A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 513

New Recruit of Baseball Team Is Too Good 513

109 Interview with the Devil (1)

The National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Located in Cooperstown, New York, this museum is a must-see for baseball fans, especially Major League fans.

This is because the three-story brick building is filled with all sorts of rare baseball memorabilia.

From baseball equipment and uniforms used in the early days of Major League Baseball to exhibition displays that recreate players’ locker rooms.

From old baseball cards with appraised values of hundreds of thousands of dollars to equipment used by the World Series-winning team players last season.

Exhibits that baseball lovers can’t miss are abundant. But the true highlight of this museum is set apart.

That is,

The Hall of Fame Plaque Gallery.

Some people will understand the feeling as soon as they hear “bronze plate.”

From Babe Ruth, the legendary home run king of Major League Baseball, to pitcher Cy Young, famous for the ‘Cy Young Award’ [awarded annually to the best pitchers in each league].

From Ted Williams, remembered as the last .400 hitter [batting average of .400 or higher in a season], to Mariano Rivera, who was the first to be inducted by unanimous vote.

The names and faces of legendary players who have graced the Major League stage are engraved on bronze plaques and displayed here.

“…….”

In fact, even the atmosphere here is different.

Unlike other exhibition halls, it feels like entering a cathedral, church, or temple.

The floor amplifies the sound of footsteps, the large marble pillars are reminiscent of Greek architecture, and a ray of sunlight falls on the plaque commemorating the ‘First Five’ [the inaugural inductees] far in the deepest part.

A place where people who were noisily looking around the exhibits quietly hush.

A place where you can seriously contemplate the bronze plaques of the players you once admired.

Thus, this place, which is regarded as a sacred site for all who love baseball-

Late in the afternoon on this day,

A man had come to visit.

“…….”

He was a man in his late 40s.

Although he was wearing a neat suit, his sturdy physique and sun-tanned, weathered skin suggested that he was not accustomed to wearing such clothes.

His eyes were also very sharp, and every time he turned his head to ask a question, the staff standing next to him flinched.

He exuded an extraordinary aura, but even he had a slightly blank expression when he entered the bronze plaque gallery.

More precisely, it appeared when the staff member guiding him pointed to an empty space in the gallery.

“This is the spot.”

One of the staff said.

“Your bronze plaque will be installed here. It’s next to Tom Dousett’s, who was inducted last year. How do you like the location? If you want, you can adjust the position a little bit…….”

The staff strained to hear the man’s answer, but only a long silence followed.

“…….”

The man remained silent, staring blankly at the space where his bronze plaque would be installed.

His expression was slightly moved, and also slightly regretful.

He would soon be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, standing shoulder to shoulder with the baseball legends he had so admired.

He was a man with a rather stern demeanor, but he seemed sentimental in the face of this honor.

“Um… Brett?”

“Ah, it’s good. It’s very good.”

The man answered only after the staff repeated the question.

Perhaps slightly embarrassed by the long silence, a faint smile appeared on his hardened lips.

“The location is good, everything is good, but it’s next to Tom Dousett’s… I’m going to catch some flak from that guy.”

“Yes? Flak, what do you mean… Ah, that’s right!”

The staff clapped his hands.

“You played on the same team as Tom Dousett, right? It was when Brett first debuted, with the Cincinnati Reds?”

“Well, Tom waited anxiously for nearly 10 years before finally getting his name on the list, but Brett has only been retired for 5 years… He was inducted into the Hall of Fame as soon as he was eligible.”

“Haha, you might get some resentment for sure. Saying, ‘I waited 10 years, what are you?’ right?”

To be inducted into the Hall of Fame, a candidate must receive more than 75% of the votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA).

If a candidate does not meet this threshold, they are eligible for consideration in subsequent years. However, if they fail to receive at least 5% of the vote, they are removed from future consideration.

Therefore, even among Hall of Fame inductees, there is a significant difference in the induction process.

It was surprisingly common for players who struggled to get in to grumble and complain about players who were easily inducted.

“How about buying him a drink later? The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is next week… I heard that Tom Dousett will also be attending.”

“Oh, is that so? That’s good news. I’ll be able to catch up after a long time.”

