Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 398

#397. Two-League System

“Yes, I’m sorry, Chairman. You even called me directly. I apologize. Thank you for understanding my position. Daejeon? Yes, I should go down there sometime. I understand. I’ll be sure to visit and share a drink with you. Thank you.”

Inside an office located within Warriors Field, a man sits in the space marked with a sign that reads ‘President’s Office.’

Park Jae-cheol, the first Korean to stand on a Major League mound, still deserving of the title ‘National Pitcher.’

Having risen from Warriors’ general manager to president, he put down his smartphone with a calm expression.

It was a bit unexpected for the chairman to call him directly.

“Daejeon, huh… My hometown, well. It’s not a bad offer, but…….”

Over a decade ago, several teams, including Daejeon, offered him managerial and coaching positions, but Park Jae-cheol ultimately chose to be the Warriors’ general manager.

The reason was simple. Park Jae-cheol wanted to be in the front office, not a manager.

Having reached the position he desired, he displayed unexpected skill, ushering in the Warriors’ golden age.

Starting with bringing Choi Min-seok and Kim Doo-young from the Magicians, he steadily filled the team’s gaps, such as bringing Yang Gi-cheol from Busan, who guarded the Warriors’ bullpen for over 10 years.

Park Jae-cheol’s prowess shone brightest when he brought Seo Hyeong-ju from Daejeon.

By bringing in Seo Hyeong-ju, who couldn’t integrate into the team and remained aloof, and unleashing his talent, the Warriors’ dynasty began.

Of course, that incident strained his relationship with the Daejeon front office and even the group chairman, whom Park Jae-cheol cherished, forcing him to lay low for a while.

Now, that Daejeon, his hometown team, the Daejeon Falcons, is calling for Park Jae-cheol.

Asking him to take over the club, offering him full authority as president to join the Falcons.

In the past, he might have been tempted.

For Park Jae-cheol, who had discovered the fun of management, Daejeon was quite an interesting prospect.

Although it had improved significantly, internal factions within the club were still engaged in political infighting, undermining the team’s strength, and the players’ skills and mental state also needed improvement.

In short, there was much to be done, which meant there was much fun to be had.

In contrast, the Warriors were already a complete organization. It was the best team in the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization], with a perfect system that could run smoothly even without Park Jae-cheol.

That’s why he was slightly swayed by Daejeon’s offer.

Until he had dinner with Han Su-hyeok a while ago.

‘President Park Jae-cheol, let me cut to the chase and make you an offer.’

‘Player Han Su-hyeok, no, Chairman. Haha, I don’t know what to call you.’

‘Call me whatever you’re comfortable with. Actually, I was going to tell you after the season ended, but I heard you received an offer from Daejeon, so I got a little impatient.’

‘Well, nothing’s been decided yet.’

‘That’s good. Anyway, here’s my offer. Take charge of creating the KBO’s twelfth team.’

‘What? What on earth…….’

‘After this season, the creation of new teams in Gangwon-do and Jeju-do will begin in earnest. The KBO is already secretly working on preliminary preparations.’

‘Ah…….’

‘And I’ll be involved with the twelfth team to be established in Jeju-do. I can’t directly own shares since I can’t own two teams at the same time, but I’ll support it indirectly.’

‘Hmm, could you be a little more specific?’

‘As planned, the new team to be established in Jeju-do will be a citizen-owned club. A cooperative will be established under the leadership of the Jeju-do government, residents will buy shares, and local companies will sponsor it here and there…….’

‘I see.’

‘What I can help with is having companies that I influence provide funds as sponsors or advertisers, until the club reaches a level where it can operate stably. Oh, separately from this, I plan to take full responsibility for the new stadium issue in Jeju-do.’

‘Hmm.’

‘When this idea first came up, I recommended President Park Jae-cheol to the governor and the KBO president as the representative of the cooperative to lead the Jeju team. It won’t be easy. Leaving a perfectly equipped place like the Warriors and starting all over again from scratch…….’

‘I’ll do it.’

‘Yes?’

‘It sounds fun just hearing about it. More than anything, it seems like it’ll be the first and last chance to create a team the way I envision it. I’ll do it. No, let me do it.’

No further words were needed.

From that day on, President Park Jae-cheol stepped down from managing the Warriors and began working in earnest with the KBO and Jeju-do on creating a new club.

