A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 44

Rookie of the Baseball Team is Too Good – Episode 44

Chapter 12: Once an Ace (5)

Jo Sung-beom, Head of the International Affairs Team.

He still remembered.

A long time ago, on a particularly chilly autumn day.

-Haa…

Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom, sat at his desk, sighing deeply.

He couldn’t say anything for nearly 10 minutes, then forced himself to speak with reluctance.

-I’m sorry to tell you this.

And then, the next words.

-The new manager made the final decision yesterday. He wants us to sign a new foreign pitcher next year.

A notice of dismissal for a foreign player.

At this, Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom, felt his body tense up without realizing it.

It was common for foreign players who received dismissal notices to react very strongly.

‘Why should I be dismissed? I did my best. How many people on this team are better than me?’ and so on.

Paper cups would fly, chairs would be thrown, and in many cases, they would even punch holes in the wall with their fists.

However, on this day, the foreign pitcher sitting across from Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom, reacted completely unexpectedly.

-Thank you for everything.

The foreign pitcher bowed his head.

-And… I’m sorry.

-Sorry?

Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom, tilted his head.

‘Thank you’ was understandable, but it didn’t seem like a situation where he should be saying ‘I’m sorry’.

The foreign player sitting across from him seemed to sense Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom’s thoughts, and continued.

-I’ve been this team’s ace for the past few years… but in the end, we haven’t made it to the post-season even once.

-Well, that’s true, but…

He wanted to comfort him by saying, ‘It wasn’t your fault,’ but Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom, had no choice but to keep his mouth shut.

Whatever the reason, this was a place to notify the foreign player of his dismissal.

It was best to refrain from making any remarks that could cause problems later.

However, he couldn’t help but feel sorry for the foreign pitcher who said ‘I’m sorry’ instead of a fierce protest.

Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom, carefully opened his mouth.

-Have you talked to your agent? If we don’t renew your contract… what are you going to do?

-Yes, given my performance this year… we’ve talked about it roughly.

Unexpectedly, the foreign pitcher gave a straightforward answer.

-It wouldn’t be easy to go back to the minor leagues at my age… I think it would be wise to retire as a player at this point.

-Retire as a player?

-Yes, if I don’t renew my contract with the Cannons, I was thinking of going back to the United States and learning how to be a scout.

-A scout… that’s good.

Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom, nodded.

-You’ve played in Korea for a long time. You can use that experience to scout Korean prospects, or something like that.

-Yes, thank you for your words, but…

It was at this moment that a determined expression appeared on the foreign pitcher’s face.

-I’m thinking of working to scout American players.

-Players in America?

-Yes.

The foreign pitcher nodded.

-Players who can’t get a foothold in the United States, players whose skills aren’t recognized, I’m going to find as many of those players as possible…

His gaze turned to Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom.

-And send them to the Cannons.

-T-to our team?

-Why are you so surprised? I’m going to achieve what I couldn’t do as a player, even after retirement… Isn’t that a natural goal? I don’t know what other people think, but I…

Yes, I.

The foreign pitcher opened his mouth again.

-Because I was the ace of the KH Cannons.

Because I was the ace of the Cannons.

Because I was the person responsible for the team’s victory.

A pledge to create a championship even after retirement.

However, on this day, about 10 years of relentless time had passed.

Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom, was witnessing the changed appearance of that determined foreign pitcher.

“Hey! What nonsense are you talking about?! Are you saying I was trying to undermine Jimmy Morris behind the scenes or something?!”

It was the shout of Jonathan Stewart, KH Cannons’ local scout in the United States.

“Do you even know who I am before you talk such nonsense? I used to be the ace of the KH Cannons! Do you know that?!”

I was the ace of the Cannons.

He had heard the same story 10 years ago, but the meaning was so different.

What went wrong?

Where did things start to go wrong?

Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom, felt a bitter taste rising from deep within his stomach, and had no choice but to open his mouth.

-Hey, Jonathan.

-Yes, sir!

Jonathan Stewart’s face was flushed red.

-Sir, please say something! How can some rookie give me this kind of insult!

Jonathan seemed to think that Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom, would help him, but even Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom, thought Jonathan’s reaction was excessively violent.

-First, calm down a bit.

-Ah, yes.

-Kim Ji-seop’s words may have been a bit harsh… but I don’t think you need to be this upset.

-Yes?

-As that friend said… isn’t it possible to clear up all the suspicions with just one phone call?

-I-if that’s the case…

-As that friend said, I’d like you to call Edwin Gonzales from here.

-S-Sir!!!

The face that had been flushed red was gradually turning white.

Looking at that expression, which didn’t seem to require a phone call, Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom, couldn’t help but think.

‘What…

What went wrong?

* * *

Once the undisputed ace of the KH Cannons.

A foreign pitcher who confidently shouted that he would ‘bury his bones in the Cannons’.

So Jonathan Stewart, who had been trusted by the front office.

It was ten days later that his hidden side was clearly revealed.

“…….”

What Ji-seop initially sensed was a kind of ‘player shaking’ level [attempting to destabilize a player’s position].

Jimmy Morris, a former major leaguer who was signed under the direction of ‘Sakhalin Park’ Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju.

Wasn’t Jonathan trying to shake up Jimmy Morris and drive him out, then send the player he brought to the Cannons?

That in itself was a problematic issue, but Ji-seop initially thought that it would have been a one-time thing.

However, as a result of the investigation conducted by the KH Group headquarters, Jonathan Stewart was committing a much bolder act than expected.

