Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 11

The hidden time bomb had finally exploded.

[Jeong Hah-seong Detonates Time Bomb!]

[Jeong Hah-seong! Minor League Contract with Single-A Bakersfield Blaze!]

[Is the Corruption of the Amateur Baseball Association Being Exposed?]

[School Neglected Injury-Free Player! Is the Amateur Baseball Association Behind It?]

As the bomb went off, reporters swarmed in.

Several articles reported on Hah-seong’s advancement to Single-A [Single-A is the first level of minor league baseball].

However, that wasn’t what people were interested in.

– Taeil High is a prestigious high school baseball program, right?

└ They produce pros often, lol.

– They’re still taking bribes.

└ The world is still dirty, hahaha.

– If you pay, you get to start? Crazy.

– It’s hard to play baseball without money.

– Wow, they even opened up the medical records.

└ Is it okay to open this without permission?

└ According to the article, it’s possible if he agrees?

Hah-seong took a drastic measure by disclosing his medical records, targeting Taeil High.

As Taeil High’s corruption was revealed, the association, the governing body, couldn’t avoid the criticism either.

– What was the association doing?

– Don’t they also receive donations from players who debut in the pros?

└ I think they get 2 percent?

└ The contract amounts are worth billions every year. Isn’t 2 percent a huge amount?

└ It’s huge.

– I doubt they’re using the donations properly.

– Is the archery association the only decent sports association?

– Clean them out this time.

The public’s attention was focused.

In the past, it might have been glossed over.

But not in 2008.

– What kind of embarrassment is this after winning a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics?

– The national team won a gold medal, but the association guys are taking kickbacks.

└ Isn’t it the teacher who received it, not the association?

└ Which association does that teacher belong to?

└ Of course, it’s the association.

└ Then wouldn’t the association guys have received it too? Aren’t they all the same?

└ Is that how it is?

The Beijing Olympics gold medal.

This event poured fuel on the rising popularity of professional baseball.

Now, it had risen to the position of a national sport beyond just popularity.

With the emergence of the “100-Win Baseball Team” program, the number of amateur baseball players increased rapidly.

In other words, it was a scandal that broke when interest in baseball was soaring.

[We are closely monitoring this matter.]

And this public reaction led to the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism getting involved.

When the minister mentioned it, the impact was enormous.

[The prosecution is considering establishing a special investigation unit to investigate the corruption of the Korea Amateur Baseball Association!]

[Police Declare War on Corruption!]

[KBO (Korea Baseball Organization) Expresses Regret to the Korea Amateur Baseball Association in Official Statement!]

A blade was pointed at the Korea Amateur Baseball Association.

The KBO, which had been an ally, took a step back, drawing a line between them.

Hah-seong smiled as he read the articles.

“You have to thoroughly crush them so they don’t even think about messing with me again.”

In his past life, he had carelessly provoked an opponent.

He launched a discount policy against a franchise chicken restaurant that had moved in near his chicken restaurant, but he was devoured by an even bigger discount policy.

That experience made Hah-seong stronger now.

“At least the association can’t touch me this year. They’ll try to mess with me only after the story dies down and a few months have passed.”

Hah-seong’s gaze turned to the calendar.

Already October.

In a few months, it will be next year.

“I wonder if you guys will be able to touch me then?”

* * *

Returning to Korea, Hah-seong perfectly diverted the spotlight that would have been on him.

All the reporters focused their spotlight on the corruption of the Korea Amateur Baseball Association.

But not all reporters.

‘Jeong Hah-seong signed a contract with the Blaze on his own. The tryouts being held now are to select players for next year’s spring camp and the season.’

The reporter who focused the spotlight on Hah-seong was Baek Jun-gi.

He checked the data he had collected and organized the situation.

‘Jeong Hah-seong needs to start getting in shape to play in Single-A next season.’

Professional players’ season preparation begins in January.

