A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 3

The Newbie in the Baseball Team is Too Good – Episode 3

Chapter 2: The Coach from Qingdao (2)

[Superstar Baseball], a social baseball training center in Gangnam, Seoul.

It was the third day since Kim Ji-seop started working at this training center.

“Hello, Coach!”

“Yes, welcome! How’s your condition today?”

It was almost 7 PM.

As the members who came for baseball lessons began to appear one by one, someone tapped Ji-seop on the back.

“Coach Kim.”

“Ah, Coach Han.”

The person who approached Ji-seop was Coach Han Min-wook.

He was two years older than Ji-seop.

He had some professional experience and had been working at this training center the longest.

So, he was the one in charge of Ji-seop’s ‘training’.

“What’s up?”

“I overheard it from the manager… Coach Kim, you took the Tabota glove, right? The Nakamura Hideo limited edition.”

“Ah, yes. The manager said he’d give me a generous margin, so I thought I’d try to sell it.”

“Yeah, it’s good that you’re trying so hard since you’re new, but…”

Sigh.

Coach Han took a deep breath.

“Don’t overdo it.”

“Excuse me?”

At first, Ji-seop thought.

Was it a veteran’s check on the newbie, or an attempt to establish discipline?

But when he looked into Coach Han’s eyes, he seemed genuinely worried about Ji-seop.

[This Qingdao guy, if he messes up, he’ll end up covering the entire glove cost.]

It would be so convenient if I could read other people’s minds in situations like this.

I could immediately tell whether this person is friendly to me or not.

Anyway, Coach Han was a friendly person. Ji-seop relaxed slightly and opened his mouth.

“Don’t overdo it, you say?”

“Coach Kim, who are you planning to sell that Tabota glove to?”

Coach Han wore an expression as if he knew everything.

“Shall I guess? You’re thinking of selling it to CEO Choi, who comes at 7 PM?”

That was correct.

“Oh, you’re like a ghost.”

“Hehe, how many years have I been rolling around here? I can tell just by looking.”

CEO Choi Kyung-min, who comes at 7 PM.

He was said to be running a large studio apartment rental business near Daechi Station, and he was by far the most noticeable middle-aged man at [Superstar Baseball].

From the clothes he wore, to the watch on his wrist, to the car he drove away in after the lesson.

Above all, he seemed to have a lot of interest in baseball equipment, bringing various colorful baseball gear every time he came to the training center.

“Considering his wealth and interest in baseball, CEO Choi is the one to sell the Tabota glove to. However, the problem is…”

Coach Han lowered his voice.

“Among the coaches who have worked here so far, not a single one has ever sold even a batting glove to CEO Choi.”

“Why?”

“Why else? The items available at our training center can’t satisfy his refined taste.”

“Refined… taste?”

Just in time, the ‘CEO Choi’ in question appeared at the entrance of the training center.

The two bowed to him and began to whisper again.

“Look at him today too. That wooden bat on his shoulder… that’s the one Giancarlo Stanton used, right?”

“Giancarlo Stanton? The New York Yankees’ cleanup hitter?”

“Yeah, everything he uses is like that. Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, Derek Jeter… He’s decked out in items used by Major League players, or items given to those guys.”

A middle-aged man who appears wearing items ranging from at least several million won [thousands of USD] to up to tens of millions of won [tens of thousands of USD].

The story is, would a limited edition glove worth only 1 million won [approximately $750 USD] catch his eye?

“In my opinion, it’s better to give up on that Tabota glove. Or find a different seller altogether.”

Coach Han gave this advice with a worried look, but Ji-seop simply shook his head slowly.

“Thank you for your concern, but I’d like to try it my way first.”

“Your… way?”

[I’ve seen a lot of guys fail like that.]

Coach Han’s eyes were saying that.

* * *

The baseball lessons at [Superstar Baseball] roughly proceed in this order.

Warming up and stretching.

Infield defense training.

Hitting training.

Since the training center is located in the basement of a building, outfield defense training is usually conducted separately on weekends by renting a field.

Anyway, since the lessons proceed in this order, Ji-seop’s ‘glove sales’ took place during the infield defense training time.

“Okay, let’s go with fungo! I’ll hit the ball with the bat, and you catch it and throw it hard at the net over there!”

“Yes, Coach!”

“Fungo! Fungo!” [A fungo is a baseball training drill where a coach hits balls to fielders for practice.]

Infield fungo training begins under Coach Han’s guidance.

It was when this training had gone around three or four times that Ji-seop approached today’s ‘target’, CEO Choi.

“CEO Choi.”

“Oh, Coach Kim! What’s up?”

At this time, CEO Choi had a slightly dejected look on his face.

It was only natural. At this time, CEO Choi had missed all three balls that had flown to him.

Ji-seop also took advantage of that timing to approach CEO Choi.

“You don’t seem to be in very good condition today?”

“Yeah, right? Ugh, I guess it’s because I have a belly… I can’t keep up with the balls.”

CEO Choi gave a bitter smile and fidgeted with his glove.

Ji-seop didn’t miss this moment.

“Well, it could be a problem with your physique, but… I think it would be better to replace your glove.”

Ji-seop handed the glove he was holding to CEO Choi.

The Tabota limited edition glove.

The very item that Ji-seop had put his heart and soul into breaking in over the past three days.

