Perfect Agent [EN]: Chapter 71

The Whirlwind Shaking the League (2)

Due to the domestic league’s shortage of pitchers, teams invested heavily in recruiting foreign pitchers and developing domestic players.

In particular, managing bullpen pitchers to close out games after the starting pitcher was relieved was a concern for every manager.

This was also why A-class pitchers’ salaries soared when they became free agents.

But right now, that was irrelevant to the Wolves.

The Wolves had the strongest bullpen in the league.

They were in the enviable position of being able to rotate their high-leverage [must-win] pitchers according to the situation.

Jang Su-young was pitching as a bullpen pitcher on such a team.

“Senior, is there any way?”

I paused, lost in thought.

Looking into Jang Su-young’s eyes, I could tell he wasn’t just complaining.

He genuinely wanted some kind of change.

“As you know, the agency can’t interfere with the manager’s game management.”

“I guess so…”

A deep disappointment washed over Jang Su-young’s face.

“I’ll discuss the details directly with the club, but there’s no guarantee things will change. In fact, it’s extremely unlikely.”

“Sigh…”

Jang Su-young sighed deeply.

“First, what exactly do you want right now? Do you want to be the closer?”

-I want to pitch more innings than I do now.

-I want to become a closer and prove my abilities.

I could guess to some extent from the information window, but I wondered if there was anything else.

“It would be nice if I could be the closer. But it’s difficult to surpass Senior Oh Seung-soo. I’m aware of the reality.”

I was glad he could see the current situation so calmly.

If he had stubbornly demanded I make it happen, it would have been difficult for me.

“Instead, I don’t want to just face one hitter as a one-out reliever like I am now. I always have to warm up and wait, not knowing if I’ll get to pitch, but it’s frustrating to only throw three or four pitches and be done.”

Moreover, he endured the same hardships as other pitchers, but he was at a disadvantage in salary negotiations simply because he didn’t pitch many innings.

“And it’s not like I’m only strong against left-handed hitters. I’m confident I can get right-handed hitters out too. I just don’t get the chance, but if you give me a chance to pitch, I’m confident I can prove it.”

Frustration and confidence overlapped in Jang Su-young’s expression as he spoke.

“You’re saying you want to be a setup man and pitch a full inning?”

“It doesn’t have to be a full inning. My performance wasn’t much different when I pitched multiple innings.”

He probably said that to emphasize his confidence, but I was against bullpen pitchers pitching more than one inning.

“Then what do you want to do if the club says no?”

“If they say no?”

“What if they say they can’t change your role because the team needs you as a one-out reliever?”

“Um… I don’t know then.”

Jang Su-young shook his head and eventually bowed his head.

Did I only tell him negative things?

There was still one option left.

It was a method that could shock the player, but it was definitely the most certain way to resolve the current situation.

How would Jang Su-young react?

“Then, what do you think about this?”

I carefully brought up the idea.

Jang Su-young’s eyes widened as he listened.

Then he paused for a long time, lost in thought.

“But is that really possible? I don’t think the Wolves would easily do that.”

“I can’t say the probability is high, but if you’re okay with it, I’ll find a way to make it happen.”

“Yes. Then I’ll prepare too.”

Jang Su-young nodded with a determined expression.

* * *

According to the original plan, I was going to comfort Jang Su-young so he could concentrate on the game and go straight back.

But no matter how much I thought about it, it didn’t seem like a situation that could be resolved so easily.

Before going back to the office and telling them about my conversation with Jang Su-young, I thought it was necessary to talk directly with the Wolves club.

The next morning, I visited the Wolves stadium.

If I could talk to the general manager and get what I wanted, it would end without any problems.

If not…

I had no choice but to choose the method I discussed with Jang Su-young yesterday.

Even though I contacted him late last night, the Wolves general manager readily agreed to an appointment.

Knock knock.

-Come in.

I carefully opened the door and went inside.

Park Young-no, the Wolves general manager, greeted me with a happy smile.

I bowed deeply.

“General Manager, how have you been?”

“Oh, yeah. It’s been a while. Nice to see you.”

Listening to the conversation, you might mistake them for people who hadn’t seen each other in a long time.

But it was the first time I had a direct conversation with General Manager Park Young-no like this.

