Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 264

#263. A Good Investment

– Why did you call? What time is it there?

“Here? 3 PM.”

– What, the game’s starting soon. Ahn Chi-wook, don’t slack off and go hit some balls. Your batting average is lower than Dong-seok’s, right? Practice, practice, or you’ll lose your spot again and cry.

“Who’s crying… Haa, never mind. Hey, Han Su-hyeok.”

– What.

“Thanks. Ah, this is so awkward. Anyway, thanks. My parents have been smiling every day lately because of you.”

– What are you talking about? What are you thanking me for? Oh, that? I was really going to move there after retirement, why are you thanking me for that?

“Whatever. Anyway, I won’t forget this and will definitely repay you later. If I ever really move to Jeju Island [a popular vacation island in South Korea], I’ll feed you black pork every day.”

– If you’re going to talk nonsense, hang up and go practice. The Warriors fell to second place because of you. I can hear you overthinking during your swing all the way here, so just focus on baseball.

“Alright. I’m hanging up.”

After ending the call, Ahn Chi-wook left the locker room and headed to the field.

After the problem that had been troubling his mind was resolved, his batting pace naturally improved.

Sometimes, he thinks.

If he hadn’t joined this team, if he hadn’t met Han Su-hyeok,

What would he be like now?

Could he still have succeeded this much?

No, even he doesn’t think so.

Now that he thinks about it, it was his teammate Han Su-hyeok, not a senior, coach, or manager, who corrected Ahn Chi-wook during his reckless and clueless rookie days.

If he hadn’t forcibly pulled him along, if he hadn’t constantly interfered and managed him right next to him,

He probably wouldn’t be where he is now.

Now, he owes that guy an even bigger debt.

He doesn’t know where he got the money, but he solved the problem that almost caused his parents’ home to be taken away.

“Ahn Chi-wook! Hurry up!”

“Yes! Senior!”

Running along the passage to the field, Ahn Chi-wook thinks.

Someday, in the distant future, if someone asks him who was the biggest influence on baseball player Ahn Chi-wook’s life,

He thinks that the answer from his mouth would probably be Han Su-hyeok.

“Hey, Ahn Chi-wook. You didn’t tell Han Su-hyeok that I broke the living room TV, did you?”

“I did. I told him Seo Hyung-joo smashed it to pieces.”

“You traitor! Why would you tell him that?”

“Just kidding, I’ll fix it, so be careful from now on. Don’t be swinging in the living room.”

“You’ll fix it? Really?”

“Shhh, the manager’s coming.”

Manager Lee Dae-joon, who never loses his composure even in the suffocating situation of constantly going back and forth between 1st and 2nd place, stood in front of the team.

And, as always, he spoke in a powerful voice.

“Everyone’s here, right? If we win today, we’ll go back to 1st place! Everyone stay sharp! Ahn Chi-wook!”

“Yes!”

“Good voice! Yeah, that’s the Ahn Chi-wook I know. You’re starting as the third baseman and fifth hitter today. Can I trust you?”

“Of course, Manager.”

Someday, Han Su-hyeok will return to the Warriors.

Even if no one else does, Ahn Chi-wook is sure of it.

That’s why he protects it.

He protects the Warriors until Han Su-hyeok returns.

“Alright, fighting!”

Ahn Chi-wook was ready to give everything for that.

* * *

In the first game of the four-game series against the Angels, with Ryu Han-gyul as the starting pitcher, we won 5 to 4 by one point.

Ryu Han-gyul, who gave up three points early in the game after being hit with consecutive hits, managed the following innings well and left the mound after recording 7 innings and 3 runs.

On the other hand, our team’s starting pitcher, Dimon Anderson Jr., who had been holding on well without giving up a single point until the 5th inning, allowed a grand slam to Raymond Perkins, the Angels’ cleanup hitter, in the top of the 6th, which landed in the top of the left field stands, allowing a reversal.

