Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 17

#16. The First At-Bat to Be Recorded in History

As with any organization, there’s a significant difference between how things look from the outside and how they look from the inside.

Spending spring training with the players, I’ve come to discover various aspects that can’t be found in field reports or scouting reports.

In that sense, concealing my identity, which allows me to exert influence on the club, and mingling among the players is convenient in many ways.

I took some time to examine our team’s pitchers one by one.

First of all, the two foreign players are relatively decent. They fall slightly short of the ace level of other teams, but they are still valuable assets that I brought in with my own money.

Ryan Stark, who successfully re-signed after last season, is a right-handed orthodox pitcher who mainly uses a 150km/h fastball, curve, and slider.

He is still in his prime and his skills are improving, and he hopes to return to the major leagues.

Brooks Parker, who is wearing the Warriors uniform for the third consecutive year, is a ground ball-inducing pitcher who mainly uses a fastball in the early 140km/h range, a slightly slower two-seam fastball, and a sinker.

It seems he suffered a lot last season because the Warriors infield defense was so poor.

Other than that, veteran Lee Man-sik, our homegrown ace, and veteran Jung Tae-ho, who mainly pitched as the 4th starter, have some potential. Among the middle relievers, veteran Hong Young-sik, who has a fast ball, stands out, and the closer is veteran Choi Jung-soo, who has an unstable mentality.

Now, let’s draw a conclusion…

It’s disappointing in many ways.

A significant level of player reinforcement is needed.

More than anything else, we desperately need a reliable bullpen to take responsibility for the middle innings.

It seems that General Manager Park Jae-cheol, who returned to Seoul, is plotting something, but frankly, I don’t know what it is.

Wait… at this point, could there be any uncut gems buried in other teams’ minor leagues?

Think. Han Su-hyeok… recall your past memories.

…

Damn it, I should have paid more attention to Korean baseball.

If I think about it a little more later, I’m sure a name will come to mind. Let’s move on for now.

“Good morning, everyone. I hope you’re all well-prepared for today’s game.”

Anyway, as spring training continues, we finally have our first practice game scheduled against another team.

The Suwon Commanders, who, like our team, have set up spring training here in Arizona.

The youngest of the 10 clubs to join the league, and who finished 3rd last season based on solid financial power, are our first practice game opponent.

Looking at the record, they had a record of 14 wins and 2 losses against our team last season. That means the Warriors played a decisive role in that team finishing third.

“Okay, here’s today’s starting lineup. Everyone, check it out.”

About two hours before the practice game, Manager Lee Dae-jun posted the lineup with the names of the starters on the dugout wall.

1st Center Fielder Jung Gi-ho, 2nd Second Baseman Lee Chang-mo, 3rd Shortstop Han Su-hyeok, 4th Right Fielder Max Walker, 5th Designated Hitter Ahn Chi-wook, 6th First Baseman Jo Sung-oh, 7th Left Fielder Jang Gi-ho, 8th Catcher Hwang Sung-min, 9th Third Baseman Song Gi-tae. Starting Pitcher Jung Tae-ho.

I guess Sung-hoon *hyung* [older brother or male friend] delivered the message properly.

Ahn Chi-wook, whose swing has improved a lot thanks to my training over the past few days, has his name on the lineup as a designated hitter.

And I will be at the 3rd shortstop position.

Number 3…

Actually, my personal favorite batting order is number 2.

Number 1 is a little boring because there are no runners ahead, and number 2 gets the next most at-bats. The number of at-bats is directly proportional to the number of home runs, which is one of my baseball philosophies.

Anyway, today I’m the 3rd shortstop.

“Welcome. *Sunbaenim* [senior].”

“Congratulations on your appointment as manager, Manager Lee Dae-jun. I hope you have a good game today.”

The Suwon Commanders team arrived at the stadium.

Since the stadium they are using is only a 10-minute walk from here, they must have just walked over to warm up.

Manager Lee Dae-jun took the coaches to greet the opposing team’s manager, Gu Yong-sik.

The opposing manager, surrounded by a multinational alliance of whites, blacks, and Latinos, shook hands with them one by one with a bewildered expression.

