A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 131

Guaranteeing a Permanent Retirement Number (5)

34. Guaranteeing a Permanent Retirement Number (5)

Exactly three days later.

The KH Cannons’ PR team sent a press release to all media outlets covering Korean professional baseball.

[KH Cannons Acquire Jang Dae-woo]

[KH Cannons Co., Ltd. (CEO Park Hong-joo) signed a contract with former New York Mets pitcher Jang Dae-woo on the 16th.]

[The contract is for 3+1 years with a total salary of 5.5 billion won. Specific terms of the contract were not disclosed based on mutual agreement……]

Jang Dae-woo’s joining the KH Cannons.

As soon as this news broke, Korean baseball communities buzzed like a disturbed beehive.

-What is this?! Jang Dae-woo is joining the Cannons!

-Wasn’t Jang Dae-woo supposed to go to Geosan? Wasn’t everything already agreed upon!

-Geosan fans really have no conscience. Do you know what your team did to Jang Dae-woo? Neither the general manager nor the operations team leader showed up, right?

-Still! Isn’t it normal for the Geosan front office to screw things up? Jang Dae-woo must have known that too!

-I know, right! If he was going to stab us in the back like this, he shouldn’t have said he would return to Geosan! Jang Dae-woo is really too much!

-Looking for party members to send protest DMs to Jang Dae-woo’s Insta (1/8888577)

Until this point, Geosan fans seemed to feel a strong sense of betrayal from Jang Dae-woo.

Internet message boards were flooded with comments criticizing Jang Dae-woo, and he even had to temporarily close his social media accounts due to the flood of messages.

However, on the day of Jang Dae-woo’s joining press conference, the situation took a dramatic turn.

“Wait a minute, Jang Dae-woo! What did you just say? What conditions did KH Cannons accept?!”

The joining press conference was being broadcast live on the team’s YouTube channel.

With the attention of fans from all ten Korean professional baseball teams focused on him, Jang Dae-woo announced a ‘special clause’ that no one had expected.

“Although I will be wearing the Cannons uniform starting next season, I said that I would not pitch against the Geosan Mariners.”

He would join KH Cannons, but he would not throw against his former team.

It was perhaps natural that the reporters who attended the press conference were left speechless.

“Not pitching against a specific team… Isn’t this an unprecedented contract in Korean professional baseball?”

“What do you mean Korean professional baseball? There wouldn’t have been a contract like this in Major League Baseball either!”

“General Manager Seo, General Manager Seo! Please say something! Did you really make such a promise?!”

The press conference hall was in an uproar.

General Manager Seo Chang-gi, who received the microphone, opened his mouth with a smile.

“Yes, it’s not just a verbal agreement. It’s included in the special terms of the contract.”

Tap, tap, tap-tap-tap.

The sound of reporters typing, taking down General Manager Seo’s words, echoed loudly throughout the hall.

“Our Cannons needed Jang Dae-woo, and Jang Dae-woo wanted to keep his loyalty to his hometown team. This contract is a compromise between the two.”

General Manager Seo looked at the camera on the team’s YouTube channel.

“KH Cannons fans! Please welcome the new closer who has joined our team. And… Geosan Mariners fans!”

General Manager Seo patted Jang Dae-woo on the shoulder and continued.

“Your ace has not left you. When the Geosan Mariners’ rebuilding is complete, Jang Dae-woo will return to your side. Please remember that!”

General Manager Seo Chang-gi, dressed in a neat suit, and Jang Dae-woo, wearing a KH Cannons uniform.

The press conference concluded with the two shaking hands and taking a commemorative photo.

After the press conference, a noticeably different reaction from Geosan Mariners fans could be seen in online baseball communities.

-He won’t throw against the Mariners… Damn, that’s romantic! This is real romantic baseball!

-Sniff, Jang Dae-woo, our saint… I don’t know if what’s flowing down my cheeks is sweat or tears…

-Jang Dae-woo is great, but wasn’t KH Cannons being a real gentleman this time? Frankly, our Mariners could be in the Korean Series this year.

-Korean… Series?

-…Our Mariners?

-What nonsense are you talking about? We haven’t even been close to the playoffs for 10 years.

-I’ve decided to support the Cannons for this year only. The team Jang Dae-woo plays for is the Mariners.

-Are you just realizing that now? I already ordered it while watching the press conference. Jang Dae-woo Cannons uniform!

A franchise star who declared that he would not throw against his hometown team.

And a new team that understood the heart of such a franchise star.

Afterward, orders with shipping addresses set to Busan increased significantly in KH Cannons’ online merchandise shop.

* * *

Jang Dae-woo succeeded in reversing the public opinion surrounding him with a powerful ‘one shot’ at the official press conference.

It was several days later that he visited the KH Cannons field again.

“Mr. Jang, how were the training facilities? If there’s anything lacking, we can provide it additionally…….”

It was Ji-seop who was in charge of showing Jang Dae-woo around the facilities that day.

While Jang Dae-woo looked around the stadium, Ji-seop’s role was to take care of what he needed.

Jang Dae-woo was known to be quite picky about facilities, but his face was full of satisfaction that day.

“Excellent. If you can’t produce results with these facilities… then it’s the player’s responsibility.”

That was Jang Dae-woo’s impression.