When the man nodded with a pleased expression, the staff asked again.

“Are there any other requests? Is it okay to report this to the higher-ups as is?”

“Yes, please proceed as you mentioned today. Thank you for your hard work.”

At the man’s straightforward answer, the staff looked relieved.

Then, they exchanged meaningful glances with each other, and soon stood in a line in front of the man.

“Then, with this, all the preparations for the Hall of Fame induction ceremony are complete… We would like to offer our congratulations.”

“Congratulations? What congratulations?”

The man tilted his head.

“Weren’t we supposed to have dinner together later? We can offer our congratulations then, right?”

“No, it’s a tradition among our association staff. After the induction ceremony preparations are finished, we offer our formal congratulations.”

The staff, who had been subtly joking with him until now, were very polite at this time.

They straightened their clothes and tidied their hair, and soon spoke with serious expressions.

“Congratulations on being inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.”

“Your tireless efforts and the many glorious moments you created will be forever remembered alongside the other legends here.”

“We will continue to do our best to ensure that your contribution to American baseball and Major League Baseball shines even brighter.”

And then, these words:

“The National Baseball Hall of Fame once again welcomes your presence.”

They said to the man.

“Player Brett Evans.”

* * *

That’s right. It was Brett Evans.

The Major League ‘Professor’ who recorded 250 career wins, playing for several teams since debuting with the Cincinnati Reds.

In the twilight of his career, he returned to his hometown team, the Tampa Bay Rays, and spearheaded their first-ever championship.

He retired from active play 5 years ago at the age of 42, and in the BBWAA vote held earlier this year, he obtained 82% of the votes.

Now, he was on the verge of achieving the greatest honor a baseball player could dream of: induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

“The final meeting is over… Haha, now all that’s left is to wait for the induction ceremony next week!”

Immediately after the meeting at the Bronze Plaque Gallery, Brett Evans met with Margaret Lawich.

She is the secretary-general of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and was in charge of the overall preparation for the upcoming induction ceremony.

“Brett, you must take good care of your health. You should reduce your food intake a little for the time being.”

Margaret was experienced in this area.

She was giving advice based on her experience.

“Many legendary players end up in the hospital right before the induction ceremony. Tom Dousett also came straight to the venue from the hospital last year.”

“Ah, is that so?”

When Brett Evans showed interest, Margaret nodded.

“Yes, as far as I remember, it seems to happen once every 3-4 years. Since a lifelong dream comes true, it must be difficult to maintain peace of mind. Your heart races, and you can’t digest well.”

“Certainly, now that I hear it, that’s true.”

Brett Evans stroked his chin.

“Okay. I’ll do as Margaret advises. I’ll only attend the dinner party tonight, and from tomorrow, I’ll strictly control my diet… Hmm?”

Brett Evans was talking about the Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

It was at that moment that he suddenly turned his head and narrowed his eyes.

“Oh, that is…….”

“As expected, you can recognize your hometown team’s logo at a glance, even from a distance, right?”

It was an exhibit located about six steps away from where the two were standing.

An exhibit with various baseball equipment packed inside a large glass case.

There were baseballs, gloves, and bats, but what caught Brett Evans’s eye was a uniform.

A Tampa Bay Rays uniform. If it’s number 12, it must be starting catcher Alex Montero’s.

“Well, as you may have recognized, it’s the equipment used by the Tampa Bay Rays players, the World Series champions last season. There have been many requests, so we are specially exhibiting it in the first-floor lobby.”

“Haa.”

The secretary-general exclaimed.

“Brett, do you remember? Last year’s World Series was really amazing! Everyone was saying that winning two years in a row was impossible, but they swept it with a 4-game winning streak as if to show off…….”

“That’s right. I was also very surprised. I think the fact that it was the last season at Tropicana Field [Tampa Bay Rays’ former stadium] had an impact.”

Brett Evans maintained a calm expression on the outside, but on the inside, he was trying hard to suppress the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

It had been almost 5 years since he left the team, but the Tampa Bay Rays were still like a hometown to him.

The fact that his former teammates were playing great baseball and that they were reigning as the strongest team in the league filled him with pride.

Above all, the fact that they had won the World Series, which is difficult even once, for two consecutive years was a great source of pride for him.

