Chapter 5: Amateur League

Smack!

"Out!!"

The game ended.

The final score was 16 to 4.

A complete defeat for the Masters.

"Good job!"

"Good job!!"

The two teams exchanged pleasantries and began packing up their gear.

It was clear that the players on the Masters were frustrated by their loss.

"We even had a special lesson, and this is how we end up?"

"Did those guys do nothing but play baseball?"

"Especially their leadoff hitter and cleanup hitter, weren't they hitting and fielding way too well?"

"And their throws were like straight lines!"

The Masters players started voicing their complaints.

Jung-woo worried that the blame might somehow fall on him.

At that moment, Cheol-woong approached him.

"Coach, is it possible for me and Hyeong-jung to take the next session together next week?"

"Oh, sure. But next week's session is in just two days. Are you okay with that?"

"Yeah, it's fine. I didn't even get to pitch much today."

Cheol-woong, who was the starting pitcher, left the mound in the first inning.

He had been pulled after allowing six runs before even getting through the lineup.

"I really tried hard with what you taught me, but I guess I'm just lacking."

"It wasn't your fault today. The other team was just too strong. They had at least two players who used to play in the league."

"What? They were ex-pros?"

"Is that true?"

Hyeong-jung, who had been listening nearby, asked in surprise.

"Yes, I'm certain. The first and fourth hitters were definitely ex-pros. At the very least, they played through high school."

"You can tell just by watching them play?"

"The difference between ex-pros and amateurs is bigger than you might think. Every move they make comes from repetitive training."

"Wait a second."

Hyeong-jung walked off.

He headed toward the opposing team's dugout, where he started talking with the Dragons' coach. Their conversation grew heated at times.

'Did I overstep?' Jung-woo worried.

His concern was unnecessary.

When Hyeong-jung returned, he confirmed that Jungwoo had been right.

"As you said, Coach, those two players were indeed ex-pros."

"Is that a problem?"

"If it were an official game, they would have forfeited, but since this was just a practice match, I just told them not to do it again."

"Seriously, they brought in ex-pros just to win a practice game?"

"Why don't they just move up to the second division with pros like that? What's wrong with them?"

"They just wanted to win, that's all."

The Masters players, who had been listening nearby, vented their frustrations.

Jung-woo quietly took a step back, letting their anger wash over him.

He wasn't part of the Masters, so he didn't feel the need to share in their outrage.

Besides, something else had been on his mind.

'An amateur league where even former players can participate…'

______________________________________

A month had passed.

During that time, Jung-woo's daily routine had changed a bit.

"Huff! Huff!"

Every morning, he started his day with a jog.

After that, he would stop by a nearby gym for stretching and strength training.

"According to the data I've seen, a pitcher's flexibility is closely linked to their pitch speed. More importantly, it helps prevent injuries."

In fact, these were things that many trainers had advised him on during his pro days.

But back then, it was just about avoiding injuries.

Now, however, it was different.

"If you don't stretch your shoulder muscles properly, your muscles and tendons won't loosen up, which means you're more likely to get injured. Repeated injuries eventually lead to long-term damage."

Jung-woo knew exactly why he had to do these exercises.

Because of this, he could carry out his training without questioning it.

Without doubts, he could focus more on each action, leading to better results than during his pro days.

And Jung-woo had been a pro until just a year ago.

Even though he had distanced himself from exercise after retirement, his muscle memory still remained.

As a result, he saw noticeable changes within just a month.

"Oppa, why have you been getting so fit lately?"

"Huh? I've started working out again. Is it really that noticeable?"

"Yeah! You look even more built than when you were playing professionally."

"Really?"

Though he didn't notice it himself, others could see the change, especially those closest to him.

And who better to notice than his loving girlfriend?

"I really love seeing you work so hard these days."

A smile naturally spread across his face at So-yeon's words.

He wanted to keep that smile on her face for as long as possible.

To do that, he knew he had to maintain his current position.

_____________________________________

So-yeon wasn't the only one who noticed Jungwoo's transformation.

"Jung-woo, are you perhaps preparing to return to the professional scene these days?"

Kim Joong-ho had also noticed the changes in Jung-woo, but his question had a different tone compared to So-yeon's.

"Huh? Going pro?"

"Yeah, you've been building up your body recently, and after lessons are over, you stay behind at the academy to practice pitching on your own. It seems like you're getting ready for a comeback."

Pitching practice required a certain level of facilities, so Jung-woo had been staying late after lessons to practice. It seemed that Joong-ho had caught on to this.

"Well, it's not like you've done anything wrong, but I'm just asking. You're doing so well right now, so it'd be a problem for me if you suddenly decided to leave."

Joong-ho was right. Currently, Jung-woo was coaching the most clients at the academy, which meant his income had also increased. He was earning double what he made during his pro days. If he were to announce a return to the professional scene and leave the academy, it would undoubtedly cause problems.

"I'm not planning on going pro again."

"Really?"

"Yes. I'm practicing pitching because I want to experience it firsthand before teaching the clients. It helps me explain things more thoroughly if I've personally tried it out."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Yes. As for working out, I noticed that my body was getting a bit stiff from the pitching, so I'm doing it to address that issue."

"Well, it's not an easy task, is it?"

