Chapter 186 – Episode 184. The Man With 3000 Hits. (One)

[AT Thunders won a draw after a bloody battle with JT Gold Eyes! Today’s match ends in a draw!]

[I wanted AT to lose as the bullpen couldn’t protect Jansson’s victory, but in the end they dragged this game to a draw. That’s great strength. AT!]

[It must be regrettable for JT, right?]

[You’re right. I was able to deliver a blow to AT Thunders, who are currently in good spirits, and the ranking competition was in full swing. It hurts to not be able to catch this game.]

Even after the match against Han Chul was over, the momentum of the AT Thunders continued. The first game of the weekday series was a draw, and it seemed to be twisted, but in the following two games, it won both games and took the winning series.

Rather, the squad was on the verge of excitement for the upcoming big event. And excited about the event was the AT Thunders front desk as well.

“The situation at the club is very good these days. Right?”

“That’s right.”

“We had a losing series in the match against Shinra. How is the atmosphere of the players?”

On Monday, during a break without a professional baseball game, the front desk of the AT Thunders and head coach Lee Su-hyun were having a meeting at the club. Director Lee Soo-hyun was quite used to the meeting, which had already been held three times while taking the command tower of AT instead of the manager Sands, who ran away.

“The team atmosphere is…. I’m also a little excited about it. The losing series didn’t really affect me.”

“That’s good.”

Especially to Cheon So-young, the head of the operation team who leads the meeting.

When Lee Soo-hyun first saw Cheon So-yeong, the emotion he felt was the question of why the owner’s family joined the baseball team. And I got a little annoyed. Such a parachute to the baseball team that supported his youth. If he hadn’t been for the president’s granddaughter, he would have been furious. No, it would have been meaningless in the first place because there would be no case for a young woman to become the head of the baseball team’s operation team unless she was it was the president’s granddaughter.

And that feeling didn’t change even when I was coaching in the 2nd team.

“Then, let’s prepare for the 3,000 hits celebration. Because it’s my first time in Korea. There are 3 left, so this series can achieve it, right? It is regrettable that there is a high possibility of achieving it on a weekday, but since the game is held in Jamsil, let’s make it a grand event that will not be inferior to any event.”

However, what I felt while meeting together for 3 weeks was that I had a surprisingly deep knowledge of baseball and a good eye for players. In addition, seeing that even the players in the 2nd team were grasping the characteristics of each one, it felt like seeing the president who even remembered the names of the players in the 2nd team.

In particular, the eyes of the players were as good as those of the scouts. The anecdote that strongly insisted on Ji Maeng-ho’s 1st nomination even at the time when Maeng-ho Ji was unknown was a famous anecdote within the club.

“Now, let’s talk about the management of the first team in earnest. Captain?”

“Yes?”

Are you more trustworthy than the general manager who makes a stupid noise over there?

“Ah, trade, trade. Well, none of the trades were to our liking. Coach, what we need is a bullpen.”

As it is a public position, director Lee Soo-hyun nodded and replied to Director Yoon’s question while using honorifics.

“Yes, it is. There is no place to fix the other line, and Jansson and Kim Chan-young are anxious about the starting lineup, but it is not to the point that they cannot roll. However, the bullpen…. ”

“As expected, the problem is the bullpen….”

At the thought of the 3,000 hits celebration, the atmosphere in the excited conference room darkens again. The bullpen, the Achilles heel of the AT Thunders. In fact, if you look at the games AT lost, most of them were lost because the bullpen collapsed.

Even finisher Park Jin-hyeok, the ace of the bullpen, showed an unstable appearance with 1 win, 3 losses, 6 saves, and an average ERA of 3.26.

“It would be nice if we had a finish like Ko Young-hwan.”

“I know, right. Is there any finisher that gives 40 saves in the 1 point range?”

“If we had a finish like that, we could have won….”

“Ah, but winning is a bit….”

And the slightly darkened atmosphere rapidly cooled at the words of the scout team leader who mentioned the championship.

“Manager….”

Seeing Chun So-young’s cold eyes, an employee tapped the scout team leader’s thigh. It was no stretch to say that the scouting team was perfectly in Cheon So-young’s hands after former team leader Hong Hyeon-cheol resigned due to Chun So-young’s cold eyes.

“Oh, sorry.”

“It’s done. If there is no player like Koh Young-hwan, we have to find it. Within the team.”

“Chun, was there such a player on our team?”

“Coach Yang, what about Kang Se-ho and Kim Yun-ho in the second team?”

At the words of the general manager, Cheon So-young asked the second team coach a question.

Kang Se-ho and Kim Yun-ho. The two pitchers obtained from the triangle trade that sent right fielder Jang Hyeon-ho to JT.

Kang Se-ho had good ball control and breaking pitches, and Kim Yun-ho was regarded as a promising player with good speed and stuff. And although the average ERA was not very good in the 2nd group, they were appealing their strengths.

“Well…. Seho Kang walks 0 per 9 innings and Yunho Kim averages 1.7 strikeouts per innings, but the downsides are clear players. Kang Se-ho has 140 restraints and Kim Yun-ho has a lot of walks.”

Yang Cheol-won, the coach of the 2nd division, responded to Cheon So-young’s words while looking through the records.

“Coach Lee Soo-hyun, when you saw them in the 2nd team, how were these two players?”

“These players still need to be tempered. If I spend a few years in the 2nd Army, won’t I be able to play my part?”

“How does it compare to our current bullpen?”

“There is a reason why first-team players are first-team players.”

