Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 146

#145. The Incheon 3-Game Series

“Please wait here. He will be out shortly.”

A man with a title so long it was hard to memorize guided us.

The 30 players and coaching staff who participated in the WBC followed him with tense expressions.

After the 3-game series against the Gwangju Jaguars, the national team players gathered on a day off after a long time, waiting for someone with nervous faces.

In the last 3-game series, the Warriors recorded a winning series with 2 wins and 1 loss.

The media was more interested in my 47th home run in the third game, but personally, I was more satisfied that the team’s winning percentage finally exceeded 60%.

The gap with the first-place Incheon Rangers has narrowed to 4 games. The high ground that seemed so far away is now within sight.

The players Director Park Jae-cheol brought in during the last WBC break are providing great strength.

And soon, Senior Cheon Sang-jin, who was out due to injury, will return.

My heart is pounding.

I kept talking about winning, but to be honest, I was a little anxious. The Warriors’ performance in the early season was a mess no matter how you looked at it.

Of course, nothing is guaranteed yet.

Nevertheless, one thing is certain: no one laughs at our challenge for the championship anymore. It means that we at least have the power to contend for the win.

The last-place team was a mess due to the owner’s crazy actions [likely referring to mismanagement or scandals] and the factional strife within the team.

“He’s coming out.”

The players and officials sitting at the table stood up.

And after a while, the President of the country slowly walked in.

A few cameramen in the corner of the Yeongbingwan [a state guest house] began to diligently capture the scene with videos and photos.

“Hello, everyone. Thank you for responding to the invitation despite being busy with training. I wanted to treat those who brought honor to the country to a meal, but I can’t move around freely, so I had no choice but to invite you all like this. Thank you. Let’s eat before the food gets cold.”

With a brief greeting, the meal with the President began.

The food was honestly so-so. I’m not very interested in the taste of food in the first place, and the food at this Yeongbingwan was still bland and tasteless.

Just like in my previous life.

“Player Han Su-hyeok, nice to meet you. I wanted to meet you at least, even if I didn’t meet anyone else.”

The meal ended in awkward silence. The president, who was going around the tables and greeting the players one by one, came to my side and spoke.

“Yes, thank you for inviting me.”

Was my answer too short? The chief of staff next to the president frowned slightly.

I didn’t care. Frankly, it’s none of my business.

“Winning the WBC… I honestly didn’t even think about it. My personal wish is to give you all who have worked hard military service benefits, but… haha, that’s not the era anymore. It’s just a shame.”

Military service exemption… I don’t care. I’m twenty years old now. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future.

More than that, I want to finish this uncomfortable time as soon as possible and return to the training field.

“So… is there anything I can do for our baseball world? Please feel free to tell me if you have any thoughts.”

At the President’s words, I couldn’t help but stare at his face.

The owner of this Blue House [the Korean presidential residence], which I visited for the first and last time before my regression, was not this person. To be exact, it was the next president.

He also asked me this question.

Isn’t there anything he can do for the baseball world as president?

Why isn’t there? Of course, there is.

“We need a new stadium. Where players can play to their heart’s content, and spectators can comfortably watch baseball.”

“Hmm?”

“The stadiums in Seoul and Busan have already lost their function for a long time. I wish you would build a baseball stadium. If you can’t, at least provide the site to build a baseball stadium.”

“Ahem, ahem.”

“There must be a lot of idle land among the state-owned land, so please stop building strange things and build a baseball stadium.”

As soon as I finished speaking, the chief of staff glared at me with a face that looked like he was about to breathe fire, and the president’s face was filled with embarrassment.

Why? What are you going to do? You told me to tell you if I needed anything?

* * *

“Su-hyeok, you understand what I mean, right?”

“Yes, Manager.”

“Good, do you have any grievances against me, or anything you want to suggest?”

“No.”

“Thank you. Thank you for understanding.”

The first home game against the Daegu Buffaloes, which I was scheduled to start, was canceled due to rain. I could hear the cries of the black marketeers and resellers all the way here, but that’s none of our business.

Anyway, Manager Lee Dae-jun made a bold choice to skip my starting order altogether, rather than postponing it.

This was thanks to the leeway gained from sweeping the Busan series and winning the Gwangju series, but more than anything, it was to bet everything on the away game against Incheon, which was scheduled after the Daegu game.

The 3-game series against Incheon, who are 4 games ahead of us.

If we sweep all three games, it’s a golden opportunity to catch up to within 1 game in an instant.

Manager Lee Dae-jun decided to put Senior Cheon Sang-jin on the mound for the first game against Incheon.

Senior Cheon Sang-jin, who suffered a minor injury at the end of the first half, will face the strongest team in his comeback game.

Kang Dong-ha, who transferred from the Fighters as a temporary starter, will start the second game the next day. And Derek Bell, a foreign player, is scheduled to start for Incheon.

The matching of a temporary starter and a third starter will be a difficult day for the Warriors unless the game turns into a slugfest.

And the final third game is prepared with a match between me and Senior Im Jun-yeong.

It is the first starting match against a colleague who fought together representing the country in the last WBC and is competing for the best pitcher in Korea.

My heart is pounding after a long time.

Senior Im Jun-yeong’s skills, who overwhelmed Australia and Cuba with his power in the last WBC, were quite impressive.

In fact, I heard that Senior Im Jun-yeong’s value has increased quite a bit since the last WBC.