Park Jae-cheol’s face, which had been losing vitality as he aged and compromised with the world, began to regain its energy.

As a result, some people felt unintentionally fatigued as he started talking more again, but that wasn’t the important thing now.

Completing the 12-team system, a long-cherished wish of Korean baseball, and transitioning to a two-league system.

It wouldn’t be easy. It’s not just about having money.

The already narrow player pool would become even more pronounced due to the declining population, and to solve this, it would be necessary to drastically overhaul the system, such as actively improving the foreign player system and even nurturing foreign players in the minor leagues like the Japanese league.

Many people’s interests are at stake. Someone will oppose it to protect their interests, and in the worst case, voices threatening strikes may emerge.

Nevertheless, the KBO had something to believe in.

Because Han Su-hyeok, of all people, was supporting this project.

[World’s Best Sports Star Han Su-hyeok: “For the development of Korean baseball, a two-league system is necessary, and for this, the establishment of at least two or more new clubs is necessary. Also, to prevent the decline in league level, additional measures such as easing the number of foreign players allowed to play per game and operating a foreign player *ikseong-gun* [training group] in the minor leagues will be necessary. I am well aware that there will be many difficulties and risks in the process. However, it is essential for securing the competitiveness of Korean baseball. Therefore, I will actively help if there is anything I can do.”]

[Han Su-hyeok’s bombshell remarks cause a stir throughout the baseball world, divided into opposing and supporting factions, engaging in fierce debates every day]

[Oh Kang Group, the 9th largest conglomerate in Korea and former owner of the Seoul Warriors, announces plans to create the 11th club based in Gangwon-do]

[Chairman Chun Do-ha of Oh Kang Group: “We had to sell the Warriors regrettably as the group’s management rights were shaken. Now that the group is back on track, I wanted to have a baseball team again. Some worry that the league level will decline if the number of teams increases too much, but as Han Su-hyeok said, I think we can actively utilize the foreign player system. We will discuss with the KBO and announce the official creation as soon as possible.”]

[Following the Oh Kang Group’s creation of a new club based in Gangwon-do, this time, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province makes a surprise announcement: “We are planning to create a citizen baseball club based in Jeju-do. We will raise operating funds through residents and local companies and sponsors. It will be the first attempt of its kind in baseball, but we are trusting Han Su-hyeok, who has agreed to help, and actively promoting the project.”]

The creation of the 11th and 12th clubs based in Gangwon-do and Jeju-do was officially announced, and the existing 10 clubs and the players’ association began calculating their respective gains and losses.

As expected, the opposition was considerable.

Demonstrators, presumed to be under the direction of a specific group, occupied the front of the KBO, and the websites of related organizations were taken down by DDoS [Distributed Denial of Service] attacks.

However, the situation was eventually resolved one by one.

Because the opinion that if they continued as they were, they would completely lose international competitiveness, be called frogs in a well, and slowly die as complacent pigs gained strength.

Of course, the 12-team, two-league system was not without its anxieties.

As someone said, if they only increased the number of clubs, the overall level of the league could decline, and if the dependence on foreign players became too severe, unexpected problems could arise.

In fact, other sports such as volleyball and basketball had experienced adverse effects from using such an approach.

Nevertheless, people supported the KBO’s move.

Because it was an event in which none other than Han Su-hyeok, the most reliable pillar supporting Korean baseball, was participating, and they believed that the side effects that had occurred in other sports would never happen as long as he was there.

[Han Su-hyeok on concerns about the creation of new clubs: “I cannot guarantee that what we are trying to do is definitely the right answer. But one thing is certain: if we stay still, we will surely die. Even at this moment, the global competitiveness of Korean baseball continues to decline. I think a little adventure is necessary for the future *kkumnamu* [baseball prodigies] who will live in the next generation, not for us who live in this era.”]

Han Su-hyeok’s words instantly silenced the opposition.

Thus, a major change that would determine the fate of Korean baseball in 2040 began.

* * *

While the baseball world was buzzing with issues involving the creation of the 11th and 12th clubs and the interests of various people and organizations, the league continued.

Past 90 games, past 95 games, finally 100 games.

Even with games postponed due to rain cancellations, the remaining schedule for each club fell to less than 40 to 50 games, and the teams that would advance to the 2040 season’s fall baseball were gradually being revealed.

