Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 189

Returning to the dugout, Lee Jung-woo followed Mark and had an unexpected encounter.

“Ah! Welcome, Lee. Haha, it’s been a while. I’m always cheering you on, but it’s been a while since we actually talked. It’s a pleasure.”

“It’s a pleasure to see you too, General Manager.”

General Manager Pratt.

Lee Jung-woo felt a bit awkward with the man greeting him in a neatly tailored suit. He had occasionally passed him in the clubhouse, met him when he was called up to the majors and signed his contract, and when he received his salary for this season during the offseason. But frankly, he didn’t feel very close to him. Also, the title of General Manager itself was a bit intimidating.

To Lee Jung-woo, the words General Manager were synonymous with being released.

‘I make good money, but this is my first time in a place like this. It looks pretty fancy…’

And the unfamiliar fancy restaurant added to the awkwardness. He mostly grabbed food near his house or ate at the hotel restaurant during away games, so this type of restaurant wasn’t very familiar to Lee Jung-woo.

Unlike the awkward Lee Jung-woo and the poker-faced Mark, General Manager Pratt had a smile plastered on his face and just laughed as if he was very happy.

Lee Jung-woo wondered at his expression.

‘Suddenly a conversation, what’s it about? A trade… definitely not.’

Sitting down, Lee Jung-woo half-listened to the conversation and thought about the reasons why the General Manager would want to have a meeting with him. Usually, meetings between a player and the General Manager are about one of three things:

A contract, a trade, or a release.

But Lee Jung-woo thought that at least the latter two could be ruled out. Even he thought that the words trade and release were extremely unlikely right now.

If the General Manager tried any of those, and it leaked to the media, angry fans would riot and he wouldn’t be able to set foot in Atlanta, or even Georgia, for the rest of his life. Seriously, there could be bloodshed.

‘Then…’

Lee Jung-woo glanced to the side, and Mark, who had come with him, nodded as if he had similar thoughts. With a very serious face, he looked like a warrior going into battle.

‘A contract extension… I knew it would happen someday, but already?’

A contract extension in the second year.

In most cases, this can be explained in one way: ‘Our General Manager is crazy!’

A player whose durability hasn’t been confirmed yet, whose potential to be a one-season wonder hasn’t been ruled out, and who has a lot of service time left that can be used almost for free. Offering a contract extension to such a player is only possible if the General Manager has seriously lost his mind, like the aforementioned trade or release.

‘But that’s the most likely scenario out of all of them.’

Considering Lee Jung-woo’s future value, they might want to sign him in advance before his value goes up even more. It wasn’t impossible like a trade or release, so Lee Jung-woo swallowed nervously with a tense expression.

In the midst of the tension, the usual small talk passed.

General Manager Pratt changed his expression.

“Haha, I think I’ve been talking too much about myself. I’m just so happy to be talking with Lee. So, let’s get down to business.”

At his words, Lee Jung-woo and Mark listened attentively. The tension that had been lingering over the luxurious table soon disappeared without a trace. It wasn’t the story they had expected. Lee Jung-woo’s posture slumped as if his energy had been drained, and Mark nodded as if to say, ‘Is that what it is?’

“The Korean Night… is that what you mean?”

The Braves’ Korean Night.

What General Manager Pratt wanted was cooperation with a team event.

An event called Korean Night.

As the team’s only Korean player and the most successful Korean major leaguer in the major leagues right now, it was natural to ask, but it was a bit anticlimactic. The thoughts he had were unnecessary.

‘This is quite elaborate?’

After listening to General Manager Pratt’s explanation, Lee Jung-woo realized that it wasn’t just a routine event that was held occasionally. It felt a bit different from the ones that the Tourism Organization or the Korean Association often held.

A pre-show and first pitch by a Korean singer who is quite popular in the United States, fusion Korean-style ballpark snacks that seem like strange food, and commemorative baseball equipment with a slightly altered Korean flag attached, etc.

It was subtly different from the existing Korean Nights.

To be more precise, it was a bit unusual. But Lee Jung-woo nodded because it felt like they had been preparing for quite a while, but there was only one thing that bothered him.

‘June 27th… surely not, right?’

The date it was being held. June 27th was very coincidentally his birthday.

Maybe it was just a coincidence, but the expressions of Mark and General Manager Pratt sitting next to him bothered him, and he thought that they might have been aiming for it. Both of them had a proud, satisfied, and childlike expression, like someone about to open a gift.

‘No… it can’t be. No matter how well I’m doing, it can’t be. Like Mark said, no matter how much they like me, it’s a team-wide event, so surely not. It’s just a coincidence.’

Lee Jung-woo forced himself to ignore the tickling feeling in his heart and looked at General Manager Pratt, trying to erase the strange embarrassment.

“May I ask what you mean by cooperation?”

