Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 109

#108. The Only Thing That Can Fix This Crappy Mood

To be honest, I think the days when the national team ran solely on the honor and pride of representing the country are over. Especially for professional players with salaries in the tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, not amateurs.

Considering that military service exemptions have long been gone from the WBC [World Baseball Classic], there are only two things that can motivate players in this tournament.

First, the prize money for winning.

The winning team of the tournament receives 1.5 billion won, the runner-up 900 million won, and the semi-finalists 600 million won. In addition, player bonuses are also set separately.

Combining the participation allowance of 400,000 won per day of the tournament schedule with this prize money, you can receive a considerable amount of money at once. It’s quite a sweet temptation for players with few years of experience and low salaries.

But there’s something even more important than this.

For most baseball players, except for a special few, it’s the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get their hands on a large sum of money: Free Agency [FA].

The biggest benefit for players would be adding to the number of days required to qualify for FA, depending on the number of national team appearances.

In this WBC tournament alone, 10 points are accumulated for simple participation, an additional 10 points for reaching the quarterfinals, 10 points for the semifinals, 10 points for the runner-up, and 20 points for winning.

These points are immediately added to the FA qualification days, so winning can give you a maximum benefit of 60 days.

Participating in the WBC, Olympics, and Asian Games and achieving good results can change the year of FA acquisition itself, or even if not, these benefits can make up for the penalty period of being excluded from the first team due to injury or slump.

Of course, the various benefits listed so far don’t mean much to me.

Winning prize money? Most of the money I had is tied up in investments, but still, more than 4 billion won is lying dormant in my account. I’m not poor enough to covet a few bucks in prize money.

FA registration days?

What would I use that for? I’m not going to move to another team.

Nevertheless, the reason I’m paying attention to the results of this tournament is…

– Oppa! You’re answering the phone? I thought you were practicing! I’m having dinner with Dad. I met some Korean expats at this restaurant, and they’re all excited to go see the baseball game. You’ll definitely win, right?

The sense of responsibility for the Taegeuk mark [Korean flag emblem], which I had never cared about in my previous life.

A reward for the fans who support me, and a gift for someone who wants this team to win.

– Su-hyeok, how’s the air in New York? Is it hot there too? You probably don’t know many of the players, but try to get close to the seniors. That way, you can recruit them to our team when they become free agents. Hehe.

Someone’s consideration for the future of the team, and although they didn’t say it, probably for myself, a reward for that consideration.

And…

[Samurai Japan Manager Hoshino “Analysis of Han Su-hyeok is complete” Boasts]

[Fourth batter Eto Iori “Han Su-hyeok is just a rookie with a fast ball” Will show the horror of the pros]

[Ace Tanaka Yamato “The weaknesses of Korean hitters are clear, will not give up a single point]

[In-depth coverage, tracing the roots of Han Su-hyeok “There may be someone with roots in China among his distant ancestors.”]

[WBC, which allows participation in the national team based on bloodline, not nationality, will Han Su-hyeok represent China in the next tournament?]

[Beijing Lions official “Contacted Han Su-hyeok, will bring him to the Great Country as soon as he is released as a FA”]

[Chinese baseball fans “A true professional must be verified in the Chinese league”]

The annoyance and anger at the noisy neighboring country’s media, who spew nonsense almost every day.

These things were increasingly focusing me on this tournament.

The three-day local adaptation period ended in an instant.

Two days at Citi Field, where we will play the games, one day at Yankee Stadium, and one day at the auxiliary stadium.

In fact, there was nothing to adapt to. The fielders didn’t have enough time to learn the characteristics of this stadium, such as the shape and distance of the outfield fence, and the pitchers only did a few practice pitches on the mound.

“Isn’t this too advantageous for the United States?”

“It’s not just the United States. Most of the guys in Groups 3 and 4 play in the Big League. It’s advantageous for them.”

“Seong-su hyung [older brother/senior], you’ve played here before, right?”

“Gyeong-jae, let’s not talk about that time, it’s embarrassing.”

“Embarrassing? How many hitters have played in the Major League here?”

“I was called a ‘ground ball machine’ and kicked out in two years, so should I be proud? Come here. Are you trying to screw me over on purpose?”

“No, hyung, that’s not it, ahh, it hurts, it hurts, hyung!”

On the way back to the accommodation after finishing four days of local adaptation training.

Choi Gyeong-jae, who was joking with Kim Seong-su, the oldest member of the Magicians and the captain of this national team, screamed in pain as his side was pinched.

Kim Seong-su, who quickly subdued Choi Gyeong-jae, who had been so cheeky, turned his gaze to me, who was sitting right next to him.

Kim Seong-su.

A player who made a name for himself as a league-leading hitter for eight years after winning the batting title as soon as he debuted.

Although he lost a lot of that reputation after spending two years in the Major League, he has been hitting around .300 every year since returning to Korea and hitting nearly 20 home runs, laying the foundation for the Magicians’ revival.

And most importantly…

“Su-hyeok, it would have been really fun if we had played on the same team, right?”

“Aigo [expression of frustration], hyung. There’s a 19-year age difference between him and hyung. It would be better to have a son early and play baseball together… Ah! I told you not to pinch my side!”

Kim Seong-su, who smiled and pushed Choi Gyeong-jae aside, continued.

