Pitcher’S End, Batter’S Start [EN]: Chapter 48

“It’s still May, so we could acquire someone from outside through a trade, but….”

General Manager Pratt wore a faint smile.

As he said, there was no need for a trade.

Because there was already a player in the Braves’ farm system who would replace Darren Robson, a player they had already decided to replace him with.

“Fortunately, we already have a replacement on our team. And a very good one at that.”

In this conference room, there was no one who didn’t know who General Manager Pratt was referring to.

There was a player who stood out the most, and who they were going to try out at least once this season anyway.

“He’s a player we were going to test out this season anyway. What do you guys think about Lee?”

Jungwoo Lee.

The moment his name came out of General Manager Pratt’s mouth, the chilly atmosphere instantly turned warm.

A faint smile also appeared on the face of the manager, who had been lamenting the foolish actions of his player.

“No matter what metrics you look at, he’s far superior to Darren Robson. There is a difference in league level, but… even considering that, Lee is better than the current Darren Robson.”

The head of the scouting team was confident in his words.

No, not just him, but anyone who knew a little bit about baseball would have a similar reaction.

From the opening of the season in April to now, just before June, Lee has maintained a batting average close to .500 and a slugging percentage of over .900. He also has 17 home runs.

His RBIs [Runs Batted In, a key offensive statistic] are also over 50, even though the season is not even halfway over.

His fielding percentage is also perfect, with no errors recorded.

Such classic stats are great, but so are his sabermetrics [advanced baseball statistics that analyze in-game activity].

Lee was recording stats that were a step, no, more than a level above the league average.

In short, Lee is crushing the league.

“To be honest, Lee is no longer comparable to Darren Robson.”

Even in Double-A, these kinds of stats make a difference.

Lee had already surpassed Darren Robson a long time ago.

Starting with the head of the scouting team, others also gave rave reviews.

As if they had been waiting for Pratt’s choice.

“He’s a good player, with excellent clutch ability and good fielding ability based on his unique athleticism. He can be used as a full-time player.”

“He has good natural physique and flexibility, and with a little more time, his power tool may grow even more. His contact is also getting better and better.”

“If he lives up to expectations… he’s good enough to fill Darren’s void.”

The manager also agreed, making it a unanimous decision.

General Manager Pratt wore a satisfied smile.

Because it was Pratt who had been pushing for Lee all along.

He was pleased with this unified appearance.

“Then it’s decided. If Darren Robson is injured as we expect….”

Based on that support, Pratt made a decision right away.

Of course, there was a condition that Darren Robson had to be removed.

Frankly, that was already half, no, 90% done.

None of the people here thought Darren Robson was okay.

“Let’s bring Lee up.”

####

Lee Jungwoo, who entered the training field, tilted his head.

Something about the atmosphere was ominous.

Even the colleagues who used to be friendly seemed to be glaring at him for no reason.

The coaches were also making unpleasant expressions.

‘What’s wrong? Did something happen?’

It was the same during training.

No one approached him, and Desmond, who would normally sit next to him and chatter noisily, was busy stealing glances at him from a distance.

Lee Jungwoo wondered if he had caused some kind of accident.

But nothing came to mind.

‘Did Korea declare war on the United States?’

The reaction of the people suddenly changed.

Honestly, he even had such absurd thoughts.

In the end, Lee Jungwoo, who finished his weight training with a slightly unpleasant feeling, grabbed his bat for batting practice.

And was severely scolded by the hitting coach.

“Are you out of your mind? Is this the time for you to be doing batting practice? Goddamn it!”

“Why are you suddenly like this?”

“Damn it! A player like you should go back to the locker room right now!”

‘Did he eat something wrong? Why is he like that?’

Lee Jungwoo, who eventually put down his bat at the hitting coach’s fierce anger, felt upset for a moment.

In this state of mind, it would be lucky if he didn’t get injured even if he trained.

He walked to the locker room.

Normally, it would be noisy with players training or warming up.

But strangely, no one was to be seen now.

Lee Jungwoo, who kept tilting his head, thinking it was a strange day, opened the locker room door.

A cold waterfall of drinks soaked his body coolly.

“Lee! Congratulations….”

The colleagues who were gathered in the locker room cheered and greeted him.

But Lee Jungwoo, who calmly shook his head, pointed his bat, which he had brought without even being able to swing once due to the hitting coach’s fuss, at the group of them.

He spoke in his usual calm manner, but with cold eyes like the drink that had soaked him.

