A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 473

The New Recruit of the Baseball Team is Too Good 473

The New Recruit of the Baseball Team is Too Good 473

100 Dollars Asks You (5)

A few days later.

Tropicana Field was quiet, as the gates hadn’t opened to the public yet.

Ji-seop was inside the [Tampa Bay Rays Museum], located on the first floor of the building.

“Hey, Kim!! Hello!”

“Yes, hello!”

Ji-seop exchanged greetings with the team staff and slowly walked around.

The most popular corner of this museum was the space commemorating last season’s World Series victory, but Ji-seop’s destination that day was a little different.

A place where people rarely visited. A place where even those who did come in would glance over things half-heartedly.

[The Beginning of a Legend], a corner highlighting the founding process and early days of the Tampa Bay Rays.

‘Okay, here it is.’

The reason Ji-seop, who was always busy, made time to visit this place was just one person.

Joseph Carter. One Dollar Joseph. The inaugural owner of the Tampa Bay Rays and currently a sports advisor for the city of St. Petersburg.

He wanted to take a closer look at this man, who had emerged as the final obstacle to the new stadium construction project.

In [The Beginning of a Legend] corner, there was a very large photo of Joseph Carter.

‘Wow, he looks even more formidable in a big photo. He’s got quite the impression.’

He resembled a bulldog.

From his sagging cheeks to his thick eyebrows, his stubbornly pursed lips, and his glaring eyes.

As Ji-seop stared at the old photo of Joseph Carter, Charles Flex’s request to persuade him seemed almost impossible.

No matter how he looked at it, he didn’t seem like someone who would be easy to talk to.

‘Of course, even attempting to talk to him is difficult right now…….’

It wasn’t for any other reason.

It was because Joseph Carter’s current location was unknown.

Since attending the St. Petersburg City Advisory Committee about a month ago, no one knew where Joseph Carter was.

There were rumors that he was hospitalized, and rumors that he had gone on vacation to Hawaii, but none of them seemed reliable.

Ji-seop had even enlisted the help of Councilwoman Dana Sears, Charles Flex, and Professor Kevin Pryor from Fort Myers University, but he hadn’t made any significant progress yet.

‘Damn it, this has become a headache. I need to know where he is first to persuade him or threaten him.’

Looking at the photo of Joseph Carter, who resembled a bulldog, Ji-seop was lost in thought for a while.

Where could he go to find him? Who would know about him? Should he just wait until the next advisory committee meeting next month?

“Sigh.”

Just as a long, deep sigh escaped from his frustrated heart.

Someone chuckled behind Ji-seop.

“Hey, Kim! What’s wrong? Did your stock hit rock bottom again? That’s what that sigh sounds like.”

“Huh?!”

A bright smile spread across Ji-seop’s face as he turned his head.

A welcome face was raising his hand towards Ji-seop.

“Ah, Mr. Evans!”

It was Brett Evans.

The living legend of the Tampa Bay Rays, who had a fiery pitching duel with Vincent Hiyama a few days ago.

“I couldn’t reach you by phone, so I went to the Future Strategy Planning Department, and they said you were here.”

“Oh, did you call? I’m sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. Kim is the ace of our team’s front office, so it’s okay if you don’t answer a call or two! Actually, more than that…….”

Shouldn’t you be leaving soon?

Brett Evans pointed to the outside of the stadium with his finger.

“It looks like the fans will start entering soon.”

* * *

The Tampa Bay Rays were holding events almost every game to attract more fans.

However, since it was a weekday game, a relatively ordinary event was prepared compared to weekend games.

It was a bobblehead giveaway. The quintessential Major League event.

“Okay, please keep order! No cutting in line!”

“Everyone here will receive a bobblehead! So don’t push! Please come in slowly!”

In fact, the Tampa Bay Rays’ bobblehead giveaways hadn’t been very well received compared to other teams.

Perhaps it was only natural. After Vincent Hiyama left, there were hardly any players left on the Tampa Bay Rays who could be called ‘superstars.’

