Trade
"Hey, Han Min-woo. Are you listening to me? Hey! You bastard!"
"Yes, sir!"
At the sound calling him, Han Min-woo suddenly snapped out of his daze.
The Busan Dolphins' 2nd-team pitching coach, saved in his phone as 'The Respected Pitching Coach Bastard', shoved his red and blue face at him and chewed him out.
"Are you not going to get a grip? If you go looking like that, what do you think they'll think of me for having coached you at the Wolves?"
"I'm sorry."
He was famous for his nasty temper. Furthermore, he was the type to fully utilize the relationship between a 'coach' and a '2nd-team player' to screw over the other person.
Acting on the instinct engraved in him over time, knowing that showing any weakness would bring no good, Han Min-woo quickly bowed his head.
Fortunately, the pitching coach's nagging didn't last long. He figured there was no need to waste his breath on a guy who had already been traded.
Otherwise, he would have been held captive and stripped down verbally for about an hour.
The pitching coach gestured with his chin toward his back.
"They said you're out of the Wolves. Hurry up and go to the dorm to pack your things first."
Looking back, a man in a suit who looked to be in his 30s caught his eye. He was an official from the Wolves organization who had come to pick him up.
Han Min-woo offered a polite bow to the pitching coach, expressing his gratitude for everything, before heading to the dorm.
Trade.
It meant exchanging players with another team or bringing someone in for money. In short, it meant Han Min-woo was leaving the team he had belonged to and heading to a new nest.
Despite this, as he packed his belongings into a travel bag, Han Min-woo's mind was filled with other thoughts.
Well, to begin with, the only things he had to pack were a few clothes and baseball-related items like a glove, spikes, and a baseball.
'What the hell is this?'
On one side of his vision, a hologram was still floating.
Han Min-woo lightly tapped one of the letters written on the hologram with his finger.
[Would you like to draw a Special Ability? 1,000 P is required to draw a Special Ability!]
[You can earn points by facing batters in a game with official baseball rules applied, or by completing given Daily Quests!]
It was one of two things. Either he was seeing things, or a miracle had come.
Even when he turned his gaze, all other surrounding objects looked normal.
If there was one thing different compared to before, it was this. The hologram had appeared.
Meaning, it wasn't a hallucination or delusion caused by schizophrenia.
Eliminating one of the two options led to a conclusion.
A miracle had come.
He didn't know how it happened, but the abilities of the BnB game had manifested in him.
'If this is the BnB I know... I can throw more balls on the pro stage.'
He had foreseen a self-deprecating future, but that didn't mean Han Min-woo had given up.
He was still here, living day by day on the field with his glove on.
If he had given up, the first thing he would have done was throw off this glove.
"You worked hard until now."
When he came out after packing, the pitching coach patted Han Min-woo's shoulder.
Disgusting bastard. He was putting on an act just because an official from another team was here.
The pitching coach opened his mouth toward the Wolves' official.
"Where is Min-woo going?"
"Haha, it's a bit hard to say."
"As if that's a secret. Obviously he's going to Icheon. Work hard."
The pitching coach scoffed and disappeared toward the dugout, leaving only Han Min-woo and the team official in the open space.
After exchanging brief introductions with the team official, Han Min-woo got into the car and looked out the window.
'I'm finally leaving this place.'
Various emotions crossed his mind as they headed up toward the metropolitan area.
When he first came here, his heart pounded at the thought of finally becoming a pro player.
When he was completely beaten down on the 1st-team stage and came back down, he was full of venom.
When he returned after finishing his public service, he was anxious about what lay ahead.
And until yesterday, he had clenched his teeth to somehow stand on the 1st-team stage again.
'I will definitely become an MVP pitcher.'
Han Min-woo resolved.
Although his former team judged him useless and cast him out, he would show a different side in the Wolves, his new nest.
Like that, after driving about 300km on the Jungbu Inland Expressway, they were passing near Icheon.
'Huh?'
Seeing the car not take the Icheon IC exit but enter the Jungbu Expressway, Han Min-woo tilted his head.
The Seoul Wolves' 2nd-team stadium and dorms were both in Icheon. So normally, they should get off the highway around here.
"This isn't the way to Icheon, is it?"
At Han Min-woo's question, the team official smirked.
"We're heading to Jamsil."
July 8, 2030.
A single article posted in the sports section made the community buzz.