“Which bastard did it? If you hand over the ringleader, I’ll spare the rest.”

Lee Jungwoo was angry.

Suddenly, everyone was acting like they were on drugs overnight.

If even the coach was acting up, and then something like this happened, there was no one who wouldn’t get angry.

At his murderous words, the players froze.

In particular, Desmond, who seemed to have planned this himself, was trembling like an aspen.

“I told you to leave out the drinks. Lee is angry.”

“You should have just congratulated him….”

“Aren’t we going to get beaten to death by Lee? If you get hit by that bat, your head will be smashed….”

The players whispered among themselves, expressing their fear.

They moved one step away each time Lee Jungwoo took a step closer.

Then, new figures appeared, opening the locker room door.

“Lee! Congratulations!”

“Hahaha, I knew you’d go up… Why is the atmosphere like this?”

The coaches, who had been acting strangely today, came in and congratulated him.

They had a questioning look on their faces, as if they were wondering if the locker room atmosphere, which felt like walking on thin ice, was strange.

When the players shook their heads as if it wasn’t the time for that, the manager, who had grasped the situation, spoke right away.

“Lee, you are no longer a player for the Mississippi Braves.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means this.”

The manager suddenly took out a long piece of paper from his pocket, and Lee Jungwoo’s eyes widened when he saw it.

It was a plane ticket to Atlanta, a first-class seat at that.

“Atlanta called you up. Darren is injured, and it seems pretty serious.”

“Is it a call-up?”

“Thanks for your hard work. Do well when you get there.”

His head went blank.

Call-up, it was a story he hadn’t heard in a long time.

He used to play in the KBO’s [Korean Baseball Organization] minor league, and when there was a hole in the starting lineup, he would be called up to fill it.

This was a different scale.

It meant that the player Lee Jungwoo had really become a major leaguer he had only dreamed of.

‘Am I… going to the major leagues? Me?’

When Lee Jungwoo stared blankly at the ticket without saying anything, the manager smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

Only then did the atmosphere ease, and the players came up to him one by one and congratulated him.

“Go ahead and wait! I’m going up too. Pave the way first!”

“Ah~ I was going to be the first one to go up. I’ve been robbed of a player.”

“Make sure to claim your spot properly! Don’t you ever come back down! Or we’ll all be embarrassed.”

Lee Jungwoo’s personal connections didn’t matter.

What mattered was celebrating the player who had finally reached the dream everyone held.

Things like that didn’t matter at all.

The players reacted enthusiastically, as if they had won a championship.

Toby Maxon even looked teary-eyed, as if he had called him up himself.

“Lee, seriously, congratulations.”

“Thanks, you do well too. I’ll see you up there.”

“That’s the plan. Do well over there.”

“Lee! How can you go first so unfairly? Take me with you!”

“Desmond, you keep up your performance, and let’s meet in Atlanta next time.”

One by one, Lee Jungwoo finished his farewells with his teammates, and then he saw the locker room, completely emptied in that short amount of time, probably prepared by the club in advance.

He could really feel that he had been called up.

“Your agent will be waiting in front of the stadium. Your flight is this evening, so pack your bags and head straight there.”

“Thank you for everything, Manager.”

“Don’t mention it, I’m more grateful. Thanks to you, Lee, we’ve racked up a lot of wins, so we might even be able to win the championship.”

Even though it was practically like losing their best player when they could aim for the championship.

The manager just smiled kindly and congratulated Lee Jungwoo, even though he had reason to be upset.

Lee Jungwoo didn’t say anything more than that.

He was going up to the major leagues.

No other words were needed.

So, just like every player who gets called up.

Lee Jungwoo smiled confidently.

####

As the manager said, Mark was waiting in front of the stadium in his car.

He spotted Lee Jungwoo walking out and approached him with a bright smile.

Lee Jungwoo greeted him happily.

“Did you say your goodbyes to your teammates?”

“You should have told me I was getting called up in advance. I thought my heart was going to drop.”

“It’s a big league call-up, so there has to be an event like this. It looked pretty fun.”

He seemed a little overwhelmed, wearing an excited expression.

His player, the guy he had taken care of in every way, had finally become a major leaguer.

It was only natural that he couldn’t hide his joy.

Lee Jungwoo hugged him once, stopped by the dorm to pack the rest of his things, and then he headed straight to the airport.

“By the way, the manager said Darren Robson was injured. Is it pretty serious? Seeing as how you’re already being called up.”

