Chapter 80
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: Debut Cycling Hit Amid Chaos
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Even when pitchers are shutting down the opposing hitters effectively, there are always a few who get frustrated if their own batters don't provide run support.
Having some runs on the board allows pitchers to pitch more freely and boosts their chances of becoming the pitcher of record for a win.
So it was understandable that Shin Min-seok, the Winners' pitcher who hadn't allowed a single hit through six innings, was on edge.
However...
Cha Tae-hyun has smacked that slider! It sails over the second baseman's head, and he leisurely steps on second base! Following his triple and single, now a double too! He's just one home run away from a cycling hit!
-Fuck!
Hmm... Does he have anger management issues?
Being sensitive is one thing, but baking bread every time I get a hit feels like a personality problem.
The cheers are too loud to hear it, but his lips are clearly forming the shape for it.
And he's been glaring at me murderously the whole time, twisting his body to show just how much he hates my guts.
This guy's gonna bean me, isn't he?
Crack!
At that moment, Senior Sang-jin ripped a line drive through the three-four hole. I cruised into third base.
"Hyun-su! Over here! Over here! Player Cha Tae-hyun's back!"
Healing.
After enduring that Winners pitcher's death stare, seeing this kid's pure, bright smile lifts the corners of my mouth automatically.
The kid threw his arms up in a double high-five.
He must've liked the one I did earlier.
I mirrored it with my own high-five pose, and he broke into a huge grin, jumping up and down.
I waved and turned away, only to find the rage-filled pitcher glaring at me again.
...What the hell is his problem?
"Argh!"
Shin Min-seok stormed back to the dugout, spitting curses and hurling his glove.
It's common for competitive pitchers to toss their gloves after giving up runs.
But this wasn't just frustration from a loss of composure.
'Throwing a tantrum just because that rookie got a hit and advanced? Not even like he hit it himself?'
It was simply that the cocky rookie Cha Tae-hyun, who didn't know his place, was seriously pissing him off.
Breathing heavily, Shin Min-seok plopped down next to Jin Tae-hyun.
"When Cha Tae-hyun comes up next, I'm gonna bust him inside big time. Don't let it get away—be ready to catch it, got it?"
Jin Tae-hyun flinched.
"Why suddenly throw one that far inside..."
"Why? Huh? Didn't you see that bastard high-fiving? Yeah? You think that's okay? Turning his back like he's taunting me—what pitcher wouldn't fire a purpose pitch after that?"
Jin Tae-hyun had seen it too. It was the kind of celebration that could rile someone up.
But so what?
What's wrong with a celebration? Can't rookies show they're happy?
He swallowed those words and nodded.
'A purpose pitch... He won't actually hit him, right?'
He didn't like purpose pitches either, but knowing Shin Min-seok's temperament, Jin Tae-hyun felt a bit relieved it wasn't a straight beanball.
As he started to nod, Shin Min-seok added with a sly grin.
"Well... I do groove one occasionally, you know? Might 'accidentally' drill him in the thigh. No big deal. You don't die from a thigh shot."
Jin Tae-hyun bowed his head slightly.
That was basically admitting he'd aim for the thigh.
"Cha Tae-hyun."
"Yes, Manager."
Manager Lee Eun-seok, who rarely moved or spoke and was nicknamed Moai Stone, unusually approached me in the dugout.
"Wanna go for a bike ride?"
The out-of-left-field question left me blank for a second before I realized it was about the cycling hit.
In Korea and Japan, hitting for the cycle—a single, double, triple, and home run in one game—is sometimes called "riding a bike."
"I wasn't thinking about it."
Manager Lee Eun-seok chuckled.
"Yeah right, like you're not. A rookie's got a shot at a bike ride."
...No, really, I wasn't.
This is unfair. I'd done it to death in my big league days anyway.
"Anyway, no need for team hitting. Swing for the fences with all your greed! Worst case, if we don't score, you'll shut 'em down anyway, right?"
I nodded with a smile.
Manager Lee Eun-seok was definitely a good manager.
