Chapter 9

The天才投手 hid a 170km fastball - Chapter 8 (9/412)

#8. Garbage should be swept away in one go

During the off-season when there are no games, the attention of baseball fans naturally shifts to new players or coaching staff changes.

Who is negotiating with which team, which coaching staff is moving to another team, and so on.

Anticipating the arrival of new talent and getting excited about it is one of the greatest pleasures for baseball fans.

"Isn't it too quiet for the start of the hot stove league?"

"Indeed, there was a lot of noise about changing the general manager and the manager."

"There's been no news about the FA trio trades either."

"Maybe no team wants to take them."

"We need to quickly sort out the top management to sign free agents and make trades."

"Is there no talk about the coaching staff?"

"Yeah, it might be harder to touch there. They are deeply rooted."

"To be honest, I'm more scared of the coaches than the general manager or the manager. I'm afraid they might ruin Han Suhyuk if they mess with him."

"Since the pitcher said he won't do it this year, we should replace the hitting coach first. Otherwise, we might end up with Han Suhyuk pushing the bat short and hitting."

"Hey; damn, don't say such scary things just by thinking about it. Who talks about pushing the bat short these days?"

"I'm not joking. Our team's hitting coach is still playing baseball in the 90s."

"Ha..."

The particularly noisy 2026 season had come to an end.

The Incheon Rangers, who were strong contenders for the championship from the start of the season, easily defeated the Seoul Magicians with a 4-0 sweep, becoming the Korean Series winners.

The sinking of the Magicians, who had challenged for the championship for the first time in 32 years since 1994.

Warriors fans, who had been rejoicing over the misfortune of their rival team, were now complaining about the unusually quiet hot stove league.

With the parent company changing, a purge was inevitable, but the question was how far it would go.

Most fans and experts predicted that the Warriors' organizational restructuring would be minor, thinking it would be difficult to touch an organization that had been stagnant for 45 years.

However, on the first Monday of November, something no one had expected happened.

<Seoul Warriors Appoint Korean Baseball Legend Park Jaecheol as New General Manager>

<Major League Pitcher with 140 Career Wins, Park Jaecheol, Why to Seoul Team GM?>

<Daejeon Falcons Stunned by Park Jaecheol's Manager Offer>

<Warriors' New GM Park Jaecheol: "Warriors' Goal is to Win the Championship">

"Damn, what is this... Is it real?"

"Surprisingly, it's true."

"Park Jaecheol... Why is he here?"

"I think it's okay? His name alone is top-notch."

"Is a GM just for the name? No, what can a person with no connection to Seoul do? He'll be crushed by the factions and won't be able to do anything."

"That's true, but Park Jaecheol is someone who can't be easily touched."

"He might not be able to touch the old-timers of the Warriors, but that's the problem."

"Anyway, isn't he better than the current GM?"

"Well..."

Opinions among fans and experts about the appointment of Park Jaecheol as GM were split right down the middle.

Reactions ranged from "It's fresh, the best by name alone" to "What can he do in a team with no connection?"

"Hey, GM Jung Min-sik was crying. A man over 60."

"Crying...?"

"He was so disappointed and wronged, saying this year was the perfect time to win the championship, but he couldn't leave like this. He was holding onto the desk and crying. We barely comforted him and sent him home."

"Hmm."

He's a remarkable person. Is he perceptive or not?

But what's even more interesting is that the dismissed GM Jung Min-sik became the GM of the rival Magicians just four days later.

He moved to our biggest rival team.

Since they share the same Jamsil Baseball Stadium, he said he met Seong-hoon's brother in the hallway this morning and greeted him with a big smile and no ill will.

Anyway, what's important now is not the person who left the team but the new GM of the team, Park Jaecheol.

The hot stove league has just started, but Seong-hoon's brother looks five years older already.

"Why, is something not going well again?"

"...There's too much to say."

"Ah..."

"He came to work for the first time yesterday, spent two hours in the CEO's office with me, then another three hours with the team leaders, a total of five hours, just talking."

"Wow..."

"Anyway, as you said, he's overflowing with passion. He seems to have forgotten that we've been at the bottom for years, saying our goal for next year is to win the championship, and he'll definitely make it happen."

"Hmm."

Being full of enthusiasm is a good thing.

The Warriors needed a more combative and proactive GM, and Park Jaecheol was indeed the right person.

Still, this brother must be going through a lot. I should listen to him more.

"Should I order another bowl of fish cake soup?"

"Hey, I'm drinking alone, what kind of side dish... No, okay, let's order one more. We'll eat it all, including breakfast tomorrow."

What was supposed to be a short dinner is dragging on.

I can only eat chicken breast, cucumber, and carrot to satisfy my hunger, as I can't eat anything outside the diet plan Jacob made for me.

"You're a tough guy... Were you always this tough? Can you eat this with chicken skewers and fish cake soup in front of you?"

"Well, it's just okay."

"Really? Let me see... What, this is completely skinless? No seasoning at all?"

"Seasoned chicken isn't chicken breast."

"...Okay, you eat it all. Win the Rookie of the Year and MVP this year."

I don't know how others see it, but for me, it's just a long-standing habit since my Major League days.

After realizing that thorough self-management was necessary to overcome the barriers of race, I completely gave up on the desire for delicious meals.

