Pursuit Team (3)
The head coach is the role that assists the manager most closely. He manages the minor details within the squad that the manager might miss.
He also acts as a bridge between the coaching staff and the players. He delivers the manager's messages to the squad, and if a player has something to say to the manager, they sometimes speak through the head coach.
During the game, he discusses the overall game management with the manager and advises on parts the manager might overlook.
However, the Wolves are currently in a situation where Head Coach Kim Young-seung is serving as the acting manager.
For that reason, the pitching coach, who took over as the acting head coach, mentioned the pitcher currently pitching well on the mound.
"He's thrown 97 pitches so far. I'm afraid this inning will be the limit for Seung-deok."
5.1 innings, 3 hits allowed, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts, 1 run allowed.
It's a record so good that a starting pitcher couldn't do any better. And it was still in progress. He would probably finish cleanly through the 6th inning and record a quality start.
If it weren't for the one home run he gave up in the 5th inning, one could even say his pitching today was perfect.
Nevertheless, Head Coach Kim Young-seung's face wasn't bright.
'We're losing by one run. Even if it's just because of yesterday's disappointing defeat, we need to turn the atmosphere around today.'
Baseball is a battle of momentum, flow, and atmosphere.
If they ride the atmosphere well, they can go on a winning streak, but if they slip up, they could fall into a deep quagmire and struggle.
Hadn't the Wolves just been stuck in the swamp of a 5-game losing streak right before this?
However, Head Coach Kim Young-seung couldn't easily pull out the card called the must-win squad.
They were already in an overloaded state as it was. If they are used indiscriminately at any time, they aren't a must-win squad. They're nothing more than errand boys.
A must-win squad is used when victory is certain, or when that one win is truly important.
In that sense, Head Coach Kim Young-seung asked himself.
Is today's 1 win worth sacrificing the card of the must-win squad? What if we pull out the must-win squad and still lose?
Head Coach Kim Young-seung squeezed his eyes shut.
'That would truly be the worst.'
He didn't even want to imagine it. If things went slightly wrong, today's defeat could linger as an aftereffect until the end of this season.
'But I can't give up on a mere 1-run deficit situation either.'
Head Coach Kim Young-seung's dilemma prolonged.
He calculated numerous possibilities, excluding emotions. Various faces crossed his mind.
Soon, he opened his mouth.
"Han Min-woo."
"Yes?"
"Get Han Min-woo ready."
"I'm not sure. Is it okay with just a guy like Han Min-woo? If Seung-deok finishes with a three-up, three-down, Han Min-woo will be facing Kang-min, Sang-heon, and Jae-sung."
The pitching coach spoke sarcastically. He still didn't like Han Min-woo.
He needed to bring up the pitchers he received money for to the 1st team, but Han Min-woo pitched unexpectedly well, which annoyed him.
And it made some sense to a certain extent.
Yoon Kang-min, Jin Sang-heon, Oh Jae-sung.
They were the trio leading the Stings' batting lineup. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the other batters were merely devices to make these three stand out more.
However, Head Coach Kim Young-seung didn't change his mind.
"Han Min-woo isn't a bad choice at this timing. Because Kwak Seung-deok's velocity was fast."
"You mean it will take time to adapt after seeing Han Min-woo's relatively slower pitches."
Head Coach Kim Young-seung nodded.
It was a reasonable statement. The average velocity of starting pitcher Kwak Seung-deok's four-seam fastball today was 152 km/h. His maximum velocity approached 156 km/h.
On the other hand, Han Min-woo was between 137 and 140 km/h. That's a whopping difference of 15 km/h. At this level, it was enough velocity to confuse the Stings' batting lineup.
However, contrary to Head Coach Kim Young-seung's thoughts, the pitching coach's opinion was negative.
"Hmph. Even so, it won't work on Yoon Kang-min. He's famous for having such a good eye at the plate. If he gives up runs, can we send him down to the 2nd team?"
"You're still negative about Han Min-woo."
"Rather, I don't know why you keep giving that guy chances, Acting Manager."
"I told you. He has more strengths than you'd think."
The pitching coach glared at Head Coach Kim Young-seung. Kim Young-seung also met his gaze without backing down.
The two engaged in a silent battle of wills for a while. Soon, the pitching coach opened his mouth.
"Then I'll send him out believing that he'll block the inning without allowing a run and come down. But if he can't take advantage of such a well-set table, I wonder if there's any reason to keep dragging him along."
