novelraw Chapter 727 44: We Only Lost to Lin
Chapter 727 44: We Only Lost to Lin
"I am proud of my players. In fact, they have already done their best within their capabilities: our pitching staff did a great job, and Judge was almost completely locked down by us."
After the American League Division Series between the Yankees and the Indians concluded, at the post-game press conference, Indians' head coach Terry Frankner faced a barrage of reporters and said this.
"The performances in the first two games were impeccable; Trevor and the bullpen shut out the Yankees lineup in the first game. Even when we were 5 points behind in the second game, we didn't give up and ultimately turned the tables to beat the opponent..."
As he spoke here, Frankner's expression remained relatively normal; but as he recalled the content of the subsequent games, the 58-year-old veteran coach's face showed a slight look of distress.
"In the third game at the Bronx, it was Lin's grand slam that decided the outcome of the match; the fourth game was also tied by his seven-inning shutout and solo homer; as for today's game, I don't want to say more..."
"In this series, rather than saying we lost to the New York Yankees, it might as well be said that we just lost to Lin alone — as the only Dual Swordsmanship player in Major League Baseball today, his impact on the game is simply too great!"
Saying this, Frankner unabashedly showed his current agony and bitterness. In fact, these words were indeed what he thought in his heart — being defeated by the opponent in such an almost one-man-army manner even had a considerable impact on his baseball philosophy.
Meanwhile, in the Yankees' interview area, Joe Girardi was feeling quite comfortable; when faced with a round of inquiries from reporters, he also gave his responses one by one.
"I never doubted the power of my players from start to finish, even when we were trailing 0-2 — yes, I think we deserved this advancement."
"The next target? I think this shouldn't even be a question. The Yankees' goal from start to finish has always been only one, and that is to become the last winner of each season. You didn't get it wrong, I mean the World Series champion; I think we have this capability!"
"The Astros are a very strong opponent, but we will be fully prepared and will definitely not disappoint the Yankees fans."
At the end of the press conference, when Girardi was asked by the reporters for his thoughts on Lin Guanglai, the Yankees' boss couldn't suppress the joy on his face:
"I remember saying this a long time ago, bringing Lin from Japan to New York was one of the best things I've done in my coaching career — Lin is a miracle of modern baseball, his talent is unique, he is a 'Unicorn' type of player!"
Riding on his performance in the series against the Indians, as if a Celestial God descending to earth, and with the coaches of both sides adding fuel to the fire after the game, Lin Guanglai once again became the talk of the entire United States:
The New York Times even dedicated the largest space on the front page headline to him, with the illustration showing him kissing the bat after hitting a grand slam from the Indians' pitcher, and the title quoted Girardi's exact words, using "The Unicorn" to praise Lin Guanglai's uniqueness.
All the limelight was snatched by him alone, with the media swarming in, sponsors contacting his agent one after another seeking cooperation, but at the center of the whirlwind, Lin Guanglai took the initiative to refuse all activities unrelated to the game at this time.
The reason he did so was simple: the postseason schedule was exceptionally tight; after winning the series against the Indians, the Yankees even didn't have the time to return to New York, but had to fly directly from Cleveland to Houston to prepare for the next series against the Astros.
As of the 2017 MLB postseason, the last four have already confirmed three spots:
On the American League side, the Houston Astros easily defeated the Boston Red Sox 3-1, and the Yankees came from behind to beat the Cleveland Indians, and the two teams will meet in the championship series;
As for the National League side, the Los Angeles Dodgers effortlessly swept the Arizona Diamondbacks, scoring 20 runs in 3 games, which can be said to be a display of formidable firepower.
And the last championship series spot in the National League will also be revealed tonight, according to U.S. time:
This season's National League Central champion Washington Nationals and last season's World Series champion Chicago Cubs have fought to the last moment, with tonight's winner-takes-all Game 5 to be held at Nationals Park in DC. The winner will take the last ticket to compete with the Dodgers for a World Series qualification.
Lin Guanglai has always had a good relationship with the Nationals' star Bryce Harper, and during the All-Star Game, he also established quite a good private friendship with other players, including Scherzer and Strasburg.
So in the morning before the game, he also sent messages to the Nationals players, expressing his desire to meet them in the World Series.
[Harper: Lin, just watch — in today's game, I will definitely crush the Cubs' pitchers. Wait for me so we can meet in the World Series!]
[Strasburg: Thank you, Lin. By the way, your performance in this series was truly spectacular. I hope to train with you in the offseason.]
[Scherzer: Thanks, and good luck to you as well. The Astros are not an easy opponent; I also have some words of experience dealing with their lineup...]"