A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 318

Chapter 76: Do You Even Eat? (2)

In recent years, one of the most significant improvements in American baseball has been the better treatment of minor league players.

Now, minor league players are provided with nutritious meals and comfortable accommodations. They also have access to experienced trainers and quality medical staff.

However, a slight twist on this change reveals the extent of the poor treatment minor league players received in the past.

That’s right.

The life of a minor leaguer is often described as ‘eating bread soaked in tears,’ highlighting the hardships they face.

Under the motto of ‘no pain, no gain,’ minor league players of the past were placed in harsh environments, often with little support.

The meals provided by the club were said to be just bread with a few kinds of jam. If they were lucky enough to buy a hamburger on the road, it was considered a real treat.

The equipment provided was also woefully inadequate, so major league veterans who came down for rehab would often help out, emptying their own pockets to provide for them.

They confidently threw their hats into the ring, dreaming of the major leagues, but what they faced was a harsh reality.

Especially for players who came from distant Central and South American countries, trusting only in baseball, the reality was even more difficult.

There was one thing that became almost the only support for such players – it was called the ‘hosting family.’

“Didn’t Kim have such an experience? I lived with a hosting family until High Single A [a level in Minor League Baseball],” said David Wilson, who had experience in the minor leagues.

“Simply put, it’s like a homestay. It allows minor league players to stay in ordinary homes.”

It wasn’t just about providing a spare room.

They ate together, spent leisure time together, and helped with commuting to and from the ballpark.

In addition, they would go to the bank together to open an account, learn how to use the supermarket, and even learn how to deal with police questioning (although that shouldn’t happen).

People who literally become the players’ ‘family,’ that’s what hosting families were all about.

“I vaguely knew the concept, but the scope of coverage is much wider than I thought.”

Rather than a homestay, it was more like the boarding house Ji-seop stayed in during college.

Perhaps they had even more to do than the landladies of the old boarding houses.

“Did the club provide any compensation to the people who did the hosting family?”

“As I recall… yes, I think there was something,” David Wilson replied.

“They said they got a discount when buying game tickets. The same goes for buying club merchandise.”

“A discount? Not free?”

“Yes, if monetary compensation was given, there might be people who would come in just for that…”

Having said that, David Wilson turned his gaze to Ji-seop’s cell phone on the desk.

“In that respect… Anne Reynolds, was it? She’s a really great person.”

She was the person designated as the ‘mentor’ for the AL East [American League East] people, including Ji-seop, this semester.

A person who has been doing hosting family activities in various teams for over 30 years.

David Wilson seemed to want to praise her activities as well.

“There’s no monetary compensation, no one recognizes you… Besides, how much trouble do guys in their early 20s cause? So most people quit after about a year or two. I used to move houses almost every year.”

But the fact that she has been doing this for 30 years means that she has a great love for baseball.

Ji-seop nodded slowly, thinking the same thing, but David Wilson seemed to have something else to say.

“But… is this mandatory?” he asked Ji-seop.

“Meeting with a mentor? Do you have to attend this? Is there a problem with graduation if you don’t attend?”

“No, it’s not like that.”

Because there were so many people in the field who registered for the class, it wasn’t so strict.

“I heard that meeting with a mentor is a kind of bonus concept. There’s no exam to take, and no report to submit.”

“Really? If that’s the rule…” David Wilson’s expression brightened slightly.

He looked at Ji-seop and carefully opened his mouth. “Kim, why don’t you just skip this meeting with her?”

“Skip?”

“Yes, to be honest… I don’t think she’s a valuable mentor.”

As always, David Wilson was very firm in this regard.

“If you’re going to meet someone like Billy Bean [former MLB player and executive], I won’t object. I might even drive you to the airport. You can learn a lot from someone like that. But…”

Sigh.

David Wilson wiped his lips.

“Hosting family? How can someone with this much experience help Kim? I can’t think of anything.”