It’s burdensome news for our team, which is aiming to recruit him as a free agent [FA], but…

Well, I’m the type who gets stronger when the pitcher I’m facing is strong.

* * *

“Hey, when did those guys follow us all the way here?”

“Seriously, it’s no joke. I didn’t think it would work, but it does?”

“Shh, the manager is coming.”

The Incheon Rangers’ power analysis room ahead of the 3-game series against the Warriors.

The eyes of the power analysis team staff, coaches, and Im Jun-yeong, who were gathered in that narrow space, turned to one place.

Manager Gu Yong-sik, who has been called the best sabermetrician in Korea since his days in the front office.

A master who has put Incheon in first place again this year, following last year.

He entered the power analysis room with a stern expression.

“Ah, that’s enough. Just sit down, and let’s start right away since we don’t have time.”

“Yes, Manager.”

“As you all know, the Warriors have narrowed the gap to 4 games by recording 1 win and 1 loss against the Buffaloes.”

“They’ve really… caught up a lot.”

“That’s right. I thought the Commanders or the Magicians would be our rivals this year… Anyway, this 3-game series could be a watershed moment that will determine this season. Jun-yeong, you, the ace, must not forget that, even if you forget about the other players.”

“Yes, Manager.”

“No matter how great Han Su-hyeok is, remember that the opponent you have to fight is not that guy, but the Warriors’ hitters.”

“I know.”

“Good, I know better than anyone that you’re not the type to do anything unnecessary, so I won’t say any more. Review the data updated up to yesterday’s game one more time. Prepare well for the game. As our team’s ace.”

“I will never lose.”

A determined light flashed in Im Jun-yeong’s eyes.

* * *

“It feels good to be on the mound after a long time.”

“Hyung [older brother or senior], you look good. It seems like the timing for a break was appropriate.”

“Really? Haha, thank you, Su-hyeok. I’ll take good care of my body so I don’t get hurt in the future. Thank you for your hard work while I was away.”

Cheon Sang-jin, who had been out of the starting rotation due to injury, finally returned to the team.

In the first game of the 3-game away series against Incheon, Senior Cheon Sang-jin, who will face the opposing team’s second starter, Mike Clark, started running with a light expression. And I walked next to him and slowly warmed up.

For Cheon Sang-jin, who is the person I know who loves baseball the most, with his head full of baseball all the time he is awake, the process of being excluded from the team due to injury and rehabilitating alone must have been quite boring and painful.

However, I think this break due to injury will be quite helpful to Cheon Sang-jin’s body, who is experiencing the first team stage this season.

“Kang Woo-chan, showing a hysterical reaction to outside low-course balls in the last five games…”

Of course, his body rested, but his mind didn’t, as he continues to memorize information about opposing players even at this moment.

“Sang-jin, um… is your thigh okay? How about your calf? Come find me right away if you feel even a little uncomfortable.”

“Yes, Trainer.”

It’s a long race that requires a total of 144 games.

The trainer corps that the head coach brought in has played a big role in the Warriors maintaining their momentum like this, even though they were so bad that words could not describe them at the beginning of the season.

If it weren’t for these people who check and manage the players’ physical condition without resting for a moment before and after the game, our team would not be in second place right now.

“Huff, huff.”

While the players who finished training were filling in the gaps in their own way, Manager Lee Dae-jun called the players to the dugout.

“Guys, don’t be too nervous because it’s a 3-game series against the first-place team. There are still 34 games left. There’s plenty of time.”

Manager Lee Dae-jun, who probably has a stronger desire to win than anyone else in this place, patted the players on the back with an effort to maintain a calm expression.

“Today is Sang-jin’s comeback game. Everyone help him out so he doesn’t overdo it, and check the lineup again. As always, have fun, baseball should be fun for the people who are doing it. Don’t say you’re going to fight to the death for nothing, just do what you can. Okay, that’s all.”

“Yes, Manager!”

This was the lineup that Manager Lee Dae-jun put forward for Senior Cheon Sang-jin’s comeback game today.

1st Center Fielder Seo Hyeong-ju

2nd Left Fielder Choi Min-seok

3rd Shortstop Han Su-hyeok

4th 1st Baseman Jo Seong-oh

5th Designated Hitter Walter Smith

6th 3rd Baseman Ahn Chi-wook

7th Catcher Jang Deok-su

8th 2nd Baseman Lee Chang-mo

9th Right Fielder Kim Su-hak

It’s a lineup that’s not much different from usual, except that Walter, who complained of some physical discomfort, is playing as a designated hitter.

Despite the matchup with the first-place team, a chance to narrow the game gap to 1 game if we do well, there is no sense of impatience in the lineup that Manager Lee Dae-jun has set up.

No, rather, he even showed the composure to lower Jang Deok-su, who can be said to be the team’s main power hitter, to 7th in the batting order to manage his stamina.

He’s a good leader.

Frankly speaking, even until the end of the first half, I didn’t aim for the first place.

At least 4th place, at most 2nd place.

That was the scorecard I wanted from the Warriors this regular season. I thought we could challenge the Korean Series with that much.

But now I’ve changed my mind a little.

A miraculous team that went straight to the top of the regular season the following year from the last-place team last season.

I wanted to try to achieve that miraculous feat that no other team has ever achieved.

“Okay, guys. Let’s gather around.”

And I wanted to enjoy that glory with these people.