Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 170

#169. Han Su-hyeok’s Plan

It might seem unfair that the rankings determined by playing 144 regular season games can be overturned by just a few postseason games.

In Major League Baseball, teams compete for the league championship after winning their respective five-team divisions, and only then can they advance to the World Series.

As someone accustomed to American baseball, I find it strange that a team ranked fifth out of ten can end up being named the champion of the year.

However, it seems there are quite a few people who disagree with me.

Their argument centers on the thrill of seeing the underdog pull off an upset.

They feel a sense of catharsis from watching a team that has been stuck in the mid-rankings all season defeat the top-ranked teams one by one and ultimately win the championship.

Whether I understand it or not, there was another team challenging such slim odds.

The Magicians, who confidently declared they would win the championship this season after finishing as runners-up last season.

The Warriors’ persistent neighbor is now pouring all their efforts into that upset.

“Ha-yeong is coming out again.”

“Wow… isn’t this her fourth consecutive game pitching?”

“Her competitive spirit is something else…….”

“Hey… all that’s fine, but why do you keep coming to my house to watch baseball?”

“Because your house is the biggest and the TV is the biggest, just be quiet for now. Let’s finish watching the game.”

“…….”

It’s one thing for Ahn Chi-wook, who is still staying in the minor league dorm, but even Seo Hyeong-ju, who has a perfectly good house in Seoul, is gathering at my house to watch baseball.

“Su-hyeok, can I get some water?”

“Water? There’s a box of bottled water next to the refrigerator over there.”

“Thanks.”

To top it off, even my classmate Yoo In-cheol, who strangely seems to find me difficult to approach, is here.

My head is throbbing because of the three classmates who suddenly rushed into my house after finishing team training this morning.

I thought I was getting better at this, but I’m still very awkward about letting someone into my private space.

Whoosh

Crack!

“Swing! Out!”

– Ah! The game ends just like that! The Seoul Magicians have achieved a miraculous victory in the 준Playoff [Semi-Playoff] Game 5, advancing to the playoffs after defeating the Suwon Commanders!

– Wonderful! Player Lee Ha-yeong volunteers to pitch in four consecutive games, ultimately leading the team to victory. She has pitched in all three of the team’s winning games, recording saves in all of them. Hmm… some might talk about overwork, but looking at Lee Ha-yeong’s expression right now, it’s hard to say that.

– On the other hand, the Commanders are once again caught by the Magicians in the 준Playoffs this season, following last season’s playoffs. It’s a shame. Player Choi Gyeong-jae will become a free agent at the end of this year, and Suwon’s future will depend on the outcome.

The 준Playoffs between the third-ranked Suwon Commanders and the fourth-ranked Seoul Magicians, which were held in a best-of-five series, ultimately ended with an upset by the Magicians.

The star of this 준Playoffs was the Magicians’ closer, Lee Ha-yeong.

This left-handed closer, who throws at 155 km/h [approximately 96 mph], perfectly closed out the team’s three victories, advancing the team to the playoffs.

Kim Seong-soo, the Magicians’ oldest player and soon to retire, bowed his head to the crowd with reddened eyes.

On the other hand, Choi Gyeong-jae, the Suwon ace who had vowed to leave something behind for the team before his free agency, was being embraced by Jeong Dae-han with a blank expression.

“Looks like that *hyung* [older brother/male friend] is crying too.”

“It seems so…….”

Choi Gyeong-jae, who had been tormented by me throughout the season and jokingly said he would transfer to the Warriors, is shedding hot tears in front of the Suwon fans.

Baseball is truly a cruel sport.

No matter how outstanding a player is, they cannot win the championship alone.

Therefore, even top-notch pitchers like Ryu Han-gyeol and Choi Gyeong-jae have no choice but to accept the team’s defeat.

In 2021, Choi Gyeong-jae, in his second year, led Suwon to their first championship, and now he is preparing for the second act of his career.

Leaving behind his juniors who trusted and followed him.

[2027 Suwon Commanders Final Ranking: 3rd Place]

That’s how the Suwon Commanders’ baseball came to an end.

Anyway…….

“Hey! Ahn Chi-wook! Didn’t I tell you not to spill snack crumbs?”

“…Why only me.”

* * *

Crack!

“Wow… I really can’t get used to it no matter how many times I see it.”

“If you’re just talking about home run distance, there probably aren’t any guys in America who hit it that far, right?”

“Maybe if you’re talking about average distance.”

“Seong-oh, tell Su-hyeok to come to the manager’s office when his batting practice is over.”

“Yes, manager. I understand.”

The period from the end of the regular season to the Wild Card game, 준Playoffs, and playoffs is about fifteen days.

While other teams are engaged in fierce battles to advance to the Korean Series, the team that finishes first in the regular season is given time to rest and train, reorganizing the team.

The Seoul Warriors secured a direct ticket to the Korean Series with a dramatic victory in the last game of the season.

During batting practice, which has been going on all morning, Han Su-hyeok is once again hitting unbelievable long balls, earning the envy of the players.

‘Hmm…….’

Lee Dae-jun, who was walking to the manager’s office, thought.

To be honest, he still couldn’t quite adjust to the current situation.

It felt like he was dreaming.

