novelraw Chapter 688 29: Explosive Popularity
Chapter 688 29: Explosive Popularity
"Hello to all MLB viewers, it's your old pal, Greg Amsinger, here to accompany you again. Welcome to today's "MLB Tonight" program. Today's guest I believe is no stranger to Major League fans, the 'God's Right Hand' Pedro Martinez—Pedro, welcome to the show."
As the live broadcast signal came in, Greg Amsinger completed his opening remarks as he has done for many years; and next to him, Martinez, upon being introduced, also nodded in the direction of the camera.
"MLB Tonight" is Major League Baseball's flagship program, broadcasting the complete game reports of all 30 teams every day from the start of the season to the end of the World Series. It's the best choice for baseball fans who missed the day's matches to review their schedule.
Soon, Amsinger commenced the main topic, introducing today's game results:
"The National League West powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers pummeled the New York Mets 12-0 at home, maintaining their lead in the division: star shortstop Corey Seager delivered a three-home-run performance, and their rookie outfielder Cody Bellinger contributed one homer, making him the frontrunner for National League Rookie of the Year."
"At Oriole Park in Baltimore, facing last season's World Series runner-up and the unstoppable Cleveland Indians this season, Baltimore Orioles made a comeback from a 2-5 deficit. The biggest hero of this victory is of course their star Manny Machado. This Dominican superstar got hits in all four at-bats, including two home runs and two doubles, and also delivered several outstanding defensive plays!"
"..."
"In the National League, Los Angeles Dodgers temporarily lead with 47 wins and 26 losses, with the Colorado Rockies trailing by 0.5 games, followed by the Arizona Diamondbacks and Washington Nationals. The top four teams are separated by no more than four games, making the competition fierce."
"In the American League, the Houston Astros are running solo, with their recent form surprisingly excellent, especially their home win rate that dominates the league. Minute Maid Park has become a devilish home field; while the New York Yankees, who initially stayed close to the Astros, hit a Waterloo in California, falling behind the Astros by seven games after several consecutive losses..."
After summarizing the current standings in the two major leagues and six divisions, Amsinger was just about to continue his discussion when Pedro Martinez beside him interrupted him with a chuckling smile: "Alright, alright, Greg, everyone can find these highlights online, there's no need to go into further details... you know, people care about more than just these."
Like a variety show, Greg Amsinger put on a sad visage and started a double act with the guest beside him: "Alright, alright, Pedro, I know what you and the viewers want to see... You pitchers are always like this, sigh..." This act brought laughter to many in front of the television.
But soon, he seemed to have adjusted, his spirit renewed: "Dear viewers, I certainly know what you're watching for—Exactly, on this otherwise uneventful game day, the 24th perfect game in MLB history was born! And its creator is none other than Lin Guanglai of the New York Yankees, whom our program rated as the number one rookie before this season!"
"Let's first follow the game footage and revisit this match..." As Amsinger said this, the broadcast started showing the match footage of the Yankees against the Angels today, displaying Lin Guanglai's 27 outs in the game.
In it, his three confrontations with Mike Trout were a spectacle that left viewers in awe: the duel between top pitcher and superstar batter, each pitch was enough to stir one's senses.
Once the video concluded, Amsinger engaged Pedro Martinez with a topic: "Pedro, as a Hall of Fame veteran, what do you think of Lin, this talented young pitcher?"
Pedro Martinez smoothly took over the topic, without any hesitation expressing his admiration for Lin Guanglai: "Let me put it this way, what I admire most about Lin is that he constantly dares to pressure batters on the inside corner. In fact, I often emphasize to young pitchers that the inside pitch is always the lifeline for pitchers, a pitcher who isn't bold enough to squeeze the inside corner is destined for mediocrity—let's see how Lin does it..."
"Whether facing Trout or Pujols, even in the ninth inning with two outs and just one out away from completing the perfect game, he unhesitatingly pressured the batters' inside corner, opening up a broad pitching strategy for himself. This mindset is hard to believe a 22-year-old player possesses."
At this point, Pedro Martinez shrugged, candidly saying: "To be honest, if Lin weren't a Yankees player, I might just fall in love with him..." His remarks triggered laughter from everyone, including Amsinger once again.