Now I'm a Pro Player (1)
I was quite surprised.
Honestly, I figured I wasn't a normal person, and since I was worried that the guy who might have a grudge against me wasn't the culprit, it didn't matter that he took his own life.
No, rather, I was relieved. After all, such a murderer shouldn't be allowed to live.
But the fact that it was Jeong Gijun made me really surprised. Is this providence too?
"Lee Junseong?"
I had momentarily forgotten that the call was in progress.
"I don't know. As the detective said, it doesn't seem like any of the people around me."
But thinking about it, what does it have to do with me now? The baseball immortal said it. I can't be blamed, and even if so, is it right to try to kill someone? That piece of trash is finally dead. Now I can stretch my legs and sleep peacefully.
"It seems so. Anyway, the aftertaste is a bit bitter, but since Junseong is safe, you can relax. Junseong is the victim, so it's better to erase him from your head from now on."
"Thank you for your words."
I ended the call with the detective.
Hmm...
I hope I don't hear anything about Jeong Gijun from now on. He's been a bad guy until the end.
For now, one thorn in my side is pulled out. What's left is whether I'll be selected in the draft or not. That's the problem.
Even if I think I can't do anything about it, it's worrying. It's hard to let it go coolly.
It's important to me, but it's a situation I can't control, and from now on, I want to avoid the uncomfortable feeling as much as possible.
***
We are sending you the 2023 Professional Baseball match between the Busan Marines and the Seoul Dragons, and the Seoul Dragons versus the Busan Marines, from Sajik Baseball Stadium.
"Hmm..."
Even during his break time, Baek Gi-hyeon, the scouting team leader of the Seoul Dragons, was watching baseball.
"The 3rd place Dragons chasing the 1st place eternal king of professional baseball, the Marines, the 2nd place Incheon Dolphins are 2.5 games behind, and the 1st place Marines are 5.5 games behind. Let's see if they can close this gap today."
Before Baek Gi-hyeon finished his prepared beer, the game was essentially decided.
"Score is 8:0! Dragon's homegrown ace Kim Jun-hyeok couldn't get past the 3rd inning and retired."
"Ah, if the 3rd starter collapses at a crucial time, the remaining games will be tough."
"The homegrown ace is worthless."
Baek Gi-hyeon shouted from home after hearing the caster's and commentator's words.
"He's been in the league for years without even reaching the average, so how is he a homegrown ace? If it were the Marines or Dolphins, he'd be called a starter who can't even pitch."
Perhaps because his liquor was a bit up, Baek Gi-hyeon was even more excited.
"This year's championship is lost too. What am I doing in a team that doesn't properly develop players?"
Baek Gi-hyeon, who entered the Seoul Dragons following his father in his childhood when it was the strongest team, got to work at the Dragons as he wished, but unfortunately, the team won the championship in the year he entered and hasn't won since for over 30 years.
The Seoul Dragons is called a graveyard for promising players. It's a team supported by a major conglomerate and operates vertically, so many players don't get enough opportunities, and for some reason, when promising pitchers join the team, their velocity drops, and promising power hitters lose power. Countless players who left this team and became legends in professional baseball.
"This year, I'm definitely going with a ready-made talent. If I bring them in based on potential, they'll just mess it up again."
He recalled a pitcher he saw at the Golden Lion Game recently.
"Lee Junseong from Seongsan High! My intuition tells me that guy will make it in pro right away. Control issues? Even if his pitch is lowered to the early 140s, it'd be a lefty relief pitcher who can be called up immediately."
Suddenly, Baek Gi-hyeon's phone rang.
"Hello, hyung?"
"Gi-hyeon-ah, do you have time tomorrow?"
"It's Sunday, so sure."
"Let's meet for a bit. There's something important."
"Okay, then let's meet at XX cafe."
Baek Gi-hyeon ended the call.
"What could be so urgent suddenly, hyung?"
Baek Gi-hyeon and Kim Jin-ho, the batting coach at Seongsan High, had been close since Kim Jin-ho was at the Dragons.
***
At a cafe in Gangnam, Seoul, Baek Gi-hyeon and Kim Jin-ho were having a conversation.
"So, this is Lee Junseong's practice pitch, right?"
"Yeah."
Lee Junseong in the tablet PC showed control and location similar to the finals of the main league.
"Do you know this, hyung? Why did Junseong suddenly become like this without any proper records."
"I don't know. He called me saying his condition was too good suddenly. And from that day, he's been showing this level of pitches for over a week. Practice, doesn't matter if it's real game or not. Anyway, Junseong's main league finals pitch is definitely not a coincidence."
"I can't believe it."
The figure of Lee Junseong in the video Baek Gi-hyeon was watching was not at the level that works in pro, but already a top-tier pitcher.
"Anyway, thanks, hyung. Actually, I was a bit interested in Junseong too, but seeing this, I feel confident."
"Thanks. But somehow, I feel a bit guilty about tampering."
"I got hit in the back by other teams with that a few times, but now I have to go all out too."
"What round do you think he'll be drafted in?"
"I'll push as hard as I can and get him picked in the 3rd round."
"3rd round? Drafting him that high?"
"Yeah, I think the 1st and 2nd rounds have no variables for other teams to steal. The 3rd round is actually not that different, but with this kind of talent, even a 1% chance is worth ignoring."
