A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 143

The Baseball Team’s New Recruit Is Too Good – Episode 143

The Baseball Team’s New Recruit Is Too Good – Episode 143

Chapter 37: The Second-Year Is Too Good (2)

Spring Camp. Pre-season training.

A period of about a month spent in a warm region preparing for the upcoming season.

In Korean professional baseball, spring camp locations are largely divided into three categories.

The first is the American mainland, with representative areas including Arizona in the west and Florida in the east.

The second is Japan, with representative areas including Okinawa and Kagoshima.

The third is other warm regions, such as Australia, Hawaii, or Guam.

If you ask baseball team front office staff which of these three options is the most difficult, they usually answer:

“They’re all hard. Where is it easy?”

Still, if you persistently press them to pick just one, the answer finally comes out with a deep sigh.

“……America.”

Two out of three answer this way.

“I don’t want to go to America if I can help it.”

If you ask why, various stories emerge.

First of all, the travel time takes at least 20 hours—it’s too far away.

It’s difficult to find food that suits the players’ tastes, and they’ve stayed up all night searching for restaurants.

And there’s one more complaint that baseball team front office staff never fail to mention.

“It’s… unconditionally focused on Major League players.”

This is said to be quite decisive.

Arizona and Florida are where the spring camps of 30 Major League teams are set up.

Therefore, local staff, facility managers, government officials, and even restaurant owners are all focused solely on Major League players.

“If a team’s ace shows up for work, we can’t use the ground that day.”

“And what about the restaurants? What’s the point of making a reservation? If a Major League cleanup hitter suddenly craves Korean food that day, we have to starve.”

“Contract? We have a contract! But how can we protest? If we did, we wouldn’t be able to set foot there from the following year…….”

The operating history of Korean professional baseball teams’ spring camps in America is clearly a story that could only be heard with tears, or while sharing a bottle of soju [Korean distilled rice liquor]. But those infamous legends,
those tearful, hard stories,
were literally becoming ‘someone else’s business’ for the KH Cannons this season.

The training facilities were being maintained smoothly, the players’ meals were being prepared perfectly, and even the administrative cooperation of local officials was proceeding smoothly.

Of course, Jisub judged that all of this was possible thanks to the cooperation of this person—Jisub’s old colleague, the Red Sox general manager’s right-hand man,
Mr. Tommy Damon.

“Hey, Jisub, what can I do to help?”

* * *

Jisub was able to truly realize Tommy Damon’s influence from the first day he arrived in Florida.

The Boston Red Sox’s head groundskeeper, who had been adamant that ‘the main ground can never be used,’ changed his attitude 180 degrees as soon as Tommy Damon made a phone call.

-Is there someone here named Kim?

-Yes, I’m Kim.

-Oh, it’s an honor to meet you! I heard that you played a decisive role in the Boston Red Sox signing Ruben Acosta?

-Ruben…… Acosta? Ah.

A vaguely emerging memory.

‘Ruben Acosta’ was the name of the ace pitcher that Boston had ambitiously signed this season.

-I don’t know if I played a decisive role… but I did help Tommy Damon at the last Winter Meetings [annual off-season meetings where MLB teams conduct business].

-Oh, you’re too modest! Tommy Damon said that all of the Red Sox’s signing strategies at the time came from your head!

Anyway, it’s a pleasure to meet you!

The Red Sox’s head groundskeeper reached out his hand, large as a pot lid, and firmly grasped Jisub’s hand.

-And I must also apologize. I’ve caused such ridiculous trouble for someone who has worked so hard for our Red Sox!

-Does that mean… we can use the main ground?

To Jisub’s question, the head groundskeeper literally jumped about 10cm [approximately 4 inches].

-Of course! Of course! If you need anything else, please tell me anytime! Ah, that’s right!

It was the very next moment that Jisub was able to get a glimpse of this old man ‘Charlie’s’ skills.

-Did you say KH Cannons? If you tell me the data of your home stadium in Korea, I will adjust this main ground here to be almost identical to Korea. How about it?

