Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 210

Ha-sung was annoyed as he prepared for the press conference.

‘This is the second time they’ve come at me like this.’

He held his smartphone in his hand.

Articles about Ha-sung’s bat flip were all over it.

There wasn’t just one or two articles.

Almost every article in the sports section was about him.

‘This happened a year ago. And they’re bringing it up again.’

The situation was different then and now.

But it gave Ha-sung the stress of experiencing the same thing twice.

And this time, even the reporters were baring their teeth.

‘There are more hyena-like reporters now. They’ll latch onto me whenever I show a gap.’

Not all reporters were like that.

But because so many were, Ha-sung disliked reporters.

The important thing was that the reporters were trying to bite him again because of this incident.

‘This press conference will be the same.’

Today’s press conference was a formality held before tomorrow’s start.

More reporters than usual had gathered for such a press conference.

In other words, they were going to corner him about this incident.

Knowing their intentions, his annoyance soared.

‘They want my comments that badly.’

There was only one thing the reporters wanted.

Ha-sung’s harsh words.

‘If you want it, I’ll give it to you.’

The corners of Ha-sung’s lips turned up.

* * *

The game between the Oakland Athletics and the Seattle Mariners.

An unusually large number of reporters flocked to the press conference held before the first game.

Chris, the Athletics’ general manager, watched the scene with a worried expression.

‘I can see what questions the reporters will ask.’

What they wanted was to provoke Ha-sung.

The moment Ha-sung fell for the provocation and said something, it would be prominently featured at the top of various media outlets.

‘Given Ha-sung’s personality, he won’t just let it go if they provoke him.’

Chris knew Ha-sung’s personality well.

That’s why he couldn’t predict what kind of incident would happen.

‘He’s not a player I can control…….’

Ha-sung had already become the best star in Major League Baseball.

It was impossible for a mere general manager to control such a player.

More than anything, Ha-sung’s personality wasn’t something anyone could control.

‘I can only hope it passes without incident…….’

But that expectation was shattered by the first question.

“John Walker from Baseball Today. The controversy over your bat flip has resurfaced due to the collision with Miguel. Does Jung Ha-sung intend to continue the bat flip, which is an unwritten rule among players?”

It was as expected.

They were making Ha-sung uncomfortable by asking about the bat flip, which had recently become a hot topic.

“I’ve answered before, but the bat flip is part of the fan service. The fans like it too. It seems strange to stop it just because of an unwritten rule.”

“But some players are saying it undermines the spirit of camaraderie.”

“That’s right. Miguel also said that your actions disregard fellow pitchers.”

“Jung Ha-sung says it’s for the fans, but don’t you think it’s an act that ignores the long history of Major League Baseball?”

The reporters fired questions in succession, attacking Ha-sung.

General Manager Chris looked at Ha-sung’s expression with a troubled face.

Seeing his hardened face, his anxiety soared.

‘It looks like he’s about to explode.’

And the prediction was accurate.

“Unwritten rule?”

His quiet voice flowed through the speaker.

The reporters stopped talking and listened to his remarks.

“I think I’ve said it before? The enjoyment of the fans comes before that damn unwritten rule.”

“Are you ignoring the unwritten rules that have been created along with the 100-year history of Major League Baseball?”

“This Major League Baseball was created by the love of the fans. If you block the bat flip, which makes those fans happy, with unwritten rules, I’ll ignore it.”

The reporters’ hands became busy, scribbling down Ha-sung’s remarks.

It was unusual for any superstar to so openly disregard the unwritten rules.

But Ha-sung had made a statement that directly ignored the unwritten rules, so this was an issue that could not be easily overlooked.

But Ha-sung wasn’t that stupid.

“Who does Major League Baseball exist for? For the players? For the team? No. Only for the fans. If there are no fans, Major League Baseball cannot exist. I don’t see the problem with doing something for the enjoyment of those fans.”

Ha-sung shifted the focus to the fans’ enjoyment versus the unwritten rules, rather than his own violation of those rules.

“The Players Association and the Commissioner’s Office must also know why fans are enthusiastic about my bat flip. And I believe they must recognize that if this problem continues, it’s an issue they need to solve.”

And he passed the ball to the Players Association and the Commissioner’s Office.

He had made this issue public.

General Manager Chris was impressed by the remarks.

‘He turned this into something for the enjoyment of the fans, not just his own deviation. This will force the Commissioner’s Office and the Association to make a statement.’

In the past, when Ha-sung’s bat flip became a controversy, the Commissioner’s Office made a statement.

It was a statement that defended the bat flip, but it didn’t make it a rule.

But this time it’s different.

‘Ha-sung has become a superstar responsible for the success of Major League Baseball. The Commissioner’s Office will have no choice but to move directly.’

And General Manager Chris’s thoughts became a reality.