To define the Suwon Commanders in one word, they are a team that enjoys data baseball based on sabermetrics [the empirical analysis of baseball, especially baseball statistics that measure in-game activity].

You can tell just by looking at the general manager, who is from records, and the manager, who is from power analysis.

As befits such a team, the players also pursue highly efficient baseball.

They value getting on base, are enthusiastic about long hits, and believe in BABIP [Batting Average on Balls In Play, a measure of how often a batted ball becomes a hit].

Due to the combination of Suwon’s location and various characteristics, they are not very popular compared to their performance, but they are definitely a notch above our team in terms of power.

The fact that they have had an overwhelming record against our team for the past four years is proof of that.

That’s why I don’t want to lose even more. Even if it’s just a practice game.

“Ahn Chi-wook, come here.”

“Why?”

“Today is a bet. Who gets on base more.”

“A get-on-base bet?”

“Yes, no matter what, who gets on base more.”

“Hmm… okay. Let’s do it.”

“Hey, friends. What’s going on? Whatever it is, count me in.”

“Okay, Max, come here. Tonight is a bet. The loser buys the biggest and most expensive steak around here.”

“What kind of bet is it?”

“Who gets on base the most.”

“Oh…”

It seems that the coaching staff has been instructed to train Ahn Chi-wook through Sung-hoon *hyung*.

The fact that his swing is getting sharper day by day is proof of that.

Of course, the biggest reason is that I’m taming him with a carrot and stick strategy right next to him.

The hitting mechanism of the hitter Ahn Chi-wook lies in the fast and concise hits that come from an accurate level swing.

It is difficult to hit home runs because the launch angle is somewhat low, but the ball speed is so fast that it is difficult for fielders to handle, so it is the type that can produce a lot of hits.

These hitters can produce good results at the plate by relaxing their shoulders and swinging concisely.

If I focus on the get-on-base bet I proposed today, I will naturally relax my shoulders and find my original sense of hitting.

It’s surprisingly busy.

I should get a coach’s salary for this.

Oh, isn’t that my money anyway?

“Su-hyeok, what did you talk about with the kids?”

“No. Manager. I just told them to work hard.”

“Really? Oh… as expected.”

I don’t know what he expected, but Manager Lee Dae-jun handed me a drink with a pleased expression.

I don’t usually drink a lot of water because of my constitution, but people keep handing me drinks.

It’s quite a chore to drink all of this every time.

Okay, anyway, it’s game time.

The goal is to hit a home run in every at-bat.

What? Isn’t the goal to get on base in every at-bat?

A home run is also getting on base.

* * *

“Hmm.”

“Manager?”

“Ah, sorry.”

“No. The kids are all here.”

The Suwon Commanders’ dugout before the practice game against the Seoul Warriors.

Manager Gu Yong-sik, who has been leading this team for four years, looked at his players with a serious look.

“Okay, this is the team we unilaterally crushed last year with 14 wins and 2 losses. Surely that overwhelming advantage won’t be overturned just because one rookie came in, right? Even though it’s a practice game, let’s do our best to win. That’s all.”

“Yes!”

Manager Gu Yong-sik, who finished the story simply, called Choi Kyung-jae, the team’s left-handed ace who will be starting today, and quietly conveyed his intentions.

“Kyung-jae.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s save Kyung-jae.”

“Yes?”

“Cough, never mind.”

I was hoping, but it doesn’t work.

Manager Gu Yong-sik, who quickly removed a very old gag that suddenly came to mind, continued in a serious voice.

“About that Han Su-hyeok.”

“Yes, Manager.”

“Let’s kill his spirit.”

“Yes?”

“You might think, ‘Why go so far with a last-place team?’ but you never know. Make him pee his pants every time he sees you.”

“Um… Yes, Manager. I know what you mean.”

Choi Kyung-jae, Suwon’s left-handed ace and national team starting pitcher, nodded and returned to his seat.

In fact, even if Han Su-hyeok is a promising player, he doesn’t think things will improve much just by adding one rookie.

In fact, the Warriors didn’t even have a proper FA [Free Agent] or foreign player reinforcement other than Han Su-hyeok.