“Just a short interview and promotion. Since it’s an event for Koreans, it would be effective if Lee could do a simple promotion. We will adjust the schedule to Lee’s needs and make sure it doesn’t interfere with anything.”

“I’ve already looked into the schedule. You can refuse if you’re uncomfortable.”

“No, I don’t really mind, but Mark, did you know about this?”

“You’re the core of this event, so as your agent, I should know. There are things to prepare in advance.”

Lee Jung-woo glanced at Mark, who said he knew everything, and thought for a moment. A simple promotion; he wasn’t very comfortable in front of the camera. But in this case, it was a bit difficult to refuse.

‘I’m not really keen on it, but this is close to business, so I have to do it. And it’s even called Korean Night, so it’s a bit much for me to back out…’

“I’m okay with a reasonable level. Is there anything else you want to request? Like other events or something.”

General Manager Pratt and Mark’s faces became a bit more subtle at Lee Jung-woo’s words. Lee Jung-woo’s face also hardened even more. If their faces when they heard the date were like children unwrapping a gift, now they looked like mischievous kids who were itching to play a prank.

“Haha, that’s enough. Master Taylor and I have already finished the rest of the preparations, so Lee just needs to look forward to it.”

‘So, what is that anticipation?’

Lee Jung-woo wanted to shout at the two people who were looking at him with strange eyes, but he barely managed to hold it in. After a simple meal, the unexpected news and a strange feeling of unease ended the meal with the usual encouragement.

Along with the storm that would follow.

####

[Braves narrowly lose to Cardinals 7-6,]

[Jung-woo Lee, 4 hits in 5 at-bats, 1 walk, 1 run, a lot of regrets…]

[ATL loses to Cardinals 5-3! First series sweep loss this season!]

[A long time since a losing streak, but Lee Jung-woo shined again today! 2 hits, 2 RBIs, 1 stolen base in 4 at-bats.]

[Braves’ lights out? Losing the 4-game series against the Marlins!]

[Underwhelming silence, is Lee Jung-woo’s stamina running out? Recorded 3 hits, 1 RBI, 2 walks, and 1 stolen base in 15 at-bats over 17 at-bats throughout the series!]

The Braves showed a bit of a slump after the Athletics game. The poor performance of the team’s key players overlapped, and the number of losses increased.

After losing the home game against the Marlins with 1 win and 3 losses, they recorded another losing streak in the 3-game away game against the Nationals, and there were concerns about the overall performance of the team. In particular, some people were expecting, rather than hoping, that Lee Jung-woo, whose performance had noticeably declined, had finally run out of stamina.

Rather, the fans of teams like the Phillies or Mets, who had been brutally defeated by him, didn’t have such expectations. Lee Jung-woo was the type to come back to life like a ghost and hit the ball hard, and at least they had seen such a sight often.

-Don’t be fooled, he’s a son of a bitch.

-He’ll probably hit a home run again. Not just one, but like five of them.

-Is he out of stamina? It’s more likely that he’s an android and ran out of oil.

As the Braves’ team-level slump continued, there was also a small piece of good news that fans could be happy about.

[Lee Jung-woo surpasses Arthur Hunter in All-Star voting to take first place in total votes! A true star player recognized by America!]

In the All-Star voting, which was nearing its end, Lee Jung-woo surpassed Arthur Hunter, who boasted the most votes in the All-Star voting based on his unique showmanship and the popular team, the Dodgers, to take first place in total votes.

-Of course, this is how it should be. Honestly, considering the season so far, it’s true that Lee has done the best, right? He’s definitely number one.

-Those country bumpkins voted like crazy with their slow computers. What are you doing?

-Do you think this is normal? That kid beat Arthur Hunter? Be reasonable.

-Isn’t it ugly to make an issue out of the vote? You guys should be reasonable. It’s a natural result.

-Leave them alone, they’re acting like this even with the All-Star vote, I’m curious how much they’ll freak out during the MVP after the season.

-The shortstop hit 18 home runs in the first half, so he can get the most votes. Why are you making such a fuss?

-Those damn Atlanta bastards, no matter how much you like Lee. Don’t you have any pride as Americans?

-It’s obvious. The Atlanta guys and the Koreans across the sea clicked hard.

Of course, there was resistance.

Arthur Hunter was so popular, and some people were offended that an Asian rookie who was only in his second year was proudly taking first place as if he were the face of Major League Baseball.

In particular, Arthur Hunter’s fans, who were wary of Lee Jung-woo, who had been on the MVP race since some point, showed a slightly excessive reaction.

In fact, he was already guaranteed to participate in the All-Star Game as he was overwhelmingly ahead of other candidates in the voting by position. The result of being the number one in total votes was significant.

It meant that Lee Jung-woo’s popularity was at least the first in the league at this moment.

-That’s not all our firepower. Lee must be very popular.

-Isn’t he the type of player that baseball fans would love? His showmanship is good, and his skills are beyond words. His playing style is also full of home runs.