“I don’t know if I should say this… but I feel like the Cannons have changed a lot.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, when I played in Korea, the Cannons were… how should I put it… it felt like the team itself lacked vitality.”

The Cannons of the past, which were called the ‘dark ages.’

Jang Dae-woo seemed to remember the Cannons of that time accurately.

“But when I came today, I couldn’t recognize it. The power analysis seems to be done meticulously, and the people in the training department are full of enthusiasm.”

I have to work hard.

No, I have to do well.

Jang Dae-woo, looking at the vast grounds of the KH Cannons field, strengthened his resolve.

It was immediately after that that he suddenly looked at Ji-seop with a look as if he had thought of something.

“Mr. Kim.”

“Yes.”

“The new rookie players who joined the Cannons this year… Can I get their contact information?”

“The rookies’ contact information?”

Ji-seop tilted his head.

“What are you going to use it for…….”

“I heard while coaching players at my alma mater. Even if a player is drafted by a professional team, they can’t train with the team until next year’s spring camp… Is that right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

It was according to professional baseball regulations.

Even though they were drafted and signed a contract, they were still students.

To guarantee the learning rights of young players, the team tried to suppress its influence as much as possible.

“I understand the intention… but I thought it could be confusing for young players.”

Jang Dae-woo continued.

“The players can’t know, can they? How to build their bodies in the pros, and how to prepare for the season.”

“That… you mean?”

“Yes, I was wondering if I could train with the Cannons’ rookie players until spring camp starts. Of course, only for those who want to.”

Jang Dae-woo scratched his chin.

“Then there shouldn’t be any problem with the regulations, right? It’s something that the player decides on individually.”

“If you could do that, the team couldn’t ask for more…….”

Ji-seop looked worried.

“Would you be okay with that? It could interfere with Mr. Jang’s preparation for the season.”

“Hehe, how much experience do I have… If a problem arises with just this much, wouldn’t that be stranger?”

Jang Dae-woo smiled.

“I’m doing this because I want to repay the Cannons in my own way.”

“Repay?”

“The Cannons were considerate, weren’t they? So that I wouldn’t pitch in the game against the Mariners.”

So I have to repay them.

Jang Dae-woo said with a serious expression.

“A pitcher who can take care of the Cannons’ back door [closer role] in my place on the days I don’t play.”

“…….”

“At least one of the rookie players who came in this year… I’m thinking of raising a guy who can play that role. Using all my know-how.”

How is it, my plan?

The new closer of KH Cannons smiled as he said that.

Ji-seop, who had been trying not to show any change in expression since taking on the role of assistant to the general manager, couldn’t hide his excitement at this moment.

“Jang Dae-woo’s direct successor will be responsible for our Cannons’ back door…….”

Ji-seop also smiled brightly, following Jang Dae-woo.

“Good. It couldn’t be better.”

* * *

After finishing Jang Dae-woo’s ‘stadium tour,’ Ji-seop returned to his office and opened his laptop.

It was to report to Director Arthur Freeman, who was resting at his home in the United States.

-Oh, so our new closer had such a plan?

Director Arthur Freeman, who heard the story of Jang Dae-woo from Ji-seop.

A satisfied smile was blooming on his face visible beyond the laptop screen.

-This is like winning the lottery. Recruiting a bullpen pitcher who is recognized even in Major League Baseball is a great pleasure, but for that player to take the lead in leading young players…….

Director Arthur Freeman, with an expression as if he was about to hum a song.

He looked at the desk calendar next to him and then turned his gaze back to the screen and said.

-Hey, Ji-seop! It’s a sudden story, but… can you adjust my flight schedule a little?

“Flight schedule? You mean the plane coming back to Korea?”

-Yeah, that!

Director Arthur Freeman nodded.

-The new pitcher is showing such enthusiasm… I can’t just waste time here as a director.

He wanted to come to Korea as soon as possible and spur the preparation for next season.

From the perspective of the club’s front office, it was welcome news.

“That’s not a difficult task. I’ll contact the operations team and try to adjust the schedule.”

-Okay, please do that.

Up to this point, everything was flowing smoothly.

The Cannons’ power was reinforced with an important axis, and even the foreign director was coming to Korea earlier than expected.

Just when it seemed that preparations for the Cannons for next season were going smoothly.

-Ah, but you know…….

Ji-seop was reminded of a problem he had forgotten for a while.

-Ji-seop, how is that going?

“Yes?”

-The person who will be in charge of my exclusive interpretation next season. So, your successor…….

Director Arthur Freeman looked at Ji-seop with an expectant expression.

-Has it been decided yet?

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

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

야구단 신입이 너무 잘함
Status: Completed Author: Native Language: Korean
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[English Translation] Kim Ji-seop, a pitcher cast aside even by the Chinese league, harbors a secret weapon: an uncanny ability to predict incoming fastballs with unwavering accuracy. "If a fastball comes, I'll hit it no matter what." He can read his opponent's thoughts! Despite his physical shortcomings, his mind holds the key to baseball mastery. Discovered by the team's sharpest talent scout, Kim Ji-seop is about to embark on a thrilling second act, ready to redefine what's possible on the diamond. Prepare for a captivating journey as a rookie with an extraordinary gift rises through the ranks, challenging the limits of skill and strategy in the world of baseball!

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