A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 339

Baseball Team Newbie Is Too Good – Episode 339

80. With the Heart of Planting a Seed (3)

The welcome event for new students at the Port Myers University MBA program.

A large-scale event where not only newly enrolled students but also current students, faculty, and even alumni gather in one place.

Jiseop’s impression of the event held that day in the grand banquet hall named [Erich Hall], after the founder of the school—though he wasn’t sure if he could say this now that he was over thirty.

No, even if it were ten years ago, this expression would feel quite embarrassing.

Honestly,

It felt like walking through a dream.

From the moment he stepped into the banquet hall, countless people rushed towards Jiseop, vying for his attention.

“Oh! Are you perhaps… Kim? The one working for the Tampa Bay Rays?”

“Kim? Ah, are you talking about the guy who stirred up the trade market this time?”

“That’s right! It’s the same guy I saw in the pictures, isn’t it? Haha, it’s a pleasure to meet you! I’m working in St. Louis…”

Shaking hands, exchanging business cards, clinking glasses, and even taking pictures together.

The attention pouring onto Jiseop was amazing in itself, but what was more impressive was the caliber of the people approaching him.

Former and current executives of Major League clubs, senior reporters from leading sports media outlets, and representatives from marketing and data analysis companies.

And above all, even legendary players who once dominated the Major League stage came to greet Jiseop.

“Hey, Kim! Why are your hands so clammy? It feels like touching a fish!”

“I-I’m sorry! I really didn’t expect to meet a legend like Martinez here…”

“Hey, don’t be nervous. Here, we’re all learning under the same professor, aren’t we? And what’s with the ‘Mr. Martinez’ stuff! Just call me by my name, by my name! If that’s too awkward, you can even call me ‘Bro’!”

“B-Bro? Can I really call you that?”

“Why not, huh? Hahaha!”

To think he would meet those amazing players he had only seen on TV as a child.

To shake hands with them, have conversations, and even be told he could call them ‘Bro’.

That fact alone made his heart pound, and he couldn’t quite come to his senses.

The fact that he was thinking about the Tampa Bay Rays’ situation in the midst of all this made him feel proud of himself.

‘R-Right, our Tampa Bay’s legacy problem… Maybe we can solve it by utilizing the legendary players.’

Among the players called legends, there were those who had been with Tampa Bay even for a short time.

What if we invited these people to have conversations with the current players or have them serve as one-day instructors?

While thinking about that, Jiseop took a breather, and just then, a familiar voice reached his ears.

“Kim, over here! Over here!”

“Seriously, how can you not even give us a glance?”

Turning his head, Jiseop’s vision was filled with the ‘group chat members’ from the MBA program.

His colleagues working in the American League East were waving their hands at Jiseop.

“Ah, you guys were here?”

Jiseop stuffed the business cards he received from the legendary players into his pocket.

They were like a bunch of hyenas. If they knew Jiseop had received the players’ business cards, they definitely wouldn’t stay still.

It was an action to prevent unnecessary squabbles, but as it turned out, it seemed there was no need for it.

“What are you hiding? We were watching everything from here, you know? Who Kim was talking to.”

It was Jessica from Boston.

“I’m jealous, so jealous! We couldn’t even get a proper word in!”

“How was Mr. Martinez’s hand? Was it warm? Huh?”

The people were complaining with envious expressions.

Jiseop waved his hand with an embarrassed smile.

“Hey, why are you guys like this again? Weren’t you all exchanging greetings with the alumni?”

“Damn it, it’s not as easy as you think.”

George from Toronto clicked his tongue.

“The alumni are more interested in the professors or current students than the new students… We only got the dregs.”

“Dregs?”

“It’s not like there are only amazing people at Port Myers University. There are people trying to get investments, people trying to sell cars, and… Ah, that’s right!”

Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays.

The employees of the three clubs looked at each other and shook their heads at that moment.

“What do you think ‘Daebak’ [Korean slang for ‘jackpot’ or ‘amazing’] is saying…? That guy.”

“Right, that guy was literally saying ‘Daebak’.”

“Damn it, I still get goosebumps thinking about it.”

“…What do you think ‘Daebak’ is saying?”

A story that made no sense.

Jiseop couldn’t help but tilt his head.

“What… does that mean?”

* * *

What do you think ‘Daebak’ is saying?

About his colleagues’ sudden complaints, Jiseop learned about it about 10 minutes later.

“He’s an agent, an agent.”

It was when he came outside with Lonnie Cordell of the Baltimore Orioles for a ‘smoke break’.

When Jiseop asked what was going on, Lonnie Cordell answered with a bitter smile.

“He’s an agent from Boras Corporation… That was his first greeting.”

What do you think ‘Daebak’ is saying.

Lonnie Cordell shrugged his shoulders.

“Starting with those words, he started introducing the players he was representing… Ugh, it just wouldn’t end!”

“Sorry, not interested. We don’t even have the authority to do that in the first place.”

Jessica from Boston tried to get him off nicely, but the agent was very stubborn.

He grabbed people who were trying to leave and gave a lecture for almost 30 minutes.

“By the time we finally shook that guy off, the event had already started… And most of the people were already having deep conversations.”