Finally, Joong-ho nodded in relief.

In truth, Jung-woo hadn't completely given up on the dream of going pro again. He had spent his entire life playing baseball and had even been drafted into the pros. However, due to his shortcomings, he had never made it to the first team. But now, he was improving—so much so that even he could feel it. The data also showed noticeable improvement.

Most importantly, there was a significant change compared to his previous career.

"Back in my pro days, I didn't understand why I needed to do certain training and just followed orders. But now, I know what I need and what training methods work best for me."

He had the autonomy to choose and practice the training that suited him best, which was a major shift.

Bzzzzzt!

At that moment, Joong-ho's smartphone rang.

"Hold on a sec."

"Sure."

After asking for Jung-woo's understanding, Joong-ho answered the call.

"Hey, hyung. Long time no see. Yes, I'm doing well. But what's up? Oh, this weekend? Hmm... it might be tough. I'm supposed to go camping with the kids then."

Joong-ho's expression grew serious as if he had been asked for a difficult favor.

"Oh, someone to fill in? I'll see what I can do.

Yes, yes. I'll get back to you."

After ending the call, Jung-woo asked him, "Was that bad news?"

"Oh, it's nothing serious. You know Shim Tae-ho, right?"

"You mean the former player for the Taesan Irons?"

"Yeah, that's him. He runs an amateur baseball team out in Jamsil."

"An amateur team?"

"Yeah, but they don't have a pitcher for their upcoming league opener, so he was asking me for help."

At that moment, Joong-ho's eyes lit up.

"Jung-woo, are you free this Sunday?"

"Uh, I don't have any plans, but... Can I play since I'm an ex-pro?"

"It's fine! The league is run under the 2nd division rules, so you'd just need to pitch for two innings."

"Oh, in that case, I'll go."

"Really? Wow! That's a relief! I'll make sure to cover your travel expenses and give you something for your trouble."

"Nah, I've received plenty of help from you already. I'll just go and enjoy myself."

"Ha ha! Thanks for saying that."

Seeing the relieved expression on Joong-ho's face made Jung-woo smile as well.

In truth, Jung-woo was curious too.

"I wonder how my pitching stands right now."

He was eager to see if his pitches could still hold up in a real game.

________________________________________

On Sunday, Jung-woo arrived at Gangdong Baseball Stadium. The man who greeted him was Shim Tae-ho, who had a warm and friendly demeanor.

"Are you Jung-woo Han?"

"Yes, I am."

"Thanks for coming. I'm Shim Tae-ho, the manager of the Jamsil Irons."

"I've seen you on TV many times. Please feel free to speak casually."

"Ha ha! In that case, I will. Thanks for coming. The pitcher who was supposed to start today had to cancel last minute because his kid suddenly got sick."

"It's no problem. I'm happy to get some real-game action."

"I heard from Joong-ho that you played for the Fires until recently?"

"Yeah, I was in the 2nd team until last year, but then I got released."

"Ever make it to the 1st team?"

"No, I wasn't skilled enough to get called up."

"Seems like competition is even tougher nowadays."

Shim Tae-ho tried to console Jung-woo as they walked inside the stadium. Both teams' players had already gathered and were warming up. Among them, Jung-woo noticed several players who had once played for professional teams.

"Is today's game being played under 2nd division rules?"

"It's a mix of 1st and 2nd division rules."

"Oh, so it's not strictly defined?"

"Yeah, amateur baseball doesn't have a central governing body, so the rules are usually set by whoever is running the league. Each team just finds a league that suits them."

"Ah, I see..."

"Our team has quite a few players who have aged out of the pros, so we mostly play in second division or higher leagues. Do you know what 'Napul' means?"

"No, it's my first time hearing it."

"'Napul' refers to players who were released from pro teams but aren't considered pros anymore. These guys can even play in fourth division leagues."

"Ah, got it."

Even though there wasn't an official governing body, amateur baseball had its own set of rules. Everything was new and fascinating to Jeongwoo.

"I'll catch for you, so let's start with a light game of catch."

"Ah, yes. But first, I'll do some light stretching."

"Sure."

Jeongwoo dropped his bag in the dugout and started loosening up.

As Shim Tae-ho watched Jeongwoo, a man approached him.

"Is that the guy filling in today? He's in pretty good shape."

"Yang PD, when did you get here?"

"I just arrived. The traffic was a bit heavy. Have you seen him pitch yet?"

"I'm about to. From what I've heard, he played in the second division until last year. No first division experience."

"Well, then, we shouldn't expect too much."

"Come on, bringing in a player like him as a last-minute replacement—don't you think that shows my managerial skills?"

"Haha! Of course. I'll start warming up, too."

"Are you going to catch for him during the game?"

"Yeah. I'll be wearing the mask during the game anyway."

"Alright. By the way, I saw the broadcast the other day. You guys played against the Irons, right? How'd it go?"

"You'll have to watch it to find out!"

"Hey, aren't we being a bit too secretive here?"

"Hehe, it's always more fun to watch without knowing the outcome, right?"

"Well, that's true. These days, I look forward to Fridays just to watch 'Baseball God.' It's so entertaining."

"Thank you!"

The man who was recently managing one of the hottest variety shows, The God of Baseball, was none other than Yang PD.