A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 198

51. Isn’t This Too Much? (4)

Two days later.

Around 1 PM on Saturday.

Jisub was on the phone with the league’s game supervisor.

“Hello, Supervisor! This is Kim Jisub from the Cannons. Yes, yes!”

The game supervisor’s official title was ‘Game Operations Committee Member.’

They were mostly former professional baseball managers who were responsible for the overall operation of the day’s game.

Usually, they would just exchange light greetings, but today, Jisub had already spoken with the game supervisor several times.

The reason was this.

Swishhhhh-

A considerable amount of rain was falling in Yeongsan City that day.

Deciding whether to cancel the day’s game due to rain was the sole authority of the game supervisor.

“Ah, yes, that’s right. We should try to proceed with the game if possible… But if we have to cancel it anyway, wouldn’t it be better to make the decision before the spectators enter? Yes, there’s that issue too.”

After a rather lengthy call, Jisub managed to get a response from the game supervisor that they would make a decision within 30 minutes.

Now, all that was left was to wait quietly for the rainout decision.

After reporting this to General Manager Seo Changgi, Jisub headed to the KH Cannons’ indoor training facility.

“Ah, you’re here, Hyungnim [older brother/respected senior]!”

“Hello, Special Advisor Kim!”

The reason Jisub visited the indoor training facility was to check on the players’ conditions.

When you live as a professional athlete, you’re bound to have injuries in one or two places, and even after recovering, they tend to throb or hurt when it rains.

‘There are always some stubborn bears who don’t tell the trainers about these things.’

Today was no exception.

As he greeted the players and looked into their eyes, ‘stubborn bears’ were being caught one after another, like harvesting potatoes.

“H-How did you know that?”

“My shoulder has been a little stiff, just as you said…”

Ignoring minor pain could lead to major injuries later on.

Jisub handed over the ‘stubborn bears,’ who were looking at him with bewildered expressions, to the training room.

As he was about to turn around after finishing that simple task, a group of players came into Jisub’s view.

“No, that’s not right! You can’t look at it that way!”

“No, why not? Anyone can see that I’m right!”

Captain Chun Jinwoo, along with Ahn Youngchan, Ryu Jangho, Lee Subin, and others.

The Cannons’ starting members were gathered in a corner of the training facility, arguing loudly.

At first, Jisub was going to say, ‘Aren’t you supposed to be training?’ but he quietly closed his mouth after seeing the screen of the tablet PC they were looking at.

‘Ah, that person is…’

It was Mike Pontius.

The UB Guardians’ new foreign pitcher.

In his Korean debut last week, he had a one-hit shutout victory, and in his second appearance the day before, he pitched 8 innings with 2 hits and no runs.

He was continuing his terrifying performance of 3 hits and no runs in a total of 17 innings.

There were evaluations that the best foreign pitcher of all time had appeared, and some people were prematurely predicting the UB Guardians’ come-from-behind victory.

A kind of ‘Pontius syndrome’ was raging like a wildfire in the Korean baseball scene.

Jisub nodded silently to himself.

‘The starting players must be gathered to discuss countermeasures against Mike Pontius.’

He thought, ‘They are my players after all.’

No matter what, their passion for baseball is real.

The fact that he was aiming for the championship with these players made him feel proud, but-

“Still, it can’t be a cat! What baseball player in the world would engrave a cat?!”

What is this about?

The story was flowing in a strange direction.

“You can engrave it! It could be a cat they’ve raised since they were young. Then they’d have a lot of memories, right?”

“No, it’s not! It’s best to see it as at least a jaguar, or a leopard. That fits the image of a baseball player, doesn’t it?”

Cat, jaguar, leopard came out.

Not control, speed, or stamina.

“What are you all talking about?”

Unable to contain his rising questions, Jisub joined their conversation.

Before he could even say ‘Hello,’ the players shoved the tablet PC at Jisub and asked.