I often came across stories about him in the news and articles, so I somehow felt like I knew him well.

It wasn’t a bad thing that the person I was meeting for the first time felt familiar.

Shaking hands naturally was no longer unfamiliar.

-Considering ways to strengthen shortstop and second baseman defense.

-Judging that they can aim for the championship if they can definitely strengthen the infield.

It wasn’t information I could use right away, but it was what I needed.

“What brings you here? You asked to see me.”

“I had something to do nearby. I came to say hello and ask you a few questions.”

“You must be very busy these days. You’re working hard.”

I could immediately tell that the rumor that General Manager Park Young-no had a great personality was true.

But he was also the general manager who had won the championship five times.

Therefore, he was careful and cold-blooded when it came to baseball and club management.

“I’m curious about what you want to talk about.”

“Jang Su-young is with our company. I’m here to ask you a few questions about him.”

“Ah, I know him well. I’m grateful that Su-young is doing so well. I think it’s thanks to the agency’s efforts.”

A smile appeared on Park Young-no’s face, and he looked like a kindly grandfather.

“How important do you think Jang Su-young is to the Wolves, General Manager?”

“What’s there to say? Su-young is a key player on our team. He’s the only left-handed pitcher in the bullpen’s high-leverage group, and he perfectly performs his role in tight situations. He’s essential for our strong bullpen. What more can I say?”

Park Young-no said without hesitation.

“Thank you for acknowledging that. I agree. But…”

“…?”

“I think the team isn’t giving him enough opportunities to pitch, considering he’s a key player. Is there a reason I don’t know about?”

This time, Park Young-no paused and seemed to organize his thoughts.

“Isn’t he playing steadily without being overworked? I remember he’s already played in three games this season, including yesterday’s game.”

It was true that Jang Su-young had played in three games, including yesterday’s game.

“He did pitch, but only 1.1 innings total. He wasn’t given the chance to pitch a full inning in any of the three games. Isn’t that too little?”

“Um… so that’s what you wanted to talk about.”

Park Young-no stroked his chin a few times and made eye contact with me.

“How to use pitchers during a game is the manager’s decision. No matter how much I’m the general manager, trying to interfere with the manager’s decisions on the field would be an overreach.”

“That’s true, but…”

“But I don’t disagree with the manager.”

“Yes?”

“Su-young is the only left-handed bullpen pitcher we can trust in important situations. There are several right-handed pitchers, so we can rotate them depending on the situation, but it’s different for left-handed pitchers.”

“…”

“If he’s an important player and the only one on the team, shouldn’t we only put him on the mound when absolutely necessary? We have to manage him carefully so he doesn’t get into a situation where he can’t play in important games.”

“That’s true, but…”

“On the other hand, if we put him in too many games, we might hear that we’re overworking him, right?”

Because he was an important player, he had to be used sparingly. More than anyone else.

It was different from what Jang Su-young wanted, but I couldn’t say it was wrong.

It was impossible to persuade him right away.

Then let’s leave it at this for now.

“Come to think of it, the Wolves’ bullpen is strong. Other teams are struggling every game because they don’t have a reliable bullpen pitcher, but the Wolves seem to be in a completely different world.”

“Oh, come on. We have difficulties too. It’s all the same. No matter how much baseball is a pitcher’s game, you can’t win the championship just because you have a good bullpen.”

That was definitely true.

The Wolves made it to the Korean Series last year, but they finished as runner-up because they lost to the Dragons.

-Considering ways to strengthen shortstop and second baseman defense.

Then I need to verify this information.

“The infielder you drafted in the first round last year also looks promising.”

“He’s definitely a player with potential. But he’s a player we picked for the future, so he still needs development in the minor leagues. I think he’ll be ready to start in about 3-4 years.”

I nodded slowly.

“Why? Are you trying to recruit him to your agency?”

Park Young-no looked at me with an amused expression.

“We always welcome hardworking players.”

I tried to hide my reaction and answered.

* * *

I finished my conversation with General Manager Park Young-no and was leaving the Wolves stadium.

The more I thought about it, the more certain I became.

Now, I have no choice but to put this plan into action.

“No matter how much I think about it, there’s no other way…”

If this actually happens…

It would be a huge incident that could change the landscape of this season.

But what can I do?

I can’t think of any other way.