The absolute powerhouse, the Seoul Warriors, who recorded an overwhelming record of 68 wins, 4 draws, and 28 losses in the past 100 games, a win rate of 0.708, and never relinquished the top spot throughout the season.

The Busan Titans, who had consistently maintained the top 3 since the beginning of the season and eventually climbed to 2nd place.

The 3rd place team, the Suwon Commanders, who were somewhat lucky, but were clearly a strong team nonetheless, the Seoul Magicians, who failed to win the regular season for the second consecutive year but succeeded in entering the fall baseball spot, the Incheon Rangers, who started a late spurt with the return of the fallen veteran manager.

And,

Thwack!

“Ouch!”

A total of six teams, including the Daejeon Falcons, who are currently playing against the Warriors, were fighting for the 5th place spot, the fall baseball cut-off.

The Falcons, trailing the 5th place Incheon Rangers by 2 games, were approaching each game with the determination of a final.

“Damn it! Stop getting hit!”

“Why are you even competing with Han Su-hyeok!”

“Ugh… Please, you stupid eagles. Isn’t it time to come to your senses?”

The Daejeon Falcons allowed a three-run home run to Han Su-hyeok in a crucial chance.

The Daejeon fans, who filled the stadium on a holiday, threw away the hamburgers and chicken they were holding and booed fiercely.

The pitcher’s face turned white at the criticism pouring down on him.

Ryu Han-gyeol nodded to the pitcher as if to say it was okay.

It couldn’t be helped.

They had considered walking Han Su-hyeok, but the recent batting average of Ahn Chi-wook and Jang Deok-soo in the last 7 games was close to .450. Meaning, they are as scary hitters as Han Su-hyeok right now.

“Are they really crazy?”

“The Warriors are crazy, that’s right.”

“Chan-ho.”

“Yes, hyung.”

“Don’t you think they could be thrown into the majors as a whole and still not be in last place?”

“I think they could go above the middle in the American League Central Division.”

“Heh… Damn guys. They’re tripping us up again here.”

Recently, antipathy towards the Warriors has been growing little by little within the Falcons club.

They were constantly tripping them up at crucial moments, and they always seemed to lose out on trades.

On top of that, Park Jae-cheol, who had recently been appointed as the new president of the Falcons, rejected the offer, making them even more disliked.

Of course, the Warriors didn’t care at all about what the Falcons were thinking.

“Ball. Base on balls.”

“Woooo!”

“Give it up!”

“Damn it! Just sell the baseball team!”

A record that fluctuates between 5th and 6th place, not satisfactory.

But it took a long time to get here.

It took bone-crushing effort to bring a team that had been at the bottom for more than 10 years to the mid-tier.

Still, it wasn’t enough.

Ryu Han-gyeol also realized properly after becoming a coach how many factions exist in the *seonsudan* [player roster] and front office of this small club, and that it would be faster to disband the club altogether to remove those factions.

“I’m really dying…….”

The game was reversed in an instant, followed by a walk, and the appearance of another slugger at the plate.

In this situation, the manager didn’t seem to want to make a move.

Because the pitcher on the mound right now is from the president’s line, not the manager and general manager. The reason is that it would be better for him to get destroyed since he was a pitcher that the president unilaterally promoted to the first team without the manager’s request.

“I can’t do this, really.”

Ryu Han-gyeol, who licked his lips, closed his eyes and turned away from the stadium.

And,

Thwack!

Another huge sound of impact echoed.

In Ryu Han-gyeol’s vision, who sighed and opened his eyes, came Choi Jae-min, the Warriors’ 5th hitter, clenching his fist and running around the diamond.

Suddenly, he had a thought.

If that guy, who is putting up stats that are good enough to be the centerpiece of a team, had joined Daejeon, would he have been able to show the same *moseup* [performance] now?

No way.

In the first place, they wouldn’t have picked a player with a disability, and even if they had, he would have played a few games in the minor leagues and been released as is.

That was the difference between the 1st place team, the Warriors, and the 6th place team, the Falcons.

‘If a new club is created, should I try to support that side……. Living in Jeju-do wouldn’t be bad, should I tell Chan-ho to go with me?’

A new blueprint for life began to be drawn in Ryu Han-gyeol’s mind.