“Jisub, take a look at this.”

Ahn Youngchan pointed to Mike Pontius’s right forearm.

“This guy’s tattoo… It’s a cat, right? It looks like a cat to you too, right, Jisub?”

“Wait a minute, a tattoo?”

Jisub scratched his head.

“So, everyone… You’ve been talking about Pontius’s tattoo all this time?”

* * *

Jisub let out a hollow laugh.

The entire baseball scene was buzzing with Mike Pontius’s consecutive good pitches, but the Cannons’ starting members were leisurely looking at his tattoo design.

‘We’re going to face him next weekend… Aren’t they worried at all?’

In a way, he thought it was an expression of strong confidence.

He thought it was better than being scared and feeling burdened.

Still, as a special advisor to the general manager, he wondered if he should nag them a bit here, but right then.

“You seem to be deep in thought?”

Chun Jinwoo spoke to him.

“Is it because of Mike Pontius after all? I heard that guy had a great pitching performance yesterday, too.”

“Ah, yes, well…”

Jisub thought it was a good thing.

Since the topic came up, it would be good to check the players’ atmosphere.

“What did you think, Sunbaenim [respected senior]? Other teams are saying that a legendary foreign player has appeared.”

“Well, I thought he wouldn’t be easy to deal with. I also felt that he was on a different level from the foreign pitchers who have recently joined the league.”

Chun Jinwoo, who had been speaking with a serious expression, suddenly smiled here.

“But well… I’m not too worried. A countermeasure will come out soon, so I just need to maintain my condition until then.”

“A countermeasure will come out?”

Jisub tilted his head at the unexpected answer.

And the next moment, Jisub could understand why the Cannons’ players were so relaxed.

“Yes, won’t it come out in a day or two?”

Chun Jinwoo continued.

“Go Changdeok from the power analysis team went down to Daegu the day before yesterday, didn’t he? To watch Mike Pontius’s game in person.”

“Ah, Hyungnim [older brother/respected senior] Changdeok?”

Jisub was slightly taken aback by the mention of an unexpected person.

It was at that moment that Jisub heard ‘testimony’ about Go Changdeok.

“Well, if Changdeok went in person, you can say the game is over. He’s a guy who finds the opponent pitcher’s weaknesses like a ghost.”

It was Ahn Youngchan’s words.

“Chanyeop of the Mariners, Miller of the Warriors, Jumin of the Kings… They were all caught on Changdeok’s radar and completely털렸으니 (completely털렸으니) [utterly defeated/destroyed].”

“R-Really?”

Go Changdeok had never said such a thing, so Jisub felt a little dazed.

“Analysis is analysis, but I like that he explains it well.”

Lee Subin also chimed in.

“Of course, other people work hard too… But Hyungnim [older brother/respected senior] Changdeok’s explanations are especially easy to understand. How should I put it, it feels like it sticks in my head?”

“Yeah, it’s really weird, isn’t it? Why is Hyung [older brother/respected senior] Changdeok’s explanation easy to understand? Is it because he doesn’t use English?”

“I heard last time that he watches a lot of top instructors’ YouTube videos? I wonder if he’s copying them?”

Thorough analysis of the opponent.

He explains the analysis in an easy-to-understand way.

For the Cannons’ players, power analyst Go Changdeok had become an ‘icon of trust.’

“Why are you so surprised, Hyungnim [older brother/respected senior].”

Ryu Jangho gave a faint smile to Jisub, who was inwardly surprised.

“You have to explain it easily to the players… That’s what you told Hyungnim [older brother/respected senior] Changdeok, right? Around the time we first met.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

Jisub looked at Go Changdeok again.

Just analyzing the opponent would have given him a headache, but he was also trying to explain it easily to the players.

He had gathered and gathered those difficult days, and had become an employee who was trusted by the players.

‘I have to tell him later. How the players think of Hyungnim [older brother/respected senior].’

