The Pitcher Just Hits Home Runs Well [EN]: Chapter 237

237. Korean Series (2)

What’s the biggest reason for the difference in power between professional teams?

The first thing that comes to mind is financial strength. Big-market clubs inevitably have higher revenue than small-market clubs, which means they can invest more money, leading to a stronger team. Of course, money isn’t everything.

In fact, the Mets’ payroll this season was as large as the combined payrolls of the bottom five teams. But the ‘Amazin’ Mets’ failed to secure a wild card spot, losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates, whose payroll was only 14% of theirs.

This is possible because the supply of players, the foundation of baseball, is controlled by the draft system. Without such a system, it’s easy to imagine how powerful a team with deep pockets could become, like the Yankees during the era of the Evil Empire [a period of dominance for the New York Yankees baseball team].

In the long run, ‘competition’ between teams is necessary for a professional league to function properly. When it was first introduced, the draft system was heavily criticized as a socialist idea. But it’s a very important factor that prevents market size alone from determining a team’s strength, enabling the establishment of a proper professional league.

But surprisingly, there’s a league where such a draft system is implemented, and even market size doesn’t make much difference. No, there’s even a league where a team that spends a lot of money consistently stays at the bottom?

Yes, it’s the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization].

“It’s all about development.”

“No, does that make any sense? You just said it, Suwon. It’s all the same people in a small pond. But it doesn’t make sense that some teams consistently fail to develop players for 20 or 30 years, while others continue to succeed.”

Park Eun-jin, who suddenly announced she was coming down to Busan, bought two bottles of soju [Korean distilled rice liquor] and barged in, her voice full of anger.

“Drink some water and calm down.”

“Honestly, I was going to be satisfied with making the playoffs for the first time in 10 years? But I heard that it’s the first time in the 12-year history of the Wild Card game that the 4th-place team in the regular season was upset by the 5th-place team. Why do we always get all the bad records?”

“You didn’t get them all. Our Marines are no match for you in that regard.”

“But the Marines got you!! You won the regular season!! You’re going to win the Korean Series too!!”

Honestly, I should be comforting her by saying that the Phoenix will be fine next year, but it sounded too much like a lie to say.

“Suwon, can’t you come to Phoenix instead of America? Huh?”

“Would that be okay? You can go to America right away with posting [being put up for bid to MLB teams], but to go to Phoenix, you have to get FA [Free Agent] qualification. You have to play for the Marines for seven more years?”

Park Eun-jin, whose face was getting a little flushed, straightened her back and answered in a proper posture.

“No, I was short-sighted. I, Park Eun-jin, support Choi Su-won’s challenge to the major leagues with a magnanimous heart.”

“Okay, I’ll gladly accept that support.”

“No, but is there really no hope for our Phoenix? Honestly, it’s not like we don’t spend money, and okay, let’s say all the other clubs are like that. Why do the Braves, those poor guys, keep making the postseason without even signing FAs properly and just selling players all the time, while we’re in this shape?”

“I wonder why.”

There were many reasons.

Park Eun-jin probably knows a few of them. If I were really nineteen years old, I would have listed the reasons in detail and had a serious discussion about the future of Korean baseball.

But what Park Eun-jin needed now was my right hand to fill her empty glass with soju, and my nod to her complaints.

“At first, I was going to tell you to beat the Jaguars to a pulp, but when I saw the Jaguars, who beat us twice in a row, lose three straight games to the Braves in the semi-playoffs [a round in the KBO playoffs], I felt good and uncomfortable at the same time.”

“Why?”

“Well, it felt like the team that beat us was actually a very weak team. So I ended up cheering for the Braves in the playoffs without even realizing it.”

“Kang-ho hyung [older brother/friend] would be sad to hear that? Kang-ho hyung even memorized all the lyrics of your group’s songs?”

“Really? Baek Kang-ho? Who does he like among us? Hee-jin? Se-hee? Yoo-jin? If he seduces them, can they move to Phoenix?”

“I don’t know about that. But Kang-ho hyung likes to win so much. I don’t think Phoenix would be easy.”

“Ah, why!! What’s wrong with our team!!”

Anyway, she was cursing Phoenix until just now, but as soon as I slightly criticized them, she immediately became serious. After that, a lot of useless chatter continued for a long time.

And finally, Park Eun-jin, who had been sipping and sipping two bottles of alcohol all by herself, looked at the empty glass with a somewhat disappointed expression.

“Should I go quickly and buy just one more bottle?”

“Hey. It’s late. Go in and sleep. You’re an idol, you have to take care of yourself.”

“I’m working hard on my management every day. The kids are so jealous of my body.”

“Yes, yes, I understand.”

“What’s with that reaction? If you don’t believe me, should I show you here?”

Park Eun-jin got up from her seat as if she was about to take off her clothes right away.

The funny thing is that even though she got up so boldly, her eyes were trembling. Anyway, she’s clumsy.

“Hey, Park Eun-jin. You’re drunk. Go in and sleep. I put new sheets on the bed in the guest room.”

“······.”

