Talented FA Catcher - Chapter 359
Only Krnovel
You don’t need three aces on a team – 3
#
The direction of the New York Yankees, led by general manager Michael Vick, was clear.
Home runs, and more home runs.
It was a way to utilize Yankee Stadium, a stadium optimized for home runs, and the results were revealed in the previous game.
Even though it was Chase Field, he took down ace Todd Lynch and leveled the series at 1-1.
The starting pitcher for Game 3 is Dan Stroud.
As a pitcher who relies on his speed, he did not get along well with Yankee Stadium.
On the other hand, the Yankees’ batting lineup waiting for him has already warmed up perfectly in Game 2.
“It’s only one point. You can score that with one swing. Riley, go shake it.”
Don Riley warmed up and stepped up to the plate at the words of the Yankees manager.
‘I’m sorry, but I have no personal feelings for you.’
Don Riley, the leadoff hitter for the Yankees, who have five players who hit over 20 home runs.
Although he only hit nine home runs, his value cannot be measured by home runs.
Wide defensive range, technique, sense, and striking ability that is not lacking in anything.
But more than anything, what earns the Yankees manager’s trust is…
‘Since he was shaken in the previous game, there is a high probability that he will be replaced even if he lets a few runners on base. I’d rather see the ball than get a hit.’
He had an excellent ability to understand what his role was and the pulse of the game.
A truly perfect talent for a leadoff hitter.
The experts’ assessment that he played the biggest role in creating the current Yankees batting lineup was not at all regrettable.
It must have been so.
-Wow!
“Foul!”
‘…What is this?’
It was Don Riley who had clearly decided to watch the ball.
But the first pitch came in so close to the center that it was hard to bear, and the result was a foul.
Even the greatest batter couldn’t hit every pitch, and it wasn’t unusual for him to be slow to react, especially since he was trying to watch for possible pitches.
‘The timing was definitely right.’
But what surprised Don Riley wasn’t simply the foul.
Don Riley swallowed, feeling strange, and waited for the second pitch.
The second ball is also an aggressive one.
-Wow!
But the bat broke with a dull sound.
“out!”
The ball was slowly thrown to first baseman Baker Willis, who was out.
As he headed toward the dugout with a stern expression and a broken bat in his hand, the second batter, Pedro Sanchez, nodded.
“What’s going on?”
“…No. I think it’s still a mistake.”
Nothing is more damaging to a team than giving them uncertain information.
But he believed that Pedro Sanchez would relieve the frustration he was feeling right now.
“It feels like the ball is floating.”
“…okay?”
Pedro Sanchez, who immediately understood what was being said, nodded and headed to the plate.
And as the first pitch came in, it became immediately clear why Don Riley had said that.
“strike!”
‘Maybe today’s game will go differently than we expected.’
#
“Strike out!”
Yankee Stadium was quiet.
It makes sense, because the Yankees’ top-tier lineup came out and struck out three batters.
That too in just 8 balls.
It was a natural reaction for fans wearing Finn Sprite uniforms to want a hot attack.
In the top of the first inning, Stroud returned to the dugout, leaving behind a chilled Yankee Stadium in stark contrast to when he made the roll call.
There was nothing particularly special.
The players welcomed us warmly, and were a bit over-the-top when Stroud came in.
There’s only one thing that’s different from usual.
Lynch looked at Stroud with a strange expression, and Stroud met Lynch’s eyes for a moment before returning to his seat.
“What’s going on? Are those two fighting again?”
Ward asked after returning from the bullpen, but he had nothing to say.
“Well, we didn’t fight.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yes. We both just need some time to think.”
It’s just my guess, but I think Stroud must have noticed it too.
I just didn’t know how to react when it surfaced.
One thing that was fortunate was that I met a friend with whom I had eaten, slept, trained, and even played for until recently, but now I am on a different team.
I can understand to some extent the confusion Stroud is feeling right now.
“Here, drink this.”
“it’s okay.”
“If you don’t like it, then don’t say anything.”
I sat down next to Stroud, drinking the drink he had refused.
“Remember what we said on the plane? If we make it to Game 7, you’re the star.”
“Oh. Of course.”
“But looking at the way he’s pitching today, it looks like he won’t be able to make it to Game 7.”
“Of course it has to end in the 5th game.”
“Then Lynch won’t be able to come out.”
When Lynch’s name was mentioned, Stroud’s face hardened.
“Don’t bring up that son of a bitch.”
“I’ll just say this. You know? Ho-min from the Red Sox. Him, me, and a kid named Ju-hak who’s playing in Korea right now. The three of us played, played, and slept together for seven years.”
