A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 49

14. Generational Shift (2)

“Alright, this way, please.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Following shortstop Ahn Young-chan’s suggestion, Ji-seop moved to another spot, mentally reviewing the data.

‘Shortstop Ahn Young-chan. 36 years old. Born in Busan. Once considered the best prospect in the region, but never quite reached his potential, bouncing around from team to team… or so it said?’

A player who never escaped the fate of being a backup infielder throughout his career.

He barely managed to secure a spot three years ago after being traded to the KH Cannons.

‘He even recorded 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases with the Cannons, and even signed a FA [Free Agent] contract, albeit a small one, the year before last.’

A case of finally seeing the light after turning thirty.

Ji-seop began to question Ahn Young-chan as a baseball player from this point.

‘A player who saw the light late. He has a long professional career, but he’s only been a starter for three years.’

Ji-seop glanced at Ahn Young-chan’s face across from him.

‘He must be desperate to play as a starter for even one more season… but he deliberately went to the manager and said he would give up his starting shortstop position?’

An action that Ji-seop couldn’t understand with his common sense.

So Ji-seop couldn’t help but ask Ahn Young-chan a question.

Of course, since he was practically a stranger, he couldn’t directly ask, “Why did you give up your starting position?”

“Ahn Young-chan, um, could I possibly get an autograph?”

“An autograph? You mean my autograph?”

Ahn Young-chan blinked at the sudden request for an autograph.

Ji-seop nodded with a gentle smile.

“Actually… my older brother at home is a fan of Ahn Young-chan.”

It was a lie.

How would Ji-seop know which player his brother liked?

But since he had already started the story, Ji-seop added more details to make the lie more believable.

“He’s been a fan since Ahn Young-chan was with the Geosan Mariners. He even shook hands with you at the stadium, he said.”

“Really? Haha, I don’t think I had many fans there. I was terrible back then…”

Ahn Young-chan laughed awkwardly.

But what player would be upset to hear that they have a fan somewhere?

He reached into his baseball bag next to him and took out a baseball and a permanent marker.

“What’s your brother’s name?”

“Kim Ji-chang. Kim, Ji, Chang.”

“Kim… Ji-chang…”

Ahn Young-chan licked his dry lips and began to sign.

Ji-seop stared at him and opened his mouth in a subtle voice.

“My brother is complaining these days.”

“Yes? About what?”

Ahn Young-chan replied, his eyes fixed on the baseball.

Ji-seop stared intently into his eyes and continued.

“The exhibition games are in full swing, but he can’t seem to see you play…”

“Oh, is that so? I’m sorry to your brother.”

Ahn Young-chan simply nodded with a calm expression.

Slightly impatient, Ji-seop decided to ask a more direct question.

“My brother said that your skills haven’t deteriorated yet, so he doesn’t understand why you’re trying to give up your starting position.”

“Yes?”

Ahn Young-chan turned his head to look at Ji-seop.

At this moment, Ji-seop realized that the veteran shortstop sitting across from him was quite perceptive.

“I haven’t told anyone except the manager that I’ve given up my starting position yet…”

‘Please tell me honestly.’

Ahn Young-chan gave Ji-seop a meaningful smile.

“Did your brother really say that? Or…”

Ahn Young-chan’s eyes were on Ji-seop.

“Is that what you want to ask me, Ji-seop?”

* * *

Before he could even read his mind, the veteran shortstop came in ‘hot’ [meaning he directly addressed the core issue].

Ji-seop, who received the autographed ball from him, could only smile wryly and slowly nod.

“Hehe, you’re like a ghost.”

Just in time, the owner brought out the udon and rice balls that he had ordered, so Ji-seop accepted them and continued.

“Actually… it’s the latter.”

Since the situation had turned out this way, Ji-seop decided to directly ask Ahn Young-chan what he was thinking.

“To be honest, I was checking your data before I left work.”

Last season, Ahn Young-chan had a batting average of .270 with 8 home runs and 54 RBIs [Runs Batted In].

It wasn’t comparable to his season two years ago when he recorded 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases, but he was still showing decent hitting stats.

Not to mention his shortstop defense, which was still the best in the team.

“Your stats aren’t bad enough to give up your starting position, so why did you say that?”

“Should I tell you honestly?”

Was it because he liked that Ji-seop thought highly of him?

Ahn Young-chan took a sip of his draft beer and opened his mouth with a faint smile.

“The biggest reason is… Shin Min-sung’s talent.”

The KH Cannons’ ‘sacred bone shortstop’ [a player highly valued by the team and fans, often a local talent].

It was the story of a promising player who was receiving full support from the Cannons coaching staff.

