Chapter 40
Chapter 40
Translator Wjin
Chapter 40
“Congratulations on your four-game winning streak. You’re about to face your final match against Korea, and they’ve been putting on a pretty fierce performance. Especially the player named Cha Tae-hyun, who is a threat. Do you have any countermeasures prepared?”
The US team manager chuckled, as if he found the question absurd.
“Well… Cha Tae-hyun is certainly a talented batter… but have you forgotten? We have a batter with even greater talent, Tom Clancy, and a pitcher, Nick Trigueros. Both are players that major league teams are very interested in. Why would we need to set up countermeasures in this situation?”
The reporter, at his confident, almost arrogant, remark, smiled and asked again, “Then are you guaranteeing a victory?”
“Victory? I’m just worried that you’ll fall asleep during the Korea game.”
The US interview was instantly relayed to Korea.
└ Wow, I know it’s trash talk, but it’s really pissing me off.
└ lol, I don’t think it’s trash talk, I think he’s serious. That manager was like that in the last World Cup too lol.
└ But the more annoying thing is that he’s really good enough to act like that.
└ Damn… Tae-hyun-shin, please teach those bastards a lesson…
└ No matter how much you say Tae-hyun-shin, Tae-hyun-shin… they’re players that major league teams are eyeing… Can he do it…?
└ Hey, Tae-hyun-shin has also been scouted by major league scouts. Didn’t you see the major league scouts at the Blue Dragon Flag final?
└ But we only have Cha Tae-hyun, while they have pitcher Trigueros and batter Tom Clancy… two Cha Tae-hyun level players…
└ Two Cha Tae-hyun level players, you bastard? Does that make sense?
└ It’s true. Watch the US team’s game. Tom Clancy, every time he hits, it’s a single.
└ No, the real one is Trigueros. That crazy bastard only throws over 155 km/h lol.
└ 155? That’s the speed Kim Shin-hwa throws as if he’s eating rice.
└ Eat some rice, Kim Shin-hwa!
With a mix of expectations that Cha Tae-hyun would teach the US a lesson and the realistic opinion that it would be difficult against the US, the day of the decisive battle dawned.
“Everyone, welcome to the U-18 World Cup, where another hot baseball game will unfold today! The future stars of baseball are standing on the ground right now, with the honor of their country on the line. Could there be a more perfect day for the sport of America, baseball? Oh, I forgot. Everyone, please don’t fall asleep and enjoy the game with some pizza.”
└ Friends, can we win against Korea today?
└ What kind of question is that? There’s no team that can beat the US in the first place. Maybe Japan?
└ Friend, didn’t you hear the commentator just now? We’re not trying to win against Korea today, we’re trying to stay awake.
└ Haha, that’s funny! Thanks to that, I can watch the game with an easy mind.
The US viewers seemed to be expecting an easy victory, no, an overwhelming victory. But today’s starting pitcher was Kim Chang-hyun.
The bigger the game, the more he could show off his skills, and Kim Chang-hyun had decided that today’s game was a ‘big game.’ So, his pitch was by no means easy to hit.
“Strike! Out!”
The first batter was struck out looking, with three consecutive 153 km/h fastballs down the same path.
Clack
The second batter hit the first pitch well, but shortstop Cha Tae-hyun made a diving catch and a strong throw to get the out. The third batter also timed it well and pulled it, but was out on another jump catch by Cha Tae-hyun. The US’s offense, contrary to expectations, ended in a flash with three up, three down.
└ Something’s wrong…? The Korean team’s pitcher is pretty good too?
└ Hey friend, what are you so worried about? Baseball is a game where the pitcher is always at an advantage in the beginning. It’s not easy to hit from the first at-bat.
└ Right. And it was a lucky catch by the shortstop. It would have been a single.
└ Right, stop with the useless worries and just wait for our star Trigueros’ strikeout show.
Nevertheless, the US viewers were relaxed. They had their star, Trigueros. And as if to repay the fans’ trust…
“Strike out!”
“Strike out!”
“Looking strike out! Trigueros strikes out two batters in a row! At this moment, Trigueros is giving the Korean batters a sense of despair! Look at the dazed expression on that Korean batter’s face! As expected of Trigueros!”
Trigueros cleanly struck out two in a row. At that moment, as the chat, which had been quiet for a while, started to pick up and the commentators’ tension rose, Jin Tae-hyun, with a look of determination, stepped into the batter’s box.
