Chapter 5 – Rehabilitation Training 03

“10 minute break!”

Gun Choi laid down on the floor at the trainer’s notice.

“This is killing me.”

He breathed a long sigh and thought to himself.

‘Compare the ability of now and before rehabilitation.’

The system reacted rapidly with Gun Choi’s prompt.

- Displaying the basic abilities of user.

Physical Strength: B ← C

Muscular Strength: B ← C

Agility: C ← C

Reaction: B ← B

Reliability: C- ← C

Fortune: B ← B

Mental Strength: A+ ← A+ 

Physical and muscular strength had improved but Gun Choi bent his brow.

‘Ah, reliability dropped. What did I wrong. Maybe because of not answering the rookies of the secondary string?’

He shrugged and asked for another index.

‘Pitcher ability.’

- Displaying the ability of a pitcher.

Ball Speed: B+ ← C

Movement Velocity: B+ ← C

Ball Control: C+ ← D+

Movement: C ← D-

1st Grip: Four-seam Fastball C ← E

2nd Grip: Slider C ← E

3rd Grip: Changeup D ← E

4th Grip: Knuckleball E ← E

Skill: Blood of Wild Animal Level 1

Gun Choi paid attention to the knuckleball since he couldn’t see any improvements.

‘E on knuckle? It’s useless. I can’t use this on the game day.’

He met Tim Wakefield, a retired knuckleballer, before he returned to Korea.

Tim Wakefield saw Gun Choi’s arm applied with bandage and quietly said.

“Do you know how many players visit me like you?”

Gun Choi carefully replied.

“Over a hundred?”

“Not that much. It’s around ten a year. There are not that many players who want to survive by practicing the knuckleball.”

“Really?”

“Gun Choi? Are you determined to bet your life on the knuckleball?

Gun Choi clenched his fist and said.

“I’ll do anything if I can go back to the Major League and deal a blow to Tomson.

Tim Wakefield sn.i.g.g.e.red.

“Deal a blow to Tomson in Boston? Do you know who I am?”

Gun Choi realized he must have been rude to Tim Wakefield.

‘Oh my, Wakefield is one of the legends of Boston…..’

He could get a connection with Tim Wakefield because he had belonged to team Boston before.

Tim Wakefield saw that Gun Choi’s face had turned pale and shrugged.

“No worry. I’ll teach you the knuckleball. But promise me one thing. You also need to teach someone the knuckleball unconditionally if that someone wants to know. We never simply throw a knuckleball. A teacher of knuckleball?”

Gun Choi strongly replied.

“I promise.”

“Good. I’ll teach you the knuckleball.”

“Thank you.”

Tim Wakefield turned around a ball smoothly in his hands and said.

“You can say thank you once you master the knuckleball. I’ve taught the knuckleball to over a hundred players but only one could use it at the Major League.”

Gun Choi swallowed his saliva.

Knuckleball.

Even the best batter in Major League couldn’t hit it, that was the knuckleball.

But it wasn’t easy to master that skill.

Gun Choi couldn’t give up on gaining the skill.

Without his elbow recovered, he couldn’t throw fastb.a.l.l.s anymore.

So he needed a powerful skill like the knuckleball to survive in the Major League.

“Let’s begin.”

Tim Wakefield taught basic skills to Gun Choi for 3 days.

On the last day, he added one last word of advice.

“I want you to learn the rest by yourself as you keep practicing. The knuckleball is something to be realized that can’t be thrown by learning.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Gun Choi showed his promise to him to play at the Major League and returned to Korea.

And two years later.

Gun Choi drilled himself during his public service.

But he was qualified as E grade despite his two years of hard practice.

His disappointment was pretty big.

‘Was my throwing method wrong? Was there a spin on my knuckleball?’

Neither were desirable.

“Times up!”

Along with the trainer’s order, Gun Choi’s rehabilitation began again.

The latter part of the rehabilitation training.

 According to the estimated time of healing by the system, it was almost done.

Breathing deeply, Gun Choi picked up his smartphone and touched the screen.

Dialing, only a connection tone as dry as dust was heard.

‘It still sounds as dry as dust.’

And a few seconds later, someone answered the phone in a bright tone.

“It’s been a while, Mr. Choi.”

David’s tone was cheerful. He was a Gun Choi’s agent who spoke fluent English and lived in America.

“I’m almost done with my rehabilitation. I’m looking for a new team for the next season, is that possible?”

“You’re almost done? Sounds great. Can you tell me your fastball speed? As you know, I need to let them know….”

Gun Choi’s rehabilitation status was just before on the mound. So he didn’t have an exact number. But he was confident.

“I don’t have an exact number yet, but I think it will be over 88 miles.”

88 miles, it was not a real number. And 88 miles was also not enough to challenge a Major league.

David was positive with the number of 88.

“You got 88 even though you’re still under rehabilitation, amazing. I’m expecting over 90 miles once you’re done. Mr. Choi, I’ll search for a team for you.” 

David thought that Gun Choi would be graded as AAA or AA because he had previously been selected for the 40 rosters.

Gun Choi also expected that. And he expected still more.

“David, what about the showcase?”

David didn’t agree with that.

“Showcase? Mr. Choi, that is only for the experienced players in the Major League.”

“I know about that. But I’d like to show something to the teams in the Major League.”

David shrank back.

‘He must have learnt a new skill during rehabilitation. Hmm, he is filled with confidence. Well, I need to find teams that need pitchers.’

He gave a pause and said.

“Is it ok that we will have the mini showcase at the end of December? Teams with poor pitchers will have interest in that.”

Gun Choi face turned cheerful at David’s proposal.

“Is that possible?”

“Anyway, I can do something about the mini showcase. But there will be not enough teams to come.”

Gun Choi showed zeal for that.

“Ok, let me prepare carefully until December.”

“Mr. Choi, then I’ll call you back in December. Take care of your rehabilitation.”

Gun Choi laid down on the bed after the phone call.

It looked like everything went smoothly.

‘Who knows if I can directly enter the 40 rosters. But carelessness is my great enemy. Headhunters of the Major League are rather conservative in style.’

Conservative head hunters preferred well-qualified players.

But Gun Choi had a mere ERA(Earned run average) of 3% on AAA and no notable records. Even so, these records were achieved before his injuries.

Gun Choi got up again, grabbed the phone and called the trainer.

“Gun Choi, how are you?”

“I’d like to practice on the mound tomorrow. Can you do that?”

“Of course. I’ll see you.”

A new message popped up in Gun Choi’s eye after he hung up the phone.

- Rehabilitation acceleration completed.

At that moment, Gun Choi felt his body was as light as feather.

‘Is this the result of acceleration?’