Defeat-Processing Pitcher (6)
There are truly various special abilities in BnB.
Ace, Upward Momentum, Razor-sharp Control, Closer, Iron Arm, Steel Shoulder, and so on...
However, among those many special abilities, the ones preferred by users were not that numerous. That was because special abilities had what were called activation conditions.
No matter how much it increases pitch velocity, upgrades pitch type grades, or significantly raises control, stamina, or mental strength, it is useless if it doesn't activate.
Therefore, while the grade of a special ability was important, the activation condition was just as important.
The higher the grade and the easier the activation condition, the better the special ability could be considered.
[Will you draw a special ability? 1,000 P is needed to draw a special ability!]
[Currently held points: 1,590 P]
In that sense, the special ability that needed to appear now was simple.
'Please let it be something I can use frequently.'
Something with undemanding conditions. The grade could be low, as long as it could be used immediately. In other words, he hoped for a special ability with outstanding versatility to appear.
Fortunately, the BnB system granted Han Min-woo's wish.
[What will it be? Drumroll please.]
[★☆★☆Ta-da☆★☆★]
[You have acquired
[
Han Min-woo, who saw the status window, clenched his fist tightly.
'Jackpot.'
The special ability that appeared this time was Doctor K. An ability with extremely good versatility had come out.
The activation condition was 2 strikes.
Assuming an average of 5 to 6 pitches per batter, it was a special ability that activated about one-fifth of the time.
The activation ratio couldn't be considered that high, but Han Min-woo was very satisfied.
This was because the effect was outstanding, and above all, the quality of his out-pitch improved significantly, making it a special ability that was truly helpful when facing batters.
'The burden of choosing my out-pitch will decrease from now on.'
Batters are evaluated as good batters by their batting average, RBIs, and number of home runs. Likewise, when evaluating pitchers, ERA, innings, and number of strikeouts are heavily considered.
Having obtained Doctor K, the number of strikeouts that will remain in Han Min-woo's record will also increase.
Crack!
"Out!"
While he was looking at the status window, the Wolves batters who went up to bat finished the bottom of the 5th inning without any additional runs.
As the fielders poured out of the dugout for defense, Pi Gi-jung, wearing his catcher's gear, approached.
"Let's go. We need to sweep the batters away again."
"Yes, senior. Please take care of this inning too."
Han Min-woo stepped out of the dugout with a much more relieved expression than before.
"Who is he?"
Gocheok Crocodiles' manager Moon Byung-soo asked while staring at the mound.
On the mound, a pitcher wearing number 11 was cooking the Crocodiles' batters.
The head coach answered promptly.
"It's Han Min-woo. The one who was traded for Yoo Sung-jong this time..."
"Hmm."
Manager Moon Byung-soo nodded with his arms crossed. He remembered who it was. The prospect from Deoksu High who was drafted in the 1st round by the Busan Dolphins.
Because that guy had once made a fuss in the high school baseball world, he remained in Manager Moon Byung-soo's memory.
But that was why he couldn't understand it even more.
"As I recall, the guy was hit by a line drive and was done for."
Busan Dolphins' 2nd team pitching coach Choi Jun-man was Manager Moon Byung-soo's high school junior. Therefore, they had a close enough relationship to occasionally have drinks together.
In the past, Choi Jun-man had mentioned Han Min-woo at a drinking gathering.
He said the guy was a sports car with a broken engine. Since it couldn't be fixed, his position was very difficult, and he wanted to scrap it.
"I knew that too, but it seems there was some change during the blank period."
'That guy Jun-man missed the mark.'
Manager Moon Byung-soo chuckled at the head coach's words. For a moment, he pictured the face of the Busan Dolphins manager, who must be feeling sick to his stomach right about now.
If Han Min-woo continued to show his current form, it would be no different from the Busan Dolphins receiving a player who will become an FA in 4 months and giving up at least two B-grade or higher prospects.
"From the Wolves' perspective, they hit the jackpot."
Yoon Je-hyun.
A third-year batter from Deoksu High who joined the Dolphins in the 2nd round of the 2028 draft. Height 188cm, weight late 80s.
During his high school days, he was evaluated as having all the abilities commonly called a 5-tool player, from power hitting, base running, eye for the ball, defense, to throwing ability. Moreover, his main position was shortstop.
Of course, he hadn't shown any significant performance in the pros yet, but it was clear that Yoon Je-hyun had A-grade prospect potential.
'Looking at his current form, it seems Han Min-woo could at least manage an ERA in the 3.00s.'
Whatever the case, it was a pleasant thing for Manager Moon Byung-soo.
In a situation where they had to compete for a postseason spot, a competitor getting weaker was always welcome.
The Wolves' ranking was 10th. Meanwhile, the Dolphins were currently 6th.
What the Crocodiles had to be wary of was not the Wolves, but the Dolphins.
'That's that, and I must do what I have to do.'
Thwack!
"Strike!"
Hearing the umpire's call, Manager Moon Byung-soo opened his mouth.
"Get Seo Jin-wook ready."
"Seo Jin-wook, sir?"
At the sudden instruction, the head coach tilted his head.
"Even though it's a game we're already winning, the atmosphere has completely sunk. It's not good to end it like this. Even for tomorrow's game, we need to batter him."
"Understood."
To survive as a professional baseball team's manager, one must be able to analyze the opponent's cards and know which appropriate card to pull out.
