A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 191

50. A Person from Home (1)

The next day, morning.

Ji-seop was visiting the KH Cannons’ manager’s office with General Manager Seo Chang-ki.

Reports on the minor league players, reports on the movements of other teams, reports on planned events, and so on.

Once the front office had covered what they needed to convey to the field staff, the main topic of the day came up.

Namely,

News about Major League scouts.

“Yesterday, the Boston Red Sox contacted Special Advisor Kim,” General Manager Seo Chang-ki said to Manager Arthur Freeman.

“They said that Major League teams are planning to send scouts to Korea starting next week.”

“Ah, is that so?”

After receiving the information from the interpreter, Manager Arthur Freeman turned his gaze to the calendar on the wall.

“The second week of July… It’s about the time when Major League teams start to move in earnest.”

In fact, Major League teams had their ‘radars’ running 365 days a year.

Were there any players who could be helpful to them? Were there any players who could perform in the United States?

Even when the media wasn’t paying attention, scouts contracted with Major League teams were roaming around the baseball scene.

However, the people visiting the stadiums at this time were at most freelancers or contract employees.

The scouts who were truly recognized for their skills, and therefore had some ‘power,’ usually moved after July.

This is because the Major League’s amateur draft is completed in June.

“It seems that more scouts than usual will be visiting this year. I thought it would be good to let you know in advance, Manager.”

“I suppose so. Major League teams have been interested in Ryu Jang-ho for a long time now.”

Manager Arthur Freeman nodded slowly.

As if something suddenly came to mind, he asked General Manager Seo Chang-ki.

“Then, which team will be the first to come? Is it the Boston Red Sox again?”

“Ah, that is… where was it?”

The General Manager, as if his memory was fading, trailed off and looked at Ji-seop.

Receiving the General Manager’s gaze, Ji-seop opened his mouth without hesitation.

“It’s the Baltimore Orioles. The Boston Red Sox are next.”

“Ah, the Baltimore Orioles!”

It was at this moment that a faint smile appeared on Arthur Freeman’s face.

“Jimmy will be very happy to hear this news.”

“Jimmy? Are you talking about Jimmy Morris?”

“Yes, the Baltimore Orioles are the team where that friend debuted.”

Manager Freeman continued.

“If you had to pick one… it’s like his hometown.”

* * *

The news that a Major League scout, a ‘chief-level’ scout with considerable influence, would soon be visiting Korea began to spread to the KH Cannons team.

“Wow, Major League…”

In fact, there were occasional criticisms from both inside and outside the baseball world.

What’s so great about the Major League? Why should Korea make such a fuss just because they send a scout?

However, from the players’ point of view, the five letters ‘Major League’ seemed to have a special meaning.

“Haa, I used to dream of playing in the Major League.”

“Senior?”

“Of course, when I was young, a Major League scout even came to my school! If I hadn’t gotten injured back then… I might be in the New York Yankees right now!”

“Hey, are you telling that story again? I’ve heard it so many times that I’m sick of it!”

There was also a player who had been milking the fact that he had been visited by a Major League scout once in high school and once in college for almost a decade.

“Wouldn’t Major League scouts have a very different eye than our coaches?”

“Well, maybe… but why?”

“You never know, right? Maybe I’m the type who would be really successful in America…”

“Oh my, doesn’t your stomach hurt? How can you drink so much kimchi soup at once?” [Kimchi soup is often used metaphorically to describe someone who is overly optimistic or delusional about their chances of success.]

Would a Major League scout recognize his value?

Some players seemed to be cautiously harboring such expectations.

“Hey, Ji-seop! Ji-seoop!”

Perhaps it was only natural,

The one who reacted most strongly to the news of the Major League scout’s visit was none other than KH Cannons’ ‘ace’ Jimmy Morris.

“Is it true? A scout is coming from the Baltimore Orioles? And it’s as early as next week!”

“Yeah, I even got an official letter of cooperation this morning. They’re planning to visit the Cannons for the home game next week.”

“Oh, Baltimore! Baltimore Orioles!”

The Baltimore Orioles were like a hometown to Jimmy Morris.

Manager Arthur Freeman’s words seemed to be true.

The mere mention of ‘Baltimore Orioles’ made Jimmy Morris’s face turn red.

“The Orioles are probably… interested in me.”

“Hmm?”

What kind of kimchi soup is this again?

He doesn’t even eat kimchi usually.

Ji-seop was thinking to himself, but Jimmy Morris seemed to have his own reasons.

“The Orioles’ outfield is currently saturated! It’s full of powerful guys. It’s true that Jang-ho is a great player, but from the Orioles’ perspective, there’s no reason to sign him.”

“Ah.”

“On the other hand, you can never have too many pitchers… Haha, is it possible that the Orioles are interested in their former ace?”

Jimmy Morris’s current record is 9 wins, 2 losses, an ERA of 1.86, and 104 strikeouts.

He hasn’t been lucky enough to get many wins, but he’s in first place in other records.

Even considering that he’ll be entering his 34-year-old season next year, he’s performing well enough to be considered a 4th or 5th starter in the Major League.

“Ah, I can see it now! The Orioles’ orange uniform, that crazy Camden Yards… Ah, and the crab cakes they sell there are so delicious!”

Jimmy Morris, reminiscing about his former team where he spent his prime, had a wistful expression on his face.

He put his arm around Ji-seop’s shoulder and asked in a subtle voice.

“Hey, Ji-seop! By the way… who’s coming from the Orioles? Doesn’t the scout’s name appear on the official letter of cooperation?”

“Why? If you know… are you going to contact them in advance and beg them to take a good look at you?”

