Chapter 78

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Translator: Wjin

Chapter: 78

Chapter Title: Suspicious Trade and Record Clash

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Rain lashed fiercely against the window. A downpour so heavy it blurred the view outside.

Naturally, the final game of the series against the Volcanoes was canceled due to the weather.

Everyone else was thrilled at the early dismissal. But even as rain poured inside the head coach's heart, his expression remained grim.

"Why the long face, Coach Seo?"

'...You really have no idea?'

He'd already taken a beating from the pitching coach over the bullpen issues. Things had eased up a bit when the manager brought in a closer setup via trade, but...

"Manager... is this trade really okay? Something feels off."

A bit off? That was an understatement. It was downright insane.

A third-round draft pick—nobody's pet dog's name...

No, the very first pick of the third round.

In value, it was on par with a second-rounder.

Trading that for a thirty-six-year-old reliever fresh out of rehab? If that wasn't madness, what was?

"Wasn't it the GM pushing this, not you, Manager?"

If it was the Phoenix GM's solo decision, it made sense. How many disastrous trades had that guy botched historically?

But the manager shook his head.

"The GM opposed it. He said, 'Does this make sense? Trading a third-round pick for some old reliever just off rehab?'"

Unexpected. The GM was thinking straight. So it wasn't the GM trolling after all.

'Then why...?'

"I see that 'what the hell' look on your face."

Coach Seo flinched, hit right on the mark.

"Y-Yeah... Honestly, I don't get it."

"Coach Seo, it's awkward for me to say it myself, but I've had a ton of coaches pass through me. Pretty much everyone in this league is buddy-buddy with me."

Coach Seo nodded. With Manager Lee Eun-seok's reputation, it tracked.

"Truth is, there was this one guy I wanted to bring on as head coach instead of you. He's the type who owes me big and does exactly what I say."

"I-Is that so?"

The flustered coach prompted Manager Lee Eun-seok to chuckle and continue.

"Don't sweat it—he's already a coach for the Seoul Winners. Anyway, I asked him about Cha Yun-myeong. He said there's no better option on the market right now. Rehab went great, and his stuff's even improved. He figures the guy can handle closer duties no problem."

"Manager, if that's true... would they let him go that easily?"

"You know how stacked the Winners' bullpen is. Even if he's better, would they use Cha Yun-myeong? The guy told me he's not the type to rot on the bench here. He even said I should take him off their hands."

So, in summary... A trusted junior said he's a solid reliever, but no spot in Winners.

He's done well, so please take him, Manager...

'...Did we just get scammed?'

Maybe he couldn't stab his mentor in the back? Or perhaps he was cashing in on past favors for a promotion.

It sounded absurd, but this industry was dirty like that. Totally plausible.

As if reading his mind, the manager spoke up.

"He's not the type to lie to me. And where else are you gonna find a deal like this? No immediate options out there. We're in a hurry. If Phoenix wants a championship, it's time to stop worrying about the future."

Not wrong.

To win now, you sometimes had to go a little crazy. History was full of jaw-dropping trades.

Still... there had to be a line. No matter how he spun it, this felt like getting duped.

"Still think we got conned, huh? Coach Seo, Cha Yun-myeong joins in two days anyway. Judge then."

Coach Seo nodded, hoping the manager's junior wasn't trash who betrayed his mentor.

"Hey, Cha Tae-hyun, you see this?"

It had been ages since Shin Si-woo last saw Jin Tae-hyun's clip, and he was cracking up again.

"What, is this guy your cult fanatic or something? Worshipping you in his own highlight interview?"

"That's just Jin Tae-hyun. It's his shtick. Messing with me."

Hmm... Not a gimmick?

Been a while, memory fuzzy. Either way, didn't expect it to carry over to the pros. Tough bastard...

"Yeah? Anyway, that Osaka World Cup generation is unreal. Six straight homers... wild."

"What's that mean? Osaka generation?"

"The U-18 Baseball World Cup in Osaka. We won, and fans call that crop of players insane."

Fair. Felt like a golden generation even back then.

Talent piled up from a decade out?

Most surprising of all was...

"Jin Tae-hyun's a total madman."

Yeah. Thought last ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠year's Rookie of the Year would go to Lee Seung-tae or Kim Chang-hyun, but boom—Jin Tae-hyun sweeps it. Not just that; Gold Glove in catching, top-three in most hitting stats.

On par with Lee Ji-ho, Nemas' protagonist, in his rookie year. ...Damn, real madlad.

"You two go way back, right? Not tossing him meatballs to pad records?"

"Nah. He'd hate it. Kid's like a hot-blooded manga hero."

"Huh. Makes sense—you're chasing records too, so no handouts."

Me? Chasing records?

"What record?"

"You little shit... don't even care about records?"

"For real, no clue."

"...You're on two straight complete shutouts. Three in a row? Sixth all-time, first for a rookie debut year."

Oh, consecutive complete games?

Worth a shot.

Lips curled up on their own. Shin Si-woo teased about texting the girlfriend, but no controlling it.

[Any surprise gift if I pull it off?]

[Duh lol It's a record.]

Flash of her kissing his cheek.

Another shot at that bliss?

"Yo, world record?"

"Six games, I think."

"Gotta do seven straight then."

"What...? Suddenly?"

"Don't drop the ball, Si-woo. Swing like crap, whatever. Just back my shutout."

"...Fine, obviously. But... I'm batting .210 now, Tae-hyun."

".210 or .100, same diff."

"Screw you, dropping the ball today."

"Cool, I'll hold a presser saying you're why I'm retiring."

"Sorry..."

The Busan Phoenix vs. Seoul Winners three-game series at Sajik drew massive pre-game buzz.

"Winners-Phoenix classic" had fans hyped for the rivalry alone, but today's heat wasn't just that.

Two stars with similar names duking it out for history? Impossible not to hype.

"Cha Tae-hyun, you want me calling pitches today?"

Shin Si-woo asking the obvious catcher duty. My fault, really.

I threw whatever felt good.

"You know my style. What pitch mix?"

"Nah, heard Winners' analytics sharpened knives for you. Maybe switch it up?"

Chuckle escaped.

"Forget it. Go home plate. Same old won't fail."

"...God, you're such a dick. But true, so worse."

Deja vu hit. Heard that somewhere...

"Fine. Don't whine if I lose the shutout?"

"Not like I'm the .100 hitter you squeezed runs from."

"Agh, .210!"

Laughed, slapped Shin Si-woo's back. He grumbled back to the plate.

Talk tough, but curious about their "analysis."

Baseball quantified everything. Hence sabermetrics.

Analysis made or broke teams.

So yeah, dying to know.

My hidden weakness, even from me.

—THWACK!

How'd they analyze it?

Hmm...

That first-pitch down-the-middle? Weakness?

Just grooved it on feel.

MLB hitter would've touched it.

Arrogant KBO special, disrespecting the guy.

Why no swing?

If they pegged that as weakness,

—THWACK!

should've had counters, right?

Weird...

Say he watched the first two...

Something's coming.

Winners' Kim Woo-jun was elite contact leadoff for a top team.

Wouldn't fold easy after "analyzing" me.

Windup, big leg kick, my dynamic delivery—fire.

Ball left fingers, straight center again.

Center four-seam, inside ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠four-seam, center four-seam.

Arrogant to cocky mix. My two starts milked this pattern dry.

No genius needed; other teams knew it now.

Yeah.

Analyzed it, won't miss.

—THWACK!

"?"

Winners, you bastards...

What the hell did you analyze?