A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 436

The Super Rookie of the Baseball Team is Too Good 436

The Super Rookie of the Baseball Team is Too Good 436

94 Where I Need to Be (5)

To cut to the chase,

Ban Ho-jin didn’t record a single hit in the practice game that day.

Considering he was the super rookie who was highly anticipated by the Cannons front office, it was quite a disappointing result.

‘Things aren’t going as the manager said.’

Of course, it wasn’t like he showed a completely unsightly performance from beginning to end.

There were definitely moments when he showed potential, even if fleeting.

His confrontation with Mason Malleo, who was an invited player to the Tampa Bay Rays’ spring training.

Ban Ho-jin, stepping into the batter’s box with a confident expression, connected with the opposing pitcher’s first pitch, creating a hit with tremendous distance.

Thwaaaack!

Although it went far outside the foul pole on the third base side, everyone on the field had their mouths wide open at that moment.

It was a perfectly controlled four-seam fastball on the outside low course. Pulling that and generating that kind of distance was no ordinary feat.

“Wow, that Asian guy is pretty good?”

“His wrist strength is amazing?”

The Tampa Bay front office staff sitting around Ji-seop let out a sigh of amazement.

“Good, good! A rookie should come out with that kind of spirit!”

“Hey, rookie! You’ve swung a bat a bit in Korea, huh?! Hahaha!”

The players in the dugout banged on empty drink containers, raising their voices in support.

“Damn it.”

The pitcher on the mound, Mason Malleo, was constantly wiping away the sweat flowing down his uniform.

“…….”

The atmosphere changed noticeably with one swing. At this moment, Ban Ho-jin’s eyes were sparkling.

Did he think the moment he had been waiting for had arrived? Did he judge that it was worth a shot?

With an expression as if he had gained the whole world, Ban Ho-jin even gave a slight smile as he got back into his batting stance, but-

Unfortunately,

That was it.

Thwaack!

Everyone’s attention was focused on the huge foul homerun, but Ban Ho-jin’s first at-bat ended with an infield fly ball.

Thwaack!

His second at-bat saw him weakly ground the first pitch from the changed pitcher to the second baseman.

Uryaack!

In his third at-bat, he showed his fighting spirit by attempting a head-first slide into first base, but the result was a ground ball in front of the third baseman.

“……Ahem.”

Did he judge that this was a bit difficult?

In his fourth at-bat, Ban Ho-jin seemed to be approaching the game with an unprecedentedly serious expression, but.

Strike!

Strike!

Strike, batter out!!!

In his last at-bat, he was struck out swinging without even grazing the ball with his bat.

With this, 4 at-bats, no hits, and 1 strikeout. Ban Ho-jin walked towards the dugout with a dejected face.

“…….”

Ji-seop, who was silently watching this scene from the stands, quietly took out his cell phone.

“Ah, Hyung-nim [older brother/close male friend], Chang-deok?”

Ji-seop said.

“Ho-jin’s at-bat just ended.”

* * *

The Tampa Bay Rays were a team with the best data processing capabilities among the 30 Major League teams.

As if to prove that incredible level, the data from the practice game that day was being uploaded at a rapid pace to Tampa Bay’s database, [Uncle Charlie].

While checking that data on his tablet PC, Ji-seop was telling Go Chang-deok about Ban Ho-jin’s play that day.

-Oh, really? 4 at-bats, no hits?

Hahahahaha.

Go Chang-deok burst out laughing after hearing Ji-seop’s story.

-That Ban Ho-jin, he must be really tasting the bitterness of the pros right now, huh?

“Haha, that’s right. Honestly, it was a bit of a harsh mission for a rookie, though.”

Ji-seop continued.

“Because it was a practice game today, Ban Ho-jin had to face four different pitchers in his four at-bats. They weren’t even similar types, so it must have been quite a headache for him.”

-Hey, that’s the same condition for other hitters, too.

Go Chang-deok’s reaction seemed nonchalant.

-Besides, to be blunt… the pitchers who appeared today weren’t Major League level, were they? If he couldn’t perform against those pitchers, he’ll realize something, too.

