A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 167

The Newcomer Is Too Good – Episode 167

The Newcomer Is Too Good 167

44. Scavenging the Ballpark (1)

Pitcher Ma Gang-sik joined the KH Cannons through their first trade of the season.

He adapted to his new team much faster than people had expected.

“……”

In fact, Ma Gang-sik had worn a rather awkward expression for the first few days.

Perhaps it was only natural.

It was his first trade in his career, and the Cannons and Guardians were said to have very different team atmospheres.

Ji-seop didn’t witness it himself, but he heard that Jang Dae-woo, the Cannons’ new closer, had offered a helping hand to Ma Gang-sik, who had been silent in the dugout.

“Mr. Ma Gang-sik, aren’t you sad about this?”

To be exact, it was on his third day joining the Cannons, during pre-game practice.

One of the reporters, turning away after an interview with Manager Freeman, had thrown out this remark.

“Wasn’t Ma Gang-sik famous for being Ryu Jang-ho’s ‘nemesis’? But now you’re on the same team… I wonder if your salary will be cut next year? Hahaha.”

Later, when the PR team officially protested this statement, the reporter’s excuse was as follows.

Ma Gang-sik’s expression looked too dark, so he was trying to lighten the mood with a joke, but it seemed to have been a slip of the tongue.

Whatever the reporter’s intention, it wouldn’t have been pleasant for a player who had just moved teams.

“Ah, well……”

Still, the reporter was from a fairly famous newspaper, so he couldn’t say much and just gave an awkward smile.

That’s when the veteran pitcher, who had played in the Major League until last year, rushed over and scolded him like this.

“Hey, Mr. Reporter! Why are you saying such disappointing things? A salary cut? Why would our Gang-sik get a cut?!”

“Oh, no, Mr. Jang Dae-woo! That’s not what I meant……”

“Why is someone who knows the players’ records so well acting like this? Is Jang-ho the only one Gang-sik is good at catching? Left-handed hitters can’t even lift their heads in front of Gang-sik, can they?”

“Well, yes? I guess because he’s a left-handed pitcher……”

“That’s right! I’ve been all over the Major League, but there aren’t many pitchers like our Gang-sik. As a reporter for the great Youngsan Daily, you should know that much!”

“I understand, Mr. Jang Dae-woo! I’m sorry. Mr. Ma Gang-sik, don’t be upset. I made a mistake!”

The most senior pitcher on the new team.

Moreover, a veteran pitcher who had been recognized in the Major League.

Jang Dae-woo’s ‘support fire’ seemed to have had a significant impact on Ma Gang-sik.

From that point on, Ma Gang-sik began to mingle with the other players on the Cannons, little by little.

“Hey, bro, where do you usually eat on weekends? I’m not familiar with Youngsan geography yet.”

“Oh, is that so? Then let’s go together next rest day! I’ve scouted all the best restaurants in Youngsan, you know?”

Almost simultaneously with the improvement in his relationships with his teammates, his preparation for pitching began to accelerate.

He started by checking his condition with bullpen pitching, and then he earned a passing grade in the minor league tryout with 5 innings and 1 run allowed.

And then, a few days later, on the day Ma Gang-sik made his first start as a member of the KH Cannons.

“Hello!”

Ji-seop was entering the data analysis room of the KH Cannons.

* * *

Data analysis room.

Depending on the team, it may be called the ‘game record room’ or the ‘power analysis room,’ but its location and function are not significantly different.

It is usually located behind home plate, where the game can be best observed, and where power analysis team employees reside to record and analyze the game.

Since being appointed as a special advisor to the general manager, it was not uncommon for Ji-seop to watch games from here-

“Oh, Special Advisor Kim?!”

“What brings you here, Ji-seop?”

The power analysis team employees who greeted Ji-seop that day all had their eyes wide open.

Of course, there was a good reason for that.

“Special Advisor Kim, didn’t you say you were on vacation until today? Was I mistaken?”

That’s right. Ji-seop was originally on vacation at this time.

