The Pitcher Just Hits Home Runs Well [EN]: Chapter 92

92. 2 Billion (6)

There are many promising players in the Marines organization.

In the 14 seasons from 2013 to 2026, the Marines only made it to the post-season once. It stands to reason, then, that they have a lot of promising players. Of course, this seemingly obvious fact isn’t necessarily a good thing.

Have they been gathering players for 14 seasons and *only* have promising players? Are they full of players who are called ‘aging prospects’? Players with good potential, who always seem like they’re about to break out but never quite do, stuck in the minor leagues?

This is definitely not a compliment.

Na Seung-chan, 27 years old this year and a veteran prospect, was one of those players who couldn’t exactly be praised.

He’s past being just a prospect and starting to enter the category of an aging one.

But even so, the Marines can’t give up on him because of his fastball that still averages 147 km/h [approximately 91 mph].

“Huh?”

Na Seung-chan tilted his head, looking at the announcement.

He clearly knew he was starting in tomorrow’s game. So why was a somewhat familiar name replacing him?

“Choi Soo-won?”

He tossed the tablet he was holding and jumped up from his seat.

Choi Soo-won.

A 2 billion rookie [referring to the signing bonus amount, likely in Korean Won].

Of course, a signing bonus doesn’t guarantee a player’s success. In fact, Na Seung-chan himself received a whopping 580 million as a rookie bonus, but he hasn’t been able to secure a spot on the first team for 8 years. But still, 2 billion feels different right from the start.

However, the problem is that this guy is a rude bastard who doesn’t even participate in training.

Yes, of course, according to the regulations, high school graduates can only be called up after November. But is the educational league just for the team’s benefit? It’s good for the player to improve their skills. Besides, the manager and coaches need to see the skills of the newly arrived player to actually use them in the league.

More than anything, standing out alone in a group setting? That’s the worst. Even if it’s not the old saying that no player is greater than the team, no organization welcomes such a guy. It’s not for nothing that other kids are working hard here wearing uniforms without numbers on their backs [referring to players who haven’t made the official roster].

“Coach!!”

“Yeah, I saw it too.”

The expression of Choi Jeong-sik, the head coach of the minor league, wasn’t good.

Originally a pitching coach until last year, he was expecting to be promoted to the first team this time for raising the minor league pitchers well. But he was sidelined by the coach who came with the new manager appointed by the former general manager and was stuck in the minor league again. He received the position of head coach instead, but if you ask him, ‘Do you want to be the first team pitching coach? Or the minor league head coach?’ 100 out of 100 would choose the first team pitching coach.

‘This is really treating me like trash.’

He gritted his teeth.

But that’s it. Of course, there are many on his side in the front office. A lot. But for the past 15 years, the Marines’ performance hasn’t been very good, and thanks to that, the public opinion about job security and whatnot isn’t very good either. The Marines’ parent group was quite conscious of that bad public opinion. The reason why the general managers have been replaced in the past few years is all because of that.

In times like this, you have to lie low.

Even if they replace the general manager here and there and recruit outsiders, nothing really improves. No, rather, the plans that were going well are falling apart, heading towards an irreparable abyss. These are the kinds of stories that are being spread around.

“Let’s just be patient. It’s a decision from above, what power do I have?”

“Coach, but…”

“You little punk!! What ‘but’? It’s just the educational league anyway. There’s a limit to the number of pitches. You can go out after that. Huh? I already have a lot to worry about. Are you going to give me a headache? Don’t you know I’m the minor league head coach now? The manager doesn’t really care that much about the lineup anyway. I’ll take care of you all in the end. Are you going to be so impatient?”

“I’m… I’m sorry.”

“Seriously. You really only understand when I yell. Hey, did you do all the running I told you to do? Did you eat all the meat?”

“Yes!!”

