Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 161

#160. Not Baseball, but War

In the world of baseball, several rivalries exist where teams glare at each other, feuding to the point of no return, even if the world were to end.

Among the most famous rivalries are those between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox.

Starting with the trade of Babe Ruth, the rivalry between these two teams has lasted for over 100 years, transcending baseball to be known as one of the best and most intense rivalries in all of professional sports worldwide.

Meanwhile, in the National League, the LA Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants maintain a bitter relationship, and the rivalry between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals fans is also significant.

In Japan, the rivalry between the Yomiuri Giants and the Hanshin Tigers is very famous.

It is said that half of the Japanese population are fans of the Yomiuri Giants.

And the animosity between the two teams is so extreme that anti-Yomiuri fans supposedly throw their support behind the Hanshin Tigers.

What about the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization]?

Back in the 80s and 90s, when regionalism was at its peak, games between Yeongnam and Honam teams often saw burning trash cans thrown onto the field.

However, as time passed, such regional sentiments gradually faded.

As of 2027, the remaining rival teams in the KBO would be the Busan Titans and the Changwon Raptors, whose relationship was strained due to issues with their home locations during their founding.

And the rivalry between the Warriors and the Magicians, both based in Seoul, cannot be overlooked.

The animosity between the fans of these two teams has been repeated for decades since their founding in 1982.

So, do Warriors fans hate and are wary of the Magicians the most? Well, interestingly, that’s not necessarily the case.

This is because it has been too long since the Warriors and the Magicians were in fierce competition for rankings.

To find the period when the rivalry between the two teams was at its peak, one must go back to the mid to late 1990s.

1994 champions, the Magicians; 1995 champions, the Warriors.

The two teams, which stood at the top one year apart, have since taken completely different paths.

The Magicians went through a long dark period from the early 2000s to 2020, while the Warriors enjoyed their golden age during that time, not even considering the Magicians as rivals.

The Magicians barely managed to recover their power in the 2020s.

The problem is that the Warriors entered a dark age from then on.

For this reason, although the feeling of being Seoul rivals remains between the two teams, the sense of competition is actually faint.

So, which rival team remains most vividly in the minds of Warriors fans?

To be more precise, the team they hate to see the most.

That would be the Incheon Rangers, who repeatedly interfered with the Warriors’ championship wins from the mid to late 2000s.

In the minds of fans who have supported the Warriors for a long time, the resentment towards the Incheon Rangers, who made the Warriors be called Kong-ri-vers [a derogatory term for consistently finishing second], during that period, remains intact.

The Warriors, having ended their long dark age, are finally competing shoulder to shoulder with the Rangers once again.

There was no way their fans could be in their right minds.

“I’m going to use my sabbatical that I’ve been putting off for three years now.”

“Hey, Manager Yoon. Are you in your right mind? Didn’t you hear what the president said recently? The company is at a very important time right now, and you’re taking a vacation? A vacation?”

“I’ve been hearing that the company is in trouble for three years now. Anyway, I’m going to use all my accumulated vacation time, including my sabbatical, so please approve it. If you really can’t, I’ll just submit my resignation.”

“What? Resignation? Hey, you, Manager Yoon, no, wait, just listen to me…”

A company employee negotiating with his boss to watch the remaining Warriors games in the second half of the season and the autumn baseball games [playoffs] in person.

“Honey, I think I need some time to myself for the next two weeks. I’ll make sure there’s no disruption to the store management, so please take care of the housework. You know, feeding the kids, sending them to their academies [private tutoring centers], things like that.”

“What! What do you want me to do if you suddenly say that? I have appointments and schedules too, and you’re telling me to give them all up?”

“I’ve done my part with the business and the housework all this time. Is it so difficult to ask for just two weeks of time? You don’t want to? Then I’ll quit everything. That thing you always sing about, yeah, let’s get a divorce.”

A head of household preparing to watch the autumn baseball games in person, throwing off a heavy burden.

Having ignited another flame in the hearts of Warriors fans, the Warriors put up fifth starter Lee Young-joo in the second game of the doubleheader.

In that game, Han Su-hyeok hit another home run, increasing the single-season Korean home run record to 59.

However, the team lost the game.

Starting pitcher Lee Young-joo managed to hold on, giving up 5 runs in 6 innings, but the main reason for the loss was the failure to capitalize on scoring opportunities except for Han Su-hyeok’s home run.

A deep silence fell over the Warriors team after the game.

This was because Incheon recorded a victory that day and ran away again.

Chase, and they run away; chase again, and they run away.

The players were exhausted not only physically but also mentally due to this nerve-wracking race that no one knew when it would end.

With a season record of 82 wins, 4 draws, and 51 losses, the Warriors team, with only 7 games remaining including a 4-game series against the 3rd-place team, Suwon, and a 3-game series against Incheon, moved to Suwon for the final battle.

* * *

[The 4-game series between the Seoul Warriors and the Suwon Commanders ends without a winner, with 2 wins and 2 losses]

[The Warriors, exhausted from the continuous tough schedule, are in crisis after losing the first two games, but barely manage to survive by winning the third and fourth games thanks to Han Su-hyeok’s outstanding performance]

[A huge hit that bounced off the fence twice, Han Su-hyeok fails to reach his 60th home run, an Asian record, “What’s important now isn’t such a record”]

[The fierce 2027 KBO season, the final championship will be decided in the last 3-game series between the 1st and 2nd place teams]

[The Magicians, having virtually secured 4th place in the season standings, are in a state of emergency due to injuries to 3 starting players that occurred during the game against Incheon]

[Magicians’ head coach Joo Seok-do unusually criticizes his senior coach, saying, “What Incheon is doing is not baseball but martial arts”]

[Incheon, who injured 2 opposing players in the last 3-game series against Suwon, still maintains its support for coach Hwang Byung-ho despite continued criticism, saying, “He is the best leader”]

[The Warriors team is on high alert ahead of the season’s 1st and 2nd place decider against Incheon, ‘Prepare for the opponent’s rough play’]

[In response to the continued controversy, Incheon coach Hwang Byung-ho says, “Everything is just a coincidence, and that’s just how baseball is”]

“Su-hyeok, what are you looking at? Don’t just stand there, come in here. You two old-timers, come in here too.”

