Countryside Ace

Chapter 26 : We're Close (2)

We're Close (2)

I woke up while on the bus headed back to Gangwon Province.

Finishing a weekday evening game in Busan and returning home was certainly a tough schedule, and especially so since the game had ended late.

From the early innings, we got beaten badly and changed pitchers several times, but from the middle of the game, our team started hitting back.

Up until the appearances of our two foreign pitchers, Hwang Seung-tae sunbae, and myself—my fourth game since the opener—the starting pitchers had delivered great starts, displaying true starting baseball.

But this game was different.

Our starter collapsed, and the two long relievers who followed couldn't bear the pressure.

And it was only when our team regained stability with Jung Han-seung sunbae taking the mound that the league's weakest bullpen, Stars, exploded, dragging the game into a marathon.

'Byeong-ju was excited though.......'

Byeong-ju hit a true base hit in his next at-bat.

Not that an infield hit isn't a hit, but Byeong-ju himself had grumbled about not looking cool enough in his debut at-bat.

The result was 12 to 11.

It would've been even better if we'd swept, but, oh well.

Still, I really liked the mood in the dugout.

No one gave up until the end, everyone desperately tried to come back, and each hit during the chase was greeted with shared joy.

Of course, there was still occasional awkwardness.

But it's quite something.

The head coach stayed the same, yet just changing the coaching staff makes such a difference.

There's still a long road ahead, though.

Anyway, my next scheduled appearance is Tuesday, a home game against the Daegu Dragons.

The following game is an away game on Sunday against the Seoul Kangaroos.

If nothing changes, it's very likely I'll pitch as planned. Father said so.

When we return, a physical checkup is scheduled.

In the past, when I was in my mid-30s, I haven't had any major injuries—at least not yet, before my body starts breaking down here and there..

I can't know for certain, but I sometimes think maybe all the excessive training was harmful.

Especially pitching drills.

Most who saw my pitching practice said I was crazy. I'd even do 100-meter long tosses the day after a start.

I always thought, from a young age, that as long as I took care of my body, I'd be fine.

Next to me, Bradshaw sat sleeping soundly, wearing his old, clumsily stitched eye mask.

Terry, complaining about how noisy it was, had moved over to sit next to me, since I was the quietest among those he could actually communicate with.

[Seo Ye-sung, who declared since before his debut that he'd win the Korean Series and become season MVP, proves it's not just talk in his spectacular debut]

└ How do we shut this guy's mouth?

[Yoon Bong-wan: "(Seo) Ye-sung told (Lee) Byeong-ju that if he wanted to silence Yoon Bong-wan, he'd have to hit a home run in his debut at-bat......"]

I never said quite that. Similar, but still different.

Anyway, it seems my flip-flopping comes off as odd to my teammates.

I'm not all that loud in the team, just busy working out, but apparently, the moment I stand in front of reporters, people think I run my mouth.

It's a little unfair. That stuff about not caring about 20 wins, a 0.00 ERA, or Rookie of the Year and only wanting to be season MVP—that was an old me.

Well......

It's still me though......

* * *

Among the twelve KBO teams, the ones considered to have the strongest starting rotations are the Gwangju Vipers and the Suwon Castlers.

The thing both teams have in common is a robust lineup of domestic starting pitchers.

Add in two foreign pitchers, and it's no wonder other teams are envious.

The Castlers, who are Gangwon Miners' next opponent, boast their so-called 'aerobic trio' (Yoo Seung-geun–Jung Tae-san–So Woo-jin), players the Castlers drafted and developed in the first round three years in a row.

[Miners special) While Castlers grew their aerobic trio, Miners picked Kim-Lee-Park and totally bombed.]

The year Yoo Seung-geun was drafted, Miners picked Lee Joon; for Jung Tae-san, they picked Kim Joon-seo; and for So Woo-jin, Park Tae-ki.

To be exact, Han Sung-yun, not Lee Joon, was the first round pick, but they needed a pitcher, so they lumped Lee, Kim, and Park together as if they were a trio.

