A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 296

72. Another’s Precious Child (8)

Jiseop heard about it later, but the story goes that something like this once occurred.

It was seven years ago, on a day that felt quite chilly even for Florida.

The setting was Tampa International Airport.

“No, listen to me!”

On a bench in the arrival hall, Coach Jose Cruz, then 46 years old, slammed the stack of papers he was holding.

“You all knew about it, didn’t you! That the club provides basic insurance for everyone! Knowing that, you still made him take out insurance like this?!”

His voice was so loud that passersby glanced over.

“I know money is important, but you can’t live like that! Is there no one else to rip off but a seventeen-year-old kid?!”

The person on the other end of the phone seemed to be making weak excuses, but they were no match for a veteran who had toiled in the minor leagues for over 10 years.

“Okay, that’s enough! I’m giving you exactly 10 minutes to withdraw all the insurance policies in Alex Montero’s name. If it’s not done in 10 minutes, then our Tampa Bay Rays’ legal team will step in directly, so be warned! Do you understand?!”

Ugh, you sons of bitches!

As Coach Jose Cruz hung up the phone roughly, an elderly man standing next to him cautiously approached.

“Is it… taken care of?”

“Ah, Father!”

Coach Jose Cruz, who had been fuming just a moment ago, gave the man a thumbs up in response to his question.

“I haven’t received confirmation yet, but it will be withdrawn soon. Those Dominican insurance scammers shrink back when the club’s legal team gets involved.”

In reality, the club’s legal team doesn’t usually get involved in these matters.

Coach Jose Cruz chuckled and turned his gaze to the stack of papers he was holding.

“Let’s see, then the 16th insurance policy should be sorted out. So, what’s left is…”

Coach Jose Cruz diligently flipped through the pages, even wetting his fingers with saliva to turn them.

The elderly man quietly watched him before speaking.

“Thank you, Coach.”

“Yes?”

When Coach Jose Cruz looked up, the man sat down heavily on the opposite seat, leaning on his cane.

“I didn’t know much… I just listened to what they said was good for the child and readily signed up for the insurance. I would have been in big trouble if it weren’t for you, Coach.”

“That’s right. You would have been in big trouble. Your meager salary would have been drained by the insurance premiums. But…”

Coach Jose Cruz grinned.

“How is that your fault, Father? Those who prey on parents’ anxieties are the bad guys. So, don’t blame yourself too much. It’s a common thing for players from Central and South America.”

“Haha, it seems our Alex was born with good fortune.”

Alex Montero’s father said.

“I was worried because he’s gullible like me, but I feel relieved knowing that you’re here, Coach.”

“Yes, you don’t have to worry at all!”

Coach Jose Cruz assured him.

“Alex is a player I personally have high expectations for. He’s a player who can make it to the major leagues within 5 years, no, 3 years.”

“My son?”

When Alex Montero’s father raised his eyebrows, Coach Jose Cruz said firmly, “Of course!”

“I understand your feelings, Father. Leaving your young son alone in the distant land of America, how could your heart not ache? But Father, trust me.”

Coach Jose Cruz thumped his chest with his large fist.

“It can’t compare to you taking care of him directly, but I will guide Alex as if he were my own son.”

“Like a son?”

“Yes, you have entrusted your precious son to our Tampa Bay Rays. So, shouldn’t I make this promise?”

Having said this, Coach Jose Cruz checked his phone message and stood up.

“The car sent by the club has arrived. Let’s move. I’ll take care of the remaining insurance while we’re on the way.”

“Ah, yes, let’s do that.”

Coach Jose Cruz began to walk away busily.

It was at this moment that Alex Montero’s father quietly placed his hand on his son’s shoulder, who was engrossed in looking around the airport.

“Alex.”

“Yes?”

“When your father returns to the Dominican Republic… think of that coach as your father and follow him.”

He seems like a good coach.

The father said to his son.

“Do whatever the coach tells you to do, and greet him morning and evening…”

Ah, that’s right.

The father knew his son’s personality well.

“Even if I say this, you might be swayed by other people’s stories… so save it on your phone like this.”

“On my phone? What?”

“Save the coach’s contact information as ‘Father’.”

The father was speaking quite seriously, but Alex Montero was showing a lukewarm reaction.

“Hey, I can’t do that! How can I save another person as ‘Father’ when I already have a father? It’ll be confusing later.”

“Oh, you rascal! How difficult can that be?”

Isn’t this how it works?

The father said, gesturing with his hand.

“I am ‘Father in the Dominican Republic’, and the coach going over there is…”

mi padre en america [my father in America].

The father looked at his son.

“Father in America.”

* * *

And again, time passed.

Seven years later, in St. Petersburg.

Coach Jose Cruz was parking his car in an upscale residential area on the outskirts of the city.

Clunk-

Getting out of the car, he held a training chart in his hand.

The very training chart he had given to the Korean employee in the Future Strategy Planning Department just a few hours ago.

“…”

Flipping through the roughly 10-page training chart, Coach Jose Cruz recalled the Korean employee’s advice.

-Yes, well, I understand.

He said very firmly.

-You’ve been in conflict with Alex’s father all his life, so it must be awkward. And you must feel guilty for not being able to be there for his father’s death.

In fact, he was listening with a calm expression up to this point.

What really surprised Coach Jose Cruz was the following story.

-And another’s precious child that you have to take care of alone… I understand that you have a lot of concerns about how to guide him. Alex Montero is such a talented player.

For him, it felt like being stabbed in the heart with an awl.

That was the real reason he hadn’t been able to properly guide Alex Montero.

