A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 459

Black and Yellow (3)

The New Recruit of the Baseball Team is Too Good 459

The New Recruit of the Baseball Team is Too Good 459

98 Black and Yellow (3)

That evening, at the Double-A minor league game held at Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium.

Tampa Bay Rays’ ‘Returning Closer’ Joe Holtzman delivered a dazzling performance that exceeded expectations.

In the top of the 7th inning, with the score tied at 5-5, he took the mound as the team’s fourth pitcher and was truly a cut above the rest, showcasing pitching on a different level from the other players.

Whoosh- Bang!

Whoosh- Bang!

Whoosh- Bang!

The velocity was measured even higher than during bullpen pitching. A maximum speed of 99 miles per hour, 159 km/h.

The opposing batters couldn’t even think of swinging their bats at the fastball that dug deep inside to right-handed hitters, like a drill.

After freezing the opponents like that, the slider he had honed with Coach William Doran curved in with an amazing trajectory.

What came back was,

Three consecutive strikeouts.

“Alright!”

Joe Holtzman was pounding his glove with gusto as he walked off the mound.

With this, the rehab appearance was successfully completed. Joe Holtzman’s long rehabilitation process was now coming to an end.

It was naturally a happy moment for the player himself, and an invaluable result for the Tampa Bay club ahead of their match against the New York Yankees, but-

“…….”

Jisub, sitting in the central table seat at Riverwalk Stadium, let out a short sigh without realizing it.

The concern was certainly not about the report. By this time, Jisub had become quite accustomed to paperwork. General Manager Brian Spahn was not the type to pay much attention to the form or wording of reports.

The only reason Jisub couldn’t laugh wholeheartedly at the welcoming news of the closer’s successful return was one thing.

The news that Coach Cheon Jinwoo, the man who had once achieved the first championship with the Cannons alongside Jisub, was facing club disciplinary action.

-It seems there was a bit of an argument among the coaching staff about how to guide the players.

That was what the Montgomery Biscuits manager had told Jisub a few hours earlier.

With a very troubled expression.

-That’s right, Assistant General Manager, you’re right. Arguments between coaches are common. It’s a good thing in terms of exchanging various opinions. But this time, Coach Cheon Jinwoo crossed the line…….

The next moment, unbelievable words flowed from the Biscuits manager’s mouth.

-Coach Cheon Jinwoo made a very inappropriate remark to Coach William Doran……. More specifically, a racist remark.

-A racist remark?

-Yes, I don’t want to mention it again, but to prevent any misunderstanding from you, Assistant General Manager…….

Blackie.

That damn blackie bastard.

That was said to be Cheon Jinwoo’s remark.

* * *

When Jisub heard the Biscuits manager’s words, he felt a throbbing sensation at the back of his head.

-No, why on earth…….

That was the truth.

Even when Jisub was playing in the American Independent League, racist remarks were not uncommon in baseball.

Not only the players, but also the managers and coaches would often utter words like ‘blackie’ or ‘yellow monkey’.

To be honest, Jisub wasn’t much different back then. He had often thrown unnecessary jokes at his black teammates, leading to fistfights until his nose bled.

But,

Things have changed now, haven’t they?

Racist remarks were considered a serious problem in American baseball.

It might be better if it were a player. They have to play the game, and the club has invested in their salary.

But a coach making such a remark? Especially someone who hasn’t been with the team for very long? This could potentially end Cheon Jinwoo’s life in America.

Therefore, Jisub was wearing a rather serious expression, but the Biscuits manager, noticing this, waved his hand.

-Assistant General Manager, you don’t have to worry that much.

A faint smile was even blooming on his lips.

-Fortunately, the problem hasn’t escalated too much. Coach Cheon Jinwoo will return to his original position when his period of self-reflection ends next week.

-R, really?

If it were the major leagues, the media and fans would all be up in arms by now.

But for things to be resolved so quietly like this. It was a story Jisub couldn’t easily believe.

-Yes, I don’t know if you knew, but……. A long time ago, Coach William Doran’s older brother played as a player in Korean professional baseball.

-Ah, I see. But why are you suddenly bringing that up…….

-Thanks to his brother, Coach William Doran usually knows a lot about Korean culture. So he said he could fully understand Coach Cheon Jinwoo’s remarks.

Unlike the United States, racial discrimination is not a prominent issue in Korea.

Therefore, Koreans don’t feel the seriousness of racist remarks as much as we do.

Coach Cheon Jinwoo didn’t have any malicious intent either. It was a simple mistake. So he won’t make an issue of it anymore.

Jisub couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief after hearing Coach William Doran’s words.

-Oh, that’s a relief.

Jisub breathed a sigh of relief.

-I didn’t realize I was so indebted to Coach William Doran? He coached Joe Holtzman, and he generously forgave Coach Cheon Jinwoo.

Ah, that’s right.