Lots of managers crush rookies, but ones who back you like this are rare.
"Yes. Then I'll take the bike out for a spin today."
"Good. And if you do, mention in the interview that the manager told you to swing away."
So that's the real goal?
I grinned, grabbed my bat, and headed out of the dugout.
My at-bat was coming up soon.
Here we go! Bottom of the eighth, Phoenix at bat! It starts with cleanup hitter Cha Tae-hyun. He's got a chance to complete the cycling hit, right?
Yes. With just a home run left, the fans are buzzing with anticipation. That has to be putting some real pressure on Shin Min-seok. He probably doesn't want to go down as the pitcher who surrendered a debut cycling hit.
"Tae-hyun! Cycle and shutout today—let's take it all!"
"Thanks, ma go ma!"
"Home~run Cha! Tae! Hyun! Home~run Cha! Tae! Hyun!"
The cheers heading to the plate are always fiery, but right now, the heat is on another level compared to anything before.
A chance at a debut cycling hit—makes sense.
That aside, the pitcher who'd been looking at me like a rotten corpse was smirking.
Even though a homer here would hand me the cycle.
Whatever shift in mindset that was...
It became clear the instant Shin Min-seok fired the first pitch.
Oof... That one's way inside. If Cha Tae-hyun hadn't reacted fast and pulled away, it might've hit him...
"That bastard..."
A curse slipped out involuntarily. The umpire flinched but didn't warn since it was a dangerous pitch.
Right. That was why the anger-issue guy was smirking despite the cycle pressure.
He planned to walk me from the start.
In a way, impressive.
Walking a guy to avoid a cycling hit? Humiliating for a pitcher, and fans think the same.
Not some noble sacrifice for the team.
Just thrilled at spoiling my cycle—that expression.
...I'll give him that.
No one in this league has thicker skin than you.
I reset my stance, and Shin Min-seok threw pitch two.
Another one blasting way inside.
But...
"Urk...!"
It wasn't just inside—it nailed my thigh. Crazy bastard wasn't walking me; he meant to hit me?
Pain shot up my leg, ringing in my head.
Thigh's fleshy and safer, but a 140 km/h baseball is a weapon.
Biting my lip, I stood and glared at Shin Min-seok.
He smirked, curling one corner of his mouth.
The look on a pitcher's face after plunking someone on a "control issue"...
Wasn't it.
Pros and cons raced through my mind.
If I charged the mound and decked him—what suspension?
Phoenix losses during that?
Reality cooled my rage bit by bit.
-Get the hell to first?
The moment I saw him nod toward first like that, my head went ice cold.
Yeah.
Second life or not, I'm no bodhisattva.
I flung the bat aggressively behind me and stomped toward the mound.
He panicked, backpedaling and gesturing at my teammates like aren't you gonna stop him?
Whatever. Teammates stop me or not, I wasn't halting.
Leaning my left shoulder for a body check as I charged—
"What the fu—argh!"
Whoa! Players from both benches are charging the mound! Phoenix foreign pitcher Shaun White just body-slammed Shin Min-seok! It's on the verge of exploding!
Shaun White appeared out of nowhere, charging Shin Min-seok like a bull seeing red, unleashing a massive body slam with his hulking frame.
Shin Min-seok flew through the air briefly before tumbling across the dirt. Approaching opponents hesitated at the fired-up Shaun.
And it didn't end there.
Usually in bench clearings, pitchers hang back for injury risk.
But for some reason, our pitchers swarmed ahead of the fielders, surrounding the downed Shin Min-seok and yelling.
"Attack my shortstop, and I'll attack you. Brace yourself, Shin Min-seok. My southpaw punch hurts."
Ro-woon hyung raised his left fist, spouting nonsense.
"Lost your mind? Huh? You crossed the line touching our shortstop? What if Cha Tae-hyun's hurt and can't play—who's responsible, huh...? Huh!!!"
"Hey, hey... Su-ho, lower the fist and calm down. Ump's coming—back off for now..."
