Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 269

“James.”

“Yes, Manager.”

“I think I’ve given you enough leeway for the past week.”

“Yes? Ah, yes, but…”

“Enough. If you pull that stunt again in the next at-bat, I’m pulling you off the field immediately. Remember, no matter how big a superstar you are, there are no exceptions. If you’re hurting the team, you’re off the lineup. Got it? Good, now get going.”

There aren’t many managers who can deliver such a strong warning to a player considered one of the best stars in the league, let alone on the team.

Especially in Major League Baseball, where the manager’s position and authority are much weaker than in the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization].

If a power struggle breaks out between the highest-paid player and the manager?

Nine out of ten Big League teams would choose to fire the manager.

But this man is an exception.

“Alright, don’t get complacent just because we’re winning. That team has Tai Johnson. And there’s a monster hitting .400 holding on. Give it your all and crush them! Go! Go! Rays!”

A renowned manager who, despite the team’s meager support, turns the Tampa Bay Rays into a team that challenges for a spot in the fall classic [World Series] every year.

Receiving absolute support from owner Chase Edmunds, he has led the Rays for over a decade and is the manager who brought James Taylor up from the minors and turned him into the superstar he is today.

Steve Cox encouraged the players and sent them out onto the field.

“Haa, he should have gotten the message by now.”

“Yes, he will have.”

Since James Taylor’s debut, Manager Steve, who hasn’t taken his eyes off him for a single day, had to exercise extreme patience over the past week.

Because the guy, who was expected to surpass Tai Johnson and become the best hitter in the Big Leagues within a few years, suddenly started doing strange things, saying he was going to imitate someone.

When he found out that the target was Han Su-hyeok, he almost screamed on the spot.

Han Su-hyeok.

A monster who is tearing up the entire league as soon as he debuted in the Big Leagues.

A monster among monsters who uses his unusually long arms and legs to pull balls that come into the zone from the outside, turning them into home runs, something unbelievable for an Asian player.

Manager Steve knew that type of player very well.

Back when he was a player, Vladimir Guerrero, a monster who hit 6-for-10 with 4 home runs against him, was exactly like that.

A bad ball hitter who just swings at balls coming into a similar course and can cram those batted balls into the ground.

A Dominican beast who reigned as a figure of terror for pitchers.

The problem is that Han Su-hyeok is an even more terrible guy than that Vladimir Guerrero.

His batting style is similar, but his batting average is 10% higher.

Even the number of home runs is beyond comparison.

In other words, Han Su-hyeok is the ultimate bad ball hitter, the likes of which cannot be found even in Major League history.

And he’s going to imitate that guy?

He wanted to scold him right away and take him out of the lineup, but he held back for now.

James Taylor has become too big of a player to be treated so carelessly.

A week.

That was the time he gave James.

He thought it was ridiculous, but considering James’s personality, who never backs down until he convinces himself, he decided to wait that long.

During that time, James committed all sorts of bizarre acts, trying to imitate Han Su-hyeok, and the attempt ultimately failed.

Now the game is over.

This is enough consideration for the team’s best player.

“Play!”

With the umpire’s sign to resume the game, the Seattle Mariners’ attack in the bottom of the 3rd inning began.

Luca Hernandez struck out Seattle’s leadoff hitter, Derrick, after a close battle that went to 10 pitches.

And then he stepped up to the plate.

The player who made James Taylor, the best hitter in the league, feel inferior, and made him aware of the Seattle Mariners, whom he had never even cared about, as a strong rival.

Han Su-hyeok tilted his head from side to side and took his batting stance.

‘Hmm.’

Every Major League manager would undoubtedly choose Han Su-hyeok without a second’s hesitation if they had to pick just one player they wanted most at this point.

That’s not just because of the records Han Su-hyeok is setting as a pitcher and hitter.

In Manager Steve’s view, Han Su-hyeok was a player with a deeper understanding of baseball than anyone he had ever seen.

The difference between knowing baseball and not knowing it is enormous.

Players like Luca Hernandez, who is currently guarding the Tampa Bay mound and only relies on his fastballs without really knowing what baseball is, will collapse rapidly as soon as their physical abilities decline.

On the other hand, when you look at Han Su-hyeok, you get the feeling that…

Even if his velocity drops below 90 miles per hour, even if his bat speed slows down and he can no longer react to fastballs,

You still get the feeling that he will remain a top-class player in the league.

Whoosh

Clang

“Ball.”

Han Su-hyeok, who slightly dodged the ball heading towards his head, looked at the pitcher with an unpleasant expression.

At that moment, Manager Steve’s heart almost stopped.

‘That moron…’

He knows very well that Luca Hernandez is an aggressive pitcher.

Having grown up in a rough environment since childhood, he is a wild horse who says that the only thing he fears in the world is his father, literally not knowing what fear is.

He’s somehow managing and using him well as a starter, but it seems like he’s slowly reaching his limit.

In Manager Steve Cox’s view, there is one opponent in Major League Baseball against whom you should never start a bench-clearing brawl, and that is Seattle.

Seattle with Han Su-hyeok holding on.

If Luca Hernandez is a common hothead who doesn’t know what fear is, weak against the strong and strong against the weak, then Han Su-hyeok is the real deal.

He’s like a Terminator who crushes anyone who crosses the line he has set, no matter who the opponent is or what the situation is.

‘I should meet with the general manager soon.’

As Manager Steve, realizing that he has reached his limit in managing Luca Hernandez, confirmed him as a trade card in his mind, their confrontation continued.

Whoosh

Clang

“Ball.”