“Yeah, a pitcher needs to have a solid lower body and a plump body to last long. It’s useless to shine for a moment at 20 years old. In the end, you have to endure for 8 years and get FA [Free Agency]. Huh? I’m saying this all for your sake. It’s beneficial for me to quickly use you for 1 or 2 years and get promoted. There’s no coach anywhere who tells players to build their bodies first like I do. You know?”

“Yes, I’m always grateful.”

“If you know, go do some more running. Back in my day, your thighs had to be thicker than a woman’s waist to be called a pitcher anywhere.”

***

Sangdong Baseball Stadium.

The Marines’ minor league stadium, and the facilities themselves are not bad.
Located in a quiet place and with inconvenient public transportation, it’s the perfect environment to focus on baseball.

Of course, that’s only for players who don’t have their own car.

If you have your own car, it only takes 30 minutes to get to Seomyeon, the best downtown area in Busan. It means you can go out and have fun if you want to.

On the way to the baseball stadium.

Coach Park Gwang-deok, who was holding the steering wheel, kept nagging.

“Don’t be too nervous. Just do what you’ve been practicing. Got it?”

“Yes.”

As a hitter, I had achieved great success in the Big League [likely referring to Major League Baseball]. There’s no way I’d be nervous about an educational league. Of course, Coach Park Gwang-sik wouldn’t know that and continued to encourage me in his own way.

“Honestly, it’s nothing special. No, I’m not saying you should be too arrogant. Anyway, your fastball is a ball that’s hard to hit even at the pro level. And if you throw a curve like you used to? I guarantee you it’ll work even in the pro first team.”

“Yes.”

“Ah, of course, I’m not saying you’ll never get a hit. Even active major leaguers sometimes get hits in the pro second team. And, uh? You might lose points due to defensive mistakes. But don’t let your mentality break and just throw calmly. Got it?”

“Yes. Coach, stop being nervous and take a deep breath. Inhale, exhale. I’ll do well even if you stop talking.”

“Hey, what do you mean I’m nervous? And inhale, exhale is what pregnant women do. Anyway, do well. Uh? Again, don’t be nervous. But don’t be too arrogant either. You can get out of here coolly if you do well. If you don’t throw well and go back to school with me, there will be a lot of talk in the team and in the media. I know there aren’t many spectators today? There’s a broadcasting station here now. Originally, broadcasting stations from Busan and Gyeongnam were supposed to come, but a national broadcasting station came. Because a 2 billion pitcher is pitching.”

“So, are you telling me not to be nervous? Or are you telling me to be nervous?”

“Moderately. Do it moderately. Anyway, I’ll be watching from the best seat behind the catcher and checking, so throw as much as you want.”

I got out of the coach’s car and headed to the locker room.

Well, people’s eyes were quite cold.

“You must be Choi Soo-won. I heard the news that you were drafted, but I’ve never seen your face before? I almost didn’t recognize you. You look a little weak. Are you eating well?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, here’s your uniform. Change and go warm up together at the training ground over there. You don’t know where it is since it’s your first time, so follow me closely.”

I received a uniform with only my name written on it without a number. There were thorns in every word, but honestly, the thorns weren’t that sharp. I just thought the person was a bit petty. Seeing him talk about my body as soon as he saw me, I realized this guy was the famous weight-gain enthusiast, Coach Choi Jeong-sik. That’s about it?

I guarantee it.

Those thorns he’s pointing so sharply right now? In 30 minutes, they’ll all be completely pulled out and gone without a trace.

‘Did you come?’

On the way to the practice room.

Someone wearing a catcher’s mask came up and whispered. It was Jo Yu-jin. Thank goodness. I was worried if I had to match up with a catcher I’d never seen before, but with this guy, I don’t have to worry about that. He’s a guy who gives me a sense of security that he won’t drop the ball behind him at least.

-Thwack!!

34 practice balls.

As I expected, Choi Jeong-sik didn’t point thorns at me anymore after that. Instead, he slipped me a pack of juice with a lot of sugar in it.