“I’ll lend you this. Use this for today, and it would be good to get a new glove soon.”

“Ah, a new glove? Is it time to buy a new glove?”

It was at this moment that a strange smile appeared on CEO Choi’s face.

“Coach Kim, I’m a little disappointed?”

“Excuse me?”

“Didn’t Coach Han tell you? I’m someone who doesn’t even look at items that aren’t of a certain level.”

“…….”

“Do you think I wouldn’t know? This glove… isn’t it the Tabota limited edition that was in the consultation room? About 1 million won? You’re going to sell me something at that level? Hey, I’m a little offended?”

At some point, the fungo training at the training center had stopped.

As CEO Choi’s voice rose, everyone’s attention was focused on this side, without anyone saying anything first.

Among them, Coach Han Min-wook was making a face that said, ‘That guy, he messed up.’

“…….”

Ji-seop simply opened his mouth with the same calm face as usual.

“CEO Choi, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Hmm?”

“First of all, that’s right. This glove… it’s the Tabota limited edition that was in the consultation room. But I don’t think I ever said I was selling this to CEO Choi?”

I said I was lending it to you.

Ji-seop continued.

“And if we’re going to talk about ‘level’… I think this Tabota is much higher level than the glove you have.”

“What, what?!”

Heh, heh heh, heh heh heh.

CEO Choi laughed in disbelief.

“Coach Kim, isn’t your joke a little too much? Do you even know what this glove is before you spout nonsense?”

CEO Choi held his glove under Ji-seop’s chin.

“Huh? Do you know what you’re talking about?”

There’s no way you’d know.

How would you know that?

CEO Choi looked at Ji-seop with a triumphant expression.

However, Ji-seop stared at CEO Choi’s eyes for a moment, and then opened his mouth.

“Andrelton Simmons.”

“Hmm?!”

“It’s Andrelton Simmons’ 2021 season glove, one of the best shortstops in the current Major League. Isn’t it?”

“H, how did you know…….”

As CEO Choi was surprised, there was an ‘ooh’ reaction from the surroundings.

“Coach Kim, how did you know that?”

“It doesn’t look any different from other gloves on the outside?”

“Wow, our Coach Kim is someone who knows a thing or two about gloves?”

Coach Han, who had been looking here with an uneasy look, also widened his eyes.

Of course, that didn’t mean that CEO Choi’s momentum was completely broken.

“Y, yes… that’s right! This is Andrelton Simmons’ glove. The glove he used himself! Someone who knows that…….”

Yes, someone who knows that,

CEO Choi looked at Ji-seop.

“How can you say that this glove is lower level than the Tabota glove? Huh?”

“Well, if you’re thinking of using it for display, Simmons’ glove wouldn’t be bad. But if your purpose is to use it in an actual game…….”

Tuk tuk.

Ji-seop tapped his glove.

“I can tell you that the value of this glove is much higher.”

“Hehe, is that so, young man?”

“Without talking any longer, why don’t you try using it once? If you receive a ball with this…….”

Ji-seop smiled slightly.

“You’ll know the definite difference.”

* * *

Major League’s best shortstop Andrelton Simmons’ game-worn glove.

And the limited edition Tabota glove that Ji-seop had broken in.

It didn’t take long for baseball mania CEO Choi to feel the difference between the two.

Of course, he was initially very angry.

“Coach Han! You have to throw the same ball as before! If you throw a weak ball because you’re taking Coach Kim’s side, I’m really going to quit this training center!”

CEO Choi shouted like that.

However, the very moment the first ball flew with a ‘thwack!’ and he stretched out his glove towards that ball-

“?!!”

CEO Choi’s face had an expression as if he were possessed by a ghost.

‘What, what is this……?!’

One white ball that was in the glove ‘쏙’ [sok – Korean onomatopoeia for something fitting perfectly] without much effort.

Of course, he couldn’t immediately understand after making such a fuss.

CEO Choi threw the ball he had caught ‘휙’ [hwik – Korean onomatopoeia for a quick throwing motion] and shouted again.

“A, again! This time the ball was a little weak! I told you to send the same ball as before!”

“Ah, I understand, CEO!”

In that way, several more fungos went back and forth.

Thwack- Pow!

CEO Choi, who catches the ball without difficulty every time the ball flies.

And right after catching the seventh ball, CEO Choi ran towards Ji-seop, who was smiling.

“C, Coach Kim! This…… what is this?”

The appearance of shouting a while ago had disappeared somewhere.

CEO Choi, who comes with sparkling eyes like a country boy who has tasted ice cream for the first time.

Ji-seop lightly raised his eyebrows and asked.

“Do you feel a bit of a difference?”

“Not a bit, not a bit! This is no joke!”

CEO Choi’s ‘testimony’ continued.

“When I used Simmons’ glove, it felt like the ball was bouncing around here and there…… This glove felt like the ball was coming in ‘스르륵’ [srrr – Korean onomatopoeia for a smooth, sliding motion] on its own!”

“That’s probably right.”

“How can this be? How can a glove worth only 1 million won be better than the glove used by the world’s best shortstop?”

In fact, at this time, Ji-seop was laughing inwardly.

When he looked into CEO Choi’s eyes, his inner thoughts were being heard more intensely than ever before.

[I want it!]

[I really want this glove!]

Now all that’s left is,

It seemed like only proper bargaining was needed.