Just as the aerobic trio each achieved double-digit wins last season, Lee Joon enlisted for military service as a public service worker, Kim Joon-seo rotated as a losing squad pitcher, and Park Tae-ki, having finished his service, returned, only to pitch just 10 innings in four games with a 5.4 ERA.

"Just raise them all like those aerobic guys."

In fact, the Kim-Lee-Park group was symbolic of the Miners' simultaneous failure in drafting and player development.

Song Moon-jung, the head coach, was answered by Seo Tae-seung.

"Should we take Seung-tae and Ye-sung out and put Kim Joon-seo and Park Tae-ki in the starting rotation?"

Take out Hwang Seung-tae, who just went 6.2 innings, one earned run, 8 K's, and Seo Ye-sung, who pitched a 10 K, no-walk, complete game shutout, and instead give starting jobs to others?

One is this season's FA signing, and Seo Ye-sung is the coach's chosen "must-be-cultivated ace".

"Come on, you troublesome brat!"

The head coach exploded, but the pitching coach just chuckled.

"Don't worry. Leave it to us. Besides the guy in the army, we're putting all our effort into developing the other two."

"How long do I have to wait?"

"Well. Maybe after two more seasons?"

The oddly specific number made the head coach grasp his neck, since according to plan, he was set to retire after just two more seasons, counting this one.

"...... So, are you gonna use Lee Min-gi as a starter again?"

The guy who gave up 6 runs in 1.1 innings and looked like his soul was crushed.

He has a knack for learning new pitches, a chameleon-like quality, and good strength, but his fastball is as light as a feather and after a few hits, he's near tears.

Still, he was a first overall draft pick.

Someone like Song Moon-jung would stick him in the second squad and let him learn starting pitching at length, but the previous head coach just used this weak-mentality pitcher wherever, giving him no set role and tossing him in wherever needed.

That entire last season, the pitching staff was collapsing domino-style, so there was little choice.

"Feels like we should send him to the second squad and let him develop only as a starter?"

"Yeah?"

The answer was satisfying.

Truth is, pitchers like that are hard to fix.

Decades of coaching experience had taught them that self-aware "chicken-hearted" guys rarely find solutions.

"While doing that, I'm going to have him focus solely on strength training."

"Oh?"

"His lower body balance is good, but his upper body musculature is weak. Even with a lot of pitching, his velocity doesn't drop, but his release point keeps heading downward. It'll take some time to fix that."

"Do you think I can see him in the first squad before I retire?"

"That depends if he's willing to work hard himself, don't you think?"

No matter the plans or hands-on coaching, it's pointless if the pitcher won't put in the effort.

If it were up to Song Moon-jung himself, he might've forced the pitcher to work out by keeping him close at all times.

But the pitching coach, well-versed in the Major Leagues, seemed content just tossing out a plan and letting the guy figure it out.

Who knows what the right answer is?

And Song Moon-jung didn't have much time left.

The next head coach would be Seo Tae-seung anyway, and Song had already decided to leave the pitching staff entirely to him.

He'd just slightly put in his own style for now while respecting the coach's decisions.

"All right. Off you go."

"Nothing else you wanted to say?"

"Bring in Lee Min-gi."

"Don't kill him, please."

"What? Who's killing anyone, punk!"

"It's just, you seemed ready to kill after he went 1.1 innings and gave up 6 runs."

"Not killing! The only one I'd kill around here is you!"

* * *

After word got out that Lee Min-gi sunbae had been sent down to the second squad after just a single game, the dongsaeng players seemed a bit anxious.

It could just be fatigue, but something felt off.

With Jung Han-seung sunbae, the head of the pitchers' squad, gathering the younger guys, I got a read on the mood.

"Hello."

"Oh, hi?"

"Hey."

"......."

"......."

I was an outsider in this group. But I'd been used to it, even before coming back to the past.

Someone like me, favored by upper management and signed as an FA, naturally wouldn't be welcomed by teammates who barely got real chances.

At least Park Tae-ki sunbae greeted me warmly. The rest responded briefly, or just made eye contact.

But there was a familiar face among them.

For a split second, I almost greeted him as an old acquaintance, but since technically I wasn't supposed to know him yet, I forced myself to act like a stranger and sat down.

