A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 266

Chapter 67: My Precious Baby (3)

Once again,

Jisub’s prediction was spot on.

Brrr-

It hadn’t even been 30 minutes since John Ramer Taylor hung up the phone.

He had just stepped into a nearby cafe and was sipping on an iced Americano when two luxury sedans glided to a stop in front of the shop.

“Mr. Taylor, you’re here.”

The man who stepped out of the car was a slender middle-aged man.

Dressed neatly in a black suit, he handed John Ramer a car key.

“The chairman sent this.”

Jeffrey Taylor, the owner of the Tampa Bay Rays.

As Jisub had predicted, what he sent to his son was not limited to just one car.

“This is a corporate credit card. He said to use it effectively in the season ticket sales negotiations.”

The man continued.

“And this is a list of customers. It’s a selection of customers who purchased Tampa Bay season tickets until last year but have not yet expressed their intention to renew this year. They are more likely to respond to negotiations than first-time customers.”

A car, a corporate card, and a customer list to increase the chances of mission success.

The man, who had given John Ramer a bundle of gifts, opened his mouth again with a rather serious expression.

“This is just my personal opinion, but…”

He said.

“Although he didn’t show it outwardly, the chairman seemed very pleased. He seems satisfied that Mr. Taylor is trying to do something properly.”

Upon hearing the man’s words, John Ramer glanced at Jisub with wide eyes.

Of course, the middle-aged man had no idea why he was acting this way.

“But that also means that expectations for Mr. Taylor have increased. I hope you will do your best to meet the chairman’s expectations.”

“Ah, okay, Uncle Hendrick.”

When John Ramer nodded, the middle-aged man smiled faintly and got into the car he had arrived in.

By the time one of the luxury sedans carrying him disappeared into the distance, there would be no need to explain what kind of expression our pushover… no, the owner’s son was making.

“Oh my god, Kiiiim!!!”

He ran to Jisub with the things he had received from ‘Uncle Hendrick’.

“It’s all happened as you said! Oh, God! You haven’t forsaken me! You have saved this young lamb!!!”

Hallelujah, hallelujah.

My peace like a river, my peace like a river.

The owner’s son was making a fuss, even humming hymns, but Jisub’s expression was calm.

It seemed like the time for ‘negotiation’ was ripening.

“Congratulations, Mr. Taylor. Now all that’s left is to sell the season tickets.”

Jisub said.

“It won’t be easy, but I think it’s worth a try since you have the customer list. I hope you have good results.”

“Yes?!”

It was at this moment that dismay flashed across John Ramer’s face, who had been in a good mood.

“What do you mean? Wishing me good results? Weren’t you going to sell season tickets with me?”

“Well, I don’t think I ever promised that.”

Jisub flatly denied it.

“Didn’t I tell you earlier? I said I should go back to the dorm soon, so I’ll help you with only one thing that Mr. Taylor needs most. Now that that’s been fulfilled…”

“Hey, hey, heeeey!!!”

John Ramer was startled and abruptly cut off Jisub’s words.

“That won’t do! If Kim leaves now, what am I supposed to do alone!”

John Ramer, who had been thinking about his old friend who had left, saying ‘no one will help me’ just 30 minutes ago.

But at this moment, Jisub seemed to have risen to the leading candidate for ‘reliable advisor’ for John Ramer.

“What do you want?!”

He must have become quite impatient.

John Ramer immediately offered a deal.

“5%? Would it be okay if I gave you 5% of the sales revenue? Would that be a fair price for helping with the negotiations?”

5% was a huge amount, amounting to $25,000, or 35 million won [approximately $25,000 USD] in our currency.

He wanted to just shout ‘Call!’, but Jisub had no choice but to hold back.

If the rumor spread that he had ripped off the owner’s son, it would be difficult to work in a Major League team.

“Ah, no. I don’t need money. I already have enough money for living…”

Jisub’s voice kept trembling at the thought of 35 million won disappearing before his eyes.

However, John Ramer was sincerely impressed by his resolute refusal of money.

“As expected, talented people are not swayed by this amount of money? Ah, then…”

It was probably the first time Jisub gritted his teeth at John Ramer’s ‘pushover tendencies’.

It was obvious to anyone that he shouldn’t be taking a lot of money from him, but John Ramer kept mentioning huge rewards.

Like giving him a nice car, giving him a VIP membership to a famous golf club, or transferring some of the stocks he owned.

It was going to be more difficult to negotiate with a pushover.

If he stayed any longer, he felt like he would succumb to the devil’s temptation, so Jisub closed his eyes tightly and said what he wanted.

“Benjamin Oznovich!”

“Yes?”

“Benjamin Oznovich, the general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies… Whenever it’s convenient, please arrange a dinner with him.”

“Dinner with Ben?”

John Ramer blinked.

“Is that really all you need?”

“Yes, that’s it. That’s enough.”

Assuming Jisub joins the Tampa Bay Rays, he was someone he had to meet at least once.

A self-made man who started as an ordinary team employee and rose to the position of general manager of Philadelphia in just 7 or 8 years.

What kind of team would Tampa Bay be from the perspective of that great man? What are its strengths and weaknesses, and what direction should it move forward?

A conversation with him seemed like it would be of great help in making a name for himself in Tampa Bay in the future.

‘It’s very difficult for me to meet a Major League general manager in my current situation…’

He had already transferred to another team, so he wondered what kind of answer he would get, but fortunately, John Ramer was nodding readily.

“Okay. It won’t be easy because he’s so busy and keeps dodging me… but I’ll find a way somehow.”

“Then it’s settled, right?”

John Ramer’s eyes lit up.

“Then you’re going to help me… go sell season tickets, right?”

John Ramer reached out his hand.

Jisub didn’t say anything twice.

