Became the Problem Child of MLB - Chapter 217



Only Noblemtl
Read Novel Noblemtl

Episode 217: Not World Class (3)

If there is one thing that fans and players who visit the stadium desperately want, it is, of course, the team’s victory. However, when looking back at a season, the general team winning percentage is in the 50% range. This means that most baseball fans are happy about half of the season and leave the stadium frustrated the other half.

That’s why baseball fans are always thirsty for victory. Just like the players, they are sensitive to jinxes, and even people who don’t believe in the existence of God seek God.

Taak-!

The same goes for Cubs fans, who have an astonishing 74.14% winning percentage.

– Victor Arouswell’s ball goes out of the infield! Cubs score as Jay scores. The Cubs’ heart of the lineup combines for another run!

-Haha, what are the crowds shouting? One thing is for sure, the fans love them. And they love them a lot.

“Good job, son!”

“It’s great, it’s very great!”

“Good boy!”

Han Jae-yi waved his hands to his favorite fans with a trembling expression as he stepped onto the home stage. He might be Victor’s successor, but isn’t his son a bit like that? No matter where you look, there’s no resemblance. He thought to himself.

“Yes, yes, call me whatever you want…….”

But whatever it was, I thought it was good because the fans were happy. If I had known that the fans would come looking for that ‘son’ in the next game, and the game after that, I wouldn’t have done it.

Taaah!

In the following game, in which Victor Aroswell’s RBI sealed the victory in Game 1, a similar situation occurred in the bottom of the fifth inning of Game 2. Victor called home Han Je-yi, who had hit a double.

“That’s it! That’s it!”

“No one but a father cares for his children.”

“Captain! You just have to come in now!”

It was a bit of a strange sight. Everyone from old men to children were shouting at Victor Arouswell as if they were throwing a tantrum, and they enjoyed seeing Hanjei looking around the stands with a bewildered expression.

[Final score 5 to 2. Cubs win series against AL West powerhouse Athletics. 106th win of the season!]

[Winning pitcher Cubs Johnny Garlick (6 innings, 1 run), Losing pitcher Athletics Cobb Pierce (5 innings, 3 runs)]

[Fantastic father-son chemistry, the victory created by the Cubs’ central batting lineup.]

└Am I the only one who doesn’t know? Where on earth do these two look similar?

└Bro, don’t try to understand it with your head, just accept it with your heart.

└What? What does that mean?

└It means that you shouldn’t be concerned about every single one of the fans’ pointless pranks.

In the third game that followed, a similar situation as the previous two games occurred, but this time the runs that Cubs fans had hoped for did not come.

Exactly!

“ah…….”

“shit.”

“Oh, like that.”

There were sighs from all sides as Victor Arouswell’s hit was caught by the infielder. Hanjei took off his baserunning gloves and came into the dugout, and Victor Arouswell, who was running to first base after hitting, stopped in the middle and walked across the field. A runner was left on second base, and the inning ended.

“This is clear elder abuse. If I report it, everyone could be in danger.”

“Where on earth do you see that Victor is an old man?”

“My joints, overworked for 20 years, are telling me so. And most importantly, I’ve never had a son like you.”

“I’ll give you that exact same answer.”

“You idiot, this all happened because you couldn’t hit a home run.”

“Yeah, it’s my fault. I should have hit about 162 home runs in one season.”

“It’s good to know.”

“Then Victor, go talk to the opposing team’s pitcher. They’re all busy avoiding him.”

“I’m busy too.”

“…That’s not what I’m saying now.”

Game 3 ended with a victory for the Athletics. While the Athletics players breathed a sigh of relief at having escaped the threat of being swept, this conversation was going on in the Cubs dugout.

“Yandy is glaring at you. She seems quite resentful.”

“You’re probably looking at Victor, not me.”

“No. Yandy is also a person with a case.”

“Haha, that was a joke. If you were trying to make me laugh, then you succeeded.”

‘That damn bastard.’

‘A terrible gentleman.’

They were thinking similar thoughts, even though they didn’t say them out loud. The players who were watching them slowly started to distance themselves. Just listening to their conversation was exhausting.

However, the two men, who had been bickering the whole time without paying any attention, only smiled and pretended to be on good terms when reporters approached them and asked questions.

“…I will believe it even if Victor says he is the child of my heart.”

“What’s the difference? It’s exactly the same.”

“Well, Sejai, just think about that to yourself.”

“Yeah. That soulmate might be bothering you.”

“Eek.”

Sejai took a deep breath as his eyes met with Han Jei’s during the interview.

* * *

The Cubs played six games at home against the Pirates and Nationals. The result was four wins and two losses. Manager Sean Tillaherty complained to reporters ahead of the last road game of the season.

“It’s not easy to go from playing interleague games with the Rays and Red Sox in the East to going west to play the Giants. Even though major league teams are used to tough schedules, it’s tough to go from one end of the continent to the other. We have the last game of the season at home. I just hope our players don’t get tired.”

“Coach, please give us a word about your determination for the rest of the season!”