In that sense, Manager Moon Byung-soo was confident. He had been commanding the giant crocodile called the Crocodiles for 4 years already.
— Ah, the Crocodiles are sending out a pinch hitter.
— Seo Jin-wook is coming up to the plate. In 32 games this season, he has 40 hits in 127 at-bats, a batting average of 0.314, and 5 home runs.
— He's a typical contact hitter. It seems the Crocodiles are wary of Han Min-woo.
— What do you mean by that?
— He already has 5 strikeouts in 2 and 2/3 innings. There have been some hits allowed, but they ultimately haven't scored a single run. It's a situation where the Crocodiles' pride is bound to be hurt, right?
— I see.
— Baseball is a battle of momentum. Thinking ahead to Game 3 tomorrow, Manager Moon Byung-soo has no choice but to want to hold the Wolves down more securely in today's game.
Han Min-woo looked at the player who came up to the plate as a pinch hitter.
'I didn't expect Seo Jin-wook to come up here.'
Seo Jin-wook.
He was a batter with poor compatibility with Han Min-woo.
A left-handed hitter with excellent eye for the strike zone and strong against breaking balls. He shows a weakness against fastballs, but fundamentally knows how to hit .300.
A pitcher with slow fastball velocity and not even any outstanding breaking balls like Han Min-woo was bound to be very appetizing prey for Seo Jin-wook. If it were before, he would have been a difficult opponent.
But now it's different.
'My breaking balls have become quite usable too.'
Smiling softly while covering his mouth with his glove, Han Min-woo threw the ball to Seo Jin-wook, who stood in the batter's box.
The first pitch was a slider. It was a backdoor pitch that came in from outside the zone to inside the zone. A course that a left-handed hitter couldn't help but feel was far away.
Thwack!
"Strike!"
Seo Jin-wook, who watched the first pitch, nodded slightly. The ball count was 0-1.
Having received the ball from Pi Gi-jung, Han Min-woo threw the second pitch without delay. This pitch was also a slider. It was a course that missed the zone by half a ball.
Seo Jin-wook didn't move a muscle.
"Ball!"
'As expected, his eyes are really good.'
He was certainly a tricky batter.
Breaking balls, especially pitches with horizontal movement like sliders, are hard to pick out. Nevertheless, Seo Jin-wook had already read the trajectory of the slider after seeing just one pitch.
After exchanging signs with Pi Gi-jung, Han Min-woo threw the ball again. The third pitch was also a slider. This time, it was a pitch that entered the zone by half a ball.
Seo Jin-wook swung the bat without hesitation.
Crack!
"Foul!"
The ball, hit not on the center of the bat but on the tip, flew quickly toward the net of the 3rd base stands.
Looking at the ball blankly, Seo Jin-wook tapped his bat on the ground as if it was a shame.
To be honest, he was a bit disappointed.
'The timing was a bit slow.'
The pitcher on the mound was throwing sliders three pitches in a row.
Because the deception was good, he had trouble identifying the pitch type, but through the three sliders, Seo Jin-wook had already read the trajectory and timing.
If the next pitch was also a slider, he was confident he could send it over the outfield.
— The 3rd pitch was a foul. If he had let it go, it would have been called a strike.
— This pitch was also a slider.
— Han Min-woo is throwing sliders three pitches in a row already. The ball count is one and two.
— That's strange. I don't know why Han Min-woo is suddenly insisting on sliders. Seo Jin-wook is a player with clear strengths in hitting breaking balls.
The reason a pitcher throws breaking balls is to deceive the batter. Because it's not easy to catch a batter by throwing only one pitch type.
Nevertheless, Han Min-woo was in a situation where he was only throwing sliders three consecutive pitches.
Grinning while covering his mouth with his glove, Han Min-woo prepared for the 4th pitch.
This time, also a slider. It will fly to the exact same course as the 2nd pitch.
But if there's a difference from that time.
Ring!
['Han Min-woo' has met the specific condition!]
[Since it is a 2-strike state,
This time, a C-grade slider, which is faster in velocity and one grade higher, would fly.
Seo Jin-wook, standing in the batter's box, flinched and stopped his bat.
'This is missing the zone.'
In his eyes, the trajectory of the slider that flew in as the 2nd pitch still remained vivid. This slider would clearly miss the strike zone by half a ball.
But Seo Jin-wook had no choice but to be greatly startled.
The slider, which had shown a consistent trajectory for all 3 pitches, this time broke in even more and passed through the strike zone.
'No way.'
While Seo Jin-wook stood in the batter's box with a face as if possessed by a ghost, the umpire shouted loudly.
"Strike! Batter out!"
[You have recorded one out count. You have acquired 50 points.]
[You have recorded a strikeout. You acquire an additional 50 points!]
[You are in a 3-inning scoreless state. You have acquired 150 points as a bonus.]
Seo Jin-wook headed to the dugout, unable to hide his emptiness.
At the same time, Han Min-woo also stepped down from the mound. Since he had handled all three outs, he was going into the dugout for the change of offense and defense.
The crowd cheered toward him.
"Han Min-woo, you're the best!"
"Thank you for coming to our team!"
Han Min-woo smiled deeply. Maybe because the Biseokjishim effect had ended, he couldn't control the corners of his mouth.
'This is why I play baseball.'
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