[Breaking) Seoul Wolves and Busan Dolphins complete 1-for-2 trade. (1st Report)]
[Dolphins execute sudden trade with Wolves... Yoon Jae-hyun, Han Min-woo ↔ Yoo Sung-jong]
The Busan Dolphins, who had struggled with the vacancy in the starting right fielder since the beginning of the season, took a gamble on a trade as the industry predicted.
With them chasing the 5th-place Incheon Albatrosses by 1.5 games, they strengthened their roster by giving up two prospects and acquiring a national team-level right fielder for fall baseball.
This season, Yoo Sung-jong played in 83 games, with 296 at-bats and 87 hits, a batting average of 0.294, 11 home runs, and an OPS of 0.787...
-MNS News Reporter Kwon Joo-chul [email protected]
└F***, I want to beat up all the Wolves front office bastardsㅋㅋ If you gave away Yoo Sung-jong, shouldn't you at least get Jung Tae-min or Seo Ji-ho? Giving up a starting right fielder and only getting a defense-only prospect and a retard?
└ㅋㅋㄹㅇ Isn't Yoon Jae-hyun just at the level of a defensive sub or pinch runner?
└ㄴㄴ At least Yoon Jae-hyun is useful;; The moment I saw Han Min-woo's name, I doubted my eyesㄷㄷ Career ERA 13.14 ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└They brought in two prospects and both are sights to seeㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ This team has no future f***
└The biggest problem is his mental is really trash. His 2nd-team stats aren't that bad, but the moment he comes up to the 1st team, he explodesㅎ2
└ㅇㅇ True. Sometimes there are pitchers who change completely by lifting weights intensely or learning a new breaking ball, but it's hard for Han Min-woo to even belong to that category. What the hell is the Wolves front office doingㅋ
└Sigh.. I was wondering why everyone was making a fuss so I looked up Han Min-woo, and he's truly hopeless ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ No control, weak stuff, slow velocity, plus he's walking everyone and loading the basesㅡㅡ
└I'd bet my left wrist that they'll come up to the 1st team a few times and disappear without a trace f*** By the way, she's currently my girlfriendㅇㅇ
└Aw, still, since they're coming, let's all cheer for themㅎㅎ Go Yoon Jae-hyun! Go Han Min-woo♥
"You worked hard coming here."
A thick hand slipped forward. Han Min-woo stood up and respectfully shook it with both hands.
Chief Coach Kim Young-seung.
He was the one currently acting as the Wolves' interim manager, taking the place of the manager who was fired a few days ago.
A pro player can only prove themselves by playing in games. He was essentially the one holding the power of life and death over him.
"Hello, Manager. I'm Han Min-woo."
"Hello, I'm Yoon Jae-hyun."
"Hmm, welcome to both of you. You probably know what it means that you came to Jamsil instead of Icheon."
"Yes, I do."
"You'll be registered on the 1st-team roster starting tomorrow. The organization has high expectations for both of you. So, I hope you'll work hard."
"We will work hard."
The atmosphere in the manager's office was quite warm. Chief Coach Kim Young-seung's impression wasn't bad either, and the hitting coach sitting with them greeted the two with a warm smile.
But that didn't mean they could let their guard down.
'If I don't produce results, it's useless.'
The coaching staff weren't volunteers. They were people who had to produce results somehow with the players belonging to the team.
It meant they would always show that warm smile to players who performed well or were necessary to them, but to those who didn't, they could become infinitely cold and cruel depending on the situation.
If it weren't for the BnB system, they could become King Yama sentencing him to hell.
Han Min-woo drooped his shoulders as he left the manager's office.
Perhaps because so much had happened today, he was already drained.
But Han Min-woo still had things left to do.
'I'm really not good at this kind of thing.'
Han Min-woo, who was somewhat passive when it came to human relationships, let out a long sigh.
'Still... I have to do it, right?'
[Daily Quest List]
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In the past, the BnB game had a system called Daily Quests.
Five were given at random, all related to baseball, and it was the only way for players who couldn't play in games to earn points.
Just like in the game, the ones given to Han Min-woo today were also five.
Three of them were things he couldn't do today.
'100 points...'
If he didn't do the Daily Quests today, they would disappear. There was no guarantee they would be given again tomorrow. This was a quest he absolutely had to do.
However, for Han Min-woo, who had a serious and cautious personality, stepping forward and approaching someone first was not easy.
'I have to do this no matter what.'
But when he thought of this as a game, his hidden other side popped out.
When he was young, Han Min-woo was a foolish kid who wouldn't hesitate to go through fire and water just to earn points.
"Coach."
