A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 211

54. Synesthetic Imagery World (3)

Lee Soo-bin, the starting third baseman for the Cannons.

He might be slightly underrated due to Ryu Jang-ho’s [a legendary player] overwhelming presence, but this season, he’s clearly emerging as a superstar in Korean professional baseball.

-A sharply hit ball heading towards third base… He caught it! Nice play by third baseman Lee Soo-bin!!!

He’s generally considered to have improved a lot defensively.

He still makes the occasional ‘big mistake,’ but those in the know say he’s improved by leaps and bounds compared to last year.

If he gains a little more experience and fixes his habit of losing focus on routine plays, becoming the league’s best third baseman is definitely within reach.

-Ah, the runner is taking off! The catcher throws to second, to second, at second… Safe! He gets in safely with plenty of room! Lee Soo-bin steals second!

This season, he’s also been getting a lot of praise for his base running.

It’s hard to expect blazing speed from him given his build, but he has an uncanny knack for spotting when the opposing pitcher and catcher’s attention is lax.

Lee Soo-bin leading his stocky frame as he runs ‘dododo’ to steal second is a favorite sight for Cannons fans.

Stealing second is one thing, but they especially enjoy seeing the bewildered look on the opposing catcher’s face.

-The catcher’s lost it, lol [laughing out loud].

-I’d lose it too. Giving up a steal to Lee Soo-bin, lol. -But Lee Soo-bin steals a lot, doesn’t he? He’s already recorded nine?

-Really?!!

It’s true that his defense has improved.

It’s also true that he’s become more skilled at base running.

But what has elevated second-year infielder Lee Soo-bin to the ranks of ‘star’ is, of course, his hitting.

*Thwack!*

*Thwack!*

*Thwaaaack!*

Last season, Lee Soo-bin was considered a ‘fluke hitter’ or a ‘power hitter with no consistency,’ but this season, he has definitely leveled up his game.

His batting average has been consistently around the high .200s all season, and his on-base percentage has been steadily in the mid to high .300s thanks to his improved plate discipline. And he already has well over 20 home runs.

-This ball is deep! Very deep! The outfielders are already standing still! Just watching as… it goes over the fence! A two-run home run to take the lead, Lee Soo-bin!!!

His consistency and power were recognized, and from September, he was even given the important role of cleanup hitter, replacing the fatigued Chun Jin-woo.

He achieved all of this in his second year as a professional, so under normal circumstances, Lee Soo-bin would have been grinning from ear to ear, but-

“……Ugh.”

Even after hitting a two-run home run that gave the team the lead, his face was shadowed with worry in the dugout.

The reason was simple.

*Whoosh!*

*Whoosh!*

*Whoooooosh!*

For days now, junior Shim Sung-joon’s 900g [approximately 2 lbs] bat had been slicing through nothing but air.

“Strike, batter out!!!”

Damn it,

I can feel the wind from here.

* * *

“Well, I can certainly understand it.”

Lee Soo-bin came to see Ji-seop around lunchtime the next day.

While getting two hamburger sets from Ji-seop, the Cannons’ third baseman was expressing his worries about Shim Sung-joon.

“It’s already been three days since he was called up to the first team, and he hasn’t gotten a single hit yet… It’s inevitable that he’s getting anxious.”

This was Shim Sung-joon’s current record.

Starting as left fielder in three games, he had a total of 10 at-bats with no hits and six strikeouts.

Aside from one hit-by-pitch and a lucky sacrifice fly to the outfield, Shim Sung-joon hadn’t been able to produce any significant results.

Lee Soo-bin continued, unwrapping his second hamburger.

“But even I can see that… he’s swinging at too many pitches out of the zone.”

“Bad pitches?”

“Yeah. Sliders that are way outside or splitters that bounce almost before they reach the plate.”

Lee Soo-bin took a bite of his hamburger.

“Honestly, I wouldn’t say anything if he did that with two strikes, you know? Because then he has to try to protect the plate. But Sung-joon, he swings at those kinds of pitches from the very first pitch.”

That’s why he can’t get a hit.

How’s he supposed to get a hit like that?

As Lee Soo-bin grumbled and reached for his cola, Ji-seop asked,

“Have you talked to Sung-joon about that?”

“I have. Several times already.”

Lee Soo-bin nodded.

“He knows it himself, you know? That he keeps swinging at bad pitches. And that’s why he keeps getting into unfavorable counts.”

‘Only swing at good pitches, only swing at good pitches, only swing at good pitches.’

He chants this to himself in the dugout, but it seems like he can’t translate his intentions into action once he steps into the batter’s box.

“It would be easier if he didn’t know anything, but he understands it in his head but can’t execute it with his body…”

Lee Soo-bin, who seemed to be getting a headache himself, put down his cola and sighed deeply.

And then he said,

“Hyung [older brother/male friend], is there anything you can do?”

Lee Soo-bin looked at Ji-seop.

“In my opinion, this isn’t a technical problem, it’s a mental one. And you’re the top expert in the mental department in our Cannons, aren’t you?”

“Top expert, please.”

“Come on, don’t say that! I still remember it vividly, you know? What happened at the Futures League All-Star Game last year.”

He seemed to be referring to when Ji-seop was Lee Soo-bin’s batting practice pitcher at the All-Star Game home run derby last year.