But today was a little different. Fans had been lining up for hours before the gates opened.

This, too, was perhaps only natural. The souvenir being given away that day was none other than Brett Evans’ bobblehead.

The fans’ reaction was even more enthusiastic when they heard that Brett Evans himself would be at the gate to hand them out.

“Thank you, Mr. Evans.”

As he walked towards the central main gate where the fans were waiting, Ji-seop said to Brett Evans.

“A player handing out bobbleheads himself……. I don’t think this has ever happened before.”

“No, I’m just doing what I can.”

Brett Evans waved his hand.

“I heard from John LaMar that the third-floor upper deck will be opening soon, right?”

“Yes, it looks like it will be soon.”

As Ji-seop nodded, a smile spread across Brett Evans’ face.

“Do you remember? The opening of the third-floor upper deck was a long-cherished wish of mine and my friends. To sit in the stands where we used to go together in college.”

It was something Ji-seop also remembered.

Being able to watch the game from the third-floor upper deck. Furthermore, Brett Evans having his retirement game with the third-floor upper deck open.

These were the things that Brett Evans and his Cowbell Boys [a group of dedicated fans known for bringing cowbells to games] colleagues had requested from Ji-seop.

After months of effort, their wishes were now becoming a reality.

“Kim has granted my friends and my long-cherished wishes, so shouldn’t I be of some help to Kim?”

Brett Evans clenched his fist.

“Today’s bobblehead giveaway is just the beginning. If there’s anything else you need my help with in the future, please feel free to tell me. I’ll do my best to help with anything……. Ah!”

It was at this moment that Brett, who had been excitedly talking, suddenly snapped his fingers.

“Haha, speaking of doing my best, something suddenly comes to mind.”

With that, Brett Evans opened the backpack he carried around like a part of himself.

He reached into his hand, which was as big as a pot lid, rummaged around for a while, and then took out two baseballs for Ji-seop.

“Kim, take these!”

“This is…….”

“Can’t you tell just by looking at them? They’re signed balls.”

Brett Evans grinned.

“To be exact, they’re the balls that Vincent and I signed after my last appearance.”

“You both signed them?”

“Yes. I thought it would be memorable. I even wrote the date and location on the bottom myself.”

“Oh, really?”

Ji-seop’s eyes widened.

This was a valuable souvenir in the American baseball scene.

It was America, where all kinds of souvenirs were traded, and especially souvenirs with a story like the last game were worth a fortune.

A game that had become a hot topic, with two players who had created that wonderful game signing the ball themselves.

Ji-seop’s hands were shaking slightly, but at the same time, he couldn’t help but ask.

“But why are you giving me two? One is enough…….”

“Oh, what are you talking about!”

Brett Evans patted Ji-seop on the shoulder.

“One is for Kim to keep. It would be a great honor for Vincent and me if Kim cherished it. And the other one…….”

Use it wisely.

Brett Evans winked.

“You might be able to use it as a trump card sometime, right? I heard there are people who can’t resist things like this.”

* * *

About 30 minutes later.

Ji-seop was watching Brett Evans handing out bobbleheads at the central main gate.

“Brett! I enjoyed watching your last game! Keep fighting!”

“Thank you!”

“But this bobblehead doesn’t look much like Brett, does it? Don’t you think so?”

“Haha, right? It’s because I’m better looking in person!”

Crowds were pouring in endlessly.

Brett Evans was greeting those crowds with a bright expression, without showing any signs of fatigue.

Watching the Tampa Bay Rays’ most senior pitcher, who could be called a role model for legends, Ji-seop felt a sense of pride.

‘Hehe, I don’t know who brought him in……. but they brought in a really great player.’

Not all players in Major League Baseball were sincere about fan service.

Some of them showed their displeasure, and some of them only reluctantly showed up when they were bribed.

But Brett Evans was taking the initiative to move like this, so as a front office employee, he was just grateful.

‘Besides, he even gave me a great negotiation item…….’

Ji-seop was happily tapping the signed ball in his pocket.

