Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 135

#134. A New Beginning

The World Baseball Classic, or WBC, was established in 2006 under the guidance of Major League Baseball.

Looking at the past winners of this global baseball championship, now in its 6th year, Japan has claimed the trophy three times, including the inaugural tournament. The United States and the Dominican Republic have each won once.

As the South Korean national baseball team, the fourth-ever WBC champion, returned home, reporters swarmed Han Su-hyeok, arguably the key player in their victory, with questions.

“Ahn Gook-jin from Sports Daily here. I have a question for Han Su-hyeok. First, how do you feel about winning the WBC?”

“I believe this victory will provide a solid foundation for the Warriors’ championship push in the second half of the season.”

“…That’s not what I meant. You competed against the world’s best players. Don’t you regret not pursuing a career in the Major League [MLB]?”

“Why would I go to a place like that… when I have my own…”

“Pardon?”

“My goal is the Warriors’ championship.”

“That’s not the point! Ty Johnson of the American national team expressed his desire to compete against you again and said he’d be waiting in the Major League. What are your thoughts? If you were to join the Major League, would you want to compete against him again…”

“Tell him to come here.”

“What…?”

“Tell him if he wants to compete with me, he should come to the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization].”

“…….”

“I’m Oh So-yeon from New Sports. How do you think achieving a no-hitter against the United States will impact your future career?”

“I confirmed that I can pitch at full strength for around 100 pitches, maybe more.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m planning to be a dual player in the second half, so I think it will be somewhat helpful.”

“…….”

└He’s so cool…

└If anyone else said that, it would be annoying, but he single-handedly destroyed the United States, so I can’t argue.

└He’s so consistent… He doesn’t seem interested in anything besides the Warriors’ championship.

└Ty Johnson wants to compete again, so he’s telling him to come to the KBO? LOL

└At this point… it’s clear he stayed in the KBO to help the Warriors win.

└Damn… Is he really going to pitch in the KBO?

└Shouldn’t we try to prevent him from pitching at all costs?

└The KBO should enact a law prohibiting pitches over 160 km/h [~99.4 mph]…

└Are you a Busan fan?

└LOL The Titans seem nervous. The Warriors’ first game in the second half is against the Titans.

└He pitched a complete game in the WBC finals, so will he really play in the first game of the second half?

└Who knows? Who can predict what that monster will do?

└I guess…

* * *

When traveling to the United States, I had to endure a nearly 15-hour flight in economy class.

But the return trip was incredibly pleasant.

It was just as Joe Wilson had described.

Upon arriving at JFK Airport, we were escorted to a private plane without any formalities, allowing us to enjoy an exceptionally comfortable flight back to Korea.

Hmm.

If I was going to be treated this well, maybe I should have made an effort to find out who that young master was.

Anyway, after returning to Korea, I immediately met with Sung-hoon hyung [older brother or close male friend] privately.

Besides exchanging greetings, we needed to discuss important details about the second-half schedule.

I felt refreshed entering the representative’s office.

I had confirmed my potential as a pitcher and, as a bonus, regained some of the instincts I had lost while competing against world-class players.

However, that refreshing feeling didn’t last long.

Inside the representative’s office, Sung-hoon hyung, whom I hadn’t seen in a while, looked troubled.

“Hyung, what’s wrong? Is there a problem? Ah, is Sang-jin hyung’s injury still bothering him?”

“Oh? Chun Sang-jin? That’s right. He’s not fully recovered yet. But, if he skips a couple of rotations, he should be able to rejoin the team.”

“Really? That’s a relief. But why do you look so grim? Did you get dumped by a girl or something?”

“Girl? A giiirl? You’re talking about a girl. Really, what girl would I… Anyway, that’s not it. Lee Man-shik isn’t doing well.”

“Man-shik hyung?”

“Yeah, he’s having elbow problems… He had a thorough examination this morning, but we need to wait for the results to know the full extent of the issue.”

“No, why? What happened? Did something happen during practice? Why is a starting pitcher getting injured during the break?”

Sung-hoon hyung gave a bitter smile in response to my question and explained.

“It seems he had a problem trying to adjust his arm angle again.”

“Angle?”

“Yeah, he was trying to increase his speed, even slightly, to help the team in the second half… The coaches tried to stop him, but we couldn’t ignore him since he’s such a veteran. Ultimately, he tried it, and it seems to have strained his elbow.”

“That idiot…”

I think I understand what he’s talking about. Lee Man-shik’s pitching form, which used to be overhand, has shifted to almost a sidearm delivery.

It seems he was trying to change his pitching form to give the team a boost in the second half.

He was trying to raise the angle to increase his speed, even by a little.