In fact, I knew it even if she didn’t come out like that. What Park Eun-jin wants now is too obvious. But from my experience, there are lines that shouldn’t be crossed between men and women, and if you cross them, you may enjoy it right away, but you will often regret it a few years later.

Besides, you can have physical pleasure with someone you don’t have emotional connection with, so there’s no need to cross that line with a friend you have emotional connection with. At least, if you really want to cross the line with Park Eun-jin, you have to be prepared in some way. And tonight was not a good night to be prepared.

The good thing is that Park Eun-jin came out quite boldly, even borrowing the power of alcohol, but that was it. The hesitant girl walked into the room.

“Hey, Choi Su-won.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll clean it up when I wake up tomorrow morning, so don’t bother cleaning it up.”

“I wasn’t going to do that in the first place. Judging by your condition, you might not be here when I wake up tomorrow, so clean it up neatly and leave. Got it?”

“You never give up a word. And you······.”

A moment of hesitation.

“What is it?”

“No, just······. I was just kidding about going to America. It’s okay to stay with the Marines for seven more years, so it would be nice to come to Phoenix as a FA.”

“Park Eun-jin, are you making a scout offer like a love confession?”

“Ah, I don’t know!! Choi Su-won is annoying!!”

-Bang!!

Park Eun-jin closed the door and went into the room.

1:30 a.m.

Is it because I saw her drinking right in front of me? I really wanted a drink too.

‘Later.’

I went back to my room and lay down on the bed. Oh, and of course, I locked the door perfectly in case of an emergency.

It was a slightly uncomfortable night.

***

[Playoff Game 5. The last game between the Braves and the Dolphins!! The Braves’ attack in the top of the first inning ended with no score. Who will win today’s game and fight the Marines in the Korean Series? What do you think, Commissioner Park Dong-jin?]

[Dolphins’ starting pitcher Ji Dae-yeol is pitching very well today. But it’s too early for the Braves to give up. In fact, considering the way both teams have played throughout the season and in these playoffs, it wouldn’t be surprising if either team won today’s game. However······.]

[However?]

[Just yesterday’s game, the Braves, who were on the verge of elimination, mobilized all of their bullpen pitchers, so wouldn’t the Dolphins, who still have some bullpen pitchers left, be slightly more advantageous? Well, one thing is for sure, whoever wins today’s game, the Marines, who are waiting in the Korean Series, will be laughing.]

[That’s right. In fact, there have been only six cases in KBO history where the regular season champion lost in the Korean Series, and if they come up after consuming their power in the playoffs like this, the possibility becomes even more remote. Ah, as we speak, Braves’ starting pitcher Daniel Cooper is on the mound.]

Just one step away from the Korean Series.

It’s a shame that we missed the regular season championship. But the real championship in the KBO is not the regular season championship, but the Korean Series championship. In fact, if you upset in the Korean Series, the first place changes in the record book as well.

Baek Kang-ho clenched his bat.

“I? Unfortunately. I missed the home run title by a hair, but I can’t give up the championship.”

Daniel Cooper, the Braves’ starting pitcher today, played in every game without missing a rotation throughout the regular season, and has already played in three games in the postseason with a four-day rest.

As a human being, he was bound to be exhausted.

In fact, lead-off hitter Kang Il-jin succeeded in getting on base with a surprise bunt from the top of the first inning, and second hitter Jack Hamilton hit a hit, putting runners on first and third with no outs.

[Now, it’s third hitter Baek Kang-ho at the plate. He recorded 43 home runs this season, ranking second in the league in home runs.]

-Whoosh!!!

A cool swing.

The chill that it would go over the fence as it is if hit properly put pressure on the pitcher.

That’s the fear of a home run hitter.

-Whoosh!!!!

No matter how advantageous the count is, if you hit it right!!!

-Whoooooooooo!!!

“Strike!! Out!!!”

[Ah, three-pitch strikeout here······. Baek Kang-ho. It’s a shame.]

“That crazy 돌Min-woo [Stone Min-woo, a nickname based on stubbornness] bastard. Seriously, baseball of faith. Aww, no. If it’s 1 hit in 18 at-bats, shouldn’t you give up on faith?”

22 at-bats, 1 walk, 1 hit in 23 plate appearances in the series.

Dolphins’ key hitter Baek Kang-ho was silent until the last game of the playoffs. And in the end, a pinch hitter came up in the 8th inning, but it was too late to turn the game around.

[Dolphins manager Choi Min-woo ‘The reason for the series loss was our mistake in not properly managing Baek Kang-ho’s condition during the long break after the regular season ended.’]

[Playoff Game 5, Jang Chan-min’s two-run double in the top of the 10th inning seals the game!!]

─돌Min-wooResign: That 개xx [son of a bitch] 돌Min-woo. He doesn’t say it’s his fault until the end? If the manager’s player is not in good condition, he should use another player. He’s doing baseball of faith and managing his condition.

Playoffs 3:2.

Braves win after a fierce battle.

Finally, the Marines’ Korean Series opponent has been decided.