Chapter 97
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Son of the Hero (2)
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‘That guy’s got a weird look in his eyes.’
‘Nah, what’s that supposed to mean from a nice big brother buying me coffee?’
‘No, that bastard’s eyes were off when he brought up the drugs.’
Really? I hadn’t noticed at all….
‘Then why don’t you look into it?’
‘Look into what?’
Hearing Rogers say that did leave a bad taste in my mouth. But even if Joo Seung-cheol was doping, it didn’t change much.
I mean, I was playing baseball with methods that weren’t exactly above board myself—what’s a little drug on top of that?
‘Might even make things more fun.’
‘Fun how?’
‘Be honest, KBA’s level is pretty low, right, Rogers? You know what a pacemaker is? In marathons, the guy who sets the pace. Having one around wouldn’t be so bad.’
Truth be told, Joo Seung-cheol’s massive stats over the past two years made him a poor fit as a pacemaker.
But that was back when I, Ji Maeng-ho, hadn’t debuted in the KBA. If he wanted to match up with me using drugs or whatever, I’d take it. After facing Ohtani, all the Korean pitchers I’d seen so far felt boring.
‘Well, if you say so.’
‘Tch. Even if he’s doping, I hope he doesn’t get caught.’
‘What’s that? You worrying about someone else?’
‘We got pretty close on the national team, you know? It’d be a shame. And that old man Joo Hyung-jin seems like a good guy too.’
Plus, getting busted during WBC would be a huge loss. At this rate, our quarterfinal opponent would be Japan, and facing them without a powerhouse like Joo Seung-cheol would be impossible. The U.S. was definitely coming up the other bracket with their Space Force squad, and I wanted to beat Japan to taste some major league action.
And to beat Japan….
‘Let’s drop this and get to training. If I can hit Ohtani’s stuff, everyone else will be a breeze.’
Training was what mattered now. With my new training method, I needed to keep growing. I might still get some playing time anyway.
Eh, last game’s against China, so we’ll advance easy even without me.
“What the hell are you doing?!”
“………….”
Chinese blaring everywhere, and Park Chul-young lying at first base. What the hell was going on? It was so unbelievable I couldn’t even get mad—more like dumbfounded.
For a player like Park Chul-young who sprints full tilt to first, a hamstring tweak might be par for the course, but this? No way.
“Who the fuck blocks first base with their leg on defense?! Is this baseball? You goddamn chinks!”
The coach’s furious roar echoed across the field. The Japanese umps tried to hold back Coach Lee Geum-hyun, but calming him down now looked impossible.
“Chul-young hyung… he gonna be okay?”
He was a rival, sure, but he’d always treated me well. Seeing a teammate go down like that made my blood boil too.
“Dodged the worst of the collision, at least…”
Top of the 6th, up 12-0, and disaster strikes. The first baseman had his leg planted right on the bag, and Park Chul-young, hustling on an infield grounder, twisted trying to avoid it.
Good news: no major impact, so no broken bones. But that ankle roll as he landed? Visible from the dugout. As someone who works out, I knew. That was….
‘…at least two weeks.’
Two weeks meant WBC was over. Even if it wasn’t as bad as feared and he rushed back, he’d return around the semis at best. Park Chul-young’s WBC was done. I’d joked about it with So-young before, but obviously not serious.
Neither of us wanted him hurt for real. But now, guilt hit me—like our chat had jinxed it.
“Maeng-ho. Get ready.”
“What about Hwan-yeong hyung?”
“Gotta keep one defensive sub. Looking at these Chinese bastards, Joo-tae or Soo-ho could get hurt too.”
“…Got it.”
Head Coach Lee Jang-hoon came over, voice low. As I grabbed my running glove, he slung an arm around my shoulder.
“Maeng-ho. I know your head’s all messed up right now. Chul-young’s hurt. …But this is your chance.”
“What do you…?”
“Back when I played, I bounced around the bench early on. But in my fifth year, the starter got hurt, and I grabbed my shot. Maeng-ho, chances come to everyone. But only the prepared seize them. You ready?”
“…Always have been.”
Couldn’t take my emotions onto the field. I told him firmly, slipped on the glove, and headed out. That’s when I saw Park Chul-young limping off, supported.
“Hyung, you okay?”
“Ugh, just a twist. Got off lucky. …Take care of it, Maeng-ho.”
“Will do.”
At first, the base coach gripped my shoulder.
“Watch yourself. These guys ain’t right. Stay still as much as you can, mind the spikes. Let’s cold-game this and go home.”
“Got it.”
Chaos settled, game resumed. Next up: leadoff hitter Choi Joo-tae. Two outs to play with. Chinese pitcher wound up again.
Thwack!
A sickening sound, nothing like ball meeting mitt.
-Woooaaah!
-What the hell!