After being practically kicked out of the team and retiring, he spent a considerable amount of time as a free agent.

A rookie manager with no coaching experience.

Everyone voiced concerns about Lee Dae-jun’s appointment, but he eventually pulled it off.

Regardless of the process, leading the last-place team from last season to first place in the regular season was a great achievement.

Some people who still don’t trust Lee Dae-jun say this:

“It’s all thanks to Han Su-hyeok. Lee Dae-jun is just a lucky leader who met a good player.”

Yes, maybe that’s true.

Han Su-hyeok, who broke all the major batting records in history, and is also a near-perfect pitcher.

Without him, the Warriors’ championship would never have been possible.

No matter how limited the things a player can do alone in baseball, if a player hits 61 home runs and 162 RBIs [Runs Batted In] in a season, the story is a bit different.

Moreover, if that hitter goes to the mound and records 50 innings without allowing a run, it’s even more significant.

However, experts who have watched the Warriors team up close, such as Go Dong-sik, had a slightly different view.

Lee Dae-jun was able to control Han Su-hyeok.

That was their conclusion.

Han Su-hyeok was a very unusual presence in Korean professional baseball.

Leaving aside his unparalleled skills, his behavior and mindset were nothing like those of domestic players.

He is unreserved in establishing relationships between seniors and juniors, or with foreign players, which no player can avoid.

How many players have been crushed after messing with him?

In some ways, he might seem like a madman. He could have been branded as a troublemaker who butts heads with seniors and causes accidents if he doesn’t like something.

However, Han Su-hyeok eventually stayed within the bounds of propriety and got through a season without causing any major incidents.

Of course, it helped that Han Su-hyeok was very polite to his teammates, but more importantly, it was thanks to Lee Dae-jun’s management of Han Su-hyeok.

Lee Dae-jun, who had been studying Han Su-hyeok as a person, came to this conclusion.

Affection for the team, passion for baseball, and a determination to win.

Other than that, he is not interested in anything else – a creature born and living for baseball.

Looking at the guys who had been victimized by Han Su-hyeok, most of them were caught up in the authority of being seniors and wielded undue power, or did other petty things on the baseball field that weren’t related to baseball.

Lee Dae-jun, who realized the true nature of Han Su-hyeok, was reminded of his old self.

A long time ago, when he first wore a professional uniform and was determined to become a player who would represent the league in the future.

It’s been so long that he doesn’t remember that pure heart very well, but he still tries his best to remember that time and tries to treat Han Su-hyeok with that sincerity.

The public’s assessment of rookie manager Lee Dae-jun: a unique charisma that feels more like an older brother than a manager.

That was a byproduct of trying to manage Han Su-hyeok.

In any case, under Lee Dae-jun’s protection and encouragement, Han Su-hyeok went through a season safely, and now the two of them will challenge for their first-ever Korean Series together.

The problem was how to use Han Su-hyeok in the Korean Series.

Han Su-hyeok, who went to the mound with an incomplete shoulder in the last game of the season, has completely stopped pitching training since then and is undergoing daily checkups.

Fortunately, no particular abnormalities have been found so far.

The only thing that can be known at present is that the condition of his shoulder is not perfect due to accumulated fatigue and inflammation throughout the season.

The Korean Series is played in a best-of-seven series.

Some of the teams that have advanced to the Korean Series so far have committed the atrocity of putting their ace on the mound in Games 1, 4, and 7, and have lost their ace as a result.

It goes without saying that Lee Dae-jun had no intention of pushing Han Su-hyeok too hard.

He wanted to use him as a card that could be used just once at a crucial moment, or, if possible, have him play only as a hitter in this Korean Series.

Lee Dae-jun had clearly seen how Shohei Ohtani, who had turned the Big League upside down with his two-way play, had eventually broken down [referring to injuries and potential burnout].

Lee Dae-jun had no intention of sacrificing Han Su-hyeok for the team’s victory.

That’s why Lee Dae-jun was going to instruct Han Su-hyeok to focus only on hitting in the Korean Series today.

However,

Han Su-hyeok’s thoughts were completely different.

“I will pitch in Games 1 and 5.”

“Su-hyeok. Your shoulder is not perfect right now.”

“I know, manager. I will pitch without putting any strain on my shoulder. I don’t think it makes sense for me to be out too in a situation where Lee Man-sik is not available.”

“Even so…….”

“I’ve been working hard for a year for this moment. Please allow me to finish it, manager.”

“Winning is important, but you’re just getting started. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future. And there’s no guarantee that we’ll lose if you don’t pitch.”

“Um… Manager, I was going to tell you later, but please give me some time.”

“Time? Why?”

Han Su-hyeok took Lee Dae-jun somewhere.

The place they headed to was the empty bullpen.

Walter Smith was already there waiting.

“Walter, are you ready?”

“Of course, I’m always ready.”

“Thank you.”

Lee Dae-jun couldn’t understand any of the conversation going back and forth between the two.

Why he was taken to the bullpen, why Walter, not Jang Deok-soo, was wearing catcher’s gear, and what the mitt he was wearing on his left hand meant.

“Su-hyeok, what are you trying to do?”

“I want to show you what I’m going to do in the Korean Series.”