Countryside Ace

Chapter 5 : Miners (2)

Miners (2)

Since my regression, I focused only on physical training.

I'm not a 19-year-old with lots of dreams and desires.

Now, I only want baseball, so training isn't difficult for me.

Still, there are tough things, like the social life of the 19-year-old Seo Ye-sung.

"Hey, I heard our team manager resigned?"

Byeong-ju often left out the subject or object when he spoke.

Of all places, it was the baseball club room, so the other players around us stopped what they were doing and stared at us.

"The Gangwon Miners' manager resigned, right?"

"Yeah."

When someone says "our team manager", it naturally sounds like they're talking about the baseball team manager.

Some people around us gave annoyed reactions, and there were even some curses, but Byeong-ju didn't seem to care at all.

"Ye-sung."

"What?"

When I was younger, I found Byeong-ju annoying.

But when I was seriously injured in my professional days, this guy kept coming to see me.

Back then, I didn't understand why he'd keep looking out for me when there was nothing to gain.

Honestly, I still feel the same.

But maybe it doesn't really matter why.

One thing I'm grateful for is that I never felt inferior or jealous, even as Byeong-ju became more successful.

Byeong-ju lowered his voice and asked me,

"Hey, there's a rumor your father is getting a job as the Miners' coach..."

"What?"

"I'll keep it a secret. Is it true?"

My father, a pitching coach for a KBO team?

He did mention it, but I thought he was joking. And for someone who claims he'll keep it a secret, he says it way too loudly.

"Probably not."

"Really?"

Byeong-ju muttered, "No way. It's a really reliable scoop..."

But rumors are just rumors. I stood up and said,

"Let's just train."

"You seem off these days?"

"I just got a little older."

"Man, you're insane."

"Weren't you the one saying you'd beat out Yoon Bong-wan and become a starter? That means you need to work out."

At that, Byeong-ju sprang up from his seat.

"Down with Yoon Bong-wan!"

Somewhere, a voice called out, "Maniac."

Yoon Bong-wan, the Gangwon Miners' starting catcher, is a legendary offensive and defensive player who still hits over 20 home runs a season, even close to forty years old.

"Just watch. After the army, I'll be the one to surpass Yoon Bong-wan."

Other baseball club kids snickered. By that time, he'd probably have retired, after all.

When I was struggling, Byeong-ju chose to enlist.

But when he returned, he became the starting catcher by beating someone else, not the already-retired Yoon Bong-wan.

"Good for you. Take it all, you [expletives]."

At someone else's words, I grabbed Byeong-ju by the shoulder and pretended I hadn't heard, leading us outside.

There's nothing to gain by rubbing salt in the wounds of a guy who wasn't drafted.

"Seriously, did you really eat something wrong? Not saying a word and just taking the cursing? You?"

As I thought about whether I'd always been this patient, I replied,

"It's an age where you get annoyed easily."

"Hey, but seriously, is it not true? About the Miners' coach?"

"It's not."

"Didn't your dad go to meet the Miners regarding contract negotiations today?"

"Doubt it."

* * *

Seo Tae-seung was having an unexpectedly strange day.

He called the Miners' Executive Director Jo Woo-jin, known as the real power at Gangwon Miners, and immediately got an appointment to meet him.

The chairman of the parent company even joined them at the meeting place.

Even though he'd talked big to his wife, he hadn't expected things to go this smoothly.

"Start as pitching coach, then possibly the next manager. We're prepared to give you whatever terms you want."

The owner brought it up in a forceful voice after plenty of baseball talk. Seo Tae-seung grinned and replied,

"Sounds good. But will the new manager welcome me?"

The owner laughed heartily and told him not to worry, and Executive Director Jo Woo-jin added in a serious tone.

"Manager Song brought it up himself. He said since he could retire any time, it'd be fine to put someone suitable for the next manager's seat in an important position..."

Seo Tae-seung thought that sounded just like Manager Song Moon-jung, but, honestly, it wasn't an easy thing.

Who'd want to keep a potential tiger eager to take their seat right nearby?

"We brought Manager Song out of retirement after several requests from the chairman, so I don't think you need to worry about that part."

Executive Director Jo Woo-jin was also the type to handle things cleanly.

Later, he even called back and said,

—I mentioned it gently to Manager Song, and he was happy about it. Should I set up a meeting?

Seo Tae-seung said he'd call himself.

Anyway, with just a phone call and a meal, he achieved everything he wanted—almost to a ridiculous degree.

It felt nice, but things were going too smoothly.

The conversation with Manager Song also went well.

"Manager, this is Seo Tae-seung. I hope you've been well..."

—Hey, you rascal. What, you want to be a coach now?

"Yes, things turned out that way..."

—If your son gets cursed at, it's your fault!

"Manager, isn't it a bit much to say that as soon as you pick up?"

—How have you been?

Seo Tae-seung had good memories with Manager Song before his regression.

Even after, they worked well together on the national team.

Seo Tae-seung smiled, and Song Moon-jung laughed with him.

"I've been well. How's your health, manager?"

—Ohhh, lately...

"Not so good?"

—I haven't had any makgeolli lately... smack.

So they arranged to have a drink soon and Seo Tae-seung returned home.

It all felt almost anticlimactic. He tried to call his wife, but she didn't answer, probably busy at work, so he texted his son.

[Want me to pick you up?]

No reply. Probably busy training.

"Hm."

How long had it been since he just sat on the couch doing nothing?

Seo Tae-seung randomly spoke out loud to himself, glancing around.

"Is this some hidden camera? Why's everything going so well? I'm Seo Tae-seung! I'm not falling for this stuff!"