Trailing 3 to 4, we achieved a dramatic come-from-behind victory in the bottom of the 9th with a walk-off home run, the first of the season, hit by second baseman Jonathan Owens, which no one had expected.

Seeing Ryu Han-gyul sitting in the dugout with a gloomy expression, watching the team’s defeat, I had a thought.

That he, who represents the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization] and is perhaps called the best left-hander in Korean history, might end up retiring without ever wearing a championship ring.

“Hey, buddy. I’m counting on you today too.”

“Mike, don’t worry. Not a single ball will pass my way.”

“Good. Still reliable.”

I consider myself to be a very kind and friendly person.

Although there are forces that have been trying to slander me since my KBO days, spreading rumors that I pick fights for no reason and hit people.

When I think about what I’ve done for my teammates, I’m confident that I’m definitely a kind person.

Anyway, there’s a teammate I’ve been most concerned about recently.

None other than Mike Warren.

The veteran pitcher who taught me the knuckleball in my past life, and who ultimately made it possible to bring the Warriors the championship with that knuckleball.

He, who had been playing as the 5th starter since coming over from the Dodgers, has been promoted to the 4th starter in this rotation.

Personally, I think it would be better for him to be behind me or Ryan.

It can’t be easy to face 70 or 80 mile knuckleballs after facing balls over 100 miles.

Well, that’s the manager’s job.

“Alright, check the starting lineup. If anyone has any discomfort, speak up now. No one? Good, that’s a relief. I don’t have to waste paper.”

1. Center Fielder Derek Fleming
2. Third Baseman Han Su-hyeok
3. First Baseman Ty Johnson
4. Right Fielder Chuck Clark
5. Designated Hitter Antonio Garcia
6. Catcher Leonard Jones
7. Shortstop Josh Oliver
8. Second Baseman Jonathan Owens
9. Left Fielder Kevin McCloud

Pitcher Mike Warren

Starting center fielder Derek, who had been suspended, and backup catcher John Glenn have returned.

And Bruce, who had been hospitalized after being hit in the back of the head, has also rejoined the team after the medical staff determined that there were no major problems.

However, the manager decided that he was still too unstable to start and would be on standby on the bench.

Originally, John Glenn, the backup catcher with more experience, should have been wearing the mask, but…….

“Today’s starting catcher is Leonard Jones.”

“Wow! Thank you, Manager!”

It was too much to suddenly ask John Glenn, who had been holding the backup catcher position with his hitting ability rather than his defense, to catch knuckleballs.

In the end, Leonard Jones, a 1st year rookie who loudly claimed that he could do it and caught the knuckleballs quite well in practice pitches, was chosen to start as the catcher.

Frankly, the situation is not very desirable.

The chances of a 1st year rookie who loudly claims that he can catch knuckleballs actually keeping his word are not very high.

In addition, the weakness of the batting lineup from 6th to 9th is likely to hold us back.

Certainly, we need to replenish the backup members a little more.

In order to maintain this pace until the end of the season, and to achieve good results in the fall classic [playoffs/championship series].

The problem is that the owner group, which signed big contracts with Ty Johnson following Ryan Thibo, has recently been complaining about financial problems.

Anyway, I, who had a debt of gratitude to Mike Warren, did my best to help him as much as possible.

But.

[LA Angels defeat Seattle 7-4, avenging the previous day’s loss]

[Seattle starting pitcher Mike Warren 6 innings 5 runs (2 earned), Mariners self-destruct with unstable defense]

[2 hits, 2 RBIs Han Su-hyeok, 1 hit, 3 walks, 1 RBI Ty Johnson, they couldn’t stop the team’s defeat either]

[Weak lower batting order that repeatedly cut off chances, thin middle relief is a must-solve problem for Seattle’s division title challenge]

[Seattle Mariners General Manager Daniel Mitchell: “We are doing our best to fill the team’s shortcomings. Please trust us and wait a little longer.”]