“Haa… If that’s the case, our second-half pitching staff…”

“Generally, Chun Sang-jin will miss one or two rotations, and Lee Man-shik… Let’s discuss it again when the results are in.”

The two starting pitchers, who served as the team’s 3rd and 4th starters in the first half of the season, recording 8 and 7 wins respectively, were now out of the rotation.

Yeah, that’s right.

I thought things were going too smoothly.

But I’m not so weak that I’ll give up just because of this.

“Stop looking so gloomy, hyung. I’ll give my all in every game I play. I’ll do everything I can until those two come back. Hey, you don’t need to cry, do you?”

What we needed now wasn’t despair, but a bit of courage and hope to overcome this challenge.

* * *

– Dae-joon, you have to cherish Han Su-hyeok. He’s not just a Warriors player. He’s going to be a pillar supporting the entire Korean baseball world. No, he already is a pillar.

“Yes, sir. I’ll always remember that.”

– Yeah, if I talk too long, it’ll sound like nagging, so I’ll stop. You need to gain experience as a manager quickly.

“What do you mean by that…?”

– You need to be in a position to properly protect Su-hyeok and showcase his skills to the fullest on the national team. I mean, hurry up and take my place.

“How dare I…?”

– Hehe, look at this guy. You know exactly what I mean… Anyway, I’m hanging up now. I need to rest for a while, so don’t contact me.

“Yes, sir. Thank you for your hard work.”

The phone call between Jung Yoon-seok, the returning WBC-winning coach, and his protégé Lee Dae-joon ended.

Lee Dae-joon, after putting down his smartphone, fiddled with his notebook, looking serious.

While the Korean national baseball team was battling fiercely in the United States, the front offices of the 10 domestic clubs were actively preparing for the second half of the league.

As a result, a few decent players joined the team, including Choi Jin-cheol, a versatile infielder backup from Changwon, which pleased manager Lee Dae-joon, who had been concerned about the team’s depth.

But that was only temporary, as 4th starter Chun Sang-jin’s injury was more prolonged than expected, and then something truly significant happened.

The injury of Lee Man-shik, the oldest member of the pitching staff.

According to the test results, there were two options.

Undergo Tommy John surgery [ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction] immediately and begin rehabilitation. This would mean a gap of about a year, but it would be the safest route for the player.

The second option was to postpone the surgery until the end of the season and try to manage as much as possible with treatment and rehabilitation.

Lee Man-shik chose the latter.

‘It’s not too late to have surgery after the season. I’ll try to endure it. I want to contribute to the team’s goals this season, no matter what.’

No matter how many times they tried to persuade him, he wouldn’t listen.

Lee Dae-joon and Park Jae-cheol had no choice but to accept Lee Man-shik’s stubbornness, as he threatened to retire if they continued to push for surgery.

In any case, the conclusion was this.

3rd starter Lee Man-shik would be out for at least a month. And 4th starter Chun Sang-jin would also miss about two weeks.

The only starting pitchers left were the two foreign players and 5th starter Lee Young-joo.

If it had stopped there, I might have given up and retreated to the mountains.

But no.

The only hope that emerged from this misfortune, no, an existence closer to a savior.

Han Su-hyeok.

The best pitcher in Korea, perhaps even the world, who recorded a perfect 1-inning performance in the Korea-Japan match at the WBC and a 9-inning no-hitter in the final against the United States, had returned.

“Haa…….”

A sigh, a mixture of relief and lamentation, escaped manager Lee Dae-joon’s mouth.

How could Han Su-hyeok be safely protected while also being used as efficiently as possible?

Shortstop Han Su-hyeok, hitter Han Su-hyeok, pitcher Han Su-hyeok.

Which of these three powerful cards should he play, and which should he fold?

How should he manage this player, the only true dual player in the world at this point?

The first thought that came to mind was to follow Shohei Ohtani’s precedent.

The records Ohtani has achieved as a dual player are the only real manual for such players on the planet.

Starting pitching every 5 to 7 days and playing as a designated hitter [DH] in the remaining games.

It’s the smoothest approach, but difficult to accept considering the Warriors’ current situation.

If Han Su-hyeok plays as a full-time designated hitter, Yoo In-cheol or Choi Jin-cheol, newly acquired from Changwon, would have to play shortstop.

Even if they sacrificed offense, the defensive drop-off would be too significant.

The reason the Warriors’ starting pitchers had performed surprisingly well in the first half of the season was thanks to the strong defense of the center line, consisting of shortstop Han Su-hyeok, second baseman Lee Chang-mo, and center fielder Seo Hyeong-joo.

Han Su-hyeok was the core of that center line.

Give up that card?

Sacrifice an S-class shortstop who plays every game for a starting pitcher who pitches once every 5 days?

Was that the right decision?

‘I’m going crazy, this…….’

