Chapter 62

# The Burning House -1

Min Seung-gi was seething with anger.

“It can’t be... It just can’t be...”

He was originally a good pitcher, no, not just good, but an excellent pitcher. However, his performance at the beginning of this season was a clear career low.

Of course, it’s possible that his performance could improve as the season progresses. But that was the current state of affairs.

The reason Min Seung-gi was so angry, despite his recent struggles, was due to an article.

[Oceans, Lee Hoon Awakens, Establishing Top-Ranking Starting Rotation.]

The article itself wasn’t the problem.

Sure, it was a bit unlucky, but he knew what kind of pitcher he was. Even if Oceans had established a top-tier starting rotation, they would have to make room for him if he joined.

Min Seung-gi was trembling, not because of the article, but because of the comments.

- Lee Hoon was amazing today.

- Oceans’ starting rotation is insane.

- Now that the fifth starter is set, we just need to fix the bullpen and outfield.

- If we use the money to sign Min Seung-gi, we could get Lee Dae-hoon and an outfielder.

That couldn’t happen. It was absolutely impossible.

- Why not just sign Min Seung-gi cheaply and use him as a closer?

- F**k, using Min Seung-gi as a closer would be a waste.

- It’s a waste, but he could be a 0.00 ERA closer.

- If Min Seung-gi comes, we’ll have to move someone else to the bullpen. Haha, these guys are so clueless.

There was one comment that seemed to come from someone who knew baseball well, but generally, a single negative comment leaves a stronger impression than multiple positive ones.

A closer, of all things.

“Of course, if I were a closer, I could go a whole year without giving up a single run and always get the save.”

Despite this fantasy, Min Seung-gi sent a message on his smartphone.

- I hope you hit 10 home runs in the next three-game series.

The response was a string of curses.

- Seo Woo-ju (Bulldozers): What the hell are you talking about?

- Seo Woo-ju (Bulldozers): You f**king bastard, you ruined my hitting.

- Seo Woo-ju (Bulldozers): You’re throwing a party in front of a burning house.

Oceans’ next opponent was the Bulldozers.

In his last start against the Bulldozers, Min Seung-gi pitched 8 innings with only 1 run allowed, striking out Seo Woo-ju, the Bulldozers’ star, in all three at-bats.

Min Seung-gi chuckled and flipped his phone over, muttering to himself.

“This guy is just a jerk.”

#

When he returned home from Daejeon, a message arrived in the team’s group chat.

- Coach Kim Jun-young (QC): A new pitching coach will join the team starting tomorrow.

- Coach Kim Jun-young (QC): The news will be out tomorrow, but until then, it’s under embargo.

- Coach Kim Jun-young (QC): The new coach’s name is Ron Berger Kin, and he’s coming from the United States. I hope the pitchers can learn a lot from him.

I didn’t understand why Ron Berger Kin was coming here, but the idea of using Yoo, who had no experience and was still a college student, as a pitching coach was unrealistic.

“Sis.”

“Is our Geon-woo here?”

Yoo smiled cutely and put her finger to her lips. Since she had returned a bit late, she planned to just see him for a moment.

After a brief greeting, he went inside. His parents were waiting for him.

“I’m back.”

“You look tired. Son.”

“Even though you must be tired, go to bed and rest.”

It was a small thing, but it felt touching that Yoo and his parents had waited for him.

I’m glad I stayed in Korea.

Anyway, Ron Berger Kin was coming to Oceans.

Was he still unknown back then?

He was a highly skilled pitching coach. I couldn’t even imagine the butterfly effect he would have.

In fact, I was one of the people who had benefited from his coaching.

He would casually drop a comment here and there, like, “Try bending your index finger a little more when you throw.”

No dramatic changes would occur. The next time he pitched, he might say, “Today, I’ll try extending my middle finger a little more.”

He would make small adjustments with each start, and after a few months, the pitcher wouldn’t even know what had changed.

Of course, there were pitchers for whom this approach didn’t work.

But he was one of the people who had led the Oakland Athletics’ surge.

