Chapter 60
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Opening Day Double Duty
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Phoenix has a nickname: Spring Phoenix.
They charge ahead with a solid win rate from exhibition games through the early season, getting fans all excited, but once spring ends, they inevitably slide back to square one. That's how the name stuck.
[Even Phoenix who did well in exhibitions... Now they can't even win those...? Crisis for Phoenix who vowed to change!]
Reporter doesn't know baseball lololol Don't know this? It's proof this year is really different.
Yeah, doing well in exhibitions means nothing.
Right? Phoenix is the proof. Haven't you seen us take 1st in exhibitions then last place?
This is for real, Phoenix is right. Something's different this time?
Of course, as always, Phoenix fans couldn't care less about such nicknames and held high hopes for the new season.
They pray for rain until it pours, and when it does, they claim the ritual worked—like some Native American rain dance.
The difference? Even they succeed after a month or so, but Phoenix fans have been failing at it for over 30 years.
And one of those folks still chanting that endless prayer is standing right in front of me now.
"Doesn't it feel like this year is really different, Tae-hyun?"
"Yeah. It really does."
I couldn't guarantee our 30-year championship drought would end, but Phoenix had definitely changed.
Not that I'd say it myself, but with me on the team, we'd sorted out shortstop and the ace spot.
"But Teacher, is it really okay for you to come cook dinner every night? You must be tired."
Lately, Lee Mi-yeon stopped by my place every evening to make dinner. The reason? She just wanted to.
"Huh? Not tired at all. It's like those lunchbox days are back—I'm enjoying it."
Mi-yeon smiled and scooped some soup with a ladle, tasting it lightly.
"Mm..."
She tilted her head and held the ladle out to me.
"Can you check the seasoning?"
I took a sip too.
"It's delicious."
Really delicious. Made me feel sorry for Ji-hyun, missing out while practicing calligraphy.
"Good. Glad to hear it. Hang on a bit—I'll make it even tastier."
We sat at the table quietly for a moment before I asked,
"Teacher, you're really coming to opening day? Incheon's a haul from Busan."
"Yep. Got to go. It's the first game. But you better hit a homer!"
"Of course. I'll swing for the fences."
"Yeah! Let's win opening day!"
Well... I was also slated to pitch, so strikeouts were on the table too, but
Best keep that under wraps.
The surprise factor was half the fun.
As the spring breeze began to rustle gently,
The pro baseball opening day that fans across the nation had awaited finally arrived.
Fans hoped to see it in their home stadium after the long wait, but pro baseball could be ruthless.
Only last year's top five teams got home openers, so last-place Phoenix had to travel from Busan to Incheon.
"Isn't this Incheon...? Why are there so many Phoenix fans?"
"No idea... Some guy in a Phoenix jersey just tried to sell me tickets."
Still, Phoenix fans' passion burned bright like their team color. Distance was no issue after 30 winless years.
Fewer than the home crowd, sure, but astonishing numbers filled the stands considering the trek.
'Phoenix fans, alright!'
Seeing their fiery support, Lee Mi-yeon puffed up with pride for no reason.
"Coming to cheer Phoenix again... I hate Phoenix!"
"Haha... Su-yeon, we're winning today, I swear."
"You say that every time and lose! Daddy's a liar!"
"No way~ Cha Tae-hyun's gonna smash a ton of homers!"
As Mi-yeon glanced at the cute father-daughter duo beside her,
"Huh? What's that?"
"Glitch?"
"Why's the pitcher's name also the batter's?"
The crowd suddenly buzzed.
Phoenix and Dragons fans alike fixed eyes on the scoreboard.
[P Cha Tae-hyun]
"...Tae-hyun's the starter?"
Shocking enough, but
[4 Cha Tae-hyun]
His name in the cleanup spot too? Had to be a mistake.
???? What the hell? Where's the DH?
No frills, looks like no DH and Tae-hyun doing both lololol
Hasn't thrown since high school, thought he'd switch to full-time hitter lololol
Lee Shit Stone or Lee Diamond Stone...?
Is this real...?
Saw his high school stuff... Throws well, but never saw him go deep...
Lots of high schoolers hit 150+ km/h, but most lose steam and control after 5 innings.
Just use Su-ho for opening day, is this right...?
Not just fans were thrown off.
"What the hell is that?"
"Right? Putting a rookie—doing both pitching and hitting—in for opening day. Phoenix has lost it?"
Sure, batters sometimes pitched mid-game in blowouts gone wrong.
But starting a batter as pitcher, attempting two-way duty? Almost unheard of historically.
Dragons players went from confused to incredulous.
Opening day. The kickoff to the season, soaked in fan expectations. Its weight went without saying.
So Dragons started national team ace Jin Tae-kyong despite facing last-place Phoenix.
Phoenix counters with a rookie two-way? Dragons' pride took a hit.
Catcher Lee Kang-cheol glared at the board, visibly pissed.
"...Pisses me off. Treating us like lab rats? This right, Tae-kyong?"
Jin Tae-kyong stared blankly—his usual unreadable eyes—then smirked faintly.
