A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 286

71. The Third Member (2)

For the next few days, Jisub found himself incredibly busy.

His main task was to take over the ‘Yellow Book Project’ from the [Baseball R&D Team].

“Our Tampa Bay Rays database varies in the amount of information accessible depending on individual rank. In your case, you both received a B grade, the same as the front-line coaches, so…”

Every morning was spent learning how to use [Uncle Charlie], the Tampa Bay Rays’ unique baseball database.

[Uncle Charlie], along with the Houston Astros’ [Ground Control] and the Baltimore Orioles’ [OMAR], is considered one of the top three baseball databases in Major League Baseball.

This was an opportunity to directly examine and learn how to use one of the highest-level databases in Major League Baseball.

“Okay, this is how you can easily pull up data for both teams. Here, you can specify the stadium, weather, or the number of spectators as variables. Finally, if you click this button here…”

“Oh, it works. This feels like a computer game.”

After lunch, they learned about the simulation program developed by the [Baseball R&D Team].

A program that could predict how a game would unfold based on the data stored in [Uncle Charlie].

They learned how to run simulations, how to increase the accuracy of predictions, and how to translate this into a report.

-Strike! Strikeout! It’s a strikeout! Victor Johnson with his fifth strikeout of the game today!

-Wow, this is amazing! He’s really showing the prowess of an ace in his second appearance this season!

After a quick dinner, Jisub would sit in front of the TV with John LaMar.

They would compare the simulation data secured during class with the actual game flow.

If the prediction was accurate, what was the reason? If the prediction was wrong, what was the cause? Jisub, pencil in hand, meticulously recorded everything.

“…”

Learning about the database, mastering the simulation program, and comparing what they learned with the actual game content.

The process of taking over from the [Baseball R&D Team] was proving to be a very beneficial time for Jisub.

He also learned how much effort Major League Baseball puts into preparing for a single game, and why it’s considered the best league in the world.

The ‘Yellow Book Project,’ which had felt daunting until now, was gradually becoming clearer in terms of how to proceed.

Ring!

Jisub wasn’t neglecting the most important effort for a successful project.

When a message arrived on the phone placed on his desk, he would immediately get up and rush somewhere.

“Deputy General Manager, have you returned?”

It was an effort to recruit one of the [Baseball R&D Team] employees into the future strategy planning division.

After receiving a message that the club strategy meeting was over, Jisub waited in front of the office, where he had a high probability of encountering Deputy General Manager Rebecca Carney.

“Ah, Kim? Is that you again?”

The deputy general manager’s face, upon being ambushed by Jisub, wore a wry smile.

“What’s the secret? How can you know the timing of the meeting so accurately? It’s amazing every time I see it.”

“Haha, that’s a trade secret…”

Of course, it was due to the connections he had built with the stadium operations staff since the opening game parking lot incident, but Jisub simply gave a mysterious smile and continued slyly.

“You don’t have to feel burdened. Well… I’m just trying to say hello to the Deputy General Manager once a day. The [Baseball R&D Team] has been putting in a lot of effort for our future strategy planning division…”

Rebecca Carney, who usually pretended not to notice, saying, ‘Oh, really?’ showed a different reaction this day compared to the past few days.

“Okay, okay. Let’s stop with the obvious lies.”

The deputy general manager shook her head, looking fed up.

“It’s better to just shout and demand to hand over one person. It’s not easy to receive insincere greetings every day.”

“No, Deputy General Manager! I am only trying to express my gratitude and respect for the Deputy General Manager…”

“Enough!”

The deputy general manager cut off Jisub’s words with a resentful expression.

“One person. Really, just one person. We have more than one or two projects we’re in charge of, so no more than that. Take only one person. Of course, assuming you get their consent.”

“Are you serious?!”

The corners of Jisub’s lips turned upward.

“Thank you, Deputy General Manager! Thank you so much! I will never forget this grace and will repay you…”

“Okay, what repayment? If we start calculating such things among the same club people, there’s no end to it. So don’t worry about that…”

“Let’s hear it.”

The deputy general manager asked Jisub.

“Who is it? Who is the person on our team that Kim is putting so much effort into recruiting?”

* * *

The person Jisub was watching.

His name was David Wilson.

Thirty years old this year.

He joined the Tampa Bay Rays front office three years ago and has been working as a member of the [Baseball R&D Team] since last year.

His career as a front office member wasn’t very long, and there were many people who had built more impressive records than him.

Nevertheless, the first reason Jisub became interested in David Wilson was this:

‘He was said to be the only employee from the [Baseball R&D Team] who was a former player, right?’

As the director ‘Mike’ had mentioned the first day he visited the office, David had played as a catcher in the Tampa Bay Rays’ Double-A team until three years ago.

His baseball skills didn’t seem to be that exceptional. After being promoted to Double-A at the age of 24, he retired without ever reaching the Major League or Triple-A level.

However, the fact that he joined the [Baseball R&D Team], considered the best of the Tampa Bay front office, only three years after retiring from active play was still a remarkable achievement.

-David, what’s the secret? How did you join the [Baseball R&D Team] so quickly?

-Well, I don’t know. I just did what the higher-ups told me to do….

David Wilson, who didn’t talk much, didn’t give any specific answers even when John LaMar pressed him, but Jisub could vaguely understand the reason.

