A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 51

14. Generational Shift (4)

Veteran shortstop Ahn Young-chan.

A few hours before facing him, Ji-seop was reporting his observations to Manager Arthur Freeman.

“He seemed to have a complicated mind.”

It was about Ahn Young-chan.

“As the team shifted to a development-oriented approach, he seemed to be contemplating his role.”

“Specifically?”

“He seemed to think that for the team’s future, he should step back and let Shin Min-sung take over as the starting shortstop.”

“Hmm.”

“But at the same time…….”

Ji-seop continued, recalling the moment he had stared intently into Ahn Young-chan’s eyes.

“Seeing him practice late into the night, it seemed his desire to play as an active player hadn’t completely disappeared.”

“Huhu, he thinks he should give his spot to a junior, but at the same time, he doesn’t want to let go of his desire to play… A contradiction.”

Manager Arthur Freeman gave a bitter smile.

However, he didn’t seem to want to criticize Ahn Young-chan’s contradictory thoughts.

“It’s not strange for a player nearing retirement to think that way.”

Freeman looked at Ji-seop.

“So? What’s your opinion?”

“I hope you give Ahn Young-chan a clear message.”

“A clear message?”

“Right now, Ahn Young-chan’s mind is exactly split in half. I think his mind will lean towards whichever advice he gets from the people around him.”

Ji-seop continued.

“If you give Ahn support at this time… wouldn’t it create the competitive environment within the team that you want?”

“Forget about foolishly giving up your starting position, and play your best until the end… something like that?”

“Yes.”

As Ji-seop nodded, Arthur Freeman scratched his chin and wandered around the manager’s office.

Then, he suddenly looked up at Ji-seop and said,

“How about you deliver that message yourself?”

“Excuse me? Me……?”

“Before I put you in charge of translation, I actually gave instructions to the coaches several times. To have a conversation with Mr. Ahn.”

It seemed Freeman hadn’t been idle.

“But none of the coaches who moved under my instructions… came back with the same story as you.”

“This is one of two things.”

Freeman continued.

“Either the coaching staff carried out my instructions carelessly, or your skills in handling players are superior to those of the other coaches.”

“Wh, what does that…….”

As Ji-seop looked slightly flustered, Freeman gave a subtle smile.

“Give it a try. I want to know exactly which one it is.”

“…….”

“You are my translator, so your words carry the weight equivalent to mine as the manager. So…….”

Freeman’s resolute expression.

“Use every means at your disposal to change Mr. Ahn’s mind.”

Having received these instructions, Ji-seop was able to deliver a clear message to veteran shortstop Ahn Young-chan a few hours later.

“I hope you give it your all until the end. Until there isn’t even a trace of regret left in your heart.”

“I think that’s the best course of action.”

Ji-seop said to Ahn Young-chan.

“For the team, for Shin Min-sung, and most of all… for Ahn Young-chan himself.”

* * *

The very next day after Ji-seop delivered the ‘play until the end’ message to Ahn Young-chan.

A scrimmage was held at KH Cannons Field, following the instructions of Manager Arthur Freeman.

“Morris will be the starting pitcher for the Blue Team. And the starting pitcher for the White Team will be…….”

The season opener was only three days away, and the 1st team roster for the opening game had already been announced.

This scrimmage was an opportunity for the players who made the roster to check their condition one last time before the opener, and for the players who didn’t make the roster, it was an opportunity to appeal to Freeman.

“…….”

Ji-seop, who was watching the game next to Arthur Freeman that day as well.

His gaze was directed towards veteran shortstop Ahn Young-chan, who was playing as the starting shortstop for the Blue Team that day.

‘Did my story… resonate with him?’

How would Ahn Young-chan have taken Ji-seop’s story?

Would he have put aside his wavering mind and decided to give it a real shot?

Or would he still be in an ambiguous state, unable to make up his mind, as he faced the season opener?

It didn’t take long for Ji-seop to get the answer to that question.

Thwack!

That day, Ahn Young-chan was putting on a display that showed ‘what a veteran is’.

From the first at-bat, he created an infield hit with a surprise bunt attempt,

Crack!

In the second at-bat, he showed a technical hit that went over the second baseman’s head with just bat control in a situation where he had completely lost his timing.

“Strike, out!”

He struck out in the third at-bat after a tenacious battle that went to the 10th pitch, but the highlight of the day came in the very next inning on defense.

Whack!

Coincidentally, the batter was Shin Min-sung, who came out as the starting shortstop for the White Team.

The ball he hit with a 2-2 count floated high into an ambiguous position between the infield and outfield.

‘Th, this is…….’

Anyone on the Cannons’ coaching staff would have been able to recall it.

A ball that was awkward for the shortstop to catch, and awkward for the center fielder to catch.

The very situation that ‘sacred bone shortstop’ Shin Min-sung had failed to handle properly.

And at this time, Ahn Young-chan accurately showed what ‘textbook play’ was in this situation.

“Center!!!”

Ahn Young-chan shouting for the center fielder.

It wasn’t just ‘shouting’.

He was shouting with veins popping out of his neck, as if he would punch him if he didn’t come out right away.

