Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 98

#97. Another Ally

When he first took over as general manager of this bottom-ranked team and started assessing their overall strength, Park Jae-cheol seriously considered converting Han Su-hyeok into an outfielder.

This was because Park Jae-cheol believed that offensive power was the most important attribute for an outfielder.

Some experts, influenced by Japanese baseball, prioritize speed and fielding ability, but Park Jae-cheol felt that the left and right fielders should possess offensive capabilities similar to those of a first baseman.

The same applied to the center fielder. While some argue that fielding is more crucial than offensive power, lumping shortstops, second basemen, and center fielders together, Park Jae-cheol strongly disagreed.

In that regard, the Warriors’ outfield during spring training was a weak point.

Aside from the right fielder, who was a foreign player, the starting center fielder was Kim Su-hak, who had a batting average in the mid-.200s and no outstanding skills. The left fielder position was contested between Kang Jin-seok, whose fielding was among the worst, and Ha Yong-dae, who had a batting average in the .100s the previous season.

Therefore, Park Jae-cheol seriously considered using Han Su-hyeok as the starting left fielder or center fielder.

Of course, that idea faded when they acquired Choi Min-seok from the Magicians and Han Su-hyeok excelled at shortstop.

“Wow!”

It’s only the bottom of the first inning, but the score is already 4 to 3, with a total of seven runs scored. Park Jae-cheol sensed that today’s game would be a long one.

The Warriors players, having finished their offensive turn, took the field for defense.

Left fielder Choi Min-seok, center fielder Seo Hyeong-ju, right fielder Walter Smith.

Unlike the start of the season, the Warriors’ outfield was now comparable to any team’s.

Choi Min-seok was the kind of player who could have been a starting center fielder and a consistent leadoff hitter on another team. He was a good hitter, fast, a good fielder, and even had the ability to steal bases.

His lack of power hitting was a minor drawback, but it wasn’t significant considering the balance of the team’s batting lineup.

With Han Su-hyeok hitting home runs from the shortstop position, where offensive output is often sacrificed, a player like Choi Min-seok became even more valuable.

If Seo Hyeong-ju was injured, Choi Min-seok could step in as center fielder and first batter.

Park Jae-cheol was very satisfied with center fielder Seo Hyeong-ju. He had betrayed the Falcons owner, who admired Seo Hyeong-ju, to acquire him, making enemies of the team’s president and general manager in the process.

But that was acceptable. Park Jae-cheol planned to leave the baseball world entirely after his tenure as general manager of this team.

He had no interest in being a manager or coach, and having already been a general manager, the only position left was president… But he’d rather buy a small club somewhere and become an owner. He had no desire to be a president.

“Fighting!”

“Fighting! Come on, everyone, cheer up!”

The Warriors players’ shouts of encouragement interrupted his thoughts.

‘Choi Min-seok, Seo Hyeong-ju, Walter Smith as starters, and Kim Su-hak, Kang Jin-seok, and Ha Yong-dae as backups…’

It was still a bit lacking. There was a significant skill gap between the three starters and the backups. But fortunately, there were a few promising outfielders in the minor leagues.

Pondering this, Park Jae-cheol wrote something in his notebook.

-Outfield backup members, focus on development rather than trades.

After outlining his plans to reinforce the infield during the upcoming All-Star break, Park Jae-cheol closed his notebook, put it in his suit pocket, and shouted, “Warriors, fighting!”

* * *

The most challenging aspect of facing Suwon was the diverse skill sets of their left-handed hitters in the 1st to 4th spots in the lineup.

Shortstop Ahn Tae-gyu, who batted first, was a spray hitter who could hit the ball to various parts of the field. It was difficult to employ a defensive shift against him, and he could steal bases if he got on base, putting pressure on the pitcher.

Center fielder Choi Yeon-woo, who batted second, primarily pulled the ball and hit it to the right side.

The problem was that he could consciously push the ball to the opposite field if the defense shifted to counter his pull tendency. In some ways, he was similar to our team’s Ahn Chi-wook, but more refined.

Kang Tae-yong, batting third, was a seasoned veteran. He had no glaring weaknesses and knew how to adjust his hitting based on the situation.
Pio Fernandez, batting cleanup, was a power hitter who could send the ball over the fence if the pitcher made a mistake.

Because of this, our team tried to match up left-handed pitchers like Brooks Parker or veteran Cheon Sang-jin against Suwon whenever possible. But that wasn’t feasible in a three-game series that started with the 5th starter, as was the case this time.

Since we didn’t have any reliable left-handed middle relievers, the game became even more difficult as it progressed into the later innings.

Anyway, there was no point in complaining. We had to do our best with the resources we had.

“Ball.”

Veteran Lee Young-ju, who had given up three runs in the first inning, walked Suwon’s 8th batter again.

It was infuriating. Lee Young-ju was already struggling with his control, and the umpire’s strike zone was tight today.

The strike zone varies depending on the umpire.

Due to this inconsistency, the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization] had discussed introducing an AI ball-strike judging system starting in 2024.

There was already a successful precedent. The United States introduced the AI system in Triple-A [the highest level of Minor League Baseball] in 2023 and then implemented it in the major leagues in 2026.

Initially, there was some adjustment, but a year after its introduction, it was considered a success, satisfying players, coaches, managers, and fans alike.

Players, coaches, and fans appreciated the elimination of unnecessary emotional outbursts, and even the umpires, who initially felt their authority was undermined, liked the reduced pressure of calling balls and strikes.

However, the KBO seemed hesitant to adopt the AI system, repeatedly postponing it to “next year,” and that’s how things stood.

Anyway, there was no point in dwelling on something unattainable at the moment.

Thwack!