-Is that… possible?

-I’ve been living my life looking only at grass for 40 years. What’s so difficult about that?

Hahaha.

The Red Sox’s head groundskeeper laughed loudly, throwing his back.

Watching this, General Manager Seo Chang-gi and the international affairs team leader opened their mouths in disbelief.

-That arrogant old man has changed his attitude like that… There are so many things that happen in life, General Manager.

-I know. I didn’t know that our Special Advisor Kim’s words would work in America too.

The pattern was similar after that.

When visiting a local catering company to provide meals for the players, when visiting a local equipment store to purchase insufficient equipment.

Even when visiting the local administrative office for the smooth passage of the team bus, the pattern was exactly the same.

-You’re from Korea? So what?

Even the people who initially responded indifferently would switch to friendly mode in an instant with a phone call from Tommy Damon.

-No, is that really you? Is it true that Ruben Acosta’s signing was thanks to you?

Then, they would even take care of things that Jisub hadn’t asked for, ‘chak, chak, chak’ [sound of things being done quickly and efficiently].

Thanks to this, Jisub was able to complete the spring camp preparations without any difficulties, or as General Manager Seo Chang-gi put it, ‘more smoothly than ever before’.

It was perhaps natural that Jisub treated Tommy Damon to a delicious dinner the day before the Cannons team arrived in Florida.

“Tommy, your help was huge this time.”

Those were the first words Jisub said, with the meat sizzling in front of him.

“The Red Sox general manager’s right-hand man! Your influence is no joke! I didn’t think that so many things would be resolved with just one phone call from you, even though everyone is a fan of the Boston Red Sox!”

At this time, Jisub was thinking that one of the old people’s sayings was not wrong at all.

The saying that friends are important. The saying that no one does well alone. The saying that connections are important no matter what you do.

He wondered if there had ever been a time before when he had felt the ‘importance of connections’ so deeply as this time.

However, Tommy Damon, who heard Jisub’s praise, only let out a burst of hollow laughter.

“Hey, Jisub! I think you’re seriously mistaken about something?”

“Hmm?”

“You don’t think that Charlie and so many other people reacted like that just because of my name, do you?”

“……Wasn’t it?”

Jisub tilted his head, not having looked closely into other people’s eyes while doing this work.

“Then what is it?”

“This guy, your news from the Major League side is really slow?”

Tommy Damon picked up a piece of meat that wasn’t even fully cooked and threw it into his mouth.

“Our Boston Red Sox are emerging as the only winners in the past FA [Free Agent] market.”

“You guys? Why?”

“Why else? Because we picked the right FA player.”

Tommy Damon revealed his white teeth.

“Luis Pullman, who was signed by the Yankees, has been ruled out for the season due to a shoulder injury. Johnny Erickson, who was signed by the Dodgers, criticized the manager head-on and ruined the team atmosphere.”

Jisub had also heard of the story.

“Among the big-name starting pitchers who came out in the last FA market, Ruben Acosta of our team is the only one whose opening game appearance has been confirmed… That’s what I’m saying!”

“Ah.”

Jisub was finally grasping the situation.

“You mean that signing Ruben Acosta at the last Winter Meetings has been proven to be the best choice.”

“Hey, it’s not just that! Boston fans are going crazy right now! They’re saying that signing Ruben Acosta was a divine move!”

“Do you get it now?”

Tommy Damon’s eyes lit up.

“To Red Sox fans, you are now nothing less than a savior who has pulled the team out of the swamp!”

The groundskeeper Charlie, the president of the catering company, the sports equipment store, and even the public officials of the local government.

The story was that everyone was making their own efforts to express their gratitude to Jisub.

Jisub felt strange.

“I didn’t know that things would turn out like this at that time… I was a little lucky this time?”

“No, you can’t say that.”

Tommy Damon said firmly.

“This is a reward. A fair reward for the days you lived faithfully every day in the past. If you gloss over this as luck, you will become someone who only hopes for a fluke in the future, right?”

