Chapter 69

The Worst Kid -3-

#

When things go well, one tends to ignore the worry that there might be a reef somewhere.

Of course, not everyone is like that.

But at this moment, most of the Oceans fans were believing without a doubt.

For example, they were talking about things like this:

[Who would have thought our starting rotation is so damn good?]

They had picked two foreigners really well, and Kim Jeong-yong, despite always being criticized, was a good pitcher. They had discovered a new talent, and Yi Hoon was getting better and better.

[The bullpen is also doing well with Kim Jeong-hyuk and Jo Hyung-oh working hard lately.]

It wasn't entirely satisfactory, but with the starting pitchers eating up a lot of innings and the batters scoring points comfortably, Kim Jeong-hyuk and Jo Hyung-oh were able to show their strength.

[The lineup is really a treat to watch these days.]

Kang Geon-woo is performing at a level above the league MVP. Moreover, free agent Bae Young-han is showing his class, Yang Daegun has leveled up, and Yi Si-wook is finding his groove.

Roh Kyung-woo, standing next to Kang Geon-woo, has been growing rapidly for a few years, and Park Eui-hyun, who had been better than nothing at the catcher position, was recording a batting average in the mid-300s.

Of course, the center field position was still a bit difficult.

Kim Sung-hun was described by Jung Yoo-ri as beyond redemption, and a new face, Yu Jun, showed potential but still had a question mark attached to him.

Still, with Kang Geon-woo leading the offense, which was undoubtedly top-tier, the team was performing at its best.

Some people commented that it might be a bit unstable for a rookie to lead the team's offense, but Kang Geon-woo's performance was enough to silence such concerns.

[Overall, the defense isn't great, but isn't this good enough? The shortstop and catcher are solid, so my blood pressure is down.]

The importance of the center line in defense goes without saying.

No one knows, but with the experienced Kang Geon-woo and Park Eui-hyun, who had never had a chance to show his skills as a backup, the defensive stability had improved dramatically compared to the past few seasons. Most of the other players were at least average, and although the second baseman Roh Kyung-woo was unstable, Kang Geon-woo was carefully controlling the situation.

[Hey, am I the only one who's a bit scared?]

What's scary?

This feels like a dream, man; it's a fucking scary kind of dream.

I feel the same way, hahaha.

Why does it feel so unreal that we're still in first place?

Is this maybe a one-season favor from the KBO to see if the Oceans will disband?

It would be so fucking fun if it were.

But honestly, even if it's a favor, it's fine.

Damn, every time I watch baseball, I always blamed my dad for being born in Busan.

Ah, hahaha.

Why are you laughing?

My dad said that to my grandpa, hahaha.

Do you not do that?

When I did it last year, my grandpa said it was his fault, hahaha.

The curse of the Oceans, passed down through generations, hahaha.

Anyway, the Oceans fans were dreaming.

Dreaming that if the Oceans kept this up, or even if their performance dropped a bit or they fell into a slump in the middle of the season, they would surge back like a ghost at the end of the season and achieve their first regular season championship since the professionalization in 1982.

And, after the 1992 Korean Series, they would win their first Korean Series championship.

[But seriously, I think we're going to win, hahaha. I have a good feeling, hahaha.]

With this dream, the three-game road series against the Irons began.

When Kang Geon-woo hit a two-run homer in the first inning, the Oceans fans started to show their happiness to the world.

[Oh, you scrap metal kids, just put up a losing lineup, hahaha.]

[Is Lee Tae-young still pitching? Hahaha.]

Yeah, you're better than your Hoon.

Don't mess with Hoon.

Let Hoon be, for your own good.

[2028 Championship is the Un*beatable* O*ceans*]

Are you copying the Invincible Angels?

They are the Ancient Angels.

[The kid who writes the best apology letter for all the crap we've given gets second place, hahaha. Get in line, hahaha.]

Apology letters, hahaha.

Considering the harm they've done to baseball, shouldn't the Oceans kids write the most sincere apology letters?

Without us, the KBO wouldn't even exist, hahaha.

Iron*P*ack) Can't self-objectify

[Scrap metal kids) Using the players the Oceans discarded]

Some players who couldn't control their tempers and threw eggs at the team bus were caught, hahaha.

The problem arose in the second inning.

Go Eun-tae, who had been traded to the Irons from the Oceans, hit a single off Yi Hoon's fastball and then tried to steal second base, where he kicked Roh Kyung-woo in the knee.

#

"Ouch!"

Roh Kyung-woo screamed and rolled on the ground. Then Go Eun-tae spat and said,

"Don't act like a baby, you fucking bastard. It was just a slight touch."

Without thinking, I answered for Roh Kyung-woo, who was in pain.

"You scumbag."

"What?"

Go Eun-tae threw his helmet at me. This should count as self-defense.

When he came to grab my collar, I let him. He seemed to be trying to hit me with his right hand. I couldn't let him hit me in front of the camera.

Smack!

"Ugh!"

I hit him in the face with my head. The sound of the hit and Go Eun-tae's scream were heard together. It was a more pleasant sound than a grand slam.

"Hey! Hey!"

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"

"Hey! Kang Geon-woo!"

"Go Eun-tae!"

"Hey, you bastard!"

"What the fuck!"

The boos from the crowd and the shouts of the players from both teams who rushed to second base.

