Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 405

#404. Extra Story 4 – The Oldest Player

As with all sports, baseball, in particular, is a sport where innate physical attributes are paramount.

In the past, there were quite a few players who overcame their weak physiques with natural intelligence and flair. However, with the proliferation of training methods that maximize players’ abilities, and with advanced data analysis (sabermetrics) increasingly guiding strategy, baseball has become a sport that is nearly impossible to play at the highest level without inherent physical talent.

The velocity revolution, which drastically changed the landscape of modern baseball and rapidly increased the number of pitchers throwing 100 miles per hour, exemplifies this trend.

Rookie pitchers from Central and South America, blessed with natural physical gifts but lacking sophisticated training, flooded the market. Cutting-edge, data-driven training methods were then applied to them, causing the average fastball velocity in Major League Baseball to rise sharply.

In that respect, Cheon Sang-jin, who had been a key part of the Warriors’ starting rotation for the past 15 years and had served as the team’s ace alongside Im Jun-yeong while Han Su-hyeok was playing in the United States, was a unique player in many ways.

Until his 25-year-old season, he had never even made it to the first team. His highest fastball velocity was only in the low 140 km/h range (approximately 87 mph), and his breaking ball angles weren’t particularly sharp.

He was a pitcher with an unremarkable physique, average breaking balls, and insufficient velocity, with decent control at best. Other than being a left-hander, he had nothing to distinguish him.

A long time ago, to be exact, 15 and a half years ago,

Cheon Sang-jin, after recording a 9-inning shutout in his first-ever first-team start, said this:

‘I have no special talent. I don’t have the ability to throw blazing fastballs, which is the best weapon for a pitcher. I don’t have long, strong fingers to throw devastating breaking balls. The only advantage I have is that I throw with my left hand.’

‘So I worked harder. I sacrificed sleep and rest, and instead, I tried to watch, memorize, and analyze as many at-bats of opposing hitters as possible. The secret to a complete game win? Well, maybe this will be my last complete game win. But I think I’ve shown that even a player with nothing can make it on the first-team stage, so I have no regrets.’

‘Moving forward one step, even when hope is not visible – I think that was the secret to today’s complete game win. Thank you. Fans, I am a truly happy person today.’

Like Cheon Sang-jin’s words that gave hope to many aspiring amateur players at the time, he had been trying to move forward one step further throughout his professional career.

He analyzed opposing hitters so meticulously that he was sometimes called a stalker rather than a pitcher, which led to the almost comical situation where KBO [Korean Baseball Organization] clubs banned their players from using social media to prevent him from gathering information.

Even during his prime, this pitcher, whose highest velocity was only 142 km/h (approximately 88 mph), maintained a velocity of 138 km/h (approximately 86 mph) even in his 40-year-old season.

That is a clear testament to how relentlessly hardworking this pitcher was and how much effort he put into maintaining his body.

Whoosh

“Swing! Out!”

Pow

“Strike! Out!”

Thwack

“Out!”

As always, Cheon Sang-jin faced the hitters with his mind, not his velocity or power.

The Magicians’ hitters were helplessly dispatched by Cheon Sang-jin’s pitching, which was on the line for the last time in his career.

1st inning, 2nd inning, 3rd inning, and finally the bottom of the 9th inning,

With Han Su-hyeok’s solo home run putting the Warriors ahead by 1 point, the Magicians’ final attack was underway.

The 40-year-old pitcher had thrown 111 pitches through the bottom of the 8th inning.

Although Eric Barkley, the team’s trusted foreign relief pitcher who had been responsible for the team’s bullpen for the past three years, was warming up, manager Jo Seong-oh sent Cheon Sang-jin back to the mound without any hesitation.

“Sang-jin, go. Go and show them what kind of pitcher you are.”

“Manager, no, hyung [older brother/respected senior]. Thank you so much for everything.”

“No, I was the one who was grateful. Our ace.”

At this moment, the veteran pitcher heading towards the mound, despite the presence of Han Su-hyeok, deserved to be called an ace.

He was a pitcher who had never been the absolute best in his career, but the title didn’t feel out of place at all.

“Cheon! Sang! Jin!”

“Cheon Sang-jin! Do well!”

“You can do it! Just a little more!”

Cheon Sang-jin, who finished his practice pitches, began his last pitching appearance of his life.

The velocity dropped to 135 km/h (approximately 84 mph), the control began to waver, and the skin on his fingers turned red.

Nothing looked promising, but Cheon Sang-jin threw the ball towards the hitter without any hesitation.

Pow

“Strike! Out!”

The Magicians’ second hitter was struck out in five pitches, overwhelmed by Cheon Sang-jin’s determination.

The atmosphere at Jamsil Baseball Stadium erupted like a volcano. Warriors fans, who were far more numerous than Magicians fans, chanted Cheon Sang-jin’s name.

Whoosh

“Swing! Out!”

The imposing foreign hitter was struck out in three pitches.

The moment Cheon Sang-jin’s low fastball to the inside corner of the plate registered 143 km/h (approximately 89 mph),

people realized.

The great pitcher who had been protecting the Warriors’ mound for so long was burning his last reserves of fighting spirit.

And,

Thwack!

The Magicians’ fourth hitter’s batted ball soared towards the center field fence,

Whoosh

The moment Han Su-hyeok, who leaped against the fence, stretched his glove towards the ball with all his might,

Thud

And the moment the batted ball was secured in the glove, deciding the 2042 season champion,

The moment the 40-year-old pitcher, who took the mound for his retirement game in the final game of the Korean Series, recorded the last shutout of his career,

“Waaaaaaaaaaaa!”

“Cheon Sang-jiiiiiiiiin!”

“Cheon Sang-jin!”