“You worked hard. You must be low on sugar, drink this.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

Indeed, he had a reputation as a weight-gain enthusiast? He had a knack for picking out delicious juices.

***

First inning.

The atmosphere in the Blazes’ dugout was very good.

It was natural.

The Marines had lost all of their last two games, confirming a losing series, which meant that the opposing Blazes had confirmed a winning series.

In addition, just before playing against the Marines, the Blazes were recording a poor record of 3 wins and 6 losses, but it immediately became 5 wins and 6 losses, and now it’s 6 wins and 6 losses. The atmosphere couldn’t be better as they were in a situation where they could finish the league with a 50% win rate.

“Okay, everyone, don’t be careless today. You all know Choi Soo-won, the 2 billion guy, right?”

“Yes!!”

“Honestly, there’s a lot of talk in the media about this and that, and there’s a lot of talk about overpayment. If I were a club official, I’d definitely catch a guy worth 2 billion. In my opinion, he’s a guy who can do enough like Ohtani in the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization]. From the manager’s point of view, it’s really grateful to have a starter and hitter in one roster spot. But that’s just from the manager’s point of view. Now, let me tell you from your point of view, honestly, he’s not worth 2 billion. A 2 billion hitter is scary. Huh? They’ll blow away whatever the pitchers throw. A 2 billion pitcher? Oh, my. That’s even scarier. Out of 144 games a year, you have to assume that he’ll delete 6 innings or more in about half of the 33 games he pitches. But.”

He paused for a moment and made eye contact with each of the players.

“A 2 billion pitcher-hitter is neither a 2 billion pitcher nor a 2 billion hitter. It’s not even a 1 billion hitter or a 1 billion pitcher. It’s just more expensive when you put them together. They’re just charging more for one roster spot. Hey, Jung Young-sik. How many home runs did you hit against the Marines’ Choi Min-hyuk and the Phoenix’s Seo Gyu-tak when you were in school? Jo Byung-jin. Didn’t you also get a timely hit against Seo Gyu-tak, who won the national tournament? They’re also pitchers who received signing bonuses of over 1 billion. And that means you don’t have to be intimidated by the pitcher on the mound just because he’s worth 2 billion. Got it?”

“Yes!!!”

“Then let’s go. Let’s show this rookie who hasn’t even eaten pro food [meaning hasn’t experienced professional baseball] what being a pro is all about.”

“Yes!!!”

What do minor leaguers need?

The Blazes believed that it was the ability to create an ‘environment’ where players could unleash their talents as quickly and comfortably as possible. In that sense, Choi Jong-yeop, the minor league manager of the Blazes, was a man who fit in very well.

The morale of the Blazes players noticeably increased.

And on the mound.

Choi Soo-won in the white Marines uniform with no number. Only those three letters proved him.

The Blazes’ leadoff hitter.

Jo Byung-jin, 23 years old this year, came to the plate.

5 years ago.

He was drafted as a second baseman in the 2nd round, 20th overall, when there was still a first draft, and played in the first and second teams for 2 years. After that, he immediately finished his military service with the Sangmu [a military sports team] and played about 20 games in the first team this season as well.

His long hit power is a little weak, but he is very fast and has an outstanding ability to hit the ball with his bat, so the Blazes are expecting him to be a top hitter.

Choi Soo-won wound up greatly.

Jo Byung-jin calculated the timing in his mind.

The most certain thing he had acquired while in the pros was how to cut the ball. Look at the ball as much as possible until the end, make contact behind the center of the body, and pull the bat slightly to produce fouls.

No matter how great a pitcher is, they can’t always throw good balls. If you hold out like that, you’ll eventually get a bad pitch. Besides, just seeing a lot of balls is very meaningful to the team. Isn’t this the charm of team sports?

One.

Two…

-Thwack!!!

“Strike!!!”

…ee.

157.1km/h [approximately 97.6 mph]

A fastball that is hard to see even from foreign pitchers passed through home plate. It was a timing far beyond Jo Byung-jin’s reaction.