A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 261

66. A Place Where the Sunlight is Warm (3)

It was about a month prior to the present.

The day Ryu Jang-ho, fresh off signing a massive $100 million contract, first appeared at the Boston Red Sox’s spring training camp.

Broadcasting companies, newspapers, and baseball-related YouTube channels—

So many reporters had flocked in from Korea that Boston officials asked them to wait in the office while they sorted out the traffic.

“We have coffee and snacks prepared. We’ll call you when things are settled here, so please relax in there for now.”

“Yes, we will.”

Thus, Ji-seop and his group were ushered to the office, where they settled onto comfortable sofas and enjoyed a leisurely tea time.

It was a relaxing interlude, sharing cookies provided by the Boston staff and chatting about various topics.

I believe it was around that time that Ryu Jang-ho’s agent mentioned his previous job.

“I used to work for the Tampa Bay Rays.”

This came right after Ji-seop had finished recounting his experiences in the American independent league.

“I worked in the Rays’ finance department until three years ago, when I received an offer from a headhunter and moved to my current position.”

“Ah, Tampa Bay?”

Ji-seop gestured towards the window.

“Then you must be acquainted with Deputy General Manager Kennedy Wright, whom we met a little while ago? I heard he worked there as well.”

“Haha, yes. In fact, I also have a connection with the new general manager, not just the deputy general manager. We collaborated on the issue of potentially relocating the Tampa Bay’s home games.”

It was reminiscent of seeing graduates from prestigious baseball high schools in the Korean baseball scene.

You might assume there’s no connection, but upon closer inspection, they all know each other, are close, and readily cooperate.

Could it be that the Tampa Bay Rays organization holds such a pivotal position within Major League Baseball?

“Is there a particular reason for that?”

Ji-seop asked, intrigued.

“Since coming to the United States, it feels like I’m encountering people who have worked at Tampa Bay almost every three days.”

“Haha, well.”

Ryu Jang-ho’s agent responded.

“Even if the fans are unaware, those who manage the team can’t help but take notice, right? The Tampa Bay Rays… They are the financially poorest team in Major League Baseball, but in terms of skill and strategy, they are on par with the Yankees or the Red Sox.”

Because they consistently garner attention for their innovative approach, employees who excel in Tampa Bay often receive enticing offers from other teams.

Ji-seop had vaguely understood this much, but the next revelation was entirely unexpected.

“And this is a little-known fact, but…”

The agent lowered his voice conspiratorially.

“Tampa Bay employees all know it. They know which path to take to facilitate a smooth job transition.”

“Path?”

“Yes, when they receive a job offer from another company, there is one person they absolutely must visit without delay.”

It originated from this source.

The name that had been lying dormant in Ji-seop’s memory.

“John Llama Taylor. The son of owner Jeffrey Taylor, and…”

The agent continued.

“Among us Tampa Bay alumni, he is known as the ’72-Hour Man.'”

* * *

’72-Hour Man,’ John Llama Taylor.

It seemed that some background explanation was necessary regarding the Tampa Bay owner’s son and this peculiar nickname.

“I heard it’s quite well-known in Korea now… Is that right? The ’48-Hour Rule.'”

“Yes, I’ve heard of it. There are quite a few general managers from Major League front offices in Korea now.”

The 48-Hour Rule.

In Korea, it generally signifies that you must provide an answer within 48 hours of receiving a final offer.

However, its original intent was that once a negotiation process begins, a resolution must be reached within 48 hours.

“Superficially, it is a rule designed to guarantee the free movement of front office staff.”

Ryu Jang-ho’s agent explained.

“During those 48 hours, you are relieved of your duties to your original team. It’s essentially like being on vacation, allowing you to focus solely on the transfer negotiations.”

“But when you say ‘superficially’…”

Ji-seop raised an eyebrow, sensing a hidden implication.

“It sounds like it actually restricts the transfer of front office staff?”

“Hehe, you’re quick to catch on.”

“That’s right.”

The agent nodded in agreement.

