The Genius Hitter Who Conquered America - Chapter 37

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 37
Base hit. First Base.
As I reached First Base, the Quakes’ broadcast team’s voices surged with energy.
[A hit! An infield single! The Quakes’ Magician reaches base and seizes the momentum!]
In baseball, momentum is truly a vital element.
One could even argue it was the most important factor of all.
And here’s why.
[You’re absolutely right. This base hit is truly significant!]
[Most of you probably know this already, but I think it’s worth explaining the importance of momentum to those who might not.]
[Ha ha. Excellent point. Let me first explain why momentum matters so much in baseball. First, because baseball as a sport is dictated more by individuals than by the team as a whole.]
Take the Batter’s Box as an example.
One individual after another, then another individual steps up to bat.
In this confrontation, no one else can intervene.
That’s why when one person breaks through, that energy cascades through the entire batting order.
Conversely, while the Pitcher is said to work in sync with the Catcher,
it’s ultimately that one person throwing the ball. An individual.
When the Pitcher wavers, the count shifts against them.
As the at-bat becomes forced, the risk of extra-base hits skyrockets.
Then that leads to runs being scored.
[These individual battles continue relentlessly, and in a single inning, they unfold for several minutes.]
[But it’s not just the Pitcher and batter who experience this, is it?]
[Exactly. The defense also wavers when the Pitcher wavers, and this includes the Catcher.]
The Catcher’s pitch-calling becomes uncertain.
The infielders and outfielders’ feet become stiff and hesitant.
[Is there another reason?]
[Yes. Baseball is a sport where there are quite long stretches of stopped play.]
Baseball has long periods of inactivity.
Not only does each at-bat involve pitching and hitting,
but even the time spent entering and leaving the box contains delays.
[During these moments of stopped play, whichever side possesses momentum sees their confidence soar even higher. Conversely, the side that loses momentum must grapple with anxiety, impatience, and fear.]
[Could you explain this more simply?]
[Simply put, baseball’s momentum cannot be viewed as mere feeling. It’s a tangible variable that directly impacts scoring rates, runs allowed, and player performance.]
Basketball and soccer have momentum too.
But baseball is the sport most heavily influenced by this momentum of all.
When one person wavers, all nine waver.
When one person rises, all nine follow.
That’s why the team with momentum performs beyond their actual ability,
and the team that loses momentum cannot display their true strength, no matter how powerful they are.
[So the Quakes’ Magician has cast another spell today, is that what you’re saying?]
[Exactly. That’s what makes Oh Soo-ho so special. Why do Major League teams want to keep superstars so badly that they’ll pay them astronomical sums? It’s precisely because of momentum.]
A superstar possesses the ability to seize momentum in any disadvantageous situation, turning the tide in an instant.
[And it appears Soo-ho is already demonstrating the kind of play only a superstar can deliver.]
[Does that mean we can consider him a future superstar in the making?]
[Haha. That’s exactly how I see it. I’m confident this player will become truly exceptional!]
The scenes that follow prove every word spoken by the Caster and Commentator to be true.
* * *
Runner on First Base.
Casey stepped into the Batter’s Box with his bat resting across his shoulders.
‘Something’s off…’
Soo-ho standing on First Base.
And on the Mound, Mason White, unable to contain his frustration.
Casey analyzed the situation once more through his own logic.
An infield single. And one born from a bat that shattered into pieces.
Was this truly an outstanding result?
‘No.’
Absolutely not, he would stake his reputation on it.
Getting on base with a hit was certainly praiseworthy.
But the fact that the bat had been destroyed like that…
‘It’s proof the batter was completely overpowered by the pitcher’s stuff.’
Which meant the pitcher’s fastball was that dominant.
Yet look at both teams’ reactions now.
The San Jose Giants’ Dugout, led by their first-round monster pitcher.
Sat in silence as if they’d just surrendered a walk-off home run.
The pitcher himself looked nearly on the verge of tears.
Meanwhile, the Quakes Dugout?