A joke mixed with half-heartedness, but with a deep sense of regret.

“If the Warriors had caught me back then… we could have really played together.”

The reason why this thirty-nine-year-old veteran is telling me this is because he is from the Warriors.

He is a franchise star who debuted at the Warriors and spent eight years with them, far senior to Jo Seong-oh, the oldest member of our team.

So why is he wearing a Magicians uniform?

It’s an obvious story. At that time, this team was a team that would obviously lose FAs to other teams.

Kim Seong-su, who spent eight years with the Warriors and went to the United States, returned to Korea in just two years, and naturally thought that the Warriors would catch him.

However, the Warriors owner, that is, my father, had no intention of paying his salary of over 10 billion won, and in the end, Kim Seong-su, who had been waiting for the Warriors’ offer until just before the FA contract deadline, had no choice but to take the hand that the Magicians offered.

The story that Kim Seong-su peeked around the Warriors office right across the street on the day he decided to sign a contract with the Magicians, hoping that they would call him even now, is very famous among baseball fans.

Hoo… it pisses me off again just thinking about it.

Im Jun-yeong, Kim Seong-su… to let go of the best hitters and pitchers representing the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization] so futilely.

I comforted my bitter heart and replied to Kim Seong-su.

“I would have learned a lot from you if that had happened.”

“Learn? What? Hey, you hit the bat much better, what are you going to learn.”

“I watched a lot of your batting videos before I turned pro.”

“Really? Wow, that’s an honor. Oh, right, Su-hyeok. Let’s have a meal together with our team members later.”

“A meal?”

“Yeah, you guys had a big fight while I was away. We can’t keep living as enemies while using the same Jamsil Stadium, right? Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes, I understand, hyung.”

“Good, then let’s finish this tournament first, and then talk again.”

Kim Seong-su, who suffered an ankle injury during spring camp this season, returned to the first team in the first week of July.

Perhaps if he had continued to be on the first team, guys like Hwang Seong-min or Choi Dong-seok might not have done such nonsense.

And perhaps the Magicians, the runner-up team last season, might not have been struggling in 4th place, pushed back by us and Suwon.

While chatting with the players, the car arrived at the hotel.

Now it’s really starting. After the day off tomorrow, the tournament will finally begin.

This life, my first national team game.

* * *

“Commissioner, this is not a domestic game, it’s a world tournament. It’s good to take sides with our team, but please be careful with your words…”

“Oh, our announcer Lee, don’t worry. I’m not the kind of person who can’t tell the difference between right and wrong. Speed, accuracy, honesty, neutrality! Huh? That’s my four creeds of baseball commentary!”

The words that a person like that spouts such things in every broadcast came up to my throat and then went down.

Who can I blame?

The moment I became a team with this human being, beating out other prominent commentators, everything was as good as over.

“Yes, yes, Commissioner. Anyway, it’s a national competition, so there won’t be any criticism for biased commentary, but still, we have to keep the level… You understand what I’m saying? We absolutely can’t do anything that will get us a warning from the Broadcasting Commission?”

“Hey, trust me. What’s more, there are only 5 minutes left, are you still going to be like this?”

“Ah, then I’ll trust only the Commissioner?”

“Don’t worry. Speed! Accuracy! Honesty! Neutrality!”

* * *

The morning of the first day of the tournament dawned.

Today, the game between Taiwan and Australia is scheduled at Citi Field, and the game between Korea and China is scheduled at Yankee Stadium.

This is the fifth morning I’ve had here, and I feel that I’ve adapted to the time difference to some extent, although not perfectly.

Perhaps I’m in a little better condition than the other players. Jacob, who flew to the United States urgently at the request of Manager Jeong Yun-seok, has been managing every detail very meticulously.

The national team seniors and juniors, who learned that I would be pitching and hitting in this tournament, also seemed to have no particular complaints about such special treatment.

Of course, not all of them. I clearly felt the jealousy in the eyes of some old-timers.

Nevertheless, I’m not particularly concerned about such gazes. I’m sure that kind of atmosphere will naturally disappear as the tournament progresses.

Athletes are more accustomed than anyone else to bowing their heads in front of the strong.

They will soon know who the center of this team is, and then they will not be able to send me such glances.

Squeak

“We have arrived. Everyone, get off.”

Following the staff’s guidance, I entered Yankee Stadium.

A relatively new stadium that opened in 2009, with a huge scale that can accommodate nearly 50,000 spectators, and the most expensive baseball stadium in the world, with construction costs of approximately $1.5 billion.

“Wow… this is really amazing. Is this a baseball stadium or a museum?”

“Okay, everyone, don’t look around like country bumpkins and prepare for the game quickly.”

“Hyung, wipe the drool off your mouth before you talk.”

“What? Where? Did I drool?”

A huge structure that seems to contain the history of American baseball in itself, rather than a baseball stadium.

While the other players were amazed by the overwhelming size and facilities of Yankee Stadium, I was fighting the memories of the past that were flooding in.

Memories of my previous life, which are now full of regrets when I think about them.

“Su-hyeok, why do you look like that?”

“…It’s nothing, hyung.”

Suddenly I felt disgusted.

I feel like I can’t stand it unless I smash something.

There is only one place where I can relieve this feeling,

It must be that team I’m facing today.

[2027 WBC Main Round 1st Round Korea VS China – PM 07:00]