Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 190

#189. Han Su-hyeok’s Era

Being universally loved, especially by all baseball fans, is virtually impossible.

Even for Han Su-hyeok, who played a pivotal role in the recent World Baseball Classic (WBC) victory and is being hailed as one of Korea’s greatest baseball players just one year after his debut.

Yet, there was at least one player who was remembered as a hero by the fans of two teams, Seoul and Incheon.

Lim Jun-yeong, who started the second game of the opening two-game series between the Seoul Warriors and the Incheon Rangers, took off his hat and bowed to both the home and away fans.

“Waaaaah! Lim Jun-yeong!”

“Welcome back!”

“Do well over there, you!”

Lim Jun-yeong is remembered by Warriors fans as an ace who endured both the golden age and the dark ages of the team, and by Rangers fans as the leader who spearheaded Incheon’s golden era.

The game was briefly delayed as he greeted fans, but even the umpires turned a blind eye and allowed him the time.

Lim Jun-yeong was that kind of player.

With Ryu Han-gyeol, arguably the best pitcher in Korea, now gone, he is perhaps the only player who enjoys widespread support from all ten clubs’ fans.

Lim Jun-yeong threw a powerful first pitch to his former teammate, Kang Woo-chan, who used to look up to him like an older brother.

Shoo-oong

“Strike!”

“Waaaaah!”

“Fast! Fast!”

“Looks like his shoulder is okay now!”

“Be careful, Lim Jun-yeong! Don’t push yourself too hard!”

Lim Jun-yeong’s shoulder was noticeably fatigued after pitching extensively from the end of last season through the Korean Series [championship series], both willingly and due to necessity.

For Lim Jun-yeong, the Warriors spared no effort.

Immediately after he signed his contract, they arranged a training camp in sunny California and dispatched staff, including trainers and doctors, to assist Lim Jun-yeong’s rehabilitation.

A seasoned doctor, who had been caring for professional baseball players for decades, remarked that Lim Jun-yeong possessed the most remarkable durability he had ever witnessed, and he returned to the mound, completely allaying concerns about potential injuries.

Han Su-hyeok and Lim Jun-yeong.

Coach Lee Dae-jun, now possessing arguably the best one-two pitching punch in Korea, or perhaps ever, decided to implement special management for them.

He remembered the unfortunate incident when Lee Man-sik’s elbow ligament snapped, and Han Su-hyeok’s predicament when he had to resort to throwing a knuckleball due to a shoulder issue.

He resolved to prioritize long-term stamina preservation over immediate victories.

His emphasis on bolstering the middle relief corps [relief pitchers who typically pitch in the middle innings] this past winter was also part of that strategy.

Lee Young-joo and Kang Dong-ha, who served as the team’s fifth starters last season, along with some promising talents acquired through trades, and rookie Choi Ma-roo, who earned a spot on the first team roster with his impressive performance in the exhibition games.

He intended to utilize them as middle relievers to alleviate the workload on the starting pitchers as much as possible.

In the baseball world, where the notion that pitchers’ sacrifices are unavoidable for the team remains prevalent, Lee Dae-jun was a refreshingly unconventional manager.

Shoo-oong

Boo-oong

“Swing! Out!”

“Waaaaah!”

All the coaching staff’s consideration, the warm welcome from his seniors and juniors, and the club’s noticeably improved support.

All of that brought Lim Jun-yeong immense joy.

Although he felt a pang of regret for not delivering a final championship to the Incheon fans, who had supported him for the past four years,

He was now determined to cast aside those sentiments and dedicate himself wholeheartedly to the uniform he was currently wearing.

Shoo-oong

Boo-oong

“Swing! Out!”

“He’s truly the best!”

“This is why I spend money!”

“Wow! It’s incredibly enjoyable to watch baseball today and yesterday!”

Lim Jun-yeong, having struck out Incheon’s lead-off hitters, Kang Woo-chan, followed by Son Jae-hoo, smiled brightly without even realizing it.

He is genuinely happy.

It felt as though all the hardships of the past had been rewarded.

