A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 158

Rookie of the Baseball Team is Too Good – Episode 158

Rookie of the Baseball Team is Too Good Episode 158

Chapter 41: The Day Baseball Returned (3)

There was a time when baseball was everything.

This is the story of Kim Sang-hyuk.

-I believe the Cannons need a more aggressive marketing strategy. Otherwise, we won’t be able to penetrate the already well-established metropolitan market…

-Excuse me, Kim Sang-hyuk? I understand what you’re saying, but… Are you sure you haven’t mistaken the topic of your presentation? Today is supposed to be about how you plan to develop your own business ideas, isn’t it?

-Ah, yes! I consider the KH Cannons to be just like my own business! So, I was suggesting ways to increase the Cannons’ revenue…

-Hmm, you have a good amount of ambition, student. Good! Next person?

That’s how it was back then.

I felt like the Cannons were me, and I was the Cannons.

If the Cannons won, I’d be in a good mood all day, and if they lost, I’d be depressed until the next day.

I suppose forming [Nuclear Bombs and Guided Missiles] with my college buddies was along similar lines (a playful name for their fan group).

-The Cannons’ cheering squad doesn’t cover the outfield. So, if we draw people’s attention from the outfield…

-Ah, so! Why should we even care about the Cannons’ cheering squad’s job!

-Um… Right, the ceremonial first pitch! Don’t you guys want to try throwing the first pitch? If we become famous, the team might give us a chance to throw it!

-…The first pitch?

-…The first pitch!

How did that passionate heart grow so cold?

The superficial reason was the FA [Free Agency] transfer of the catcher known as the ‘Heart of the Cannons,’ Chun Jin-woo.

-Chun Jin-woo signed with the Warriors? No, why? Wasn’t everything going well with the Cannons?

-The Cannons didn’t even make an offer to Chun Jin-woo. The Cannons’ general manager called other team managers… and no one was planning to recruit Chun Jin-woo, apparently? So, he thought he could take his time.

-No, did General Manager Park Gyu-jin believe that? Even so, he should have made an offer first!

I had a vague sense of it before, but at that moment, something felt solidified.

‘Ah, I was mistaken.’

I wasn’t asking for much.

We said ‘championship’ every year, but honestly, I didn’t really mean it.

I had to have a conscience; how could I demand a championship when the difference in power was so clear?

But I thought they knew how I felt about this team.

Because there are people who love the Cannons, people who dedicate their lives to the Cannons.

We need to pay a little more attention. We should try to improve from last year.

I thought the team would naturally think that way, but.

‘That’s… not what it was.’

It felt like I was dancing on a stage that no one was watching.

It felt like I was shouting at a firmly closed iron gate.

So, Kim Sang-hyuk gradually lost interest in the Cannons, and in baseball in general.

I’m never going to the baseball stadium again. Even if I do, I won’t get as worked up as I used to.

Kim Sang-hyuk had been so confident in that for the past several years, but-

“Azaleas have bloomed on Yeongsan Hill, but there’s no news from my departed love~”

That afternoon.

When he suddenly came to his senses, he found himself with his college buddies, arms around each other’s shoulders, loudly singing ‘Yeongsan Hill Road’ (a popular Korean song).

“……Huh?”

* * *

Kim Sang-hyuk had been maintaining his composure at first.

He certainly was during the early innings.

Sitting upright in the narrow outfield seat, his mouth firmly shut in a straight line.

It was partly because his friends were giving him subtle glances, but it was also largely because the game itself was unfolding calmly.

Strike!

Strike, batter out!

The Cannons’ starting pitcher, Jimmy Morris, and the Generals’ starting pitcher, Mark Frazier.

The opening game starting pitchers were completely overwhelming the opposing lineups.

The game was such a fierce pitching battle that the first hit from either team didn’t come until the 4th inning, after one out.

However, the flow of the game can change at any time.

“Hmm.”

Kim Sang-hyuk’s body leaned slightly towards the ground after the first out in the bottom of the 7th inning.

The Cannons’ starter Jimmy Morris’s 102nd pitch missed the strike zone, putting runners on 1st and 3rd with one out.

The pitching coach visited the mound but returned to the dugout without any substitution signals.

“Isn’t it time to change the pitcher? The bullpen pitchers seem ready.”

“It’s a chronic problem with KH. They try to play baseball with faith, but it ends up being baseball of destruction.”

Even when he heard his friends grumbling, Kim Sang-hyuk coldly muttered to himself, ‘They’re still the same.’

However, when Jimmy Morris induced a ground ball from the opposing batter with his 103rd pitch, resulting in a 4-6-3 double play, he unconsciously clenched both fists.

“Ball! Base on balls!”

And then, in the top of the 8th inning.