However, players who debut in the pros after being high school players had to start earlier than that.

But there were quite a few players who had problems during the season because they didn’t prepare in advance.

‘Judging from his actions so far, he’ll definitely move.’

Baek Jun-gi highly valued Hah-seong.

There was a reason for his actions.

There must be a reason for signing with the Blaze.

‘His reason must be to debut in the Major League. The reason he signed with the Blaze, which signed a contract with Oakland, a small market team.’

Major League debut.

It can be said to be the dream of all baseball players.

A stage that brings both wealth and fame.

He chose the fastest route to get there.

Then what should he do for that?

It’s simple.

He has to build a body that can go to the Major League.

‘His skills are enough. It has been confirmed that he throws 160 km/h [~99.4 mph] when throwing at full power. Even when he’s conscious of his control, he throws a ball in the early to mid 150s [~93-96 mph]. Plus, he has a top-notch cutter [a type of fastball].’

He saw Hah-seong’s ball directly.

The power was amazing.

It works in the Major League.

That doesn’t mean there weren’t any problems.

‘The Major League baseball is different from Korea. The mound isn’t solid either. Plus, the travel distance there is completely different from Korea.’

The first two are areas of adaptation.

But what about the travel distance behind?

It wasn’t an area of adapting or not.

He had to build up his stamina.

‘To do that, he has to start preparing now.’

Will Hah-seong do that?

Just as he was wondering.

“Huh?”

Hah-seong walked out through the entrance of the apartment.

Dressed in training clothes, he stretched lightly and then started running.

‘Is he training after all?’

Baek Jun-gi put his notebook away and followed him.

‘It could be the scoop of my career as a reporter.’

It was a kind of intuition.

Hah-seong is different from other players.

He wanted to record that.

* * *

Hah-seong indirectly knew how difficult the Major League was.

‘The thing that players from Korea, Japan, and foreign countries struggle with the most when they go to the United States is the culture there.’

The United States is made up of multiculturalism.

But there were their own rules.

Only a few of the players from foreign countries adapt to it.

‘Homesickness is also a problem. Who would have known that I would suffer so much from homesickness?’

Homesickness for the hometown.

It’s something that no one expects when they’re in their home country.

But suddenly it comes.

I feel like I’m alone and an outsider.

The mentality that has collapsed like that cannot be easily caught.

‘In the end, these things happen because of a lack of physical strength.’

There is a saying that the mind and body are one.

It means that the mind and body are interconnected.

This is not just a saying.

In the future, when sports science has steadily developed, studies have repeatedly shown that the mind is healthy only when the body is healthy.

Depression was also often obtained when the body became weak.

‘If homesickness is also seen as a type of depression, it is less likely to occur when the body is in good condition.’

Above all, he had to increase his stamina to digest the hellish game schedule of the Major League.

‘You can do it slowly. The moment you get impatient, everything will fall apart.’

Hah-seong deliberately started training a little early.

This is because he knows that his body will be damaged if he trains impatiently.

‘Next season, I’ll pass through all the minor leagues and debut in the Major League.’

That was Hah-seong’s goal.

* * *

December.

The official statement of the Korea Amateur Baseball Association was released with the first snow.

[We acknowledge that the education of the leaders belonging to the association was insufficient, and we will step down from the position of the association president to take responsibility.

In the future, we will take measures to transparently disclose the use of donations so that members can know at any time.]

The baseball association president expressed his resignation, even holding a press conference.

As the scene appeared on TV, Han Jeong-soo, who was grilling meat, exclaimed in admiration.

“Wow… the association president is finally stepping down.”

Han Jeong-soo flipped the pork belly and looked at Hah-seong, who was sitting across from him, and asked.

“Did you think this would happen?”

“Well, roughly… Munch munch! I expected it.”

He answered, putting the roughly cut meat in his mouth, and continued the story, picking up the next piece of meat.