In a way, everything was going according to plan.

A super rookie with a high nose. A rookie player who is too full of himself. Let’s give that guy a ‘reality check’ once.

Let him realize his position, recognize his shortcomings, and encourage him to approach his career with a more humble attitude.

-Anyway, Ji-seop, thank you so much! Thanks to you, I can breathe a sigh of relief. I was worried about how to handle that Ban Ho-jin…

“Haha, you’re welcome. Actually, isn’t the important thing from now on? What kind of attitude that friend will show in the future… Ah.”

It was at this moment that an alert popped up on Ji-seop’s tablet PC with a ‘Ting!’ sound.

It was an alert that all the data from the practice game that day had been uploaded.

Ji-seop picked out Ban Ho-jin’s data from among them and opened his mouth.

“Hyung-nim, what are you going to do? Should I send you Ho-jin’s game data today? Can you check it?”

-Um? The game just ended, right? But that data is already up?!?

Go Chang-deok seemed surprised.

-Wow, as expected of Major League… the infrastructure is really brutal, huh? I’m getting goosebumps right now.

“Hehe, our Tampa Bay is a famous team in this area.”

To Ji-seop, who was subtly showing off, Go Chang-deok asked again.

-But is it okay to send it to me? Is there a data leak prohibition clause or something…?

“Of course, it’s not allowed for players who have a formal contract with our team. But Ho-jin is an invited player, so.”

-Oh, oh, then can you send it to me? It would be really helpful if I could see it here in advance and prepare!”

“Yes, just a moment.”

Todok, tok, todok.

As Ji-seop touched the screen several times, a message saying [Transfer Complete] popped up in large letters.

-Oh, oh! It’s here, it’s here!

Go Chang-deok’s excited voice was heard from beyond the phone speaker.

-Wow, the quality of the video is different from Major League? If it comes out so clearly, the people analyzing it will enjoy their work… Hmm?

Go Chang-deok was happy like a child who had received a new toy.

It was from this moment that he suddenly fell into a heavy silence.

There was no word. Ji-seop perked up his ears, but all he could hear was Go Chang-deok’s quiet breathing.

How much time had passed like that.

-Hey… Ji-seop. Have you seen this video too? I’m talking about Ho-jin’s batting video.

“No.”

There was no time to look at the video.

But he had a vague idea of why Go Chang-deok had become so serious.

“I didn’t get to watch the video separately, but I was watching the game from the stands, so. Why are you asking?”

Ji-seop continued.

“Are you a little concerned about Ban Ho-jin’s batting form?”

-A little? Don’t you think it’s more than a little?

Go Chang-deok’s voice rose.

-Ji-seop, why is this kid doing this? Why is his batting form collapsing so dynamically? The first at-bat and the last at-bat are completely different people, right?!

That’s right. It was this part.

Ji-seop wasn’t very knowledgeable about batting, but he was roughly aware of the situation.

During the game that day, Ban Ho-jin’s batting form was noticeably changing.

-The bat comes out cleanly during the first at-bat, but after that, the swing spreads out? The speed is also dropping.

“I think the foul homerun in the first at-bat… had a bad influence on him.”

Ji-seop voiced what he was thinking.

“Wasn’t it a forced swing from the beginning? He forcibly pulled the ball coming into the outside low course, so.”

-Hmm.

“But it just happened to be a close foul homerun… I think he lost his composure here. Didn’t he have a desire for a long hit for a moment?”

According to what he had heard from Manager Clemblas someday, batting was like walking across a cliff on a long tightrope.

From a distance, it just looks like spreading your arms left and right and moving your feet, but in reality, you’re putting all your strength into maintaining balance.

While maintaining balance precariously, the most fatal thing is greed.

The greed to go a little faster, the greed to take a little further step. That moment of greed can drop a person below the point of no return.

Ji-seop’s analysis was that Ban Ho-jin seemed to be in exactly that situation.

-Greed for a long hit, huh? Maybe that’s it. He was a guy who was full of the desire to get attention from the Major League from the beginning.

