The Genius Hitter Who Conquered America - Chapter 94

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 94
The game had already reached the ninth inning.
The Scoreboard displayed 12 to 5.
The momentum had completely shifted in favor of the West Division team.
The Closer stood on the Mound, throwing pitches against the East Division’s lower-order batters.
Yet the fervor in the Stands had settled into a quieter, more subdued atmosphere than before.
It was the characteristic lethargy of a Baseball Stadium where the outcome had already been decided.
But contrary to that drowsiness, the Scouts seated in the Stands moved about with purposeful energy.
As if by prior agreement, they began gathering in groups and heading somewhere.
Paul from the Los Angeles Dodgers sensed the movement and rose from his seat.
He crumpled the hamburger wrapper and stuffed it into his pocket, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
‘Is it about time?’
Paul naturally joined the flow of people.
Their destination was the Conference Room set up behind Home Plate.
It was the so-called Referee’s Room where journalists and members of the AFL Administrative Office Selection Committee had gathered.
‘We need to select today’s MVP.’
Paul moved forward with measured steps, lost in thought.
Some might dismiss it as merely the MVP of an exhibition game.
But those present on the scene knew better.
‘The title of MVP transforms a player’s entire life.’
The Arizona Fall League was where only the top one percent of prospects from around the world gathered.
And the Fall Stars Game held today was a selection of the most brilliant stars among them.
Reaching the pinnacle here was, in a sense, a guarantee of future success.
One could see it by examining the list of past Arizona Fall League MVP winners.
Most of them received invitations to Spring Training the following year, and soon debuted in the Major League to become stars.
‘The perspective of team management changes too.’
A prospect worth developing would be reclassified entirely—becoming an immediate asset to be utilized right away.
For a player with limited Minor League experience, it was an opportunity to compress years of development into a single moment.
Had this been an ordinary All-Star game or a regular match, Paul wouldn’t have bothered pushing through the crowd.
‘Usually MVP voting ends anticlimactically.’
The player who hit the most dramatic home run, or the one who drove in the most runs.
There was always one obvious protagonist who stood out.
‘But today is different.’
Paul’s eyes narrowed slightly.
In the expressions of the Scouts walking nearby and in the whispered conversations of the Journalists, he sensed deep deliberation.
‘The votes are bound to be divided.’
The reason was clear.
If a single player had dominated the Ground with overwhelming performance, there would be no need for hesitation.
But today’s game had featured far too many players delivering exceptional performances.
First, let’s look at the visible statistics alone.
‘Two batters hit two home runs each in today’s game.’
Casey and Mark.
Casey in particular launched a go-ahead two-run homer.
He proved the clutch ability most highly valued in modern baseball.
By conventional standards, Casey would be the obvious choice for MVP.
But.
‘The problem is there’s another madman out there.’
Paul let out a soft chuckle.
Oh Soo-ho.
He may have hit fewer home runs than those two.
But consider what he showed on the ground today.
He cleared the fence with raw power. He erased a double with his defense.
With technique, he fought off a Major League closer’s best pitch for a hit, then shook the pitcher with his legs to score a run.
‘In the end, he stopped a home run with his arm.’
Everything baseball can offer from the batter’s position.
That complete gift set in just one game.
No—he crammed it all in within five innings.
‘No matter how dramatic Casey’s comeback hit was….’
Paul walked and questioned himself.
Was Casey’s impact today greater than Soo-ho’s?
As a baseball man, as a Scout, he placed a hand on his chest and asked coldly.
‘If I had to bring one of them to the Dodgers, who would I choose?’
Well.
If Casey and Mark proved they were the greatest hitters.
Then Soo-ho proved he was the most complete baseball player.
That’s exactly why all those Scouts and Journalists were rushing over right now.
‘Simply awarding MVP based on home run count would be wrong—Soo-ho’s baseball was far too overwhelming.’
Once they entered the Conference Room, quite a heated discussion would likely unfold.
‘Of course, the answer is already decided.’
Paul opened the Conference Room door with confident eyes.