“…”

“Besides, since the last pandemic, the hosting family system has been completely abolished in the major leagues. That means it won’t be of much help to the club’s operations in the future…”

The expression was a bit exaggerated, but at this time, it didn’t sound wrong to Ji-seop.

‘I guess so.’

Ji-seop nodded quietly.

‘You have to understand the players’ feelings well… I guess I’ll get that kind of advice?’

Then I thought it was a meeting that didn’t mean much.

Ji-seop thought he was the best at understanding the players’ feelings, if nothing else.

‘Well, there’s already a mess because of Paul Torres’ injury… It’s a bit awkward to leave my seat at a time like this.’

Of course, it would be difficult to completely not attend the meeting that the nasty Professor Kevin Prior had arranged himself.

Then let’s skip it this time. Let’s solve the Paul Torres injury case and go back to meeting with the mentor.

That’s how I was trying to come to a conclusion.

“No, I don’t think so.”

An objection was raised from an unexpected place.

* * *

It was John Llama who directly refuted David Wilson’s opinion.

The owner’s son was sitting quietly next to Ji-seop, watching the two people talk.

But for some reason, he suddenly pushed his chair out and raised his hand.

“Kim! Attend the meeting with Anne Reynolds. I think that’s better.”

“Ehhh?!”

David Wilson reacted before Ji-seop.

“Wait a minute, Llama! I’m in a serious conversation with Kim right now? If you want to pick a fight with me, do it later when you’re free…”

“No? I’m not picking a fight?”

What do you think of people?

John Llama snorted lightly.

“Kim, I’m serious too. I think you should attend the meeting with the mentor.”

“Why? Is it because of that Professor Prior?”

When David Wilson replied indifferently, John Llama raised his head, saying, ‘There are some things like that.’

And what followed was the guy’s appearance, expressing his opinion clearly and distinctly, unlike usual.

“I’ve learned something while working with Kim. That is, you should never have preconceived notions.”

“…Preconceived notions?”

David Wilson hesitated slightly when an unexpectedly normal story came out.

“It was the same when I met Victor Johnson in the past, and it was the same with Alex Montero. Everyone roughly looks at it and says, ‘Oh, I guess so,’ but Kim never does that.”

Of course.

John Llama nodded.

“No matter what others say, he checks with his own eyes and then moves. And that leads to ghostly good results.”

“Did I… do that?”

I wish you would tell me these stories when I’m not around.

Ji-seop smiled bitterly and stepped back, but that didn’t end John Llama’s ‘serious mode’.

“Of course! I know best. Because I’ve been watching right next to you.”

“It’s the same this time.”

John Llama even clenched his fist.

“Why don’t you check it out first? What kind of person she is, whether she really has nothing to learn from. I don’t think it’s too late to make a conclusion after checking it out.”

“…”

“I think we also need to pay attention to the fact that the hosting family system has been suspended. If it can’t be operated anymore, it means that the experiences and ideas that have accumulated while the system was implemented will all be scattered, right?”

This was something that Ji-seop hadn’t even noticed.

“Our Tampa Bay stopped hosting families more than 10 years ago, so there’s almost no related experience. Then shouldn’t we listen to Reynolds’ story even more?”

“Is that… is that so?”

It was an expression that wasn’t very pleasant, but David Wilson nodded at John Llama’s point.

Ji-seop was also surprised. What’s wrong with the guy who always makes pointless noises?

Of course, the moment I saw John Llama’s eyes, I could see that he had his own ‘belief’ at this time.

[If someone didn’t imitate the president in the 3rd floor bathroom, what I heard must be 100% correct.]

[The president is trying to bring up someone from the minors who is giving him a headache right now.]

[Then… wouldn’t the story of someone who has experienced the hosting family for a long time be helpful?]

The moment he heard John Llama’s thoughts in his ear, Ji-seop burst out laughing.