Director Sean Tillaherty scratched his brow in response to the reporter’s comment.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * Baca Novel Korean * *
* * * Noblemtl dot com * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Ready? The Cubs have already set a great record. It shouldn’t be like that, but even if our team loses the remaining games without a single win, I’m ready to applaud the players.”

“But isn’t that what the fans want?”

“Is that so? But I guess there’s nothing I can do about it.”

The director shrugged and took a moment to choose his words.

“If the fans criticize me, I will accept it. However, as a manager leading a team, that is my honest feeling. I can no longer burden the players who have worked hard for a year.”

With about two weeks left until the end of the season, Cubs fans were divided in their opinions after hearing manager Sean Tillaherty’s candid interview.

└Hmm. It can’t be helped. I understand why the director says that.

└Do you understand? Are you a pastor by any chance? Or a priest?

└I agree. It was the worst interview ever, without even a single grain of passion.

└Well, the team situation may not be that good. The manager will know the team’s situation better than an individual fan.

└I think so too. There must be a reason why Tillaherty said that.

└It’s good to be brave, but more important than that is honesty. I think I know what message the director is trying to convey to the fans.

└What is that?

└I’m asking you to give strength to the players. I’ll cheer for our team to finish the season well. That’s the role of a fan.

└Dude, that’s a good point.

“Director, you’re not serious, are you?”

When one coach asked a question during a pre-game coaching staff meeting, the manager responded dryly.

“what?”

“He said that he would applaud even if the team doesn’t win a single game from now on.”

“I will applaud you.”

Sean Tillaherty wasn’t lying to the press, but he wasn’t telling the truth either.

“There are plenty of people who would curse at you anyway, even if it weren’t for me. Hmm. Is it really necessary to curse at me too?”

It’s a kind of showmanship. Sean Tillaherty is not the type to change the game with a magical strategy. If anything, he’s the type to give autonomy to his players.

Although he doesn’t have much influence as a coach during the game, he helps the players in both material and spiritual ways outside of the game. This interview was no exception.

“yes?”

“If I hadn’t cut it off there, we would have even talked about the team’s most wins. It’s not like you’ve only met reporters once or twice, right?”

The Cubs’ franchise record for most wins was 116 in 1906, which was not only the most wins by a franchise but also the most in major league history.

And the Cubs’ current season record is 110 wins and 39 losses. They would tie the record with six wins in the remaining 13 games, and break it with seven wins.

‘It sounds nice to say 7 wins. That means we have to win more than half of the remaining games.’

The end of the season is a difficult time for a team with a winning percentage of over .700. Manager Sean Tillaherty wants fans to prepare for a longer distance together rather than focusing on the team’s winningest game.

“Okay. Let’s start by organizing the pitching tank.”

“I think Games 1 and 2 of the Division Series could go to Yandy and Wheaton. The other spot is a concern.”

“Is it because of the garlic?”

“Yes. I think the coach can choose the player in good condition between Garlic and Mikey.”

“Hmm, okay. I’ll be managing the bullpen a lot more relaxed than I am now, so keep that in mind.”

“yes.”

“Remind the pitchers and the batters again that the postseason roster will be filled with the best players at that time.”

After that, a briefing on the beast group followed.

Things like Jose Flores’ training regimen, which is much lighter than usual, or whether there are any players to add to the lower lineup, or whether there will be a pinch hitter for Victor Aroswell’s at-bats.

“Hmm. If we send out a pinch hitter now, I think Victor will be more upset than the fans.”

“I think so too. Watch it closely and if it doesn’t look good, replace it quickly.”

“All right.”

These were no problem at all. They were trivial matters compared to the agenda that would soon follow.

“Jay… Should I keep sending him out?”

“If we exclude even one game, the fans might riot.”

“Jay wouldn’t understand without a clear reason.”

Coach Sean Tillaherty burst into laughter at one coach’s remark.

“Damn, yeah. Even I wouldn’t understand if the director suddenly told me to rest. I’d think he was going crazy.”

The manager honestly wanted to give Han Je-yi a rest in preparation for the postseason because he thought it would be better for the team.

If the only thing at stake was the most wins for the team, I might have made the decision after much deliberation.

“If there were only two Jays, I wouldn’t have had these worries.”

“Well, there’s no guarantee that those two would have joined our team.”

“…I take back what I just said. One guy hitting 70 home runs a season is enough. Two would blow up the league.”

Baseball fans went to the stadium with the expectation that Han Je-yi would surpass Barry Bonds at the time. It was impossible to leave such a player out of the lineup.

“I want to take a break after this season ends.”

“How long? 2-3 years?”

“Um… about 3 months?”

The manager chuckled as he looked at the smiling head coach.

“How’s Jay doing these days?”

“Jay? What…….”

“I guess you don’t have any particular thoughts.”

“That’s right, yes.”

The head coach smiled slightly as he recalled Han Je-yi being interviewed by a Korean reporter before entering the meeting.

Read Novel Noblemtl
Read Novel Noblemtl