Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 5

#4. Blacklist

[High School Ace Pitcher Han Su-hyeok Dons the Seoul Warriors Uniform Instead of the Major League]

[CEO Park Seong-hoon: “Drafting Han Su-hyeok Was Decided After the Club Acquisition. There Was No Prior Discussion.”]

[Some Club Officials Raise Suspicions About the Draft Process… KBO [Korean Baseball Organization]: “There Are No Procedural Issues”]

[Warriors Fans Who Rushed to Jamsil Baseball Stadium Chant ‘Praise God Seong-hoon’ While Holding Signs]

[Warriors Fans, Overjoyed Despite Being in Last Place, Form a Huge Crowd in Front of the Han Su-hyeok Banner on the Baseball Stadium’s Outer Wall]

[Warriors Embark on Full-Scale Club System Reorganization After Drafting Han Su-hyeok, Rumors of Manager Replacement Swirl]

[What Will Han Su-hyeok’s Position Be Next Season? Warriors Face a Happy Dilemma]

What news could be more delightful to baseball fans than the arrival of a new player?

Especially if that player is a superstar who makes fans’ hearts flutter just by existing.

“Um… what is all this…”

“Hey, Su-hyeok! Get inside for now. I’ll call you when things are sorted out.”

“Excuse me, Han Su-hyeok! Han Su-hyeok! Just a word, please!”

The world turned upside down after the official announcement of my joining the Warriors.

That’s not a metaphorical expression; it really did.

I couldn’t even dare to go outside because of the fans and reporters who had gathered in front of my house.

“Hoo…”

“Are they all gone?”

“Yeah, the police came and helped out. I even grabbed some signed balls and gave them out.”

“Good job. More importantly, what about the baseball practice field I mentioned?”

“Oh, I’m looking into it. But seriously, why don’t you buy a big house and move, like I said? You have 50 billion won [approximately $40 million USD]; what’s stopping you from continuing to live here? Just buy a big mansion with a baseball practice field. I can find you a good place for investment purposes.”

“No, I have other plans for that money. And I’m most comfortable in this officetel [a studio apartment that is also used as an office].”

“This crazy…”

A large mansion with a practice field? I’ve already lived in one.

Turns out, it wasn’t that great. It was unnecessarily large, making me feel lonely, and it was hard to manage.

Seong-hoon hyung [older brother/friend], who couldn’t possibly know how I felt, kept making me various suggestions.

“Even so, get a separate place. You used to be with an agency, but that’s not the case anymore. It won’t be good if rumors spread that the club owner and a player are living in the same house.”

“Alright, then find me a suitable place near the baseball stadium. Within walking distance of the practice field too.”

“You’re going to walk? What about a car? Aren’t you going to buy a car?”

“Why would I buy a car? I might get injured in an accident while driving.”

“…You’re really something else. Are you really nineteen? Where did the Han Su-hyeok who wanted to buy a supercar as soon as he got his signing bonus go, and who is this old man sitting in my house?”

Supercars are nice. At one time, collecting them was my hobby.

But it was all meaningless. They’re noisy, guzzle gas, and my butt hurts every time I go over a speed bump.

“Forget it, just find me a quiet apartment or villa near Jamsil Baseball Stadium, and a personal practice room nearby. That’s enough.”

“…Alright. I’ll take care of it quickly. More importantly, from now on, I’m really running the club on my own, right?”

“Of course. I’m a baseball player, hyung. A rookie who has to worry about the starting lineup competition next season.”

“You worrying about the starting lineup competition… Never mind. By the way, what’s this list? Is it reliable?”

“The source is a secret, but the reliability is 100%.”

“Reliability 100%… I wonder where you got this information. Okay, everything’s fine, but if this is true, isn’t the Warriors really hopeless? It means the general manager and the scouting team are completely messed up.”

“You take care of it, hyung. Even if you can’t help the real trash there, fix up and use the people who just drifted along with the times. I have to live as player Han Su-hyeok from today.”

“Haa… Well, I don’t know what kind of fate this is, playing club owner, but let’s give it a try.”

“You’ll do well.”

“Anyway, I have a meeting, so I’m leaving first. I’ll go straight to my parents’ house after it’s over and come back after spending the weekend. My mom wants to see my face.”

“Alright. Say hello to your mother and father for me.”

“Okay, I’ll see you in a few days.”

Seong-hoon hyung, who officially became the club owner and president today, dressed in a suit and headed to the club office. Holding the memo I gave him tightly in his hand.

It was a kind of kill list, a blacklist.

Before my regression, this Warriors team was dissolved at the end of the 2026 season.

The players scattered and moved to various teams, and the staff also dispersed in all directions.

I was too busy adapting to American baseball to pay attention to Korean baseball for a while. Naturally, there was nothing I could know about the disbanded Warriors.

But around 2028, wasn’t it?

A former Warriors front office employee’s confession was uploaded to YouTube, revealing the ugly truth to the world.

[Confession of a Former Front Office Employee – This Is How the Warriors Collapsed]

The factional strife and power struggles within the team that began around 2022, when my half-brother took office as club owner, especially the scouting team’s ugly deeds in the player selection process.

Rookie player nominations were decided based on connections, school ties, and how much a player’s parents gave, and illegal commissions were involved in the foreign player selection process.

It was fortunate that the team had already been dissolved; if it had been revealed before that, at least a few people would have faced criminal charges.