"...Let's see if the rookie's got it."
He'd figured Phoenix matchup for a snoozer, but now it sparked interest.
"Baseball fans, the 2028 pro baseball season opener—Busan Phoenix at Incheon Dragons—is underway! Dragons go with Jin Tae-kyong, signaling clear intent to snag the win on opening day. Phoenix, meanwhile, dropped a wildly unconventional lineup."
"Yes. 'Unconventional' doesn't even cover it. Starting a rookie pitcher—and batting him cleanup for two-way play. Rare in history, right? How this bold gamble pays off is a key watchpoint. Let's see it unfold!"
Jin Tae-kyong: classic righty fireballer, averaging 155 km/h, topping 158. Sharp control, nasty breaking stuff—Dragons fans pegged him for MLB next year.
And they were right.
From a pitcher's view, facing a hitter who looks ready to crush you brings pressure.
Jin Tae-kyong thrived on it. MLB would be non-stop that vibe.
Korea had its share of such sluggers too.
And when they stepped up, he always
-Thwack!
"Striiike!"
[157km/h]
dialed peak performance.
Jin Gyu-hyun, frozen on the first pitch, wasn't quite that hitter.
"This'll be fun..."
Fresh-faced rookie Cha Tae-hyun as starter and cleanup? Meant Manager Lee Eun-seok saw real talent. Plenty to excite Jin Tae-kyong.
-Thwack!
"Striiike!"
Another 157 km/h four-seamer kissed the corner and vanished into the mitt.
'Damn... Why's he so dialed today?'
Jin Gyu-hyun squinted.
First inning full throttle? Felt like a brick coming at him.
He choked up on the bat. Just make contact.
Third pitch from Jin Tae-kyong—Gyu-hyun swung hard.
-Whoosh.
"...What?!"
The ball veered sharply off the bat's end, sucked into the mitt.
Big whiff; Gyu-hyun stumbled, barely regaining balance.
"Strike—out!"
Three-and-out, back to the dugout.
Next, No. 2 Lee Jun:
"Strike—out!"
Strikeout.
No. 3 Andy:
"Out!"
Grounder to the infield. Jin Tae-kyong proved his ace status, strolling off casually.
Just got owned fml
How can they look this listless
Batsmen snap out of it?
Tae-kyong's just on another level today tho...
On days his breaking stuff bites, no answer...
Ugh why use that cheat against Phoenix
Fr too much vs last year's losers
You only cry "last place" when it suits you lol
Don't worry guys, we got national team ace too
Believe in Tae-hyun God but honestly pitching idk...
"Just throw like always. Full house doesn't mean shrink—don't choke!"
...Definitely Shin Si-woo trying to hype me, but I nodded.
Nice touch from the catcher, shoring up pitcher mentality.
"Need a specific lead?"
"Nah. You know my style. I'll do me."
"Whatever, but you know you gotta pitch like it's a complete game, right?"
Two-way pitfall: tire as starter, get pulled, then benched as hitter too.
Huge hole in lineup. Si-woo worried about that.
"If I wasn't aiming complete, I'd just hit. Relax."
"Right? Please deliver. Been Bullshit Woo since exhibitions. Win or I eat shit."
I chuckled, patted his back.
"Said complete game. Quit worrying, get home."
Si-woo headed off; I took the mound.
Once up there, hit me: this manager's a bit nuts.
No spring exhibition innings, just intra-squad, and boom—opening starter. Rookie two-way to boot.
His reasoning?
'You can handle it, right? Can't you?'
Still ridiculous.
Chuckle escaped; I glanced skyward.
Clear blue, sun shining pleasantly.
Perfect day to pitch.
Dragons' leadoff, Lee Yoo-seung, stepped up. Glare sharp—with anger.
Understandable.
Key game, and we drop rookie two-way from last-place squad.
Other teams might rib them for getting dissed.
Guess I'd pitch hard to protect their pride.
Stepped on rubber, deep breath.
This was the process.
Crowd noise faded; senses locked on the ball in hand.
Windup: knee high, torso and legs twisted max opposite, long stride kick.
Dirt pinged spikes; uncoiled torque surged to arm.
Smooth, fierce whip.
Ball left straight for heart of zone.
-THWACK!!!!
[158km/h]
-ROARRR!!!
Cheers shattered my focus.
Dragons home, right...?
Weird, but irrelevant.
Batter gawking—my stuff was sharp today.
"Striiike!"
Late call. Caught ball, reset.
Arrogant maybe, but confident. Ignored corners, another four-seamer.
-Thwack!!
Bat came late—way late. Whiff.
[159km/h]
No anger on batter's face now. Eyes shook with panic.
Ball back, rolling in glove.
One more heater?
Mi-yeon watching somewhere—bet she'd love it.
Thought locked in; outcome set.
Gripped four-seam, yanked, fired.
Seams scraped fingertips—thrilling.
Straight fire to mitt.
Batter gritted, swung desperate.
No contact.
-THWACK!!!
Vicious catch; huge whiff, ass to dirt.
[160km/h]
Debut mound: three strikeouts on fastballs alone.
Not a bad start.