"Oh, Min-woo."
At Han Min-woo's call, the hitting coach, who was taking them to the dorms near Jamsil Baseball Stadium, turned his head.
"Would it be okay if I do a little training before going in?"
"Now? It's already past 5 o'clock, why don't you rest today?"
"I have my usual routine. I'll just do some light stretching. And... since I'm there, I'd like to greet the seniors too."
The hitting coach stared at Han Min-woo at those words, then smirked.
"Is this your first time being traded? You punk, you're really good at office politics."
It seemed there was some misunderstanding.
He said it to earn points, but from the hitting coach's perspective, it sounded like an exemplary newcomer wanting to greet his seniors. But he didn't bother to correct him.
For the record, Han Min-woo had never once been told he was good at office politics.
"Alright, let's go. Jae-hyun, what are you going to do? If you're tired, you can go straight to the dorm."
The hitting coach asked Yoon Jae-hyun, who was frozen stiff behind Han Min-woo.
"Uh... I, I'd like to go greet them too."
Yoon Jae-hyun wasn't a fool either.
A person's first impression was truly important. Depending on how the first impression was made, future relationships could change drastically.
Especially since baseball was a game where teamwork was important. It wasn't a sport like soccer or basketball where one person doing well could produce results.
Moreover, the world of pro baseball was famous for its strict hierarchy.
For a rookie player who had only stepped onto the pro stage 3 years ago, the veterans of the team could exert a lot of influence.
It was important to button the first button correctly.
"Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale."
"Woo-chan, your knees are going forward. Just a little more! Think of putting tension on your glutes!"
"Senior. May I ask if you're done using the equipment?"
As they entered the indoor training facility, a heated atmosphere greeted Han Min-woo's group.
Despite it being a Monday with no games, a sizable number of players were out focusing on their training.
"Hello, seniors! I'm Han Min-woo, who was traded from the Dolphins and will be wearing the Wolves uniform! I'll work hard!"
"I'm Yoon Jae-hyun! Please take care of me!"
Han Min-woo and Yoon Jae-hyun approached each player one by one and bowed 90 degrees. The players' reactions were varied.
"Oh, alright."
"Nice to meet you. You're the kids who came instead of Sung-jong? Work hard."
Nod.
Someone was nonchalant, someone was welcoming, and someone just tilted their head. Nevertheless, Han Min-woo greeted them politely without losing the smile on his face.
Because he was thinking about the points, those reactions didn't register at all. His back bowed automatically.
Let's call it a capitalist smile.
Like that, Han Min-woo, who had made a full round of the indoor training facility, took a spot in a corner.
His overly polite attitude rapidly changed back to a calm one.
'Got 100 points from this.'
[
The points came in.
His heart pounded. It was a sensation he hadn't felt in a really long time. The emotion he was feeling right now was excitement.
Even though he had only greeted them, it felt like the character named Han Min-woo had grown stronger.
In that sense, his first goal was to collect 1,000 points. He had to draw a Special Ability first and fill that slot.
'It's practically rock bottom already. There's nowhere lower to fall. Whatever Special Ability comes out, it'll unconditionally be a plus in my current situation.'
He didn't care what came out. Velocity, stamina, control, or a breaking ball.
If he filled them up one by one, he would eventually be able to leap over the wall called the 1st-team stage blocking his path.
Han Min-woo stretched, recalling memories of playing BnB in the past.
'But it's strange. Didn't BnB originally start with every player having at least one Special Ability?'
Why do I have nothing? Is it because it's the real-life version?
Han Min-woo tilted his head and gently tapped the status window.
Then, the surrounding vision turned colorful and several notification windows popped up.
Ding!
[Would you like to draw a Special Ability? 1,000 P is required to draw a Special Ability!]
[You pressed
[What will come out? Drum roll please.]
[★☆★☆Tada☆★☆★]
[
'Huh?'
His body stiffened rigidly for a moment.
The Special Ability from the first random draw was surprisingly an A-grade.
Moreover...
'This came out?'
The very thing Han Min-woo thought he needed the most right now.
[
The Wolves' 1st-team manager's office.
The pitching coach, who had been reading down the profile placed on the round table, let out a long sigh.
"Damn it, I really can't work like this. Does our front office only have suckers? Or are they blind? How could they make a trade like this?"
"Yoon Jae-hyun is at a level where he can be revived if we correct his batting style... The problem is this kid. Ever since he got hit by a line drive, the kid's mind has gone bad."