But you never know what will happen in the world.

Manager Gu Yong-sik, who sees baseball only as numbers, decided to trust the numbers instead of baseless feelings.

The skills Han Su-hyeok showed in high school and the performance predicted based on them, and even the synergy when added to the Warriors, a last-place team.

As a result of these calculations, he concluded that the best way to win even one more game against the Warriors this season was to completely suppress Han Su-hyeok.

And Choi Kyung-jae was going to faithfully carry out the manager’s instructions.

The game started.

“Out!”

“Shit!”

Choi Kyung-jae struck out Jung Gi-ho, the Warriors’ first batter, in just three pitches.

Jung Gi-ho, who didn’t even swing at the fastball that was full on the outside, returned to the dugout, spewing profanity.

There were not many people who would provoke the ire of this dynamite-like center fielder, who frequently caused bench clearings and was involved in several violent incidents outside the stadium.

As he threw his bat into the dugout and slumped into a chair, the surroundings became quiet.

But that behavior touched Manager Lee Dae-jun’s nerves.

Who is he?

Wasn’t he the number one bench clearing player during his active career, whom no one could touch, and even senior players from other teams were at his beck and call?

He decided to put up with it once. Jung Gi-ho’s arrogant behavior, that is.

But if he vents his anger in the wrong place one more time, he will give him a proper lesson.

‘Um’

While Jung Gi-ho was out on strikes, Lee Chang-mo, the second batter, picked the first ball well.

One of the most disappointing players on this team in Manager Lee Dae-jun’s opinion is Lee Chang-mo.

Before he went to the major leagues, he used to hit .300 with double-digit home runs and stolen bases, but he was completely discouraged after only two years of failure there.

Of course, it’s hard to expect the same mobility as before due to a knee injury, but if he pulls himself together and works hard, he can easily hit around .300.

But rebuilding a broken mentality and rekindling a withered desire is not an easy task.

That’s why Lee Dae-jun is watching him silently. Waiting for the day he gets up on his own.

“Out!”

Lee Chang-mo, who picked two balls well, hit the third ball properly, but was outed by the opposing shortstop’s good defense.

He’s a really good defender, even though he’s an opposing team player. He is one of the players who has contributed greatly to Suwon’s maintaining its top ranking.

If it weren’t for Han Su-hyeok, I would have been really envious.

I’ve already experienced enough that the stability of a team’s infield defense fluctuates depending on the shortstop.

But now I’m not envious at all.

Even if I were given Lee Tae-woong of the Daegu Buffaloes, who is currently the best shortstop in the league, I wouldn’t trade him for Han Su-hyeok.

Han Su-hyeok, the most brilliantly shining prospect in his baseball life.

The flower that bloomed in the barren desert called Warriors, the commendable guy who will be the ace of this team in the future, was entering the plate with an indifferent expression.

“Han Su-hyeok!”

“Yes?”

Manager Lee Dae-jun, who called Han Su-hyeok’s name and caught his attention, smiled broadly as he pretended to swing big.

It meant to hit big without any pressure.

Then Han Su-hyeok nodded as if he understood and smiled back.

A guy who is good at baseball is also quick-witted.

Han Su-hyeok, who showed such a trustworthy expression, finally entered the plate.

The atmosphere on the ground changed drastically.

Despite being two outs with no runners, all the players on the ground, and the managers and coaches in both dugouts, held their breath and fixed their eyes on Han Su-hyeok.

Manager Lee Dae-jun’s heart began to pound.

The non-standard rookie who made the baseball world flutter just by joining a domestic team, and the player he currently trusts the most, was finally facing his first at-bat.

What kind of performance will that guy be able to show in a real game?

What kind of results will he be able to achieve against the left-handed ace who currently represents the country?

No one knows how far this monster called Han Su-hyeok will grow.

But I had a feeling that maybe today’s at-bat could be the first at-bat of a great player that will go down in KBO [Korean Baseball Organization] history.

‘Indeed…’

Manager Lee Dae-jun clenched both fists and fixed his eyes on Han Su-hyeok.

* * *