A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 98

ST Rhinos’ manager, Lee Seok-ho, used to be a heavy smoker.

Until a few years ago, he would rush to the back of the dugout after each inning to light a cigarette.

-Hoo.

Exhaling white smoke while planning the next inning’s strategy was his long-standing habit.

During a single game, this ‘gambler’ of Korean baseball would puff away at a minimum of one pack, and sometimes up to three packs of cigarettes.

However, as time passed, problems began to arise in his once-steel-like body.

Eventually, he quit smoking on his doctor’s advice, and since then, he developed a new routine during games.

“…….”

That was,

rushing to the bathroom to wash his hands thoroughly after each inning.

Swaaaaaa-

It wasn’t just a quick wash like most people do.

He would grab the soap with his tough hands, create a huge lather, and scrub until the slippery feeling was gone, with the water running strongly.

Then, he would dry his hands with paper towels, and finally, dry them under the hand dryer until you’d worry he might get burned.

Only after completing this almost obsessive hand-washing ritual would he feel ready to start the next inning.

Woo Woong!

This day was no different.

As soon as the bottom of the 5th inning ended, Manager Lee Seok-ho rushed to the bathroom to meticulously perform his routine.

A slightly refreshed feeling, and a sense of stress being relieved.

With a lighter expression, he was heading out of the bathroom when,

“Use this, Manager.”

A middle-aged woman standing outside the door suddenly thrust something at Manager Lee Seok-ho.

“It’s hand cream.”

“…….”

“Your skin isn’t crocodile hide… If you keep scrubbing like that every inning, you’ll end up spending a fortune later. You need to take care of it in advance.”

She squeezed hand cream onto the back of the manager’s hand.

A wry smile began to spread across Lee Seok-ho’s face.

“I really can’t stop you. This is clearly a restricted area… What excuse did you use to get in here today?”

Manager Lee Seok-ho asked, looking at the woman standing across from him.

“Huh? Reporter Hwang Young-joo.”

“Why are you like this? Can there be a restricted area between you and me, Manager? I’d be very disappointed if there were.”

“…You’re good with words.”

“No, more than that…”

Why were you like that, Manager?

Reporter Hwang Young-joo asked.

“A disguised starter strategy in this day and age… Don’t you have any affection for your old team?”

* * *

Manager Lee Seok-ho’s answer to Reporter Hwang Young-joo’s question was as follows:

“Well? Is that a problem?”

His expression didn’t change at all.

“I didn’t think it would be a big problem for KH Cannons, of all teams?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Arthur Freeman, was it? That American manager said something like that, didn’t he?”

‘KH Cannons doesn’t play the platoon system [a system where players are substituted based on the opposing pitcher’s handedness].’

Manager Lee Seok-ho smiled as he quoted Manager Freeman’s inaugural address.

“What does that mean? The manager who came from the home of baseball… means that he can play baseball without being concerned about whether the opponent is a right-handed or left-handed pitcher.”

“Wait a minute, Manager! Then, could it be that…”

Reporter Hwang widened her eyes.

“You used the disguised starter strategy because of Manager Freeman’s words?”

“Yes, in a way, I… created a suitable ‘stage’ for that American manager!”

Manager Lee Seok-ho continued.

“If that man really aims for baseball without a platoon system, if he’s playing baseball that goes beyond the limits of the players… frankly, he should be able to win no matter who the starter is, right?”

Manager Lee’s gaze shifted to the monitor screen installed in the hallway.

“But now, at the end of the 5th inning, the score is 4-0… It seems that the new manager of the Cannons was just full of hot air.”

Reporter Hwang Young-joo shook her head at Manager Lee Seok-ho’s words.

“Oh, Manager! Your grudge-holding personality hasn’t changed over the years.”

“It’s not a grudge, it’s curiosity. Curiosity about baseball from the homeland.”

It was about time for the groundskeeping to finish.

Manager Lee Seok-ho asked as he moved towards the dugout.

“Is that all the questions you have?”

“For now.”

When Reporter Hwang nodded, Manager Lee Seok-ho snorted.

