Chapter 15: An Unexpected Offer

Yang PD had high expectations for Jung-woo.

"He has star potential."

A significant investment was made to create Season 2.

This brought with it the pressure to make the show a hit.

Yang PD wanted to create a new star.

"I recruited Jung-woo Han, who I happened to discover, without much testing for that reason. Although his name isn't as well-known as the other players, his story has the potential to captivate the audience."

His judgment was spot on.

Even the preliminary information released to the public had the viewers buzzing with excitement.

Half the objective was achieved.

If the other half succeeded, Season 2 was sure to be a hit as well.

"Can he really dominate against Triple-A players?"

The answer would soon be revealed.

Jung-woo nodded as he exchanged signals with Ui-il and went into his windup.

With a kick, he closed his hips and shoulders to gather power.

Then, with a stride and a rotation of his body, he unleashed the ball.

"Hup!!"

Swoosh—!!

His first pitch flew towards the batter's chest.

"It's coming into the zone."

A pitch in this spot usually drops and ends up in the strike zone with most pitchers.

The Knights' leadoff hitter, Brisman, judged this and swung his bat.

However...

Whoosh!!

Smack!!

"Swing, strike!"

"Nice pitch!!"

"The ball's really lively!!"

"The batter is swinging at air!! Just keep throwing like that!!"

Team Yashin's dugout became noisy.

The difference between the batter's swing and Jung-woo's pitch trajectory was so stark that it caused a commotion.

Watching this, Ray's eyes gleamed.

"This pitcher's ball is really good, isn't it?"

"Indeed. Is Korean baseball at such a high level that a pitcher like this can't even make it to the pros?"

Ray had some basic information about Team Yashin.

The team was made up of retired players and amateurs who had yet to turn professional.

Although they had experienced elite baseball, they hadn't reached the professional level.

If he couldn't go pro in Korea, he shouldn't be much of a match for them.

That's why most of the players fielded today were those who oscillated between Double-A and Triple-A.

Not to mention, not many regular players were left in the team, as the season had ended.

As expected, even at this level, the flow of the game hadn't been disrupted.

"There's no way. At best, he's probably at Triple-A level. If he were any better, he'd definitely be playing professionally in Korea. But the season in Korea should still be ongoing."

He was a player full of questions.

And as Jung-woo's pitching continued, those questions grew even larger.

Crack!!

"Foul!!"

"The bat can't keep up!!"

"Very good!!"

The atmosphere in Team Yashin's dugout lifted.

Perhaps motivated by their cheers, Jung-woo's pitch gained even more velocity.

"Hup!!"

Swoosh—!!

This time, the ball flew toward the batter's chest.

The batter swung sharply but missed as the ball sliced through the air.

Smack—!!

"Swing, strikeout!!"

"He struck him out on three pitches!!"

"Nice! Nice!!"

"The ball's really alive!!"

Three pitches were all it took to sit down the first batter.

"Brisman may be a Double-A player, but striking him out in three pitches..."

"That just shows how good his pitches are. He's mainly throwing high fastballs, so it seems like he knows how to use his strengths well."

While Ray Muncy was giving a favorable evaluation, Jung-woo continued to pitch predominantly with fastballs against the second batter.

The result was excellent.

His first pitch, a 92-mph high fastball, whizzed past the batter's swinging bat.

The second pitch, another fastball aimed at the batter's hip, was met with a sharp swing.

But the swing trajectory was off, resulting in a weak grounder rolling directly to the second baseman.

Smack!!

"Out!!"

"Nice!!"

"Great defense by the second baseman!"

"Two outs! Two outs!!"

"Just one out left!!"

Team Yashin's morale soared.

Meanwhile, Ray Muncy found himself puzzled.

"His low fastballs aren't bad either. But does he not throw other types of pitches? He's only throwing fastballs."

"Even though his fastball is good, if that's all he's got, he'll have a hard time against Billy."

"True. That guy's faced Major League pitching before, after all."

Billy Dwayne.

The Knights' number 3 hitter and a player who primarily plays in Triple-A.