-It’s a bit surprising. He’s only a second-year player, but he’s so popular…

As the disappointing game results and small happiness continued, somewhat unexpected news came out.

With massive promotion.

####

[Atlanta Braves to host ‘Korean Night’ on the 27th]

The reaction in the United States to the news of Korean Night was somewhat lukewarm. It was just something that happened occasionally, and it wasn’t a type of event that received much attention.

Also, Atlanta itself boasts one of the top ten Korean populations and Koreatowns in the United States, so it wasn’t a very special event.

But the feeling in Korea was a bit different. Even if Americans thought it was all the same, it was a bit different.

-Stop it, it’s embarrassing. It looks like Lee Jung-woo is doing well, so the Korean Association or the Tourism Organization is promoting it. Honestly, it’s an international disgrace, not national prestige.

-No, no, if you look at the American articles, the team planned it directly.

-Really?

-Yes, the team is directly promoting it. The Korean Association and the Tourism Organization only cooperated a little. That’s what they’re saying.

Most of the Korean Nights or similar Korean events that are often held were mostly opened in consultation with the Korean Association and the Korea Tourism Organization.

That’s why many people looked at it with disapproval, saying it was embarrassing, but it was a bit different now. The team held it directly.

Starting with Lee Jung-woo’s short promotional interview, as requested by the team, a massive broadcast followed. At least in Korea, it caused a big ripple.

[Atlanta Braves to hold ‘Korean Night’ on the 27th, even fusion Korean food?]

[‘Surprise event?’ No, it’s all planned, General Manager Pratt reveals his position…]

[Korea Tourism Organization, ‘Braves requested cooperation first!’ Realizing the power of K-culture [Korean pop culture]!]

[Braves are treating Lee Jung-woo ‘properly’! Treatment worthy of the team’s best player!]

[‘Lee Jung-woo Power’ shakes Georgia! Moved Atlanta!]

Yes, it was *national ppoong* [a Korean term for nationalistic pride, often used sarcastically].

The articles that came out with exclamation marks as if expressing uncontrollable emotions proved it.

People laughed at the cringeworthy article titles such as cultural power and shaking, but they couldn’t hide their strange feelings even while shaking their heads at the event that seemed to have been prepared on purpose.

In the meantime, some people felt the same sense of *déjà vu* that Lee Jung-woo had felt in the previous conversation and notification.

-June 27th. A strange date. I’ve seen that letter somewhere. I feel a strange sacred bat energy.

-Ah… June 27th? That’s the day God Jung-woo cried for the first time. It’s commonly called the day God Jung-woo came. On the 27th, bow in the direction of Atlanta.

-In the United States, it’s called Merry Lee Mas (Mar’Lee’ Mas).

-Crazy bastardsㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-ㅋㅋㅋㅋIs Lee Jung-woo a Buddha? The birthday name is so grandioseㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Seriously, from the Braves’ point of view, he’s more than a Buddha. It’s enough to designate it as a public holiday in Atlanta. If you go to the United States, you’ll know. The Yankee uncles are crazy about Lee Jung-woo, calling him Mr. Lee.

-Bullshit

It was so cringeworthy that his face was about to explode, so Lee Jung-woo wanted to deny it, but people speculated that the Braves were aiming for it because it was so coincidental. In fact, it wasn’t exactly wrong.

-The Braves are crazy, they’re sucking Lee Jung-woo’s dick properly [lavishing praise and attention on Lee Jung-woo].

-Yeah, it makes you want to play the game~ I thought he was just our world-class player, but he’s really world-class.

-But is this okay? No matter how good Lee Jung-woo is, isn’t it too much special treatment? The other Braves players might feel uncomfortable.

└If you’re upset, hit 18 home runs. For two and a half months.

└In addition, you have to record a batting average of 4-5-8 for a month [batting average of .400, on-base percentage of .500, and slugging percentage of .800].

└You also have to play shortstop and have gold glove-level defense.

└Yeah, I was short-sighted. I’ll just shut up.

However, there were also claims that this special treatment could cause resentment among the players. In Korea, it was lightly suppressed by the violence of stats, but in the United States, there were serious concerns.

[Special treatment for only one individual? A birthday party ‘for a specific player’.]

[Braves veterans, ‘Will they express displeasure?’, A team that only treats rookies!]

[‘Ma-Lee Mas?’ Braves, Korean event to coincide with Lee’s birthday.]

Of course, most of them were just trying to shake up the Braves, whose performance had declined, but Lee Jung-woo thought about the article that was being written in a serious tone, especially the one that imported the Korean reaction, the one that said Merry Lee Mas.

‘They’re going to make fun of me like crazy.’

If they heard this, they would probably tease him for a few days, or until the end of June, saying things like, ‘As expected, he’s a future captain,’ or ‘I’m proud of you.’