The Pitcher Just Hits Home Runs Well [EN]: Chapter 158

158. Forget the Cherry Blossoms Now (5)

“Ugh… Hey, former GM. Even so, this is a bit much…”

“I’m begging you.”

“No, do we really have to do this? Frankly speaking, we couldn’t win the championship anyway in the current situation, so it wouldn’t have mattered if we failed. But if we go this far and still don’t win, we’re really screwed. Are you really okay with that?”

What is most important to a salaried worker?

It’s obviously a stable job where you get your paycheck regularly. Taking the risk of getting fired from your job just to achieve good results? That’s the mindset of an entrepreneur, not something a salaried worker should have.

“Mr. President, the championship is more valuable precisely because no one cares if we don’t win it anyway. Think about it. The Marines’ first championship in 35 years!! Who cares about contract renewals then? I guarantee it. As long as the Marines’ history continues, it will be talked about forever.”

But the president and general manager of a baseball team aren’t just simple salaried workers.

Of course, they were clearly workers who received a salary and worked. But from the start, executives are just contract workers, and frankly, those who have risen to such positions deserve to have the desire to aim for something beyond simple economic stability.

“There will be a huge backlash. As you know, these players have name value, their current status in the team, and their future growth potential. Even if we win the championship, if this player later grows beyond expectations, or even just meets expectations, it’s obvious that he will be heavily criticized.”

“But all of those things will eventually be forgotten if we win the championship.”

“People won’t understand selling promising players and running with this year’s power. We are a team with a bright future in anyone’s eyes.”

“But don’t you and I understand why we have to run with this year’s power?”

The fact that Choi Soo-won is not a promising player who can be used cheaply for the next 6 years.

At least the two people facing each other in this place shared that fact. President Park Choong-shik asked him.

“Do you really think there’s zero chance that Choi Soo-won won’t win the MVP [Most Valuable Player award]?”

“Unless Soo-won gets injured right now and is out for the season, or Kyu-man suddenly rejuvenates and has a career high right before retirement and achieves 500 career home runs, it’s impossible. So, we should consider it virtually zero.”

“Is there any way to invalidate the side agreement?”

“No. If we try to do that, we won’t even get the posting fee [fee paid by a Major League Baseball team to acquire a player from an international league]. Besides, the details of that contract will be revealed to the outside world anyway. In that case…”

“At least you and I are done for.”

After a long deliberation.

Finally, President Park Choong-shik nodded.

“We must win the championship.”

“That’s the plan.”

“This is really… I have no idea how to persuade the chairman.”

“Isn’t the answer still winning the championship? In fact, the chairman is probably more eager to win than anyone else.”

“Yes, that’s right. Winning… winning… Haha, really.”

***

“Hello.”

“It’s been a while, Reporter Lee Ji-yeon.”

“Oh? You remember my name?”

“Haha, of course. I told you back then. A teenage boy never forgets a pretty older sister.”

“Teenage boy… Come to think of it, it’s already been three years since I first met Choi Soo-won.”

“Yes, that was in the early part of my sophomore year of high school. It’s been over two years even if you count by full years.”

“Well, I expected you to become a great player back then, but…”

“You didn’t think I’d be this great. Is that what you’re going to say?”

Lee Ji-yeon smiled involuntarily at Choi Soo-won’s bold words. She didn’t know exactly since she was an only daughter, but if she had a cute younger brother, maybe this is what it would feel like?

“I heard Choi Soo-won’s wit is famous among the players. I think I know why.”

“Haha, it’s all thanks to my seniors who adore me.”

“It’s been a little over a month since the season started, and you’re already number one in all batting categories except for runs scored, RBIs [Runs Batted In], and stolen bases. Especially in home runs, you have 12, which is five more than Baek Kang-ho, who is in second place. And you even have 3 wins as a starter. It’s really like the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization] is now the second Choi Soo-won League.”

“What? The second Choi Soo-won League?”

“There was talk of the Choi Soo-won League two years ago because of the draft.”

Looking at it that way, the Marines’ 100 losses back then were really one step back for two steps forward. No, it felt more like one step back for ten steps forward. Recently, jokes are seriously circulating on the internet that Phoenix’s biggest traitors are Oh Min-yeop and Choi Eu-ddeum, who prevented Phoenix from finishing last because they exploded at the end.

“Ah, I remember. I think that was when I was in the United States for the U-18 Baseball World Cup.”

“That’s right. Anyway, despite Choi Soo-won’s recent overwhelming performance, the Marines’ record has been fluctuating between 4th and 5th place. This time, the Marines’ front office made a really great decision, didn’t they?”

“If you’re talking about the front office’s great decision, are you perhaps referring to the change in the ratio of honey garlic sauce this time? It was definitely a great decision. I felt like there wasn’t enough garlic flavor. Aren’t Koreans all about garlic since Dangun [legendary founder of the first Korean kingdom]?”

“What? Pfft…”

It was a really unfunny joke, but Lee Ji-yeon laughed without realizing it.

What should I say? It’s not like the fun of the words themselves is important? It was just cute.

“Yes, yes. That seems like a great decision too, but I’m talking about the trade.”

“Ah, that.”

Choi Soo-won opened his mouth.

***

As everyone knows, baseball and soccer are a bit different.

Aside from the difference that soccer is a sport where 22 people run around the field after one ball, and baseball is a sport where you hit a ball with a bat, they are a bit different at the association level.

Basically, the relationship between a club and a player in soccer is a bit independent. So, the player is completely a sole proprietor, and the club is closer to an entity that has a contract with that sole proprietor. Of course, baseball players are also sole proprietors. But from this draft system, what should I say? That autonomy is greatly reduced? Especially regarding trades, it’s even more so.