He felt full without even eating. He had such a useful item in his hand.

Of course, when he received the signed ball, the first person who came to mind was that person.

‘Will this signed ball work for Joseph Carter too? I guess that’s a bit much?’

He wasn’t sure.

After being forced out of Tampa Bay, it wasn’t clear what he thought about baseball.

‘But he’s One Dollar Joseph, right? If he’s an old man who’s so crazy about money, he might recognize the value of this signed ball…….’

Thinking that, Ji-seop smiled bitterly.

He didn’t even know where the old man was, so what was the point of thinking about whether he would like the signed ball or not?

‘Right, I’ve got the order of things mixed up.’

He would have to look for One Dollar Joseph again as soon as the event was over.

Should he broaden the scope this time and contact Nicholas of the Yankees?

Just as he was recalling the connections he had built up, a commotion began to be heard from the front.

“I get it, I get it, so don’t push! I’m going out on my own, I’m going out on my own, I said?!”

It was a side gate located a little away from the central main gate.

A young man in shabby clothes was yelling at the team security guards there.

“Yeah, this stadium? I won’t come because it’s dirty! What, is this the only baseball stadium? There are baseball stadiums everywhere!”

At first glance, it seemed like there was some trouble during the admission process.

He may have had prohibited items, or he may have been a person who was prohibited from entering the stadium in the first place.

Whichever it was, the festive atmosphere was in full swing. It was necessary to resolve the situation as quickly as possible, so Ji-seop walked towards the young man in question.

“Hey, Huck! What’s going on?”

“Ah, Deputy General Manager!!”

The team security guards were startled and took a step back as soon as they saw Ji-seop.

“I’m sorry, Deputy General Manager! Were we too loud?”

“It’s okay. It’s a noisy stadium anyway.”

Ji-seop waved his hand lightly.

“But it seems like you’re attracting some attention. What’s going on? Prohibited items?”

The team security guard called ‘Huck’ frowned slightly at Ji-seop’s question.

“No, he’s a person who has been banned from entering.”

“Oh, you’re a named figure in our stadium?”

If he had been banned from entering, it meant that he had caused quite a stir at Tropicana Field in the past.

Didn’t Brett Evans and his cheerful colleagues receive a similar punishment for trying to steal a stingray in the past?

Meeting these types of people was not uncommon, so Ji-seop was responding naturally.

“Excuse me, what’s your name?”

“It’s Louis. Louis Carter.”

The man answered curtly.

Up until this point, Ji-seop hadn’t noticed anything strange.

“Okay, Louis. How did you get banned from entering? Do you remember that?”

“Was it last week? The day Vincent Hiyama pitched……. I went onto the field and got banned.”

“The day Vincent pitched?”

Ji-seop also remembered.

Was it in the first inning?

When Vincent started giving up points in a 5-0 situation, an angry Yankees fan had entered the stadium.

Ji-seop remembered it clearly because he was talking to Brett Evans about whether he would appear in the top of the second inning.

“Ah, so you were that person? I was watching the game then……. Hmm?!”

Ji-seop inadvertently raised his head to look at the man’s face and tilted his head for a moment.

The fact that he had invaded Vincent’s pitching game didn’t seem very important.

The face of the man standing in front of him looked familiar.

‘Wait a minute? Sagging cheeks, thick eyebrows, and glaring eyes?’

As his thoughts reached this point, the name of a man came to mind.

“Excuse me, what did you say your name was earlier?”

“I said it’s Louis, Louis Carter.”

“Carter?”

A feeling of disbelief.

It was the next moment that a glimmer of certainty entered his mind.

“Damn it, that’s it! There’s no need to waste time like this. I can just get out, right?!”

The man said.

“Give me back my ticket price instead.”

And then, one more word.

“Isn’t this basic common sense? You have to pay an admission fee to enter the baseball stadium! If you don’t enter the baseball stadium, you don’t have to pay an admission fee!”

“Basic common sense?”

“Yes!”

He continued with a confident expression.

“That’s what my grandfather used to say!”