Chapter 70

The most despicable kid -4-

#

[Is it really not over the line to break someone's nose after selling Go Euntae and bringing in Park Yihyun?]

└If that's the case, are you saying that the manager instructed Kang Geonwoo to beat up Go Euntae if he tried to break No Kyungwoo's leg?

└No, apart from that, is it right for that green kid to beat up a senior who was once on the same team?

└Since Go Euntae tried to break No Kyungwoo's leg, even if he gets beaten up badly, it's not a crime.

└But did No Kyungwoo's leg actually break? └

└It was Go Euntae who tried to throw the first punch. He tried to hit first but got beaten up because he couldn't fight.

└Is there anyone who didn't see Kang Geonwoo throw a high kick at No Kyungwoo's face?

└He even grabbed the collar first and got beaten up.

└Apart from the senior-junior relationship, can you really defend such a severe beating?

└I'm selling popcorn.

└Fire) In my opinion, the Angels were in the wrong.

└Kang Geonwoo, you play baseball well, but you treat seniors like trash.

└Angels) You're right, the Angels were in the wrong.

└Angels, if you know you're wrong, you should disband.

└Angels) I'm not an Angels fan, I'm an Engine fan.

└Engines, you should change your team name, it's confusing.

└Shit, but if what Pukdong says is true, didn't you know Go Euntae was a scumbag and sell him to the Irons?

└BS? Who doesn't know Go Euntae is a thug?

└Oh, it's so disgusting. What kind of senior-junior relationship is this? If you did something wrong, you should get beaten up.

└Dae-seo, where are you dissing from?

└Joke, not funny at all.

└Shitty bastards, are you really that proud of beating up a senior?

└Our Geonwoo can do anything, he's so good at everything. Haha.

└At this point, isn't it time to reassess Yang Daegun?

└LOL, Kang Geonwoo slapped a Vikings pitcher to prevent him from getting killed. Haha.

└Ironers, save our battle!

└Kang Geonwoo should be permanently banned.

└Isn't this grounds for a criminal lawsuit? Can't he be punished for assault?

└You're an idiot. Are you saying we should have a lawsuit party every time a fight breaks out on the bench?

└I'm saying it's too much, you idiot.

└What's your standard? If No Kyungwoo was kicked in the leg, can the Irons sue Go Euntae?

└To be honest, I didn't like Go Euntae. He ignored the fans and ruined the team chemistry. But every time he fights the Irons, a second baseman disappears, so I can't shake the suspicion.

└I'm an Irons fan, but I have no complaints. From what I heard, Go Euntae deserved it.

└But no Irons player tried to save him actively. Haha, I can guess what Go Euntae's usual behavior was like.

└I'm so frustrated. Whether he did something wrong or not, the point is that he was beaten up too severely.

└If Jeong Jonghun had hit Yi Siwook, you would have gone crazy.

└How can Jeong Jonghun hit a deer? There's a huge size difference. Haha.

└That's not the point.

└Hit first, talk later.

└Even if an Irons rookie breaks Yang Daegun's nose, I won't say anything.

└;;;;; How can you hit Yang Daegun?

└Come on, come on.

#

The day after the intense game between the two teams.

The Irons strongly argued that the maximum suspension of 10 games should be given according to the rules, while the Oceans strongly opposed it.

"First, the opposing player forgot the spirit of teamwork, intentionally threw a helmet at the face, grabbed the collar first, and started the verbal abuse. Of course, our rookie player got excited, but if the Irons' claim for punishment is accepted, the Oceans will appeal."

If an appeal is filed, Kang Geonwoo will be able to play in today's game before the appeal review and the punishment decision are made.

In other words, it meant this:

"Stop talking nonsense. Do you want to see another player get destroyed by Kang Geonwoo today?"

In fact, the Oceans' manager argued for a suspension at the beginning of the season, similar to the one given to Yang Daegun, because the violence was a bit excessive.

Moreover, he had no intention of playing the player who had gone through such an incident the day before, so Kang Geonwoo, who secretly returned home, was enjoying a walk in a quiet place with Jung Yurie.

"You'll get a lot of hate."

"It's okay."

"Aren't you scared?"

When her boyfriend joined the Oceans, Jung Yurie was worried that he would receive a lot of hate from Oceans fans. She never imagined he would do this well. Honestly, she didn't even expect him to debut in the first team in his first year.

She was happy when she heard he would participate in the first-team spring training, but after Jung Gihyun was suspended for drunk driving, she thought they might have to give up on the season.

She never imagined he would do so well in his first season. She thought the second baseman, being a rookie, would only be fighting for the 9th place.

