Manager Han's Pitch
Manager Han wasn't just a manager—he was the legendary pitching coach who had led the Bears to the top of the Korean Series. Before that, he'd been a KBO pitcher who surpassed 100 wins and racked up a total of 120 victories. He knew pitchers inside and out, and his analysis of Tae-woong was spot-on.
'Excluding the fact that I've got this system, anyway...'
"So, can you pitch on Thursday? If you think it's too much, we can keep your rotation as is for now and adjust your condition."
If he followed Manager Han Young-deok's suggestion and skipped the start in two days, he wouldn't take the mound again until next Wednesday.
No need to overthink it.
"What do you say? Give me an answer by before today's game at the latest."
Tae-woong answered Manager Han's urging right away.
"Manager, I..."
"Alright, we'll go with whatever you decide."
Now part of the Eagles, but with the game starting soon, Tae-woong didn't have much time to bond with his new teammates.
'Sure, most of them I already know... but that's just me knowing them. No way I'm going up first and acting like we're buddies— they'd think I'm nuts.'
Tae-woong just sat in the corner of the dugout, clapping hard through the game, then jumping up to cheer with everyone at the dramatic come-from-behind play at the end. The Eagles showed late-inning clutch magic to snag another win.
Moments later, the players poured into the locker room. Tae-woong raised his voice in greeting.
"Great work out there!"
They'd trailed the Heroes 3-0 through six innings, only to explode for five runs in the ninth for a thrilling reversal. The team's mood was electric. The returning players greeted Tae-woong's words with smiles.
"Yeah, thanks."
"Must've been tough holding down the fort alone."
"When do you join the active roster?"
"Should be soon."
"Bet the call-up was rough. Head in and rest up. You know where the dorm is?"
"Yeah, support staff filled me in."
After exchanging greetings with the team, Tae-woong left the stadium. A few fans in Eagles uniforms approached as he walked, welcoming him aboard and asking for autographs. Soon, he arrived at the team dorm near Hana Eagles Stadium, provided for rookies.
"Whoa, way better than that old Jjugong apartment I lived in last year. I'd bow for a studio, but a two-room? Jackpot."
"Hey, I worked my ass off in my last life."
"Can't argue with that..."
Tae-woong's day ended after taking another heavy Ace haymaker.
To start Tae-woong, the Eagles removed starting pitcher Bae Young-seok from the active roster the day before and registered him instead. After his routine training, unlike yesterday's lonely watch from the locker room, Tae-woong could sit in the dugout, chatting with his new teammates as the game unfolded.
The Eagles pulled ahead first in the fifth when cleanup hitter Hoi and sixth batter Lee Seung-yeol crushed solo homers off the Heroes' starter for two runs. Eagles starter Kim Min-wook, out since the first with runners every inning, weathered crises but allowed just one run through six, hitting 107 pitches before coming down. Three relievers handled the final three innings, one each. Sevens and eights went scoreless—game over, it seemed.
But trouble hit in the ninth with two outs. Closer Jung A-ram wasn't out there; instead, setup man Seo-gun—the Mr. Zero still rocking a 0.00 ERA—plunked a batter. Shaken or just off, he gave up a homer on four pitches to the next guy. Game over. The Eagles lost Mr. Zero and the win.
The walk-off homer flipped the momentum Eagles fans and players had savored straight to the Heroes. The home crowd and dugout went deathly quiet.
Tae-woong read the room, helped tidy up, then headed back to crash.
"So close. We had it won."
Spot-on, but Tae-woong had no energy to reply.
'Watching from the dugout drained me—must suck way worse for the guys on the mound.'
"Sigh, wonder how the Wiz did. Game's probably over by now."
"Isn't this loyalty?"
The Eagles-Heroes game ended first among today's five, so he hadn't checked on leaving. Tae-woong pulled up articles on his smartphone.
Classic internet—fueled by that Korean flair for flipping out. Tae-woong had gone from freeloader to eunuch overnight.
"Eunuch? Who the hell's slandering me?!"
"How's eunuch not worse than freeloader?!"
Tae-woong's final pitch. The curve let loose.
Whoosh.
Thwack!
The catcher snagged the sharply dropping ball and stood.
"Nice one! Good work, Tae-woong."
"You too, hyung!"
"That curve's killer. Pure stuff-wise, best I've caught."
"For real?"
"Dead serious."
Ignoring Ace, Tae-woong beamed at catcher Choi Ji-hoon's praise, unable to hide his smile.
"You're the best catcher I've worked with, hyung!"
"Huh? Didn't you debut this year?"
"Uh... yeah."
"So just me and Hae-chan hyung? First out of two—should I be thrilled?"
"Still first place, right?"
"Boosts my morale, Tae-woong."
"Hahaha, sorry..."
"Kidding, kidding. Kkkk. Watched your two Wiz starts right after yesterday's game—feels totally different catching versus watching."
"Thanks."
"Gonna hit the bathroom quick. Talk more after."
"Sure, hyung. Take your time. I'll clean up."
Hours before game time, Tae-woong wrapped a 30-minute bullpen session syncing with his battery partner, Choi Ji-hoon. While Choi ditched his gear for a bathroom break, Tae-woong gathered scattered balls into the basket and chatted at Ace.
"All that praise makes me wanna throw."
"Duh."
"Where else you gonna find a polite, good-looking junior like me?"
"Only jinxes, huh? If Ji-hoon hyung was half as good... even half of half."
Just two days, but Tae-woong and Choi Ji-hoon had hit it off.
'Lucky every catcher's clicked with me. Seniors, but they treat me easy...'
Like all Korean sports teams, baseball had strict sunbae-hoobae lines, but it varied by personality. Catchers like Choi Ji-hoon—who studied pitch calls and respected pitchers—were rare. Mismatches could tank batteries mid-game if the senior was stubborn or weird.
"Yep. Not common to air it on broadcast... usually hash it out post-inning in the back of the dugout."
As they talked, Ji-hoon rushed back sans gear.
"Tae-woong, done? Let's head up and chill. Heroes starting practice soon."
"Yeah, hyung. All tidy—grab gear and go."
Home team used the field till two hours pre-game; visitors after. Training and cleanup done, they had to clear out.
After some rest, they hit the bullpen. Pitching coach Song Jun-woo, battery coach, and today's duo: Ji-hoon and Tae-woong. Four total, final pre-game check on condition, pitch mixes, strategy.
Four-seam, two-seam fastballs, changeup, slider, then moneypitch curve. Three each of five types. Tae-woong eyed the coaches behind.
Battery coach scribbled notes; pitching coach nodded silently.
Too bad for Ace—the pitching coach clapped, all praise. Tae-woong smirked at him hard.
Ace chanted curses like a cult fanatic behind Tae-woong till game time.
"Gotta shut that mouth. Any ideas how?"