A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 203

52. He’s Got a Persistent Side to Him (3)

Fans with a keen eye would have sensed it early on.

The subtle changes in the appearance of the KH Cannons players.

However, that vague prediction became ‘official’ the day after Ahn Young-chan hit the game-winning timely hit [a hit that changes the momentum of the game, often late in the game].

[KH Ahn Young-chan, comes in as a pinch hitter and hits a game-winning timely hit… “The beard gave me strength”]

[“It’s thanks to ○○” KH, leading the pack, what’s the secret to their 7-game winning streak?]

[From the manager to the players, all “shaggy”… Cannons united for the winning streak]

Special feature articles uploaded by reporters covering the Cannons the next morning.

As these articles were widely shared on internet baseball communities, the beards of the Cannons players emerged as an icon.

-Yes, Ryoo Jang-ho is entering the plate! Wow, Ryoo Jang-ho’s beard has grown a lot too, hasn’t it?

-Haha, you’re right. I went to the Cannons dugout today, and it felt a bit like a historical drama set? Everyone’s growing beards, so…….

-Haha, I bet! I wonder if he can receive the ‘good energy of the beard’ today as well. Ryoo Jang-ho, ready for the first pitch!

In the broadcast, the beards of the Cannons players were frequently mentioned.

“Hey, Sang-hyuk! Should we wear fake beards from tomorrow?”

“Yeah, I noticed quite a few people wearing fake beards today.”

“We’re pretty famous people in our own right, we can’t be left behind by this trend, can we?”

The famous figures of the KH Cannons Field, ‘Nuclear Bombs and Guided Missiles,’ also started cheering with fake beards.

-Yes, the person throwing the ceremonial first pitch before today’s game is actress Lee Joo-yeon. She has been very active in recent movies and dramas… Oh, is she wearing a beard?

-Haha, she is! She seems to know exactly what’s been a hot topic in the baseball world recently!

Eventually, the actress who was throwing the ceremonial first pitch at KH Cannons Field came out wearing a fake beard-

“Okay, let’s start the live broadcast!”

After the game, a ‘Victory Celebration Comment Reading’ live broadcast on the KH Cannons YouTube channel.

It was perhaps natural that the players appearing on this broadcast were flooded with beard-related questions.

“The beard style I’m aiming for? Well, I don’t really have one. I just hope this winning streak continues, to the point where my beard gets as long as Guan Yu’s [a famous general from ancient China known for his long beard]? Hahaha.”

Jang Dae-woo, who was selected as the MVP of the game on the day they achieved their 9th consecutive win.

The reactions of the Cannons fans to this were as follows:

-Hyung [older brother/male friend], you look great with a beard! Today’s save was awesome!

-Thanks to Dae-woo hyung, I’m enjoying watching baseball comfortably these daysㅋㅋ [Korean internet slang for laughing]

-It would be fun if your beard really grew as long as Guan Yu’sㅋㅋㅋ

-??? : I will get a save before the chicken delivery arrives.

Jimmy Morris also had this conversation with fans.

“My goal is a Kaiser beard. Honestly, I think I’m the only one in the Cannons who can pull off this kind of beard.”

-Isn’t that more like a Mario mustache than a Kaiser beard?

-I know, rightㅋㅋ I thought I’d seen that mustache somewhere beforeㅋㅋㅋ

-I’ve been thinking about mushrooms since earlierㅋㅋㅋ

-At this point, shouldn’t you show us a jump?ㅋㅋㅋ

Of course, not all players received favorable reactions from fans.

“Yes, I’m aiming for a Hollywood-style beard! You know, like Robert Downey Jr…….”

-Ah, Soo-bin…….

-Even though you hit the game-winning home run today, RDJ is a bit much…….

-Hey, even for us, there’s a limit to what we can defend…….

-Anyone can tell that your beard looks like a sycophant’s beard…….

* * *

The midweek 3-game series against the ST Rhinos at KH Cannons Field.

The KH Cannons players succeeded in creating a 3-game sweep with overwhelming performance.

This marks three consecutive 3-game sweeps. Already a 9-game winning streak.

‘Hehe, even though it’s our team…… it’s really scary.’

For Ji-seop, it was an unfamiliar experience.

Not to mention his playing days, even after joining the Cannons, he had never experienced this kind of upward trend.

Like the players often say, it’s a continuous time where ‘even when we’re losing, it doesn’t feel like we’ll lose,’ and ‘even when we’re tired, we don’t feel tired.’

However, even during a winning streak, it seemed that not all worries disappeared from the baseball team’s front office.

-Oh, Kim Special Assistant! I’m about to go up to the general manager’s office now…… is the general manager in his seat?

The day after achieving their 9th consecutive win, calls from each team leader poured into Ji-seop, who had just arrived at work and was about to sit down.

“First of all, I’m thinking of checking on Dae-woo and Jung-gyu. I think I saw them looking a little uncomfortable in yesterday’s game.”

“Hmm, that would be good. I’ll talk to the manager separately later.”

The first person to visit the general manager’s office that day was the head of the power analysis team.

The purpose of the visit was to re-examine the condition and injuries of the starting members.

During a winning streak, many players are so excited about ‘winning’ that they don’t even realize their injuries.

To prevent those players from suffering major injuries later, front office staff need to take care of them in advance, he said.

“It seems right to prepare a simple event…… but I need to think more about the content.”

“Hmm, I see. But please hurry. You never know when the winning streak will end, right?”

The next person to visit the general manager’s office was Cha Yoon-jin, the head of the operations team.

The purpose of the visit was to discuss how to proceed with the team dinner on the day the winning streak ends.