Jisub snapped his fingers.

-Manager, can I get Coach Doran’s contact information? I’d like to treat him to a meal before returning to St. Petersburg.

-Ah, contact information?

The Biscuits manager, who had been wearing a gentle expression all along, suddenly scratched his forehead as if in trouble. It was at this moment.

-It’s not difficult to give you his contact information, but……. I think it would be better to postpone the meal to another time.

-Postpone it to another time? Why?

-W, well, that is…….

The Biscuits manager couldn’t give a clear answer.

Jisub stared at his eyes for a moment, then spoke in a calm tone.

-Perhaps…… Coach Cheon Jinwoo hasn’t formally apologized yet?

Jisub’s eyes gleamed.

-Because of that, Coach William Doran’s feelings aren’t very comfortable either?

* * *

Joe Holtzman’s rehab appearance game ended around 8 p.m. that day.

It was about an hour later that Jisub finished the report to be submitted to the club’s upper management.

‘Okay, the report is done for now…….’

It was the time when he would have headed to the Korean restaurant located in downtown Montgomery with a light heart.

It was the time to scream with joy in front of bubbling kimchi stew, cheese-filled egg rolls, and Korean soju [a clear, colorless distilled beverage].

However, the situation of the Montgomery Biscuits was not allowing Jisub even such small happiness.

‘Somehow, the way people were looking at me was strange…….’

The people of Montgomery Biscuits were just subtly watching Jisub.

In particular, Coach William Doran looked at Jisub with unusually cold eyes.

At that time, he thought it was a sense of caution towards someone dispatched from the major leagues, but it turned out there was a reason for it.

‘Now that things have turned out this way, I’m even more eager for kimchi stew……. Well, I guess there’s no choice.’

He couldn’t just cover everything up and return to the Tampa Bay Rays.

Jisub packed his laptop into his backpack and took out his cell phone from his inside jacket pocket.

The person he needed to contact now, the person he had to meet before leaving, was determined from the beginning.

“Yes, Senior! It’s Jisub.”

It was none other than Coach Cheon Jinwoo, who was faltering here unlike his days as an active player.

“I’ve roughly finished my schedule here……. Where are you? Is it okay to see you now?”

The Montgomery Biscuits’ dormitory for single players was located a bit outside of downtown.

In this shabby place, a far cry from the major leagues, Jisub observed Coach Cheon Jinwoo’s embarrassed expression.

“I’m sorry, Jisub.”

This came right after they exchanged greetings and asked about each other’s well-being.

Coach Cheon Jinwoo suddenly bowed his head deeply towards Jisub.

He seemed to assume Jisub was already aware of the situation within the Biscuits.

“I should have been more careful with my actions, especially since I got in here thanks to your introduction… I’m sorry. I’m ashamed to face you.”

“Oh, why are you acting like this?”

Jisub waved his hand dismissively, but Coach Cheon Jinwoo spoke with conviction.

“But Jisub, please understand this. I never called William that son of a bitch a ‘blackie.’ I didn’t even say such a word!”

He seemed quite aggrieved.

“The exact words I used were, ‘That son of a bitch with a dark heart!’ That’s completely different from ‘blackie,’ right? You can’t even call that a racist expression.”

“So, that was conveyed as ‘blackie’ because…”

“Yes, the interpreter! The interpreter conveyed it wrong. You might have met him? There’s a Korean-American guy named Roy Park with the Biscuits, but his Korean isn’t that great…”

“Ah, so that’s what happened?”

Jisub, who had been looking into Coach Cheon Jinwoo’s eyes, slowly nodded.

The disappointment that had been lingering in a corner of his heart seemed to melt away.

‘Right, what kind of person is Senior Cheon Jinwoo? There’s no way he would say such crude things.’

But at the same time, a question arose in Jisub’s mind.

“Then why didn’t you explain that to the club? That it was the interpreter’s mistake, the interpreter’s fault… If you had explained it that way, you wouldn’t have been disciplined like this, would you?”

It wouldn’t have been a situation that would cause any problems, let alone discipline.

Since a Korean was working in the United States, wasn’t it a natural misunderstanding that could happen?

Besides, Coach William Doran was known as a generous person; wouldn’t he have just laughed off the interpreter’s mistake?

At this point, Coach Cheon Jinwoo’s answer was slightly different from Jisub’s expectations.

“I didn’t want to explain.”

“Huh?”

“It wouldn’t be difficult to explain to the manager or the club people. But in the end, wouldn’t I have to go to William Doran, that son of a bitch, and explain? Depending on the situation, I might even have to apologize. So, I just decided to take the discipline.”

“William Doran… that son of a bitch?”

Jisub raised an eyebrow.

“So, in the end, you didn’t even explain to the club because you didn’t want to apologize to Coach William Doran?”

“Yeah, I’m sorry about that.”

Coach Cheon Jinwoo smacked his foot with his palm while clicking his tongue.