“Ah, senior.”

“You brat, how much older do you think I am to call me an old-timer?”

“Being in your early thirties and mid-thirties is a world of difference. Anyway, sit down. Hehe.”

The 4-game series against Suwon is over.

There are away games right away from tomorrow without a day off, but since it’s just moving from Suwon to Incheon, there wasn’t much of a burden.

At that time, as the Warriors players finished the game and were eating simple lunch boxes on the bus while moving to the hotel in Incheon, Senior Jo Seong-oh, Senior Lee Man-shik, and I arrived at a famous Korean BBQ restaurant near the stadium at the invitation of Jeong Dae-han from Suwon.

What was it… the purpose was to build camaraderie between players from teams that would meet in the post-season… I just followed along because Senior Jo Seong-oh and Senior Lee Man-shik told me to go together, and honestly, I didn’t think much of it.

But the fact that I came along seems to have surprised people.

“Su-hyeok, welcome. I didn’t think you would come.”

“Senior Kyung-jae, how have you been?”

“Yeah, right? Isn’t it surprising? This guy is now quite… well, at least he’s become somewhat human, wouldn’t you say?”

I didn’t say anything, but they were all excited among themselves.

Well, I don’t think my sociability is so bad that I would hear such things.

“Okay, let’s eat first. The Korean BBQ here is really amazing. Seniors, Kyung-jae is paying today, so don’t fill up on cold noodles or anything, just pack it full with Korean beef. Okay?”

“Hehe, that’s the best thing I’ve heard all day.”

Jeong Dae-han and Choi Kyung-jae, Jo Seong-oh and Lee Man-shik, and I, five large men, took our seats in a private room to avoid the eyes of others and began to devour the Korean BBQ.

“Wow, it’s been so long since I’ve had Korean BBQ.”

“Hyung [older brother/senior] Seong-oh, what have you been eating all this time to act like such a glutton?”

“Hais… don’t even mention it. I was so sick of eating only cafeteria food with the kids while going back and forth between the hospital and the minor league stadium.”

Senior Jo Seong-oh, who had been out of the lineup due to an injury and was undergoing treatment and rehabilitation in the minor leagues, returned in this 4-game series against Suwon and dispelled concerns by hitting 3 hits.

After the five of us devoured a total of 20 servings of Korean BBQ, the meal finally came to an end.

“Keuek, I really ate well today. Kyung-jae, I’ll pay in Seoul next time.”

“Don’t mention it. Su-hyeok, did you eat well too?”

“This place is a great restaurant.”

“Right?”

Choi Kyung-jae’s eyes welled up with tears at the trivial words.

Hmm, what’s up with this guy.

As the meal ended and we were about to leave to prepare for the game the next day, Jeong Dae-han grabbed my sleeve and whispered quietly.

“Su-hyeok, be careful in the game against Incheon.”

“About what?”

“Injuries.”

“Ah…”

“They say it’s a mistake, but in my opinion, it’s 100% intentional. Do you think I’ve only played baseball for a day or two? Anyway, the Incheon guys have now crossed a point of no return. They’ll either soar with Hwang Byung-ho or sink with him.”

“I understand what you mean.”

“Good. You’re smart. Anyway, keep in mind. If there’s a moment when you physically clash with the Incheon guys, prioritize protecting your body. If you get hurt here, autumn baseball and everything else will be over.”

“Thank you.”

“Ah, and don’t explode and get ejected because they’re provoking you, that’s exactly what the Incheon guys are aiming for.”

Jeong Dae-han, who will face us in the autumn baseball games, looked at me with a truly worried expression and disappeared into the distance.

While some are worrying about their opponents who they have to compete against, others are committing all sorts of acts to win against their opponents, even if it means resorting to foul play.

Well, I don’t know.

I don’t know if such actions should even be considered baseball.

* * *

“Listen up. I won’t say it twice. This 3-game series is war. If you falter here, all the hard work you’ve put in throughout the year will be for nothing. Understand?”

At Hwang Byung-ho’s outburst, some players internally expressed their dissatisfaction.

The coach who had spent the entire year with them was no longer in this position. The thought that someone who had suddenly been appointed with only a few games left in the season was mentioning that past time was unfair.

However, there was no one who could voice such words in this place right now.

Above all, Hwang Byung-ho had proven his ability by leading most of the games to victory after his inauguration.

In addition, they had clearly seen with their own eyes that players like Kang Woo-chan and Min Joo-hyun, who had disobeyed Hwang Byung-ho’s orders in the early days of his inauguration, were still stuck in the minor leagues.

“Yes! Coach!”

“Are you sure you really understand?”

“Yes, we do!”

“Good. Then I won’t say it twice. Win the game no matter what it takes. The world never remembers the losers. Only the first place survives. A guy who hesitates to compete with inside pitches out of consideration for the opposing batter, a guy who powerlessly goes to second base and gets caught in a double play, a guy who bows to the opposing player because he’s a senior.”

Gulp.

At Hwang Byung-ho’s continued outburst, the players swallowed their saliva without realizing it.

“I’m going to exclude all of you from the autumn baseball roster. I’m not kidding. Incheon is strong. That means there are guys lining up to replace you, even if one or two of you are missing. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes, we understand!”

“Good, let’s go. From now on, we’re going to war, not playing baseball.”