Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Plans Fall Apart Easily
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Whiiiiiish
Thwack
"Ball."
Everyone has a plan.
"Ball."
'We're screwed.'
"Ball."
'Shit.'
"Ball!"
But if every plan went exactly as intended, everyone would be successful.
"Ball! Batter to first!"
Sighs echoed from the dugout. Another runner had crossed home plate.
"Ball."
But the balls kept coming. Choi Seung-taek stared straight ahead, sweat beading on his forehead.
In Choi Seung-taek's eyes, the pitcher looked tense, his face stiff as a board.
'This is bad. He's way too nervous. What if he walks another batter?'
Choi Seung-taek checked the pitcher's status.
👤 Gu Tae-jin:C-Grade Prospect
📊 Condition:Panic
Gu Tae-jin, the first-year whom they'd rated as the team's third-best pitcher, had loaded the bases in the bottom of the first by throwing ball after ball.
Not content with just loading the bases, he'd hit a batter and still couldn't find the zone.
So the current situation was no outs, bases loaded—even after giving up one run.
'What the hell do I do now...'
This was why baseball was a pitcher's game. If one pitcher kept losing control like this, the opposing batters didn't even need to swing—the runs would just keep coming.
'A pitcher who can't even get the ball in the strike zone.'
If the pitches were clustering in the heart of the zone, the fielders might get lucky and bail him out. But balls only? No answer.
Unlike their expectations of an easy game after scoring four in the top of the first, they were already in a bind.
Whiiiiiish
Pop.
Choi Seung-taek hopped to snag the ball. Another ball.
'Man, this is driving me nuts.'
He glanced at the dugout, but no change-up sign came.
Coach Kim Ik-hyeon wasn't prepping the next pitcher.
'Whew, looks like the coach has no plans to pull him. Fine, then. Center again. Even if it gets hit.'
[Center Fastball]
Nod.
Suseok High's starter, Gu Tae-jin, still looked tense.
Whiiiiiish
Pop.
Another ball. Three balls now. One more, and the batter walks, the runner on third scores again.
"Huuuuuh."
No way out.
And since Choi Seung-taek himself had pushed for Gu Tae-jin as the starter, he was going insane.
'How do I get his control back?'
Coach Kim Ik-hyeon was testing Choi Seung-taek's skills.
Pitchers losing control happened all the time in high school baseball.
Thanks to their two A-grade prospects, Kang Tae-pung and I San, Suseok High was the rare case with too many good options.
Coach Kim Ik-hyeon decided to watch a bit longer, curious how Choi Seung-taek would handle the pitcher.
With their strong lineup, they could come back even if they fell behind. So he waited.
The one in trouble was Choi Seung-taek.
He racked his brain.
'The only way to regain control is to throw strikes. But first, I need to calm him down.'
Choi Seung-taek spoke to the umpire and headed to the mound. Catchers could only visit the mound twice per game.
Using one up in the first felt early, but with the pitcher's control shot, calming him now was the right call.
At the mound, Choi Seung-taek spoke as calmly as he could.
"What's the problem?"
"Sorry, Senior. Being the starter out of nowhere has me too nervous."
It was understandable. This wasn't just a weekend league game—it was the President's Cup quarterfinals. Scouts were watching, cameras rolling.
Considering that, veterans from second or third year should have started from the quarters on.
"See the coach over there?"
"Yes."
"Does he look pissed?"
"Not sure."
"Notice he hasn't called up the bullpen? He wants you to get experience. Got it?"
Gu Tae-jin bowed his head.
It was meant to boost his confidence, but it seemed to add pressure instead.
"Hey, lift your head. You think I'm gonna chew you out? This is on broadcast, man."
Gu Tae-jin snapped his head up.
"Sudden starter threw you off, huh?"
"Yes."
"Know why you're starting today?"
"No."
"I recommended you. Asked the coach to let you start."
Gu Tae-jin looked shocked.
"Kang Tae-pung and I San are sitting today. We're going with the rest of the staff. Among them, you have the best stuff, so I suggested you."