If they truly understood baseball, there was only one place their votes would go.
And the people gathered here.
Were those who truly understood baseball.
* * *
The moment the Conference Room door closed, tense silence filled the space.
Field Journalists, AFL Staff Members, and Scouts representing each Baseball Club sat around the round table.
The silence didn’t last long.
The first to speak was the Veteran Scout from the Philadelphia Phillies.
“Let’s not dance around it. I recommend Casey.”
He tossed Casey’s stat sheet onto the table as he continued.
“Baseball is ultimately a sport about scoring runs. And at the most critical moment, when the most difficult pitch came, it was Casey who delivered. Clutch ability. He proved the winning mentality that Major League Baseball needs most.”
Several people nodded in agreement.
A franchise with passionate fanfare like the Phillies naturally preferred a hero who could deliver a decisive blow when it mattered most.
Then the New York Yankees scout sitting across from us chimed in.
He leaned back arrogantly with his fingers interlaced.
“I agree. Above all, consider the name of this tournament. The ‘All-Star Game.’ It’s not simply about selecting skilled players—it’s about crowning stars.”
The Yankees scout pointed toward the Ground outside the window with his finger.
“Did you hear the roar just now? Who did the crowd go wild for? Casey already has a solid fanbase. Star quality isn’t something you can teach. It’s something you’re born with.”
“That’s true.”
The Boston Red Sox scout also expressed his support.
He touched on something more practical and calculated.
“From a business perspective, it makes sense for Casey to be MVP. Already at the Minor League level, Casey’s uniform sales rival those of many Major Leaguers. If he gets called up to the majors with the MVP title? For Major League Baseball, it’s like acquiring a walking corporation. Ticket sales, merchandise revenue… let’s be honest. Baseball ultimately needs to make money, doesn’t it?”
Finally, the Chicago Cubs scout drove the final nail.
“The narrative is more perfect on Casey’s side. A home run in the first inning, and a go-ahead two-run homer when the team needed it. He’s a fitting protagonist for a drama. The public remembers the flashy, visible moments.”
The air in the Conference Room seemed to tilt toward Casey.
Paul listened quietly to their arguments with his arms crossed.
‘They’re not entirely wrong.’
Their logic was sound.
In the massive business of Major League Baseball, skill mattered, but so did the star quality that drew crowds.
And clutch ability that exploded in critical moments could send a player’s value through the roof.
Especially for big-market franchises, such superstar qualities were paramount.
Casey had proven those qualities today without reservation.
A hero who overcame an unfavorable count and led his team to victory.
Certainly an attractive commodity in terms of marketability.
But.
‘That’s only….’
My gaze shifted toward another record sheet placed in the corner of the table—the paper with Oh Soo-ho’s name written on it.
‘…limited to what happened inside the Stadium today.’
Star quality? Money? All good.
But if we’re talking about baseball itself—the foundation upon which all of that rests—the conversation changes.
‘Time to get the ball rolling.’
I sensed it was time to step in.
While they talked about commodities, someone needed to discuss the essence.
“My goodness! Big-market gentlemen praising our player like this. I’m so honored I don’t know where to put myself!”
I raised both hands dramatically and spoke with exaggerated humility.
In that instant, all eyes turned toward me.
The Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, Phillies.
Everyone gathered here represented prestigious franchises that were in no way inferior to the Dodgers in terms of financial power or history.
Of course, these gentlemen hadn’t shown their faces at that shabby tryout where Soo-ho was first discovered.
‘Still, they’ve got a good eye for talent, I’ll give them that.’
Paul kept his smile intact as he took in each Scout one by one.
Their support for Casey wasn’t a flawed judgment.
Casey was exceptional.
The performance he’d shown today was more than sufficient to become a star. But.
“As you said, Casey was indeed remarkable. A dramatic home run, star quality that drove the crowd wild. I won’t deny it. He’s a talent worth coveting.”
Paul pulled his chair closer and leaned forward. The playfulness vanished from his eyes, leaving only the keen gaze of a serious Scout.