Nothing happened. Seo Tae-seung clicked his tongue and lay on the sofa.

"Maybe I should get a dog..."

* * *

When I got home, father was sitting alone at the kitchen table.

"Why are you sitting in the dark?"

"..."

He had his hands folded, wearing the face of someone with something to say, so I just spoke without thinking.

"Did you get appointed as the next Miners' manager or something?"

Father flinched in surprise, then said,

"How far did you see before returning to the past?"

"What?"

"How did you know?"

How could I possibly know that?

Wait, could it be true?

"Did you really get the manager job?"

"No."

"Huh?"

"I got hired as your team's pitching coach."

"What?"

"They said they'd make me the next manager after Song Moon-jung."

"..."

"It's true."

It was a dizzying story. I asked several times if it was real, and he insisted every time that it was.

"Where's the contract?"

"I haven't signed it yet."

"Oh, come on."

Father pounded his chest, looking completely wronged.

"Seriously, I was waiting for your mom to come home to check it before I signed!"

He showed me a selfie with the Miners' parent company chairman and his message thread with Executive Director Jo.

"Wow..."

"See? Your dad's this much of a big shot. Just say the word, and I get to coach, manage, whatever!"

"If you become the pitching coach, won't I get criticized?"

Nepotism is common in baseball.

Even if there's no real family relation, if you keep getting used, they'll call you the manager's golden child—but now it's actually his son.

"If you perform, it's not a problem."

That was true, of course.

In this world, if you play well, almost anything is forgiven in baseball.

"But you never know what could happen..."

"Weren't you a 20-win pitcher?"

"I was. But it's not something you achieve alone."

"You'll find out if you try it. Things are different after coming back to the past."

"I was never a long-runner like you."

"So, you lack confidence?"

"No, it's just that baseball..."

"Chicken?"

"Huh?"

Father gave me a mischievous smile.

Maybe this was the arrogance of a genius who's never really failed at baseball.

Still, why challenge me directly?

"Are you comfortable putting me on the mound, even if people start talking?"

He answered with a puzzled look.

"Talk?"

"Yes."

"About me?"

"Huh?"

"I'm Seo Tae-seung, remember?"

"..."

"Don't you know how influential Seo Tae-seung is in Korean baseball?"

Maybe he lost his touch after spending his first life in the KBO and his next in the MLB.

In this business, no matter who you are, there's no way to avoid criticism.

That's baseball.

"Son."

"Yes."

"If you don't want your dad to get criticized, you'll have to work hard."

After saying that, father motioned toward the door with his chin.

"Let's work on those weak legs of yours."

"I don't think they're that weak."

"When I was your age..."

"Okay, okay..."

In other words, he was telling me to get ready for brutal training.

* * *

After the manager voluntarily stepped down, Gangwon Miners was led by the acting manager.

But the acting manager wore an uncertain expression.

It's not unheard of for an acting manager to get promoted to full-time after the previous manager leaves, but in this case, everyone knew the next Miners' manager was already selected.

[Jeonju Rangers More Anticipated Next Year]

[Jeonju Rangers Saw Hope Despite Last Place in West Sea League]

While rarely, a few hopeful or encouraging articles about the lowest-ranked mate, the newly founded Jeonju Rangers, appeared, the Miners' atmosphere was different.

['Another' Failure, Gangwon Miners]

[Can Gangwon Miners Look Any Different Next Season?]

[A Retirement Home for Washed-Up Stars: Free Agency Spending Out of Hand at Gangwon Miners]

"Ye-sung, you'd better really get your act together."

"Isn't it too much to pressure a rookie who hasn't even debuted yet?"

Father read sports news on his smartphone, and his son, working out, pushed back lightly, but it didn't deter him at all.

"You're on your second go."

"..."

"When I was on my second go, you know how it was."

I couldn't argue much. If I brought up the difference in talent, it'd only make things more pitiful.

"So why did the Miners fail in the first place?"

I answered nonchalantly while focusing on my workout.

"Most of the FAs ended up as busts."

"Really? All of them?"

"Not all, but, well..."

A former wins leader who lost velocity.

A strikeout king whose elbow hurt every time he threw a breaking ball.

A home run king who started aging.

A stolen base king with arthritis, and so on.

Big FA contracts didn't pay off, but they still got priority as starters, so the promising young players hardly got a chance to develop.

After explaining, Seo Tae-seung nodded in understanding.

"So a bunch of young kids must've blossomed after moving to other teams?"

"Exactly. They kept losing young talent as FA compensation players."

"What about next year's foreign players?"

"Uh..."

It had been long enough that my memory should've been hazy, but still, I recalled it pretty easily.

"Both pitchers completely flopped. One of the foreign pitchers got caught for doping early in the season."

"And the other?"

"Homesickness. They sent him on vacation, and he never came back."

Seo Tae-seung snorted.

"I can see why the old-timers would clutch their chests and fall down."

"The rotation collapsed, so I debuted on the first team earlier than expected. I remember because the FA pitcher went on the DL as soon as the season started."

"So should I just keep quiet and let my boy debut early?"

Seo Ye-sung stared vacantly at his father.

"Why?"

"Can't you just use your influence to let me start the season opener as a nepotism pick?"

"What?"

"Isn't it possible?"

"What are you saying?"

"You're Seo Tae-seung."

"Huh?"

"I don't really know how much clout you have in Korean baseball... I just thought you could do at least that much."

Seo Tae-seung let out an incredulous laugh.

"Raising a tiger cub, huh..."

"Like father, like son!"

"That's jumping the gun... jumping the gun..."

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

I like the banter of this father and son duo...

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