* * *

“Why can’t we do this? Where else can we get a player like this for this salary? It would have been absolutely impossible if the Marlins weren’t on the verge of bankruptcy. Please approve it, boss!”

“Look, Daniel.”

“Haa, I’ve been working on this trade for so long, and now you’re telling me no! It’s over once you stamp it!”

General Manager Daniel Mitchell, who gained absolute support from fans by successfully signing Han Su-hyeok and Ty Johnson, looked at the president with a flushed face.

As the media pointed out, the reason why they weren’t able to pull away despite having overwhelming players like Han Su-hyeok, Ty Johnson, and Ryan Thibo was ultimately because of the lack of depth in the team.

In order to play a 162-game long season, not a short-term game, they need proper backups to support the starters.

Candidates who can fill in when starters are missing due to injuries or suspensions, like this time.

It was the same in yesterday’s game.

Putting aside the fact that the team’s third catcher couldn’t catch the knuckleball properly, the errors that came out of the left fielder and second baseman positions were clearly the fault of the front office.

The second baseman, who had started every game since the start of the season.

It was clear that his steps were getting dull due to fatigue, but it was wrong to have him start in the first place.

The same goes for the left fielder.

Kevin McCloud, a backup player who was originally a center fielder specialist, was brought up to replace Jim Brown, who complained of discomfort in his back, but he made ridiculous mistakes in the left fielder position.

To solve these problems, Daniel ran around everywhere, and eventually succeeded in matching a pretty good trade card with the Marlins.

But a problem occurred in a situation where it would be over once he stamped it.

The president opposed it because the 2.8 million dollars allocated for the trade money was excessive.

“Boss, no, Elliot, tell me honestly. What’s the problem? This is a trade that we’re definitely benefiting from. Even a little kid would give the same answer if you asked them. But why can’t we do it? Is something happening in this club that I don’t know about?”

Seattle Mariners President Elliot Thompson sighed at Daniel’s words.

After a brief moment of silence, he slowly opened his mouth.

“There’s a problem with Henry. It seems like he’s trying to liquidate his shares.”

“Damn it.”

Unlike KBO clubs, which are used for public relations purposes by large corporations and lose money every year, Major League clubs are strictly independent businesses.

This means that they aim to make a profit by running the club.

Currently, the Seattle Mariners are operated by a group of owners made up of several investors.

It seems that a problem has occurred with Todd Henry, who owns a significant 15% stake.

Well, it’s been unstable since last year. There were rumors that the market share of his large supermarkets in the United States was falling, making the business itself difficult.

“Are there any other owners… who want to acquire the 15% stake?”

“No. On the contrary, there are only people who want to liquidate their shares this time.”

“Damn it, if that’s the case, they should have sold everything before the season, why now.”

“Business is something you never know what’s going to happen, anyway, Daniel. Let’s do this.”

“What do you mean by how do we do it? In a situation where we can’t use it because we’re stingy with just 2.8 million dollars?”

“I’m also desperate, so don’t just get angry, let’s do what we can. Anyway, your first mission is to maintain the current state by any means. In the meantime, I’m going to solve the problem by attracting investors or bringing in a new owner, or whatever. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Hoo…….”

“I understand that you understand. Honestly, I know that there are holes in our team. But that doesn’t mean that winning is impossible, right? So do your best to get good results. Then the money will follow on its own.”

Daniel, who left the president’s office, walked endlessly along the long corridor.

‘Haa, how can I face that friend…….’

Let’s conquer the Major League together, and I won’t spare any support for that.

He brought Han Su-hyeok with such a loud voice, but he’s showing this side of himself in less than a few months.

Messed up with guilt and self-blame, Daniel was heading somewhere out of the hallway when.

In fact, Han Su-hyeok was turning this into an opportunity for a blessing in disguise.

– Han Su-hyeok, about the investment you mentioned last time.

“Yes, Mr. Min Tae-hyun. Do you have any good places?”