"I see... Thanks."
"Thanks? Rather, it's surprising that there's a guy like you who asks so much."
"He's the hardest working and most promising friend. I think it's too bad if such raw talent doesn't bloom. Anyway, the higher the round, the sooner he'll get a chance."
"Very well said."
Baek Gi-hyeon smiled faintly.
He planned to draft a ready-made talent in the 1st and 2nd rounds. Drafting Lee Junseong in the 3rd round? He believed it would be a draft that would change the team's history.
***
The draft day was approaching.
I didn't participate in the event.
I just watched from home.
"Damn, I'm nervous."
I don't know how many times I went to the bathroom.
At best, if I get picked in the 7th round or so through the hope circuit. The worst is not being picked at all, but at this point, I'd be happy if they picked me in the 11th round or something.
Lower contract? It'll be inconvenient for a few years, but long term, it's nothing.
As expected, after the 2nd round, my name wasn't called up to the 3rd round.
"What am I expecting? Just sit quietly."
Human psychology sometimes makes you look at the lottery again.
"Seoul Dragons draft: Seongsan High pitcher Lee Junseong."
"Huh?"
Did I mishear?
"Seongsan High pitcher Lee Junseong... Ah! He wasn't in this seat today. Congratulations!"
My name and photo appeared on the screen. Clearly, I was drafted.
What? No contact at all. No scout came to see me. But they drafted me in the 3rd round just by seeing my finals performance?
"Hoo..."
Whatever, I did it. Now I'm a professional player. Since I was drafted in the 3rd round, the contract money should be decent. Especially the Seoul Dragons, a strong team with lots of money.
Babe! Your apostle is heading to conquer Korea.
***
I didn't expect to be so popular, but since my name was out there, I searched for my name on the internet all day.
The news articles were straightforward. 'Clever move', 'gamble', 'bold challenge' — familiar expressions.
In communities with a certain age group, there seemed to be a lot of concern about me, but they seemed more interested in the situation of teams fighting fiercely for rankings.
But the YouTube comments and the Dragons gallery...
At least, it drew more attention than picking college pitchers instead of high school in 1st and 2nd rounds.
Fans secretly wanted to pick promising high school hitters, but the Dragons is a place that turns home run hitters into one-punchers. Because the Jamsil Stadium they use is a big stadium even in the US...
Then why do the Seoul Buffaloes, who use the same stadium, often develop home run hitters? Just good luck.
***
Before long, I met with the club officials.
Salary: minimum 30 million won, signing bonus: 100 million won
Since I was picked in the 3rd round, the signing bonus wasn't bad.
I hadn't received money in my account yet, but earning money for the first time felt a bit unreal.
The signing bonus would come soon, so I'd leave some and give it to my parents first.
Until I start receiving salary next year, I had to keep the money I use.
I had taken the first step into pro baseball cleanly.
It went so well that it seemed like a blessing.
But since the bad and good things had already passed, I needed to prepare for the next.
The Dragons were in the postseason, but it was unrelated to me, and the important things were the closing camp and spring camp.
The Dragons are a conservative team in managing promising players. It's not easy for a high school drafted starter, especially one picked in the 3rd round, to enter the starting lineup in the first year.
Of course, there's the way to play in the bullpen and slowly move to starter, but it's hard for a championship team to move a well-performing closer to starter. There are too many variables.
From December to January, baseball players are legally not allowed to be active with the team. At least, show your skills at the closing camp before the February spring camp and get called up as an immediate power. Then show properly at spring camp and get a chance in exhibition games.
If I don't get recognized at the closing camp, I'll have no choice but to spend the winter hoping for another stroke of luck.
I burned with motivation. Since I had stamina, I decided to run outside on my rest day.
***
The 2023 Professional Baseball Korean Series will feature the Incheon Dolphins! Will the Dolphins' whirlwind team stop the Marines from aiming for a third consecutive loss in the integrated series? Meet them next week in the Korean Series!
Hearing the caster's call, I put down the tablet PC. Instead, I checked internet reactions on my smartphone.
"Chaos is everywhere."
The regular season standings had the Seoul Dragons in 3rd and Incheon Dolphins in 2nd, but the Dragons' power was clearly stronger.
The center of the Dolphins' whirlwind was the pitching of Chris, the ecosystem destroyer who won 20 wins this season. However, Chris was injured before the fall baseball due to overwork of over 7 innings per game.
Nevertheless, the Dragons maintained their power and swept the Dolphins 0:3 cleanly, who didn't have even 10 wins excluding Chris.
If they claim to dominate professional baseball, they have to build a dynasty for the championship, but with me, can they? This team hasn't gone to the Korean Series since the 21st century. It's like a strangely team that the gods don't allow to win.
It happened, it happened. There are teams in America that have Otani and Trout but can't even hit a .500 winning percentage. That's just how baseball is.
As long as I'm there, just don't let them down and keep the money. The batting line is a one-punch team, but since my name is strong, I believe they'll win well too.
"ding"
A message came on my phone.
Content related to closing camp...
It was quite coincidental on a day when the team was busy. Probably sent separately to guys like me who don't always participate in the first team.
Anyway, the date was set. If given a proper chance to show, it would be good.