"Even if we try to change his pitch sequencing or add another pitch to give him a weapon, the moment we put him on the mound, he'll get beaten up. I have no idea what part of Han Min-woo they saw to bring him in."
The bullpen coach and battery coach also expressed their complaints about this trade.
Their role was to develop and care for the players, helping them perform well throughout the season.
In that sense, the newly added card in their hands was bound to be a headache.
Han Min-woo.
A product of Yeongdong Middle School and Deoksu High School, he throws right and bats right. A 5th-year pitcher who joined the Dolphins as the overall 2nd pick in the 1st round of the 2026 draft. Height 184 cm, weight mid-80s kg.
At the time of his signing, he was a super prospect who threw up to a top velocity of 158 km/h, but after rehabilitation, his top velocity dropped to 137 km/h.
His pitch arsenal includes a four-seam fastball, slider, changeup, and curve. However, none of them are at a level good enough to be used as an out-pitch.
His Futures League stats are decent, but his professional baseball career ERA is a rather high 13.14.
The pitching coach, who had been reading the scouting report, clicked his tongue and set it down on the round table.
"Should we just use him for a bit and throw him away? Do any other coaches have an opinion on Han Min-woo?"
The evaluation was cold. They had already branded Han Min-woo as trash.
In particular, the pitching coach was the nephew of Ryu Hyun-jong, an executive of the parent company and the general manager of the Wolves. He was bound to have a large voice.
While everyone was pouring out complaints, the hitting coach thought of Han Min-woo.
His first impression was very good.
He continued to greet them without minding that other players were nonchalant, and he steadfastly stretched no matter how others looked at him.
Baseball was a sport where tight chemistry among teammates was extremely important. Unlike other sports, it was impossible for a single person to grab the team by the scruff of the neck and drag the game along.
No pitcher could throw a 27-strikeout perfect game, and no batter could record a 1.000 batting average.
In that sense, the hitting coach felt that at least Han Min-woo wouldn't ruin the team atmosphere.
'As a player, hmm...'
But if asked if he was a usable player, he couldn't help but shake his head.
A prospect of misfortune. The sore finger of the Dolphins.
Han Min-woo's problem was clear. After being hit by a line drive, his control fell apart.
As long as that problem wasn't solved, Han Min-woo wouldn't be treated as a baseball player by any coaching staff.
Things like his personality or past circumstances wouldn't be important at all to the people running the team.
A card to be used and discarded if it breaks, nothing more, nothing less.
The hitting coach opened his mouth.
"The key seems to be whether Han Min-woo has overcome his trauma or not. Until we confirm that, I'd like to reserve my judgment on Han Min-woo."
To him, the players were like his children.
Even if they were 2nd-team players who might break up after only a few days, or pitchers who weren't under his jurisdiction, the hitting coach had always treated them with sincerity.
That was why he wanted to take Han Min-woo's side as much as possible. But the other coaches were cold.
"He hasn't come up to the 1st team once since he came back from public service, has he? If his trauma was cured, he would have come up way earlier."
"Tsk. Then he's completely done for."
"I don't know how the front office works. As if we didn't have enough usable pitchers, the pitcher we got in a trade is a defective product..."
The coaches poured out their complaints about this trade. Seeing that, Chief Coach Kim Young-seung wrapped up the situation.
No matter how small his standing was within the team compared to the pitching coach, the interim manager was the interim manager.
"Let's use Yoon Jae-hyun as a defensive utility. If we send him out as a pinch hitter occasionally and build his confidence in batting, it seems like he'll improve to some extent."
"What will we do with Han Min-woo, Interim Manager?"
"I asked someone at the Dolphins, and they said his work ethic is excellent. For the time being, I'll put him on the 1st-team roster and use him for mop-up duty. Having a hardworking player is good for team atmosphere too."
Mop-up pitcher.
One of the relief pitcher roles, referring to a pitcher who takes the mound to handle the remaining innings in a game where a comeback is difficult.
In a word, it meant coming out to handle the remaining garbage innings in a situation where they couldn't affect the outcome of the game at all.
Because of that, unlike other pitchers who received careful management, the mop-up pitcher had no special care.
Even if they went up and got battered by the opposing team's batters, or threw dozens of pitches, if they couldn't finish the remaining innings, they couldn't come down.
"Then let's stop here for Han Min-woo. Next, let's see... Yoon Min. His skills have improved a lot lately. Probably from August..."
Han Min-woo's scouting report was pushed to one corner, and the coaches moved on to discuss the next player.