“But didn’t you all witness Oh Soo-ho’s performance today?”
Paul enumerated Soo-ho’s accomplishments one by one.
With each mention, his voice grew stronger.
“Power, defense, contact, base running, throwing. The five tools a baseball player can possess. It’s difficult to display all of them in a single season, yet this player showed every one of them in a single day.”
The room fell silent.
There was no rebuttal.
If Casey had dominated the moment at the Batter’s Box, then Soo-ho had dominated the entire Ground in every aspect—offense, defense, and base running—from the start of the game to its end.
“Casey’s home run was thrilling. But Soo-ho’s play was nothing short of extraordinary.”
Paul concluded with unwavering conviction.
“Star quality? The reason fans go wild? It’s simple. When someone plays baseball overwhelmingly well, fans naturally lose their minds. The standing ovation the crowd gave at the end wasn’t just because of Casey’s home run. They were responding to the pinnacle of baseball that Soo-ho displayed.”
Paul smiled and glanced around at the Scouts.
“Ah, and one more thing. Star quality? It matters, of course. I agree. Both of these players belong to our Dodgers. If their abilities are comparable, the one with superior star quality will be called up first. But does Soo-ho really lack star quality compared to Casey? Look at this and let’s discuss it again.”
Paul pulled a tablet from his bag and placed it firmly on the table.
The screen was filled with articles in an unfamiliar script.
The Scouts’ eyes widened as they peered at the display.
They were Korean articles.
But what caught their attention wasn’t the text itself—it was the numbers exploding in real time below the articles.
Specifically, the view counts and comments.
“That’s not all.”
Paul scrolled through the screen.
This time, it showed an American streaming site broadcasting today’s game in real time.
The chat window scrolled so rapidly it was hard to follow, and a significant portion of the messages were in Korean, not English.
“This player isn’t American. He’s a foreigner—Korean. Yes, I understand. The total volume of reactions might still be less than Casey’s overall.”
Paul pointed calmly at the screen.
“But that’s because Soo-ho is only now being revealed to the world. Until now, he was in the shadows of Low-A, so even Korean people didn’t know of his existence.”
But that was changing now.
Today’s incredible performance would cross the Pacific Ocean through reports.
The dramatic story of overcoming the pain of being released and clawing his way up from the bottom of American baseball was the narrative that captivated audiences most.
“I ask again: does he truly lack commercial appeal? A foreign player has appeared in the league like a comet, not a native. This isn’t just about gaining a fan or two. An entirely new market is opening up.”
Conviction resonated in Paul’s voice.
“I’m confident you all understand how significant an impact this will have on the Major League.”
The Scouts in the room were rendered speechless.
They had no rebuttal.
They were business professionals, after all.
The impact when a foreign superstar is born.
A dramatic surge in broadcast rights revenue for that nation.
Global sales of uniforms and merchandise.
Even an influx of tourists flying in just to witness that player.
If Casey was a domestic blockbuster for America, Soo-ho was nothing short of a global jackpot.
The market scale itself was entirely different.
“Therefore, I believe their star power is at minimum equal.”
Paul shut down his tablet and fixed the Scouts with a direct gaze.
“Now that we’ve stripped away the hype, let’s evaluate purely on baseball merit.”
Paul’s eyes gleamed with sharp intensity.
He was reading something in the eyes of the Yankees and Red Sox Scouts who were staring him down.
The cunning intent hidden behind their shock.
‘Your thinking is transparent.’
Why push Casey so hard?
Simply because Casey was better?
Favoritism? Bias?
None of it.
If Soo-ho became MVP, his value would skyrocket beyond measure.
‘If we can diminish Soo-ho’s value even slightly, we might be able to lowball a trade offer.’
They had already begun salivating over Soo-ho instead of Casey.
So they desperately wanted to block the MVP title somehow, hoping the Dodgers would undervalue Soo-ho as a result.
‘But it won’t work.’
Paul twisted his lips upward and drove the final nail in.
“If there are no objections, let’s vote.”
After the vote concluded, the MVP was decided.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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