“I’m not sure about Korea, but 48 hours is an absurdly short timeframe in the United States. Isn’t it more than 10 hours round trip by plane from Boston to LA? Add to that the time to get into the city, the time spent waiting for people, the time for meals and sleep… The actual time available for negotiation is severely limited.”

Major League teams often employ this clever tactic to retain their key personnel.

However, only one team, the Tampa Bay Rays, has discovered a way to circumvent these restrictive regulations.

“That’s where John Llama Taylor comes into the picture.”

It was a truly surprising revelation.

“It’s very simple. You just meet with him, grab onto his pant leg, and plead your case. Some employees with exceptional acting skills even shed tears.”

‘This is an opportunity that will never come again.’

‘It’s an opportunity I simply cannot afford to miss.’

If you earnestly persuade him, perhaps even shedding tears, our generous owner’s son will, in nine out of ten cases, respond with something like this:

“Ah… I understand. If you put it that way, I can’t possibly refuse.”

“I’ll speak with the general manager and arrange for you to have exactly 24 more hours. So, don’t rush and be careful.”

All that remained was a simple calculation.

Add the 24 hours obtained from John Llama Taylor to the 48 hours granted by the existing team—

“…Exactly 72 hours.”

Ryu Jang-ho’s agent chuckled.

“That’s why John Llama Taylor is known as the ’72-Hour Man.'”

At this point, one might expect the team to impose some restrictions on John Llama Taylor, but surprisingly, such discussions had never occurred.

“That’s only natural. The only person in Tampa Bay who isn’t concerned about job changes is the owner. The president, the vice president, the general manager… They all dream of leaving Tampa Bay and joining a big-market team someday.”

It seemed that even though it might be inconvenient in the short term, the owner’s son’s generosity would be invaluable when they themselves sought to change jobs.

That’s why all the members of the Tampa Bay Rays organization hold John Llama Taylor in high regard.

“So, in addition to the ’72-Hour Man,’ he has many other nicknames. The Benevolent One, the Generous One, the Front Office Staff’s Kind Friend…”

The agent began to reminisce about his interactions with the owner’s son with a joyful expression, but Ryu Jang-ho, who was listening to Ji-seop’s translation beside him, appeared somewhat dumbfounded.

“No, well, the expressions are all well and good, but…”

And then came the incisive observation.

“…Isn’t he just a pushover? A pushover that the entire Major League knows about.”

“Hehe, this guy.”

“You’ve gotten sharper since you came to the Majors, huh?”

Ji-seop playfully nudged Ryu Jang-ho in the side with a wry smile.

* * *

Anyway, that was the kind of person he was.

The person Professor Kevin Pryor was planning to introduce to Ji-seop.

The person Ji-seop was scheduled to meet through Port Myers University’s ‘Alumni Mentoring’ program.

‘A pushover recognized by Major League Baseball, John Llama Taylor…’

It was exactly three days after meeting Professor Kevin Pryor that Ji-seop was having this ‘mentoring’ session with this seemingly hopeless young master.

The contract with the Boston Red Sox had been completely terminated, and now he was starting to feel a bit self-conscious about continuing to stay at Ryu Jang-ho’s house.

At the request of John Llama Taylor, the city Ji-seop was visiting for the first time in his life was the home of the Tampa Bay Rays.

St. Petersburg, Florida.

“Here’s your coffee.”

“Ah, thank you.”

The flight from Boston to Tampa International Airport takes approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes.

The drive from Tampa International Airport to downtown St. Petersburg is about 40 minutes.

After a total journey of approximately 4 hours and 10 minutes, Ji-seop arrived at the cafe designated as the meeting place.

Since there was still about 30 minutes until the scheduled meeting time, Ji-seop was sipping iced coffee and contemplating what he hoped to gain from this day’s ‘mentoring’.

‘I don’t need to be too ambitious.’

The coffee was terribly bitter after taking a sip.

Ji-seop continued to ponder while unwrapping the sugar cubes that accompanied the drink.

‘Wouldn’t it be sufficient to simply obtain the contact information of the person in charge of the Tampa Bay Rays’ baseball operations department?’

At this point, Ji-seop had resolved to make the Tampa Bay Rays his next target.

It seemed that the story he had heard from Ryu Jang-ho’s exclusive interpreter had made a significant impression.

‘The Tampa Bay Rays are the most efficiently run team in Major League Baseball… If I can get in there, I’ll have a lot to learn in many ways.’

There was another expectation as well.

‘I heard that the Tampa Bay Rays are planning to build a new stadium, right? Then the experience I gain here will be of great value to the Cannons later on.’

‘Sakhalin Park’ Vice Chairman Park Hong-joo had stated his intention to construct a new stadium for the KH Cannons in the new city of Bukyeongsan.

How should the baseball team organization operate when a new stadium is built?

How should the team be structured, how should marketing strategies be developed, and how should relationships with local governments be cultivated?

Considering the current situation of the KH Cannons, the Tampa Bay Rays might be the most suitable model for him to study.

‘Placing someone like me in the team’s front office wouldn’t be too difficult for John Llama so-and-so, right…’ [Referring to John Llama Taylor, implying he’s easily persuaded.]

It had been a bit of a winding path, but somehow he had managed to find the correct address.

He had been able to secure an appointment with the right person at just the right time.

Ji-seop, having formulated a plan in his mind, finally allowed himself to look around with a slightly more relaxed expression.

St. Petersburg, the city that would become his base in the future if the negotiations with the owner’s son went smoothly.

‘First of all… it’s hot.’

This was perhaps unsurprising, given its location in Florida, the southernmost state in the United States.

‘Hmm, as I’ve heard, there are definitely a lot of elderly people on the streets.’

He had also heard that it was a city favored by many retirees due to its warm climate.

‘And if there’s anything that stands out… Huh?’

Just then,

A vehicle caught Ji-seop’s attention.

A 1-ton truck that screeched around the corner and parked in front of the cafe.

Trucks were a common sight, but the advertising copy emblazoned on its side was something you would never encounter in Korea.

[Did an alligator get into your house? Then call us! 727-XX-XXXX]

[Experts will be dispatched within 30 minutes to take care of it. And it’s free!]

[The name you can trust, Patrick’s Animal Control Service!]

It appeared to be a type of volunteer organization.

A volunteer organization dedicated to safely removing wild animals that had wandered into people’s homes.

Looking at the logo of an alligator wearing a sheriff’s hat giving a thumbs up, Ji-seop was reminded of something.

‘Ah, right? On the radio back then…’

It was probably the day he left the Cannons and came to the United States.

The story that Boston’s local radio station had brought up while disparaging Tampa Bay.

‘I heard that there are a lot of alligators in Florida, so that must be true?’

How many alligators must there be for them to be entering houses?

How would you feel if you went into the kitchen for a drink of water in the middle of the night and encountered an alligator?

While Ji-seop was idly contemplating such trivial matters, he saw the door of the truck in question swing open.

“Um, here it is! This is the place!”

A large white man removed his wide-brimmed hat and announced.

“Thanks, Patrick! I think I got here really fast thanks to you. I’ll treat you to a strong beer tomorrow!”

“Hehe, what beer! Thanks to you, I got rid of two alligators today! I’m the one who should be buying the beer!”

“Haha, is that so? I’ll be able to taste the beer you buy for the first time in a while?”

A young man was laughing and ‘thumping’ the truck in appreciation.

“…”

Up to this point, Ji-seop thought, ‘Okay, that’s how it is.’

‘He got out of the ‘Animal Control’ truck, so he must be someone who goes around catching alligators.’

‘He’s someone who goes around catching alligators, so he must have such bulging muscles.’

Just as he was wondering how many home runs that kind of person could hit if he played baseball.

“Then, see you later!”

“Okay, see you tomorrow!”

The colleague of the man sitting in the truck said something strange.

“Get that mentoring thing done quickly and go home and get some rest!”

And then one more word.

“Hey, Llama! Did you hear what I said?!”

…Huh?