Among the many former players Jisub had met so far, David Wilson possessed unique data-related knowledge.

Knowledge of data measurement, analysis, and utilization was fundamental. David Wilson also had the ability to code and use the tools he wanted himself.

Since the simulation program given to Jisub and John LaMar was also David Wilson’s creation.

-Ah, I get the feeling! You weren’t doing the training and just messing around with computers in the dorm? Otherwise, it doesn’t make sense?

-Well, I pride myself on having worked hard in training….

Rich experience from being a former player, especially a catcher.

In addition, excellent data-related knowledge to the point of being selected by Deputy General Manager Rebecca Carney.

This alone was enough to consider him an excellent talent, but the decisive reason Jisub became very interested in David Wilson was something else.

-Kim, this is a really important project.

It was that he was almost the only one in the [Baseball R&D Team] who had a personal interest in the ‘Yellow Book Project’.

He was usually taciturn and never said anything unless it was necessary, but whenever the ‘Yellow Book Project’ came up, he would suddenly turn red in the face and speak passionately.

-My father was a U.S. Army officer. So I heard a lot about ‘war games’ from a young age.

-Yes, it’s a task of predicting the war situation based on the given data, correcting the problems that arise, and creating a stronger army.

-I think the ‘Yellow Book Project’ is also a baseball version of a war game. Maybe it can change the Major League paradigm.

A former minor league player with thick eyebrows furrowed, continuing the story with a serious expression.

Because he was David Wilson, Jisub seemed to be thinking about him all the way back from meeting Deputy General Manager Rebecca Carney.

‘It’s already late today, so I should make a dinner appointment for around tomorrow.’

Jisub moved, calculating the best time to make an offer.

“Hmm?”

However, speak of the devil.

Or perhaps David Wilson was a very fortunate person.

As Jisub entered the conference room assigned to the future strategy planning division, a large shadow came into view.

“David?”

It was David Wilson.

Jisub had assumed he would be watching the game in the baseball operations division’s comprehensive game situation room, the ‘War Room,’ but instead, he was sharing snacks with John LaMar.

“No, what’s going on? I thought R&D team people couldn’t leave the war room for even a second during the game?”

When Jisub asked, reaching into John LaMar’s bag of snacks, David Wilson answered calmly.

“No, it’s not that strict. As long as I watch it, whether it’s live or a recorded version…”

David Wilson, having said this, took out his bag placed next to him.

After rummaging through it for a moment, he produced a sheet of A4 paper and handed it to Jisub.

“Kim, would you review this?”

“Yes? What is this?”

As Jisub took the paper, David Wilson licked his lips and continued.

“I came up with some improvements to the Yellow Book Project, so I’ve organized them.”

“Improvements?”

“Yes, it’s about the format of the report.”

He pointed to the top of the document with his finger.

“As Kim knows, this project isn’t getting a great response from the coaches. As I was thinking about what to do about this, I realized that a change of format was necessary.”

“For example?”

“Until now, we’ve been writing the expected game content from the first inning to the ninth inning in a dry way, like a play-by-play transcript, right?”

David Wilson seemed to think there was a problem with this approach.

“I don’t think it’s easy to capture the coaches’ attention with this method. In the first place, it’s not the actual game, so what’s the fun in looking at a report written in a play-by-play format?”

“Hmm, so?”

“I think it would be good to write a power analysis of our Tampa Bay from the perspective of the opposing team….”

David Wilson’s eyes lit up.

“For example, instead of saying ‘First batter Mark Cohoun, ground ball to shortstop in the first at-bat’… write ‘First batter Mark Cohoun, weak against inside pitches. Swings at bad pitches. Attack with pitches that fall into the deep inside course.'”

Everyone is curious about how others evaluate them.

The concept of ‘power analysis written by the opposing team’ was designed to tap into that curiosity.

“Wouldn’t the coaches also be curious? What does the opposing team think of our Tampa Bay, what are the strengths and weaknesses of our team in their eyes?”

“Hmm.”

“Although it’s a report written by fellow team employees, I think any coach who usually has such curiosity will definitely read it.”

“Kim, what do you think?”

David Wilson’s expression was serious as he waited for Jisub’s evaluation.

A faint smile was already appearing on Jisub’s lips as he looked at that expression.

‘Hehe, he’s a fun guy after all!’

Of course, the idea itself was good.

Jisub thought it would be much more useful than listing the expected game flow in a play-by-play format.

However, at this moment, what filled Jisub’s head was the desire to bring in David Wilson rather than evaluating the idea.

So Jisub put down the paper David Wilson handed him and said.

“David.”

“Yes.”

“It’s a really good idea, but I don’t quite grasp how to use it all at once.”

As Jisub feigned uncertainty, this stubborn R&D team employee became serious again.

“Ah, is that so? It seems like you don’t understand because I wrote the proposal too hastily. Okay, then I’ll fix it right now…”

David Wilson was about to take out his laptop and start typing, but Jisub quietly raised his hand to stop him.

“No, no, you don’t have to revise the proposal right now.”

Jisub looked at him.

“David, would you be willing to slowly share your opinions with me and John LaMar on the ‘Yellow Book Project’ as a whole, not just the report format?”

And then he added the following words.

“By becoming a member of our future strategy planning division.”