I don’t know what impact he will have on the Athletics. Without me and without Ron Berger as the pitching coach, it’s hard to say.

But the Athletics’ power back then was impressive. They couldn’t maintain their dominance for long because they had to sell off their star players, including me, due to their small market. But with so many good players, it should still be decent.

That’s not something I need to worry about. When I arrived at the training ground the next day, the new pitching coach, Ron Berger Kin, greeted me with a familiar smile.

“Gang, right? I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Ron Berger Kin, the new pitching coach of this team.”

I knew what he was going to say next. I shook his hand with a smile, feeling a bit relieved.

“Nice to meet you. Do you have a nickname, like Burger King?”

Ron Berger raised his left hand high and exclaimed in surprise.

“Amazing! How did you know I’m Burger King?”

He always introduced himself to the players this way: “I’m Ron Berger Kin, and my nickname is Burger King.”

“Just a guess. I hope we can work well together.”

“Great. I think it will be a fun experience.”

He was good at adding new pitches to a pitcher’s repertoire, but he was especially skilled at improving existing pitches.

I was curious and excited to see how he would enhance Oceans’ pitching staff.

What about the head coach?

#

“Hmm. Can you try lowering your arm a bit?”

Kuk Min-sung nodded without a word at the new pitching coach’s suggestion.

“Without dropping your shoulder, just extend your elbow a little more. It might feel better. Try throwing three more pitches the way I suggested.”

Kuk Min-sung wasn’t the type to argue or ask questions. He followed the new coach’s instructions without hesitation.

To be honest, he didn’t understand what it was all about, but he did as he was told.

He had never seen himself pitch properly, so changing his arm angle seemed strange.

He consciously extended his elbow but didn’t feel a significant difference. The pitching coach, who had introduced himself as Burger King, nodded and said,

“Good. Keep that feeling.”

Kuk Min-sung thought, “What’s good about it?”

But he bowed slightly and said,

“Thank you.”

#

1-2-3 in the three-game series against the Meteors.

At least they won the last game, which was better than coming home with a losing streak.

“Min-seong! You need to pitch a shutout today!”

“Oceans will win!”

It was a Friday game.

The weekend series from Friday to Sunday was a source of excitement for Oceans fans.

In the three-game series against the Bulldozers, Oceans had won 2-1.

“Let’s at least win the series! Everyone, focus!”

Passionate fans can be a source of support, but they can also put pressure on the players.

In that sense, Kuk Min-sung was a good card to start the home series.

He was a pitcher who could focus on his pitching regardless of whether the fans cheered or booed.

Oceans fans are quite simple. When the team was in a three-game losing streak, they said things like, “Finally, they’re finding their place,” or “Koolthons, that’s what I expected.” But after winning one game and returning home, they seemed to have forgotten the losing streak.

“1, 2, 3. Oceans—”

“Fight!”

“Fight!”

Yang Dae-geun was now enjoying the timing of No Gyeong-woo’s cheers. He grabbed No Gyeong-woo’s head and laughed.

“No Gyeong-woo, you.”

“Captain, if you put a little more force, my scalp might come off...”

“It’s fine. With a helmet, no one will notice.”

There was a slight change in today’s lineup.

Coach Hugh Breadman had led the team to success, increasing the fan base, but there were also many Oceans fans who disliked him.

The main criticism was that he hardly used the bench players.

Except for suspensions or players in poor condition, Coach Hugh Breadman’s lineup was almost always the same.

Today’s lineup was the same from 1 to 8, but center fielder Kim Sung-hoon, who had a batting average of 0.178 and an on-base percentage of 0.245, was left out.

The names of backup outfielders Lee Young-jun or Kim Ji-ho were not on the lineup.

Instead, Yoo Jun, who had been called up from the minors, was added.

[Who is Yoo Jun?]

It was a name unfamiliar to the fans.

- I looked him up, and his minor league batting average is 0.250.

- Why is he here?

- His minor league on-base percentage is 0.449.

- Why are you saying this now? You’re a jerk.