Getting information about Ma Gang-sik from ‘Hwang Jo-mi,’ and giving decisive advice on the direction of the trade.

As a kind of reward for his past achievements, General Manager Seo Chang-ki had given him three days of vacation.

And there was a reason why Ji-seop was sneaking his face into the ballpark on the last day of that vacation.

“If we win today, and SH loses… doesn’t that mean our Cannons will move up to first place alone?”

Ji-seop sat down next to Go Chang-deok and continued.

“First place in the mid-season standings, which we couldn’t do last year… The article said it’s the first time in 13 years, right? How can I stay home alone on such a historic day? I have to high-five the players and get some boiled beef slices from Jeonju House.”

Ji-seop had put more weight on ‘high-fiving the players,’ but the power analysis team employees seemed to take it completely differently.

“Ah, that’s right. Special Advisor Kim really likes the boiled beef slices from Jeonju House, doesn’t he? He eats three or four plates every time he goes, right?”

“The general manager doesn’t even book company dinners at Jeonju House these days because Special Advisor Kim goes into stealth mode as soon as he gets there……”

“Ugh, what a terrible meat lover! How can you come to the ballpark on vacation just to eat a few slices of boiled meat?”

What are these people saying?

Ji-seop quickly began to protest.

“Hey, what are you talking about! Do you think I came all the way here because of boiled beef slices? It’s all to celebrate the first solo first place in 13 years……”

Ji-seop, who had been talking at length, soon shut his mouth.

He had discovered that Go Chang-deok and the other power analysis team members were looking at him and laughing.

“Hehe, when you look at it, Ji-seop, you… even after becoming a special advisor to the general manager, you don’t seem to have changed much from last year?”

“I know, right? Sometimes he looks very sharp, but other times there’s no one as fun to tease as Ji-seop.”

“Ah, yes, is that so?”

Ji-seop replied in a somewhat blunt tone.

However, Ji-seop’s expression quickly softened with a bottle of vitamin drink that Go Chang-deok handed him.

“Anyway……”

Click.

Opening the lid of the vitamin drink, Ji-seop asked the power analysis team employees.

“I couldn’t watch the bullpen pitching, so… how is Ma Gang-sik’s condition today? Is he okay?”

“Is he okay?”

It was at this moment that the power analysis team employees’ attention was focused on Ji-seop.

“No, he’s the best!”

The power analysis team employees raised their thumbs as if they had made an appointment in advance.

* * *

No need for words. He’s in the best condition.

We might want to contact the UB Guardians in advance. Tell them to close their team website bulletin board in advance.

Because the UB Guardians fans’ anger will reach its peak after today’s game.

That was the assessment of the Cannons power analysis team employees regarding Ma Gang-sik.

To be honest, Ji-seop couldn’t believe their words as they were.

If his pitches were that good, if his condition was that good, the UB Guardians wouldn’t have traded Ma Gang-sik because of the team atmosphere.

‘No, in the first place, Guardians Manager Choi wouldn’t have ordered him to return to the middle relief position.’

But… what do you know.

That day, Ji-seop was able to realize anew the ‘importance of atmosphere change’ or the ‘power of motivation’ that players often talk about.

Against the Yuseong Warriors, who were wielding a batting average of .300 in the early season, Ma Gang-sik showed literally overwhelming pitching.

Whoosh- Crack!

Whoosh- Crack!

Whoosh- Crack!!!

The speed itself was not great.

The average speed was in the late 130km/h range [approximately 81 mph], and even the fastest ball did not exceed 145km/h [approximately 90 mph].

However, the slider with a strange trajectory coming from his unique pitching form still exerted its power against the Yuseong Warriors’ left-handed hitters.

Here, the circle changeup, which he had been steadily practicing since being instructed to convert to a starter, made the opposing right-handed hitters swing their bats helplessly- Strike!

Strike!

Strike, batter out!!!

Ma Gang-sik was able to create the most brilliant starting appearance game in his baseball career.

He threw 101 pitches in 6.1 innings, allowing 3 hits and no runs, with 7 strikeouts.