I heard that the Korean Series is about to start, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to watch the games in Korea.
anyway.
“I don’t regret it, but I always have questions when I talk to them.”
“What is it?”
“Will we ever play on the same team again?”
Lee Ju-hak will also come to the major league at the end of this season.
There is no way he won’t come.
If they are going to come unconditionally, then we may not be able to play on the same team for a while, or even for the rest of our lives, except for the national team.
I said I would see you again at the Marines sometime before I came to the U.S., but like Kang Ki-ho, the future is not set in stone.
Especially athletes.
“It could be the last time you and Lynch start for the same team.”
“…I know too.”
Stroud, who had been biting his lips, stood up from his seat as if he had made up his mind.
And then he approached Lynch, who was glancing over at him.
The second inning had begun, but all the players’ eyes were turned towards him.
And Stroud’s mouth opened.
“????.”
Even though the two of them were always bickering, everyone was flustered because they suddenly started swearing.
It was so unexpected that even Lynch looked bewildered.
“Suddenly,”
But Lynch quickly came to his senses and took the blow.
“What are you doing?
The confusion only lasted a moment, and soon the players realized that everything was as usual and turned their attention to the ground.
Yeah, it was no different.
However, Stroud’s voice trembled just a little, and Lynch sometimes couldn’t look at Stroud.
Other than that, it was a dugout like any other.
“????!”
“What! If you keep tugging, I’ll pounce on you!”
That was the way they both chose to do it.
#
[The game is going in a different direction than everyone expected. Should we call this the World Series? Dan Stroud is overcoming his poor performance in the previous two games and showing the best game of his career!]
There was a reason for the commentator’s rave reviews.
[There were a lot of predictions that Dan Stroud would struggle today. His aggressive pitching, Yankee Stadium, and the Yankees’ batting lineup were abysmal. But so far, it’s been different.]
That’s Dan Stroud’s grades.
[Dan Stroud, who allowed only 3 runners on base in 7 innings, takes the mound again in the 8th!]
7 innings, 3 hits, no walks, no runs.
The most surprising thing was that there were not a single walk.
The Yankees’ lineup is comprised mostly of hitters who can hit home runs.
Even for the most aggressive pitcher, it was suicidal to just throw pitches at the Yankees, especially at Yankee Stadium.
Even in a 1-1 tie situation in the World Series, there were only a handful of pitchers in the entire major league who could do that.
But Dan Stroud did it.
And then it started to move higher.
Bottom of the 8th, the score is currently 3 to 0.
-Ta-aak!
-Taaaaak!
The Yankees batters, now somewhat accustomed to the ball, began swinging their bats furiously.
Obviously, points should be given just by looking at the sound.
But the actual result was different.
“out!”
“out!”
The balls hit into the infield failed to penetrate the D-backs’ focused infield, and all balls hit into the outfield went straight to the outfielders.
The last of the Yankees’ terribly unstable 8th inning attack.
[Pinch hitter, Ronald Alvarez is coming out!]
Ronald Alvarez, a batter who could have been a starter on any other team, but had no choice but to play as a pinch hitter simply because the team was the Yankees.
As he is a player who can hit a home run when needed, the fans’ expectations only grew.
but.
-Pfft!
“Strike out!”
An attack that ended so quickly that it made the expectations seem futile.
As Dan Stroud entered the dugout after finishing the inning with a clean three-up and three-down, Manager Marco said, sticking out his fist.
“Is next inning possible?”
“of course.”
“Okay. You’re our only pitcher today. I trust you.”
On the other hand, the Yankees dugout was cold to the batting lineup that was tied up with just one pitcher.
Still, there was hope for the Yankees.
The next inning starts with Don Riley as the leadoff hitter.
A score of 3 points is a score that can tie or turn the game around with one shot.
The Yankees’ hitters were more than capable of creating such a scene.
That’s why the Yankees also took a gamble.
[The pitcher has changed! Adrian Alonso, who has appeared in 66 games this season, has 60 2/3 innings, 22 holds, an EAR of 2.23, and a WHIP of 1.09!]
The Yankees’ first sure-fire hitter, Adrian Alonso, came out.
The D-Backs’ batter is Deddy Mondtom, the seventh batter.
[Strike out! Adrian Alonso, who came up on the mound after two days, easily gets the first batter out!]
Deddy Mondtom had a hit today, but struck out and got one out.
Then he caught Chris Allen, and I thought that was how the inning would end.
-Ta-aak!
-Taaaaak!
