A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 219

56. The Day the Countdown Began (1)

The ‘Magic Number’ electronic display was installed above the central entrance of the KH Cannons Field.

Since this display lit up, the Cannons front office had been busier than usual.

Matters that had long remained as proposals were gradually being put into action.

“Oh, have you been well? Yes, yes, we’re quite swamped!”

“Hello, this is the KH Cannons marketing team. Yes, I’d like to confirm the matter we inquired about last time…….”

Preparing events for Cannons fans and producing team merchandise.

Selecting VIPs to visit the stadium during the regular season championship and organizing schedules.

Managing and supporting the production staff dispatched from each broadcasting station for special programs.

And securing financial support from the parent company to facilitate all these activities.

Indeed, numerous tasks were being carried out simultaneously, but around this time, Jisub’s main responsibility was something else entirely.

“Is this the last one for today?”

“Yes, it seems like we only need to deliver three boxes each to the game supervisor’s office and the GBS [Gyeonggi Broadcasting System] broadcast booth.”

Namely,

pizza delivery.

“Assistant Manager, could you hang this cola bag on my finger? I don’t have any hands right now…….”

“Ah, yes! Just a moment!”

Jisub diligently walked through the stadium corridors, carrying large pizza boxes.

On the surface, it looked like a typical delivery part-time job, but in its own way, this was a task where high-level personnel above the team leader grade were being deployed.

It was meaningful to provide even a simple dinner to people in the same industry who had worked with the Cannons throughout the year, such as front office staff from other teams and people from the league office and broadcasting stations in charge of broadcasting.

The reason for providing pizza at this time was said to be because the culture from the early 90s, when pizza was considered a luxury food, had become a tradition and continued to be passed down.

“You’re working hard!”

“Oh, Special Advisor Kim!”

Of course, if they were just bringing a few pizzas and turning around, there would be no reason for the team leader to be involved.

Usually, they would deliver the pizzas and chat with the people there before returning.

A similar atmosphere was unfolding at the broadcasting station’s broadcast booth, which Jisub visited last on this day.

“Congratulations, KH Cannons!”

“The magic number countdown has also started……. The atmosphere is starting to heat up, isn’t it?”

“If you win the regular season championship, will something fall to us too? Like an interview with the manager, or an interview with Ryu Jangho?!”

The broadcasting station staff, receiving the pizzas, each conveyed a message of congratulations.

Among them, the one who approached Jisub with the brightest expression was Baek Seungnam, a commentator from this broadcasting station.

“It’s a bit early, but…… congratulations, Jisub.”

Commentator Baek lightly tapped Jisub’s shoulder.

“I came down to Yeongsan last night and saw the magic number display hanging outside……. Hehe, I guess it’s because I’ve been in charge of broadcasting Cannons games a lot this year? I feel really proud.”

“Thank you, Manager.”

Even if they are working as commentators at broadcasting stations now, it is customary in the baseball world to call someone with past managerial experience ‘Manager’ without exception.

“Our players also talk a lot about you, Manager. They say you give a lot of good advice during the broadcasts.”

“Hey, you good-for-nothings! You should say those things directly to me, why are you only telling Jisub? It makes the listener feel left out.”

While saying that, commentator Baek Seungnam laughed heartily and handed over a bottle of beverage.

Usually, the conversation would end around this point, but for some reason, the conversation seemed to be continuing a bit longer today.

“But, Jisub.”

“Yes, Manager.”

“What do you think is the secret to the Cannons?”

Commentator Baek leaned in.

“Wasn’t the Cannons just a team that was always at the bottom of the rankings just two years ago? But the fact that they’ve risen to a team that can aim for the championship in just two years……. I can’t easily understand it.”

“Haha, well.”

Up until this point, Jisub thought it was a common story that people from managerial backgrounds often told.

“The other commentators say that the ‘energy of the universe’ seems to be gathering in our Cannons? They say that every baseball team has a period when everything goes smoothly, no matter what they do…….”

However, the next moment, what returned to Jisub was commentator Baek Seungnam’s serious voice.

“Don’t gloss over it like that……. Can’t you give me even a simple hint? We have a relationship, after all.”

“A simple…… hint?”

‘Why is this guy being like this?’

‘Why is he doing something he doesn’t usually do?’

Jisub tilted his head slightly, but it wasn’t long before he could figure out the reason.

‘Aha.’

Jisub smiled quietly inside.

‘Our commentator Baek…… is going to be the Warriors’ manager next year?’

* * *

For a baseball team, autumn is definitely the season of harvest.

A time to confirm the results of efforts that have continued since last winter.

However, on the other hand, autumn was also a ‘season of change’ for people in the baseball world.

‘Well…… it’s about time it started.’

As the season approached its end, movements of change were being detected throughout the baseball world.

Although it hasn’t been reported in the media yet, several players have already expressed their intention to retire to the team’s front office.

Conversely, rumors were circulating that the team’s front office had notified several players that they would not be renewing their contracts.

In the case of the Yuseong Warriors, there was a lot of talk about whether or not the manager would be replaced, and in the end, it seemed like they had decided to replace him.