Since the fight had already started,

And from experience, when players swarm like this, it's hard to tell how many hits were landed from the camera.

In the chaos, players blocked between me and Go Eun-tae, but I pushed through and grabbed Go Eun-tae's hair, who was bleeding from both nostrils.

"Ah, fuck!"

One more to the nose.

"Ah!"

Another one. A few more.

Someone grabbed me from behind, but I didn't stop.

"Ah!"

I couldn't get a good angle for a full-power hit, but a few quick hits made Go Eun-tae lose his senses.

With so many players surrounding us, the Irons players didn't seem to realize that Go Eun-tae was taking more hits from me.

"Take a few more, you scumbag."

I twisted his nose, and he screamed horribly. With a broken nose, a few more hits wouldn't make much difference.

I had wanted to hit him a few times since spring training. This guy deserves it. No, he needs it.

Kicking with the foot to the knee?

Smack!

"Ah, ah, aaaaaah!"

At least Roh Kyung-woo didn't seem to be seriously injured. But it could have been a serious action.

There's an unwritten rule in baseball. Even if you fight, you shouldn't use a bat or your feet.

If you try to kick someone when you're not even fighting, you're a goner.

I hit him a few times on the face. Go Eun-tae was lying on the ground, flailing his arms, and I didn't get hit at all.

Actually, at this point, any Irons player should have come to pull me away.

When I glanced up, the two big guys from the Oceans were blocking me from the others.

The camera and the Irons players.

"Fuck you, son of a bitch!"

Wolf Pack and Daekin.

How reassuring.

#

Go Eun-tae was a player who had been loved by Oceans fans.

He was a second baseman who was supported more by older fans than younger ones, being a so-called purebred.

Despite issues with his personal life and bad rumors, he still had the support of fans. When the new manager sent him to the minors and didn't use him, or when the general manager traded him to the Irons, many fans criticized them.

"That, that, Go Eun-tae! That ungrateful bastard!"

Jung Jong-seok, Jung Yoo-ri's father, was so excited that everything in his mouth flew out while watching the game.

The tackle on Roh Kyung-woo clearly looked intentional, and he had tried to hit Kang Geon-woo.

Of course, he was beaten up one-sidedly afterward.

While Yoo-ri's family was all angry and excited, surprisingly, Yoo-ri looked quite calm.

"What, who was he trying to hit?"

While Oh So-hee was shouting in excitement, Yoo-ri was tapping her fingers on the table, thinking.

'At least five games.'

"Wow, sis. Did he faint? Did you see Kang Geon-woo headbutt him?"

Jung Hyun-soo was also surprised. The Kang Geon-woo he had seen so far was often a bit rough with his words but never hit anyone.

Yoo-ri replied,

"It's fine."

"What? It's fine?"

"He didn't get hit, so it's fine."

Actually, she was surprised. How could she not be surprised that Geon-woo got involved in such a situation?

But since he didn't get hit, she thought it was fine. If he had been hit, she might have fainted, but it was Go Eun-tae who fainted.

The situation was sorted out, and Go Eun-tae and Kang Geon-woo were ejected. Roh Kyung-woo was replaced for his protection, and the Irons manager, who protested against the ejection of Yang Daegun and Wolf Pack, was also ejected.

"Is Geon-woo not hurt?"

"Yeah, he looks fine."

"Our son-in-law is reliable."

Despite her mother's worried comment, Yoo-ri didn't pay much attention and said,

"When Kim Se-wan goes to shortstop, who will play second base?"

-The Oceans have put Kim Se-wan at shortstop, and placed Hwang Seok-gyu at second base and Yi Si-wook at third base! Yu Jun is entering the left field!

Indeed.

The thin depth of the Oceans was also the main argument of the decline theorists, who claimed that the team couldn't maintain this performance as the season progressed.

"Can Roh play third base?"

"Possible, but..."

"But?"

"If Geon-woo plays shortstop, his wide defensive range can cover, but with Kim Se-wan, there will be a gap."

"What about Hwang Seok-gyu at second base?"

"He was a second baseman when he debuted, so..."

Her expression and tone were calm, but Yoo-ri was unconsciously shaking her fingers while sending a message.

-Geon-woo, ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-Are you okay? ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

She felt like she might cry just from sending the message.

When the game situation calmed down, the baseball player Kang Geon-woo on TV felt more like the boyfriend from upstairs.

When a message from Geon-woo arrived, Yoo-ri suddenly felt tears welling up and ran to the bathroom.

-I was worried. Sorry ㅠ.ㅠ I'll call you in a bit!

#

"Gang, I can't say that what you did was right, but fuck, you did the right thing. I know that guy was a piece of shit who aimed for a no."

The manager spoke plainly and also told me not to worry. The suspension might feel long, but he advised me to rest during this time.

"I wanted to give you a break, but I couldn't take you out. I'll take care of the other matters."

How he would take care of it, I found out later.

-That player, no, that piece of shit, should not just be sent to the minors but should be permanently banned from baseball.

In front of the reporters, Hugh Breadman was raging.

I explained in detail what Go Eun-tae did and said, and the manager exposed it to the media without holding back.

-Using spikes to break a teammate's leg is almost a crime. Violence on the field? It can happen. But using your feet is an old taboo. He doesn't seem to know what he did. Trying to end the career of an 18-year-old player and telling him not to act