Ch 134
16.
1984.
An unbelievable thing happened in the history of Korean professional baseball.
On the Korean Series stage, one pitcher played in 5 games, threw 40 innings, recorded an ERA of 1.80, and won the team with a record of 4 wins and 1 loss.
The protagonist of history is the iron arm Choi Dong-won!
It was more like a myth than a legend, and I thought, of course, that no one could challenge the myth anymore.
But now, a man has put up his own challenge to the myth.
– What happens if Jinyong Lee wins the 4th game?
ㄴ If you win by shutting down, you will have 3 wins and 0 losses in 24.2 innings.
B Can’t you be the only player Dong-won Choi?
ㄴ It may not be a simple record, but wouldn’t it be possible to win 3 wins, 0 losses, and 2 shutout wins until the 4th game?
B What is clear is that no one can surpass the legend of Dong-Won Choi, and no one can surpass the record of Ho-Woo Lee.
Jinyong Lee.
Having already won two victories by appearing in the first and second rounds, he challenged for the third win in the fourth.
impossible thing.
incredible thing.
– So do you think the Devils will catch Lee Ho-woo?
ㄴ From my point of view, the probability of Kim Jin-ho returning alive from hell is similar.
b hey, does that make sense?
b So.
However, everyone did not doubt that Jinyong Lee would complete this ridiculous legend.
– I just want to lose cleanly. Even if we catch Lee Ho here anyway, in the end it’s Lee Ho again in the 7th game, right?
It’s better to just lose here.
Even the Devils fans can no longer cheer for the Devils victory.
Victory or defeat was already decided.
So no one cares about winning or losing anymore.
Then people began to complain instead of interested.
– Does this make sense? Does it make sense that a pitcher wins three to win the Korean Series?
B What not to do?
B Damn, what kind of baseball is this! Hou Lee is doing it all by himself!
ㄴ If you twist, you will also get heavy!
B No, why are the Angels so arrogant when it comes to winning Jin-yong Lee by luck? Hey, did you guys raise Jinyong Lee? Those who heard the sound of the prospect’s grave!
b What do you say? Then you too!
b what man? Seriously, this is bullshit! The 2017 season Angels Korean Series win should be void!
b Yes, ho.
He began to complain about this absurd situation without any basis and without reason.
[Korea Series Game 4 Rain Canceled!]
That dissatisfaction turned into an indescribably harsh atmosphere the moment the 4th game was canceled due to rain.
It was never a good atmosphere for the Angels.
“The public opinion is harsh. If you keep going like this, even if the Angels win, you look like you’re going to be insulted, don’t you?”
“It’s hard to win with applause.”
“From the Angels’ point of view, there is no way to reverse the mood or public opinion, so I’m going to die.”
Even after winning a championship, you might be insulted rather than congratulated.
Naturally, the Angels did not intend to just sit still and watch such a situation.
“Chief of Public Relations, how did things go?”
“Yeah, that’s…”
At least Gu Eun-seo, she didn’t want to see the public relations team do nothing in this kind of situation and get paid without anyone knowing about it.
“… well done.”
Furthermore, Gu Eun-seo had already prepared it.
“Reporter Lee Hyeong-se asked for rice cakes. Perhaps in a few hours it will appear as an article.”
“I hope it was worthwhile to endure and see.”
“It will be very rewarding.”
So Gu Eun-seo and the public relations team were preparing an article on the baseball board, which was noisy with heavy rain.
[Angels, Jinyong Lee and the other side contract! Unconditional release at the end of this season!]
17.
There are many fans who like Lee Jin-yong.
really a lot
When Jin-yong Lee appears against the team he supports, he pours out double lust, but he cheers for Jin-yong Lee who throws the ball against the other team.
However, there are very few baseball officials who like Lee Jin-yong.
Not only players, but also reporters, front desk staff, and other people who make money from the Korean professional baseball market in many ways cannot like Lee Jin-yong.
If a dinosaur appeared in the world of little lizards, which lizard would like it?
Of course, if there was a place where they could bite Lee Jin-yong, they would bite it mercilessly.
“senior! The article exploded!”
It was impossible for them to pass up the opportunity to bite Jinyong Lee and the Angels behind the contract, and finally to bite him.
“know.”
“Isn’t this a big deal?”
Hwang Seon-woo gave a different answer to the junior reporter’s words.
“Lee Hyung-se asked.”
Hwang Seon-woo, who was talking, smiled bitterly when he checked the name of the person who put up the reporter’s favorite title, “Single” on his smartphone.
The younger reporter guessed at that smile.
“Isn’t it a big deal?”
Hwang Sun-woo asked that question.
“Is anyone in trouble because of this incident?”
“That’s the Angels!”
“why?”
“Are you going to hit the Korean Professional Baseball Committee right away? The rest of the clubs are not standing still. What kind of people are the club’s kids, can’t we just let this happen? At least one of the tallest has to take off his clothes.”
