Chapter 7

Major League Baseball's demonstration games are divided into two leagues. Florida's Grapefruit League represented by the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. Arizona's Cactus League represented by the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants. When the long winter is over, and news of the opening of trial leagues named after local specialties comes in. The buttocks of diehard baseball fans who sit in front of the fireplace and look forward to the next season while watching the team's progress, shake with unbearable joy. And most of them end up lifting their ass and heading to the airport.

"It is still a beautiful place." David Condor, a man who visited Florida again this year, smiled pleasantly in the warm sunlight.

"Oh, I shouldn't be doing this." David Condor, who was enjoying photosynthesis for a moment, took out his cell phone with a mischievous smile on his face and frantically touched the screen.

-Arrived. Florida is still sunny. A chat window pops up as if you were waiting for it when you send a message along with a picture you just took.

- Ha... I envy you.….

-Some are enjoying the sun in Florida and some are in the garage. What's this? The three friends became close since high school because they liked baseball, especially the New York Yankees. In the 15 years of long years, appearances and circumstances have changed a lot, but always in March, we watched the Yankees' new start together in Florida. Coincidentally, the two of them got married last year, so this year was the first time they came to Florida alone.

-That's why marriage is a man's grave. Did something happen in that short time? Condor, who looked at the number that did not disappear, smiled bitterly and put his phone in his back pocket. He makes fun of his friends who are busy with childcare and housework, but why wouldn't he want to find a companion for life? Condor, who had been caressing his bald head and his protruding belly in a gloomy way, shook his head and ignited his enthusiasm again. Because he had some news he had to pass on to his eagerly awaited friends.

"Kim Shin, just come out."

Last winter, the contract of a rookie player suddenly exploded. However, when it was revealed that the target was a rook with no record, the Yankees fan community was on fire.

- Finally, the front desk is crazy? You don't have experience in games?

No game experience?

-crazy;

Get him back! Who's Park? - There's a Korean who released it last year or the year before. Why would you bring the one who released it?

- Still better than him.

You're proving that you don't know. You don't know a pitcher who won 100 major titles?

The three best Yankees fans who won't lose to anyone had gathered in a pub and chewed on the front desk all winter. Of course, there were many good things, such as the subsequent transfer contracts of Michael Pineda and Hiroki Kuroda, and the declaration of the return of legend Andy Pettit.

"Why the hell aren't you releasing the information?" Even the information about the players that should be provided is under a veil whether the front desk controls it. The only way was to check it with your own eyes. "taxi!" In order to secure accurate data, the footsteps of die-hard fans carrying bags headed to the stadium named after the legendary former owner. "George M. Steinbrenner Field!"

* * *

George M. Steinbrenner. Since taking over the New York Yankees in 1973, he has built an evil empire that will go down in the history of American professional sports as well as the major leagues. His beliefs and way of thinking can be clearly confirmed in the two sentences he left behind.

- To me, victory is second only to breathing. If you're breathing, you have to win.

- I don't like losing. I hate it to death.

A man who was like the incarnation of the desire to win. The giant died of a heart attack in 2010 after watching the Yankees last win in 2009. The Yankees demonstration stadium named after him. An unbelievably familiar man for the first time sat in the locker room with his eyes closed. From that man, anyone can see, 'Don't talk to me.' It was a natural and unwritten rule in the major leagues not to talk to the concentrating pitcher before the game even if he had to leave it. … .

"Hey, Kim. Is it your first match today?" A well-to-do, shaggy, furry man approached him without hesitation, as if to give him a dog, and sat down in the seat next to him. Kim Shin, who opened his eyes, put the name of the round man in his mouth as if he was familiar with it.

"Oh, Mr Chamberlain." Joba Chamberlain. At the beginning of his debut, he was expected to be the second Rocket Man, Roger Clemens, and was a promising prospect enough to make the Yankees even create a Joba rule to protect him. Like a lie, after experiencing a bitter fall from the second year, a man who can't even stand in the starting lineup. But even then, he smiles brightly and plays his role as a bullpen pitcher with a steel mentality.

"Mr... … . Can you just call me comfortably? According to Park, Korea has a strong senior and junior culture. I'm your senior and friend! We eat together and go to the bathouse. All done!" That Joba Chamberlain was showing an unstoppable affinity for Kim Shin, perhaps thanks to his close friendship with Park Cheon-hoo, a Korean legend who was released from the Yankees in 2010. 'I heard that Cheonhu-senpai talks so much... … . So, did you become friends?' Kim Shin sighed inwardly during the image training that had lost the patch, and had no choice but to hang out with the chatter of this old-fashioned senior.