‘Until a few days ago, they were adamantly saying that there would be no manager change……. Hehe, anyway, front office people are born liars, aren’t they?’

Jisub moved towards the team leader’s office, recalling the determined expression of the Yuseong Warriors front office.

When he reached the front of the team leader’s office and grabbed the doorknob, he heard someone’s voice from inside the room.

“Oh, Team Leader Choi! Don’t just keep saying no, please consider our conditions first……. Team Leader Choi, Team Leader Choi?! Oh, geez…….”

Did the other party unilaterally hang up the phone?

Following that, the sound of a sigh that seemed to make the ground sink was heard.

If Jisub heard correctly, it was the voice of Cha Yoonjin, the head of the Black Curtain Chacha [nickname for the Operations Team, implying they control things from behind the scenes].

* * *

“Team Leader, this is Kim Jisub.”

Taking advantage of the timing when the room became quiet, Jisub knocked on the door.

When he opened the door after hearing Team Leader Seo Changgi’s response, what Jisub felt on his skin was the stuffy atmosphere that filled the room.

“Special Advisor Kim, you’ve worked hard!”

“Did you go on another pizza delivery today?”

Team Leader Seo Changgi and Operations Team Leader Cha Yoonjin greeted Jisub.

Although the two had bright expressions on the surface, Jisub could easily guess that they weren’t like that on the inside.

“What’s going on?”

Jisub asked.

“I heard from outside that something serious was going on.”

“Hmm? No, it’s nothing…….”

Team Leader Seo Changgi waved his hand.

“No, should I say it’s something from now on? Right?”

“Yes, I think we should see it as being upgraded to a slightly troublesome level.”

Cha Yoonjin, who was brushing her hair back with a slightly tired expression, looked at Jisub and said.

“It’s nothing else……. It’s because of setting up practice games.”

“Setting up practice games?”

“Yeah. If our Cannons break through the regular season in first place, we’ll need a practice game opponent, right?”

It seemed to be a problem caused by the unique post-season system of Korean professional baseball.

The post-season proceeds in the order of Wildcard Decision Match – Semi-Playoffs – Playoffs – Korean Series.

The KH Cannons, which are likely to finish first in the regular season, were in a state where they were highly likely to go directly to the Korean Series.

This meant that while other teams were playing in the post-season, the Cannons players would have to wait for quite a long period.

“If you calculate from the time the regular season ends, it’s almost a month……. We can’t just keep doing scrimmages during that period.”

Cha Yoonjin continued.

“So I tried to suggest practice games to teams that were likely to be eliminated from the post-season……. Damn it, things keep getting twisted?”

“Ah…….”

Jisub didn’t bother asking why.

It was something that could be seen just by looking at the standings chart hanging on the wall of the team leader’s office.

“I saw this morning that there was a lot of talk about an ‘all-time ranking competition’ or something……. Is it perhaps because of that?”

“Oh, Special Advisor Kim saw that article too?”

It was Team Leader Seo who answered.

“That’s right, by now, one or two teams should have completely failed to advance to the post-season……. But for some reason, no such team is coming out this year, geez.”

Mathematically, all teams still had the possibility of advancing to the post-season.

The reason why KH Cannons couldn’t find a practice game opponent seemed to be precisely because of that.

“Then wouldn’t it be better to postpone the negotiations a bit? I think the outline will be roughly clear after next week…….”

“That’s what it should be originally. But this year, the number of teams leaving for finishing training abroad is increasing.”

The story was that if they didn’t start negotiations quickly, there was a risk that all the practice game opponents would leave for abroad.

Team Leader Seo Changgi scratched the back of his head.

“Oh, I thought there would be no troublesome things if I became the team leader of the first-place team……. It seems that wasn’t the case?”

“Even the first-place team has its own worries, doesn’t it, Team Leader.”

Cha Yoonjin continued, looking at the standings chart hanging on the wall.

“Now, it seems like the only one left is the Yuseong Warriors……. What do you think, should I contact them right now?”

“No, just leave that place alone.”

Team Leader Seo Changgi waved his hand.

“Team Leader Cha also knows after meeting Warriors Team Leader Hong, right? That guy is someone who tries to peel off even the opponent’s shell if he gets the chance. If we ask to arrange a practice game, he might ask us to hand over all our power analysis data.”

Team Leader Seo shuddered.

“Unless they contact us first, it’s no different from putting our heads in the lion’s mouth if we contact them.”

“Well, I also want to avoid setting up a negotiation table with Team Leader Hong Yuil…….”

When the expressions of the team leader and operations team leader were getting darker, a lifeline came down to them.

“Did you say Yuseong Warriors?”

Jisub, who had been listening to the two people’s stories for a while, suddenly raised his head.

“Yeah, Warriors. Why?”

“If the opponent is the Warriors……. There might be a way.”

At this time, the face of commentator Baek Seungnam flashed through Jisub’s mind.

A person who has been appointed as the new manager of the Yuseong Warriors from next season.

No matter how strong the team leader’s influence is, it won’t be able to surpass the influence of the new manager.

Reaching this point, Jisub opened his mouth again with a confident expression.