episode_0037

“Player Maeng-ho, have you lost some weight?”

While driving, Cheon So-young spoke first.

“Oh, feel free to speak. You’re older than me.”

“Age doesn’t matter. I’m a team staff member, and Player Maeng-ho is a player of the team.”

…Cold. But did I lose weight? I don’t really feel like it.

“It seems like you’ve lost some weight?”

“Yes.”

“I’m not sure…”

Did I lose weight? Well, maybe my lifestyle patterns changed even though my exercise, sex, and eating habits remained the same. But how did this woman notice that I lost weight?

“But can you tell that I’ve lost weight? I don’t really feel it when I look in the mirror.”

“I always pay attention and watch over. Player Maeng-ho is our valuable first-round pick.”

I now understand that this attention isn’t just casual. Still, hearing that she watches over me with interest made my heart flutter slightly.

“Is Player Ji Maeng-ho the type to lose weight in the summer? In fact, for rookie players who move up from high school to professional baseball, stamina issues are the biggest challenge.”

“Well, really? Actually, this year was my first time playing as a regular, so I’m not sure if I lack stamina.”

“That could be the case. High school competitions are more relaxed compared to the pros. However, playing six games every week in the pros can be a big issue.”

“No problem. The medical test didn’t show anything unusual, right?”

It was clear. There were no specific injuries during the medical test conducted right after the draft. Or maybe this woman… trying to cut my signing bonus? Since SY Agency doesn’t take commissions on signing bonuses, there was a high possibility of that happening.

Moreover, if Rossby’s story was true, the ghost following this woman might be Beasley Ricky, who had a talent for negotiating players’ salaries while undermining their abilities.

“Even so, you wouldn’t consider cutting the agreed signing bonus through an oral contract, right? An oral contract is still a contract. I’ll tell my lawyer everything.”

“Hmph. Player Maeng-ho, AT doesn’t undercut rookies’ signing bonuses. You make jokes entertainingly. Well, if you went to Silla or Hancheol, maybe that would have happened.”

After a long time, a smile appeared on her face. A smile I hadn’t seen since the first day I met her. …She looks much prettier when she smiles.

“Do you know what nickname our AT Thunders have?”

“DTD?”

DTD, Down Team is Down. It was a term that meant the team that goes down will go down. If I had to choose just one word symbolizing AT Thunders, I would choose this word without hesitation. Strangely enough, the team that maintained its position in the top ranks in April and May started to fall in June and struggled in July and August.

This year seemed no different.

“….”

The beautiful smile disappeared in an instant. Suddenly, the atmosphere cooled, and it felt like cold sweat was running down my back. Was it because she was possessed by a ghost after all?

“Please refrain from such talk in front of me. No, not in front of other AT players or staff either.”

“…Yes.”

She was usually cool-headed, but now she seemed much colder than usual.

“Why is she getting so angry? Anyone would think AT belongs to her.”

Well, maybe that’s why she graduated from Seoul National University and still got a job at AT Thunders. Somehow, I could understand a bit. Thanks to fans like her, professional baseball keeps going.

“I’m sorry.”

This is how you treat fans, right? I wasn’t that sorry, but as a pro player, you should also have an attitude of respect towards fans.

“…It’s okay. What I want to say is that our AT treats players so well that its nickname is the Welfare Center for them. So, you don’t need to worry about the signing bonus issue.”

“…Wasn’t it a nursing home?”

Another characteristic of AT was bringing in older or high-priced players who had been released and utilizing them.

“….”

…Oops. Did I say something wrong again?

“Ji Maeng-ho player…”

She took a deep breath and blurted out the words she had been holding back.

“…You seem quite clueless.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Living with Rosby, these words occasionally slipped out. It’s all Rosby’s fault.

“Anyway, let’s do some physical tests today. Is that okay?”

“Yes. I’m confident.”

I wanted to show Cheon So-yeong my masculine side this time. I was always confident in my physical abilities.

No, maybe I should suggest a weight test instead of a physical one? How much did I deadlift last time? I think it was around 250. That would be more manly, right?

*

“I felt it from the moment he answered at the draft ceremony; his character isn’t that great after all. Well, actually, I felt it even when the juniors filled the drums at Cheongryong-gi.”

So-yeong sighed inwardly as she glanced briefly at Maeng-ho rolling his eyes beside her. It was hard to focus on driving because of Ji Maeng-ho.

“At least this road is quiet. Phew… I hope I didn’t draw the short straw.”

In fact, besides Maeng-ho, she had seen several other players with poor characters. If So-yeong wanted to know, there was nothing she couldn’t find out.

So-yeong could count on her fingers the players she thought had good character among baseball players.

Players who ignore fans, players who cheat on their partners, players who end up with women in every away region, players who gamble overseas during the off-season. Even players who manipulate games, although they are few.

In So-yeong’s view, Maeng-ho seemed like a player who would veer off course with just a little misstep. His behavior of only replying to women on social media was also like that. Such stories were already circulating on AT’s fan sites.

“Our fans are certainly passionate. Thanks to them, we can learn things we didn’t know.”

AT Thunders was a team that enjoyed its heyday in the 90s in Seoul. However, the team completely declined in the 2000s, leaving fans bitter and having skewed affections towards the players.

Therefore, they held players to a stricter standard.

That player can’t do it because of his habit of only replying to female fans. That player can’t do it because he’s arrogant. That player can’t do it because he doesn’t make an effort. That player can’t do it because he drains his stamina through training. That player can’t do it because he’s old-fashioned. That player can’t do it because he plays baseball like a nobleman. That player can’t do it because he swings wildly. That player can’t do it because he just holds the bat. That player can’t do it because he throws fastballs. That player can’t do it because he only throws changeups.

Of course, the fundamental reason was simply that they weren’t good at baseball. But since they were decent players by name, fans always looked for external factors to blame.

Maeng-ho couldn’t escape such standards. AT’s fans knew more about him than the team itself.

“So, Maeng-ho is arrogant, replies only to women, and lacks awareness? Adding cluelessness on top of that. Haha.”

She chuckled inwardly at the thought, but seeing Maeng-ho sitting calmly next to her made her smile disappear.

“What if this guy is just one of those players with untapped potential? His skills remain the same, but he’s losing weight even during the season.”

AT Thunders have been identifying many promising players while struggling in the lower ranks. However, only a very few players among them survive in the first team. Most failed players had their own reasons, but the most common reason was being part of the group who thought they could become anything, like Jimaeng-ho.

Having the same abilities at the age when one should be growing the most and losing weight means that self-management is lacking. Soyoung thought the cause of this was Jimaeng-ho’s mindset. It could be a matter of character or even arrogance.

“Perhaps the fans were right.”

Most players who come into the pros are said to be born in high school. There were quite a few cases of such players getting caught up in arrogance and not adapting to the pros.

Soyoung had a dream. A dream of AT Thunders’ victory. Succession of the company, grandfather’s health, fan sentiment. Various emotions were mixed, but Soyoung earnestly desired AT Thunders’ victory.

And to achieve that dream, Jimaeng-ho was needed. A player who can provide a basic 35 in current abilities, but there were already many such players. The player needed for victory is a game-changer who can change the game.

At least 50 players were needed. If Jimaeng-ho remained caught up in arrogance as he is now, there was a high possibility that his abilities would stay at 35.

Soyoung wanted Maeng-ho to lead AT to victory. And as a baseball fan, she also wanted to see a Korean hitter with a potential of 80 dominating the Major Leagues.

“I have to lead this kid!”

Soyoung looked at Maeng-ho sitting in the co-pilot seat and firmly resolved.