"Calm? This prick way overstepped! Shin Min-seok! Huh? If Cha Tae-hyun's injured, who's covering my infield defense, huh?!!!"
Su-ho hyung, always smiling, face beet red, grabbed Shin Min-seok's collar.
Next to him, Seung-tae was worse.
His school bully eyes from the Hwang Gwang-hyun days opened, slyly raising a fist.
Whoa... Seung-tae needs reining in for real?
"Everyone, stop!"
Luckily, Seung-tae didn't go full bully mode.
Manager Lee Eun-seok stormed the mound and bellowed, instantly quieting the heated scene.
Yeah... Manager Lee Eun-seok's arrival seems to be calming things. He's talking with the umps. We'll see if there are further actions...
Oh, looks like play resumes without extras. Manager and umps heading back. As a broadcaster, I hesitate to say it, but did you catch that pitcher's smile after the HBP? Intentional or not, that's not the attitude after plunking someone. Especially with a cycling hit on the line... Hmm...
Shin Min-seok is straight-up pathetic af
Just cut his dick off tbh
Shaun's body slam was the only thing that cooled me off or I'd have smashed my TV
Fr Shaun body slam was so damn refreshing
Winners fans here: Yeah we hate that prick too but he's good at baseball so we use him. You'd play Cha Tae-hyun even if he was a dick, cut us some slack
Damn now I get it and can't even complain
Fr it slots right in smh
The commotion died down, and play resumed.
As Lee Sang-jin grabbed his bat, the manager said quietly.
"Sang-jin. Our maknae's itching for that bike ride... Can you set up an at-bat for him?"
Lee Sang-jin grinned wide and shouted.
"Was planning on it anyway!"
The manager smiled satisfied and added.
"Everyone hear the captain? No at-bat for Tae-hyun today, and it's special batting practice. Got it?"
"Yes! Loud and clear!"
Flames flickered in the Phoenix hitters' eyes.
Crack!
What? Hit! Another hit! No. 3 hitter Andy rips one too—Phoenix is on fire this inning!
Shaun's body slam must've shattered Shin Min-seok's mentality.
Shaky since the bench clearing, now grooving pitches nonstop.
Not even "grooves" anymore—control's shot. Everything's falling.
Over 120 pitches; time for a hook, but he stays. Winners manager forcing him?
Not my business.
I just step up...
And for the teammates who gritted it out to get me this at-bat, swing for the best contact I can.
"Cha Tae-hyun~ Home! Run!"
"Cha Tae-hyun~ Home! Run!"
And for the fans cheering the ground shaking.
Stepping in, Shin Min-seok bit his lip. Smirker now suffering—feels good.
But... still a bit prickly?
I hold grudges against line-crossers.
Oh! Cha Tae-hyun points to the outfield with his bat! Haha! Pitchers must hate that.
I see it as smart strategy, not just show. Provoking so the pitcher can't walk him again.
Promise-a-homer showboat: killer if it works, humiliating if not.
Why I rarely did it in the majors.
But this ain't the majors.
Especially against a mentally broken pitcher's flat...
Hanging batting practice like this—easy to clear.
Light, like venting at the cages.
Crack!
The ball soared high; I high-fived the air and tossed the bat.
Rooooaaar!!!!!!!
Fans' insane roar battered my ears.
Strolling to first, fans rose like a wave.
Cha Tae-hyun! Cha Tae-hyun! Cha Tae-hyun!
Ah,
Flashed a sweet smile at the fool still chasing the gone ball on the mound.
"Hyun-su! Player Cha Tae-hyun hit a homer and's coming! Quick, high-five!"
High-fived for the bouncing kid in the third-base stands,
"Good job, Tae-hyun."
High-fived the third-base coach, touched home plate,
And completed my debut cycling hit.
"Cha Tae-hyun! Cha Tae-hyun! Cha Tae-hyun!"
Thought cycling hits were meh.
This feels pretty damn good.
Phoenix fans' cheers are unreal.
"Bu~san Phoe~nix, Bu~san Phoe~nix, rise to the~ skies!"
The team song echoed through Sajik.