Unlike when a losing streak is broken, the team’s atmosphere drops a lot when a winning streak ends, she said.

The fatigue they had forgotten about comes rushing in, and they feel a sense of emptiness as if the festival is over.

The role of the operations team is to suppress that atmosphere as much as possible and to create a ‘let’s go’ spirit again.

“General Manager, then this issue…….”

“General Manager, do you have a moment?”

After that, team leaders from various departments visited General Manager Seo Chang-ki with serious expressions, but in fact, the person who entered the general manager’s office with the most serious expression that day was someone else.

That is,

Lee Ja-young, the head of the marketing team.

“Oh, I’m dying.”

While the other team leaders felt like they were preparing for future problems, this team leader looked like she had a fire under her feet.

“The acting owner keeps asking me how it’s going, but I have nothing to say each time…….”

It was the story of the advertisement that ‘Sakhalin Park’ Vice Chairman Park Hong-joo had brought.

An advertisement for a new 7-blade razor being launched by a KH Group affiliate.

Because the Cannons’ winning streak was getting longer, the filming of this advertisement was being pushed back.

“Didn’t you come up with any ideas separately?”

General Manager Seo Chang-ki asked.

“Do I not know Team Leader Lee’s style? She wouldn’t just sit still and wait for the winning streak to end. You must have come with some ideas, right?”

“Actually…… yes, that’s right.”

Team Leader Lee Ja-young nodded.

“How about replacing the advertisement filming with a live broadcast…… that idea came up within our team.”

“Live broadcast?”

“Yes, General Manager, you know? The one on the Cannons YouTube channel.”

The marketing team’s opinion was to conduct a live broadcast on the day the winning streak ends.

When the winning streak ends, the players will shave off their long beards.

Then how about broadcasting that shaving scene live?

Using the new ‘7-blade razor’ from a KH Group affiliate.

“Ah, let’s advertise like that?”

“Yes, there is a bit of risk in broadcasting on the day of the defeat…… but with the current winning streak pace, I think the fans will like it.”

“Hmm! That’s good. Not bad!”

General Manager Seo Chang-ki showed interest.

“I needed a suitable event anyway. On the day the winning streak ends, how can we prevent the team’s atmosphere from dropping?”

General Manager Seo seemed to be picturing the players loudly shaving in his head.

Joking and making jokes with each other, shaving off the beards they had grown shaggy.

If they received encouragement from the fans with such clean faces, wouldn’t the players be able to go to the game with a new feeling?

“No, Team Leader Lee! If you had such a good idea, you should have put it into action right away. Did you really need to report it to me?”

“That’s what I mean…….”

Team Leader Lee made a difficult expression.

“It’s not difficult to prepare a live broadcast, but there’s someone I need to report to before that.”

“Report? What report? Aha!”

General Manager Seo smiled bitterly as he realized what the marketing team leader was saying.

“You mean you have to report to the acting owner? Because this advertisement was brought by the acting owner?”

“Yes, he’s the kind of person who hates things being delayed the most…… I don’t know how to report it.”

Sakhalin Park, who has a bulldozer-like personality, would surely be furious if the advertisement was postponed until the winning streak ended.

It was also a considerable burden to make a man of considerable age understand the new advertising method of ‘live broadcasting.’

However, a soft smile was already blooming on the face of General Manager Seo Chang-ki, who had heard Team Leader Lee’s complaint.

“Don’t worry about the acting owner. Our Cannons have the best expert in this field.”

“The best expert?”

“Of course, an expert you can trust anytime, anywhere!”

General Manager Seo’s gaze turned to Ji-seop.

“Isn’t that right, Kim Special Assistant?”

* * *

About 10 minutes later.

Ji-seop was standing in front of the CEO’s office at KH Cannons Field.

Under the direction of General Manager Seo Chang-ki, he was about to report on the live broadcast advertisement to ‘Sakhalin Park’ Vice Chairman Park Hong-joo.

‘Damn it, he’s going to nag me a lot again.’

Unlike the other employees of the Cannons, Ji-seop was someone who didn’t feel much pressure when facing Vice Chairman Park.

But even Ji-seop hadn’t completely gotten used to Sakhalin Park’s fiery temper.

‘The filming is already being delayed, and if we delay it here again……. Ugh, I think the nagging will continue for quite a while?’

I’m going to hear Vice Chairman Park Hong-joo’s roar live for the first time in a while.

After swallowing hard once, he knocked on the door of the CEO’s office while calming his breathing.

And as Ji-seop expected, Sakhalin Park went on a long rant for a while.

“There is a clearly defined promise, and does it make sense to break it arbitrarily! Huh?!”

It was Sakhalin Park’s roar.

“Besides, what? You can’t shave your beard because it’s a winning streak? No, who in this day and age believes in such superstitions!!”

Sakhalin Park was shouting as if he had eaten a train boiler, but a strange smile was blooming on Ji-seop’s face as he faced him.

Of course, Sakhalin Park wouldn’t just let that expression pass.

“Hey, look at this guy? You’re smirking while an adult is talking?”

“……Vice Chairman.”

Ji-seop carefully opened his mouth, trying to lower the corners of his mouth that kept rising.

“It’s a sudden question, but…… would you mind lowering your mask just once?”

“What? Mask?”

It was at this moment that the acting owner, who had been confident all along, ‘paused’ for a moment.

“W, why the mask?!”

Sakhalin Park shouted.

“What! Am I what…… am I growing a beard like the players?!!”

‘A guilty conscience needs no accuser,’

That’s what they say in times like these.