“In order to wrap up this incident, the higher-ups have to show that they are taking responsibility. The public’s attention is focused on it, so they can’t just cover it up by cutting off the tail like before.”

Hah-seong’s words were accurate.

In the early days of the incident, the association thought it would be forgotten over time.

However, the rotten part of the association was bigger than they expected.

With the endless stream of incidents, the association eventually gave up.

‘There were really incidents at the level of urban legends.’

High school baseball was rotten to the core.

Kickbacks and violence were not even big incidents.

There was even an incident where a senior sexually assaulted a junior.

‘There were also guys who chose to commit suicide because they couldn’t overcome the school violence in the baseball team.’

Hah-seong couldn’t possibly know all the incidents that happened among the baseball team members belonging to the dozens and hundreds of baseball teams spread across the country.

That’s why he couldn’t help but be surprised by the constant incidents and accidents.

[The President expressed regret over the school violence related to the Korea Amateur Baseball Association and said that school violence should not occur.]

The president even stepped in to show how big the matter had become.

That means public sentiment has tilted that much.

‘It’s going to be noisy for a while because of this.’

It’s something that happened because of him.

But Hah-seong didn’t care much and put the pork belly in his mouth.

Looking at Hah-seong, Jeong-soo asked.

“But are you okay?”

“About what?”

“Recently, the graduates of our school gathered and had a meal together. Everyone was cursing you there.”

“Cursing me?”

“Yeah. You dropped out, and our school was investigated, so we couldn’t go to the national tournament. So everyone was very dissatisfied.”

Taeil High was the subject of intensive investigation by the prosecution.

Because Hah-seong, who pulled the trigger, belonged to it.

The association also imposed sanctions on Taeil High to cut off the tail in the early stages.

That sanction was an order prohibiting participation in the national tournament.

Of course, Taeil High objected, but the association was firm.

Because they needed a sacrifice.

Thanks to that, the baseball team members belonging to Taeil High lost the opportunity to participate in the national tournament.

It was natural for them to be dissatisfied with Hah-seong.

“Are they very dissatisfied with me?”

“Yeah. Everyone said they’d see you if they met you.”

“Hmm, tell them to do whatever they want.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t care. And if those guys are so upset, they shouldn’t have stood by.”

Hah-seong smiled sarcastically.

“Those guys didn’t even think about helping me while I was unfairly unable to play in the game, right? If they had helped, things wouldn’t have gotten this big.”

To Jeong-soo, Hah-seong’s words were too self-centered.

But that was natural for Hah-seong.

Originally, people are self-centered.

“Anyway, congratulations to you too.”

“Ah… yeah. Thanks. It’s all thanks to you.”

“What do you mean thanks to me? You were drafted because you did well.”

“Still, since I received your ball, my fear of the ball has disappeared a little. Should I say it’s gotten a little easier?”

“It’s because it’s relative. Because my ball is fast, it’s easier to catch a slower ball than that.”

Jeong-soo chuckled as he looked at Hah-seong, who confidently said that his ball was fast.

“Anyway, you’re buying the meat today, right? You got a pretty good signing bonus, right?”

“Hey, hey, even if it’s a signing bonus, it all went to my parents anyway. And you signed with the Major League, but you’re trying to get me to buy you meat?”

“Minor League, Minor League! It’s not the Major League, it’s the Minor League. It’s also Single-A. Do you know how much the salary is there?”

“How much is it?”

“It’s only a thousand dollars. I have to pay for accommodation and food with that.”

“Wow… hey, how are you going to live in the United States with that?”

Hah-seong smiled at Jeong-soo’s worried words.

“So I have to go up quickly.”

“Go up? Where to?”

“To the Major League. Munch munch!”

Jeong-soo thought as he watched Hah-seong pick up a whole strip of pork belly and chew it.

‘He’s really full of confidence. By the way, this guy…’

Then he suddenly noticed something different from before.

‘His body is bigger than before?’