Once I did, most of the players either whispered quietly among themselves or silently watched for signals...

"Hey! Bro!"

...and then, with a commotion, a giant idiot—195 cm tall—flopped down next to me.

"How about going to Harry's place again today? I think the sweeper's getting more comfortable. Once I've learned that, I'll ask Harry to teach me the cutter!"

Everyone glanced over at us.

Nice sight, huh.

Only two misfits not fitting in with the rest, chatting away like this.

"Bradshaw is starting tomorrow. So let him rest."

"I asked Harry and apparently he doesn't have any kind of detailed pre-game routine!"

"You sure?"

"When he was in the U. S., his routine was cleaning his hunting rifle, but......."

...... Isn't that pretty scary in its own way?

As I was about to suggest just quietly crashing in his room, Jung Han-seung sunbae arrived.

"Everyone's here."

Jung Han-seung sunbae, who smiled gently, had pitched 2.1 shutout innings in his last outing, playing a big role in our chase-back.

He'd lost a lot of velocity, but used veteran savvy and deft ball control.

He handled the Stars' batters, who were just swinging recklessly thinking the game was over, with well-placed off-speed pitches and accuracy.

Honestly, maybe he could be a starter again.

"Min-gi was sent down to the second squad, but he was given clear homework by the head coach and pitching coach. It wasn't a rash demotion—he got detailed directions on what to work on. So try not to read too much into it."

It was straightforward.

At his tenure, most managers wouldn't bother explaining so much, but seeing this made the dongsaeng pitchers relax a little.

"When facing the Castlers, just be aggressive if you get called up, and don't be overly distracted by base runners."

Nothing special.

"You'll all get your turn, so don't be too nervous. Oh, and let's welcome Dong-wan to the first squad. Let's do well together."

The moment he finished, someone older than the other players jumped up and shouted.

"Yes, sir! Happy to be here, sunbae!"

Terry whispered, "Wow," next to me. I knew who it was—the guy just didn't know me yet.

Lee Dong-wan sunbae, who's now in his late 20s, had bounced between teams and landed on the Miners.

He'd occasionally get called up when there was a hole in the first squad, but never got much of a chance.

His nickname was "Second Squad Guardian Spirit", I think.

"You've always been full of energy. Anyway, everyone knows Dong-wan, right? Ah, Ye-sung, you don't. Introduce yourself—he's your sunbae. How long has it been since you started, Dong-wan?"

"I joined pro after college—it's now my sixth year!"

"Ah, nice to meet you."

I stood and bowed, and Lee Dong-wan sunbae smiled wide and said to me,

"Of course, I know you. It's superstar Seo Ye-sung, isn't it! Great to finally meet you!"

He offered his hand first, so I respectfully shook it. Lee Dong-wan sunbae said he'd watched my games and was impressed.

"All right, let's wrap this up and get to game prep. Ye-sung, recovering well is part of training, too, so get plenty of rest. Dismissed."

With that, Jung Han-seung sunbae left first.

Maybe because of his final words, I felt the back of my head burning. There are already a lot of guys who dislike me......

"You rest. I won't, though."

Oblivious Terry said that and dashed off.

Everyone else departed in the awkward atmosphere, but Lee Dong-wan sunbae, who stayed behind for a bit, spoke warmly to me again.

"Your changeup is really something. Honestly, I was floored."

So, without thinking, I blurted out,

"Would you like me to show you how I throw it?"

And immediately regretted it.

Maybe I'd come off as an arrogant high school rookie. Lee Dong-wan sunbae looked a bit surprised, then smiled oddly.

"... You'd really do that?"

"If you're okay with it..."

"I'd really appreciate that... honestly..."

His eyes glistened with tears.

I wondered.

Why would someone trust a rookie who's only thrown one game and whose changeup might not even be the real deal?

"Should we start now?"

But that—well, that was just the kind of person he was.

"Is that really okay?"

I nodded.

To be precise, saying I "taught" him was not quite right.

This changeup was something Lee Dong-wan sunbae and I created together.

"As long as you're okay with it, sunbae, let's head over now."

Back then, he wasn't on active duty—he was a 2nd squad rehab coach.