However, David Ryan, who has been on a roll since Game 1 of the World Series, and Kris Bryant hit consecutive hits, leaving runners on 1st and 3rd base with 2 outs.
The Yankees pitching coach visited the mound once, but no substitutions were made.
And then Warren McCoy came up to bat.
If the Yankees have Don Riley, the Diamondbacks have Warren McCoy.
However, the two’s personalities were slightly different.
While Don Riley has a knack for reading the overall flow of a game, Warren McCoy is able to bring out the situations his opponents hate the most.
For example, someone like Kim Soo-ho from Manru.
“Ball! Base on balls!”
He makes the batter throw 8 balls and leisurely walks to first base.
It was the worst situation for a pitcher, but the real thing was about to start.
A few DivX fans wearing Sedona Red uniforms raised their voices.
“Su!-Ho!”
“Kim!”
A place where everyone knows the outcome.
While the Yankees battery, knowing that if they fail to beat Kim Soo-ho here, even their last chance will disappear, solves a problem that has no answer.
‘Self-esteem is the best.’
Kim Soo-ho was thinking about what Dan Stroud said to him before he came up to the plate.
‘No need for scores?’
Kim Soo-ho smiled slightly at the words, “3 points is enough,” and “Come back before your shoulders get cold and don’t let up.”
It was a completely different scene from when Kim Soo-ho would always sing a song for them to hit a home run whenever they went up to bat.
That was refreshing and good, but Kim Soo-ho’s thoughts were very different.
‘That makes me even more greedy.’
There was no need to rush.
The opposing battery must solve the contradictory problem of not giving up a single run while facing Kim Su-ho with the bases loaded.
In other words, the one who had the advantage was Kim Soo-ho.
A single hit would have completely tilted the game in Diamondbacks’ favor.
The Yankees battery’s first pitch was a changeup.
A curveball that he had never thrown out in the five previous batters he faced.
Adrian Alonso had not pitched a single game against the Diamondbacks this season, so this was his first time facing Kim Su-ho.
That’s why it was a surprising pitch, and Mike White was confident until the moment the ball dropped.
‘The first pitch was brought.’
Something passed before the confident Mike White.
And as I was closest to the ball, I heard a loud thud in my ear.
-Taaaaaaaah!
As soon as the ball was hit, the outfielders stopped walking and the runners on base started to leisurely run toward home.
The same goes for Kim Soo-ho.
Top of the 9th, a decisive grand slam.
The Yankees now needed eight runs to turn the game around.
“I told you, you don’t need points.”
“It’s good. So it’s not like Kim doesn’t usually play. If it’s good, say it’s good.”
Dan Stroud’s grumbling and Todd Lynch’s nitpicking.
Kim Soo-ho laughed when he saw that, and the other players laughed too.
The score was 8-0 with additional hits from Baker Willis and Taylor Jackson.
Before Dan Stroud left the dugout, Todd Lynch spoke briefly.
“Have a good throw.”
“Just watch from there.”
Now Dan Stroud heads back to the mound to end this game.
The operation of the D-Backs battery was simple.
“If you want to hit, just hit.”
Just like we did for the last 8 innings.
And the start of the operation was perfect, as always.
-Wow!
“out!”
Pedro Sanchez comes up to bat after catching Don Riley lightly.
[Pedro Sanchez is the only multi-hit hitter for the Yankees today. I wonder what the Diamondbacks battery will choose.]
If he got a hit twice, that means a third time is definitely possible.
But Dan Stroud’s pitching seemed to forget all that.
-Ta-aak!
“Foul!”
A bold head-on confrontation from the very beginning.
The second part was similar.
-Taaaaak!
“Foul!”
It was another foul, but it was a foul that went over the fence, as if the timing was right.
The opponent is Pedro Sanchez, the best hitter in the American League and the one who had multiple hits today.
That hitter had just been fouled like that, so it was understandable that he would be intimidated.
But Dan Stroud was different.
He smiled bitterly at Kim Soo-ho’s autograph and threw the ball.
This time, the ball stretches out coolly.
But the restraint was slow.
“Strike out!”
Pedro Sanchez struck out on a slow, high-course pitch that pierced the body, leaving two outs.
And when the next batter, Richard Rogers, hit the first pitch, Todd Lynch muttered under his breath.
“As expected, three aces is too much.”
-Ta-aak!
“out!”
The moment the ball was caught, Dan Stroud raised his hand.
“Eww!”
At 5 feet 7 inches, he is the shortest player in the major leagues.
But today, he was the player who rose higher than anyone else.