A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 138

Rookie of the Baseball Team Is Too Good – Episode 138

Rookie of the Baseball Team Is Too Good Episode 138

Chapter 36: Only Good at Baseball (2)

Ryu Jang-ho’s failed physical test.

Chaos erupted both inside and outside the club.

[“Jang-ho Again?” KH Ryu Jang-ho, “Only Failure” in the team’s own physical test]

[Highest-paid player on the team… Unfavorable views towards Ryu Jang-ho]

[KH Ryu Jang-ho, facing crisis of failing to participate in the first-team camp for the second consecutive year… Manager Freeman “Wants to see a sense of responsibility”]

The media began to pour out related articles as if they had been waiting for it.

-Isn’t Ryu Jang-ho a moron? How can he do this two years in a row?

-That’s right, he couldn’t participate in the first-team spring camp last year either because of a slump or something, right?

-Guys, maybe Ryu Jang-ho just doesn’t mesh well with our Cannons. We might as well trade him to the Yuseong Warriors…….

-Is the bulletin board manager asleep? It looks like a spy has infiltrated from the trash team?

-Hey, Warriors, get out of our bulletin board.

Internet baseball communities were overflowing with comments criticizing Ryu Jang-ho.

“Hey, Reporter Jung! Isn’t that a bit much? ‘Jang-ho Again.’ Last year and this year are different cases.”

“Reporter Park, are you really going to do this? Who in our club is looking at Jang-ho unfavorably, huh?!”

“Yes, yes, that’s right? He had a cold. How can he run when his body is shivering?”

The Cannons front office was busy trying to calm the agitated public opinion.

“……”

Although he was a step away from the boiling atmosphere, the air in the Cannons general manager’s office was also heavy.

“We don’t have to worry too much about public opinion. Other clubs will announce their spring camp participants within a few days.”

Then other clubs will also have first-team spring camp passers and failures.

People’s attention will naturally shift to that side.

General Manager Seo Chang-gi seemed to be worried about a slightly different point.

“I can’t believe Ryu Jang-ho failed the physical test. I don’t know what’s going on. It’s not like he’s in a slump like last year……”

The problem wasn’t just that.

“The manager is so angry that he won’t even answer my calls…… Damn it, at this rate, Ryu Jang-ho is bound to go to the second-team camp, isn’t he?”

General Manager Seo had put his heart and soul into changing the spring camp operation system over the past few months.

The first-team spring camp is more practice-oriented, and the second-team spring camp is more development-oriented.

His initial plan was to clearly divide the roles and maximize the operational efficiency of each camp.

In this situation, if the team’s best hitter joins the second-team camp, the efficiency is likely to decrease significantly.

“Ryu Jang-ho won’t be able to get satisfactory training, and the second-team coaching staff will pay less attention to other players……”

Damn it, nothing is easy.

General Manager Seo Chang-gi paced around the office with a frustrated expression.

But soon, he turned to Ji-seop and opened his mouth.

“Special Assistant Kim, let’s go with a two-track approach.”

His expression seemed determined.

“I’ll try to persuade the manager. Whether it’s a retest or a fine… Anyway, so that Ryu Jang-ho can join the first-team camp.”

Of course, Ji-seop was not the type of person to ask ‘Then what do I do’ at this timing.

“I understand.”

Ji-seop nodded coolly.

“Then I’ll take care of Jang-ho. I’ll make sure to get that guy’s condition up so that there are no other stories coming out from within the club.”

“That’s right, that’s it!”

General Manager Seo with a satisfied expression.

“Special Assistant Kim, has the Ministry of Environment ever mentioned giving you a commendation? This thing you do that keeps me from having to say too much… I think it would be a great help to national energy conservation?”

A ridiculous joke that anyone could hear.

Ji-seop calmly countered.

“I’ve been contacted a few times, but it’s been canceled every time. It’s true that I save energy, but they say you use too much energy praising me, General Manager.”

“Oh, was that it? So I made Special Assistant Kim miss the opportunity to receive a commendation? I feel so sorry, what should I do?”

Hahahahaha.

General Manager Seo burst into laughter.