‘Well… staring at me like that won’t help you hit the ball.’
Trigueros chuckled and threw the pitch. At that moment…
Crack!
Jin Tae-hyun swung his bat fiercely and accurately pushed the slider that was breaking away outside. The ball sailed over the second baseman’s glove with ease.
Jin Tae-hyun reached first base without any trouble and grinned. Of course, this was an expression he was making to imitate his admired player, Cha Tae-hyun.
“Fucking shit!”
Trigueros seemed to have taken it as a provocation and showed his anger, even spitting.
└ Kya lol, fake Tae-hyun, shot shot shot
└ Even fakes of luxury goods are expensive lol
└ That bastard said something really strong. Wasn’t he cursing? lol
└ I think he said 'fucking.' In Korean, it’s like baking a loaf of bread lol
└ Oh, I get it now lol
└ He’s baking bread from the first inning lol
Soon after, the 4th batter, Cha Tae-hyun, stepped into the batter’s box and looked at the pitcher with his trademark smiling face.
“Don’t walk me.”
At Cha Tae-hyun’s sudden words, the catcher chuckled and replied, “I praise you for learning English, but you don’t seem to have studied our team at all. He’s not the type of pitcher to walk you. So don’t worry about that.”
“Really? Then it’s a record-breaking day.”
“What are you talking about…”
Cha Tae-hyun, instead of answering, raised the corners of his mouth and got into his stance. The catcher, who had scoffed at his appearance, placed his mitt in the center.
‘Let’s teach him a lesson.’
Trigueros, who seemed to have noticed the catcher’s intention, grinned and threw the ball. A dynamic pitch where he rotated his upper body greatly, as if he didn't care about changing speeds.
His fastest pitch, which was already guaranteed to get him a major league contract, was close to 158 km/h.
Considering he was only 18 years old, it was a truly amazing velocity. But the thrill of the ball scraping the seams on the pitch he had just thrown was unusual.
A much more thrilling sensation than the day he had recorded his 158 km/h velocity, which had surprised the scouts. Trigueros had a feeling.
That this ball would easily break his own record, and that it would be sucked into the catcher’s mitt and make the batter look like a fool.
Craaa-aack!
It was supposed to, but… the bat hit the ball…?
“What…?”
A question that was almost a scream escaped his lips, and his head turned. The ball soared at an unbelievable speed, as if it would pierce the atmosphere. And the center fielder, who had been diligently chasing it, shook his head and stopped.
The ball, which had been stretching and stretching, finally hit the huge wall called the back screen and fell. And Trigueros, who had been following the falling ball until the end, dropped his jaw at the velocity displayed next to it.
[159km/h]
‘This is absurd…’
The catcher was also shaking his head, unable to recover from the shock. At that moment, Cha Tae-hyun, who was still in his swing follow-through, threw his bat with one hand, a little more aggressively than usual.
“You’re not mad that I threw the bat, are you? It would be a big problem if you fell asleep. You have to have a performance.”
After saying that, Cha Tae-hyun chuckled and ran towards the bases.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇;
“Well… two outs, but Jin Tae-hyun is on first base. In this situation, it would be great if Cha Tae-hyun could hit a big one… Aaaaah!!! He got it! He got it! This one… is gone! Aaaah! Amazing! Really, Cha Tae-hyun!”
└ The commentator just had an orgasm lol
└ lol, why is he moaning like that lol
└ But that was really amazing lol
└ What? You thought Tae-hyun-shin couldn’t do it? lol
└ Trigueros? Oh, the bastard who gave up a first-pitch home run to me? lol
└ Real-time US reaction [Hmm… can we bring him to the Dodgers? We have a close relationship with Korea.] These bastards are suddenly changing their tune lol
└ Where do you think you’re going with our Phoenix ace lol
└ But it's the Last Place Phoenix lol. Shouldn’t you be getting nervous? He’s even beating major league prospects. Isn’t it weirder if he doesn’t go to the majors?
└ That’s true, damn it?
└ No, damn it, Phoenix championship
└ No, did these bastards really think they could win the championship if Cha Tae-hyun came…?
└ They don’t know the Last Place Phoenix. Those bastards will curse them if they fail to win the championship, even while saying it’s a joke lol
└ Damn it, we haven’t won in 30 years. It could happen.
└ It's been over 30 years…? Does that make sense?
└ Surprisingly, it’s true…
└ The Last Place Phoenix are truly amazing.
└ Shut up, damn it…