A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 142

The Ace of the Baseball Team is Too Good – Episode 142

The Ace of the Baseball Team is Too Good 142

Chapter 37: The Second-Year is Too Good (1)

The next day, in the afternoon,

The KH Cannons baseball team’s SNS [Social Networking Service] featured the list of spring camp participants.

The first team camp in Florida, USA, would be led by Manager Arthur Freeman with 42 players.

The second team camp in Okinawa, Japan, would be led by Manager Jeon Seung-il with 26 players.

The fact that the camps were set up in two quite distant locations, Florida and Okinawa, became a minor topic of conversation.

The significantly reduced number of rookie players participating in the first team spring camp, unlike previous years, also garnered considerable attention.

However, the area that drew the most attention from Cannons fans in the list announced that day was something else entirely.

– Huh, Ryu Jang-ho is on the first team?!

It was the news of KH Cannons’ best hitter joining the first team spring camp.

– Wow, I was nervous because I thought that guy would start in the second team camp again this year. I feel relieved now.

– Oh, didn’t you see the article? Ryu Jang-ho took a retest yesterday and passed. He ran 8km in under 30 minutes, or something?

– 30 minutes? That’s super fast! Why couldn’t he do that a few days ago?

– Exactly! Why do these guys only perform well when they’re angry? Can’t they just do well on their own?

People were grumbling with affection about the ‘high-maintenance superstar.’

While the atmosphere on the message board settled into ‘it’s a relief anyway,’ some also said this:

– But hasn’t our team’s management seemed really smooth lately? Or is it just me?

– Ah, there is that. Before, problems would pop up all the time and the message board would be on fire, but these days there’s almost none of that.

– It’s a little boring since there’s no drama… I wonder what happened? Did someone join the team who gives a wide-area buff [a beneficial effect that impacts a large group]?

If it were Jiseop in normal times, he would have watched this story for a long time with a ‘hehe’ quite satisfied smile.

However, at the same time, Jiseop was running around so busily that he couldn’t even think about the internet message board.

“Special Assistant, the passport! Manager’s passport!”

“Ah, thank you!”

It was the departure hall of Incheon International Airport.

There were still a few days left until the players’ departure date, but the front office staff had to be in the US before that.

Fortunately, Jiseop was traveling with General Manager Seo Chang-gi, so his departure was delayed. The members belonging to the advance team had already left for Florida ten days ago.

“Is the departure preparation all done now?”

When Jiseop came over with the passport and plane ticket, ‘Sakhalin Park’ Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju spoke to him.

He was also incredibly busy preparing for the season, but he came to the airport to see Jiseop and his party off, as the acting owner of the KH Cannons.

“Yes, there are still a few large items to check in… Once that’s done, we can depart right away.”

“Large items? Ah, you must be talking about the boxes on that cart.”

Sakhalin Park raised his white eyebrows and nagged again for no reason.

“You rascal, you should have gathered all that and sent it by ship at once! Don’t you know how much it costs to send it by plane?”

“Well, I do know that, but…”

Jiseop scratched the back of his head.

“The advance team urgently requested some items, and there were quite a few items received from the players’ families.”

“The players’… families?”

“Yes, snacks, herbal medicines, and functional foods for the players to eat during spring camp.”

Jiseop clicked his pen and continued.

“I thought about telling the players to bring it themselves… but I heard that they often get confiscated at the airport. It’s similar even when families send it from Korea.”

“Hmm.”

“Some players don’t touch it at all, but those who do are very particular about their herbal medicine, right? I didn’t want to make them feel uneasy about this…”

“So you’re saying you gathered all that and brought it here?”

It was General Manager Seo who reacted.

“Even if you bring it to the airport, there must have been a lot to worry about with quarantine and everything else?”

“Ah, I received support from the International Operations Team for that part.”

Jiseop replied.

“You know Park, the Deputy Manager from the International Operations Team? He has a lot of experience in this area.”

If the ingredient list contains musk or deer antler, it won’t pass.

So, in this case, the answer is to just write ‘KOREAN FOOD’.

Jiseop rattled off the preparation process to promote Deputy Manager Park, who had helped him.
A faint smile spread across the face of Sakhalin Park, who couldn’t possibly be unaware of his intentions.

“Yes, you’ve worked hard. Both you and that Deputy Manager Park from the International Operations Team.”

“It was nothing.”

As Jiseop slightly lowered his head, Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju continued in a stern voice.

“It’s good to work hard, but now you need to know how to delegate. You’re the General Manager’s special assistant. You need to stick close to General Manager Seo, not run around doing other things.”

“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”

“Good, make sure I don’t have to say it twice when you go to America… Take this.”

It was at this moment that Vice Chairman Park took out a white envelope from his jacket pocket and held it out.

“Vice Chairman, this is…”

“Can’t you tell by looking? It’s a bonus.”

Flap, flap.

Vice Chairman Park shook the envelope.

“I’m not giving it to you to spend all on yourself. You can use half of it as pocket money here, and use the rest to boost the morale of the players.”

“The morale of the players?”

“Yes, that’s how people’s minds work. At first, everyone’s all ‘let’s go, let’s go,’ but after a few days, they tend to lose steam. I’m giving it to you to use at times like that.”

Ta-oh, you should know this too.

Sakhalin Park continued.