“The moment I saw him, I could sense it. Ah, if we raise that kid well, he’ll become something big.”

“…”

“Good hitting, good defense, good sense. I don’t know how this will sound, but… he’s just like my younger self.”

“Your… younger self?”

At this moment, Ji-seop could roughly guess what Ahn Young-chan would say next.

“Isn’t it very similar? Starting with being called ‘high school class’, being from a prestigious local high school, and joining his hometown team with good treatment…”

“…”

“Looking at him, I suddenly thought, ‘If possible, I hope that kid doesn’t have the same baseball career as me.'”

The same baseball career as Ahn Young-chan.

Ji-seop didn’t bother asking what that was.

Of course, that didn’t mean he understood all of Ahn Young-chan’s thoughts.

“So you told the manager that you would give up your starting position?”

Ji-seop tilted his head.

“That’s a bit strange. Simply guaranteeing him the starting position… is that really for Shin Min-sung’s benefit?”

“Rather than securing the starting position for him, it would be better to understand it as eliminating shortstop options other than Shin Min-sung in KH Cannons…”

Ahn Young-chan said in a firm tone.

“Whether it succeeds or fails, we’re going with Shin Min-sung this season. There are no other shortstop options besides Shin Min-sung… I’m trying to instill this idea in the coaching staff.”

“No, why go that far…”

As Ji-seop blinked, Ahn Young-chan put down his beer glass and smiled bitterly.

“The reason is obvious, isn’t it? Min-sung is a ‘sacred bone’ of the Cannons.”

It didn’t seem like he was saying, ‘We have to raise him even if we have to force it because he’s a sacred bone.’

“I also know it well because I was a ‘sacred bone’ from the Geosan Mariners.”

“…”

“Sacred bones definitely receive benefits. They get a lot of opportunities, a lot of media exposure, and naturally, a lot of support from fans.”

Ahn Young-chan continued.

“But that period is… much shorter than people think.”

Six months at most.

A month at the shortest.

Ahn Young-chan said decisively.

“If they don’t produce results within that period, the benefits they’ve received will come back as a terrible backlash.”

Having received many opportunities, the club’s evaluation becomes even more critical.

Having been exposed to the media, even more negative articles come out.

Having received support from the local community, the voices of disappointment also grow.

“After a certain amount of time, it becomes difficult to even listen to the coaching staff’s advice. They wouldn’t want to be evaluated as ‘favoring sacred bones’.”

“Is this your own experience, Ahn?”

“Yes, I can’t deny it.”

Ahn Young-chan chuckled.

“You know, Ji-seop, every year, each club gets three or four rookies who can be called ‘sacred bones’… but how many of them really become stars?”

“…”

“I’ve been to many teams, and I’ve seen a lot of guys who were propped up as ‘sacred bones’ and then abandoned. At the same time, I’ve also witnessed guys who rose to stardom in the midst of all that.”

Ahn Young-chan’s eyes sparkled.

“The method was surprisingly simple. If the club has no other options, the prospect will somehow grow.”

“…”

“Whether he makes errors, hits into double plays, or ruins the team atmosphere with ridiculous plays… if there are no other options, the club has no choice but to use him. The coaching staff has no choice but to keep giving him advice.”

If they raise him bit by bit while paying the ‘tax’ they have to pay, Shin Min-sung will soon become the center of the Cannons.

Ahn Young-chan seemed to be thinking that way.

“Although I haven’t been with this team for many years, I feel grateful to the KH Cannons.”

Ahn Young-chan said to Ji-seop.

“I, who had never escaped the fate of being a backup infielder throughout my career, came to this team and became the starting shortstop, and even signed an FA contract that I never expected.”

“…”

“I’d like to win the Korean Series to express my gratitude, but considering my age, that’s a bit much…”

‘So I thought.’

Ahn Young-chan looked down at the glass, which had less than a sip of beer left, and continued.

“Let’s make the starting shortstop who will succeed me a really smart guy. Let’s create a ‘sacred bone shortstop’ that fans and the club can trust and leave for a long time.”

Ahn Young-chan shook the beer glass ’round and round’.

He shifted his gaze to Ji-seop.

“He’s not showing it on the outside… but Shin Min-sung seems to be having a very hard time these days.”

“…Is that so?”

It was a fact that Ji-seop hadn’t even noticed.

“The expectations around him must be burdensome, and opposing teams are gradually preparing for him.”

“…”

“My feeling is that Shin Min-sung is going to cause an accident in the next game or two, and it’s going to be a big one…”

It didn’t seem like a positive ‘accident’.

“Ji-seop, if something like that really happens to Shin Min-sung…”

Ahn Young-chan continued with a cautious expression.

“Could you… talk to Freeman about it?”