“You came all the way here just to ask that? I should know Reporter Hwang’s hasty personality. Don’t you know my style yet? I always give good interviews after the game.”

He meant that those questions could have been asked after the game.

However, at that moment, Reporter Hwang’s eyes narrowed into crescent moons.

“You certainly give good interviews after the game. But that’s only when you win, right? You don’t say a word when you lose…”

“What?”

Manager Lee Seok-ho stopped walking.

“What does that mean? It sounds like… you’re implying that we’re going to lose today’s game?”

“Oh, no way. How could I dare to predict the outcome? But…”

“But what?”

“Today, the Cannons’ hitters… I get the feeling they’re approaching the plate more calmly than usual.”

Isn’t that strange?

Reporter Hwang Young-joo continued.

“When the opponent comes out with a disguised starter strategy… it’s normal to see them flustered and making a fuss.”

* * *

Manager Lee Seok-ho returned to the dugout.

During the top of the 6th inning, he didn’t say a word.

“…….”

With his mouth firmly shut, his arms crossed.

He was just staring blankly at the scoreboard screen.

It was right after the top of the 6th inning that the head coach approached him.

“Manager, the inning is over…”

He was asking if he should go to the bathroom.

He was asking if he should wash his hands.

However, instead of performing his routine, Manager Lee Seok-ho asked the head coach this:

“Were they calm?”

“Yes?”

“The Cannons’ hitters, I mean.”

Manager Lee Seok-ho continued.

“Someone told me a little while ago that the Cannons’ hitters looked very calm.”

“…….”

“My memory is a bit hazy, but if they were calm, they were calm… But considering that, the Cannons’ hits are too few, aren’t they?”

At the end of the top of the 6th inning, the KH Cannons’ hitters had only recorded three hits.

They only had one walk, so looking at the scoreboard record alone, it was no exaggeration to say that they were completely shut down by ST’s ‘disguised starting pitcher.’

But at that moment, the head coach opened his mouth as if he had been waiting for it.

“Actually… I wanted to tell you something because of that.”

“What is it?”

“I know you don’t like to look at data during the game, but…”

The head coach was watching the manager’s reaction.

“A report came up from the scouting team a little while ago… The content was that the Cannons’ hitters’ batted ball speed today is not much different from usual.”

“Wait a minute, what?”

Manager Lee Seok-ho snatched the report that the head coach was holding.

While he was quickly reading the report, the head coach continued.

“If the strategy had worked properly, the speed of the batted balls should have decreased. The hitters who were flustered by the changed pitcher type wouldn’t have been able to swing freely. But the fact that this data came out means…”

“Does that mean that the Cannons’ hitters weren’t affected by the disguised starter strategy in the first place?”

The blood drained from Manager Lee Seok-ho’s face, which had been flushed.

“T, then what?! Why are there so few hits? And why are there so few walks?”

“I, it’s also written on the back of the report… It seems that the well-hit balls just went straight to the fielders. The reason why there are few walks is that the KH hitters swung more aggressively than usual…”

“Oh, you frustrating fool!!!”

Eventually, a thunderous roar erupted from the manager’s mouth.

“Are you someone who can’t play baseball without data? What are you going to do if you tell me that now?!”

“I, I’m sorry, Manager.”

The head coach was flustered.

“There were almost no hits allowed, so I thought our pitcher was overwhelming the opponent’s lineup…”

“Oh, dear!”

Manager Lee Seok-ho couldn’t scold the head coach any further.

When you think about it, he was also relieved by the number of hits allowed.

‘Okay, the important thing now is not to argue about who’s right or wrong.’

Fortunately, the Rhinos had a 4-point lead.

Even if they take down the ‘disguised starting pitcher’ now and go into a closing strategy, there will be no problem with the overall trend.

Judging that way, Manager Lee Seok-ho turned to the head coach and said.

“Contact the bullpen right now!”

He was originally planning to keep the pitcher on the mound for a little longer, but now a change of plans was needed.

“Tell the pitchers to get ready quickly!”

“Manager, should we prepare a left-hander or a right-hander?”

The head coach asked, considering the manager’s usual style, but what came back was another scolding.