But soon he returned to his usual serious expression and looked at Ji-seop.

“Then, I’m counting on you.”

Ji-seop’s answer was also serious.

“Leave it to me, General Manager.”

* * *

To figure out what happened to Ryu Jang-ho.

And to restore him to his original condition as soon as possible.

Immediately after receiving General Manager Seo Chang-gi’s instructions, what came to Ji-seop’s mind was Ryu Jang-ho’s inner thoughts.

The voice that Ji-seop heard when the guy failed the physical test and was called in front of General Manager Seo.

[Damn it, this is ridiculous.]

[It’s already been three months.]

[Is it… this difficult?]

Having read this far, the answer was almost there.

Three months ago, something went wrong with the Cannons’ superstar.

Even when it happened, he seemed to have taken it lightly.

But even after time passed, the aftermath did not subside, and it eventually affected the physical test.

In the end, the key was this.

‘What happened three months ago.’

Reaching this point, Ji-seop immediately took out his cell phone.

The fastest and most reliable way to solve this problem would be to ask Ryu Jang-ho himself.

But what Ji-seop heard was a message saying that his phone was turned off.

‘Well, this is the time when reporters’ calls are pouring in…….’

Having expected it to some extent, Ji-seop immediately took out ‘Plan B.’

The second plan to figure out Ryu Jang-ho’s problem, that was of course-

“Oh, Ji-seop is here?”

Going to meet Go Chang-deok.

If Ji-seop is excluded from the Cannons, the person who has the most conversations with Ryu Jang-ho is still this power analysis team employee.

“I was wondering if I should have Ji-seop go to you because Jang-ho’s phone is turned off… I was thinking something like that.”

Hehe, it reminds me of the old days.

While moving places to avoid people’s attention, Go Chang-deok smiled at Ji-seop.

“You, me, and Jang-ho… We were in this kind of situation in Jeju Island last year, right? Isn’t that right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

The three people who stayed up all night in a small room to overcome Ryu Jang-ho’s slump.

Perhaps because the memory of that time is still vivid, Go Chang-deok seemed to be very sorry for Ryu Jang-ho’s failure in the physical test.

I also caught a glimpse of a strong ‘will’ to work with Ji-seop to save Ryu Jang-ho this time.

“Oh, this place is empty.”

Go Chang-deok went into a small room with ‘Power Analysis Room B’ written on it and turned on the light ‘click’.

As Ji-seop, who followed behind, sat down on a chair, Go Chang-deok opened his mouth with a serious expression.

“Did you find out anything?”

At the same time, Go Chang-deok took out the tablet PC he carried around like a part of himself.

“Hey, I really don’t know the reason. The body fat test I took right before the 4km run… Jang-ho was the best overall in that.”

“Really?”

“Not only that. I also measured his athletic ability while testing the newly introduced equipment this time? He got a perfect score there too. Perfect, completely perfect.”

“Ah.”

Ji-seop was relieved.

I was worried that the winter training might have been disrupted because of what happened three months ago.

But listening to Go Chang-deok’s story, Ryu Jang-ho seemed to have made his body great even while his mentality was shaking.

‘Okay, so I put down one worry. What’s left is……’

Figuring out what ‘trouble’ happened to him.

Ji-seop opened his mouth with a cautious expression.

“Actually… it’s not like there are no clues at all.”

“Oh, really?”

Go Chang-deok, who was happy.

Of course, since I can’t just tell the truth, I needed to make excuses again this time.

“Yesterday, when Jang-ho was called in front of the general manager, I heard him muttering to himself.”

“Wow, you have good ears.”

So, so?

Go Chang-deok, who is showing more interest.

“What did Jang-ho say?”

“It seems like something happened to Jang-ho three months ago. He said that he was worried about what happened at that time……”

“Three months ago?”

As if trying to remember, Go Chang-deok rolled his eyes with a serious expression.

“If it’s three months ago, isn’t that right after we failed to make it to the fall baseball season? I can’t think of anything else……”

Just when it seemed like he wouldn’t get any useful information from Go Chang-deok either.

