The Genius Pitcher Dad Throws for His Daughter - Chapter 42

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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 42
#42.
The Dolphins Community naturally danced with joy as the game concluded.
In truth, the community’s recent atmosphere had been quite positive.
Of course, looking at the immediate record, it was a losing streak following a winning streak.
The losing streak was merely two games, and before that had been an eight-game winning streak. An 80% win rate. There was no reason for the mood to be poor.
Yet the reason they hadn’t bounced back as vibrantly as before was that Kim Se-jin’s poor performance had left a wound in their hearts.
The hero and symbol of the Busan Dolphins.
For over a decade, he had guarded the Mound, and while others received favorable treatment and pursued overseas opportunities or transfers to other teams, Kim Se-jin remained a one-team player, throwing pitches from the Mound for championship glory—the ace everyone knew.
People had gathered inside and outside the Baseball Stadium, eager to watch Dolphins baseball after so long, but what they witnessed was the sorrow of seeing their remembered ace in decline and deterioration.
But today was different.
Breaking the losing streak! The catcher! Kang Ho-jin!
It was the emergence of none other than a player named Kang Ho-jin.
Five innings, 63 pitches, no runs allowed.
Had there not been a single batter reaching on an error, he would have continued his perfect game streak—everyone rejoiced at the appearance of today’s winning pitcher.
The 150 km fastball cleanly struck the Strike Zone.
The changeup, a breaking ball barely distinguishable from the fastball, was solid, and he threw a curveball with considerable drop as well.
Adding the splitter that had recently elevated the value of the Dolphins’ Foreign Pitcher Kevin, he wielded four pitch types freely with aggressive pitching.
Until now, the problem with Dolphins pitchers had been predictable: they threw as if fleeing, their control wavered, and walks accumulated. It was a game that naturally infuriated spectators.
But today, Kang Ho-jin’s pitching was different.
Thanks to his crisp pitching, the game time naturally shortened, and with the opposing batters unable to reach base, the pace accelerated.
Precisely, Kang Ho-jin pitched for approximately one hour and twenty-eight minutes, and the entire game took only two hours and twenty-two minutes.
The average Dolphins game time is three hours and seventeen minutes.
Considering other teams’ games take less than three hours, that remaining time represents the frustrating hours fans endure as pitchers recklessly issue walks.
After so long, with an entertaining game displayed and a player worthy of the Dolphins’ native ace position finally appearing, there was nothing but joy.
– Who is this guy?! Is Kang Ho-jin’s uniform sold out?
└ Wow, I went right after the game ended and it was already gone.
└ It was definitely there before entry, but after Kang Ho-jin came off the field and I rushed over, it was gone.
└ I heard parents with daughters buy them, and it seems that’s true.
└ Young kids, especially girls, had a lot of Kang Ho-jin marks on them.
└ What’s the Front Office doing? Why aren’t they restocking uniforms immediately?!
Uniform sell-outs are the most basic metric for confirming a player’s recognition.
For the Dolphins, whose uniform sales had been sluggish this year, the situation of Kang Ho-jin’s uniforms flying off the shelves was something to welcome with open arms.
– By the way, what was that the Chairman mentioned at the end?
└ (link) That’s it. The newly appointed General Manager Park Ju-ho received direct approval from the Chairman and has improved medical benefits and various other perks for all players in the organization.
└ Wow! The Front Office is doing great work.
└ I hope Ye-jin’s treatment goes well with this.
└ This isn’t the time for that. So you’re saying if we buy Parent Company products, that money helps Ye-jin’s treatment?
└ Oh?! Since we can’t get uniforms right now, I should buy some company products.
└ My rice cooker broke, so I need to go to the mart tomorrow.
└ Long live the Chairman! Long live the Parent Company!
From the community, I could hear cheers of support for the Parent Company that owned the Dolphins.
The fans weren’t just offering words of encouragement—they had begun purchasing the company’s products, and thanks to this, the increased sales came with fan reactions that even made it into news articles.
“Tsk tsk tsk. This is wonderful indeed.”
Shin Chairman, observing this development, smiled with genuine delight.
Though the hour was already late, today was different.
Normally I didn’t pay much attention to Dolphins games, but ever since learning of Kang Ho-jin’s existence, I had been carving out time to watch the matches.
Whenever Kang Ho-jin took the mound, it meant the team was winning that day, and more than anything, his pitching was so exhilarating that it didn’t just satisfy—it invigorated my entire body and lifted my spirits.
After a long time, I had finally found a player worth admiring, and upon hearing he would be starting as the Pitcher today, I had cancelled my entire schedule and leisurely watched the game from my Mansion.
The team won, Kang Ho-jin’s interview impressed me, and with the real-time community response being so positive, I couldn’t help but smile as the Chairman.
“Secretary Kim, isn’t it amusing? No matter how much a company promotes itself and makes efforts, public perception and behavior don’t change easily. Yet here they are, rejoicing over a single baseball victory and providing excellent profits to the company.”
Secretary Kim chose not to speak.
He understood the question wasn’t seeking an answer but was meant in a different sense, so he racked his brain to formulate an appropriate response.