"Still... seniors would be better..."
"You'll only go five anyway, and we'll use others for other innings. We rate you high—now prove it."
Gu Tae-jin just mumbled, lips moving silently.
"Forget the rest. Throw center. Get hit, hit a homer, whatever. Our bats are hot. Their pitching? Nothing special. Trust it."
"Got it."
Gu Tae-jin's face relaxed a bit.
"Alright, let's go again."
Choi Seung-taek returned to the plate and set up.
Checking the system, the status had changed.
👤 Gu Tae-jin:C-Grade Prospect
📊 Condition:Calm
⚾ Pitches:Four-Seam Fastball, Slider
⭐ Preferred:Slider
'Preferred pitch is slider, huh. Alright, slider it is.'
[Center Slider]
Choi Seung-taek flashed the sign, and Gu Tae-jin nodded.
Whiiiiish
Thwack
Strike!
With Gu Tae-jin calmed, the ball finally hit the zone.
'Again, one more.'
If it came right back to the same spot, things would improve.
[Center Slider]
Gu Tae-jin took a deep breath and nodded.
Whiiiiiiiish
Thud
Strike two!
Thankfully, it hit center again. Choi Seung-taek eyed the batter.
The batter had done nothing while control was off.
But now that control was back, he couldn't sit idle.
'Why's his control good against me? That's his face right now.'
The batter looked uneasy.
This was their sixth batter, lower in the order.
Full count: two strikes, three balls. No breakthrough before, but now a glimmer of hope.
Problem was outlasting with these center pitches.
'Will the fastball hit the zone too? Please, just get it in. Even if it's hit.'
[Center Fastball]
Even if everything funneled center, mixing pitches disrupted timing.
Nod.
Whiiiiiish
Whoooosh
Thwack!
Strike three!
The fastball missed center.
It tailed outside, but the swing earned the out.
'Dang... fastball still can't hit center?'
But an out was an out.
'Let's keep going.'
[Center Slider]
Nod.
Whiiiiish
Thump!
The seventh batter read the center breaking ball and made contact.
The ball rolled toward center off second base. Runners from second and third scored.
Score: 4-3. A blowout was slipping away; they'd pulled within one.
One out, runners on first and second.
New batter stepped in; ump supplied a fresh ball.
The first felt endless.
'Bet the other side felt the same.'
He settled back in.
[Center Slider]
Nod.
Whiiiiiiiish
Choi Seung-taek spotted the runner on second stealing.
'Damn it.'
They'd read the first-pitch breaking ball perfectly.
Then the runner on first bolted for second.
Pop!
The ball hit his mitt.
'Runner's jump and speed are too quick. Even to third would be late.'
Choi Seung-taek pivoted instantly.
'Gotta stop the steal at second.'
He fired to second.
"Safe!"
A hair too late—no out.
'Haa... back to one out, runners on second and third. Now what?'
He checked the dugout. Still no orders from the coach.
Handle it himself.
'Pushing me hard this time. Since I asked for this, take responsibility?'
Choi Seung-taek pondered deeply.
'Better to fill first base. Throw balls if needed, but get the fastball back in the zone. Can't survive on sliders alone.'
[Center Fastball]
He signed again.
Nod.
Whiiiiiish
Paack
Tailed right—ball.
But different from before.
Not wild; somewhat controlled?
[Center Fastball]
Whiiiiiish
Thud.
Tailed right again.
But only by a ball's width.
'Good, creeping inward.'
[Center Fastball]
Whiiiiiish
Thud
Catching half the zone.
Batter flinched. Choi Seung-taek waited for the call—no call.
"Ball four, batter to first."
The batter sighed and trotted to first.
Their ninth batter up. Righty.
Choi Seung-taek set up outside.
[Outside Fastball]
He flashed nearly the same spot as before.
Whiiiiiish
Thwack!
Strike!
Choi Seung-taek grinned satisfied; Gu Tae-jin's face lit up.
'Control's back. You're done.'