“……Are you drunk? You haven’t even opened the alcohol yet?”

On the outside, he was just saying blunt words, but on the inside, Jisub was feeling quite pleased.

‘There is no such thing as luck that just comes. Luck is a reward for living faithfully every day.’

While quietly repeating his friend’s story, Jisub felt as if his body, which had been exhausted by the tight schedule, was recovering.

Today was also difficult. But the day I spent faithfully today will one day return as great luck.

Thinking that way, he felt the energy to spend another day strenuously.

‘Tommy Damon, that guy… chose the wrong profession. He would have been perfect as a teacher or a speaker….’

Just as Jisub was thinking that in his mind, his friend sitting across from him opened his mouth.

“Ah, so, is there anything else you want to ask me…?”

Tommy Damon asked.

“All I did was make a few phone calls to Boston fans… If you want to express your gratitude for signing Ruben Acosta, I want to do something for you?”

“You’ve already helped me a lot. And again?”

“This isn’t an opportunity that comes every day? Tell me when I say I’ll do it.”

“Then…….”

The night sky was pitch black without a single star.

Jisub, who was staring blankly at it, turned to his old friend.

“It seems like it will be a little tough… but let’s ask for just one thing.”

“What is it? Tell me! Anything!”

“Is there any way to get a pig’s head around here?”

“Pig… What?!!”

Tommy Damon’s eyes were wide open.

* * *

And the next morning.

Every single KH Cannons employee dispatched to Florida was out on the main ground.

“…….”

“…….”

A simple sacrificial table was set up behind home plate.

Some food brought from Korea was placed on it, a subtle incense was lit, and this was decisively capturing everyone’s attention.

“Oh, boss… is that really a pig’s head? Is it a real pig head? I’ve never seen anything like that!”

“Charlie, don’t make such a face. Well, isn’t it Korean traditional culture? When you have something important to do, you must have a pig head… Oh, my God!”

The groundskeeper and Tommy Damon were constantly reciting prayers at the sight of the pig’s head placed alone in the middle of the sacrificial table.

However, General Manager Seo Chang-gi and the Cannons employees were looking at Jisub with surprised expressions.

“No, Special Advisor Kim! Where did you get this pig’s head? It wouldn’t have been easy to get it in this neighborhood?”

“That’s what I’m saying. I was wondering if I should get a model like before… I was really surprised!”

“Tommy Damon searched the Asian marts around here and found it.”

When Jisub introduced the number one contributor to procuring the pig’s head, the Cannons employees all shouted ‘Thank you!’ in unison.

Tommy Damon was sweating profusely and showed an awkward smile, ‘You, you’re welcome’.

“Then, team leader, let’s start reading the prayer. I’m worried that those friends will collapse from culture shock if we delay any longer.”

“Ah, I should! I wondered why those people’s expressions weren’t very good…….”

The international affairs team leader became the chief officiant of the day and stepped forward.

He unfolded the A4 paper that he had printed in advance and began to read the prayer in a fairly sonorous voice.

“On this auspicious day of February 1st of this year, all the executives and employees of KH Cannons respectfully inform the gods of heaven and earth who watch over this Florida…….”

While the sound of reading the prayer echoed, Jisub also closed his eyes and began to pray quietly with the other employees.

May all the players be able to complete the spring camp in good health, may all the players be able to achieve as much skill development as they want, and if a little greed is added-

‘May the Cannons win the championship this year.’

As he was quietly repeating that in his mind, a murmuring voice was heard among the Cannons employees.

“Oh, the sun! The sun is coming out!”

“Oh, I was worried because it was cloudy for several days after coming here… I’m glad!”

“That’s what I’m saying! Is this the effect of our sacrificial rites? Hahaha!”

The best facilities. The best staff.

And even the brightly sunny weather.

Just as he was thinking that the preparations to welcome the players were complete, Jisub’s cell phone rang ‘brrr’.

-The team has just arrived.

A message from Coach Hong Dae-jong, the manager’s interpreter.

The KH Cannons’ spring camp was now beginning.