As a result, Jiseop’s colleagues didn’t even get to shake hands with any notable alumni.

Jiseop offered his condolences for their misfortune but couldn’t help but tilt his head.

“But if he’s from Boras Corporation, you don’t have to shake him off that much, do you?”

Jiseop asked, taking out a cigarette.

“That means he’s a subordinate of the famous ‘Devil’s Agent’ Scott Boras. It wouldn’t be bad to know someone like that…”

“Hey, what are you talking about.”

Lonnie Cordell chuckled.

“How big is Boras Corporation? Just because you work at Tesla doesn’t mean you know Elon Musk.”

“Ah, is that so?”

Looking at it that way, it wasn’t wrong.

“Besides, that guy seemed to be in charge of the independent league. College baseball might be different, but if he’s in charge of the independent league, then…”

“He’s not someone who has special value as a connection?”

“It sounds like a bit of a cold assessment, but… That’s probably right.”

Lonnie Cordell, who had been talking up to this point, suddenly rummaged through his pocket.

“What’s wrong? A lighter?”

“No, damn it… I don’t have my phone. It looks like I left it there earlier.”

Front office staff could receive emergency calls from the club at any time.

Without a phone, it’s impossible to smoke a cigarette in peace.

“Kim, I’ll go quickly and get my phone.”

“Ah, yes, please do. Take your time.”

“Sorry, then…”

Lonnie Cordell hurries towards the event hall to get his phone.

While watching his back and putting the cigarette he had taken out back into the pack.

“Ugh, Manager! You’ve been deceived all your life? Just trust me!”

Someone’s voice was heard from inside the smoking area.

Slightly turning his head to look, there was a man smoking a cigarette like a raccoon while talking on the phone.

“Actually, the real game starts now. You know? Once the trade deadline passes, Major League clubs will have almost no way to strengthen their team.”

Up until this point, Jiseop was just thinking, ‘Whatever’.

It was Port Myers University. It was a school event where people from the baseball world gathered.

It wasn’t strange to hear stories about the trade deadline or strengthening the team.

Rather, he was about to slip away, thinking that the other person seemed to be having an important conversation, but at that very moment.

“Don’t worry, Manager! Do you know who I met here today?”

A strange story flowed from the man’s mouth.

“It’s Kim, Kim! Kim from the Tampa Bay Rays!”

…Who?

Jiseop stopped walking.

“Yes, yes, that’s the guy! And that guy has experience in the independent league, doesn’t he? So I casually brought up the story… Ugh, he showed interest! Yes, yes, that’s right. Of course!”

The exact situation was unknown.

But one thing seemed certain.

Someone was claiming to have met Jiseop, and Jiseop had no memory of meeting him.

‘Who is that bastard…?’

It was his first time experiencing something like this.

Jiseop stood there as if rooted to the spot, waiting for the man’s call to end.

At least he had to see his face. The face of the man who claimed to have met him.

Whether to punch that face or shower him with insults was a matter to be decided next.

“Yes, then please do your best! I’ll contact you again. Yep! Loyalty, loyalty, loyalty! Hahaha…”

The call didn’t last long.

The man put his phone away with a loud burst of laughter.

As he threw his cigarette butt into the trash can and trotted out of the smoking area, Jiseop slowly moved towards him.

And uttering a word.

“Excuse me.”

“Yes?”

He was a small East Asian man.

His height only reached about Jiseop’s chest, and he didn’t look like someone who had exercised.

He had an ordinary appearance, but there was also one point that caught Jiseop’s attention.

It was the name tag attached to his chest.

‘His name is… Ryan Choi?’

Choi.

So that means he’s Korean.

It was almost his first time meeting a Korean working in the industry, but it didn’t seem like the time to discuss such things.

“What’s the matter?”

Perhaps because it was dark around, this man ‘Choi’ didn’t seem to have grasped Jiseop’s identity yet.

“Ah, do you need a lighter? If so, here…”

The man rummaged through his pocket without much thought and took out a lighter.

However, Jiseop simply shook his head.

“I heard what you were saying on the phone just now… Did you really meet Kim?”

“Yes? No, why are you asking me that… Huh?!”

The man’s eyes widened.

He also seemed to have checked the name tag attached to Jiseop’s chest.

“Ki… Kim? Are you Kim from the Tampa Bay Rays?!”

“Yes, unfortunately… That’s right.”

Jiseop narrowed his brow slightly.

“Is my memory wrong? I don’t remember meeting someone like you. Why did you bring up my name to that ‘Manager’? I need to hear an answer.”

It had been a long time since he had given up playing ball, but Jiseop still had the physique of his playing days.

As the dignified figure of 187cm [approximately 6’2″] walked towards him, the man ‘Choi’ was truly flustered.

“Ah, th-that’s…”

His voice was trembling, and his fingers were trembling.

Just as a drop of cold sweat was running down his forehead.

What was he thinking?

He gritted his teeth and approached Jiseop.

“Excuse me… Kim?”

And then, a word.

“What do you think ‘Daebak’ is saying?”

“Yes?”

Wait a minute,

Where have I heard this before?