“There’s nothing like this to energize people. This is the best.”

“Hehe, it’s like the best herbal medicine.”

Thank you, Vice Chairman.

Jiseop bowed his head.

* * *

Spring camp, which is said to determine half of a professional baseball team’s success for the year.

Initially, KH Cannons had been eyeing the Arizona area in the western United States as the location for their spring camp.

The International Operations Team had been working on it for quite some time, and negotiations with the local coordinator company were also quite advanced.

However, this season, the place finally decided as the location for KH Cannons’ spring camp was Florida in the eastern United States.

‘Hehe, there was a big fuss at first.’

There were several reasons for this.

The fact that the weather in the Arizona area had suddenly gotten colder in recent years probably played a big role.

The fact that it was becoming difficult to secure training grounds as the entry point for Major League players’ camps was getting earlier and earlier could not be left out.

However, the decisive reason for changing the spring camp location was the business partnership with the Boston Red Sox.

– Kim, it’s Florida! KH Cannons should come to Florida!

It was the words of Tommy Damon, Jiseop’s former colleague and senior manager of baseball operations for the Boston Red Sox.

– We have training facilities that our Red Sox used until last year. If you come to Florida, we can lend you those facilities.

He said that the facilities were under contract with the Red Sox for the next five years.

Because the new training facilities were completed earlier than expected, there was no team to use them starting this season.

He explained that it would be more beneficial for the Red Sox to lend it to the Cannons rather than just leaving it unused.

– We decided to move because of the connection with the minor league camp… but in terms of facilities, it’s definitely the best. What do you think?

It was a proposal that the Cannons had no reason to refuse.

Florida, where the winter weather is one of the warmest in the United States.

The training facilities that Major League players had used until last year.
The fact that no other team is currently using it is also a great merit.

‘There won’t be a situation where we have to vacate the camp to coincide with the arrival of Major League players…’

That’s why the trip to Florida was decided.
The International Operations Team’s on-site inspection also gave it a near-perfect score.

All that was left was to finish all the preparations before the players arrived.

Everyone expected that there wouldn’t be much to worry about even that-

“It’s… become difficult.”

When Jiseop and his party arrived in Florida after a 20-hour flight, they were greeted by the dark expression of the head of the International Operations Team.

“The other preparations are going well… but the coordination with local officials regarding the use of the grounds is not going well.”

“The grounds?”

General Manager Seo Chang-gi narrowed his brow.

“What are you talking about?”

“There are a total of 4 grounds in this training facility. At first, we were told that we could use all 4 grounds, but suddenly this morning, they’re saying that we can’t use the main ground…”

“Who?”

General Manager Seo pressed.

“Saying we can’t use the main ground, who on earth is spouting such nonsense?”

“That person over there.”

The head of the International Operations Team pointed to an old man mowing the lawn on the main ground.

“His name is Charlie, or something? He’s the head groundskeeper of this training facility.”

“Damn it.”

General Manager Seo slightly gritted his teeth.

“He’s got a nasty look on his face.”

* * *

Groundskeeper.

Literally, the person responsible for the condition of the grounds.

Tending the grass or keeping the ground level is basic, and they are also in charge of changing the condition of the grounds according to the training content or game strategy.

The reason why the head groundskeeper of this training facility said, ‘You can’t use the main ground’ was as follows.

“The Red Sox have moved to a new training facility, but I heard that the grass there hasn’t fully taken root yet.”

“So what?”

It was General Manager Seo’s question.

“If training becomes difficult due to the condition of their grounds, they will naturally come here to train…”

The head of the International Operations Team frowned.

“He says that the condition of the grass on this main ground needs to be maintained at its best in preparation for that.”

“No, are you locking the main ground? That’s a clear breach of contract, isn’t it?”

“It’s not like I didn’t say that…”

I am an employee of the Boston Red Sox.

My job is to ensure that the Red Sox’s training goes smoothly.

Therefore, I will only care about that. You guys take care of the contract issues.

He was a head groundskeeper who was coming out very ‘I don’t care’.

“It would be easy to resolve if we asked the Boston team for help, but today happens to be Saturday.”

“Well, Americans don’t answer the phone on holidays. They’re strict about that.”

“Yes, but if we wait until Monday, it’s obvious that the preparation will be disrupted…”

“I see.”

General Manager Seo nodded.

“I’ll go and negotiate. Whether I grab him by the collar or bribe him…”

Just as the general manager of KH Cannons was rolling up his sleeves and taking a step forward, “General Manager.”

Jiseop grabbed General Manager Seo.

“You don’t have to step in, General Manager. I just put in a request for cooperation with the Boston team.”

“A request for cooperation?”

General Manager Seo widened his eyes.

“…It’s Saturday?”

“Hey, have you already forgotten? The baseball operations manager in Boston is my friend from my independent league days.”

Jiseop smiled as he put his cell phone in his jacket pocket.

“No matter how American he is, no matter how much of a holiday it is… he can’t just ignore a friend’s call, can he?”

“Oh, th, then…”

At the very moment when anticipation and relief filled the faces of General Manager Seo and the head of the International Operations Team at the same time.

The ‘head groundskeeper’ who was mowing the lawn with a stubborn expression was taking out his cell phone.

“Oh, Boss! What’s the matter?”