- Honestly, anyone would be better than Kim Sung-hoon.

There wasn’t much hope.

- I hope he can at least play good defense.

- Kim Sung-hoon’s defense is decent, isn’t it?

- I’m not sure.

- You’re a baseball noob.

- Kim Sung-hoon at least covers the Wolf Pack well.

- If he does well, it’s fine, but his hitting is a joke.

- Haha, Kim Sung-hoon is a scarecrow.

- Anyway, since it’s like this, why not put Lee Si-wook as the center fielder?

- Is Nooru a viable center fielder?

- Let’s just focus on improving the hitting and let the outfield be a help party. Haha.

In any case, the Bulldozers had climbed to second place.

While there was some confusion at the beginning of the season, the Vikings, Bulldozers, and Pirates, who were considered the top three teams before the season, were now showing their strength.

Baseball fans were now arguing that the only team left was Oceans. Many believed that the losing series against the Meteors marked the end of Oceans’ dominance.

The Bulldozers were leading with their foreign pitcher, Julio Ramirez.

[Ramirez’s fastball is 159 km/h. Is it possible to hit him today?]

- We have God Geon-woo, so no worries.

- Geon-woo, the king, hits better the faster the pitcher throws.

- The problem is whether the other batters can hit him.

- Ramirez is so selfish. Kuk Min-sung throws in the low 130s.

- If he could just share 10 km/h, it would be perfect.

- You communists...

- Are the Koolthons now pushing for the first people’s baseball in Korea?

[Is today the day Kuk Min-sung’s decline ends? I’m scared.]

[The Bulldozers’ hitting is so good lately. Will Kuk Min-sung be a village Min-sung today?]

[Bulldozers: Honestly, even our backups can hit Kuk Min-sung’s junk.]

[Baseball: Don’t worry, we’ll win 100%. I guarantee it.]

- It’s a 100% guarantee.

- Did you rewire your happiness circuit?

- No, I just saw Yoo’s sister at the game. It’s a sure win.

- Gallery master, are you here? Then we’ll win. Haha.

- I’m betting all my money on an Oceans win.

This was an unfamiliar upper-division battle for Oceans fans.

But they knew how important it was to win against top teams.

Many fans believed that even if they lost the first game, the two foreign pitchers in the next two games would bounce back from their recent struggles and perform well.

At least a winning series.

Despite the anxiety, they believed it was possible to achieve even if they lost today’s game.

The tense atmosphere before the game heated up when Kuk Min-sung walked two batters in a row in the first inning.

[This junk pitcher’s decline is really over. Damn.]

[Just don’t watch. He’s a joke.]

[The only solution is to sign Min Seung-gi as a free agent.]

#

When a pitcher walks two batters in a row at the start of the game, he’s usually toast.

But as always, Kuk Min-sung showed no emotional change.

The next batter was Seo Woo-ju, the master of getting on base.

Some people said he could get on base just by standing in the batter’s box without a bat.

If he walked again, it would be bases loaded with no outs. Kuk Min-sung threw the first pitch low and inside.

“Strike!”

Oceans fans didn’t seem to like it, but as a baseball fan, Kuk Min-sung’s pitching was quite interesting.

The next pitch was low and outside.

Crack!

“Foul!”

Did he find his groove?

Or did he figure out the umpire’s tendencies?

Kuk Min-sung, who had put the last year’s on-base champion in a two-strike hole, threw a low changeup and then went back to his usual pitch.

“Strike! Out!”

The batter looked at the umpire, seemingly upset, before heading to the dugout. The umpire seemed to hesitate before raising his hand. It looked like Kuk Min-sung had found his rhythm.

Despite walking two batters for free, he induced a double play from the next batter and ended the inning without giving up a run.

It would be frustrating to pitch well and still get criticized, but Kuk Min-sung didn’t seem to care.

“You’re throwing strikes well today.”

Kuk Min-sung nodded expressionlessly. I remembered what Andy had said about him: he had a face like a mortician who had just returned from hell.

- Yoo’s sister: Just do what you usually do today.

He