Food is just a means to provide energy for baseball, nothing more.

Perhaps I've forgotten the joy of eating itself.

So, I chewed on the tasteless chicken breast while listening to my brother's complaints.

It seems he had a lot on his mind.

It must be tough. Running a professional baseball team at just over 25 years old.

This is how we grow, bit by bit.

Seong-hoon's brother and I, both.

* * *

"What? GM Park, what did you say..."

"This team is rotten."

"No, calm down first..."

"Is it reasonable for a team that finished last for two consecutive years to have three factions? No, that's why they finished last. Anyway, we need to completely overhaul it."

Just a week after taking office as GM.

Park Jaecheol, who had finished a rough assessment of the front office staff, coaching staff, and players, came to the CEO's office with a flushed face.

Park Seong-hoon frowned at the sight of the new GM.

He's right.

After 45 years under a single company, the Warriors' internal structure was a polluted ant nest.

Groups formed by school and regional ties were scattered throughout, interconnected for survival, and now needed to be dealt with.

But this man, who has been sincere in everything since his Major League days, even in idle chatter, was ready to put his life on the line for this.

"I will completely overhaul it!"

"Your enthusiasm is good, but... it might be too much from the start."

"No, this is something that must be done. The team I want to build is not like this."

Park Seong-hoon almost said, "Why not buy a team and be the owner if you're that determined?" but held back.

Whatever, it's fine. This is what he hoped for.

It might be more aggressive than expected.

"First, the manager, hitting coach, pitching coach, battery coach, quality coach, and all the second-team coaching staff need to be replaced!"

"Wait... then who will play baseball?"

"I'll do it all myself. I'll be better than the current people, right?"

Park Seong-hoon nodded, thinking it might be true, but it's not feasible. This isn't a neighborhood baseball team.

Park Jaecheol also seemed to realize it was unrealistic and quietly looked out the window.

Then, he opened his mouth as if making a decision.

"First, the manager needs to be replaced, Mr. CEO."

"The manager?"

"Yes, the importance of the manager in professional baseball is self-evident. Oh, did I mention this before? When I first went to the U.S... "

"Stop!"

"Sorry, but if you hear this story first, you'll understand better."

Thinking that he might have to replace the GM again if he heard the story, Park Seong-hoon urged him to continue.

"Anyway, the manager must be replaced. The restructuring must start there."

"Please continue."

"Many good players have joined the team this year. Han Suhyuk, of course, and there are a few others who can become immediate assets with proper coaching."

"That's fortunate."

"Therefore, to prepare for the season properly, we need to get rid of the current puppet manager and overhaul the entire coaching staff."

"Is that... realistically possible?"

"It is."

"Who is your preferred candidate for the manager?"

"First, we need someone from the Warriors who can distance themselves from the existing members."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, think about it. Neither I nor the CEO have any connection to the Warriors."

"That's true."

"So, the new manager needs to have the legitimacy we lack."

"Principally, that makes sense."

Park Seong-hoon nodded unconsciously and leaned back in his chair.

A young CEO in his mid-20s and a Major League veteran GM with no connection to the team.

The new manager needed legitimacy and strength to mediate between the front office and the players.

He also couldn't be someone who could become part of the existing corrupt factions.

"But is there such a person? Someone with influence in the Warriors and can distance themselves from the existing factions..."

"There is."

"Who...?"

"To explain, I need to go back to when I first studied Korean baseball..."

"GM Park, please..."

"Hmm, okay. Unfortunately, I'll save the detailed story for later, but the manager I have in mind is only one person."

Park Seong-hoon listened carefully, relieved that Park Jaecheol was willing to cut to the chase today.

"Lee Dae-jun, he's a commentator now. We need him, Mr. CEO."

Park Seong-hoon's face stiffened at the new GM's confident voice.

Lee Dae-jun, a legend who won the Rookie of the Year in his first year and played for the Warriors for 15 years.

During his prime, he was consistently evaluated as capable of hitting .300 with 30 home runs and 100 RBIs each year, a legendary player who guarded the Warriors' first base for over a decade and received absolute support from fans.

Clearly, he was a person with no flaws in terms of skill and reputation, or rather, someone with no comparable peers.

The problem wasn't that.

"Mr. GM, do you know how Lee Dae-jun left the Warriors?"

"Of course. He was involved in political battles, standing alone and clean, and eventually retired."

"And you know he fell out with all the players, coaching staff, and front office during that process?"

"Of course."

"And because of that, he didn't even receive a coaching offer after retirement?"

"That's insane. In the Major League where I played..."

"Wait, let's focus on the current issue. Bringing in such a person would be declaring war on everyone remaining in the Warriors, right?"

"What does it matter? We're going to overhaul everything anyway."

"Really?"

"I told you, Mr. CEO. I plan to sweep away all the garbage clinging to this team in one go, without giving them a breath."

Park Jaecheol, who once dominated the Major League mound, looked at the CEO with fiery eyes.

'What kind of eyes are those...'

Seeing the madness in his eyes, Park Seong-hoon involuntarily flinched and took a step back.

A foreboding sense of something big about to happen pierced through his body.

'Suhyuk... I wonder if we've opened a seal that shouldn't have been opened...'

* * *