Suwon’s 9th batter hit a ball that flew quickly over 2nd base.

Anticipating this possibility, I had agreed to position myself slightly further back, and veteran Lee Chang-mo would cover 2nd base.

I sprinted towards the ball, which was heading towards the outfield, and slid.

Thud.

That was close. The ball barely grazed the edge of my glove and fell to the ground.

In this situation, I couldn’t afford to waste time trying to catch the ball again. I quickly got up, picked up the ball, and threw it to 2nd base.

“Out!”

Lee Chang-mo, arguably the best 2nd baseman in the league in terms of double-play ability, caught the ball, tagged the base, and threw to 1st base again.

“Out!”

“Wow!”

Endorphins surged through my body at the sound of the cheers that seemed to shake the stadium.

Ahn Chi-wook was clapping with his mouth slightly open, and Min Ye-rin, who was on the cheering platform, surprised everyone by doing a somersault.

And Lee Young-ju, standing on the mound, looked like he was about to cry.

“Su-hyeok, nice play.”

“You too, senior.”

“Hehe, isn’t baseball fun?”

“It’s really fun.”

If Seo Hyeong-ju was a player who excelled at combo plays on offense, then Lee Chang-mo was definitely the one on defense.

It was a shame that I didn’t get to play with this amazing veteran during his prime.

If I had, baseball would have been even more enjoyable.

But there was nothing I could do. Time couldn’t be turned back.

“Out!”

Thanks to the double play that prevented a potential rally with runners on 1st and 3rd with no outs, Lee Young-ju regained his composure, struck out Suwon’s leadoff hitter Ahn Tae-gyu, and ended the inning.

The score was still 4 to 3.

We had a long way to go. Today was a day when we couldn’t be complacent unless we had a lead of more than 10 points.

* * *

Most fans, and many experts, believed that the Warriors’ secret to being in third place this season was the improved batting lineup due to Han Su-hyeok’s arrival.

That was true.

The offensive lineup, starting with Seo Hyeong-ju at number 1 and continuing to Choi Min-seok at number 9, now had a cohesion that rivaled any of the other nine teams.

Of course, there were some weaknesses.

For example, the backup players were too weak, and the team was overly reliant on Han Su-hyeok.

Neither of these issues could be resolved quickly. Increasing the team’s depth was a long-term process.

And it was inevitable that the other players would rely on a player like Han Su-hyeok. How could I blame them when I myself was relying on his presence?

Let’s focus on improving the infield for now.

We also needed to address the pitching situation.

Some considered the Warriors’ pitching staff weak, but Park Jae-cheol had a slightly different perspective.

He thought about the times when the team faced a crisis, specifically when Han Su-hyeok was suspended or other hitters were sidelined due to injuries.

It was the pitchers who stepped up and held the team together.

The starting rotation of Ryan Stark and Brooks Parker, Lee Man-sik, Cheon Sang-jin, and Lee Young-ju, the setup men Hong Young-sik and Choi Jeong-su, and Yang Ki-cheol, who had established himself as the closer.

None of them were exceptional players, but they each played their role and prevented the team from collapsing.

The only regret was the lack of a left-handed pitcher in the middle relief, specifically in the setup role.

Even though its importance had increased, the value of a reliable left-handed pitcher remained high.

They were rarely available, and when they became free agents, all ten teams competed fiercely for their services.

‘Hmm… If Han Su-hyeok starts pitching and hitting, Hong Young-sik or Choi Jeong-su could be trade assets…’

Maybe that was the only solution.

If Han Su-hyeok joined the pitching staff, one of the right-handed pitchers could be used as a trade chip.

Recently, CEO Park Seong-hoon had hinted that Han Su-hyeok’s pitching debut could be expedited.

His heart raced at the thought. The incredible fastball he had witnessed in the last Magicians game flashed before his eyes.

Was it real? Would Han Su-hyeok’s two-way play, which was initially deemed unlikely this season, actually become a reality?

‘Let’s put that thought aside for now, yes, later…’

Park Jae-cheol barely managed to calm his racing heart and turned his attention back to the game.

Today’s game, a matchup between Suwon’s foreign ace and the Warriors’ 5th starter, had turned into a slugfest thanks to Han Su-hyeok’s performance, which was exactly what the Warriors wanted.

As the intense battle continued and the score was tied 8-8, Suwon began their attack in the top of the 8th inning.

Suwon’s left-handed lineup, consisting of 1st Ahn Tae-gyu, 2nd Choi Yeon-woo, 3rd Kang Tae-yong, and 4th Pio Fernandez, were eager to win.

Suwon’s left-handed hitters, who had a combined total of 7 hits in today’s game, were determined to secure a victory.

The Warriors’ dugout became active. Choi Jeong-su, who had successfully pitched the top of the 7th inning, left the mound, and a new pitcher emerged from the bullpen.

“Kim, it’s your first appearance in the first team in a long time. Are you nervous?”

“No problem, Jackson.”

“Good, that’s the right attitude. Okay, everyone, let’s help this confident friend become the winning pitcher today.”

The trade that had occurred unexpectedly during the exhibition game had brought Choi Min-seok, who had replaced Jung Ki-ho and Song Ki-tae, and he had become an indispensable starting outfielder for the team.

And Kim Doo-young, another player acquired in the trade who had been somewhat forgotten, was now preparing for his first pitch of the season.

The left-handed relief pitcher, included in the trade due to Park Jae-cheol’s insistence, and whom Park Jae-cheol, a former pitcher himself, had even coached for the first time in a long time, held the key to the Warriors’ performance for the remainder of the season.

Pow!

Park Jae-cheol’s gaze was fixed on the left-handed specialist, who had been preparing in the minor leagues and now had a chance to prove himself.