* * *

The Major League Baseball Commissioner’s Office held an emergency meeting with the Players Association.

The reason for the meeting was simple.

“Conflicts between players over bat flips continue. We can no longer leave the conflict unattended, so special measures are needed.”

Peter, a lawyer who attended as a representative of the Players Association, opened his mouth at the words of Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, who hosted the meeting.

“Bat flips are discouraged by the unwritten rules created by the players and teams. No further action is needed.”

“Unwritten rules are important, but some are outdated in modern Major League Baseball.”

“Are you saying that bat flips are one of them?”

“Yes. Bat flips are one of the ways to entertain the fans. There is no reason to stop them.”

“But it’s showmanship that undermines the spirit of camaraderie.”

“If that’s the case, shouldn’t we also discourage pitchers from celebrating demonstratively on the mound?”

The justification for discouraging bat flips was the spirit of camaraderie.

The idea was that even pitchers who give up home runs shouldn’t be overly upset, because they are also colleagues.

But Commissioner Bud Selig was prioritizing the enjoyment of the fans.

“Above all, there is a growing sentiment among young players that bat flips should be allowed recently.”

“Hmm…….”

“In the past, the Players Association has maintained that unwritten rules are created among players, so we shouldn’t interfere. But now that the players are also leaning towards allowing bat flips, how about we revisit the discussion?”

As Bud Selig said.

Young players have been increasingly vocal in expressing their support for bat flips.

Bud Selig advocated for formalizing the allowance of bat flips.

The Players Association couldn’t provide a strong argument against it.

If they opposed it, the Players Association would be seen as representing outdated unwritten rules, not the interests of the players.

‘Above all, we’re going to be at odds with Jung Ha-sung, who currently receives the highest salary.’

The Players Association was funded by the income of the players.

Naturally, Ha-sung, who earned the highest income, wielded considerable influence.

In that situation, it was difficult to unconditionally oppose Ha-sung’s claim.

And this was also the case for the Major League Baseball Commissioner’s Office.

‘Jung Ha-sung is a player who drives the success of Major League Baseball as a whole. We need to support his position.’

In the past, the Commissioner’s Office didn’t take a firm stance on the bat flip controversy.

They feared a direct clash with the Players Association.

But now the situation was different.

Jung Ha-sung has become a superstar, vital to the overall success of Major League Baseball.

Addressing the concerns of Ha-sung, who has become such an important figure, has become a priority for the Commissioner’s Office.

Ha-sung’s position has changed that much in just one year.

“Shall we continue the discussion?”

“All right.”

The Commissioner’s Office and the Players Association.

Ha-sung’s position has risen to the point where the two main entities that run Major League Baseball have to pay attention.

* * *

While the Major League Baseball Commissioner’s Office and the Players Association were continuing their discussions.

Ha-sung achieved his 6th win of the season and set a record of hitting home runs in 5 consecutive games.

[Jung Ha-sung, at the center of the bat flip controversy, did not waver regardless of the controversy!]

[Oakland Athletics ranked first in attendance in May, following April!]

[Jung Ha-sung, who is responsible for the success of the Athletics, which was a small market!]

[Jung Ha-sung is running overwhelmingly first in uniform sales!]

Ha-sung had tremendous box office success, matching his on-field performance.

His individual success also boosted the team’s overall sales.

‘Sales have increased by 17 percent compared to last year.’

General Manager Chris smiled as he reviewed the rising income this year.

It was a significant increase, with the club’s annual sales jumping by 17 percent.

If this trend continues, they can acquire even better players next year.

‘If it rises to this level, Jung Ha-sung’s annual salary next year can be paid without difficulty.’

Of course, a large portion of the increased revenue would go towards increasing Ha-sung’s annual salary.

Ha-sung’s salary demands were rising so rapidly that the Athletics, a small-market team, might not be able to afford him.

‘That’s why the media is suggesting that he should be traded to another team.’

Ha-sung’s trade rumors were circulating daily.

This was due to the financial constraints of the Athletics club.

The Athletics, a representative small-market team in Major League Baseball, might struggle to afford Ha-sung’s escalating annual salary.

Another reason was that big-market teams such as the Yankees and Red Sox were actively pursuing him.

“Jung Ha-sung is the key to leading the Athletics to victory. Considering his value, he will eventually have to be traded… but we can still hold on for now.”

General Manager Chris thought so.

But the problem wasn’t his opinion.

Beep-!

At that time, his smartphone rang.

General Manager Chris’s face tightened as he checked the number.

“Why is this person calling……?”

He received a call from someone who rarely contacted him directly.

It was Lewis, his boss and the owner of the Athletics.

* * *

General Manager Chris visited Lewis’s office in Oakland.

It was unusual for him to visit the owner’s office.

The main reason for this is that owner Lewis had little interest in the team.