But now, she doesn't worry about that. Of course, Oceans fans can change their minds at any time, but she confirmed that Kang Geonwoo's skills were good enough to shine, not just survive, in the first team.

However, criticism from fans of other teams is pouring in. This is a bit different. While he has received hate from other teams' fans before, this level of criticism is new.

Kang Geonwoo answered as if it didn't matter.

"As long as you don't hate me, it's fine."

He had experienced this before.

This was from his Major League days. No matter how good Kang Geonwoo was, he could have off days.

Even in KBO games, he sometimes went hitless, so what must it have been like in the Major Leagues?

However, netizens, even those who didn't originally support his team, would fiercely criticize him if he was pulled early in a game or made an out in a crucial moment.

Even though it was a team he had no connection with, and now he plays for the Oceans in the KBO.

The Oceans are a popular team, but they also have many anti-fans. He had expected this to some extent when he decided to play for them.

"Why would I hate you..."

Kang Geonwoo smiled slightly at the slightly dejected Jung Yurie. He thought that was enough.

"As long as you're there, it's fine."

Jung Yurie barely held back a smile that was trying to escape from between her lips and replied.

"Whatever. But how long do you think the suspension will be?"

"I don't mind if it's long."

"What if you get a 10-game suspension and the team loses 10 in a row?"

"Even if we lose 10 in a row, our winning percentage will still be over .500."

"That's true."

"Still, I doubt they'll lose all the games without me."

"Geonwoo."

"Yes?"

"How can you not know the Oceans so well, even though you're an Oceans player...?"

#

[Bench-clearing violence incident: Kang Geonwoo, 6-game suspension. Go Euntae, 4-game suspension. Both teams decide not to appeal.]

└Are you kidding? 6 games???

└Why not a permanent ban???

└4 games for Go Euntae? BS, it's a 5-week injury, he can't play anyway, why give a suspension?

└What 6 games? Shit, 1 game would be enough.

└Give us our Geonwoo back, you bastards.

└Give us our Euntae back, you bastards;;;;

└The maximum suspension is 10 games, 6 games? Haha, KBO is really bad.

└Well, then, will our shortstop Seowan play?

└No Kyungwoo can't play today either, shit.

#

"Geonwoo."

"Yes, Father."

"Was there anything else?"

In fact, his parents were more worried than Yurie. Since the senior-junior hierarchy still exists in Korean baseball, they were concerned he might suffer some disadvantage.

"Yes, ...it's fine. I thought I would get a full 10-game suspension, but it seems the manager did a good job protecting me."

"Okay. Still, don't beat people up so badly next time."

"Yes."

"What are you talking about? From what I heard, he deserved it."

It might have been a bit excessive, and the online debate is still ongoing, but what's done is done.

At least, it's fortunate that Go Euntae's reputation in the baseball world is so bad. The Oceans have covered up a lot of his incidents.

Anyway, today, he planned to have dinner and watch baseball with his parents at home for the first time in a while.

-Casey: Hey, I'm off today.

-Casey: You really beat people up well.

-Casey: I could have beaten him up too, damn.

If you're grateful for the revenge, you should say so.

He has a minor bruise but will start on the bench today. The starting shortstop is senior Kim Seowan, and the second baseman is Nam Seunghyun, who was called up from the minors.

The starting pitcher is Gukmin-seong.

I'm a bit worried.

I think the team's win or loss is beyond my control. We could win even without me and No Kyungwoo, and we could lose even if both of us play.

I'm just worried that Gukmin-seong might get shaken up. Well, he can probably keep doing what he does even if he gets hit a lot.

The new head coach, Coach Seo Byung-ju, who was in charge of the minors, has been appointed. I don't know him well, but he's probably better than Bae Yuhong.

The game started. In the first inning, they scored 3 points.

Yang Daegun's timely hit followed by Wolfpack's two-run homer.

Wolfpack's batting is on fire. He has hit 3 home runs in 2 games, following yesterday's performance.

"Can we win even without Geonwoo?"

I don't know if they hope we win or lose. Of course, as Oceans fans, they want the team to win, but they seem a bit ambivalent about the fact that I'm not playing.

However, the problem started in the bottom of the first inning.

-Oh, Kim Seowan! He missed an easy ball!

Gukmin-seong's expression on the screen didn't change.

But as a pitcher, it's impossible not to be shaken by such a ridiculous error.

Especially Gukmin-seong, who tends to give up walks in the first 1-2 innings to check the umpire's strike calls.

-Leading off with an error, followed by consecutive walks! Oceans in a bases-loaded, no-out jam!

