Perfect Agent [EN]: Chapter 248

Hot Potato (3)

“Do you think there are shortcomings in the data I submitted?”

My voice rose without me even realizing it.

“When did Han Gyo-jin first play in the KBO League?”

“It was the season right before he went to the military…”

The committee member across from me cut me off.

“No. I mean, when did he become a starter?”

“He started as a starter this season.”

I tried to keep my cool as I answered.

“This season, huh? Even if he plays full-time for the rest of the season, he’ll only have about 50 KBO League games under his belt. Is it wise to send a catcher with that little experience to an international competition?”

“But right now, he’s performing as well as anyone else at the catcher position. What specific areas do you think Han Gyo-jin is lacking in?”

He wasn’t just the exclusive catcher for Michael Scott and Jung Min-woo; he was also managing the game effectively, working well with the bullpen pitchers who came in after them.

“The catcher needs to understand the entire game and keep the infielders focused. I think significant experience is crucial for that.”

“Han Gyo-jin isn’t a rookie. He has plenty of experience in the Futures League [KBO’s minor league]. His performance there was solid.”

“Are the KBO League and the KBO Futures League the same? Even if it’s the same sport, the level of play is different.”

“But if you look at his recent KBO League performance, wouldn’t you reconsider your opinion? You could say he’s playing like a seasoned starter.”

“Well… I’m not sure that’s enough.”

“If you look at the pitchers’ ERAs when they work with Han Gyo-jin, you’ll see stable game management. And he clearly excels at preventing stolen bases, more so than any other player, right? I think he’s proven himself in actual games.”

“Stolen base attempts aren’t the only important factor for a catcher, are they?”

“Committee member, if not this data or that data, what should we use to evaluate the player? The stats on the field speak for themselves!”

My voice was now laced with anger.

“It’s a lack of experience. He lacks KBO League experience and has no international competition experience, and I’m concerned about that.”

The other committee member’s voice also grew louder.

“Isn’t that the same as picking players based on reputation alone? If that’s the case, why are we even having this meeting?”

“Committee member Kang, watch your tone.”

As the atmosphere heated up, the technical director intervened again.

“Okay, okay, let’s wrap this up. We’re selecting the preliminary roster now. I don’t think anyone objects to including Han Gyo-jin on the preliminary roster.”

As the technical director said, it was clear that Han Gyo-jin would easily make the preliminary roster.

But Han Gyo-jin was performing well enough to deserve a spot on the final roster.

Moreover, he could play another important role in this tournament.

I couldn’t let this go without saying something.

“Before we move on, I have one more point. There’s another crucial reason why Han Gyo-jin is needed on this national team.”

“…?”

The other committee members looked at me, puzzled.

“Han Gyo-jin knows Michael Scott better than any other player we have right now. That’s a significant advantage.”

“What does that have to do with national team selection? Michael Scott can’t naturalize as a Korean citizen overnight.”

I smiled faintly and answered.

“If he continues to perform like this, Scott might be selected for the US national team. And he’s dominating against Korean players, so he might be on the mound when we play against the US.”

Silence filled the room, as if no one had considered that possibility.

I delivered my final point.

“To effectively counter Michael Scott when facing the United States, Han Gyo-jin can play a vital role. He’s the only player who knows Scott inside and out. As a pitcher, there’s nothing more unsettling than facing a catcher he used to work with.”

With that, the discussion about Han Gyo-jin ended.

In the following discussion, we talked about other players.

Many promising players were included, even if their chances of being selected were slim.

The meeting lasted about 4 hours, including breaks.

The technical committee meeting concluded after finalizing the 160 players on the preliminary roster.

The next morning,

Manager Kim Sang-moon and the technical committee chairman held a press conference and officially announced the preliminary roster.

Naturally, many baseball fans were paying attention.

└The roster is finally being revealed. I’m already excited.

└Excited after seeing how badly they did last time? I don’t have high hopes. I just hope they don’t embarrass themselves and get knocked out in the preliminary round.