Simply by donning the Warriors uniform once more and standing on the mound at Jamsil Baseball Stadium,

Lim Jun-yeong already felt like the happiest man in the world.

* * *

[No. 3 hitter, first baseman Jo Sung-oh]

In Korean baseball, it is becoming increasingly common to position the strongest hitter at the number two spot in the batting order.

Like Han Su-hyeok, who is expected to remain fixed at number two this season unless unforeseen circumstances arise.

However, the perception that ‘the best hitter on the team = number 3′ remains deeply ingrained in the minds of many baseball fans.

Jo Sung-oh, who will be the Warriors’ number three hitter this season, felt a slight sense of pressure in assuming the role.

There are three players on this team who have hit more home runs than he has.

Han Su-hyeok is in a league of his own, but Walter and Jang Deok-soo’s power is consistently impressive to witness.

Even based on batting average or on-base percentage, Min Joo-hyun, who was recently acquired, outperformed him.

Yet, Lee Dae-jun’s choice was Jo Sung-oh.

‘Sung-oh, I’ve never confided this to anyone, but you are the hitter I trust the most. That’s why I’m positioning you right behind Su-hyeok. Help Su-hyeok play freely. Can you handle it, captain?’

He wasn’t sure.

Why the manager had chosen him.

Han Su-hyeok is certain to face intense scrutiny from opposing team pitchers once again this season.

If he experiences a slump, the number of times Han Su-hyeok is walked will inevitably increase.

Such immense responsibility and burden.

Nevertheless, Jo Sung-oh accepted the role without hesitation.

‘I’m not sure if I’ll be able to live up to it, but I’ll give it my best shot, manager.’

The ankle that was injured in the Korean Series last year, requiring surgery, has now fully recovered.

He notices a subtle difference each time he swings, but that is likely a lingering effect of undergoing surgery for the first time in his life.

Now is not the time to waver due to such insignificant matters.

Everyone says it.

That the Warriors’ victory last season was solely attributable to Han Su-hyeok,

That Han Su-hyeok single-handedly rescued the team from the brink of collapse and propelled it to the top.

That’s undeniably true.

Which is precisely why he felt both frustrated and deeply sympathetic towards Han Su-hyeok.

He is determined to prevent that from happening again this year.

He will not allow Han Su-hyeok to struggle alone on a stage devoid of the best pitchers and hitters.

He will make it happen.

He is prepared to dedicate himself entirely to achieving the dynasty that he, I, and everyone else so desperately desires.

‘Man-sik, come back soon. We have a lot of work to do.’

Second baseman Seo Hyeong-joo, first baseman Han Su-hyeok.

The two juniors who reached base with consecutive walks continued to create opportunities, causing the Incheon pitcher considerable frustration.

The pitcher, visibly annoyed, finally delivered the first pitch to him.

‘Heup!’

A powerful four-seam fastball that narrowly missed hitting his body.

Jo Sung-oh’s bat extended powerfully towards the ball, a feat he couldn’t even contemplate at the beginning of last season.

Ttaa-aaaak!

“Waaaaah!”

“It’s going! It’s going! It’s going over!”

Lim Jun-yeong is pitching on the mound, two of the league’s most promising rookies are igniting the base paths,

Jo Sung-oh was overcome with emotion at the sight of himself delivering a clutch hit at the plate.

“Home run! It’s a home run!”

“Great! Captain!”

“Good job!”

“Jo Sung-oh! Jo Sung-oh! Jo Sung-oh!”

When this team recorded the lowest ranking for two consecutive years, when the owner, who showed little interest in club management, made questionable decisions on a daily basis,

Everyone declared.

That the Warriors’ era was over.

But,

Kuoong

“Waaaaah!”

I’m not finished yet.

He knows that his time is limited, but he is still determined to persevere.

Jo Sung-oh’s mind was filled with that resolve as he blasted a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning.

* * *

Last season, rookie duo Seo Hyeong-joo and Ahn Chi-wook, who both fell short of achieving a .300 batting average due to a lack of stamina and experience, dedicated more time to stamina training than technical training during spring camp.

It was only natural that they struggled in the second half of the season.