It was perhaps only natural that his name was shouted from the KH Cannons field stands when he handed the ball to the pitching coach and stepped down from the mound.

Ma Gang-sik! Ma Gang-sik! Ma Gang-sik! Ma Gang-sik!

The results of the trade can only be known after a few years, but Ji-seop, who had been running diligently after General Manager Seo Chang-ki, could not help but feel overwhelmed.

And after some time, another welcome news came from Go Chang-deok, who was watching games in other stadiums.

“Oh, team leader! SH just got reversed! The current score in the top of the 8th is 5-4!”

“What, what?!”

The SH Knights, who won the Korean Series [championship series] last season and were running first in this season as well.

The news that they had allowed a comeback to the Geosan Mariners in today’s game.

As this news spread, a strange silence began to settle in the data analysis room, which had been noisy with praise for Ma Gang-sik.

‘Since the current score is 1-0, if the current score is maintained until the end… are we going up to first place alone?’

‘First place alone? In 13 years? Are we really going up to first place?!’

‘Damn it, why does the score have to be so low on a day like this? If we could just get one or two more points, we could watch comfortably…….’

Please, just like this.

Please, please, just like this.

People looking at the ground beyond the glass with earnest eyes.

But baseball is a very fickle sport.

A crisis came to the Cannons, who were leading by a precarious 1-0.

Clang!

In the top of the 8th inning, the lead hitter of the Yuseong Warriors attacked the first pitch of the changed pitcher Kim Jung-gyu and hit a double that completely split the left-center field.

The following hitter hit a deep ground ball to the second baseman, creating a situation of 1 out and 3rd base.

Wow!!!

Wow!!!

The Warriors cheering squad, which had been silent throughout the game, erupted in cheers of joy, and the Cannons fans, who had been praying for first place alone, clasped their hands as if praying.

The people on the power analysis team who were watching the game were also anxious.

“Ah, damn it! Can’t we just put Jang Dae-woo in here? Can’t we?”

“Don’t talk nonsense. What team entrusts their closer with 5 outs in the first game of the week?”

“It’s frustrating, frustrating. Our Jung-gyu almost never gets strikeouts at times like this……”

Clang!

What silenced the power analysis team employee was a batting sound that came from the ground.

The batting sound itself was very intense, but the batted ball did not extend as far as expected.

A shallow fly to the right-center field. In Ji-seop’s view, he could see the center fielder and right fielder running with all their might.

‘It’s a catchable ball.’

It seemed possible enough.

‘The question is… will the 3rd base runner run home on this ball?’

Ji-seop’s prediction was not far off.

He thought the right fielder would catch it, but it was Ryu Jang-ho, who boasts the widest range of defense in the Cannons, who snatched the ball.

The moment Ryu Jang-ho caught the ball, the 3rd base coach of the Yuseong Warriors shouted, pointing to home.

“Go!!!”

The Warriors seemed to have decided to make a move here.

With one foot on the base, the 3rd base runner began to run vigorously with the coach’s cry.

“3rd base is going! Going! Going!!!”

The Cannons infielders, too, hurried to shout ‘back home.’

They were shouting to throw the ball quickly, but Ryu Jang-ho had definitely become more experienced this season.

“……”

After checking the movement of the 3rd base runner with a sidelong glance, he spun his body once in the same motion as catching the ball.

And then, he threw the ball with all his might towards catcher Cheon Jin-woo behind home plate.

Whoosh-

The ball that left Ryu Jang-ho’s fingertips was accurately sucked into Cheon Jin-woo’s mitt.

“Eugh!!!”

The Warriors’ 3rd base runner, who had already reached close to home plate, attempted a headfirst slide.

Whack!

Yellow dust billowed around home plate.

Ji-seop, as well as everyone watching the game in the data analysis room, jumped to their feet.

‘……What’s the call?’

‘What happened?’

‘Damn it! Is it out or safe?!’

After a moment that felt like an eternity, what came into Ji-seop’s view was-

“Out! Out!!!”

The umpire was swinging his fist with all his might.