Crushing the Haters (2)
Manager Jeong Hyeonho recalled the famous baseball adage "The guy who plays baseball well just does well" during the Rangers away game at the end of the first half.
A game that dragged into extra innings all the way to the 10th. A situation where the designated hitter had vanished due to his own hasty judgment as manager. The Rangers had issued an intentional walk to avoid facing other hitters and instead challenged the pitcher, Jin Yuha.
Crack!!
And Jin Yuha's bat flashed. A walk-off grand slam.
That was when it started. The thought that began circling in Manager Jeong Hyeonho's mind.
...Yuha would probably be great as a hitter too.
It wasn't just from that one home run that day.
Even just watching him take casual practice swings during training sessions showed Jin Yuha had talent at the plate. His amateur days had humiliated the swings of most pro hitting prospects.
"Huh? Hyung, you thinking of putting Yuha at the plate? Hmm, probably not this season, though."
He'd even asked Jin Yusung, Jin Yuha's father, directly about the potential of hitter Jin Yuha. The response wasn't a straight answer, but...
Yusung was definitely convinced Yuha could make it big as a hitter too.
And furthermore...
He said no for this season. So what about next...?
There was something oddly suggestive in Jin Yusung's reply.
The two-way player who's appeared in Korea. How do you hold back from that?
So it was inevitable that Manager Jeong Hyeonho would think of sending Jin Yuha to the plate as a clever move in frustrating situations.
"...Manager, you're not losing your mind obsessing over the 11-game win streak, are you?"
Ordinary folks like pitching coach Kim Pilsun couldn't fathom it easily. That was why Jeong Hyeonho was the manager. Of course...
But this only works if Yuha wants to do it.
Even genius manager Jeong Hyeonho, who thought on a different wavelength from normal people, couldn't afford to upset Jin Yuha.
There's another famous baseball saying as well-known as "The guy who plays baseball well just does well."
In baseball, the guy who plays well is king.
Over in the opposite dugout.
Another person recalling baseball adages while watching Jin Yuha cleanly set down the side in order: Guardians manager Won Sangcheol.
"This is why baseball is a pitcher's game..."
He agreed with "Baseball is a pitcher's game" more than anyone. The reason he was hailed as a legendary manager beyond his station was because he had one overwhelmingly dominant pitcher.
"Impressive as always."
Won Sangcheol glanced at Sim Chando, who let out a quiet sigh of admiration while fixated on Jin Yuha.
I thought no pitcher in Korea could match Chando anymore.
Of course, blood is thicker than water—Won Sangcheol believed Sim Chando was the better pitcher than Jin Yuha. But honestly, the gap was paper-thin. Which meant...
There's nothing I can do.
Just like the other managers facing Sim Chando, all Won Sangcheol could do against Jin Yuha was pray.
I was hoping it might be an easy game for once...
Even after letting a runner on via an error right from the start, Jin Yuha hadn't wavered at all.
Is that really a rookie? Did he regress or something?
Won Sangcheol truly deserved his title as a master manager. He'd nailed the truth exactly.
"Tch. Am I crazy? Thinking nonsense."
Of course, he had no idea it was true.
"Hoo..."
After a deep sigh, Won Sangcheol pulled himself together.
This season, the chances of facing the Titans in the Korea Series are highest anyway. Can't get intimidated by Jin Yuha now.
Their first clash with him had focused on running up his pitch count, and they'd gotten some results. So today, he'd boldly ordered a head-on battle. They couldn't keep dodging Jin Yuha forever out of fear.
Even Chando found teams that went straight at him a bit more intimidating than those just trying to grind pitch counts.
He probably wouldn't get results now or even until the end, but that was fine. Luckily, the Guardians' starter Sanchez was pitching brilliantly too.
Won Sangcheol had no intention of getting swept humiliatingly at home. The Guardians hadn't given up yet.
The smoothly flowing game cracked again after the cleaning time, in the bottom of the 6th.
Crack!!
Kim Beomjun pushed Jin Yuha's outside fastball, sending it right at the second baseman. He hadn't timed the 160km+ heater properly, so it was a weakly hit ball. But...
"...Ah!"
Jang Munwoo, who was 2-for-2 today, failed to field it cleanly, committing his second error.
"Tsk."