When pinch hitter Ahn Young-chan drew a walk, creating a bases-loaded chance with two outs, he found himself gripping both hands tightly.

The Cannons’ Home Keeper Chun! Jin! Woo!

Then, Chun Jin-woo, who came to the plate, after a long battle that went to the 10th pitch, properly scooped up the forkball that was sinking low below the strike zone.

And the moment that ball slightly passed over the glove of the second baseman, who stretched out with all his might, and ‘dropped’ onto the wide outfield grass in center field.

Babbam-ba! Babbam-ba!

The quick-witted Cannons’ cheering squad leader vigorously played the only popular song in Korea that contains the place name ‘Yeongsan.’

Kim Sang-hyuk, who had been holding out until then, could no longer bear it and jumped up from his seat.

He had no choice but to sing loudly with the thousands of Cannons fans who had come to General’s Stadium that day.

“On the day the azaleas bloomed on Yeongsan Hill, my beautiful love held my hand and promised~”

Damn it, why am I doing this?

What on earth is going on?

Even as he sang ‘Yeongsan Hill Road’ with his arms around his friends’ shoulders, Kim Sang-hyuk couldn’t understand his own actions.

‘…Did I have too much beer today?’

* * *

The KH Cannons’ season opener was held at Seoul General’s Stadium.

The game ended with a victory for the visiting team, KH Cannons. Final score 3-0.

The home team, Dongjin Generals, tried their best until the end, but they couldn’t overcome the wall of the Cannons’ new closer, Jang Dae-woo.

A starting pitcher who takes responsibility for long innings.

Hitters who seize a single chance.

And even a closer who prevents the opponent from harboring false hopes.

In a way, it was a game where the season plan that the Cannons had drawn up last winter worked out perfectly.

However, such a detailed analysis could be postponed to a later date.

First of all, wouldn’t it be better to enjoy the joy of victory?

Choi! Gang! K! H! [Best/Strongest KH!]

Choi! Gang! K! H!

After the game, the Cannons’ cheering slogans echoed along the path leading from the 3rd base exit to the subway station.

This was because the fans, who had not yet shaken off the lingering excitement of the day’s victory, were shouting at the top of their lungs.

So, while still feeling like he was sitting in the stands, one of his college buddies approached Kim Sang-hyuk.

“The first pitch and all that was just an excuse… I actually just wanted to see our faces more often.”

“What?”

“That thing. Nuclear Bombs and Guided Missiles.”

His friend smiled slyly.

“I thought we’d have more free time once we settled down, but it’s getting harder and harder to meet, isn’t it? Especially you.”

“……”

“If we just say let’s get together sometime, it’s hard to ever see each other… But if we book baseball tickets, at least the date and time are fixed.”

So, about that.

His friend carefully continued.

“If it’s too much to gather and hang out as boisterously as we used to, how about just watching baseball quietly like today?”

“You guys really love baseball, huh?”

“What can we do? We’re all together because of the Cannons’ baseball in the first place.”

Right? Doesn’t that sound good?

His friend winked and put his arm around his shoulder, and as Kim Sang-hyuk was just staring at that friend.

“Ah, yes! We’re college buddies! We came to the baseball stadium together after a long time! Yes!”

He heard the voice of one of his buddies next to him.

When he turned his head, he saw his friend being interviewed in front of a camera.

It was a brief moment, but Kim Sang-hyuk didn’t miss the [CannonsTV] sticker attached to the side of the camera (the team’s official YouTube channel).

‘It’s the team’s YouTube channel. Are they sketching the audience or something?’

It was a bit annoying, but he couldn’t just leave his friend there.

Kim Sang-hyuk folded his arms and began to watch his friend’s interview.

“I noticed earlier that you knew all the old Cannons’ cheering songs, so you must have been a fan for quite a while?”

It was a question from the [CannonsTV] PD [Production Director].

I’m sure it was a question to get a comment like, ‘I’ve been a fan for several years, and today’s game was the best.’

But instead, Kim Sang-hyuk’s college buddy began to rattle off stories he hadn’t even been asked about.

“Of course! It’s been a long time! I don’t know if you know, but there used to be some people called ‘Nuclear Bombs and Guided Missiles’ who were famous at Yeongsan Stadium! That’s actually us!”

“……Nuclear Bombs and Guided Missiles?”

It was the moment when the words ‘Aish’ (an expression of frustration) popped out of Kim Sang-hyuk’s mouth.

“That bastard, really……”

He was embarrassed and ashamed.

It’s true that he was embarrassed to have his past of wearing ridiculous hats and dancing revealed.

But what was even more embarrassing was the look on his friend’s face, as if he was saying, ‘I’m this kind of person!’