‘Should I call Kim after all? I didn’t even expect that guy to do this well…….’

Of course, there was also some regret in one corner of his heart.

‘Hehe, if I had known this would happen, I would have accepted Kim’s offer two years ago… It’s a bit of a shame.’

What if he had accepted Kim’s offer at that time and become the special president’s advisor?

Wouldn’t he have been able to get one more championship ring by now?

While thinking about that and staring blankly at the exhibit, Secretary-General Margaret Lawich spoke to him.

“Brett, what do you think?”

“Yes?”

When Brett turned his head, the secretary-general gave him a subtle look.

“About this season.”

She lowered her voice.

“Tampa Bay Rays’ third consecutive championship… Is it possible? These days, people in our secretariat get heated up with that story whenever they get together.”

“Ah, the championship.”

Brett Evans shrugged.

“Well, shouldn’t we wait and see? It’s still mid-July, and the picture will become clearer after the trade deadline passes.”

“Oh, I don’t know what’s going to happen. There are rumors that Manager Clemblas is leaving the team, and there are stories that there is some conflict between the general manager and the board of directors…….”

Secretary-General Lawich frowned slightly, resting her chin on her fist.

Seeing that, Brett Evans burst out laughing without realizing it.

“Haha, now that I see it, our secretary-general… You must be a big fan of the Tampa Bay Rays?”

Brett said.

“Ah, now I understand. So that’s why this exhibit was in the lobby? That’s why you took such good care of me throughout the meeting?”

“Oh my, was it that obvious? Oh, I thought I was trying to hide it.”

The secretary-general also smiled awkwardly.

“That’s right. I was originally a Yankees fan, but I switched a few years ago. How should I put it… It feels a bit younger than the Yankees? They try a lot of different things, and the president is a young person from the start.”

“But isn’t that the same for the Yankees? The guy who became the new general manager this year seemed to be about the same age as the Tampa Bay general manager?”

When Brett Evans mentioned this, the answer he received was something he hadn’t even expected.

“Hey, the Yankees’ new general manager is ugly. He has almost no hair.”

“Hmm?”

“On the other hand, isn’t our Tampa Bay general manager a pretty cool young man? Just looking at him makes my heart warm…….”

Looking at the secretary-general with a pleased expression, Brett Evans wore a wry smile.

Did Kim’s presence have some influence on the recent increase in the Tampa Bay Rays’ popularity?

What kind of reaction would Kim show if I told him this? Just when he was imagining the answer in his mind.

“Hmm?”

Suddenly, there was a commotion from the entrance of the museum.

It sounded like people were pressing camera shutters, and it sounded like people were running around.

The museum had been as quiet as a mouse until now, so Brett Evans couldn’t help but blink.

“Margaret, doesn’t it suddenly seem noisy? Did something happen?”

“Well, I don’t think there were any other scheduled guests besides Brett today…….”

The two tilted their heads and moved towards the entrance of the museum.

And after a few steps, the two ran into an employee who was running in a hurry.

“S, Secretary! Secretary! You have to… You have to come out!”

Where did he run from?

The employee was gasping for breath.

“A guest! A guest has arrived! He said he came to congratulate Brett Evans on his Hall of Fame induction…….”

“He came to see Brett? Now?”

The secretary-general had a dumbfounded expression.

“No, who is that guest? How does he know Brett is here? I haven’t made any separate announcements?”

“T, that’s…… Ah?!”

The next moment, everyone in the museum lobby widened their eyes.

The employee who came to inform them that a guest had arrived, the secretary-general who was questioning him, and Brett Evans, who was watching the situation from behind them.

While they were having a hurried conversation, the ‘guest’ who visited the museum late in the evening appeared in the lobby.

“Oh, no…….”

“You are…….”

The people who were surprised at first were gradually changing their surprise into joy.

The guest who visited the museum that day was someone they knew very well.

A tall height and broad shoulders.

A nicely tailored suit.

And unlike 5 years ago, this person is wearing glasses that gleamed with gold-

“Kim!!!”

When Brett Evans shouted as he ran over, the guest answered with a soft smile.

“Hello, Brett.”

It was a smile that could now be called his trademark.