“Yes, I’ll go.”

Those measly season tickets.

“Let’s sell them all off in three days.”

* * *

Looking back,

While working at KH Cannons, Jisub seemed to have thought this from time to time.

‘Maybe I… could have retired a little earlier?’

It was because he had discovered an unexpected talent that he hadn’t realized during his active career.

When giving advice to players, he seemed to have quite a talent as a coach.

When engaging in trade negotiations with other teams, he also seemed to have quite a talent as an agent.

And during the few days after traveling around Florida with John Ramer, Jisub was discovering another talent he had.

‘I think I’m quite suited to being a salesperson too?’

It was because season ticket sales were going smoothly, like a ship sailing with the wind.

Negotiations with people who had purchased Tampa Bay Rays season tickets for the past several years but had just cut off the deal this time.

-Ahem!

Of course, the reaction when they first tried to make contact was brutal.

-Why do you keep contacting me so annoyingly? I told you I’m not interested in season tickets anymore?

The atmosphere was such that if he said one wrong word, the negotiation would be over.

But who is Jisub? Isn’t he someone who can read other people’s minds?

[What are the kids doing, trading Evans? If Evans isn’t there, who’s going to be the cleanup hitter this season?!]

[To lose first place in the division to the Boston Red Sox, of all teams… Is Tampa Bay past its prime?]

[Everyone around me says they’re going to support the Yankees… Is there any reason for me to pay for season tickets alone?]

Just by looking into the eyes of the customers, Jisub was able to figure out what they wanted.

And what followed was a subtle word that scratched their itchy spots.

“It’s definitely a shame to let go of the cleanup hitter… but isn’t that the fun of watching Tampa Bay baseball? The emergence of a new star!”

“A new star?”

“Yes, I happen to have a list of prospects scheduled to be called up this year… Would you like to take a quick look?”

To those who regretted the trade of the cleanup hitter, he showed videos of players attracting attention in the minor leagues.

“Have you heard the news? The Boston Red Sox fired their championship-winning manager.”

“I heard that too, but…”

“From what I hear, the Boston Red Sox are in quite a bit of chaos right now. Maybe this year is an opportunity to watch them collapse vividly, but are you just going to watch it on TV?”

To those who had a lot of competitive spirit against rival teams, he subtly leaked rumors circulating in the baseball world.

“This is a bit disappointing. I heard that you have a special pride as a Tampa Bay fan. I’m different from others! I’m someone who really knows baseball! Isn’t that what you were thinking?”

“Th, that’s…”

“I don’t know if the New York Yankees would suit someone with such a strong personality. Frankly, there are so many New York Yankees fans everywhere you go, aren’t there?”

To those who supported Tampa Bay for slightly unique reasons, he praised their pride to the fullest-

“Okay, fine! I’ll watch them for one more year!”

Before long, Jisub was able to elicit ‘okay’ signs from the customers.

Because Jisub led most of the negotiations, the role John Ramer played next to him was to take out the contract.

“Here! Please sign here!”

Ah, and there was one more thing.

“We’re giving an authentic uniform to those who renew their season tickets… Which player’s number should I get for you?!”

In this way, Jisub and John Ramer proceeded with season ticket sales at a rapid pace.

More than 80% of the customers they visited signed the contract, so by the evening of the third day, they had already sold 48 season tickets.

There were only two season tickets left. John Ramer’s mouth couldn’t close.

“Kim, you’re a genius! A genius at selling season tickets!”

With one hand on the steering wheel, John Ramer kept giving Jisub a thumbs up.

“To sell all 50 season tickets in three days… I don’t think my father expected this much.”

“Wait a minute, 50 tickets?”

Jisub, who had been listening to John Ramer’s fuss with a pleased expression.

He checked the customer list again and opened his mouth.

“Didn’t we sell 48 tickets? We still have to sell two more to achieve the goal…”

“Ah, right. I know that too…”

John Ramer pointed to the customer list with his chin.

“The house we’re going to now is where people I’ve known very well for a long time live!”

“You know them well?”

“Yes, Mr. Harrison… He used to work as a professional investor in New York, but he retired 10 years ago and came to Florida.”

Florida, the paradise of retirees.

They were people close to that stereotype.

“Not long after they came to Florida, an alligator came into their kitchen…”

“Ah, an alligator?”

Jisub nodded.

“So, Mr. Taylor got rid of the alligator?”

“That’s right. It was not long after I started working with alligators at that time… I remember sweating a lot.”

Perhaps because of the connection of getting rid of the alligator, John Ramer’s voice was full of confidence.

“I think they just forgot the payment date. They consider going to the baseball stadium with their grandchildren their only joy.”

In other words, it’s an easy win.

John Ramer smiled and stopped the car.

“You can leave this to me this time! I’m glad I can do something before it’s over.”

Perhaps because he was once a well-known investor in New York, the house where Mr. and Mrs. Harrison lived was close to a mansion.

A three-story house neatly painted in white. A well-kept garden and a large swimming pool were impressive.

How much money do you have to make to have this kind of mansion in Florida?

While Jisub was thinking about that, John Ramer was ringing the doorbell vigorously.

“Mr. Harrison! Mr. Harrison! Hello, it’s Ramer!”

“What? Ramer?!”

A reply came from inside.

The person who hurriedly opened the front door at the mention of ‘Ramer’ was an elderly white gentleman.

“Oh, Ramer!! How have you been?”

Mr. Harrison shook hands with Ramer in a welcoming voice.

John Ramer’s story that they were close friends seemed to be true.

“…Hmm?”

At this time, Jisub was feeling a slight sense of unease.

‘Why… is it so chilly?’

The inside of Mr. Harrison’s house felt so cold that it gave him goosebumps.

It was the first time he had entered such a chilly house in Florida, where the sun is always warm.