A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 168

44. Hunting Grounds at the Baseball Stadium (2)

That day, the KH Cannons won.

The final score was 1-0.

Woo-ah-ah-ah!!!

Holding onto that narrow lead until the end was definitely cause for celebration.

However, the KH Cannons’ chance to clinch sole first place would have to wait.

News arrived that the leading SH Knights had won a come-from-behind victory after a long, drawn-out extra-inning game.

‘……Damn it.’

Because of this, the ‘beef suyuk’ [boiled beef slices] dinner at [Jeonju House], which Ji-seop had been secretly looking forward to, was naturally canceled.

As usual, Ji-seop had a simple dinner near the baseball stadium and then headed home with Go Chang-deok.

“Well, there’s always another day. Right?”

Go Chang-deok’s voice was very cheerful.

Although the sole first place, which they hadn’t achieved in 13 years, had slipped away, he seemed satisfied with many aspects of the game.

“The biggest win is getting a starting pitcher who can last more than 6 innings. Baseball is all about the starting pitcher, isn’t it?”

He was talking about Ma Gang-sik, who made his first appearance after being traded in that day’s game.

“Jung-gyu was a bit shaky, but he managed to hold on without giving up any runs, and Dae-woo *hyung* [older brother/male friend] always shows his major league class… I’m not kidding, but we might be able to pull off something big this year? Hahaha.”

Go Chang-deok, seemingly in a very good mood, clenched his fist and tapped the steering wheel.

It was right after the car stopped at a traffic light that he turned his gaze to Ji-seop, who was sitting next to him.

“But…….”

Go Chang-deok craned his neck.

“Ji-seop, what have you been staring at since earlier? Did Hwang Jo-mi release another exclusive article or something?”

“Hehe, how often can Hwang Jo-mi release exclusives like that?”

Ji-seop chuckled and replied.

“It’s the game footage from today. The play in the top of the 8th inning.”

“The top of the 8th… Ah!”

Go Chang-deok nodded.

“You’re talking about Jang-ho throwing out the runner at home from third base, right? Yeah, that was amazing too! He was completely caught off balance, but he managed to make that throw to home plate!”

That crazy bastard, really.

A monster, a monster.

Go Chang-deok was amazed by Ryu Jang-ho’s incredible athleticism.

Ji-seop didn’t disagree with that, but something was bothering him slightly.

“I also think Jang-ho’s throw to home was really amazing, but… I’m a little concerned about what happened right before that.”

“What happened right before?”

“Yes, no matter how I look at it, the right fielder should have caught the ball in that situation.”

It was a bit ambiguous, but the batted ball definitely skewed towards the right fielder’s side.

So, instead of Ryu Jang-ho, the center fielder, running like crazy to catch the ball, the right fielder should have made the play.

“Isn’t that why Jang-ho was caught off balance? Since the center fielder recklessly caught the ball that the right fielder should have caught, it was bound to be difficult to transition into the next motion.”

“Oh, oh, now that I hear it, that’s right?”

Go Chang-deok seemed to be picturing the situation in his head.

“If the right fielder had caught it, he could have immediately gone for the home play without turning his body or anything… That’s right, it seems like Jang-ho was a bit greedy this time.”

Upon hearing Go Chang-deok’s words, Ji-seop put his phone on his lap.

‘Greedy, huh…….’

That was a possibility.

Then and now, Ryu Jang-ho’s style was to chase after the ball like a mad dog.

With his innate athleticism combined with such aggressiveness, he became one of the best center fielders in the league.

But for some reason, Ji-seop couldn’t take Go Chang-deok’s words at face value.

So, he brought up one thing.

“*Hyung*, it was Kyung Seon-woo, right? The right fielder today.”

“Hey, when wasn’t it Kyung Seon-woo today? Seon-woo has been starting as the right fielder since last week… um?”

Go Chang-deok’s intuition became incredibly sharp in these situations.

He immediately grasped why Ji-seop had mentioned ‘Kyung Seon-woo’.

“You mean that, right? Jang-ho and Seon-woo… there’s something between those two? Like, their communication isn’t working well?”

“Yes, there seems to be some possibility…….”

Ji-seop looked at Go Chang-deok.

“What do you think, *hyung*?”

* * *

Kyung Seon-woo. 21 years old. Left-handed batter and thrower.

He was a player who was drawing attention as the ‘new face’ of the KH Cannons this season.

Until last year, he had been playing in the minor leagues, but his skills improved dramatically after joining the Florida spring training camp this year.

In particular, he was the only Cannons player to record 3 hits in the practice game against the Boston Red Sox.

Tak!

Taaaaak!

Perhaps thanks to that strong impression, he succeeded in making the opening roster for the first time in three years since joining the team.

Since then, he had been fiercely competing with his seniors for the starting right fielder position in the Cannons-

“Hmm, Kyung Seon-woo, huh…….”

The story was that Kyung Seon-woo was having some trouble with Ryu Jang-ho.

Go Chang-deok’s answer to Ji-seop’s question was as follows.

“I don’t know? I’m not sure?”

Go Chang-deok was tilting his head while turning the steering wheel.

“They’re a bit awkward with each other. That’s true. But if you think about it that way, how many people on our team can laugh and joke with Jang-ho?”

That was a valid point.

