuff and struck out on a breaking ball, returning to the dugout with a slightly embarrassed look.
"Ahem...!"
That made two outs.
"Alright, my turn."
I quickly grabbed my bat, put on my gloves, double-checked all my protective gear, and headed straight for the batter's box.
"Good work!"
"Yeah."
"Good work."
After greeting catcher Lee Honggu and the umpire, I stood in the box and stared at pitcher Yoo Heegwan.
-THWACK!
"Strike!"
[.....km/h]
Whoa, an off-speed pitch that doesn't even register on the radar...
The curveball dropped so suddenly that I just stood there staring blankly at the pitcher.
-CRAAAAACK!
"Ah."
The pitch was way too slow, so my timing was completely off. It was a massive foul home run that barely missed the yellow foul pole by twenty to thirty centimeters.
So close.
Normally, Yoo Heegwan's generous strike zone—affectionately called the 'Heegwan Zone'—would've made the count battle a bit unfavorable, but thanks to the ABS, that wasn't an issue. Thank goodness.
Still, that pitch was a bit much...
With such ridiculously slow velocity, hitting a home run would require pure power to clear the fence. Not exactly something a high schooler should be doing.
Change of plans.
There were two outs, and the opposing defense had shifted everyone back, clearly worried about me hitting for extra bases. Against a catcher with the yips from a throwing error and a pitcher whose max velocity was only 130, the most lethal approach was obviously...
-Tap.
A surprise bunt. Perfect.
The bunt rolled perfectly into the center of the triangle formed by the third baseman, pitcher, and catcher. I'd thought Heo Kangmin might try a squeeze, but he didn't. Still, it was fine.
"Whoa!"
When Lee Honggu fielded the ball and threw to first...
"Seojun! The ball got away, run!"
It had already sailed to a spot the first baseman couldn't reach.
"Kangmin hyung, go!"
I shouted at Heo Kangmin and sprinted to second. Shortstop Ryu Hyunin, distracted by the rookie moment, didn't charge the ball quickly enough. Choi Suhyun came running in from right field and threw to second, but...
-Sliiiide!
"Safe!"
An RBI double off the pitcher. What a beautifully heartwarming phrase.
"Wow, you really play like a fox."
"Thank you."
When I tried to brush the dirt off my uniform, Jeong Geunwoo, who was on second, helped me clean the dirt off my sleeve.
"You were aiming for the bunt and sent it that way on purpose?"
Oh, he noticed.
As an all-time KBL legend at second base, Jeong Geunwoo must have seen that my eyes had been locked on the spot where the ball was going to go the moment I stepped into the box.
"Yes, I thought it had a good chance of working."
"Kid, you throw well and you've got a good head on your shoulders too."
Jeong Geunwoo started heading back to his position since Yoo Heegwan was getting ready to pitch again...
-Slide!
"Oh! That's a move that even works on pros."
"Haha, I just have pretty good eyes."
I could tell from the trajectory, but what really gave it away was that Jeong Geunwoo's stride had been a little shorter than usual. Thanks to that, I avoided an embarrassing pickoff.
The fifth batter, Lee Surin, still hadn't adjusted to Yoo Heegwan's pace and kept swinging through pitches. Even though I stole third, Lee Surin ended up flying out, so our first-inning offense ended there.
Then came the second inning.
"Aish, that Sihu bastard is really something."
After walking batters back-to-back and giving up a hit, Kim Sihu surrendered three runs to Haneul High and was pulled early.