How would Go Changdeok react if I told him?

Would he scratch the back of his head awkwardly and laugh, or would he raise his nose high and say, ‘Well, who do you think I am!’

While thinking about Go Changdeok’s expected reaction in his mind and talking with the players.

Brrr- Brrr- Brrr-

A phone call came to Jisub’s phone.

A strange smile appeared on Jisub’s face as he took out his phone from his jacket pocket and checked the caller.

“This Hyungnim [older brother/respected senior] can’t be a gentleman after all?”

It was Go Changdeok.

Was the analysis of Mike Pontius completed?

* * *

“Yes, Hyungnim [older brother/respected senior].”

Jisub pressed the ‘Call’ button as soon as he checked the caller, but he couldn’t continue the conversation with Go Changdeok right away.

The Cannons’ first-team manager, who had just entered the indoor training facility, shouted this.

“The game supervisor’s official announcement is out! Today’s game is canceled!!!”

“Ooh yeah!!!”

“Rainout!!!”

It would have been a very disappointing thing for baseball fans, but it was like welcome rain for the players who had been playing games every day.

‘Let’s go eat!’ Because of the players who were jumping for joy, Jisub had to move to a corner of the training facility before he could answer the phone.

“I’m sorry, Hyungnim [older brother/respected senior]. The rainout official just came out…”

-Ah, is that so? Well, it was said that it would rain in Yeongsan today…

Go Changdeok’s voice was a little tired, but still bright.

Thanks to that, Jisub could ask with anticipation.

“Is the analysis finished?”

-Yeah, just finished! 100%!”

It was a confident answer.

-I figured out the tell when he throws the Slambio [Slambio is likely a fictional pitch]. Damn, I thought my eyes would fall out!

“Ah, you’ve worked hard!”

Jisub also felt like he had put down a heavy burden.

For the past few days, his head had been filled with Mike Pontius’s Slambio [Slambio is likely a fictional pitch].

Now that he knew how to attack it, he felt like he could stretch his legs out and sleep well tonight.

But,

It was at that moment.

-It’s a little tricky to explain. But I think I can somehow make time. Let’s see, today is Saturday, so…

“Wait a minute, Saturday?!”

At this moment, Jisub felt like his heart was sinking.

He remembered something he had forgotten for a while because of Mike Pontius.

“Hyungnim [older brother/respected senior], Miju Kindergarten event…”

Jisub swallowed hard.

“The one they’re doing at Miju Kindergarten… Wasn’t it today?”

-Um? What? Ah, Dad’s participation class?

Go Changdeok’s voice, which had been very peaceful until then.

-Hey, no. That’s next week! I’ve marked it on the calendar like this…”

Kkeueoeoeoeoeok?!!

A man’s desperate scream was heard over the receiver.

-J, Jiseob-ah!! Why is my calendar like this? Why is there a red circle on today’s date? There are stars drawn all over it too?!”

“Ah, Hyungnim [older brother/respected senior]…”

Jisub sighed briefly.

“Didn’t Hyungsoo-nim [term of respect for his wife] say anything? She usually takes good care of these things, right?”

-She must be out of her mind. She must be in the middle of a meeting with buyers in the middle of New York right now…

Go Changdeok’s voice began to tremble.

-W, what should I do? My wife is asking me on Messenger if I’m going to Miju Kindergarten?!”

At that moment, Jisub, who was also momentarily flustered, couldn’t easily come up with a solution.

The shadows of a group of people cast at Jisub’s feet.

When he slowly raised his head, what came into Jisub’s view were the Cannons’ starting members.

“Special Advisor, what’s wrong?”

“Why, did something bad happen to Go Changdeok?”

“If there’s anything we can help with, please tell us. We’ve received a lot of help from Hyungnim [older brother/respected senior] Changdeok in the past…”

Lee Subin smiled.

“Thanks to the rainout… We have a lot of time today!”