He's got incredible power and can send even Major League fastballs over the fence when he connects.

When he first got called up to the majors, he hit three home runs in his first five games, showing just how much of a beast he is.

'Of course, he's still in the minors because he has clear weaknesses.

"But he still has clear weaknesses, which is why he's still in the minors.'

At that moment, the pitching coach from Team Yashin's dugout came out to visit the mound.

"Jung-woo."

"Yes, Coach."

"Seung-jin wanted me to tell you something. Most of the batters you've faced so far aren't Triple-A players—they're from Double-A."

"Double-A?"

"Yeah. But the guy getting ready to bat now has experience in Triple-A and even in the Majors, so be careful."

Only then did Jung-woo realize what was happening.

"No wonder it felt too easy…"

"Did it?"

"Yes. Anyway, please tell Seung-jin I'm grateful."

"Sure."

After nodding, Choi Hyung-tae returned to the dugout, and Jung-woo rubbed rosin on his hands while standing on the mound.

'A batter with Major League experience… If I can take him down, could it mean I have a shot?'

Once, he had a dream.

He dreamed of playing in the Major Leagues.

But reality, where he couldn't even break out of the second team, crushed that dream.

He lived day by day with the sole goal of surviving.

Now, he had found another opportunity.

'Maybe I can dream again.'

The chance to dream once more.

As Jung-woo prepared to pitch, Choi Hyung-tae, who had returned to the dugout, was approached by Baek Seung-jin.

"What did he say?"

"He just said to tell you thanks."

"That's all?"

"He did mutter something to himself… He said it felt easy."

Baek Seung-jin looked slightly incredulous.

Even though they were Double-A players, they were still at a level that oscillated between Double-A and Triple-A.

And yet, Jung-woo found them easy?

"His confidence is impressive."

Confidence was something every pitcher needed.

It had been worrying that there weren't many young players with that kind of confidence these days.

But it seemed they wouldn't have to worry about Jung-woo.

'Show me that your confidence matches your pitching.'

Baek Seung-jin's gaze remained fixed on Jung-woo.

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Jung-woo threw the first pitch to Billy Dwayne.

A high fastball, inside.

The speed was 90 miles per hour, and the control was excellent.

Billy pulled it straight to the outfield.

Crack!!

"It's huge!!"

"Is it going over?!"

The loud sound of the bat hitting the ball made Team Yashin's dugout erupt in gasps.

But Billy didn't run; he just stood there watching the ball.

The ball that had been flying inside the fence started to curve outside.

Clicking his tongue in disappointment, Billy let out a sound of frustration.

"Damn."

"Foul!!"

"Phew…"

"That was close."

"Jung-woo! Stay focused!"

Despite the calls from the dugout, Jung-woo's thoughts were different.

'The pitch was fine. But his swing was even sharper.'

It was clear that Billy was on a different level compared to the previous batters.

'Inside pitches are risky. Let's try the outside this time.'

Jung-woo nodded at Ui-il's sign.

'Low?'

He shook his head.

'High again?'.

He nodded.

Ui-il found it a bit odd that Jung-woo chose a high fastball once more, but he trusted Jung-woo's decision for now.

Jung-woo went into his windup and threw the second pitch.

Whizz!!

Crack!!

Billy reacted again.

But this time, the ball curved even more sharply outside.

'His reaction to inside pitches is quicker, but his swing mechanism makes him weaker against outside pitches.'

This was something Jung-woo wouldn't have noticed before.

In the past, he knew nothing about batting mechanics.

But after coaching some players, he had learned the basics.

And from Billy Dwayne's reaction, Jung-woo had pinpointed his weakness.

'If he's weak outside, he'll be more sensitive to inside pitches.'

It was time to make a decisive move.

Watching from the dugout, Ray Muncy clicked his tongue in regret.

"If Billy could handle outside pitches better, the Major Leagues wouldn't just be a dream."

"We've been focusing on correcting that, so he'll show improvement soon."

"I hope so. But what pitch do you think that guy will throw this time?"

