Chapter 40
Chapter 40
“Just perfect.”
“Okay. Let’s get started before it pours any harder.”
At my words, Min-seok covered his face with the mitt and ran out.
It wasn’t enough rain to cancel the game, but it wasn’t negligible either.
Exactly the conditions I wanted.
“Starting with the knuckleball?”
“Yes. Right away.”
Normally, I’d have thrown this in an indoor pitching facility, but in situations like this, practicing in the rain helps me avoid panicking during a real game.
Since I was already fully warmed up, I gripped the ball with two fingers and threw.
Hmm, this would go straight over in a game.
The ball rotated just right and disappeared into the mitt.
Maybe because I gripped harder due to the rain, I threw with more force than usual?
I coated my fingers with plenty of rosin.
“That was amazing!”
Fortunately, my expectation was correct.
But as I threw, I realized that to throw the knuckleball normally, I had to cover my fingertips completely with rosin.
Doing that came with a cost.
Even though it’s the same baseball, the feeling is completely different.
Sometimes, despite my efforts, the ball didn’t spin and went flat.
Phew, this isn’t easy.
Still, the hard knuckleball was fine.
Without much effort, about 80% of my usual pitches came out.
“There’s no avoiding weather effects.”
“I knew, but actually facing it isn’t easy.”
Oliver smiled faintly at my complaint.
“Why do you look like that?”
“Now you just look like a normal knuckleballer.”
“…That’s a good thing, right?”
“Yes. Don’t worry too much. This was a concern I’d have eventually anyway. It might even be better to learn it today. No rain is forecast for two days from now.”
That’s when I’m scheduled to pitch.
Of course, the knuckleball changes every pitch, so I don’t know exactly what it’ll do in two days.
Still, today’s experience was meaningful.
I don’t know when it will rain on my next outing—that was the point.
“…You said it wouldn’t rain.”
Though I didn’t exactly hope for this.
The weather has been unpredictable, but I didn’t expect such a sudden change on the day.
“Isn’t this rain enough to cancel?”
“Maybe. If it keeps up for another hour, it probably will.”
Gale asked incredulously, and less than an hour later, the umpire canceled the game, leaving him dumbfounded.
Danny, who was scheduled to pitch the next day, slumped beside me.
“Ha… I never thought I’d be happy to see rain.”
“Nervous?”
“A little. I can’t mess this up.”
“Don’t pressure yourself. Hailey will understand it’s not her fault either.”
I wasn’t sure if my words reached Hailey, but the smile she gave earlier didn’t look like it would disappear just because we lost one game.
“…Thanks. Really.”
Danny, having gained an extra day, headed to the locker room to prepare more thoroughly.
I stood up after briefly watching the sky.
I’ve never really liked rainy days.
I didn’t mind before, but the field would be soaked, and the fielders would commit all sorts of mistakes.
Whenever it rained, it was like electricity ran through their hands—they couldn’t catch the ball, or they’d throw it weirdly even if they did.
At least it didn’t affect my pitching much, so I had to be grateful.
Now that I think about it, I’ve never thrown a knuckleball in the rain.
Of course, the forecast could be wrong and it might not rain on my actual outing.
But eventually, I’ll have to throw a knuckleball on a rainy day.
Nobody knows how it’ll behave until it leaves my hand.
Maybe I’ll get completely demolished, making all previous results meaningless.
But just because I pitch well today doesn’t guarantee the same for next time.
Whether the rain brings luck or misfortune, all I hope is to leave the mound with a smile.
Thanks to the rain delay, our first season matchup against the Changwon Dolphins was held on Wednesday.
Today and tomorrow’s games were crucial.
First, today.
“Ball!”
After a full-count battle, Gale walked the first batter and loosened his shoulder.
Gale had changed his pitching form, saying he couldn’t rely on me anymore.
He had started this change last game, but then he faced batters who had already seen me.
This time, it was Gale’s first start against the Dolphins.
You could say this was the real test.
Despite a bit of tension, he continued.
“Strikeout!”
He was still extremely effective against left-handed hitters.
Looking at Gale, I realized maximizing strengths rather than eliminating weaknesses could be the best approach.
A pitcher only needs to get the batter out, no matter the pitch.
Gale finished the first three innings without allowing a run, but in the fourth, he gave up the first runs.
Because of the wet field, the ball bounced strangely, and senior Cha Jae-hoon couldn’t catch it.
Consecutive hits followed, resulting in two total runs.
“Si-woo.”
“Yes?”
“You look really angry, huh?”
Senior Cha approached cautiously to check Gale’s condition.
“Probably?”
“Ha. That was rough. What do we do?”
“Payback with the bat?”
“My hitting hasn’t been good lately.”
True, except for multi-homers on Tuesday last week, I had only three hits and two walks in five games.
Hmm, maybe it’s weird for me to say this first, but…
“Sometimes senior Kim Min-ki asks me to boost his energy. Want me to do the same for you?”
“…Really?”
“But it’s just superstition. Don’t give it too much meaning.”
“Still, I appreciate it.”
This was my small way of easing senior Cha’s burden.
-Whack!
2 outs, runners on first and third.
Senior Cha sent the ball to the outfield corner, watching the runner at first. His expression was subtle, like he was aware of a mistake but still relieved.
“Si-woo, thanks.”
Back in the dugout, he whispered barely audibly.
Gale followed, holding the game tied after six and one-third innings without giving up further runs.
But the last two-thirds of an inning demanded a lot.
Though we managed to win, the bullpen usage was high.
Danny’s pitching became even more important.
“Hailey. I’ll win this one.”
Danny hugged Hailey tightly before heading out.
I watched the game with Hailey in the locker room.
Danny, a right-handed pitcher, had a fastball topping 153 km/h, a sharp slider, and a sweeper.
Originally, his velocity was higher, but he hadn’t fully conditioned his body due to the Hailey situation.
Still, a former MLB starter title isn’t luck.
“It’s fine.”
At first, Hailey watched tensely, then hummed along to the cheers. She smiled when a hit was made, though she still avoided watching Danny pitch.
Gradually, as I explained, she began to watch more attentively.
“Hailey, Danny struck him out.”
“…That’s good?”
“Of course. The best.”
Her eyes widened, and she looked at Danny on the screen.
Danny seemed aware she was watching.
“Strikeout!”
Another strikeout ended the inning.
Our offense scored enough, and by the time Danny left, the game was already in our hands.
Seven innings, two runs, score 6–2.
After the win, Danny excitedly looked for Hailey.
“Hailey!”
He hugged her tightly and silently thanked me with his eyes.
“Excuse me, I’ll step out for a bit.”
I gave them space for a moment and gathered my things.
Two consecutive wins in Changwon, combined with last week’s sweep of the Friends, meant five straight wins, and we departed for Gwangju.
Arriving there…
“Why does the weather look gloomy?”
At least it didn’t feel good to us.