The spectators were truly grateful that they supported the Warriors, loved the sport of baseball, and were able to witness the end of the great pitcher Cheon Sang-jin.

After all the splendid fireworks and championship ceremonies were over, Cheon Sang-jin stood alone on the field where the excitement still lingered.

“Hello, this is Cheon Sang-jin.”

As always, Cheon Sang-jin’s somewhat stiff, but trustworthy voice echoed through Jamsil Baseball Stadium.

Not only the Warriors fans who tasted the thrill of winning the Korean Series, but also the Magicians fans who were runners-up once again, and the neutral fans who came to see the historic game, all held their breath and waited for his next words.

“There comes a moment in life when you realize your limitations. In my case, that time came a little early, I think. When I was in the second year of middle school, the coach told me that it would be difficult for me to become a great pitcher.”

“Those words were so heartbreaking to my young mind. I became stubborn. I was determined to make him regret those words.”

“But there was no dramatic turnaround. I just graduated from high school as a mediocre pitcher, was barely drafted in the 10th round, lived a second-team life, and never set foot on the first-team stage until I was in my mid-twenties.”

“The fact that I was able to become a Warriors starting pitcher and play in the pros until I was forty years old may be a miracle. No, this is definitely a miracle. It would never have been possible without the many people who have helped me so far.”

“The world is sometimes cruel. We know very well that talent rather than effort, and luck rather than talent, often determines success and failure. That’s why a guy like me, who has neither exceptional talent nor extraordinary luck, has to spend every day hoping for a glimmer of hope.”

“Nevertheless, I have always tried not to forget one important fact: that my only real weapon is unwavering effort, and even if that effort plays only a small role in achieving success, I will be nothing without it.”

“Fortunately, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity came to change my life, and I was able to seize that opportunity with the efforts I had prepared for so long and with the help of many people. I am truly grateful to my former colleagues who recorded hits and made great defensive plays for me in that game that day.”

“Some people tell me to keep going, that I can still do it. But my wife, who recently saw me dropping chopsticks while eating, said that I looked too tired. That I looked exhausted.”

“That’s when I realized that the time had come for me to live as a father and husband, not just as a pitcher, and that the time had come to live for my family rather than for my own ambitions.”

“I, Cheon Sang-jin, am retiring now. I hope that the records I have left behind will be of some encouragement to the younger players who are frustrated by their perceived lack of talent, and I will now leave to live my second life. Thank you.”

Cheon Sang-jin, who loved the sport of baseball more than any other player in the world,

Cheon Sang-jin, who had no interest in anything other than baseball in his life, left the field.

Someone said,

That he, who was more knowledgeable about baseball strategy than anyone else despite being an active player, and who never stopped studying baseball for a single moment, would follow the path of a coach or manager.

That there was no one in this world more prepared to be a leader than Cheon Sang-jin.

But Cheon Sang-jin, who took off his uniform, completely disappeared from the baseball world.

He even rejected Han Su-hyeok’s offer to support his coaching studies in the United States, built a small country house near Gyeonggi-do [province surrounding Seoul], and began his second life with his family.

That may have been the greatest gift a man who had lived half his life for baseball could give himself.

Cheon Sang-jin, the KBO’s best finesse pitcher ever, who was once called a stalker rather than a pitcher, and who was more deserving of the term ‘brainy pitcher’ than anyone else, left us like that.

Seoul Warriors NO.75 Cheon Sang-jin (40)

Total 15 seasons

Inning pitched 2,598 1/3 innings (3rd all-time)

ERA 3.15 (13th all-time)

Wins 171 wins (3rd all-time)

Strikeouts 1,819 strikeouts (4th all-time)

Complete games 65 times (8th all-time)

Shutouts 18 times (7th all-time)

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* * *

Meanwhile, Cheon Sang-jin was not the only one who left the field after the 2042 season.

Another player retired, having remained relatively quiet during the Korean Series victory, and therefore did not even offer a final farewell to the fans.

“Hyung [older brother/respected senior], you can still play a little longer.”

“Hey, now my knees ache when I run, and I get emotional easily. Okay, I think I’ve done enough.”

Choi Min-seok, a veteran outfielder who was traded from the Magicians and had been a reliable presence in the Warriors’ outfield for a long time, announced his retirement.

Choi Min-seok, who was known for being a dangerous hitter even from the bottom of the lineup in his younger days, and who played a valuable role as a versatile option later in his career, was already 41 years old and had lost his former speed and defensive prowess.

Not only that. As if the three consecutive Korean Series wins had opened the floodgates, players’ retirement announcements followed one after another.

Yang Gi-cheol, who was surprisingly selected as the closer during Han Su-hyeok’s KBO debut season and had achieved impressive results as a relief pitcher, also hung up his uniform…

“In-cheol, let’s try a little longer, even if we change positions.”

“No, Su-hyeok. It’s a little early, but I think now is the perfect time. I think I had a really fun time playing baseball thanks to you guys. Thank you.”

Yu In-cheol, who was overshadowed by his celebrated peers such as Han Su-hyeok, An Chi-wook, and Seo Hyeong-ju, but was still a dependable shortstop who could always be counted on for consistent performance, decided to retire a bit earlier than expected.

Exhausted from the constant cycle of injuries, treatments, and rehabilitation that had plagued him for three years, he decided to join his wife’s business and left the field without any regrets.

Im Jun-yeong, Jang Deok-soo, Cheon Sang-jin, Choi Min-seok, Yang Gi-cheol, and Yu In-cheol,

So many players left the field and started a new chapter in their lives.

Now, there are no players older than Han Su-hyeok on the Warriors roster.

That’s how Han Su-hyeok became the oldest player on the Warriors,

And time continued to flow.