“Is that important now? The pitcher on the mound could be in trouble at any moment! Get whoever is ready on the mound first…”

A left-handed pitcher for left-handed hitters.

A right-handed pitcher for right-handed hitters.

Manager Lee Seok-ho was trying to overcome this situation even by breaking his own player deployment principles.

But at the next moment,

What he heard was-

Taahhhh!

A resounding sound of a hit that made the listener’s heart drop.

* * *

At this time, the score was 4-0.

Clearly, it wasn’t a score difference that could be easily overturned.

The reason why Manager Lee Seok-ho could leisurely go to wash his hands every inning.

The reason why ST’s head coach didn’t feel the need to activate the bullpen.

But as soon as the ‘luck’ that had protected ST Rhinos until now faded a little, the 4-point difference disappeared so easily.

Taak!

Taak!

Taahhhh!

The KH Cannons’ hit parade started with the 3rd batter, Ryu Jang-ho.

Hits poured in, regardless of left-center or right-center, and the score quickly became 4-3.

Waaaaah!!!

Waaaaah!!!

What was fortunate for ST Rhinos was that the bullpen was ready faster than expected.

The situation temporarily subsided when the shaken ‘disguised starter’ Rodriguez came down from the mound and the Rhinos’ bullpen pitcher came up.

‘……I’ve put out the immediate fire for now.’

ST Rhinos raised two outs thanks to the bullpen pitcher’s performance.

It was around this time that the blood returned to Manager Lee Seok-ho’s face, which had been pale.

“Okay, let’s stop Jung-soo here. Now, let’s bring up Jae-min.”

“Jae-min? Here?”

The head coach put on the brakes first.

“Manager, shouldn’t we let Jung-soo handle one or two more hitters? The opponent is the 8th batter, and Jung-soo’s condition looks good considering he came up in a hurry…”

“It’s a situation with two outs and runners on first and second. It’s never a time to relax.”

Manager Lee Seok-ho was firm.

“Besides, isn’t the Cannons’ 8th batter a right-handed hitter? It’s textbook to entrust it to the right-handed pitcher Jae-min rather than the left-handed pitcher Jung-soo.”

“The Cannons may use a pinch hitter…”

“What are you worried about? Then we can just walk him and face the next hitter. Do I have to explain everything one by one?”

“Ah, no! Then…”

The Rhinos’ head coach, receiving the manager’s instructions, goes up to the mound.

While another pitcher change was being made, Manager Lee Seok-ho was making up his mind.

‘Okay, it’s true that I got hit hard.’

It was honestly upsetting that the disguised starter strategy didn’t work.

It was also frustrating that the generous lead disappeared because he didn’t know that.

‘But the score is 4-3… Fortunately, there’s still a lead left.’

Bullpen baseball was Manager Lee Seok-ho’s forte [strong suit].

If he makes full use of his strengths, it won’t be difficult to firmly maintain the 1-point lead.

If he manages to maintain the lead somehow, he will be able to achieve his goal sufficiently.

‘First of all, it’s important to get through this inning without giving up any more runs…’

It was at this moment that Manager Lee Seok-ho’s thick eyebrows twitched once.

Right when ST Rhinos’ head coach was turning around after finishing the pitcher change, there was movement in the KH Cannons’ dugout.

‘As expected… are they using a pinch hitter?’

With two outs and runners on first and second.

It seems that the Cannons couldn’t afford to miss this opportunity either.

‘A left-handed pinch hitter for the Cannons? Well, we can just walk him depending on the situation… Hmm?’

Manager Lee Seok-ho, who was looking at the opposing dugout.

At the next moment, a strange expression began to appear on his face.

‘Wait a minute, that guy?!’

At first, it was surprise.

And that surprise turned into bewilderment, and again, the bewilderment turned into subtle anger.

“…….”

The name of the ‘pinch hitter’ who was coming out of the dugout and slowly walking towards the plate was Ahn Young-chan.

He was a veteran right-handed hitter for the KH Cannons.

‘I put in a right-handed pitcher… Are they really putting in a right-handed hitter as a pinch hitter here?!’

It was a choice that seemed to mock Manager Lee Seok-ho’s player deployment policy.