A catcher who secured a starting position in the major leagues at a young age. A catcher who seemed to have high potential as both an offensive and defensive catcher.

He was still undecided on which direction to lead him.

Perhaps the decisive factor was that even though he knew that many ‘advisors’ were hovering around Alex Montero, he couldn’t firmly say, ‘Ignore those words and follow me.’

-Another’s precious child is treated with caution. You have to be careful with every word, and you have to be careful when teaching. It may be best not to move when you don’t have a clear plan. But Coach.

The Korean employee in the Future Strategy Planning Department looked at Coach Jose Cruz with sharp eyes.

-If it’s not another’s precious child but our own worthless child… shouldn’t we be doing something right now?

We have to do something.

Even if it’s awkward. Even if it’s hard to say a word. Even if the accumulated conflicts remain in your heart like sediment.

Even if you’re not sure that it’s a wonderful answer. Even if you’re worried that things will go wrong if you step in.

-You have to step in, Coach.

Swish.

The Korean employee in the Future Strategy Planning Department held up his phone screen.

-Despite all that has happened, Alex Montero still thinks of you as his father.

* * *

“…”

Having recalled his thoughts up to this point, Coach Jose Cruz moved towards Alex Montero’s house.

There was no need to ring the doorbell separately. The place he was heading to was a small open space attached to this house, essentially a backyard training area.

Opening the poorly made door and entering, the first thing that came into view was a beam of light shining so brightly that it was dazzling.

And under it was Alex Montero, silently throwing a ball.

Whoosh- Thwack!

Whoosh- Thwack!

A training exercise where he quickly picks up the ball on the ground and throws it forcefully towards second base.

It was already well past midnight, but Alex Montero didn’t seem to have any intention of stopping the training.

As soon as he threw all the balls in one box, he brought another box of balls.

It was at this moment that Coach Jose Cruz shouted.

“Oh, you foolish bastard!!!”

Just a few minutes ago, Coach Jose Cruz had intended to replace his greeting with a warm consolation.

However, seeing him throwing balls so diligently at this late hour, he couldn’t help but raise his voice.

“Are you planning to quit baseball after today? You have to play in the game tomorrow, so what are you going to do if you’re still doing this?”

“Co, Coach?!”

Alex Montero couldn’t help but widen his eyes as he suddenly heard a thunderous shout from behind.

“No, what are you doing here at this hour, Coach?”

“What am I doing here, you rascal!”

Coach Jose Cruz didn’t even acknowledge the greeting and strode towards him.

“Besides, who taught you this kind of training method? How many times have I told you, there’s no point in picking up a stationary ball and throwing it? What ball in a game is going to wait for you to throw it? Anyway, this guy…”

Coach Jose Cruz, who was rattling on, realized something strange and turned his head.

“What?”

A blunt word.

“Why are you grinning?”

“No, it’s just that…”

Alex Montero answered, wiping his mouth with the back of his rough hand.

“It feels like it’s been a while.”

“Huh?”

“I think it’s the first time this season? That you’ve come to my house, and that you’re nagging me about my training method like this.”

Alex Montero was looking at Coach Jose Cruz with a bright expression.

“Hehe, I guess there’s no player like me, right?”

“What?”

“Weren’t you trying to train another catcher instead of me? Diora or Peter, who’s down in Triple A [Minor League Baseball classification].”

Alex Montero seemed to be interpreting the battery coach’s actions in a completely different way.

“But seeing you come back like this, I guess I’m still the best catcher in Tampa Bay. Hahaha!”

“No, you rascal! It’s not like that…”

Coach Jose Cruz was almost speechless at Alex’s words, but thanks to that, he was able to bring up the words he had been holding back for a long time.

“It was because of your father’s matter.”

“Yes?”

“I couldn’t even be there for your father’s death because of me. That’s been on my mind…”

“Ah, Father?”

Alex Montero, who had been beaming, also had a dark expression at this point.

“I definitely resented you a little at first, Coach. But it didn’t last long. I know best what kind of person you are, Coach.”

“…”

“You were trying to teach me, and it’s also true that my father’s interference was a bit much, and more than anything…”

Is there anything else to say?

Alex Montero said.

“You are the ‘Father in America’ that my father recognized.”

“Father in America…”

Coach Jose Cruz couldn’t say anything for a while.

Perhaps it was because he felt regret.

He should have spoken up sooner, he shouldn’t have gone around and around, and if he had, things like today’s game wouldn’t have happened.

But there’s no use regretting the past, Coach Jose Cruz opened his mouth again.

“Okay, as the ‘Father in America’ as you said, I have something to say.”

“Something to say?”

“Yes, give me the contact information of the people who are giving you advice… From now on, I’ll listen to their opinions.”

“Like… my father used to?”

“Yes, like your father used to.”

Coach Jose Cruz continued.

“Once I listen and think it’s necessary, I’ll let you know. If I think it’s useless advice, I’ll just ignore it.”

“…”

“Of course, I can’t say it’s 100%. What seems absurd to me may actually be necessary advice for you. But I think it’s better than listening to all kinds of stories and falling into confusion like you are now… What do you think?”

It was a question of whether he could fully trust his judgment.

It was a question of whether he could walk the path he was pointing to.

It was a proposal that might be a bit much for a player who had already secured a starting position in the major leagues.

But Alex Montero didn’t hesitate at all.

“Okay, Coach!”

Alex Montero said.

“I’ll do as you say, Coach. You listen to the advice of others. I will follow your advice entirely.”

Alex Montero, the starting catcher for the Tampa Bay Rays.

It was the moment when he began to find his place after a long wandering.