The pitching coach kept harping on Han Min-woo until the end.
Seeing him disappear toward the bullpen, Head Coach Kim Young-seung let out a long sigh.
'Every day is like walking on thin ice.'
The greatest stress for an office worker is human relationships.
Naturally, trouble with a subordinate was bound to be an even greater stress.
However, Head Coach Kim Young-seung didn't give up.
The season is long, and many games remain.
If he proves his ability this season, the result will be different then.
Head Coach Kim Young-seung looked at the mound with cold eyes, his arms crossed.
Bullpen.
A place prepared for pitchers who will be put in before or during a baseball game to warm up and practice pitching, originally derived from the place where bulls wait in bullfighting or rodeo.
Before the game, starting pitchers use it for practice pitching, and during the game, relief pitchers mainly use it.
In a word, it meant a place that starts getting busy from the 5th inning onward.
"Min-woo, get ready. You're going up in the 6th."
"Yes."
At the bullpen coach's words, Han Min-woo wiped the sweat running down his cap and nodded.
Another opportunity had come.
The current score was 1 to 0. It was his first appearance in a situation where he could influence the outcome of the game since his shoulder injury.
Perhaps because of that, his heart pounded even more.
'I will definitely seize the opportunity this time too.'
His current condition was at its peak. He was properly warmed up, and there were no stiff or sore areas.
Somehow, he felt like he could pitch even better than last time in today's game.
"Waaaaaaaah!"
A loud roar poured out from the stands. At the same time, the Stings players scattered throughout the baseball field were running toward the 3rd base dugout.
The bullpen coach approached from behind and patted his shoulder.
"Let's go. Go pitch well."
"I will."
Han Min-woo calmed his excited mind and headed to the mound.
[Ding!]
['Han Min-woo' takes the mound!]
[Since you have taken the mound as a pitcher in an official game with baseball rules applied,
[Since you have taken the mound as a pitcher in an official game with baseball rules applied,
It was time to hunt the batters.
└Ah, Seung-deok came down; why take out a kid who's pitching well? At least let him get the win!
└ㅋㅋㅋㅋ You must not know baseball. Why are you bitching about taking out a pitcher who threw 108 pitches ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Because of those bastards, kids with bright futures lose their minds before lasting even 3 seasons ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└Right, right. At that level, isn't that an intellectual anti-fan? If he came out in the 7th too, I would've gone to assassinate Kim Young-seung, fuck
└There's a reason it's called the pitchers' graveyard while using Jamsil ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└But is it real that he becomes the losing pitcher with 6 innings and 1 run allowed? Where did yesterday's hot bats go?
└The game isn't over yet, so he might not end up taking the loss. But if they hit even half of what they did yesterday, it seems like 6 runs would've come out ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└Ah ㅋㅋ Because it's the Wolves lineup ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└Who's coming up in the 7th?
└Jae-hyuk or Jun-yeol will probably come up ㅇㅇ It's a close 1-run game, so they should put in the must-win squad.
└Make some sense ㅋㅋㅋ Then they'd pitch 3 days in a row, are they only playing baseball this year? The bastards who want to protect Kwak Seung-deok's shoulder want to grind the must-win squad instead ㅋㅋ
└ㅇㅇ In my opinion too, it's best to stall with Jun-kyu and Do-hyun, bring up Sang-woo if they score, and close with Deok-min
└ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Hey, Han Min-woo just came up lㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ So funny, putting in a guy with a 12-point ERA here ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ They gave up on the game when it's a 1-run difference ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└Ah, I'm so pissed, I want to bash Kim Neung-seung's head in with a bat, fuck
└Why on earth is Han Min-woo coming out here?
└(A cicada that cries when in danger) Ciiii-cada-cada-cida-cida-cida-cada!!!!
└I threw my remote control Sigh.. This is why you shouldn't support the Gwol-dae (meaning the Wolves who are always in last place).
└ㅋㅋㅋㅋ They're struggling on their own to lose ㅋㅋㅋㅋ I bet my left wrist that the Wolves lose today. For your information, it's my girlfriend.
└They're not going to lose again today, are they.. Nooo.. O(╥﹏╥)o I just hope Han Min-woo pitches well..!
└Still, didn't he pitch well against the Crocodiles? I support Han Min-woo
└ㅋㅋㅋ It was cute how he smiled coming down the mound ㅋㅋㅋ Super likable
└Min-woo-sshi ㅋㅋㅋ Cheer up, fighting!
