episode_0142

[Ah, AT Thunders, shocking 5th straight loss. They suffered a sweep against NV Rex. The score is 7:5. Today’s game ends here.]

[The AT Thunders played hard today while changing their lineup, but in the end they were unable to secure a win. It’s a pity. AT Thunders.]

“If you’re going to do this, at least listen to me.”

Director Yoon sighed and turned off the TV. In the end, Coach Sands replaced the player only after losing the winning series to NV, which gave me a headache.

2 wins, 9 losses. Disastrous grades. The difference in performance from the Hwasan Falcons, who take last place every year, is only one win. It was also falling behind. And at this point, even though it was early in the season, it was impossible not to feel pressure from the top.

Not Cheon So-young, the successor, but the real superior.

-“Director Yoon. The Chairman is in a very uneasy mood these days. You know why, right? If this is the case, shouldn’t we think of extreme measures? They said there was no problem with losing, but the performance was so miserable. Can you give joy to your fans with this kind of performance? “It’s been a while since the chairman came for an outing, and I’m in such a bad mood.”

These words clearly imply a change of director. Unlike the previous games that were up and down, the home game against NV Rex was a miserable loss. In particular, today, the last game, was a performance that could not be tolerated as it was self-destructive due to errors and walks.

I can’t believe the president is coming to watch a game like this in person. Sweat flows from my back. At that time, Director Yoon’s phone rang. It was Cheon So-young.

“Ah, Team Leader Cheon.”

-“Captain. Are you in the office now? “Did you get off work on a day like today?”

If the chairman came to watch the game, it was natural for Cheon So-young to be next to him. Originally, the general manager had to see it, but since Soyoung Cheon joined the company, it was her job to attend to the chairman.

-“Captain?”

The voice was sharp. If this voice were a knife, wouldn’t its head have been cut off already? Director Yoon, who had been having scary thoughts, soon came to his senses.

“Of course, it’s in the Oval Office. haha.”

There was a respectful tone in that cold voice, but Director Yoon continued the conversation with Cheon So-young without noticing it.

-“Don’t we need to talk? Please gather all team leaders. Coach Sands and Coach Lee Soo-hyun in the 2nd team. “We need to change the atmosphere.”

“… All right.”

What is coming has come. Although it was called a meeting, the meaning of a sudden meeting during the season was clear.

‘They probably won’t fire Director Sands right away. Wouldn’t we see it before the volcano? If the performance was like this even before the volcano… .’

After hanging up the phone, Manager Yoon sent a message to team leader-level employees and 2nd team coach Lee Soo-hyun, and finally called Coach Sands.

“[Director, this is the leader.]”

-“[yes.]”

“[Isn’t the team’s situation very bad right now? I think the front desk and the director need to get together and talk.]”

-“[A story? What story are you talking about? I did what the front desk told me to do. They asked me to remove Kang Hee-seok, so I removed him, and added Yoon Seong-tae. But it’s a story?]”

At least I took it out. Although it was today. However, when the loss has already been confirmed, following the words of the front desk is just shameful. Director Yoon and Director Sands both knew that fact.

“[under… . Isn’t it too late too? Shouldn’t I take the director’s side and change it from Tuesday at least? Let’s meet and talk first.]”

-“[ha… . All right.]”

“[I’m sorry. Director. hmm… . The patience at the top is about to run out. I think the volcanic war is probably important.]”

Still, Director Yoon offers one last favor to his partner who has been working with him for two years.

-“[It’s done. A team like a volcano, can’t they possibly win? “We will set the tone before the volcano and go up.”

“[I wish I could do that too. ha. Wouldn’t that require close cooperation between the front office and the field? There is also a need to change the atmosphere of the team. Let’s talk about the players we will take to Daejeon.]”

-“[ha… . really. For now, I understand. I’m going to the office.]”

*

It’s cold. It wasn’t the spring breeze that was chilly, but the walk home from work was very chilly. In fact, there were quite a few people who came to get autographs in the first game against NV Rex, but today it was very deserted.

Since I’m the youngest of the first-team players, I came out later than the other players because I had to organize various things, but under normal circumstances, there would have been more than this… .

‘One, two, three. ‘Is this the end of three?’

On the day we finished, the parking lot was packed, but the drive home from work without fans seemed a bit lonely.

“Meng Hao! “You did well today!”

“Oh, you’re good. “I should have won, but I’m sorry.”

“But these days, it’s fun to watch because of Maeng Hao! “If I wasn’t a really strong player, I would have quit baseball this year.”

“Please support me even if it’s not me. haha.”

“Here, please put it under the number!”

“yes yes.”

“Will you win the volcano battle? “If I get swept by that real volcano, I will write AT Thunders in my will and commit suicide.”

Oh, you have a pretty face, but your mouth is rough. As I sign autographs, I realize that there are all kinds of people out there.

“I will try to get one win.”

“1 win?”

“… 2 wins?”

“I believe it. Siemens.”

“Zimmen?”

“A rookie debuted at second base, which had been vacant for 20 years. A right-handed slugger? He is a god to his fans.”

… There are definitely a lot of strange people. That’s good to hear.

“That’s good to hear. “Okay, it’s all signed.”

“Then, have a good time at work.”

‘Because there aren’t many fans, there’s plenty of time to talk. ‘Maybe something like this wouldn’t be so bad.’

“Meng Hao, I want your autograph too.”

“yes.”

“I was a little disappointed today, but will the home run gun be operational again starting tomorrow?”

“Well, I’ll try.”

I can’t believe I even exchanged more than two words with a male fan… . I definitely felt like there were no people.

Finally, I signed an autograph for a male fan and looked around again, but as expected, no one was approaching anymore. As I was trudging towards the parking lot, I saw Woo Kwan-hyung smoking a cigarette in front of the parking lot.