They were erupting with excitement, the fatigue of six hours on the bus completely forgotten.
‘All this uproar over a single infield hit?’
To Casey, it was a sight his common sense simply couldn’t accept.
Normally, it’s the superstar’s job to seize momentum.
And that comes from what he does best—home runs or extra-base hits.
A single, after all.
A single born from a broken bat, no less, dominating the atmosphere?
‘No one involved in baseball could possibly understand this.’
In this era where baseball has reached such heights, what are the odds a single runner on First Base leads to a run?
Yet look at this.
Incomprehensibly, the momentum had truly shifted.
So what of it?
Casey’s eyes gleamed with cold calculation.
‘My chance has come again.’
The opposing pitcher was certainly no easy opponent.
First round, third pick. A monster among monsters.
But right now, that monster’s mental state is completely shaken.
‘If I can’t win against a pitcher like that….’
That would mean I lack the qualities to become a future superstar.
Casey is a switch hitter.
Stepping into the left-handed batter’s box, he ground his feet against the sand, crushing it beneath his soles.
This was the action he displayed when he was confident.
That’s right. Casey was certain he could hit whatever pitch was thrown at him.
The match had begun.
The first pitch from the furious pitcher.
Crack!
He sent it soaring over the right field wall.
Score 2:0.
My base hit and Casey’s home run had given the Quakes two runs.
* * *
As I crossed home plate with Casey, our teammates rushed toward us like a swarm.
“Insane! Two runs already in the first inning!”
“This is totally our winning formula!”
The leadoff batter—me—gets on base somehow, and the second batter Casey delivers.
There’s no more certain formula for victory than this.
And with one out and no runners on base, the cleanup hitter Mark Williams stepped into the batter’s box.
‘…Damn.’
Mark had watched the entire scene from the on-deck circle.
To be honest, Casey’s home run. I was damn jealous.
‘A guy way smaller than me….’
It was awe-inspiring every time I saw him create a home run so effortlessly with nothing but overwhelming batting technique.
But what I really envied was something else.
Mark turned his head toward the Dugout, keeping Soo-ho in his line of sight.
‘That guy pulled it off again.’
He’d brought that momentum—the most important thing in baseball—once more.
And so a question suddenly arose.
‘What am I lacking…?’
I recalled my past self.
Those days when I dominated amateur baseball and was called the greatest prospect.
‘Back then, I hit plenty of home runs and practically led my team alone.’
But was that version of me a more influential player than Soo-ho is now?
Absolutely not.
That was amateur baseball. Wasn’t this a professional stage?
‘No matter how impressive I was in amateur days, performing well in the professional league is far more remarkable.’
Of course, I myself had recorded respectable statistics even after turning professional.
A batting average of .350.
And a slugging percentage of .650, among the league’s elite.
Even accounting for the advantage of limited at-bats inflating the statistics.
This was undoubtedly talent too precious for Low-A to contain.
But Mark knew the truth.
Right now, he was being completely outshined by Soo-ho.
‘I don’t have a single advantage over him.’
Why was that?
Because Soo-ho had already experienced failure?
Because that made him more desperate?
Meanwhile, he was younger yet had never tasted failure.
Was that why his hunger wasn’t as sharp?
‘But what does that even matter….’
In the end, both of them were competing on the same professional stage now.
Whoever pulled ahead here was simply the superior player.
‘That’s why… I want to be like him.’
It wasn’t about mimicking Soo-ho’s playing style.
It didn’t suit him in the first place.
Even if he wanted to copy it, he couldn’t.
‘But couldn’t I at least adopt his mindset?’
No. I had to.
The reason was simple.
‘That’s the only way to become a Major Leaguer.’
Everyone here harbored the dream of reaching the Major Leagues.
And Mark believed Soo-ho was showing him the path.
This was no time to let pride get in the way.
I had to keep learning endlessly.
Only by growing further could I climb higher.
From the moment I first met Soo-ho until now.
He had never stagnated for a single moment.
‘So I’ll give my best just like Soo-ho does.’