"Gi-jeong. Min-woo is coming up this time. It'll be tough, but let's do a good job."
The battery coach approached catcher Pi Gi-jeong, who was putting on his catching gear, and said.
The battery coach's expression didn't look good. He was dissatisfied with the fact that the replacing pitcher was Han Min-woo.
It made sense. He showed a good performance in the previous game, but that was just one game.
It was too much to completely shed his previous image of being called a loss magnet.
Besides, due to the aftermath of his injury, his velocity was still slow, and he didn't have a breaking ball worthy of being called an out pitch.
From the standpoint of wanting the team's victory, putting Han Min-woo in a 1-run situation was naturally anxiety-inducing.
However, Pi Gi-jeong's thoughts were different.
'Han Min-woo? Not bad.'
They hadn't been on the same team for long, but Pi Gi-jeong knew Han Min-woo relatively accurately.
It was a close 1-run game. It was the situation where the pressure on pitchers was bound to be the heaviest. If a player with weak mentality came up in this situation, the likelihood of a mistake pitch was high.
This was the reason why it was better for Han Min-woo to come up than Kim Jun-kyu or Yoo Do-hyun.
'That guy Min-woo's mentality is the real deal.'
Pi Gi-jeong stepped out onto the field, dangling with gear.
"I'm heading out."
"Yeah, good luck."
Arriving at home plate and looking around, the away team's cheering section, which had grown stone cold, caught his eye.
On the mound, Han Min-woo was staring at him with an expressionless face.
He looked like he was asking, 'What should I throw?' He didn't even seem to care about the batter.
For Pi Gi-jeong, who had paired up with countless pitchers so far, it was incredibly reassuring.
'Right. A pitcher needs to have that much guts.'
-Bottom of the 7th inning, Stings' offense. At the plate is the 9th batter, Lee Kang-won. This season's batting average is .298. In today's game, he has recorded 1 hit in 3 at-bats and 1 stolen base.
-He showed great defense in the 2nd and 6th innings earlier. His condition seems to be very good. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of performance he'll show against the new Wolves pitcher, Han Min-woo.
-He throws. The first pitch... is a strike. 139 kilometers appears on the scoreboard. Lee Kang-won looks surprised by the inside pitch.
-Han Min-woo, I felt it a few days ago too, but the end of the ball is very sharp. He has no hesitation at all in pitching inside.
Pi Gi-jeong, who caught the ball with his arm fully extended, threw the ball back to the pitcher on the mound.
'This is exactly it.'
He felt it the moment he caught it. It was a pitch that grazed the very edge of the strike zone so thinly. From the batter's perspective, it was a course that was hard to hit even if you knew it was coming.
Pi Gi-jeong quickly sent a sign between his legs.
The second pitch was a slider. It was also a course that dug into the inside.
For the right-handed batter Lee Kang-won, it was a pitch that could give the illusion of flying straight at his body.
Han Min-woo threw the ball.
Thwack-!
"Strike!"
Lee Kang-won, who pulled his hips back, shook his head. Due to the ABS (Automated Ball-Strike System) officially introduced in 2024, disputes over ball-strike calls had completely disappeared.
No matter how much Lee Kang-won himself thought it was a pitch that would hit him, if the umpire declared it a strike, it meant the pitch had passed through the zone.
Pi Gi-jeong, holding the caught ball, admired inwardly.
'Was his control this good?'
In Korean professional baseball, there are no more than ten pitchers across all teams who can freely command the inside corner. That's how much of a burden the inside course was bound to be for pitchers.
It wasn't for nothing that the saying existed: the one who dominates the inside corner dominates the game.
'How about an outside curveball for the third pitch?'
When he sent the sign, Han Min-woo shook his head. Then he sent a sign back and took a windup position.
The third pitch he threw was.
Whoosh-!
"Swinging strike three!"
It was a changeup dropping down on the inside.
"Ugh."
Lee Kang-won, who swung the bat with his stance completely broken, let out a sigh. Looking at his face, he had an expression like he was possessed by a ghost.
'That guy...'
He struck out the leadoff batter on three pitches.
And against Lee Kang-won, who was on a roll lately no less.
'Interesting.'
That made him look forward to it even more.
-The 1st batter, Yoon Kang-min, steps into the batter's box.
What kind of performance Han Min-woo would show against that monster.
'Where are you going to throw? Inside again?'
Pi Gi-jeong smirked and sent a sign to Han Min-woo.