“I will compile commercials that would benefit both the Baseball Team and the company.”
“He has a virtuous image, and as a young father working hard for his Daughter, it wouldn’t be a bad choice.”
Offering him a commercial was straightforward.
Not only would it resolve his financial difficulties through Hospital expenses, but it would also be excellent for promoting the company by leveraging Kang Ho-jin’s positive image.
Upon Shin Chairman’s order to proceed with what he considered a good deed, Secretary Kim left the room and began his work.
And in the living room, Shin Chairman and his only Granddaughter watched the Dolphins’ highlights being broadcast on television.
His face appeared on screen—finishing the interview, smiling as he told his Daughter that he loved her.
“He’s impressive.”
“Indeed.”
The words of Shin Chairman and his Granddaughter echoed quietly through the Mansion.
Then, as if having made a decision, Shin Chairman spoke.
“Would you like to go to the Baseball Stadium with your grandfather after all this time?”
“I’d love to, Grandfather.”
Shin Chairman was delighted at the prospect of visiting the Baseball Stadium with his Granddaughter.
Of course, the Front Office would likely have different thoughts on the matter.
* * *
When I woke up, I had quite a few messages waiting for me.
They were reactions that came because I had shown better pitching than expected as the starting Pitcher.
From my high school Manager to my peers.
From my teammates and Manager and Coach from the 2nd Team.
And even from my Parents.
Right after yesterday’s game ended, I contacted my Parents and collapsed into sleep the moment I reached the Dormitory.
I must have been quite nervous.
When I think about it, this was my 1st Team debut stage, and wasn’t it a day where I pitched among so many spectators? It seems I had been nervous without even realizing it.
‘Come to think of it… yesterday, after so long, I heard Father and Mother laughing together, didn’t I?’
I had thought they were watching from home, but that wasn’t the case.
They said they watched the broadcast at the Meat Restaurant where I had taken them, and I could hear the voice of the Restaurant Owner and quite a few people around him cheering me on.
From what I gathered, they said about fifteen autographs were needed, and it seemed that many people had watched baseball with my Parents.
‘That’s wonderful….’
My Parents had left their Hometown and settled in Seoul, after all.
They didn’t have many friends around, and since everyone was busy with their lives, they couldn’t gather often. On top of that, with Ye-jin being ill, my Parents didn’t have time to do anything elsewhere.
Thanks to the Baseball Team and Company looking after my Daughter, at least on the day I take the Mound, they can enjoy watching baseball with some peace of mind, so I’m grateful for that.
‘My next start is Sunday, at Jamsil, right?’
If the midweek three-game series was at Home, then the weekend three-game series would be away.
It happened to be against the Seoul Buffaloes.
Since Jamsil Baseball Stadium wasn’t far from Home, I thought it would be nice to invite my Parents to the Baseball Field after a long time.
Normally, it wouldn’t have been strange to invite them yesterday.
It was my debut game and the first opportunity to show my Parents that I was doing well, so most players would do that.
But with Ye-jin’s condition and the schedule being decided so suddenly, I planned to invite them for my next start instead, and specifically when we had a Home game.
Realistically, that won’t be possible in the first half of the season.
‘I have two remaining starts left, and both are away games.’
It seems my Parents will likely watch a Home game during the second half of the season.
If that’s the case, what I need to do is simple.
I have two remaining pitching opportunities, so I’ll secure safety by earning points in both to extend Ye-jin’s remaining time. Once I have that cushion, my Parents will be able to come to Busan after a long time and watch a game.
So what should I do?
‘What else? Rest first.’
I got up leisurely from bed and headed straight to the Baseball Field.
Rest and going to the Baseball Field? I’m going to get a massage there, and I need to keep the feel of yesterday’s pitching fresh.
I missed the study session that should have happened after the game yesterday, so I need to check if my Senior Pitchers studied properly. Plus, I’m thinking of giving Kevin some pointers since he’s starting today.
“Oh! Kang Ho-jin, you’re up. The other players left earlier. You can head over with me.”
Being the winning pitcher, a Front Office staff member greets me warmly.
Hearing that they were waiting to go to the Baseball Field together, I headed over with them.
“Oh! You Senior Pitchers studied hard even without me?”
Upon arrival, I checked if they had studied hard without me, and it turned out there were no issues.
In fact, it seemed they studied even harder because I wasn’t there, and they appeared thoroughly prepared, having even found small habits I hadn’t noticed yesterday.
“Hey! Bro! You were cool yesterday.”
“Kevin, how are you feeling today?”
“Me? I’m always perfect. I talked a lot with Al, and I think I’ll go with Al’s lead.”
Kevin, who was about to start, greets me with a smile.
Behind Kevin, the fielding Senior Pitchers come into view, and I greet each one—they all look in great condition.
The atmosphere is definitely bright, as if breaking the losing streak had an effect.
And the atmosphere wasn’t just bright.
“Whoooooa-!”
Kevin’s splitter drops wickedly, leaving the opposing batter helpless as he swings and misses.
Victory again after the two-game losing streak.
The Dolphins are starting to ride the momentum.

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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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