“Yeah, the head of the operation team who committed the work and the manager should take off their clothes. And the Angels general manager will be appointed as an executive of a major business unit in the parent company, and the operation team leader will visit the ward of Chairman Koo with the winning trophy.”
“ah······.”
A junior reporter let out a sigh without realizing it.
Hwang Seon-woo laughed at that sight.
Hwang Seon-woo continued talking between those laughs.
“And think about it. Let’s say you are the captain of a baseball team. Or say a manager or a player. Jinyong Lee will go to Japan or the United States as a free agent after this season, but do you want to overturn this board and stop that? Do you want to see Jinyong Lee giving the Angels a post bid worth over $100 million for a post after playing for the next six more seasons in Korean professional baseball?”
“Yeah, it could be.”
At that moment, a junior reporter said:
“But wouldn’t the Angels fans be against it?”
“A player who scored 0 ERA during the regular season, gave the team a regular season championship, and started in three games in Game 4 of the Korean Series and contributed to the team’s unsuccessful victory for over 20 years will challenge the major leagues, and there they are. Put aside the bullshit like a major league challenge and run like a slave for the next 6 years in the Angels! say so? That would be fun too.”
After that, the junior reporter did not raise any more questions.
Instead, he exclaimed in admiration.
“That’s why sunbaenim didn’t play the role of Suho reporter. Let everyone welcome Jinyong Lee’s departure.”
Hwang Seon-woo smiled softly at that admiration.
It was literally.
In the meantime, the Angels PR team did not respond much amidst the pouring criticism and criticism towards Lee Jin-yong.
It’s never been
It’s the Angels Front with Gu Eun-seo who is nobody else. If Eun-seo Ku is determined and moves reporters, she can have an interview with the president of a sports newspaper.
Nevertheless, the reason why he did not move was for the sake of this situation.
For a beautiful farewell to Lee Jin-yong.
And the target was hit.
Criticism of the Angels will abound right now, but even that critique won’t last long.
‘The timing is right.’
The moment Lee Jin-yong starts in the 4th game tomorrow, there will be no time for such a story to come out.
Therefore, Hwang Seon-woo was not interested in the aftermath of this article. Instead, he wondered.
‘I wonder what the expression of the Devils players will be when they hear this news.’
If we lose in the 4th game tomorrow, what kind of expression will the Devils players face in front of the fact that they don’t have to see Lee Jin-yong anymore at that moment?
‘It has become a legendary Korean series in many ways.’
And the 4th round started.
18.
Sunday, October 29th.
It was a perfect schedule for me, which I can only see as being planned by God.
It was because I made the end of the legend created by one player to be filmed on Sunday, which is a holiday, not on any other day.
– What a wonderful day.
On such a day, the sky was so pure that it was hard to find a single cloud, and the weather was moderately chilly, not like the end of October.
It was the perfect weather to cool off a hot body.
“downpour.”
Jinyong Lee, who had already warmed up in front of the weather, exhaled a long breath.
– Hey, what the hell is it that a guy breathes and breathes and breathes and then sleeps and sleeps and sleeps?
Kim Jin-ho spit out a voice at Lee Jin-yong’s appearance.
Jinyong Lee raised one eyebrow.
“Say what makes sense. All the sounds of breathing and sleep talk are there.”
– What?
“It sounds that way because I am conscious. right? Please do it quickly.”
– Gin pumpkin? Jin Pumpkin Jin Pumpkin Jin Pumpkin…
“Jinho sounds like an idiot, doesn’t it?”
– Well, that’s what it sounds like… Oh, really!
Kim Jin-ho looked at Lee Jin-yong with an expressionless expression.
Fuck!
Jin-yong Lee’s bright smile and Jin-ho Kim, unable to spit on that smiling face, just spit out a complaint.
– How did he get his head rolling in that direction? huh? What the hell was going on in your mind?
“It contains faith, courage and hope.”
-·······After all, you are right.
Around that time, players appeared one by one into the dugout and into the ground.
And early on, some foreigners came down to the stands close to the ground and started looking around.
Devils players and Major League scouts.
– It’s really Jin-Sung-Chan.
Kim Jin-ho, who looked at them, who have now become Lee Jin-yong’s prey, said to Lee Jin-yong.
– This is your chance to decide your fate with your own hands. If you’re going to miss an opportunity like this, just stop playing baseball.
Jinyong Lee replied to that.
“downpour.”
– You crazy bastard.
The match started.
19.
The situation of the Devils in Game 4 of the Korean Series, which might be the last game of Korean professional baseball in the 2017 season, was 0 wins and 3 losses, and the situation was like hanging on the edge of a cliff.
As the character in a certain movie said, it was a situation where we had to live only today, and now there was only poison left.
“Is this real? Jinyong Lee, is this bastard really going to the Major Leagues at the end of this season? Isn’t that Gura?”
“How much time did reporter Lee Hyeong-se spend on this floor, did he write an article without any sauce? It must be true.”