I started to understand the feelings of baseball fans who curse during games.

Without game sense, confidence, and the mental strength to handle the pressure from yesterday's heated atmosphere, today's key players couldn't handle it.

Kim Seowan might do better if he's traded to another team. But not today.

I don't know the full potential of Nam Seunghyun, but I don't think today's performance is the end of it.

In the end, Gukmin-seong's impressive pitching since his debut seemed like a lie.

3.1 innings, 4 hits, 4 walks, 7 runs, 4 earned runs.

Considering the many unrecorded errors, it's important to note.

As a pitcher who relies heavily on defense, it might be unavoidable. It was also critical that Kim Seowan, whose face turned pale, missed a tag on a stealing runner.

The top of the lineup, as if determined not to lose, scored points.

The Oceans' top hitters scored 5 points against the Irons' foreign pitcher by the 5th inning.

However, the 7th to 9th batters in the starting lineup failed to get on base even once.

The result was a 13-7 loss.

-Casey: Hey, the atmosphere is really intense.

After the game, No Kyungwoo reported that the atmosphere was like that.

No Kyungwoo didn't play as a pinch hitter or defensive substitute. The manager said he would give No Kyungwoo, who had almost played full-time until now, a rest, but it seemed like a bit of consideration for him as one of the parties involved in yesterday's incident.

-Yurie: Geonwoo

-Yurie: I told you...

It seems to be largely due to a lack of confidence...

Still, I doubt it.

Would they really lose the next five games in a row?

But they lost the next day too.

#

[Oceans, after winning the first game of the 3-game series against the Irons, suffer 2 consecutive losses!]

[Busan Oceans 3 : 10 Gwangju Irons.]

[Oceans' starting pitcher Andy Garfield, 5 innings, 5 runs (3 earned) loss.]

[Is Busan Oceans' house of cards dependent on a rookie shortstop?]

[Oceans' error party. Starting pitcher's mental breakdown.]

[(PHOTO) Andy Garfield vents his anger after being pulled.]

[2-game losing streak Oceans, give up 1st place to the Bulldogs, who swept the Thunderbirds.]

[(Yong Gi-ryul's Baseball Circuit) Oceans need to solve their backup infielder problem.]

#

With a break, I focused on my pitching form with Yurie.

"Geonwoo..."

"Yes?"

"What about our bullpen..."

Yurie looked worried.

In the previous two games, the starting pitchers collapsed relatively early, and the bullpen pitchers also gave up runs one after another, causing chaos. Even Kim Jeonghyeok, who had been performing well as the bullpen ace, gave up 2 runs in 0.2 innings.

If no one suddenly steps up from the minors, the atmosphere could get even worse.

Although it hasn't been announced yet, I heard that senior Kim Seowan will skip his next start due to shoulder inflammation.

Considering that Kirk Simpson's two-seam fastball also relies heavily on defense, there are many variables.

Regardless of my preparation, the coaching staff's judgment is also necessary. The decision to use me as a pitcher is up to the manager and the pitching coach.

In fact, there are some ambiguous aspects.

To be honest, senior Kim Seowan's shortstop defense was quite terrible. No matter how good I am, I can't strike out every batter.

Anyway, I've been training my pitching form intensively, even though I haven't done it much recently.

Focusing on control over speed to reduce the risk of injury, I've been practicing a four-seam fastball and a changeup.

[Without Geonwoo, baseball is so boring, really.]

└Wow, I didn't expect it to be this bad.

└If other teams' kids start trouble, I'll risk my life to stop them.

└Geonwoo check-in starts.

└GOGO

└GOGO

└GOGO

└Will Geonwoo be shaken by this incident?

└Don't worry, he's not the type to be shaken, seeing how he beat up Go Euntae.

└LOL

└If he was easily shaken, he wouldn't have beaten him up so badly. Haha.

└I hope Geonwoo comes back soon.

└Still, 4 games are left, BS.

└But out of the remaining 4 games, we'll win at least half, right?

└With shortstop Kim Seowan, we can't win even the games we should.

└Can't Jung Gihyun's suspension be lifted?

└Shit, how long has it been since he was suspended for drunk driving?

└Jung Gihyun is close friends with Go Euntae, he might ruin the team atmosphere.

└Let's use him for 4 games and suspend him again.

└;;;

While fans of other teams are still criticizing me, it seems that the support from Oceans fans is becoming even stronger.

Yurie seemed satisfied with this.

"30 million Oceans fans are cheering for you, Geonwoo."

30 million.

Maybe Oceans fans have this kind of exaggeration as a passive skill?