Opening Day Against the Old Team
The biggest achievement from the exhibition games was locking in our five starters.
Lee Ji-seung, who took the mound twice as a starter, put on strong showings and snagged both wins. Sure, one outing saw him give up five runs over six innings, but one of his strengths was his low pitch count. Hitters swung freely at what seemed like hittable pitches, but the ball didn't carry well even on contact, letting the defense help keep his pitches down. He showed the key trait of a starter: eating innings. His velocity hit the low 140s, and beyond his slider, he'd added a changeup to his arsenal. It wasn't polished enough for heavy use yet, but it was good enough to surprise hitters—a clear sign of solid growth.
Our rotation: first starter Pier Band, second Van Hekken, third Han Hyun-ho, fourth Lee Ji-seung, fifth Song Young-shin. Song Young-shin could be shaky at times, but we had Kim Hyung-taek as a backup starter option. For long relief, we could turn to Lee Yang-hoon or Ha Min-young, so the pitching staff was in good shape overall. Our late-inning crew featured Jo Sang-woo, Kim Hyun-se, and Kim Woo-dae, with Son Seung-hyuk reliably closing things out.
But the exhibition games yielded more than just pitcher evaluations. They reshaped our hitters' positions too. To build starters and backups, we ran extra defensive drills. The players knew our team's strength now, so when we asked them to train at new spots beyond their usual positions, they followed without complaint. It was respect for the competition that made it possible. And if they felt short in any area, they doubled down on training to overcome it.
The running program I'd started since taking over had become routine—no coaches needed. Under captain Lee Geun-taek's lead, players handled it themselves before drills began. Consistent running boosted their speed and slashed injury risks. With few big-bodied players on the roster, it suited us perfectly.
So I faced a happy dilemma. But with my Status Window, I could check players' conditions and set the daily lineup accordingly. I caught slumping players early. For them, I'd note their pale faces or off vibes, bench them from the start, or give a full day off to rest.
Our current first-team roster: pitchers Van Hekken, Pier Band, Han Hyun-ho, Lee Ji-seung, Song Young-shin, Jo Sang-woo, Kim Woo-dae, Kim Hyung-taek, Son Seung-hyuk, Ha Min-young, Lee Yang-hoon, Kim Hyun-se, and Min Jung-gil—thirteen arms total.
Hitters: Park Byung-hyun, Yoo Jun-han, Lee Geun-taek, Kim Sung-min, Seo Geon-cheol, Yoon Min-seok, Kim Seong-ha, Snyder, Park Won-dong, Lim Byung-yoon, Kang Hyun-jun, Kim Kang-jun, Kim Hyun-jae, and Kim Soo-ji—fourteen bats.
Lots of talent missed the cut, making roster decisions tough—especially among hitters like Seo Dong-hoon, Park Do-heon, Go Jong-hoon, and Yoo Jae-sik. Park Won-dong had the starting catcher spot locked as our homegrown mainstay, with Kim Hyun-jae as backup catcher on the roster. His talent lagged far behind Park Won-dong's, so he might not see much action, but you couldn't leave such a critical position without depth. Catchers faced constant injury risks and massive stamina drains, needing rotations.
With the first-team roster set, the regular season finally kicked off.
I got the schedule from operations and opened the file—a groan escaped me. Our opener: Daejeon Eagles.
Facing my old team for the first time as manager brought heavy pressure. The Eagles were the club I'd joined at twenty, the one that sparked my managerial dreams. And their fans had cheered me as hard as any star. But I couldn't let personal feelings interfere. I was the Heroes' manager now.
I carefully built the lineup. Their starter: Talbot, a new Eagles import. Not a fireballer, but sharp control and breaking stuff, from what I'd heard. I'd only seen a few videos. No overpowering ace, but solid innings-eater.
Opening Day at Mokdong Baseball Stadium—a small park favoring homers—so I loaded up on power, thickening the infield over outfield.
1B: Park Byung-hyun (cleanup)
2B: Seo Geon-cheol (6th)
3B: Yoon Min-seok (7th)
SS: Kim Seong-ha (2nd)
C: Park Won-dong (8th)
LF: Snyder (3rd)
RF: Kang Hyun-jun (9th)
CF: Yoo Jun-han (5th)
DH: Kim Kang-jun (leadoff)
P: Pier Band
That was the final lineup—our best shot right now. Swapping Kang Hyun-jun for Lee Geun-taek would've been safer, but Kang's form was surging, and the captain's condition was off.
I passed the lineup along and headed to the field. Players gathered around me naturally as their manager arrived. Over the stove league break, it felt like not just the players, but the coaches too, were fully on board. They'd seen their skills rise under my methods. The "bullpen catcher" label seemed forgotten.
"Today's the day we show the fans our opener."
Their eyes lit up, itching to hit the field.
"We trained harder than anyone in camp. Looking at you all, the results show. You're all antsy—let's go show those Eagles who the real heroes are!"
"Woooaaah!!"
They raised their hands, roaring. It was the true heroes' moment.
...
Before the game, I fielded quick reporter questions.
"With the season starting, how confident are you?"
"Facing your old team first—mixed feelings?"
"Any Heroes players you're excited about this year?"
"Exhibition success—will it carry over?"
I answered with a smile. Our exhibition buzz had made us dark horses. After manager Yeom Kyung-yeop's exit, signing a rookie like me drew front-office flak. But the results flipped opinions, spiking fan hype.
Especially with newcomers like Lee Ji-seung shining, plus Kang Hyun-jun and Kim Kang-jun from my Eagles days—communities and articles were suddenly praising me.
First, his first-team managerial win rate tops 70%. That's insane—league champs usually hit around 60%, so 70% is just dominating.
Second, he nails player talents and slots them perfectly. Yoon Min-seok's flying at third now. But the real mystery: Lee Ji-seung, a 9th-round batter pick—how'd he spot that and convert him to pitching? Still mind-blowing.
Great reactions all around. But it was just the beginning. Expectations ran high—our stats clearly outpaced the Eagles'.
Post-presser, as the home team, we took the field first to warm up. I headed to the Eagles' dugout to greet manager Kim Geun-seong, my senior by years. He was deep in talk with his Japanese coach. I waited to say hi, but caught a glare from the side—Lee Woo-ram.
I smirked at him. He'd grabbed a starting gig with the Eagles, sure, but nothing like Kang Hyun-jun or Kim Kang-jun.
"Hey, you just laughed at me?"
Lee Woo-ram stormed over, pissed, tossing his glove.
Thwack!
"You little shit, talking to the manager like that."
"Gahk!"
Someone smacked the back of his head hard. Lee Woo-ram clutched it, glaring before dropping his eyes. It was Jeong Woo-geun.