Now, there are hardly any people who remember, and no one who recognizes them, but what is he so proud of?

“Ah, don’t you know? About 10 years ago……”

“Hey, just shout out a fighting cheer and finish it. Why are you talking nonsense while holding onto busy people?”

Just as Kim Sang-hyuk, his face flushed red, was about to approach his friend in front of the camera.

“Nuclear Bombs and Guided Missiles? Are you really those people from back then?”

There was a voice coming from behind Kim Sang-hyuk.

* * *

‘Hmm?’

Kim Sang-hyuk turned his head towards the owner of the voice.

At first, he was a little unsure, but soon he was able to figure out who that person was.

‘That’s the guy? The one who was standing next to the team owner’s representative and the general manager earlier…….’

The young man who was handing out the schedule in a stiff, robotic manner.

However, when he met him again a few hours later, he was approaching his friend with a bright expression.

“Nice to meet you! I never thought I’d meet the most famous named fans in our Cannons here!”

The man shook hands with a welcoming expression.

The people from the YouTube channel who were filming from behind tilted their heads.

“Special Assistant, do you know them? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of them……”

“Ah, I also heard about it from the general manager a while ago. Back when Cannons Field was Yeongsan Citizen Stadium, there were some very famous people.”

Then, he looked around at Kim Sang-hyuk and his friends.

“So, who was the ‘Nuclear Bomb’ here? I heard that person was the leader…… Did he come today too?”

“Ah, Nuclear Bomb! Nuclear Bomb is right here!”

Kim Sang-hyuk was led by his friends to the young man.

The young man who faced him seemed to stare into his eyes for a while.

And then, he gave a faint smile and reached out to shake his hand.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Kim Ji-sub, the general manager’s assistant for KH Cannons.”

“Ah, yes, I’m Kim Sang-hyuk, but……”

Kim Sang-hyuk gave a slightly wary look.

“Why are you suddenly looking for me?”

“Ah, actually, we’re preparing a fan festival in July.”

“Fan festival?”

“Yes, we’re giving out uniforms to the fans who enter, and we’re having fireworks after the game……”

The KH Cannons’ general manager’s special assistant continued.

“Anyway, while we were looking for someone to throw the ceremonial first pitch at that time, the story of ‘Nuclear Bombs and Guided Missiles’ came up within our team…… Ugh, no matter how much I searched, I couldn’t find their contact information.”

“F, first pitch?!”

The friends standing around were so happy that their mouths were agape, but Kim Sang-hyuk’s expression hardened instead.

He was grateful that they remembered them, but perhaps that was why the resentful feelings from the past were resurfacing.

“There are many other people who can throw the first pitch…… Celebrities, or the Yeongsan Market, or something.”

Kim Sang-hyuk said something he didn’t really mean.

However, the Cannons’ general manager’s special assistant instead replied with a soft smile.

“Hey, how can we do that? It’s a fan festival, an event for the fans.”

He continued.

“Back when the Cannons were having a hard time, when they were so focused on their performance that they couldn’t even pay attention to fan service…… I heard that ‘Nuclear Bombs and Guided Missiles’ played a very big role. They said you guys provided the fan service that the team should have been doing.”

“……”

“I haven’t been here long enough to know, but the people who have been working in the front office for a long time all say that. They said we absolutely have to invite ‘Nuclear Bombs and Guided Missiles.’”

“……Really?”

“Really. Why would I lie about something like this?”

The general manager’s special assistant, who smiled revealing his white teeth, checked his cell phone and made an ‘Aigo’ (an expression of frustration) sound.

Perhaps he was getting a little impatient, as he continued in a slightly faster voice.

“Can I get a business card? I’ll report it to my superiors and contact you in the near future.”

“Ah, a business card? Just a moment……”

As Kim Sang-hyuk took out a business card from his wallet and handed it over, the Cannons’ general manager’s special assistant bowed his head, saying ‘Thank you.’

Then, after greeting the people from the YouTube channel, he quickly ran towards the stadium.

“Ah, shall we start filming again?”

“Yes, yes! Let’s do it! We just have to shout ‘Cannons Fighting!’, right?”

On one side, the filming of [CannonsTV] was resuming, but Kim Sang-hyuk was reflecting on the words of the young man who had taken his business card.

‘We provided the fan service that the team should have been doing…….’

Many emotions came over him.

He also thought that someone was recognizing his past self.

He also resented how he could have done that knowing that.

But he was also a little grateful for the heart that remembered him for so long and came back to find him.

Kim Sang-hyuk stood there for a while, blankly staring in the direction the young man had disappeared.

“Sang-hyuk, let’s go! He said he’s all done.”

When his friends, who had finished the interview, called his name, he turned to the former ‘Guided Missiles’ and said this.