Jin Yuha, who rarely showed frustration from the mound, furrowed his brow for once.
Is he insane...?
Jin Yuha seriously considered downgrading Jang Munwoo's level to that of the Titans' backup catchers—excluding Jeong Hanseong, of course. In his mind, they weren't baseball players. They were halfwits playing with a ball.
At least the guy's got a decent bat.
Thankfully, Jang Munwoo's two hits kept him just above that line. It was a huge relief for him personally that the pitcher on the mound was Jin Yuha.
Thwack!!
"Strike three!"
It was a situation that would shake any other pitcher. If they'd lost due to the error and Jang Munwoo got blamed, he'd have been in for a rough time.
Titans fans didn't forgive mistakes from rookies. Most baseball fans were the same.
The caster tilted his head at commentator Park Woohyuk's words.
Can't think of anyone off the top of my head.
That's understandable. Most people didn't get to see that player's rookie year properly.
The player commentator Park Woohyuk meant—the one who'd shown bizarrely veteran poise from his rookie days—was...
Jin Yusung did it. From his big league debut season, he looked like he'd been pro for 10 years. Even over there, people were amazed by it.
Man... the Jin family is just full of jaw-droppers the more you hear.
Well, you could chalk good baseball up to genes, but both showing that maturity as rookies...
Commentator Park Woohyuk was genuinely curious.
How the hell do they raise kids in the Jin household?
"Huh? Why bring up family all of a sudden? That punk."
Jin Yusung, watching Jin Yuha's game on TV, awkwardly rubbed his neck.
To fix the weird vibe after the error, I deliberately shifted into a higher gear.
Thwack!!
"Strike three!"
-165km
-Ooooh...
With the crowd's quiet admiration, I wrapped the inning scoreless and headed back to the dugout.
"Yuha. Got a sec?"
Manager Jeong Hyeonho, who'd been giving me weird looks, called me over.
"Sure. What's up?"
I followed him obediently, and...
"Ever thought about stepping up to the plate?"
An unexpected question.
Suddenly?
I tilted my head.
"Nah, just 'cause it's Jamsil Dome, y'know? Kidding, kidding. Don't mind me. Sorry for bugging you."
Manager Jeong Hyeonho suddenly backpedaled. But...
Should I actually hit?
I seriously mulled it over.
If I went to the plate...
It'd probably be in place of DH senior Oh Daesu.
Cleanup spot... that's fine.
But.
Senior Oh Daesu's in good form right now.
Excluding the surprisingly hot Jang Munwoo at the plate today, Oh Daesu senior was the Titans' best hitter in this game.
No real need?
It wasn't about stealing his spot—it was efficiency.
"Eh, don't think I need to bat."
"Yeah, yeah. Just tossing it out there. Things are a bit clogged up, y'know."
Fair enough. Even with me starting, the flow was tilting toward the Guardians. The infield errors—all Jang Munwoo, but still—and the silent bats.
From the manager's view, suggesting I hit makes sense.
Hm?
Hit?
I looked at Manager Jeong Hyeonho, who was patting my shoulder and apologizing for the nonsense.
"Manager."
"Yeah?"
"Mind if I pop to the locker room real quick? Jang Munwoo too."
"Munwoo's turn is way off, so sure... but why?"
"He seems pretty down from the back-to-back errors. Figured I'd cheer him up."
I had no plans to swing a bat at the plate, but in the locker room? Different story.
"For real...?"
"Don't worry."
Kind of my specialty.
"Alright. ...Go easy."
Huh. That's not.
Top of the 8th.
Leadoff hitter Jeong Hanseong got on base. Even in the spacious Jamsil Dome, you can't stop a walk.
"Munwoo. Let's take it easy this time, yeah?"
Guardians catcher Kim Beomjun gave Jang Munwoo a light greeting from behind the plate. But...
"..."
No reply.
It was surprising. Jang Munwoo, who craved attention from fans and even fellow players, ignoring his teammate?
Something happen?
Unable to hold back his curiosity, Kim Beomjun glanced at the plate and couldn't hide his shock.
"I'm not trash. I'm not trash. I'mnottrash..."
Jang Munwoo gripped the bat tight, muttering with half-dead eyes.
Chill!
Kim Beomjun suddenly felt goosebumps.