Choi Joo-tae twisted, but couldn’t dodge the pitch to his back.
“Fuck, this ain’t a joke.”
Joo-tae looked ready to explode but held it in, trudging to first.
“Hold it together, Maeng-ho. Ejection here leaves Hwan-yeong as our only infielder. Joo-tae’s holding back for the team.”
Guess he saw my clenched fist. Coach was right. If the guy who got hit was sucking it up, I couldn’t step in.
‘Fucking bullshit, these pricks.’
At least bases loaded now—one big hit makes it 15-run mercy. Block China bottom 6th, and it’s cold game. Gotta trust next batter Joo Seung-cheol….
Joo Seung-cheol stepped in. China didn’t want the mercy humiliation, so they threw strikes at him.
‘You got this, hyung?’
From second, his eyes looked ice-cold. Chilling even me. Pitcher’s fourth ball came inside.
Crack!
‘Yes! Joo Seung-cheol!’
As expected, he didn’t miss a 140kph fastball.
Watching the homer call, waiting at home as he completed the 15-run lead, strolling in. Two bombs today.
‘Yeah, drugs or not, who cares. Win the game.’
Not even sure he was on them.
“Multi-homer, hyung. Nice.”
“Gotta smoke a pitcher like that, right?”
His bright smile pulled one from me too.
“Clean and crisp, like you said. How’s that?”
“You hit some, hyung. Not quite my level, though.”
[WBC] Joo Seung-cheol's Multi-Homer Rampage! Korean Team Crushes China 15-0!
[WBC] Now to the Quarterfinals. Who Will Korea Face?
[WBC] Group A Top Seed Taiwan Faces Korea!
[WBC] Korea Edges Taiwan 3-0! Semifinals Await!
[WBC] Team's Babyface, Ji Maeng-ho! Saves the Day with 2-for-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI!
[WBC] Korean Team Heads to Miami, Faces Japan in Semis!
[WBC] Japan's Semifinal Starter: Darvish. Saving Ohtani—What Will It Cost?
“Hmm… great reactions, as expected.”
“The commissioner knows his stuff. Buzz is overwhelming.”
“Just gotta beat Japan now…”
The KBA commissioner grinned inwardly at the national team’s string of victories. Sure, they’d lost to Japan, but reaching the semis had public opinion soaring.
Scandals in the KBA league had tanked its popularity lately. Then came WBC, packed with MLB stars, hyping everyone up. The team delivered big.
‘Need those superstars.’
Kang Han-beom with Busan’s diehard support, national hero Sung Hyun. Their duo, plus active MLBers Choi Joo-tae and Jung Woo-sung’s star power. Joo Hyung-jin’s son Joo Seung-cheol added heat with his looks and dominance.
Throw in Jang Woo-joo’s solid outing with a one-time 161kph, and Ji Maeng-ho stepping up huge post-Park Chul-young’s injury.
Ji Maeng-ho especially—handsome face and that gutsy slide in the Australia game went viral.
‘Tch, shame Jang Woo-joo didn’t get more spotlight, but this’ll do.’
Woo-joo drew eyes with his 161kph despite missing the zone, but Maeng-ho’s photogenic shots stole some thunder.
“Just nail the Japan game.”
“Japan’s tough, right? Win that and…”
Korea baseball’s renaissance. Reclaiming 2008 glory wasn’t a stretch.
“Silver lining: Ohtani’s sitting the semis for the finals.”
Semi vs. Japan: March 20. Finals: 22. Ohtani couldn’t pitch back-to-back, so Japan saved their ace. Darvish’s 14 MLB wins last year were solid, but not Ohtani level.
Arrogance, really. Korea had to exploit it.
“Tch, first time in the U.S. in ages? I’m beat.”
No girls to hook up with didn’t help. Wanted to sample those American chicks Rogers raved about, but zero free time. Damn!
“Oh, you been to the States?”
“Yeah, youth national team.”
Met Rogers then, turned my shitty life around. St. Louis to Miami now, but three days here, jet-lagged and wiped.
“Hyung, how you holding up? Ankle good?”
“No running, but I can bat maybe?”
Park Chul-young’s injury wasn’t too bad. Dodged ligament tear— just a sprain.
“Crush Japan, yeah? I’ll be finals-ready.”
“Psh, if I ball out, I’m playing finals. No conscience.”
“You’re the one without one. Anyway, kill it today. Send us to finals.”
“I’ll try…”
No Ohtani, but Japan’s starter was no joke.
“Darvish old or not, he’s gonna be nasty.”
“Joo-tae hyung says it’s no biggie.”
Talk was cheap. 95.2mph four-seam average, plus two-seam, cutter, slider, splitter, change, curve—arsenal for days.
‘Yeah, even Choi Joo-tae looks tense saying that.’
His face was a tad stiff.
‘Alright, do my part first.’