However, there was nothing like poison in the eyes of the Devils squad preparing for such a fourth game.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Even Justin Butler, who had to stand on the mound in the first inning earlier than Jinyong Lee as a starting pitcher today, was talking with the interpreter repeatedly with a surprised expression rather than focusing on the game.
It’s not that the poison is gone, it’s hard to even find concentration on the game.
The atmosphere of the game did not change even when the game started.
“Playball!”
The first inning started with the Angels’ first attack with the referee’s declaration.
“cheek!”
In that game, Justin gave up a walk against the lead hitter.
Afterwards, he finished the inning by catching an out against the rest of the batters, but it was obviously strange that Justin gave up a walk.
A starting pitcher with no problem in physical condition rarely walks to the lead hitter in the first inning.
To be precise, there is no problem with the condition, but there is no manager who sends a pitcher who walks against the lead hitter in the first inning as a starting pitcher.
Naturally, everyone in the Angels caught the signal.
‘Now the Devils kids are half way gone.’
‘My mind went somewhere else while I was playing the Korean series.’
The fact that the Devils now, far from harboring poison, even possessed their own air, fell like a balloon with a hole in them.
‘Look at this?’
That fact changed the eyes of the Angels.
‘Are you being vigilant against us here?’
The stage that can decide the Korean Series championship.
A stage where you can win glory.
Against a rival team other than anyone else, the stage where you can secure the championship by trampling on the rival team that won the Korean Series last season and made the Angels more rotten than any other team.
‘Is Jinyong Lee coming?’
Even a stage where a pitcher who boasts an absolute presence more than anyone else comes up.
‘Come on, I’m asking you to eat.’
In response to that fact, the Angels team, as if they had made a promise, everyone shouted out.
“downpour!”
“downpour!”
Jin-yong Lee and Jin-ho Kim, who were just about to climb the mound at the call, looked around in surprise.
And immediately, Jin-yong Lee headed to the mound with a smile, and Jin-ho Kim said as he watched the Angels team roar over and over again.
– The poor team that didn’t know how to win has turned into a crazy team. They just became crazy.
With those words, Kim Jin-ho also smiled.
20.
The moment Lee Jin-yong came up on the mound, the chaotic atmosphere was cleared up in an instant.
Everyone paid attention to Lee Jin-yong’s appearance.
Not only the spectators, but also reporters and major league scouts who came to the stadium in a hurry today.
In front of that eye, Jinyong Lee could clearly feel the moment he stood on the mound, the moment he saw the footsteps of someone who was already ahead, and the moment he lightly trampled on those footsteps.
“ah.”
And Kim Jin-ho could feel it clearly.
– Was it mid-June?
June 13th.
– It was Jamsil Stadium back then.
Jamsil Stadium.
– The opponent was also the Devils.
The feeling of that day when Jinyong Lee faced the Devils he was facing right now.
The feeling of the day when the perfect game was achieved.
Lee Jin-yong smiled at that feeling.
“Pact assault is going on.”
21.
It was a long time ago.
A reporter came to Kim Jin-ho, who won his second Cy Young Award, and asked a question.
“Is there a way for a pitcher to play a perfect game by himself?”
Kim Jin-ho answered that question.
“Of course it is.”
A pitcher can make a perfect game only with his own strength.
“From the first to the second innings, Greg Maddox throws. And from the 3rd to the 4th, Randy Johnson throws it. Then imagine Tom Glavine throws the 5th and 6th innings, and Pedro Martinez throws the 7th and 8th innings. Of course, Rivera comes up in the ninth. Unless you fill the numbers 1 through 9 with Barry Bonds, most gamblers will bet their money on the perfect game?”
Of course, the questioner asked that.
Are you serious?
Kim Jin-ho replied with a grin at that.
“Of course I’m not serious. All I want to say is that you need that kind of pitching for a perfect game. At the same time, the help of the team is absolute. A pitcher who played a perfect game should hit the opposing team at least for that game.
You have to show absolute charisma that can even dominate. You can’t play a perfect game with only strength and skill alone.”
With those words, Jinho Kim said.
“Yeah, that’s the kind of pitch I’m looking for. If you can pitch like that, you can do anything. You might even be able to win. Perhaps if there is a pitcher like that, any team, if the team is so thirsty for the championship, they can win that team.”
And at the end of those words, he shook his head.
“Of course, that sounds like a nonsensical bullshit. Where in the world can a human being able to do that? If you play baseball like that in the end, it’s a torai, a toray. Crazy idiot.”
Shaking his head, the reporter asked the question again.
Could there be such a pitcher?
At that question, Jinho Kim laughed and said.
“Isn’t it possible that there might be? If there is a pitcher like that, I will treat him as my older brother for the rest of my life. I swear to God in my name.”
And now he appeared in front of Kim Jin-ho.
[The perfect game was successful. Platinum roulette tickets will be paid.]
[We succeeded in winning the Korean Series. A diamond roulette ticket is paid.]
“downpour!”
A pitcher who can unfold the utopia that Kim Jin-ho said.
End