“Didn’t I tell you? The atmosphere wasn’t good. I heard his knee went out. He pushed himself too hard, and it finally broke down. And besides the injury, Darren did something stupid.”

“Something stupid?”

Mark grinned at Lee Jungwoo’s question.

Being happy about someone else’s misfortune wasn’t a good thing.

But it didn’t matter.

Because thanks to his misfortune, he and his player benefited.

“He hid the fact that he was injured. I think he was enduring it by taking painkillers. Then his performance dropped this time, and he got caught.”

“That is stupid.”

Hiding an injury from the club was a stupid action.

Because he was worried about a brief absence, he was eroding his career and the club’s trust.

Lee Jungwoo himself had ended up here after suffering a shoulder injury, so he understood his actions, though.

‘He must have been scared. He must have felt like his spot would disappear.’

But that action ultimately made his worries a reality.

No matter how awful a player is, the club isn’t completely cold to injured players because of what they’ve done so far.

At least they have to put on a show of taking care of them, because if they treat players harshly, other players will avoid the place, thinking that they might do the same to them someday.

But this case is different.

Darren Robson gave them a reason.

His future will probably be a little awkward.

Not only the Braves, but other clubs also dislike players who deceive the club.

“Whatever, thanks to him, I got my spot.”

“Don’t think too much about it. It was your spot to take anyway.”

“I’m not that sentimental.”

Lee Jungwoo looked out the window.

The cloudless weather, as if congratulating him, was quite pleasing.

####

A mid-season call-up, especially before the expanded roster [the period in baseball when teams can add more players to their active roster], was big news.

Because it meant the team had a serious problem.

[ATL) Darren Robson on 60-day DL [Disabled List]]

[ATL) Braves infuse new blood]

[ATL) Have they already given up on the postseason? The Braves are aiming to tank [intentionally losing games to secure a better draft pick].]

[ATL) The general manager’s call-up for his own position. Lee’s call-up is too early.]

[ATL) ‘This call-up will be another one of Pratt’s mistakes,’ experts say in unison.]

The American media mostly showed a critical tone on this call-up.

He hasn’t had his birthday yet. He’s only 20 years old (Korean age).

And even though he had great grades, he is a player who has never played full-time as a hitter or pitcher, so it is not yet certain that he has proven himself.

That’s why most people were worried.

Korean media was a little different.

Because an unexpected Korean major leaguer was born.

[Exclusive) ATL Lee Jungwoo Called Up]

[Pratt Braves GM, ‘Lee is the best prospect with no comparison’]

[Why was Lee Jungwoo able to go to the major leagues at the age of 20?]

[Kim Kyung-seok, former Gwangil High School coach, ‘Jungwoo was a different kid from the start’]

[Lee Jungwoo’s major league call-up, the second major leaguer among players who went straight to the United States after Choi Jin-man.]

[Lee Jungwoo, a new major leaguer is born! Korean baseball continues to develop.]

He is the second player to go to the major leagues among players who went straight to the United States from high school/college baseball.

They were so friendly that they treated him like a national hero.

Some Korean baseball fans felt uncomfortable with the way they even found and interviewed people around him. On the other hand, Atlanta Braves fans showed a similar frenzy.

[Lee is up! Lee is up!]

[Darren X is finally gone, and Lee is up too. Best, right?]

[We demand that today be designated as a holiday in the state of Georgia.]

[I don’t even expect him to hit, I’m ready to kiss Lee’s butt if he just plays well on defense.]

[If he hits well, I can lick his toes too.]

[Aren’t you guys subtly filling your own desires?]

[Wow, look at the Double-A stats. Even half of that is a ten million dollar player?]

[Even half of that is an early to mid .200s batting average. The slugging percentage is close to .500. I really love it if it’s just this much.]

He was a player who had already given more than enough expectations from the demonstration game until now.

Sometimes, no, often, when he showed amazing super plays and was posted on the minor league website, his pants would get wet.

Lee Jungwoo was a player who symbolized the Braves’ hope.

He was a player who gave fans hope that even though it was difficult right now, everything would be better someday, and that they would win the championship in the future. That kind of player came up.

No matter what the so-called experts were babbling about, no matter how hard other team fans were barking.

The fans welcomed Lee Jungwoo.

[He might not be able to do it right now. He might get shaken up. He might be crushed by the league gap. But I can be sure. Lee will lead our Braves to glory.]

Carrying the fans’ expectations.

The monster of the Southern League crossed the threshold of the majors.