‘Why does that embodiment of self-care smoke?’

It was my first time seeing Woo Kwan-hyung smoking, so I was a little surprised. I approached Woo Kwan-hyung because I had never seen him even though I had been around him for almost two months preparing for the season.

In fact, the company dinner I had on Sunday was a team meeting disguised as a company dinner, so I drank alcohol. I knew that I don’t drink alcohol for most reasons, so I couldn’t suppress my curiosity about smoking.

“Sir, did you smoke? “I had no idea.”

“Uh, are you Meng Hao? “You came quickly.”

“yes. “Maybe it’s because there weren’t many fans in front, so I got there quickly.”

“It’s good not to have fans.”

“What is that… ?”

A man who loves AT fans as much as he loves AT Thunders says this?

“We’re on a losing streak, but don’t you know what it means that fans are gathered on the way home from work?”

“well? Does this mean the fans are that passionate?”

“It means you’re screwed. The team is on a losing streak, and fans are gathering on the way home from work and screaming. eww… .”

Suddenly, Wu Guanheng trembled. It seemed like he had a lot of experience with that. Well, it would be even weirder that something like that didn’t happen after being a player for 20 years.

“I guess so. I guess I should be glad that it’s not that bad yet. By the way, senior. Why are cigarettes… ?”

“You don’t smoke?”

“yes. what.”

It wasn’t that I particularly hated cigarettes, but I didn’t smoke because I had no reason to smoke.

“What about that senior? “You don’t normally smoke.”

“I smoked a lot when I was in my twenties.”

“But did you hang up? “You haven’t smoked one in almost two months.”

“Hanging up. Just be patient. And then on a day like today, I smoke just one.”

Woo Gwan-hyung… . You poisonous bastard. I heard that it is harder to smoke only occasionally than to quit completely. No, in the first place, when I was in my twenties, I started smoking a lot and quit. Is that why you’ve been playing baseball for over 40?

‘What’s so great about playing baseball until you’re 40?’

‘How long have you been doing this, Mr. Rossby?’

‘If you count the amount of time he coached and played in his later years, would he be 41? In this country, it would be around forty-two or three.’

It was more surprising that Rossby played and coached baseball than that he played baseball for over 40 years. Is this the ancient major league?

“You shouldn’t smoke in the first place. “Smoking is poison for athletes.”

… A regular line from a person who smokes a cigarette came out. But is it because I feel like it feels like advice from Woo Gwan-hyung?

“But isn’t cigarettes poisonous even for ordinary people?”

“Ha, this guy talks back. When the senior says, ‘I understand.’ “There is no way to do it.”

“Sir, you really seem like an old man.”

“Ha, let’s not talk. “I’m being arrogant because I’m playing pretty well these days.”

“Hey, you’re playing pretty well these days. “I originally played well.”

“Yeah, great. When I was your age, I used to fly too. really.”

“Yes, well, I guess you did.”

“Ugh. you… . done. Just go. “Why are you smelling cigarette smoke because you like it?”

“You’re curious. Why do you smoke? Now that I think about it, what kind of day is today? A day of losing streak? “Then you didn’t quit?”

I don’t know, but how many losing streak have the AT Thunders had in the last 10 years? I don’t know, but if I smoked every time my team lost in a row, it would be no different from just smoking.

“What day is it? hey. “As soon as the coach finished today, you went to the club office, right?”

“Did you?”

Even though the game was over, I wasn’t free enough to pay attention to the coach, so I didn’t know about it.

“Do you know how many coaches I have seen in my 20 years of professional career? There are twelve people. Twelve people. On average, they all left after not being able to last two years. “Most of them voluntarily resigned.”

The voluntary resignation of a professional baseball manager was synonymous with dismissal. Since I started playing baseball in Korea, my final destination is to become a professional baseball manager. Even a man who wanted to step away from the baseball world after retirement was a professional baseball manager who came running in socks when asked, ‘Do you want to coach the KBA?’

There are only ten jobs in Korea. Professional baseball manager. It was obvious that someone who had played baseball his entire life would not voluntarily resign from such a dream position, and the term voluntarily resigned was just a word to protect the manager’s honor.

And there was only one reason why Wu Kwan-hyung was saying this now.

“Then, director… ?”

“Yeah, it’s probably dangerous. Phew… . He was a pretty good director until last year… .”

“Do you usually cut this quickly?”

“If it’s any later, we’ll have to end the season. We are not a rebuilding club. If you’re stuck at the bottom like this, you’re bound to get angry at the top. “Well, what can I do?”

“You’re not going to cut it right away because of that, are you?”

“Maybe the volcano exhibition or the next series, the JT exhibition, will be a watershed. So shouldn’t you do well tomorrow? Let’s do it well. “Don’t double play like today.”

“Oh, that was unlucky. Go for a straight hit. Other than that, you had two hits.”

“Yes, yes. “Good job.”

Just then, Woo Gwan-hyeong’s cigarette burned out. Perhaps Director Sands is burning out like this cigarette?

‘I’ll have to do really well tomorrow. Director Sands. ‘He doesn’t seem like a bad person, even though he needs a lot of training.’

‘How do you know if he’s bad or not?’

‘They put a rookie in the starting role, and he’s a good person. of course.’

Compared to a bastard like Lee Ki-cheol, Sans is an angel. angel.

‘Tsk, do you know what kind of good manager is in the baseball world?’

‘What is it?’

‘He’s a winning manager. ‘No matter how good a person is, if he loses a game, there is no such thing as an asshole in the world.’

‘Then we’ll have to work hard tomorrow so we don’t make our director an asshole.’

… But when I saw his performance today, I had an ominous feeling that he might turn out to be an asshole.