“Of course it is. But if those players aren’t playing their part in the first team, wouldn’t it be nice to blow some fresh air into them?”

“Well, that’s right, Team Leader Cheon. I’ve been trading for a while, but I’ll have to try using it in the first team as well.”

Director Yoon helped Cheon So-young. From the point of view of general manager Yoon, who received a lot of swearing while trading Jang Hyun-ho, it was natural that he wanted to see the players he received through trade quickly play an active role in the first team.

Of course, the trade was carried out under the leadership of Chun So-young.

“Um, captain, putting players who aren’t ready yet into the first team….”

“This director.”

Director Yoon cut off Director Lee Soo-hyun’s words.

“So, are the first-team bullpens ready to play blown?”

“… That’s not it.”

“Director Yang, I heard that those two have something special in the 2nd team?”

“Yes, it is. Captain. Se-ho’s control is certainly at a level that can be passed in the 1st team, and Yun-ho’s pitch is the same.”

“Look at Jeongjin too. A contact in the 2nd team was recognized and entered the 1st team, so you’re doing well with a pinch hitter or a big defense right now, aren’t you?”

“Yes, what is it?”

He is not included in the starting lineup because there are so many outstanding players in the outfield, but he was a player whose growth was noticeable in training.

“Anyway, the bullpen is not good at the moment, so let’s give the second team a chance. Since you were also the coach of the 2nd team, don’t you know how the players play? Also, our AT has an image of an iron rice bowl, so shouldn’t it be time to renovate?”

“Well…. All right.”

With manager Lee Su-hyeon’s consent, the meeting ended after talking about Woo Kwan-hyeong’s 3,000th hit celebration and the uneasy bullpen. After all the meetings, while Director Yoon was wiping his sweat in the Director’s office, Cheon So-Young opened the door to the Director’s office and came in.

“Team Chun.”

“Captain. You did well today.”

“Ah, I see, haha.”

Director Yoon was also uncomfortable with Chun So-young. His subordinates who hold the line for their own lives. If he’d rather be the boss, he wouldn’t be uncomfortable….

“Yes. Kang Se-ho and Kim Yun-ho. They are definitely talented players.”

“Well, but they are players who have certain weaknesses….”

“Success in the first team is not a player who is passable in all aspects, but a player who is exceptional in one aspect. And to win, you need players like that. Right before Choi Jin-cheol exploded, he was just a player with exceptional power, right? If you taste success, those secondary abilities will naturally follow, right? Shouldn’t we also try to win?”

“Winning, winning.”

“Yes. Championship. The captain is also the winning captain. Shouldn’t I try it?”

“That would be nice, but the director also has the authority….”

“Captain. Trust my eyes.”

Cheon So-young’s confident words forced Yoon to quietly wipe his sweat today.

*

“Wow, it’s a weekday, but the Jamsil is almost full.”

“I heard they’re sold out from today to Thursday.”

“As expected, Kwan-hyung gathered because of him, right?”

Ahead of the game against Hwasan, the eyes of the players turned to Woo Kwan-hyung, who was quietly meditating.

3000 hits, a record that all hitters dream of. It was a record that was recognized as a guaranteed check to join the Hall of Fame in the major leagues, and it was a record that only hitters who caught both rabbits with skill and consistency could achieve.

“Hyung hyung, do you have three left?”

“3000 hits, 3000 hits, and finally we see the record.”

Players who whisper so that it doesn’t go into Woo Kwan-hyung’s ears. Just as we do not put any pressure on the pitcher before a perfect game or a no-hitter, we were talking quietly so as not to burden Woo Kwan-hyung as much as possible, but Woo-Kwan-hyung could already sense the atmosphere .

‘Whoa…. Now three….’

In fact, I couldn’t help but feel that atmosphere. Articles started pouring in a week ago, and I could feel that even my wife and children were subtly consider of me.

‘I’d rather do it as usual….’

However, Woo Kwan-hyung was rather uncomfortable with such consideration. On the contrary, I felt as if this kind of consideration was saying that 3,000 hits was the last goal he could achieve in his baseball life. In particular, it was all the more so because it was not the first time that such a record was achieved.

When he achieved 2,500 hits for the first time in Korea, then the players and reporters didn’t even talk about it. At that time, everyone thought that Woo Kwan-hyung still had a lot left in his career as a player. But now this atmosphere….

‘Other people must think this is my last record.’

At that time, someone approached the bench where Woo-gwan was.

“Senior, I heard that there will be 3000 soon?”

“Yes?”

It was Ji Maeng-ho.

“Wow, that’s honey. Isn’t it possible to get 4 hits in one day against Volcano?”

The expressions on the faces of the players are colored with astonishment at Ji Maeng-ho’s sudden action.

“Hey! Ji Maeng-ho! What are you doing?”

“Ah! I thought I would buy and hit that bastard.”

“Ah, what! To be honest, I’m against Volcano, but even if I can’t do it, I’ll achieve it tomorrow, but well, it’s not difficult to hit. Then, is there a party tomorrow?”

“Hey, but you bastard!”

When the other players blocked Ji Maeng-ho’s mouth and tried to drag him away, Woo Kwan-hyung stopped them.

“Maeng Ho is right. Hey, can’t I hit three hits? Just do it as usual.”

“Brother?”

“Yes?”

“Let’s just go as usual. Well, that’s better than working hard to beat me with a senior record.”

The embarrassed AT players had no choice but to nod their heads at the expression of Woo Kwan-hyung, who was smiling wide after a long time.