And my best right now meant.
Sustaining this momentum Soo-ho had forced into my hands.
I didn’t need a long hit.
I didn’t need a home run.
Just keep the rattled pitcher from recovering, tying him up a little longer.
This was a decision my usual self would never consider.
‘It’s fine.’
Right now, this was the shortest path to victory.
‘A shaken pitcher hates runners on base most of all. I’ll get on base.’
After that, Mark executed a smooth swing without any wasted effort.
Crack!
He produced a light single to right field.
Mark reached First Base and thrust his fist toward the Dugout.
Soo-ho and his teammates responded by clenching their fists and raising them in solidarity.
At that sight, Manager Taylor’s eyes filled with joy.
‘Ah…’
Mark had changed.
Now there was another player besides Soo-ho who played for the team.
How could he not notice?
He was the cleanup hitter.
The reality of modern baseball was that a cleanup hitter aimed for one big swing against a shaky pitcher.
‘Yet he bunted and ran.’
Mark was playing for the team, not for himself.
Manager Taylor’s gaze fixed on Soo-ho’s back as he cheered enthusiastically.
‘He finally did it!’
Soo-ho, who had vowed to turn even a single heart around, had kept his word.
‘This alone is enough.’
No. Manager Taylor was experiencing the most gratifying day of his baseball career.
And with Mark’s on-base appearance, the Quakes added two more hits.
They took a 3-run lead from the first inning.
* * *
The Quakes, having scored 3 runs in the first inning.
But their favorable momentum did not last long.
This was because their Starting Pitcher, Ryan Papelbon, was faltering.
The opposing Giants were formidable.
Their pitcher, too, seemed unbothered by any wavering.
Moreover, they pounded the pitcher with an overwhelming physical advantage.
By the end of the fourth inning, the score stood at 4:7.
The Giants had taken a commanding lead.
The shadow of defeat hung over the Quakes Dugout.
Perhaps because of this, the fatigue from the road trip, which they thought had vanished, descended upon the players.
“This is frustrating…”
“Ugh. My body suddenly won’t cooperate.”
“Why don’t we just let this one go and come back tomorrow in better condition?”
Several players began to voice words of surrender.
It was not the mindset a professional athlete should possess.
But the league championship trophy offered them little benefit.
Mark bristled at their attitude, though he did not raise his voice or protest.
Today, he had certainly played for the team.
In the past, I was no different from them. I lacked shame.
Casey, the hero of that opening home run, was no different.
He seemed to have no thoughts on the matter from the start.
Or perhaps he wore that expressionless face because he knew it would come to this.
Manager Taylor felt the same way.
‘I never expected everyone to change from the beginning.’
If even one person changed, I considered that a success.
And right now, aside from Soo-ho, the Quakes had one more player fighting for the team.
With just that, I wouldn’t regret this series ending in defeat.
Above all else.
‘Soo-ho will be able to expand his influence further in the future.’
Perhaps through Low-A, then High-A, Double-A, and all the way to Triple-A.
Soo-ho will surely influence several players just as he does now.
And if all those players eventually become Major Leaguers…
Then the Dodgers will truly become a magnificent team.
‘But I’m worried about Soo-ho, who will regret this the most.’
Didn’t Soo-ho say he wanted a trophy?
But unfortunately, the game has clearly tilted toward the Giants.
Glance.
Manager Taylor looked at Soo-ho.
He could only hope Soo-ho wouldn’t lose heart.
But what was this?
Gulp.
Manager Taylor swallowed hard.
And for good reason…
‘He… he hasn’t given up?’
Soo-ho’s eyes were burning with fierce determination.
And there was no mistaking that fighting spirit—it was the will to overturn this game by any means necessary.
‘I was wrong.’
Manager Taylor quickly reconsidered.
In baseball, you wave the white flag only when everyone has abandoned the game.
But there was still one person who hadn’t given up.
Moreover, that one person was the most influential in the team.
Perhaps because he was the Quakes’ superstar, the outcome of this game was far from decided.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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