“Center! It’s your ball! Catch it!!!”

In fact, the center fielder seemed to think that the left fielder should catch it rather than himself.

However, what could the center fielder do when the shortstop, the ‘commander of the field’, was giving instructions with veins popping out of his neck?

“Da, damn it!”

The center fielder gritted his teeth and ran like crazy.

He succeeded in scooping up the ball after even attempting a sliding catch that slid behind his back.

Third out. Change of offense and defense.

“Good job! Nice catch!”

Ahn Young-chan reaching out to the center fielder who was lying on the outfield grass.

Of course, the center fielder, who had to run desperately because of Ahn Young-chan, grumbled with a glare.

“Honestly, shouldn’t the left fielder have caught that ball just now? I thought I was going to die!”

“Why are you making that judgment? Don’t you know that the shortstop’s judgment takes precedence between the shortstop and the center fielder?”

Ahn Young-chan talking loudly as if everyone else should hear.

The center fielder muttered, ‘Why did you have to shout?’, but Ji-seop could accurately understand Ahn Young-chan’s intention.

“…….”

Ahn Young-chan’s gaze was directed towards rookie shortstop Shin Min-sung as he patted the center fielder’s butt.

* * *

That evening, Ji-seop was leaving work with ‘fellow entry-level employee’ Go Chang-deok.

The two hadn’t seen each other much since the end of spring camp.

The story was that it would be even harder to see each other once the season started, so they should have a drink before that.

“Wow, not just anyone can be a manager’s translator. I didn’t know you’d be taking on the task of caring for the players…….”

The topic of conversation between the two, who had met after a long time, was of course related to Ahn Young-chan.

Go Chang-deok, who had heard Ji-seop’s story, clicked his tongue, saying ‘tough, tough’, but gave a fairly serious assessment.

“Still, it’s a relief that Ahn Young-chan listened to you and changed his mind. Actually, putting in a rookie and feeding him experience points… isn’t as easy as it sounds.”

“Yes, there is that aspect.”

Ji-seop nodded slowly and smacked his lips slightly.

Go Chang-deok, who was quick to notice, didn’t miss that fleeting expression.

“Why? Was there something you didn’t like about it?”

“It might be a bit of an excessive desire, but…….”

As he walked across the crosswalk following the changed traffic light, Ji-seop continued.

“If possible, I wanted Ahn to calmly talk to Min-sung about today’s play.”

“Hmm.”

“The coaches will talk to him separately, but in times like this, it’s more effective for a senior who has shown such plays to speak directly.”

“A more attentive attitude… is that what you were expecting?”

Go Chang-deok chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.

“Yeah, that’s not easy. It would be different if he had completely given up his desire to be the starter and stepped back. Ahn Young-chan has to train and analyze data… it’s not easy to take the time to sit down with the juniors and talk.”

“That’s… true.”

As Ji-seop nodded, Go Chang-deok made a ‘tsk’ sound and looked around.

“By the way… where are we going? I’m not familiar with the geography around here yet.”

“You’re not going to drink a lot, are you?”

“Oh, no. I have to go to work early tomorrow too. Let’s just have a beer or two and call it a night.”

“In that case…….”

Ji-seop’s gaze, which had been looking around, landed on the izakaya [Japanese-style pub] he often went to.

“Let’s go over there. There’s something to fill our stomachs, and the beer isn’t bad.”

“Oh, that’s good.”

Ji-seop, along with Go Chang-deok, who said ‘okay’ without hesitation, headed to the bar that he was now quite familiar with.

Just as Go Chang-deok, leading the way, grabbed the door to the store and turned to Ji-seop, he said.

“Ji-seop.”

“Yes?”

“We… can’t go here right now.”

“Yes? There’s no way it’s already closed…… Ah.”

Ji-seop, who came up the stairs and looked at where Go Chang-deok was pointing.

It was at this moment that a faint smile bloomed on his face.

“The person sitting over there. That’s Ahn Young-chan, right? And the person sitting next to him is…….”

“It’s Min-sung. Shin Min-sung.”

The veteran shortstop who had wandered around this team and that team for a long time before settling down with the Cannons, and the ‘sacred bone shortstop’ who would one day carry the future of this team on his shoulders.

The two were sitting side by side at the counter, talking with glasses of beer in front of them.

“Ahn Young-chan looks pretty serious… wouldn’t we be disturbing them if we went in now?”

“That’s true. It’s a shame, but today… I think we should look for another store.”

Ji-seop, who had been staring at the two sitting side by side for a while, started walking down the stairs again.

At this time, Ji-seop could feel a sense of pride filling a corner of his heart.

He was grateful for the player’s heart that had followed his story, and he felt great about himself for having brought about the player’s change.

‘This season, even if it’s not other positions, at least for the shortstop… it might be good to look forward to a definite generational shift.’

Thinking that, Ji-seop looked around for another store.

At that moment, Ji-seop’s cell phone, which he had put in his pocket, vibrated.

‘……Secretary Yang?’

It seemed that there was another person besides Go Chang-deok who wanted to see Ji-seop before the season opener.