“Hey, would I ever do that! I belong to the Cannons right now! I wouldn’t meet with scouts from other teams!”

Jimmy Morris said very firmly.

But soon, he started to subtly read Ji-seop’s expression again.

“But you know… you can’t ignore the scout’s tendencies.”

Does he prefer a type that pushes hard with strength?

Or does he prefer someone who solves the game with skillful game management?

“I know the Orioles’ scouts like the back of my hand. If you just tell me the name, I can prepare accordingly…”

“Ah.”

Jimmy Morris had been performing at his best as the Cannons’ ace for the past two seasons.

Considering his contributions so far, wouldn’t it be okay to help him with his long-cherished dream of ‘returning to the Major League stage’ a little?

Reaching this point, Ji-seop mentioned the name that was on the official letter of cooperation.

“It was someone named Paul Eckstein.”

Ji-seop continued.

“He’s pretty young for a chief scout, isn’t he? I think he’s thirty-two this year?”

“Wait a minute… what? Paul? Paul Eckstein?!”

The next moment, Jimmy Morris uttered a word he had rarely used in his life.

“Oh, God!”

Jimmy Morris covered his face with both hands.

“Why do you give me such trials!”

* * *

Why was Jimmy Morris so frustrated?

Ji-seop learned the details after the game that day.

After finishing the game and stopping by a pub near the stadium for a beer, Jimmy Morris spoke with a long sigh.

“Actually… he’s a former teammate.”

Accepting the beer handed over by the landlady, he continued.

“Paul Eckstein. When I was at my peak with the Orioles… he was the catcher who took my pitches.”

“Dedicated catcher?”

Lee Soo-bin, after hearing the words from the interpreter, tilted her head.

“Then isn’t that a good thing? That scout is in the Major League thanks to Jimmy, right?”

“That’s right. That’s how it should be, but…”

Jimmy Morris clicked his tongue.

“I just said it, right? I was a bit… very successful back then.”

“Then…”

“Yeah, I did some… bad things to that friend.”

Getting annoyed easily was basic.

Refusing to sign autographs was routine.

In fact, even this alone wouldn’t be considered a good relationship, but there was one decisive incident.

“It was when I was spending my last season with the Orioles… Paul dropped the ball behind him.”

Even in the Major League, it often happens that a catcher misses the ball.

But the problem was that the score was tied 3-3, and there were two outs with a runner on third base.

As Paul dropped the ball behind him, the runner on third base came home, and thanks to that, Jimmy Morris lost his chance to win, which he had barely maintained until the 7th inning.

“As soon as we gave up a run, the dugout moved immediately. The manager took the ball and came up to the mound… I was instantly furious.”

So he looked at Paul Eckstein, who was hesitantly following the manager.

And that one word that came out of Jimmy Morris’s mouth.

“What did you say?”

“Get out of here right now. I’m never going to form a battery [a pitcher and catcher working together] with a moron like you again…”

Back then, Jimmy Morris was the ace of the Baltimore Orioles.

The power of his words was much greater than he thought.

Just a few days after Jimmy Morris declared that he ‘wouldn’t form a battery anymore,’ Paul Eckstein was sent down to the minor league.

“Then what happens after that?”

“What happens? He probably stayed in the minor league for about 1-2 years… and then retired.”

“…Wow.”

The players started clicking their tongues as they looked at Jimmy Morris.

“Oh my, how can someone be like that?”

“You can make mistakes while playing a game… and you sent a teammate down to the minors because of that?”

“Wow, I didn’t see Morris like that… he was a very scary person?”

Jimmy Morris was sweating profusely under the gaze of his teammates.

“I, I really didn’t know! How would I know that the manager would listen to me so well?”

“Anyway… Jimmy, you ended that teammate Paul Eckstein’s Major League career.”

Player Chun Jin-woo said.

“And that teammate is now the Orioles’ chief scout and is coming to Korea, right?”

“Th, that’s right.”

As Jimmy Morris scratched the back of his head and lowered his head, player Chun Jin-woo looked around and said.

“Everyone saw that? Especially the young pitchers!”

Player Chun Jin-woo chuckled and said.

“If you act recklessly just because you can throw a ball well when you’re young… you’ll regret it like this later?”

“Hey, Captain! Even if you say it…”

Jimmy Morris grumbled like this after hearing the words from Ji-seop, but player Chun Jin-woo patted him on the shoulder with a gentle expression.

“Jimmy, stop making that face.”

There’s nothing you can do about what’s happened.

The Cannons’ captain seemed to have decided to cheer up the ace.

“That scout Paul Eckstein… Yeah, I don’t think he’ll have good feelings about you either. But he’s a professional, right?”

“Professional?”

“Yeah, he’s a professional, so he climbed up to chief scout at such a young age.”

“…”

“Then there’s only one answer.”

Throw well.

You just have to throw damn well.

Player Chun Jin-woo said firmly.

“Let’s show the Baltimore scout what kind of guy our Cannons’ ace is.”

Thump.

Player Chun Jin-woo pounded his chest with his fist.

“I’ll help you.”

“Ca, Captain…”

When Jimmy Morris raised his head with teary eyes, player Chun Jin-woo added.

“So, you’re paying for the beer today.”

“Huh?”

Player Chun Jin-woo coughed ‘ahem’.

“I, I didn’t bring my wallet today…”

“Don’t you have a phone? You can pay with your phone these days, right?”

“I don’t have one.”

“Really?”

“I don’t have one, I tell you?”

That’s how the two bickered over who would pay for the beer.

However, the time they spent together on the ground didn’t go anywhere.

The next moment, they shouted in unison.

“Hey Soo-bin!!”

“…Shall we put down the menu?”