Even Lee Soo-bin, who was the most sociable in the Cannons, had never properly tried to joke with Ryu Jang-ho.

“Besides, Seon-woo just came up to the first team, right? It’s only natural that he doesn’t mesh as well with Jang-ho compared to the other players.”

There was a bit of awkwardness at the beginning of the season, but wouldn’t it naturally get better over time?

Since what he said wasn’t wrong, Ji-seop nodded and put his phone in his pocket.

But,

The very next day.

Ji-seop realized that his hunch was correct.

It was when he went to report to manager Arthur Freeman that he had returned to work after a three-day vacation.

“I’m glad you’re back from your break. I was worried that you might collapse. Me and Mr. Hong here.”

In the KH Cannons’ manager’s office, filled with the subtle aroma of coffee.

Arthur Freeman, nodding with a pleased expression, put down his coffee cup and opened his mouth.

“I’m a little sorry to say this to someone who just returned from vacation, but… Ji-seop, can I ask you for a favor?”

“Oh, what are you talking about? It’s my job to follow the manager’s instructions.”

Ji-seop quickly put down his coffee cup.

“What is it, manager?”

“Well, it’s not that…….”

It was the next moment that Ji-seop thought, ‘Ah, I wasn’t wrong.’

“Jang-ho and Seon-woo… I’d like you to figure out what the relationship between these two guys is like.”

“Ryu Jang-ho and Kyung Seon-woo, you mean?”

At this time, Ji-seop was recalling the situation in the top of the 8th inning of the previous day’s game.

Did manager Arthur Freeman also notice that something was wrong?

“The thing that happened in Sunday’s game felt a little unsettling.”

“If it’s last Sunday, are you talking about the game where Jang-ho hit the walk-off hit and won?”

“That’s right. It seems like you watched the game too.”

Freeman continued.

“It was a really tough game. The two teams combined for nearly 20 hits, and the game went to the 11th inning. And then Jang-ho hit the walk-off hit…….”

“It must have been crazy.”

“Of course, it was crazy! Everyone ran out and poured water, cheering… But you know.”

A strange expression appeared on Freeman’s face.

“Among the players who were pouring water on Jang-ho… Seon-woo wasn’t there?”

“Excuse me?”

“Everyone was surrounding Jang-ho and making a fuss, but Seon-woo was taking a step back and just clapping. Like the coaches.”

Isn’t that a little strange?

That was Arthur Freeman’s point.

* * *

In baseball, especially in professional baseball, a walk-off hit has a special meaning.

It’s a bit different from simply winning or losing a game.

Young players. Players who haven’t been on the first team for long.

Players who can’t help but feel a little intimidated within the team due to their age or experience.

For those players, a walk-off hit plays the role of a ‘liberation zone’.

Waaaaaaah!!!

Euryahhhhh!!!

He’s usually a scary *sunbae* [senior/older colleague], a *sunbae* you can’t even make eye contact with.

But the team’s culture was that the *hoobaes* [juniors/younger colleagues] were allowed to do whatever they wanted when that *sunbae* hit a walk-off hit.

Pouring water is a must, hitting the *sunbae’s* helmet with a ‘thud’ is basic, and secretly approaching and cursing ‘You bad son of a b*tch!’ is rather cute.

These days, the broadcasting company’s filming technology has improved, so they don’t do that anymore, but at one time, there were cases where they took off the *sunbae’s* pants or kicked their butt.

-Who is it?! Who the hell just kicked my butt!!!

Depending on their personality, there were cases where they viewed this culture negatively, but the general perception was that it helped strengthen the team’s unity.

No matter how scary the *sunbae* is, no matter how much resentment you have towards your colleague.

After taking the opportunity of a walk-off hit to play a prank, the junior players can’t help but feel relieved.

It’s perhaps a natural result that it helps improve the relationship between the players.

‘It should have gone that way…….’

The news that the KH Cannons’ new right fielder didn’t even do that.

On the way out of the manager’s office and towards the general manager’s office, Ji-seop couldn’t help but scratch the back of his head.

‘If this is the case, it’s confirmed that there’s some trouble between Ryu Jang-ho and Kyung Seon-woo.’

Then what should I do?

At this point, Ji-seop had become almost a veteran in this type of work.

‘It’s a bit annoying, but it would be best to meet them one by one and listen to their stories, right? Then when would be a good time…….’

Ji-seop began to think about his schedule and the team’s movements in his head.

Since becoming the general manager’s special assistant, the amount of time he could freely use had decreased a lot.

When would be a good time? As he was thinking and about to step onto the stairs leading to the second floor, he heard a voice calling ‘Ji-seop-ah!’ from the front.

“Ah, *hyung*?”

The owner of the voice was Go Chang-deok.

“What’s going on? Isn’t it time for you to have a meeting with the players right now?”

“Yeah, it is, but…….”

I have something to tell you.

Go Chang-deok’s voice was a bit troubled.

“Something to tell me? What is it?”

“You asked me yesterday. Jang-ho and Seon-woo… are they okay? Is there any problem?”

“Yes, I did.”

“I told you there was no problem… but when I thought about it, that wasn’t the case. They’ve been a bit strange lately.”

This was a story that I thought could come out enough.

And the story that Ji-seop didn’t expect came next.