episode_0000

“Director, thank you for the interview.”

“I appreciate you coming here for coverage.”

“But who is that handsome player? He looks physically fit, but he doesn’t seem to be on the roster.”

The journalist pointed at a boy who had a tall stature, a solid body hinting at his athletic background, thick eyebrows, large eyes without double eyelids, and a sharp nose. However, if there was a flaw, could it be that his eyes seemed lifeless?

There was no vitality in the boy’s eyes.

“Oh… that guy? He’s Ji Maeng-ho, a candidate player from our school. Although he’s in the 2nd grade, I brought him as a batting pitcher. He used to pitch quite well in middle school, but strangely, he hasn’t been performing well in high school. Maybe experiencing a big stage and then returning could lead to improvement, don’t you think?”

“Haha, Director, you have a kind heart. Experiencing such a big stage can be a great help for players. Even if he’s a batting pitcher. How fast does he pitch?”

“He throws around 130, playing shortstop. We make him a batting pitcher because of his good shoulder.”

“I see… Well then, I hope to hear good news about Korean baseball’s victory from St. Louis. Thank you for your hard work.”

“You’ve worked hard too, Journalist Yang. Hey! Ji Maeng-ho! Come and see the journalist off.”

“Yes!”

At the director’s call, a sturdy boy of 186cm ran over. The boy’s well-defined features harmonized well, giving the impression that he would attract quite a few female fans once he debuted as a pro.

“Journalist, let me see you off.”

“Oh, there’s no need for that… Can I ask you a favor then?”

“Sure, I have nothing else to do anyway.”

As they walked outside the field together, statues of legendary players from the St. Louis Cardinals stood. The journalist, feeling sorry for the young boy who played as a batting pitcher at a young age, decided to offer some words of comfort.

“You’re Maeng-ho, right?”

“Yes.”

“If Maeng-ho works hard, he could become like those players. Ah, this statue is Stan Musial. He was loved by the team and fans for his outstanding skills and great character. I hope Maeng-ho becomes a player like him.”

“I play infield, and Stan Musial was a left-handed hitter.”

“Haha. Then how about this player?”

The journalist pointed to another statue mentioned by the boy. The name on the statue read “Horngers Rosby.” He was the greatest second baseman in Major League Baseball history, with three Triple Crowns and a career OPS over 1, excelling from the Deadball Era to the Liveball Era.

“Horngers Rosby? Who is he?”

“Well, you might not know if you’re a young player. Horngers Rosby was a legendary second baseman in Major League Baseball, with three Triple Crowns and a career 4-hit average. He was also a right-handed hitter. Probably the best right-handed hitter in MLB history?”

“Wow, he was an amazing player. I want to be like him too.”

“But don’t emulate his character. He was a great player but a terrible person outside the ballpark. He was considered the worst human being due to racism, domestic violence, alcoholism, gambling addiction, drug use, and sexual misconduct.”

“Is that so? Who littered around the statue then?”

The boy approached the statue of Horngers Rosby. As the boy said, a rotten wooden bat covered in mold lay next to the statue.

“Who threw garbage here?”

The boy casually picked up the bat that looked like trash. And…

“Ahhhh!”

The scream of a young Asian boy echoed through Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals.