A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 243

62. The Day Dreams Came True (1)

Deputy Manager Kwon Dae-woong from the Cannons’ PR team once shared something with Ji-seop.

It was probably during one of those gatherings where employees of similar ages would eat chicken and drink beer.

-Ah, I’m telling you, it’s true! There’s a strategy behind the interviews after winning a game, you know?

He also said this:

-It’s true during the regular season, but… it’s even more so during the postseason.

He explained that if they win the first or second game, early in the series, the PR team instructs the players to:

‘Just gloss over it,’ ‘You don’t need to answer in detail,’ ‘It’s enough to speak vaguely.’

The series still has many games left, and the opposing team is listening intently, trying to find a way to counterattack.

In times like these, it’s necessary to create a kind of ‘smokescreen’ by deliberately giving uninformative answers.

-Well… I think my condition was good. My shoulder felt light today.

-Yes, the coaches give me a lot of good advice. It’s really helpful.

-My seniors make me comfortable. I think that was the reason for today’s victory.

However, he said that the interview strategy changes after securing a clear advantage in the series.

From this point on, they are asked to speak specifically.

How they prepared for the game, what strategies they had, what the opponent’s weaknesses were, and so on.

The aim at this time is obvious: to send a strong message to the opposing team, which is already cornered.

Look, we have this much information about you.

Look, we’ve prepared this much for this series.

What can you do to beat us? Sometimes giving up can be a wise choice.

It’s basic to demoralize the opposing team.

If done well, it can even provoke internal strife in the opponent’s team, making them think, ‘They prepared so much, what were we doing?’

Of course, it can also send a message to the higher-ups in our team, saying, ‘Ah, our team was really working hard.’

-Deputy Manager Kwon, isn’t that the main purpose? To appeal everyone’s achievements to the higher-ups.

-Hehehe, well, I won’t deny it. We’re the ‘PR’ team, after all.

Anyway, the victory interview strategy has been passed down as a textbook method since the PR team was created in professional baseball.

This interview strategy, which boasts history and tradition, was applied to this Korean Series as well.

“Yes, of course. It doesn’t make sense to play a game like this without preparation.”

KH Cannons, who achieved a three-game winning streak after a grueling battle that went into the 12th inning.

Jinwoo Cheon, the captain who appeared at the interview that day, gave a specific answer to the question of ‘How did the Cannons win?’

“We had four practice games with Yuseong Warriors after the regular season ended. I think that helped maintain our game sense.”

“The power analysis team’s analysis of Knights’ Kwon Jeong-min was useful. He’s a really great player, but he has some problems with catching… so we tried to steal a lot in the first game.”

“I don’t know much about the pitcher changes… Oh, right! I heard that the manager actively accepted the coaches’ opinions. Yes, our Cannons are a team with really good communication!”

Jinwoo Cheon, famous among the Cannons players for speaking the most and the best.

Ji-seop couldn’t really know what impact his interview had on the SH Knights players.

However, one thing was certain: it came as a strong shock to at least the SH Knights fans.

-Did you see Cheon Jin-woo’s interview just now? It seems like we were completely *털렸 (teol-lyeot)* [destroyed] from the beginning?

-Yeah, the *게시판 (gesipan)* [bulletin board] here is going crazy because of that right now.

-I really don’t understand. The Cannons’ front office *잡고 (japgo)* [arranged] practice games and did power analysis, but what was our Knights’ front office doing?

-What do you think they were doing? They were probably thinking about selling us limited edition t-shirts.

-These t-shirt *성애자 (seong-aeja)* [lovers/fanatics].

-This Korean Series wasn’t ruined because of the players. We lost in the front office *싸움 (ssa-um)* [fight].

-Damn, can’t we trade the front office? I wish we could get a few people from the Cannons side.

-Ah, that’s what I’m saying!!

Complaints about the cheering team’s front office are pouring out among the Knights fans.

And the Cannons fans are capturing those reactions from the Knights fans and laughing.

Just when the atmosphere between the two teams’ fans was so clearly divided-

“…….”

Seo Chang-gi, the head of the KH Cannons front office, was knocking on the door of the hotel suite with a nervous expression.

“Oh, is that Director Seo?”

A voice from inside the room.

“Come in! Come in quickly!”

It was ‘Sakhalin Park’ Park Hong-ju, the vice chairman, who was calling Director Seo in a pleasant voice.

* * *

“You’ve worked hard, you’ve really worked hard!”

That night, Sakhalin Park’s face was full of smiles.

His wrinkled face had never been so bright since he successfully concluded negotiations with the Russian president in the old days.

“I expected that we could beat the Knights without much difficulty… Hehehe, but I didn’t know we would just win three games straight!”

Sakhalin Park said, handing over a cup of tea that had been brewed just right.

“Have a cup of tea first! I specially got this for you from somewhere… Boseong! Yes, from a tea master in Boseong, South Jeolla Province.”

“T, thank you, Vice Chairman.”

Looking back, Sakhalin Park had always scolded Director Seo.

What are you going to do if you can’t drink alcohol while working in society? Alcohol is the lubricant of human relationships. Are you planning to run an engine without lubricant?

Whenever the story of not being able to drink came up, Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju would tease him half-jokingly, half-seriously.

But now, Vice Chairman Park was personally brewing a cup of tea after obtaining precious tea leaves, so Director Seo’s heart was full of emotion.

‘Hehe, I must have done something pretty big.’

Director Seo Chang-gi smiled inwardly as he gently touched the warm teacup.

But how could his personality change? After taking a sip of tea, he immediately attributed all the credit to his subordinates.

“Everyone worked hard.”

That was Director Seo’s words.

“Not to mention the hard work of the manager and the field staff, the front office staff have also been living in the office for the past few days.”

“Hmm, I guess so.”

Sakhalin Park nodded.

“There’s still the fourth game left… but if we get good results this time, I hope everyone can feel rewarded…”

“Hey, why are you making it so difficult to ask for a generous bonus? I get it right away. That’s obvious.”

Then, Sakhalin Park drank the still-hot tea in one shot.

Perhaps the taste wasn’t too bad, he wiped his mouth with a satisfied expression and opened his mouth again.

“Ah, right. Since the story of bonuses came up.”

“Yes, Vice Chairman.”

Director Seo also put down his teacup.

“Tomorrow, the fourth game of the Korean Series… Chairman Joo Young-eun from the head office will be coming down in person, you know?”

“Ah, I see.”

“Yes, so…”

Qingdao.

Sakhalin Park mentioned Ji-seop.

“Lend me that guy for just one day tomorrow.”

“Qingdao? Ah, are you talking about Special Assistant Kim?”

“Yes.”

Sakhalin Park put his hands together.

“I took that Qingdao guy to the head office before, didn’t I? At that time, the chairman seemed to think very highly of him.”

“Ah-ha.”

“When the chairman comes down, I need someone to guide him and explain, ‘This is our team’s cleanup hitter’… I think he’s the only one who’s fit for the job.”

So please.

Sakhalin Park expected an immediate ‘yes’ answer, but surprisingly, Director Seo Chang-gi did not give an easy answer at this time.

“Special Assistant Kim, Special Assistant Kim Ji-seop…”

Director Seo seemed to be lost in thought as he stared at the teacup.

Finally, he raised his head and said to Sakhalin Park.

“Vice Chairman, I’m really sorry, but… I don’t think it will be easy to take Special Assistant Kim out tomorrow.”

“Difficult?”

“Yes, there are more than one or two people who want to take Special Assistant Kim tomorrow.”

Isn’t it the fourth game of the Korean Series?

Director Seo continued.

“The league office president is scheduled to visit the stadium… The PR team is suggesting that Special Assistant Kim be sent out as the representative of the Cannons.”

“President Hwang is coming?”

Sakhalin Park made a ‘tsk’ sound.

“You can just ignore that. Anyway, President Hwang’s term is until this year, isn’t it?”

Sakhalin Park showed a reaction that he didn’t care much about at this time.

However, there were far more people looking for Ji-seop than he expected.

“There was also a request from the power analysis team. They said that Special Assistant Kim’s role is essential when delivering analysis content to the bench during the game.”

“Th, the power analysis team?”

The power analysis team are people who can directly affect the game results.

Sakhalin Park’s momentum subsided slightly.

“In addition, there were requests from the international business team and the operations team. I heard that Ryu Jang-ho’s agent is also visiting the stadium tomorrow.”

“Ryu Jang-ho’s agent?”

“Yes, Jang-ho’s posting [transfer to a foreign league] is the biggest issue this offseason, isn’t it? Considering that cooperation with the agent is important…”

The PR team, the power analysis team, and the international business team and the operations team.

Everyone had requested Ji-seop’s dispatch.

Here, there was another person who wanted to keep Ji-seop by his side.

“Who else? Which team is going to take Qingdao this time?”

“That’s… me, Vice Chairman.”

Director Seo smiled awkwardly.

“Director Seo, you?”

“Yes. Isn’t the fourth game of the Korean Series the most important game of this season? There may be unexpected situations. In that case, it’s very reassuring to have a friend like Special Assistant Kim by my side…”

Huh, huh, huhuhut.

A ridiculous laugh leaked from Sakhalin Park’s mouth.

“These guys are really going too far! No, does Qingdao get paid ten or twenty times more than other people? Why is everyone looking for Qingdao?!”

Director Seo, who would normally have been silent, had something to say on this day.

“Vice Chairman, you were also looking for our Special Assistant Kim, weren’t you?”

“No, well, that’s! He’s a guy who does everything perfectly no matter what you ask him to do…”

Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju and Director Seo Chang-gi.

This quarrel between the two men over Ji-seop continued for a while.

“Director Seo, you asked for a lot of bonuses, right? Then it’s important to make the chairman feel good, right?”

“Vice Chairman! Isn’t that after we’ve confirmed the championship? If we want to win tomorrow’s game for sure, it’s better to have Special Assistant Kim waiting by my side…”

“No, does Qingdao play baseball? He was released from the Chinese league when he was an active player?!”

“Oh my, what’s the big deal? The manager, the coaches, and the players… everyone says there’s no one like Special Assistant Kim!”

Bickering, bickering.

Just when the debate of the front office executives was continuing endlessly.

Ting-a-ling- Ting-a-ling- Ting-a-ling-

A phone call to Director Seo Chang-gi.

Director Seo bowed slightly to Sakhalin Park and answered the phone.

“Yes, Special Assistant Kim! What’s going on at this hour?”

At this time, Director Seo was thinking, ‘This guy is no gentleman either.’

He was talking about Special Assistant Kim, and Special Assistant Kim happened to call.

But the next moment-

“Wait, what?!”

Director Seo’s brow furrowed.

“Coach Nam injured his knee? No, how? Was he badly hurt?”

“Coach Nam?”

Sakhalin Park also approached with a worried expression.

“Coach Nam… are you talking about pitching coach Nam Hong-do?”

“Yes.”

Director Seo answered.

“When Jang Dae-woo struck out a batter earlier, he was so happy that he jumped up and down… and hit the dugout railing and fell over.”

“What?! No, how can an old man be so clumsy…”

Sakhalin Park clicked his tongue as if he felt sorry for him and asked again.

“So, is he okay?”

And one more word.

“Will he be able to come to tomorrow’s game?”