Go Chang-deok clicked his tongue.

-Damn it, what should I do now? Should I just watch? Or should I try to do something…

He sounded quite embarrassed.

He was just trying to make him realize the difference in skill, but an unexpected change in batting form had appeared.

It was a situation that could lead to a serious slump for a rookie player whose routine had not yet been established.

It was a trouble that would make even the most experienced front office member’s heart sink, but at this time, Go Chang-deok had a reliable colleague.

“Hyung-nim, why are you so worried?”

Yes, he was a really reliable colleague.

“Wasn’t it the Cannons front office’s way to take action before things got out of hand? I think it was like that when I was there?”

-Um? That’s true, but the situation is a bit complicated now. Ho-jin is participating in the Tampa Bay spring training, so it’s polite to leave it to them first…

“Oh, what kind of politeness are you talking about in this situation?”

Leave that to me.

Ji-seop said.

“I’ll talk to the Tampa Bay coaching staff. Hyung-nim, form your own staff and come over here.”

-You, you’re telling me to come over to your side? Is that okay?

To Go Chang-deok, who was startled, Ji-seop said in a cool tone.

“Yes, there is a sub-ground in this Charlotte Sports Park. It originally closes at 5 PM, but I’ll arrange to keep it open until 10 PM, so…”

The rest,

I don’t need to tell you, right?

At Ji-seop’s subtle words, Go Chang-deok’s voice was trembling a lot.

-O, of course!!!

He answered in a loud voice.

-If you do that for me… I don’t want anything more! I don’t want anything more!!!

* * *

About two hours later.

KH Cannons’ notable rookie Ban Ho-jin was out in the parking lot of Charlotte Sports Park.

“…….”

It was dinner time.

On this day, when the full-scale spring training began, a welcoming dinner was in full swing inside the sports park.

Originally, it was time to mingle with famous Major League players and diligently promote himself.

However, at this time, Ban Ho-jin couldn’t even think about promoting himself or even getting dinner.

Without even showering, he came out to the parking lot and was silently swinging his bat.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Whoooooosh!

Although he didn’t express it in words, the shock Ban Ho-jin received that day was truly significant.

It was because he had been preparing to the best of his ability. To become a notable baseball player, to wear a Major League uniform someday.

All those many hours he had swung his bat without missing a single day. But what Ban Ho-jin faced that day was a very cold reality.

‘Okay, let’s say I couldn’t get a hit. But what was that in the last at-bat? Why did I swing at a ball that was so obvious?’

He mustered the courage to ask the Tampa Bay coaching staff for advice, but he couldn’t figure out how to explain his feelings.

He conveyed his intention to meet ‘Kim,’ the only Korean employee, but he was told that he couldn’t just call out a deputy general manager.

So all he could do was come out to the empty parking lot and diligently swing his bat.

‘Damn it, I only have three days left…’

He was impatient.

‘It’s an opportunity that I don’t know when I’ll get again, but am I going to waste it like this?’

He thought he would get a feel for it if he swung the bat a bit, but he felt like he was falling deeper into a swamp.

He couldn’t remember how he had swung the bat before. He couldn’t remember how he had balanced his weight.

Was he falling into a slump like this? Just as Ban Ho-jin, who was suddenly scared, swung his bat more forcefully.

“Hey! Who told you to swing the bat like that? Are you trying to hurt your back while practicing your swing?!”

A voice that poked and entered his eardrum.

Ban Ho-jin, who was startled and turned his head, blinked for a moment with a blank expression.

“D, Deputy Go Chang-deok?!”

That wasn’t all.

“Deputy Cha and Coach Yoo, too…”

Cha Jong-min, the deputy of the operations team, and Yoo Seong-ho, who was in charge of the first-team main hitting coach.

The three Cannons employees were smiling at him.

“No, what the heck…”

A little bit of bewilderment, a little bit of surprise.

And overflowing joy.

With exactly that feeling, Ban Ho-jin was taking a step towards them.

“What brings you here?”