A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 129

The Superstar Rookie of the Baseball Team is Too Good – 129

Chapter 34: Guaranteeing a Retired Number (3)

A rift is forming between the Geosan Mariners and player Jang Dae-woo.

Lee Jae-ik, his agent, explained the situation:

“It’s probably because of the salary cap.”

Salary cap: a limit on the total amount of salary a team can pay its players. This policy is in place to prevent player salaries from skyrocketing and to maintain a balance of power between teams.

Violating the cap results in fines for the team, and if the situation doesn’t improve, they face disadvantages in the rookie draft.

“Geosan Mariners are using the salary cap as an excuse. They’re saying there’s a limit to what the team can pay, so they want our player, Jang Dae-woo, to adjust his salary accordingly.”

“Hmm.”

“Yes, we can adjust! It’s not difficult. What else can we do? If he wants to play in Korea, he has to accept that discount. However…”

Agent Lee Jae-ik slightly narrowed his brows.

“What we find disappointing is… Geosan Mariners aren’t even willing to negotiate.”

“Not willing to negotiate?”

“Yes, as Special Advisor Kim knows, the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization]’s salary cap has quite a few loopholes compared to the MLB [Major League Baseball]’s.”

The agent continued.

“If next year’s salary cap is tight… we could go with the minimum salary for next year and then increase it later. Or we could adjust the contract length itself.”

“Hmm.”

“There are many other options. That’s what negotiations are for. But before we can even have a proper discussion, they’re just demanding that we follow their terms…”

Lee Jae-ik let out a short sigh.

It was at this moment that Ji-seop looked at him and spoke.

“So, you’re trying to gauge the KH Cannons’ interest.”

“That’s right. I heard that KH has relatively more room under the salary cap. It’s also the right time to seriously contend for the championship next season, and most importantly…”

Lee Jae-ik raised his head.

“Anyone can see that KH Cannons… needs our player Jang Dae-woo’s strength the most.”

“…Ah.”

The agent’s words were true.

With a starting rotation already in place to some extent, what the Cannons needed was a strong bullpen pitcher to secure the back end of games along with Kim Jung-gyu.

If Jang Dae-woo, who had been playing exceptionally well in the MLB this season, joined the team, it would be a godsend. KH Cannons could instantly become a championship contender.

If someone else had heard this, they would have immediately pulled out their phone and called General Manager Seo Chang-gi or Operations Team Leader Cha Yoon-jin.

However, Ji-seop didn’t do that.

‘I need to… observe a little more.’

From the moment he first met Agent Lee Jae-ik, Ji-seop had been able to see right through his true intentions.

The head agent of K&L Sports was eagerly awaiting someone’s visit.

[It seems like it’s about time…]

[Damn it, how long ago did I send the message? Why hasn’t he shown up yet?]

Who was he waiting for?

Why was he waiting?

What would ‘his’ appearance mean in this situation?

Ji-seop’s questions were answered in less than five minutes.

“Hey, Lee Jae-ik! Are you here?!”

Clang, clang.

Almost simultaneously with the opening of the cafe door, a rough Busan dialect was heard.

And a large shadow stretched out towards the table where Ji-seop was sitting.

“Ah, you were here! Hey, that message you sent me a little while ago… What’s that supposed to mean? What? You’re going to negotiate with the Cannons?!”

As Ji-seop had vaguely expected, the voice belonged to Jang Dae-woo.

MLB pitcher Jang Dae-woo.

And at this moment-

“Hey, are you… crazy?!”

He was very angry.

* * *

“First, sit down.”

Lee Jae-ik said.

“Sit down and greet him first. This is Kim Ji-seop… he’s a special advisor to the general manager at KH Cannons.”

“Special advisor to the general manager? This guy?”

“Ah, hello.”

Jang Dae-woo bowed to Ji-seop.

However, before Ji-seop could say anything, he turned his gaze back to Lee Jae-ik.

“Let’s go. Let’s talk somewhere else.”

Jang Dae-woo grabbed the agent’s arm, but Lee Jae-ik didn’t budge.

“We went to the trouble of arranging this meeting with Special Advisor Kim. Even if we’re leaving, shouldn’t we at least discuss the general contract terms before we get up?”

“What, contract terms?!”

Ji-seop realized at this moment.

Contrary to what was known to the public, Jang Dae-woo was very hot-tempered.

“Hey, if you act like this, I don’t care if you’re my high school classmate or not!”

“…”

“I told you, I’m only going to Geosan Mariners! Can’t you understand? How many times do I have to say the same thing?”

Jang Dae-woo slammed the table and raised his voice.

Ji-seop, who was watching the intense scene, swallowed hard, but Lee Jae-ik’s reaction was calm.

In fact, he started to scold Jang Dae-woo as if he had come prepared.

“Isn’t it you who can’t understand the situation… Jang Dae-woo?”

“What did you say?”

“Isn’t that the case? How long ago did you call and say you were coming back to Korea…? You haven’t even seen the Mariners’ general manager yet. Not even the general manager? You haven’t even seen the operations team leader?”

“Th, that’s…”

Jang Dae-woo looked taken aback.

But he quickly recovered and bared his white teeth.

“That’s because General Manager Kim is busy! We text and call each other every three days, man!”