Ultimately, manager Lee Dae-joon, unable to find an answer, had no choice but to call Han Su-hyeok.

Han Su-hyeok, hearing the manager’s concerns, responded as if it were nothing.

“I think it’s possible to start every 5 days. My body is still developing, and I believe I can manage it on my own.”

“Really?”

“Yes, and regarding the position issue… I can play as a designated hitter the day after starting pitching and play shortstop for the rest of the games, manager.”

“Really? Is that possible?”

“Of course. If it seems like it’s too much, I’ll let you know. Don’t worry. I’ll never do anything that will harm my body.”

It had only been about two weeks.

The time Han Su-hyeok had left Lee Dae-joon’s guidance and competed against the best players in the world.

But in that short time, Han Su-hyeok had grown even more.

How should I put it? If he was once a rookie with the potential to become the best in the world, now I could truly sense the confidence of a champion.

If another player had declared their self-belief, I would have scoffed, but because it was Han Su-hyeok who said it, I believed him.

It was as he said. Han Su-hyeok wasn’t foolish enough to do something that would strain his body.

“Starting, designated hitter, shortstop, shortstop, shortstop, that’s the plan. If fatigue builds up, I can increase the frequency of designated hitter appearances.”

“Yes, I’ll try to manage my body as much as possible. You can trust me.”

“Okay, thank you.”

Lee Dae-joon, having finished the conversation with Han Su-hyeok, slowly left the manager’s office and walked onto the empty Jamsil Baseball Stadium field.

A cool breeze blew from somewhere.

While the WBC was underway, the hot summer had passed, and August was nearing its end.

The uneasy feeling in his mind had been greatly calmed by the conversation. And a more realistic realization dawned on him.

Han Su-hyeok, named WBC 2027 MVP, home run king, batting champion, RBI leader, and the player every club manager desired most.

Why should I be afraid when I have a player like that?

Lee Dae-joon recalled his mentor in his heart and muttered to himself.

‘Teacher, thank you so much for looking after our Su-hyeok from afar.’

The faraway place he was referring to was, of course, America.

* * *

“Han Su-hyeok, you’ve become known worldwide through your performance in the WBC. As the final segment of today’s program, please share your future goals and determination.”

“Championship.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m not interested in anything other than the Warriors’ championship this year.”

“Um… even advancing to the Major League, which is the greatest honor for a player, or…”

“No, that’s not important at all. What I want now is only one thing: the Warriors’ championship.”

Han Su-hyeok, appearing on a sports special program the day before the start of the second half, once again firmly stated his determination.

The questions were slightly different from the homecoming interview, but the answers remained the same.

Only one thing is desired: the Warriors’ championship.

└It’s scary… I thought it was just talk before the season, but now it seems like it’s really going to happen.

└He’s the guy who single-handedly carried the WBC to victory, so the KBO is nothing to him.

└That’s not true. Honestly, leading the Korean team to victory in the WBC VS leading the KBO Warriors to victory. The latter is overwhelmingly more difficult.

└Warriors) You son of a bitch…

└I realized it while watching the WBC. The Warriors are holding Han Su-hyeok back.

└What are you talking about?

└Didn’t you see him hitting with confidence because there were hitters in the lineup ahead of and behind him? If the Warriors hitters had performed a little better, he might have hit .500 instead of .400.

Of course, people were saying this somewhat jokingly.

It’s foolish to directly compare the results of a short-term tournament like the WBC with the results of a long-term season.

However, the Warriors hitters, hearing through media reports and internet comments that they were holding Han Su-hyeok back, gritted their teeth and dedicated themselves to even more intense training.

Especially Seo Hyeong-joo, who had a rivalry with Han Su-hyeok, pushed himself even harder.

‘Just you wait. Next time, I will definitely……!’

That’s how the Warriors’ second-half schedule began.

The Sajik Stadium was packed with fans who flocked to see Han Su-hyeok in the 3-game away series against the Busan Titans.

The Warriors, led by 1st starter Ryan Stark and Brooks Parker, swept both games at Sajik Stadium, which recorded a sellout crowd for the first time in a long time.

Han Su-hyeok, who had risen to national stardom through the WBC, hit a three-run home run in the second game and received a standing ovation from the fans.

The third game, in which 5th starter Lee Young-joo played, ended with a win for the Busan Titans. Lee Young-joo pitched well for the first time in a while, but the middle relief team faltered, leading to a come-from-behind loss.

But the Warriors fans’ expressions were bright. This was because Han Su-hyeok hit another home run, increasing his season total to 42.

And that night, fans were finally able to see the news they had been waiting for through the sports news section.

[Warriors’ Han Su-hyeok to Start in First Game of Jamsil Rivalry Against the Magicians]