“I feel bad for you, Jisub, and I’m sorry to the manager… but I couldn’t help it. I can’t bring myself to say anything nice to William, even if I die. I don’t want to talk to that bastard ever again.”

Jisub was inwardly very surprised.

It was the first time Cheon Jinwoo had shown such an allergic reaction to someone.

From the beginning, he was a catcher. He had been taking care of those temperamental and self-centered pitchers for nearly 20 years, coaxing them along.

Why was Cheon Jinwoo suddenly showing this kind of reaction?

“…Jisub.”

“Yes?”

“What I regretted the most during my active career… was when players were ruined by the greed of the coaching staff.”

Cheon Jinwoo sighed briefly.

“You’ve probably seen it often too, Jisub. Guys who just needed to be given time, guys who were developing just fine… players who were ruined because the coach messed with them for no reason.”

“Yes, well… it’s not uncommon.”

Jisub nodded.

“Coaches can’t wait for long. Most of them have one-year contracts, so they have to produce results quickly…”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m saying.”

Cheon Jinwoo lightly tapped his chest.

“So, I made up my mind when I retired from my active career. Let’s put aside my greed, let’s not be greedy. That’s how players can grow and play baseball for a long time!”

The rookie battery coach of the Biscuits, who had clenched his fist, turned to Jisub with a serious expression.

“You said that if there were any noticeable players in the Biscuits, you wanted me to tell you.”

“I did, didn’t I?”

“There’s one guy here. A left-handed pitcher named Tyson Bugley… He’s a bit older, but he’s a very cool guy. His control is good, his game management skills are good, and above all, he has showmanship.”

In a way, he was exactly the type of pitcher Jisub wanted most.

“Ah, this guy will do. I was going to introduce him to you when you came down. That’s what I had in mind…”

The next moment, Jisub could understand why Cheon Jinwoo was so angry.

“One day, I suddenly went into the bullpen, and William Doran… that son of a bitch who should be deep-fried in sewage was teaching that guy a hard slider!”

“H-Hard slider?”

As Jisub tilted his head, Cheon Jinwoo widened his eyes and replied.

“Yes, a hard slider! You remember too, Jisub, right? What happened to the pitchers who learned that pitch in the mid-2010s!”

“…”

“They shined for about a year or two, but in the end, they all retired due to injuries, right? I don’t think any of them lasted even five years. There’s no way William, that bastard, doesn’t know that…”

‘How could I just stand by and watch this?’

‘How could I just let this pass?’

And above all-

“How can I work in the same uniform as a guy who does this for his own gain!”

Bang.

The angry cry of a legend who hit 200 home runs in Korean professional baseball [a significant achievement in the KBO League].

Its force was as intense as it was during his active career, but at this time, Jisub was looking at the ceiling with calm eyes.

“Ah, I see. So that’s why our senior is so upset…”

Jisub nodded slowly, as if he understood and thought it was understandable.

However, when he turned his gaze back to Cheon Jinwoo, the answer he gave was as follows.

“Senior.”

“Hmm?”

“Do you still have that wild ginseng liquor you mentioned in the text message last time…? The one that the local fans gave you as a gift.”

“Wild ginseng liquor? Ah!”

‘I do, I do.’

Cheon Jinwoo jumped up from his seat and yanked open the moldy closet door.

“Here, it’s here!”

Cheon Jinwoo was grinning.

“Why? Does listening to my story suddenly make you want to drink? What do you say, should I order some delivery now? How about kimchi stew, kimchi stew! I want to eat something spicy!”

“K-Kimchi stew?!”

Jisub was slightly shaken by the word ‘kimchi stew’ [a spicy Korean stew], but he calmed himself down and opened his mouth again.

“No, it’s not for me to drink.”

“Really? Then why suddenly…”

“Please take that wild ginseng liquor and…”

Swish.

Jisub took out a small piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Cheon Jinwoo.

It was the contact information he had received from the Biscuits manager a few hours ago.

“Call the number written on this contact information and tell him to have a drink with you.”

“Call this number? Who is this?”

“Don’t you have a rough idea?”

Jisub smiled slightly.

“It’s Coach William Doran.”

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

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

야구단 신입이 너무 잘함
Status: Completed Author: Native Language: Korean
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[English Translation] Kim Ji-seop, a pitcher cast aside even by the Chinese league, harbors a secret weapon: an uncanny ability to predict incoming fastballs with unwavering accuracy. "If a fastball comes, I'll hit it no matter what." He can read his opponent's thoughts! Despite his physical shortcomings, his mind holds the key to baseball mastery. Discovered by the team's sharpest talent scout, Kim Ji-seop is about to embark on a thrilling second act, ready to redefine what's possible on the diamond. Prepare for a captivating journey as a rookie with an extraordinary gift rises through the ranks, challenging the limits of skill and strategy in the world of baseball!

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