A voice that sounded like breaking a bowl came out from an unexpected place.

“Scott Boras!!!”

“Ah, damn it, you scared me!”

Go Chang-deok was startled.

Ji-seop was also quite surprised and opened his eyes wide, and unexpected people appeared as the curtains inside the power analysis room opened ‘chwarak’ [sound of curtains opening].

“That American agent! Wasn’t it three months ago that Jang-ho signed a contract with that person?”

The person who said that was pitcher Jang Dae-woo, who recently joined the Cannons.

“Dae-woo, why are you shouting so suddenly? Special Assistant Kim was surprised.”

The person who was kindly advising Jang Dae-woo was ‘the heart of the Cannons,’ catcher Cheon Jin-woo.

“No, in the first place, you shouldn’t be talking here! Now everyone will know where we’re hiding!”

Player Ahn Young-chan, the ‘top negotiator for salary negotiations,’ was grumbling with his arms crossed between the two.

“Kim Special Assistant, hello… mumble mumble.”

And Lee Soo-bin, the ‘promising giant hitter’ who was quietly melting a cookie while being stuck between these three.

……Wait a minute.

Soo-bin, what are you doing now?

* * *

Jang Dae-woo, Cheon Jin-woo, Ahn Young-chan, Lee Soo-bin.

The three oldest members of the Cannons and one promising player who just turned twenty this year.

Seeing the four players who suddenly appeared, Ji-seop and Go Chang-deok were speechless for a while.

“……”

It was absurd. It was ridiculous.

I was wondering what the heck the people who made a name for themselves in the baseball world were doing there.

I wanted to handle things as quietly as possible, considering Ryu Jang-ho’s position, but it seemed like that was gone.

Fortunately, the oldest members of the Cannons were quite quick-witted.

“Originally, that place was full of power analysis equipment, but they cleaned it all up a while ago? So we brought chairs and pillows……”

Explanation that they needed a place to rest while avoiding the eyes of the coaching staff.

“Ah, don’t worry! We will keep Jang-ho’s story a secret until the matter is resolved!”

“Instead, you have to keep the fact that there is such a space here a secret from the coaches. Originally, the trainer’s room was our hideout, but that place was raided……”

At the same time, the oldest players of the Cannons sat around the desk ‘shashak’ [sound of shuffling].

Anyway, they also seemed to be worried about Ryu Jang-ho.

“Special Assistant Kim, anyway, isn’t there some possibility in my story…?”

Scott Boras.

Player Jang Dae-woo continued.

“Signing a contract with Scott Boras means that entering the major league has become serious… As a player, you can feel a considerable burden.”

Analysis worthy of a major leaguer.

However, player Cheon Jin-woo, who was sitting next to him, shook his head.

“That’s what you’re saying because you don’t know Ryu Jang-ho well yet. At least when it comes to baseball, that guy has no fear.”

“That’s right, Ryu Jang-ho is that kind of guy.”

Player Ahn Young-chan also nodded.

“If he had trained harder, I don’t know… A person’s mind is distracted by the burden of the major league? That can’t happen to Jang-ho.”

The oldest players of the Cannons who naturally participated in the discussion.

While laughing at their nonchalance, Ji-seop opened his mouth.

“Yes, I think so too.”

At least it’s not because of baseball.

Ji-seop was judging that way.

“If it was a baseball problem, he would have told me or Chang-deok hyung [older brother/friend] right away… I think it’s a personal problem this time. Relationships or family.”

“Relationship?”

“Family?”

The oldest players of the Cannons, listening to Ji-seop’s opinion, fell into deep thought.

Just when they were still unable to grasp the situation, Lee Soo-bin, who was sulking because Ji-seop took his cookie, raised his head.

“But seniors, what are you talking about now?”

“What?!”

The oldest players glared at the twenty-year-old prospect.

“Jang-ho! Your roommate Ryu Jang-ho! Something happened to Jang-ho!”

“Anyway, that guy only thinks about food……”

“Don’t make a stupid face and use your head! What happened to Jang-ho three months ago!”

“Three months… ago?”

Lee Soo-bin counted his fingers.