Rookie Rifts and the Utility Man's Shot
The Gocheok Turkeys' spring camp had finally wrapped up. They'd headed to Taiwan in February, but now it was March, and they were back home. A few days of rest lay ahead before exhibition games kicked off, and the four days off were more than enough to shake off the accumulated fatigue. Above all, the achievements from the Taiwan camp swirled in his mind, filling Kim Hu-seong with a swell of pride.
When he'd first joined camp, his hitting had always been a nagging worry. Stepping up to the plate, anxiety had outweighed any confidence. But under the pros' guidance in Taiwan, things started to change. The practice game opponents weren't top-tier Korean pro caliber, but they were still pros. Hitting safeties off pitchers like that held massive meaning for him.
His practice game average hovered in the low .200s—not stellar, but for a guy who'd barely cracked .100 in high school, flirting with .200 was pure joy. And on defense, he hadn't botched a single play. Shifting between outfield and infield spots without dropping a ball, the coaches had reacted positively to his steady glove work. His quick feet—his biggest asset—widened his range, and he'd already adapted somewhat. Gratefully, he'd wrapped up the Taiwan camp with a bit of praise from 2군 manager Oh Tae-sik.
While unpacking and chilling, he idly checked the rookie group chat. He'd been avoiding it on purpose, but sure enough, his fellow draftees were buzzing. The first thread that caught his eye was from the guys who'd gone to Taiwan with him.
6번: Taiwan weather wasn't bad at all, right?
7번: Yeah, humid but solid for training.
9번: True. And those practice games against the Taiwan team? Solid. They're pros, but not insanely dominant, so we got chances to shine.
Kim Hu-seong couldn't help but agree with the Taiwan camp guys. It was spot on. The Taiwanese squad had some technically sharp players and power arms, but overall, they were opponents the Turkeys could hang with. A single hit or a slick play snowballed straight into confidence. Building that through results was key. He owed his sense of camp success to them, no exaggeration.
But the Arizona crew's chat was a different story—tense and sour.
3번: Man, America was brutal. Hot as hell, huge fields... but the seniors were the real issue.
5번: Yeah... all lone wolves. No tips or anything. Just "figure it out." Supposed to be independent, but it sucked.
4번: Felt less like training, more like being abandoned? Tough to adjust. Kinda jealous of you Taiwan guys.
Unlike the Taiwan returnees, the Arizona bunch was loaded with gripes. The chat vibe dripped with it—they vented frustrations and a hollow sense of wasted time.
Naturally, the talk shifted to Lee Tae-sin.
2번: But Tae-sin was different.
3번: Yeah... coaches and staff babied him. Obvious as hell.
5번: Made me realize real talent gets the red carpet. Kinda bittersweet.
Their words rang bitter, even if phrased neutrally. Same rookie class, but talent gaps bred treatment disparities—they felt it deep. Everyone knew Lee Tae-sin was a stud: nationwide ace in high school, shining in pro ball too. The coaches focusing on him made sense. But to the other four, ignored while he got everything? It stung.
Sigh... even there, they're splitting off. Sure, they were all rookies on thin ice, clawing to survive next season. Competition was survival. But then, the usually quiet Lee Tae-sin finally chimed in.
1번: No clue what you're talking about?
2번: Come on, it's obvious.
5번: We all saw it.
4번: You say you don't know, but we all felt the favoritism.
1번: I just trained hard. Coaches' attention? Not my call.
That line was logical but stabbed like a knife—like saying, You're slacking, that's why. The chat went dead silent. No more messages, just eerie quiet. Kim Hu-seong stared at the screen, words failing him. Lee Tae-sin wasn't wrong—pros reward talent. But that didn't erase the other four's hurt.
Sigh, should've left the chat alone? Thought we were bonding...Or should I stir the pot? Nah.
11번: Whatever, we'll all meet in 2군 anyway. Why fight?
2번: What?
11번: Oops, sorry. Everyone but 1번. Why fuss?
4번: Yeah, Tae-sin... whatever. Forget it.
The chat froze again. Fine, he'd play individualist too.
Meanwhile, in a corner of the team office, 1군 manager Kim Young-ho sat across from 2군 manager Oh Tae-sik for a meeting. With exhibition games looming, they were sorting who from 2군 to call up for tests.
Kim Young-ho spoke first. “Tae-sik, we gotta be cold-blooded this time. Last season's second place means veterans are locked in—no spots opening easy.”
His tone was firm. Last year was one of the club's best, bolstering the 1군 roster. No one was yielding ground lightly.
Oh Tae-sik nodded. “I get it. Players' feelings aside, 1군 isn't for just anyone. So, who're we sending down? Thoughts on the top-five round rookies? Had some hopes...”
Kim Young-ho thought, then shook his head. “Honestly? No standouts. Mediocre. Fielders especially—decent for 2군, but iffy even as 1군 backups. Balanced, but nothing screaming '1군 ready.'”
1군 demanded immediate impact: no errors on drop-in, instant value add.
He shifted to pitchers. “Pitchers are better. 1라운드's Lee Tae-sin? Bullpen material for sure. Velocity, poise in jams. 5라운드's Nam Do-yoon could chase games if polished—maybe 1군 bound.”
But he shook his head again. “Nam's tricky right now, though.”
“What's off?”
“Bad habits showing. Better tweak in 2군 for stability first.”
“Got it. I'll handle that.”
Oh Tae-sik nodded, jotting mentally. Then he spoke. “So four rookies down... factoring 1군 demotions... only 1-2 up from us.”
“Yeah. No issue—1군's merit-based.”
“For immediate 1군 joins... Hwang Do-hyun from rehab and Gu Min-seok. Both near full recovery—test in exhibitions, no risk.”
Kim Young-ho stayed calm, unsurprised. “Expected those. Any others? These are known quantities.”
Oh Tae-sik's eyes sharpened. He chose words carefully. “Manager, mind a quirky suggestion?”
Kim Young-ho raised a brow. “Quirky how?”
“Guy with solid tools but a standout quirk. Not complete, but intriguing talent. Test in 2군 exhibitions first—if promising, call up with the team.”
Kim Young-ho crossed arms, intrigued. “If you're pushing, basics must check out... Who?”
“11라운드 pick Kim Hu-seong.”