‘3rd floor bathroom? Why did you even go there? There’s a bathroom on the 2nd basement floor.’

Is it because he still has the habit of wandering around the stadium without anything to do when he was working on alligator extermination? Or did he want to get out of the basement and be in a sunny place even for a while?

Anyway, he was a guy I didn’t understand, but this time it seemed like a good idea to follow John Llama’s opinion.

‘It’s a word based on believing the information he got, but anyway, this is the first time he’s made a suggestion.’

Still, he is the main director of the future strategy planning division.

Sometimes, wouldn’t it be necessary to boost his energy?

Ji-seop, who had made up his mind, turned to John Llama and opened his mouth.

“If you say so much… I understand.”

Ji-seop nodded.

“Anne Reynolds, let’s go meet her.”

“Are you serious?”

It was perhaps natural that John Llama’s face lit up.

* * *

A few days later.

Ji-seop was in a small nursing home in Clearwater, Florida.

To be exact, it was a smoking area installed in the parking lot of the nursing home. There was still plenty of time until the time to meet the ‘mentor’.

“Hoo.”

He came here today to meet ‘mentor’ Anne Reynolds.

However, Ronnie Cordell of Baltimore was the only one emitting white smoke around him.

It’s not because there were no smokers.

Originally, all five team members were supposed to meet, but three people other than Ji-seop and Ronnie Cordell had expressed their intention not to attend that morning.

“They said something urgent came up,” Ronnie Cordell said.

“Nicholas had an urgent meeting, and Christine said the data analysis wasn’t finished yet? George said he wasn’t feeling well.”

Each of them had plausible reasons, but this was somewhat expected.

They had shown an unpleasant reaction while scheduling a meeting with Anne Reynolds.

I thought everyone had similar thoughts to David Wilson. What can you learn from someone who participated in the hosting family? Is it worth the time?

Then, when a suitable excuse came up, they naturally declared their absence.

‘Of course, it’s a bit far to come from New York or Boston…’

Thinking about it that way, Ronnie Cordell was rather unexpected.

Did he think this meeting was valuable? Florida is not a short distance from Baltimore.

“Oh, that?” At Ji-seop’s question, Ronnie Cordell scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed expression.

“You know? I’m very free right now.”

“Vincent Hyama? Hasn’t it been resolved yet?”

“Does that get resolved in a day or two? I should see that it’s difficult to return to the team for the time being.”

He hadn’t made any progress since the last time we met, but he said there were some changes.

“The Rookie League will start soon, right? I think I’ll be there for a while, even if it’s just for a while.”

“Oh, Rookie League?”

“Actually, that’s why I came. I looked up the article… Anne Reynolds is quite famous among players from Central and South America.”

And the following expression was a little funny.

“With the taste of home.”

“The taste of home?”

“Yes, she knows how to make the traditional food of the players’ hometowns like a ghost [meaning she’s incredibly skilled]? So the players liked it even more.”

“Well, she’s been doing it for 30 years, so that could be the case.”

When Ji-seop nodded, Ronnie Cordell smiled, saying, ‘Right?’

“There’s a Venezuelan friend among the players the club told me to keep an eye on. If I learn the recipe today and let that friend feel the ‘taste of home’, that would be meaningful in its own way…”

He’s a little timid, but Ronnie Cordell is also a person full of passion for club work.

I was inwardly surprised by his heart to make and give the players local food himself.

Just then.

A sharp voice was heard from behind Ji-seop.

“Where exactly are you from?”

“Yes?!”

The two people turned their heads in surprise.

However, the owner of the voice didn’t seem to care about the reactions of the two people.

“Even if it’s Venezuela, there are many regions. There’s Caracas, La Guaira, Trujillo…”

Then, an old woman threw the cigarette butt she had finished smoking into the ashtray.

“Venezuela is a country that has produced many major leaguers, so can you just lump them together? Friends who work in baseball teams.”

Apparently this person,