“You said very firmly back then, didn’t you? That if you saw me trying to hit home runs, you would immediately stop pitching batting practice… Wow, your charisma was no joke back then!”

Lee Soo-bin shuddered slightly.

“Maybe it was because you hit the nail on the head, but your words were very powerful to me back then. I was jolted awake. I shouldn’t be greedy for home runs, I should focus on maintaining my swing…”

I want to try that too.

Lee Soo-bin leaned slightly towards Ji-seop.

“Just one charismatic word like you, Hyung! Huh? So that Sung-joon can come to his senses and compete calmly in the batter’s box!”

Ji-seop was secretly pleased.

He was happy that Lee Soo-bin remembered his advice so clearly, and he was proud that Lee Soo-bin wanted to emulate him.

He wanted to help Shim Sung-joon with his problem, but Arthur Freeman had given him special instructions.

So Ji-seop gave the following answer.

“It’s not hard to tell you how… but are you sure you want to do that?”

“Yes?”

“You probably have a vague idea, Soo-bin. That this won’t be a one-time thing.”

Ji-seop continued in a calm voice.

“After Sung-joon, more juniors will keep coming in, and those juniors will ask you for advice. So are you going to come to me every time to ask for help?”

“Th, that’s…”

“Even to prepare for that time, I want you to try to find a solution this time, Soo-bin. The manager and general manager entrusted Sung-joon to you with that in mind.”

“The manager and general manager…”

Perhaps Lee Soo-bin had a vague idea of the expectations placed on him.

After hearing Ji-seop’s words, Lee Soo-bin remained silent for a while before nodding lightly.

“I understand. If you put it that way, I’ll have to do something about it. But…”

“But what?”

“Isn’t one hint okay? A hint that I can use appropriately in this situation.”

“Ah, a hint?”

After looking up at the ceiling for a moment, Ji-seop looked at Lee Soo-bin and said,

“I think it would be good to use the association method in this case… That’s what I think.”

“The association method?”

* * *

About ten minutes later.

Lee Soo-bin, who had finished lunch, was walking towards the locker room.

“……”

Normally, he would be thinking about what to eat for dessert, but today, a different concern occupied his mind.

‘The association method…’

Lee Soo-bin had been playing baseball for over 10 years, from elementary school to the present.

He knew what the association method meant in the baseball world, especially in baseball training methods.

‘Isn’t it something like this? Buying delicious ice cream every time you do hard and difficult training…’

This creates a ‘connection’ between the sweet taste of ice cream and the hard and difficult training.

If this connection is repeated, the difficult and painful training process will eventually become bearable.

A method often tried by baseball coaches in elementary and middle schools.

‘Then should I try something similar? If Sung-joon competes calmly in the batter’s box, I’ll buy him a chicken that night… Hmm?’

As he was thinking about various ideas like this and passing in front of the indoor weight training room, one familiar person came into Lee Soo-bin’s view.

“Ugh, kyaaaak!”

The person in question, Shim Sung-joon.

Holding a barbell that looked twice as heavy as the others, he was diligently working out his muscles, veins popping out of his neck.

Lee Soo-bin, who had some knowledge of weight training, even felt a bit intimidated by the intensity of Shim Sung-joon’s training.

“Oh, senior?!!”

*Thud.*

Shim Sung-joon put down the barbell and bowed deeply to Lee Soo-bin.

“Have you had lunch?”

“Yeah, I ate. What about you?”

“I haven’t finished my routine for today yet. I’m going to finish this quickly and go eat.”

“Ah, is that so?”

Watching Shim Sung-joon grab the barbell again, Lee Soo-bin realized that his previous thought was wrong.

‘Ah, right. That guy… he doesn’t even eat late-night snacks anymore, does he? He doesn’t even look at fried food at all.’

He was a junior who had completely transformed, not only in appearance but also in eating habits, in the few months since he had last seen him.

It was admirable to see him taking such good care of his body, and it was also a shame that he couldn’t get a hit despite his efforts.

If he couldn’t elicit the ‘association method’ with delicious food, he wondered what method he should use.

“Hmm.”

Lee Soo-bin leaned against the wall of the training room and stared silently at his junior’s workout.

How much time had passed like that?

Shim Sung-joon, who had finished a set of exercises and was gulping down some kind of drink, suddenly frowned slightly.

“Trainer Choi!”

Shim Sung-joon called out to the Cannons’ trainer.

“Yeah. Sung-joon, what’s wrong?”

“Our protein shake… did it change to [Super Muscle]?”

The trainer made an ‘ooh’ sound at Shim Sung-joon’s question.

“Wow, you’re really perceptive! How did you know? I thought you wouldn’t notice because it’s the same strawberry flavor?”

“I can tell right away when I drink Super Muscle. That unique fishy aftertaste comes up immediately…”

He really, really hated it.

The player even shuddered as he made an ‘ugh’ sound.

He looked at the trainer and cautiously continued.

“Trainer, can I have something else instead? The one I used to drink in the Futures League is still left in the locker room.”

“Hehe, you hate it that much? Then wait a minute. If it’s the one you used to drink in the Futures League, there should be some here too…”

The rookie player was complaining about the protein shake’s taste.

The trainer seemed to find even that endearing, and he got up from his seat with a smile, but-

“Trainer Choi, just a moment.”

It was at this moment that Lee Soo-bin, who had been silently watching the situation, raised his hand.