Another ball heading towards his body.

Han Su-hyeok’s expression worsened, while a sneering smile appeared on Lucas Hernandez’s face.

At that moment, an ominous premonition flashed through Manager Steve’s mind.

“Damn it, I’d rather have an intentional walk…”

The moment the manager was about to request an intentional walk,

Claaaaaang!

With a huge sound of impact, the batted ball soared blackly into the sky.

Han Su-hyeok, who hit the ball flying high towards his body, leaned on his bat like a cane and admired the batted ball.

Luca Hernandez flinched and took a step off the mound.

At that moment, an eerie voice flowed from Han Su-hyeok’s mouth.

“The moment you come in front of me, you’ll be eating soup for a month.”

Despite the tremendous cheers of the crowd, the pitcher seemed to have clearly understood the voice.

Luca Hernandez eventually couldn’t come forward any further, and in the meantime, the ball that continued to fly disappeared beyond the stands and out of the stadium.

An out-of-the-park home run that tied the score at 3-3.

Han Su-hyeok, after confirming that the batted ball had disappeared, slowly started walking towards first base.

Still remaining in Major League Baseball is the aversion to bat flips and admiring batted balls.

Normally, someone would have rushed at Han Su-hyeok, but none of the Tampa Bay players could look Han Su-hyeok straight in the eye.

It was an instinctive fear of the strong.

As a baseball player, and as a human being,

Everyone recognized Han Su-hyeok’s strength in himself.

Thump

Han Su-hyeok’s foot slammed down hard on home plate.

“Damn it.”

“Manager?”

“Check the bullpen situation.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Johnny.”

“Yes, Boss.”

“He’s a really amazing guy. A player I’d want to bring in even if I had to sell this entire team.”

“I agree.”

“Damn it, should I have accepted the Seattle managerial offer when it came?”

“Pardon?”

“No, I was just saying. Alright, we gave up the tie, let’s start again.”

Steve Cox thought.

In the distant future, if he were to write something like an autobiography and the day came when he had to write down the most regrettable moment in his life in one corner,

If such a moment comes, wouldn’t he have to write about rejecting the Seattle managerial position and thus missing the opportunity to coach a player named Han Su-hyeok?

Regret always comes too late.

* * *

[Seattle Mariners vs. Tampa Bay Rays, Game 1 of the season ends with Seattle’s 7-5 victory after a fierce hitting battle]

[Han Su-hyeok, who hit his 27th home run of the season: “I’m satisfied with my recent hitting performance. Home run record? As I said before, I’m definitely thinking of challenging it. If the pitchers aren’t scared and run away.”]

[James Taylor, who faced off against Han Su-hyeok for the title of best hitter and best third baseman in the league, remained silent with 0 hits in 4 at-bats]

[Tampa Bay Rays Manager Steve Cox: “Han Su-hyeok is a really great player. But I think James is also a hitter who is no less than him. He’s still young.” To the reporter’s comment that Han Su-hyeok is younger, he said, “I meant his mental age.”]

And in the second game that followed, we won once again.

Ace Ryan Thibodeau pitched well with 3 runs in 8 innings, and the winning team showed a clean 이어 던지기 [이어 던지기 (ieo deonjigi) refers to a situation where multiple relief pitchers combine to pitch effectively after the starting pitcher leaves the game, maintaining the team’s lead or preventing the opposing team from scoring] after a long time, snatching a thrilling one-point victory of 4-3.

The only consolation for Tampa Bay was that James Taylor, who had been a mess for the past week, returned to his normal form by hitting 3 hits.

Anyway, while we were on a winning streak, Oakland suffered a losing streak, narrowing the gap to one game again.

And it was my turn to start.

“You’ll be batting in the 6th spot today. I know you came to Seattle because you wanted to stand in front of Tai Johnson, but as a manager, I have a duty to manage your stamina. Let’s go with this today.”

“Understood.”

“I like that you’re always clear. If there’s even a slight problem, tell me right away.”

I, who was scheduled to start in the third game against Tampa Bay, was placed in the 6th batting order for the first time this season.

This is because the medical check conducted after yesterday’s game revealed that fatigue was accumulating.

In fact, it’s natural for any player to accumulate fatigue at this point.

But I have to continue as a two-way player throughout the season.

It’s a shame that I can’t receive support from Tai Johnson, but I agree that it’s necessary to manage my stamina by playing in the lower batting order for a day or so.

“Alright, finally my turn has come.”

Kyle Shanahan, who is starting as the right fielder for the first time since joining the team, looked at me with an excited expression.

1st Center Fielder Derrick Fleming

2nd Right Fielder Kyle Shanahan

3rd 1st Baseman Tai Johnson

4th Left Fielder Jim Brown

5th Catcher Bruce Matthews

6th Pitcher Han Su-hyeok

7th 3rd Baseman Liam Landman

8th Shortstop Josh Oliver

9th 2nd Baseman Jonathan Owens

Today, there are many changes in the lineup, including me coming down to 6th.

Kyle Shanahan, who was transferred from the Marlins, started as the 2nd batter and right fielder instead of Chuck Clark, who had started every game since the season opener.

No matter how less stamina-consuming an outfielder is, they sometimes need a break. In particular, Chuck Clark, who has been receiving various checks behind Tai Johnson, is having a rather difficult season.

Liam Landman, a transfer student from the Marlins, has entered the 3rd base where I was missing.

In conclusion, it is true that the weight of the lineup seems lighter than usual.

I can’t help it.

I have no choice but to throw with the thought of not giving up a single point today.