-Was it called New Frontier Sports? The coordinator company that you found, Ji-seop.

It was Go Chang-deok’s words.

-It seems that Jonathan Stewart has been in a kind of contract with that coordinator company for about 5 years.

A player brokerage contract.

Of course, it would have been done without informing the Cannons.

-Instead of getting New Frontier players to join the Cannons, Jonathan was taking commissions in between.

-5 years… that’s a considerable amount of time.

-Actually, foreign player selection is a bit like that, right? Except for a few noticeable players, the skills of the other candidates are all pretty similar…

As long as they didn’t send a player who was too bad, there was no need to worry about the Cannons raising any issues.

In addition, since all the players superficially had different agents, it would have been easier to proceed in Korea, where the concept of a ‘coordinator company’ was not well known.

-What should I say about KH’s foreign players… everyone is nice and a good person, but the impression was that their baseball skills were a bit mediocre, right? There was a reason for that.

Go Chang-deok shook his head.

-Honestly, if you hadn’t figured out the existence of New Frontier Sports this time, Ji-seop, KH would have continued to sign ambiguous foreign players in the future.

-From the way things are going… it seems like that’s what would have happened.

Ji-seop nodded slowly.

Go Chang-deok gave Ji-seop a look as if he were looking at a strange object.

-What’s your secret?

-Yes?

-How did you even find out the name of the coordinator company that ordinary people don’t even know about?

Ji-seop, who miraculously brings something back wherever he is placed.

Go Chang-deok seemed unable to believe Ji-seop’s talent.

-Didn’t I tell you? I found out while talking to the foreign pitchers that Jonathan brought.

-Hey, are you telling me to believe that?

Go Chang-deok crossed his arms.

-How long have you talked to those guys? But to figure out such intimate circumstances…

It was a situation that would have been quite embarrassing in the past, but Ji-seop was now gaining experience in making excuses.

-Have you already forgotten? I was the one who figured out your secret hobby as soon as we met.

-Hey, why are you talking about that here…

-Rather…

Ji-seop asked with a serious expression.

-What’s going to happen to Jonathan Stewart? Have the results come out roughly?

-It will take some time for the official results to come out, but I heard that it’s confirmed that we can’t go with him anymore.

It was rumored that the contracts for alternative foreign players had also fallen through.

Naturally, it seemed that Jimmy Morris would continue to be KH’s foreign pitcher this season.

-And what I heard a little while ago… there’s a story that Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom, went to Korea today.

At Go Chang-deok’s words, Ji-seop’s thick eyebrows twitched once.

-To Korea… you mean?

* * *

Go Chang-deok’s words were true.

The so-called ‘Jonathan Stewart incident’ that turned the KH Cannons upside down.

As the investigation into this was somewhat completed, Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom, decided to go to Korea.

Perhaps it was a natural step, but his reason for going to Korea was this.

-……Is this a letter of resignation?

The person who received Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom’s resignation was ‘Sakhalin Park’ Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju.

-If you sit still, will I know and go to pick it up on my own… Why did you bother to come all the way here, wasting your plane ticket?

While saying that, Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju’s face showed a slight bitterness.

This was because he had been working with Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom, since he first formed the KH Cannons’ front office.

-What the hell happened?

Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju was slightly annoyed.

-Jo Sung-beom, weren’t you one of the best scouts in KH in the past? But how can you make such a mess by not controlling even one foreigner?

-I’m sorry, Vice Chairman.

Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom, bowed deeply.

-I thought I was good at seeing people… but it seems that wasn’t the case.

-…….

-When I was working as a scout, I looked at people over and over again… I used to keep checking to see if my original mind had been disturbed, but at some point, I stopped making such efforts.

Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom, seemed to be thinking of Jonathan’s appearance.

-I thought I was giving trustworthy people a path to work hard… but in reality, I was presuming that the first judgment would be correct in the future, and as a result, I was neglecting them.

-Is that so.

Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju stroked his chin.

-It can’t be said that it’s entirely your fault. Originally, they say that reading people’s minds is the most difficult thing.

-……Actually, that’s why I have something to say.

At Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom’s words, Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju straightened his posture.

-Something to say? What is it?

-Kim Ji-seop, who is in our International Affairs Team, that friend.

-Kim Ji-seop?

A strange expression appeared on Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju’s face, but Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom, didn’t seem to notice it.

-That friend’s contribution was really great in figuring out this situation.

-Well, so I heard.

Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju pressed down on the corners of his mouth, which were about to rise slightly, with his hand.

-He grilled the players that the local scout in the United States brought… and made them spit out the necessary testimony?

-He’s a great friend.

Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom, continued.

-I’ve been working as a scout for a long time, but he’s the first guy I’ve seen who’s so good at figuring out other people’s minds. He got all that information in less than an hour this time, didn’t he?

-But why that guy?

-He’s a really good guy, but I’m worried that he might be at a disadvantage because of this incident.

Head of International Affairs Team, Jo Sung-beom’s brow furrowed.

-If you think about it, it’s become a kind of internal whistleblowing, right? In any group, the gaze towards internal whistleblowers can’t be good…

-Hmm.

-I’m embarrassed to say this, but I hope that at least that friend can work in our Cannons without any difficulties…

-You want me to pay attention?

-Yes, Vice Chairman.

-Haha, this is really something.

Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju made a seemingly annoyed expression.

-I wonder why you’re paying so much attention to just one rookie, but if that’s your request… I understand.

Vice Chairman Park nodded and turned his gaze to the calendar on his desk.