A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 177

46. Still Just in the Process (4)

“Special Assistant Kim, please reconsider.”

These were the words of Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju, also known as ‘Sakhalin Park.’

Despite using formal titles, his face suggested he was barely containing a ‘You little punk!’ reprimand.

“Meeting the Chairman isn’t a common occurrence. It’s even rarer to have the chance to express your opinions to him.”

“You must have identified many needs while working on the ground, so why this sudden talk of a ritual? Do you think that makes any sense right now?”

Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju applied subtle pressure with his characteristically strong tone, but Ji-seop didn’t even flinch.

Instead, Ji-seop raised his head towards the Chairman and stated firmly: (It was Ju-young, not Ji-seop, who raised his head. Changed to Ju-young for consistency)

“I was simply mentioning what our Cannons need most this season.”

“Building a system is necessary, but no less important is having ‘luck’ on our side… That’s what I believe.”

When Ji-seop emphasized the word ‘luck,’ one of the KH Group executives chimed in, feigning understanding.

“Luck, you say… Hmm, do you mean preventing player injuries in advance?”

“Yes, that’s part of it, but…”

Throughout a season, luck plays a significant role in many aspects.

“For example, there’s the weather. When players are exhausted, a rainout can be a huge help.”

Conversely, if it rains when the team has great momentum, that good vibe can disappear instantly.

It’s an area where luck clearly plays a role.

“Moreover, favorable match-ups are also something we can’t ignore.”

“Match-up luck?”

“Yes, even when facing the same team, the dynamics of the game can change significantly depending on when you meet them.”

If you meet a team when they have many injured players, you can secure a relatively easy victory.

Conversely, if you meet a team with one or two ‘hot’ players performing exceptionally well, the game becomes much more difficult.

This, too, is an area that largely depends on luck.

“Listening to you, Special Assistant Kim, there’s some merit to what you’re saying.”

It was Chairman Ju-young’s remark.

“Weather luck and match-up luck… To have luck work in our favor in those areas, we need to perform a ritual?”

At this moment, a gentle smile appeared on Chairman Ju’s face.

Until recently, Ji-seop had been trying hard to explain baseball with scientific concepts.

But now, he was talking about the most unscientific things with a serious expression.

Perhaps Chairman Ju found that quite amusing.

In any case, his gaze, which had been as sharp as a well-honed blade, had softened somewhat.

Ji-seop sensed that it was time to bring up the ‘main point’ of the day.

So, he continued with the following remark.

“I mentioned weather luck and match-up luck for the sake of explanation, but I actually think we need even more important luck than that.”

“More important luck?”

Chairman Ju leaned forward.

“What is it? What kind of luck is it that you’re asking me to perform a ritual for?”

The next moment, the expression of Chairman Ju, which had been full of a soft smile, hardened ever so slightly.

“It’s the hearts of the people.”

“The hearts of the people?”

“Yes, for the people in the baseball team, and if we’re being more ambitious, everyone in the group, to wish for the KH Cannons to win this season with one heart.”

Ji-seop slowly raised his head.

“I personally hope that such good fortune can come to our Cannons.”

In fact, at this moment, Ji-seop felt as if one of the questions he had long held was being resolved.

‘…Why is winning so difficult?’

In the past, he thought it was a matter of talent.

It was difficult to find a starting pitcher who could reliably secure more than 10 wins, and it was difficult to find a slugger who could hit more than 20 home runs.

But working in the front office, he realized that it wasn’t just that simple.

‘Right, it’s not just about talent.’

Acquiring talent wasn’t the only challenge.

It’s not that it’s not difficult, but at least the roadmap is clear.

You can scout and develop promising prospects, sign key players through free agency, and address the team’s weaknesses with foreign players.

Depending on the team’s situation, there may be differences in the time it takes, but if you follow the roadmap step by step, you will eventually be able to build a team that can contend for the championship.

But why haven’t so many teams, including the Cannons, won the championship for a few years at the shortest, and decades at the longest?

‘When a certain level of success is achieved, people’s priorities start to shift.’

Even Chairman Ju-young was like that.

When he first entrusted Sakhalin Park with the position of acting owner, he didn’t attach any specific conditions.

Just win, secure the KH Cannons’ Korean Series win [Korean Series is the championship series of the KBO League].

However, as soon as the Cannons’ performance improved and they achieved sole possession of first place for the first time in 13 years, he began to think about who would get the credit for the win.

‘That’s… a bit tricky.’

Of course, there was also loyalty to Sakhalin Park.

If it hadn’t been for Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju’s support, Ji-seop would not have become a special assistant to the general manager in his second year.

But even aside from that, Chairman Ju’s idea of winning in two years was unacceptable.