In the case of soccer, even if clubs agree, if the player says no, they can’t go. In fact, it’s closer to the expression “transfer” here than “trade.” The market itself is also completely free competition.

Baseball doesn’t have that. If you play well today and your luggage is gone from the locker, you’re moving out. No matter how many home runs you hit, no-hitters you pitched, or even if you pitched a perfect game, there’s no mercy. Of course, the player’s rights are protected by some systems, but anyway, that’s the principle.

Of course, a trade between clubs is ultimately done by people belonging to those clubs, and even if the higher-ups keep it a secret, there are many cases where close staff members subtly hint at it, so they often guess to some extent in advance, but it’s not uncommon for secrets to be kept until the very end.

So, that day’s event was just something that could commonly happen while playing baseball.

On the day of the second game against the Hawks in Gwangju.

Our 1.05 billion won 5th starter, Choi Min-hyuk, finally recorded his first win of the season. And Choi Jin-woong, who received his pitches, was as happy as if it were his own accomplishment. Choi Jin-woong even recorded multiple on-base appearances in that game for the first time in a while.

We all knew that Choi Min-hyuk had been suffering a lot. Both Baek Ha-min and I were evaluated as pitching resources below Choi Min-hyuk until before spring camp. But looking at the results, he was the 5th starter. And he was the only one with 0 wins while we were getting 3 wins and 2 wins each, so how anxious must he have been?

Anyway, he did the interview well, finished showering neatly, packed his bags, and got on the bus.

“Min-hyuk, Jin-woong. Go to the manager’s room later at the dorm.”

“Yes!!!”

Honestly, everyone thought that the manager was calling them to give them some encouragement or something good.

Anyway, it was 1 win and multiple on-base appearances.

And that became their last game as Marines.

[Busan Marines – Seoul Braves Shock Trade!!]

[Choi Min-hyuk, Choi Jin-woong – Park Jae-hyuk, Go Seol-min, Tae Ji-wan 2:3 Trade!!]

Uh… What should I say?

Honestly, it was much more humane than coming back after the game and finding your luggage gone from the locker without a word. It was just the timing that was a bit off. A trade on the day you played a very good game.

Besides, 2 starting-level players left and 3 new players came in.

That meant at least one had to go down to Sangdong [location of the Marines’ minor league team]. Moreover, all three coming over are relief pitchers. At least two in the current lineup are going to Sangdong.

No, what on earth are the Braves thinking, giving up three A-class relief pitchers? Of course, it’s true that starting pitchers and catchers are worth their weight in gold in the KBO, and those two are A-class starting pitchers and catcher resources, but… As far as I know, their financial structure is a bit strange, so if they don’t perform well, their finances will be quite critical the following year. Surely, if all three of them leave like that, they will also be under quite a bit of pressure to perform…

There was no time to have a deep farewell.

It was the middle of the season, and we had the 3rd game against the Hawks tomorrow, and the Braves also had the 3rd game against the Jaguars tomorrow.

“See you later.”

“Hey, why the long face? Going from Busan to Seoul is a good thing. In a situation where they’re calling for 500 million to 1 billion won for the Seoul premium [extra money or benefits associated with being in Seoul]. Contact me when you come to Seoul later.”

“What contact? Anyway, the next time we go to Seoul, the opposing team is the Braves.”

“Ah… That’s right. Then I might be throwing the ball against you next time?”

“I won’t go easy on you.”

“Hey, go easy on me a little. I’m already feeling down because I got kicked out to Seoul after getting 1 win.”

“You just said the Seoul premium is 500 million to 1 billion won.”

“No matter how good the Seoul premium is, can it beat winning the championship?”

“…”

Choi Min-hyuk hugged me tightly once.

“If possible, be sure to win the championship. Huh? You’re selling the team’s future to buy the present. You have to win the championship to make my future look more valuable. Isn’t that right?”

“That’s the plan anyway.”

Well, we weren’t particularly close.

If I had to say, I was close to Ha-min hyung, and Choi Min-hyuk was also close to Ha-min hyung, so we got along reasonably well?

Choi Min-hyuk left.

Along with Choi Jin-woong, who had a decisive weakness of not being able to receive my pitches.

And there was another person leaving.

The oldest pitcher, Kwak Jae-young, and relief pitcher Kang Se-joon.

They were recording an ERA [Earned Run Average] of 6.11 and 6.34 respectively, and frankly speaking, they were relief pitchers who shouldn’t be playing in the first team. Well, the fact that those two aren’t the only relief pitchers recording an ERA in the 6s is a huge problem for the Marines.

Anyway, the fact that relief pitchers with an ERA of 2-3 are coming in is definitely very positive news in terms of immediate power.

A somewhat negative part of the power is that Han Kyo-cheol, who went down to the second team, is filling Choi Jin-woong’s vacancy… He’s definitely a lucky guy.

Of course, Han Kyo-cheol wasn’t the only lucky guy.

Han Myung-hoon.

The Marines’ most winning native pitcher last year, shining with 6 wins, 11 losses, and a 4.11 ERA.

This guy finally took one of the starting spots.

However, in this case, it’s a bit much to simply express it as luck, and it should be seen as the result of him showing definite performance as a long reliever.

Honestly, the symbolism of Choi Min-hyuk being a 1.05 billion won pitcher was too strong, but if you just look at this season’s performance, he’s not much worse compared to Choi Min-hyuk.

The 3rd game against the Hawks.

We won a come-from-behind victory for the first time in a very long time.

The winning pitcher was Tae Ji-wan, a relief pitcher from the Braves with an annual salary of 240 million won.