“For someone who’s so busy, Dae-woo doesn’t seem to be doing so well, does he? What did the team staff say when we went to the Gimhae training facility last time? They told you to sneak out the back door so you wouldn’t be seen by the reporters… didn’t they?”

“Th, that’s…”

“I went through a dog hole [a small, hidden entrance] for the first time in my life that day. What the hell, I never even did that in high school…”

Lee Jae-ik scoffed.

He looked at his high school classmate and continued.

“Dae-woo, you need to admit it now. Geosan Mariners don’t want MLB player Jang Dae-woo to return to the Korean league.”

“…”

“It’s about the salary, and the position… And the current manager happens to be your professional contemporary, right? It must be uncomfortable for the manager too! Isn’t it?”

“Hey! Even so!”

Jang Dae-woo’s voice grew even louder.

“Hey, what’s the big deal? I just want to go back to the Mariners! That’s all I want!”

“You frustrating bastard! If you accept the salary that the Mariners are offering, you won’t even be able to cover the income tax you’ll have to pay next year, you idiot!”

The two men stood their ground and confronted each other.

At first, Ji-seop thought he should try to stop them, but at this point, he felt a slight sense of unease.

‘I understand the situation well enough… but doesn’t it feel a bit excessive?’

He thought Jang Dae-woo might be like that.

Baseball players, especially pitchers, are mostly characters who don’t care about what others think.

But it felt a little awkward for an agent, who should always remain calm, to be glaring like this.

‘Is it because he’s Jang Dae-woo’s high school classmate? Is he that fond of Jang Dae-woo? No, wait a minute…’

It was at this moment that people’s faces came into Ji-seop’s view.

It was the weekend, and it was in the city center. Moreover, this was a franchise cafe that was usually crowded with people.

With a celebrity like Jang Dae-woo shouting in such a place, people’s attention was focused on them.

Some of them had already pulled out their phones and seemed to be sending messages somewhere.

‘…Ah.’

At that moment,

A thought flashed through his mind.

‘Damn it, that’s it.’

Ji-seop glanced at Lee Jae-ik and gave a bitter smile.

* * *

The next morning.

Ji-seop, who had come to work at the KH Cannons field, went straight to the general manager’s office.

It was to report on what had happened with Jang Dae-woo the day before.

“Hahahaha!”

It was Vice Chairman Park Hong-joo, also known as ‘Sakhalin Park,’ who was having tea time in the general manager’s office, who burst out laughing after hearing Ji-seop’s report.

“Jang Dae-woo and his agent had a big fight? Right in front of you?”

Park Hong-joo’s assessment of the incident was as follows:

“…They put on a show?”

“Yes, I realized it late.”

Ji-seop gave an embarrassed expression.

“It seems that Jang Dae-woo’s agent was planning to wage a public opinion war against Geosan Mariners. So, he approached me and made such a fuss in front of people.”

Already, posts about what had happened the day before were being uploaded to online communities.

The fact that Jang Dae-woo was seeking to return to the Korean league was also being revealed, as was the fact that Geosan Mariners didn’t seem to be very happy about it.

Especially the rumor that the Geosan Mariners fans were already furious at the fact that not even the operations team leader, let alone the general manager, had shown up for a franchise star like Jang Dae-woo.

“It seems that Jang Dae-woo has a pretty bold agent.”

That was General Manager Seo Chang-gi’s assessment.

“In fact, it’s safer to try a public opinion war with the media, but to go out in front of people and put on such a performance…”

“Isn’t that proof that Jang Dae-woo’s affection for the Mariners is unwavering? The agent must have had no choice but to resort to extreme measures, as everything could have gone over to the team’s side.”

Jang Dae-woo….

‘Sakhalin Park’ was pacing around the general manager’s office with a cup of coffee in his hand.

It was right after that that he clicked his tongue with a regretful expression.

“I’ve always thought he was a good guy… but after hearing the story, I want him even more. If that guy could protect the back end of our Cannons, there would be nothing more reassuring.”

“I feel the same way as Vice Chairman, but… there are some things in the world that can’t be helped. Jang Dae-woo’s heart is leaning towards Geosan Mariners.”

That was General Manager Seo Chang-gi’s words.

“I think preparing for a trade with Geosan Mariners would be a more realistic alternative.”

“Trade?”

“Yes, a trade that we prepare for assuming that Jang Dae-woo joins Geosan Mariners.”

Seo General Manager continued.

“Jang Dae-woo’s salary won’t be small, and the Mariners, who have signed such a Jang player, are likely to exceed the salary cap. Naturally, they will try to trade to reduce the salary scale, won’t they?”

The story was that if they approached the Mariners at that timing, they could achieve surprisingly good results.

Seo Chang-gi, who had said this far, also had a slightly regretful expression.

“Of course, it will be difficult to expect more than the effect of signing Jang Dae-woo himself…”

The KH Cannons’ leadership, who couldn’t easily let go of their attachment to Plan A even after Plan B came out.

It was at the next timing that a lifeline came down to those two people.

“If you want to sign Jang Dae-woo that much… there is one way you can try.”

It was Ji-seop.

He had been quietly watching the conversation between the two and opened his mouth.

“Hey, Qingdao! What did you just say?”

“You can sign Jang Dae-woo? Is that what you just said, Special Advisor Kim?”

The two people were startled and widened their eyes.

Ji-seop nodded to them with a calm expression.