└Still, if they pick the best players from each team, they should be competitive, right?

└Take a look at the roster and tell me if you still think that. It’s so poorly chosen it’s astounding.

└It’s just the preliminary roster, with 160 players. They’ll narrow it down to 28, and the ones who don’t make the cut will be cut.

└Even so, is Han Gyo-jin really necessary? Is it right to pick him just because he’s playing well recently? They should pick players with proven international experience.

└How will young players gain experience if they only pick veterans? Even if they don’t start, they need to give opportunities to players with potential.

└Exactly. Even if he doesn’t play catcher, he could be valuable as a designated hitter if he hits well. He definitely has the potential to hit.

└The national team isn’t a place to gain experience; it’s a place to prove yourself. You gain experience in the professional league, and you select players who have already proven themselves in international competitions. If they experiment in international competitions and get crushed again like last time, baseball’s popularity will plummet.

└And is there even room on the roster for a designated hitter? You need defensive versatility to be worth taking.

└Han Gyo-jin’s defense has improved lately. Watch the games where Michael Scott pitches. His ERA is completely different from last year.

└Isn’t that just because Michael Scott is pitching well? He’s probably just more comfortable this year.

└Jung Min-woo’s improvement suggests Han Gyo-jin plays a role. Even if it’s not obvious, he helps the pitcher by controlling stolen base attempts and contributing at the plate.

└Han Gyo-jin is decent, but what about Seo Seong-min? Kang Hyun-woo is on the technical committee, so it seems like he just added players from Dream Agency [a hypothetical sports agency].

└Versatility is important in international competitions. In short tournaments, you need pinch hitters and pinch runners, but if you don’t have defensive replacements, how can you use pinch hitters effectively when it matters?

└Versatility is necessary, but you need to excel at something first. You need a standout skill. I don’t see anything that’s national team level.

└If Han Gyo-jin or Seo Seong-min can’t prove they’re competitive by the time of the final roster selection, they’ll naturally be cut.

* * *

As the regular season passed 80 games, the first half ended.

The KBO League rankings battle this season was more exciting than ever.

The competition for first place was fierce.

Unlike the past two years, when the Wolves had a comfortable lead, the Buffaloes and the Jaguars were battling for the top spot this time.

The performance of our players was crucial to the success of both teams.

Oh Seok-hoon of the Buffaloes led in batting average (0.368) and slugging percentage (0.575).

He had already hit 15 home runs, making it likely he would reach 20 home runs for the first time in his career.

Park Seong-joo consistently hit home runs, proving he deserved to be called the Republic of Korea’s fourth hitter, with 22 home runs and a slugging percentage of 0.558.

He occasionally hit massive home runs that cleared the stadium.

Go Ji-hoon recorded a 2.98 ERA and 10 wins, playing a solid role as the Buffaloes’ ace.

Michael Scott of the Jaguars lowered his ERA as the season progressed, reaching 2.20 with 11 wins.

There was hope he might reach 20 wins by the end of the season.

Donald Watson recorded a batting average of 0.305, 16 home runs, and 70 RBIs, proving his value as a center fielder with excellent defensive range.

Seo Seong-min, often mentioned by fans due to his inclusion on the preliminary roster, recorded 0.280, 12 home runs, and 58 RBIs, fulfilling his role as the sixth hitter.

He also played solid defense, switching between second base and first base.

Thanks to the performance of our players, the Buffaloes and the Jaguars steadily accumulated wins.

The Buffaloes were in first place, only 1.5 games ahead of the Jaguars in second.

With about 60 games left in the regular season, there was still a good chance the rankings could change.

Many fans eagerly awaited the match between the two teams.

And the match between the Buffaloes and the Jaguars arrived.

It was also another matchup between Michael Scott of the Jaguars and Go Ji-hoon of the Buffaloes.

They were facing a game they couldn’t afford to lose, both for the league championship race and for the competition between Michael Scott and Go Ji-hoon for the most wins.