The identity of the former Warriors employee who uploaded the video was Chief Gong Seung-chan, who called my name at this year’s draft.

The only conscience left in the rotten scouting team.

I still remember the names of the scouting team’s trash that were revealed in the video.

Some of them were even Warriors legends, so I couldn’t easily forget them.

The names of those trash have now passed into Seong-hoon hyung’s hands.

‘Hmm.’

I know.

I know how fiercely that usually kind and gentle hyung can change in important moments, and that he actually loves the Warriors team as much as I do.

From the scouting team, whose names and crimes are clear, a huge bloodbath will sweep through the entire club organization.

Of course, that’s not what’s important to me right now.

I brought my experience and skills from the major leagues, but I need to prepare well from now on to adapt to this body, which is not yet physically complete.

I’ve even made a big noise about winning the championship next year, so I have to take responsibility.

Honestly, it’s disheartening as I learn about the team one by one.

‘Click.’

But then I got a call from an unknown number. I hesitated for a moment whether to answer it, but I eventually pressed the call button.

“Hello.”

– Oh! Han Su-hyeok player, this is Warriors General Manager Jeong Min-sik.

Why is this guy calling me?

“Yes, hello. General Manager. But what’s the matter?”

– Haha, your voice sounds great in person. Okay, I’ll get straight to the point since you’re busy. Actually, if you have time today…”

“No, I’m very busy today.”

– Oh, is that so? Then how about tomorrow…”

“I think I’ll be busy until I sign the contract next week.”

– ······

General Manager Jeong Min-sik, whose position completely disappeared after the club was sold, continued to speak, trying to suppress his anger as much as possible.

– Ah, it’s nothing else, but I was wondering if you could join us starting with the finishing training.

“Yes, I wish I could, but I don’t think I can. I’ve thrown too much this year.”

– Um, that’s true, but even if you don’t do full-scale training, wouldn’t it be good to greet your senior teammates and get to know each other?

Look at this guy. He hasn’t given up yet?

Is he thinking of making me part of his line even now? I have to give him credit for his survival instincts.

“It’s a schedule that I discussed with the club owner in advance. I’ll join the team a week before leaving for spring camp. Then I’ll see you next week when we sign the contract. General Manager.”

– No, but shouldn’t the seniors and juniors get together in advance…”

“Hello? Ah, I can’t hear you very well. Hello?”

‘Beep beep.’

I quickly pressed the end call button and threw my phone on the desk after turning it off completely.

I don’t have time to deal with these kinds of people right now.

Seong-hoon hyung will take care of cleaning up the insignificant ones.

‘Let’s see…’

I cleared my complicated mind and began to observe my own condition.

To figure out what the most urgent problem is for me right now.

Before my regression, I started as a pitcher in the minor leagues.

I spent 1 year in Single-A and 1 year in Double-A, and I was able to enter the major leagues in my 3rd year.

The prediction that I would be promoted within 1 year was wrong because of my pitching form.

The trainer who was in charge of me for the first time in the United States warned me several times.

Although I have a stronger and more flexible body than anyone else, if I continue to push myself to the limit, I won’t last long.

I thought it was nonsense at the time.

I had already thrown 167km/h [approximately 104 mph] unofficially in high school, and I had never had a shoulder injury even while pitching complete games every game.

Minor league coaches and managers also didn’t say anything to me.

Thinking about it now, I think they were afraid of touching an expensive rookie and getting bad results.

So I played baseball my way, with someone’s neglect, indifference, or consideration.

I was arrogant, ignorant, and overestimated myself too much.

I trusted my body, which was considered the best regardless of race, too much.

Then, eventually, an accident happened.

I continued to modify my pitching form to challenge 170km/h [approximately 106 mph], and I suffered my first injury in Double-A, and after that, I had to live with minor and major injuries even after I went up to the major leagues.

My highest speed, which had reached 167km/h, dropped to 153km/h [approximately 95 mph].

After focusing on improving my changeups and control instead of my fastball, which had drastically decreased in power, I won the Cy Young Award twice, but that was it.

I started in the third game of the League Championship Series, but I couldn’t last even 3 innings and collapsed on the mound.

An irreparable shoulder injury, so I had to give up pitching completely and switch to being a hitter.

I can’t repeat that mistake again in this life.

I need to equip myself with a new pitching form that is suitable for my still-growing body and free from injury.

I know better than anyone what to do for that.

Okay, let’s get this done first.

‘Ting-a-ling.’

“Seong-hoon hyung.”

– Uh, why? I haven’t arrived at the company yet. Did I leave something out?”

“It’s not that, I’m thinking of going to the United States.”

– What? The United States? Why there?”

“I think I need to meet someone.”

– Meet someone, who? Who do you know in the United States besides the Seattle scout?”

“Oh, I’m going to meet that person.”

– Daniel…? Why?”

“I’ll tell you the details when I get back. I think I’ll be in the United States for a few days, so don’t think about coming back from your parents’ house quickly, just take your time. Then I’ll see you at the club when we sign the contract.”

– No, do you even know how to go to the United States…? Hello?”

Anyway, I already got a visa to join Seattle in advance. After hanging up the phone, I immediately connected to the internet and booked a plane ticket to the United States.

It was a bit expensive because I booked it in a hurry, but it didn’t matter. What’s important now isn’t a few bucks.

Two days later, the plane I was on departed for Seattle.

* * *