"As the culture of seniors and juniors is strong, wouldn't it be impossible to deal with them more comfortably?"

"Oh, is that so?"

"That's right."

"Well, then that's it. Because that's not important. Now, look at my son here. You should watch this before the game." Joba Chamberlain holds her phone close and shows her a picture of a young boy. Perhaps it was because he woke up from an unfavorable family environment, but it was a scene that showed his arms and legs naked.

"Yeah, it's really cute."

"Is not it? Because I live for him."

Joba Chamberlain was doomed to injure his ankle while playing with his beloved son a week before his major league start. It was an episode that would make you laugh and say that something like that will happen in the future, but it is a reality for Shin Kim now.

"No matter how much you want to, don't ride the trampoline."

"yes?"

"I heard it's dangerous. Be careful in case you get hurt." "Oh, are you worried? Thank you!"

"… … ."

Kim Shin prayed as he watched Joba Chamberlain pouring out his advice with one ear indifferently. 'Please don't get hurt.' Of course, I also wanted to change the future of the Yankees pitching team, which started with Joba Chamberlain and suffered injuries one after another. 'I can eat all of that. the problem is… … .' The main reason was that he needed someone who could block the access of someone who was disgusting, who was still looking at him from the other side of the locker room.

"Whoa..." "Do you want to see this, too?" "Yes, it's cute. But can I get ready for the game?"

"Oh, you're bluffing.…! It's enough to throw it like then, right? "I know you don't care about exhibition games at all"

"haha… … ." Time flew by as Chamberlain's words echoed through the locker room. "Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-! When darkness fell on the arena. A Yankees fan who flew from New York involuntarily exclaimed. "Oh! My! God!"

* * *

Boston Red Sox. The team that met the Yankees the most and the team that lost the most to the Yankees. A team that suffered countless setbacks for 86 years as the curse of the Bambino continued, not only was it not enough to lose aces such as Babe Ruth and Roger Clemens. - Red Sox fans support only two teams. Boston, and the team that plays against the Yankees. A team that burns hostility, no, malice toward the Yankees to the point where there is such a word. However, after the appointment of the distinguished general manager Theo Epstein, he won the World Series in 2004 and 2007. A team that completely overwhelms the Yankees in the 21st century. Kim Shin's first opponent was such a team.

[Welcome to MLB! Hello, viewers! Today, we visited Yankees vs. Red Sox and Red Sox vs. Yankees. How do you see today's game?]

[No matter how much the Yankees and Red Sox are demonstration games, I won't go to a blood battle... … I don't think that... … I don't like it!]

[Haha, that's right. Just by looking at the lineup, you can tell how the two teams are thinking about the match. So let's check the lineup first!]

Both teams came out with a perfect starting lineup that would be believable even if it was a major league opening game. An unusual name appeared in the eyes of the caster who checked the starting lineup and looked through the roster.

[Kim? Is there a player named Shin Kim?]

[Ah, this is a pitcher who joined the Yankees on an international prospect contract last winter. He got 1.5 million dollars. He's the same Korean as Park, who played for the Dodgers.]

[Oh, you mean he's a player to look forward to?]

[Uh... … Actually, it's a bit vague to say that... … .]

The commentator was sweating and blurry.

"What? You've never played before?" "Did the front desk turn? Or did you eat the money?"

Around the time when the people who were listening to the broadcast were as red as the internet. 'Boston… … .' Shin Kim was sitting in the bullpen and staring at the opposing team's dugout. The current Yankees team and fans see Boston as just another number down the road. Even though it is a rivalry, the Boston side reacts violently, and the Yankees side has a strong feeling that they fit together for the sake of box office success. 27 : 7. From the winning record, it was not an opponent. The team that won more recently in 2009 was also the Yankees. However, Kim Shin had a different mindset. In his time, the Yankees haven't won in 30 years since 2009, but the Red Sox haven't. While the Yankees struggled to grab the broken crown, the Red Sox were the team that held the throne. 1 second. [Game begins!] The moment the game starts with starting pitcher Andy Pettitte's pitch. Shin Kim closed his eyes. Whoops-!

[fan! Andy Petit is back! He still shows off his poise!]

Intense muzzle that catches strikeouts. Damn-!

[The left middle is large! big! homer! David Ortiz! It marks the first home run of a solo prisoner demonstration game!]

A roar that seems to split a batted ball. "Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" The cheers of the audience bursting with joy. The sound of the ground that I have been looking forward to again and again. The smell of dirt from the players' bodies. 'I'm back.' Just as Kim Shin embraced them all with his body and quietly sharpened his toenails.

"Kim, get ready."

The time has come for the lion to run out into the meadow.