It was remarkable that they managed to play a full season of 144 games with bodies that were still essentially those of high school students until recently.

The only unfortunate aspect was that they were unintentionally compared to Han Su-hyeok, a prodigious talent who happened to be in the same class.

In any case, the two rookie duos, now stronger in their second year as professionals, along with captain Jo Sung-oh, who has fully recovered from his injuries, Walter Smith, a foreign player who appears to have completely adapted to Korean baseball and has been consistently hitting home runs during the exhibition games, and Min Joo-hyun, who has secured a spot in the heart of the line-up immediately after joining the team, form a formidable top of the order.

It wasn’t just the top of the order that was strong. The bottom of the order has also become noticeably more potent.

Jang Deok-soo, a slugger who was moved down to the bottom of the order for stamina management, Lee Chang-mo, a veteran who could be elevated to the top of the order at any moment, and Choi Min-seok, who can be utilized as a lead-off hitter if necessary.

Upon closer inspection, the team is stronger than initially perceived.

After the season commenced, experts revised their assessment of the Warriors’ offense upwards.

If Seo Hyeong-joo and Ahn Chi-wook avoid a sophomore slump [a decline in performance in a player’s second year], or if the older Jo Sung-oh and Lee Chang-mo don’t suffer any sudden injuries, they possess a line-up capable of contending for the league’s top spot.

Of course, one crucial element was still missing.

Han Su-hyeok.

What if Han Su-hyeok were to be added to the already potent Warriors line-up?

The strongest in the league, without a doubt.

It’s arguably unfair to the Magicians, who invested heavily to strengthen their squad, but the Warriors have assembled players and rookies who haven’t been in the spotlight to create the league’s strongest line-up.

Ttaa-aaaak!

In the top of the third inning, Han Su-hyeok’s bat, in his second at-bat, connected powerfully, sending the ball soaring endlessly and landing on the roof of the left field stands.

“Waaaaah!”

A towering home run that extended the score to 5-0 from 3-0.

It was the first home run of the year for Han Su-hyeok, who had set the single-season Asian home run record last season.

“Move! Move! It’s mine!”

“Don’t push! Hey, don’t push!”

The person who retrieved the 61st home run ball that Han Su-hyeok hit in the final game of the 2027 regular season was an employee of an outsourcing company that manages the stadium.

A home run ball that established a new Asian home run record, not just a Korean record.

What is its value?

The home run ball that set a new Korean record 24 years prior was sold for a staggering 150 million won [approximately $115,000 USD] through a TV auction.

It’s a substantial sum of money that few could resist.

However, the employee, a gray-haired individual who was cleaning the stadium to help finance his granddaughter’s college tuition, took the ball to the Warriors club.

‘I believed it was a valuable item, so I brought it here. Please return it to its rightful owner.’

After the game, Han Su-hyeok met the old man in person.

And he bought the ball back for 1 billion won [approximately $765,000 USD] and displayed it in the club office.

The old man, who never imagined that a single baseball could be worth so much, was deeply embarrassed and declined, but Han Su-hyeok insisted on giving the money to the old man, and even gifted him a signed ball, a signed bat, and a uniform for his granddaughter.

After this story became public, the number of collectors vying for Han Su-hyeok’s ball increased even further.

They, who had occupied the outfield during the Korean Series, are still roaming the outfield, waving their butterfly nets.

In an attempt to catch Han Su-hyeok’s 62nd career KBO [Korea Baseball Organization] home run and the first home run ball of the 2028 season.

“I caught it! I caught it!”

“Aaaah… too bad!”

The league has just begun, but the entire left field stands are buzzing with excitement after just one hit.

One of the KBO employees who was observing the scene muttered to himself.

“The league would be in serious trouble without him, really.”

Han Su-hyeok, who is celebrating his first anniversary today, has now become a player who represents the KBO in every aspect, both in terms of skill and popularity.

He is not inferior to players from any other country in terms of skill, but rather surpasses them,

And he possesses more star power than any other player in history.

In the spring of 2028, Korean professional baseball officially entered the era of Han Su-hyeok.