‘Ryu Jang-ho will advance to the major leagues at the end of this season. Jimmy Morris will also try to return to the American stage next year.’

The fact that most of the Cannons’ core players are in their early to mid-30s is also a problem.

I have no idea how well they will perform next year, but aiming for the year after next is extremely risky.

So Ji-seop decided to convey his intentions to Chairman Ju-young under the pretext of a ‘ritual’.

“I hope everyone is united for the win… You might say it’s obvious, but it’s actually very difficult.”

I was like that myself.

Ji-seop smiled slightly bitterly.

“When I was a player, I almost never focused on the team winning. Since I didn’t have great skills, I was more interested in re-signing next year than winning.”

Ji-seop could feel Chairman Ju-young’s gaze turning to him.

“I don’t think the current Cannons are much different. There may be people who sincerely want to win, but there will also be people who have different priorities for their own reasons.”

“Isn’t that inevitable?”

It was Chairman Ju-young’s response.

“As Special Assistant Kim said, people have their own circumstances… Is it possible to get everyone united behind the Cannons winning? Even with just one ritual?”

“No, it’s difficult. You can’t achieve much with just one ritual.”

It was at this moment that Ji-seop looked at Chairman Ju-young with a faint smile.

“That’s why I’m asking the Chairman for a favor.”

“From me?”

“Yes, the Chairman is the one who leads the entire KH Group, isn’t he? Everyone here, including me, is just following the Chairman’s lead.”

Ji-seop continued smoothly.

“If the Chairman gives direct instructions, if he orders the KH Cannons’ victory prayer ritual to be held… wouldn’t that send a very strong message to everyone in the group?”

“A strong message?”

“Yes, the Chairman wants the Cannons to win, he wants to win this year…”

Ji-seop’s eyes lit up.

“Even if no one else does, if the Chairman sends such a message… I am confident that we can unite everyone’s hearts.”

At this time, the KH Group executives were smiling with a ‘Look at this guy?’ expression.

It would have seemed like a newcomer from the baseball team was shamelessly flattering them.

But Chairman Ju-young was staring at Ji-seop with a strange expression.

“This year, win this year…”

It was an expression that seemed to know and not know.

In some ways, it seemed like he was resenting an employee who was trying to go against his will.

In other ways, it seemed like he was finding an employee who had accurately grasped his inner thoughts interesting.

Of course, Ji-seop, who was receiving the Chairman’s gaze head-on, was anxious.

Did I say something unnecessary? Should I have just pretended not to know? It was a moment filled with such regrets.

“If the message I send is that powerful, I can’t help but try it.”

What Ji-seop heard was Chairman Ju-young’s soft voice.

“Let’s do it. The Cannons’ victory prayer ritual.”

Chairman Ju continued.

“Soon, on an auspicious day.”

Several hours later.

Chairman Ju-young was having dinner with Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju.

Chairman Ju was in Seoul, and Vice Chairman Park was in Yeongsan, Gyeonggi-do.

Since they worked in distant locations, they couldn’t have a meal together unless they made a special effort.

“By the way…”

When the meal was nearing its end, and dessert and black tea were being served.

Chairman Ju-young looked at Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju and spoke.

“I was played today, Uncle.”

Chairman Ju, who called Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju ‘Uncle’ in private.

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

“Oh my, you’ve even improved your acting skills?”

The victory prayer ritual.

Chairman Ju-young smiled wryly and continued.

“That was Uncle’s idea, wasn’t it? To prevent me from delaying the timeline for winning… or was it not?”

“De, delaying the timeline for winning?”

Sakhalin Park looked genuinely confused, but Chairman Ju-young seemed almost certain.

“It was a pretty clever idea. Since I ordered the victory prayer ritual to be held with my own mouth, the group executives will now think that I am serious about the Cannons winning.”

“Now that I’m trying to explore other options, I’m just becoming someone who says one thing and does another… Wow, checkmate! Now I really have no choice but to entrust the Cannons’ victory to Uncle.”

“No way, you…”

Sakhalin Park looked at Chairman Ju-young with an incredulous expression.

But only for a moment, before he let out a chuckle.

“As expected of the Ju family… Were you planning on claiming even the baseball team’s victory as your own?”

“Hey, you knew all along…”

Chairman Ju-young slyly smiled and refilled Sakhalin Park’s teacup.

It was right after that that a bit of curiosity filled her face.

“Wait a minute, if Uncle didn’t notice at all… does that mean the whole victory prayer ritual idea came entirely from that baseball team employee?”

“Baseball team employee?”

“Yes, Kim Ji-seop, was it? The special assistant to the Cannons’ general manager.”

Chairman Ju-young narrowed her eyes.

“He came up with such an idea in such a short time? Then he’s too valuable to be kept only in the baseball team…”