"If he's figured out Billy's weakness, he'll go outside."

"That's what I'd expect."

At that moment, Jung-woo, who had been exchanging signs with Ui-il, sent his first sign.

"He's noticed."

"I'm curious to see how Billy will react."

This is where the psychological battle between the two players becomes crucial.

The outcome was uncertain, and everyone was eager to see what would happen.

"Hoo…"

Taking a deep breath, Jung-woo went into his windup and delivered the pitch.

"Hup!"

Whizz!!

The ball that left his hand surprised everyone.

They had expected it to go outside, but instead, it flew straight inside, targeting Billy's body.

But there was something odd about the trajectory.

"A breaking ball?"

The ball, which started on a high arc, broke from inside to outside. Caught off guard by this unfamiliar pitch, Billy couldn't react in time, and the ball went straight through the zone and into the catcher's mitt.

Thud!

"Strike three, batter out!"

As the umpire declared the strikeout, Jung-woo clenched his fist on the mound, celebrating his inning-ending performance.

"That pitch just now was a slurve."

"He had another pitch in his arsenal. Billy was completely caught off guard."

"Yeah, he's an interesting guy."

"Interesting enough to catch your attention? That last slurve wasn't even a particularly powerful breaking ball. At best, it was average."

"The breaking ball itself was ordinary. But look at the situation. Out of the eight pitches he threw, seven were fastballs, right?"

The man paused to think and then nodded.

"That's right."

"From Billy's perspective, the only option in his mind would have been a fastball. It was a very smart pitch."

A pitcher needs to be intelligent.

That was one of Ray's core beliefs.

"I've found a fascinating player."

Ray's gaze remained fixed on Jung-woo.

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Despite Jung-woo's excellent pitching, it wasn't enough to turn the game around.

Thud!

"Strike three, batter out! Game over!"

With a final score of 7 to 3, Team Yashin couldn't score any more runs.

It was a disappointing loss, but with many positives in the game, Director Yang PD smiled in satisfaction.

The players of Team Yashin, although regretful, were also somewhat content with their efforts.

"Good job, everyone!"

"Good job!"

The game ended as the two teams exchanged greetings.

As Jung-woo returned to the dugout and packed his things, he was called out.

"Jung-woo, wait a minute."

Following Baek Seung-jin, he stepped out of the dugout and found himself face-to-face with a man waiting on the field.

"This is Ray Muncy, the director in charge of the Angels' Triple-A team. Ray, this is player Han Jung-woo."

Jung-woo's eyes widened at Baek Seung-jin's introduction.

"I'm Ray Muncy, farm director for the Angels."

Farm director.

Each team might have a different title, but simply put, he was a manager dispatched by a Major League team.

The relationship between the Major and Minor Leagues was fundamentally a contractual one. While some Major League teams had outright purchased minor league clubs, most still maintained a contractual relationship.

The Angels were the same.

Therefore, they needed someone to manage player development, and that role belonged to Ray Muncy.

"I'm Han Jung-woo."

"I was impressed with your pitching today. If you have some time, could you spare a moment to meet with me?"

"Uh... We're heading back to Korea the day after tomorrow, so I only have time tomorrow..."

"Then let's have lunch together tomorrow."

"Understood."

"This is my card. Please send me a text today, and I'll confirm the meeting place by tomorrow morning."

"Okay."

After the unexpected meeting, Jung-woo looked somewhat bewildered.

Baek Seung-jin placed a hand on Jung-woo's shoulder.

"This is a stroke of luck. I never expected Ray would take an interest in you."

Having been through some social interactions, Jung-woo could roughly guess Ray's intentions.

And most of the club officials present had caught on as well.

"That guy... he seems to be from the Angels."

"Looks like he's talking to player Han Jung-woo. What do you think they're discussing?"

"What else could it be?"

"...We've got an unexpected competitor now."

They didn't know the exact reason.

But one thing was certain.

A Major League official had shown interest in Jung-woo.

"Contact the office and let them know."

"Understood."

The club officials knew they had to inform their team that the situation had changed.

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