A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 340

Baseball Team Newbie Is Too Good – 340

Baseball Team Newbie Is Too Good 340

80 The Heart of Planting Seeds (4)

“What do you think a jackpot is?”

Ryan Choi, an agent from Boras Corporation.

As a subordinate of ‘Devil’s Agent’ Scott Boras, he continued speaking with a brazen face.

“Earning tremendous profits with a very small investment! Isn’t that what a jackpot is?”

“……”

Ji-seop simply crossed his arms and stared into his eyes.

“In that respect, a free agency (FA) contract cannot be a jackpot. Because it costs too much money! Then should we trade? No, trading is just selling the future to buy the present.”

‘Then what is a jackpot!’

‘What is the path to a jackpot!’

With a smooth motion, Ryan Choi took out a file from his bag.

“The method that I, Ryan Choi, confidently introduce is… recruiting independent league players.”

“Ah, independent league?”

Ji-seop raised an eyebrow.

Ryan Choi seemed to interpret this as a sign of interest.

“That’s right, the independent league! They are not affiliated with any major league organization, so the players who play here are basically free agents. What does that mean? It means that independent league players can be recruited at very low prices.”

‘Come on, take a look!’

He forcibly handed the file to Ji-seop and continued his sales pitch fluently.

“How about Darren on page 7? He’s a left-handed relief pitcher who throws a four-seam fastball at a top speed of 94 miles per hour. Right now, you can sign him for a signing bonus of just $10,000.”

$10,000.

It was definitely a cheap price.

“Or how about Huck on page 11? He has fast feet, decent defense, and even major league experience. This player’s signing bonus starts at just $20,000! Depending on the negotiation, you may be able to recruit him for even less!”

Blah blah blah.

Watching Ryan Choi rattle off the list of players without even glancing at a cheat sheet, Ji-seop couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly.

‘…This guy is amazing.’

How could he put such a thick iron plate on his face? [This is a Korean idiom for being shameless.]

He was bragging about meeting Ji-seop, and when Ji-seop called him out, he started his sales pitch without even apologizing.

‘Is this what agents are like? Or is it just the brazenness that comes from being affiliated with Boras Corporation?’

‘Either way, there’s no great benefit to getting involved with this guy for too long.’

There are many VIPs in the banquet hall right now. The value of conversation is much higher there.

‘I should just give this guy a stern warning not to mention my name again.’

Just as he was about to take a step forward, he heard an unexpected sound from him.

Jackpot- Pow!

Jackpot. Meaning ‘jackpot’ in English.

He wondered where the sound was coming from, but it seemed to be Ryan Choi’s phone alarm.

“I’m sorry. Just a moment, I have a message….”

From the first greeting, he was talking about jackpots, and even his phone message notification was set to ‘jackpot.’

In a way, he was a very consistent person, but his expression as he checked the message was unusual.

“No, this guy….”

That was all he said out loud, but Ji-seop was able to infer more than that.

[Darren, that bastard… Even though I told him so many times, he finally decided to quit baseball?]

[Damn it, this time of year is so tough. As soon as the independent league season ends, there’s another mass exodus.]

[This can’t go on. I have to get at least one deal done this year. That way, my independent league friends can have at least a little hope…. ]

An unexpected, serious voice coming from a man with the impression of a con artist.

But that was only for a moment, as he returned to his market-vendor-like expression and rubbed his hands together.

“How about it, Kim!”

He grinned.

“I’ve heard that the Tampa Bay Rays are the most efficiently managed team in Major League Baseball. I think they would recognize the value of our independent league players more than anyone else….”

To put it bluntly, Ji-seop had no interest in independent league players at this time.

This year, the Tampa Bay Rays were aiming for the championship. By acquiring Vincent Hiyama, they were practically riding a tiger [an idiom meaning to be in a dangerous or irreversible situation]. How could an independent league player help?

But Ji-seop had experience, so he couldn’t treat Ryan Choi so coldly.

‘Well, it’s about the time when the independent league season is coming to an end.’

It was a time when players were wavering, a time when they were giving up on their dreams of baseball.

Didn’t Ji-seop also pack up his life in America and return to Korea around this time?

He knew how much of a help an agent like Ryan Choi could be at times like this, and how much hope his small interest could bring.

Knowing this well, Ji-seop decided to provide at least some advice.

“Ryan… was it?”

“Yes! Ryan Choi from the independent league division of Boras Corporation!”

Come to think of it, this was the first time he had revealed his affiliation.

“Which player are you interested in? Darren? Huck?”

“No, go sell those guys somewhere else….”

Ji-seop rummaged through his pocket and took out an item that happened to be in his hand, handing it to Ryan.

“I’ll give you this for 50 cents. How about it?”

“Excuse me?”

Perhaps he hadn’t expected such an offer.

Ryan Choi, who had been smiling until now, looked slightly flustered.

“A lighter?”

Blinking his eyes.

“This… for 50 cents?”

* * *

For Ji-seop, it was a warm consideration.

A consideration for the independent league he had once been a part of, and for the agent who was showing interest in that cold and hungry stage.

Ji-seop held up the lighter he had been using until just now and spoke nonchalantly.

“Yes, it’s a good lighter. The flame works well, and there’s still oil left.”

Click, click, click.

Ji-seop lit the lighter.

“Originally, I should be getting $1 for it, but I’ll give it to you for 50 cents.”

“Ah, no, wait a minute, Kim.”

Ryan waved his hand.

“What are you talking about all of a sudden? Why a lighter all of a sudden?”

“Why? Do you think it’s too expensive?”

Okay, okay.

Ji-seop nodded.

“Then I’ll give you an even bigger discount. 30 cents! No, how about 10 cents? It’s a complete bargain!”

“No, that’s not what I mean….”

Ryan looked frustrated.

“I’m saying, why are you suddenly saying strange things when we were talking about players? It’s not like I need a lighter, and isn’t that kind of lighter something you can get anywhere in the first place?”

‘Not needed.’

‘You can get it anywhere.’

The moment he heard those words, a faint smile appeared on Ji-seop’s lips.

‘Heh heh, we get along well.’

When the other person answers so directly, it’s much easier for Ji-seop to unravel the story.

“Right? It’s not a particularly necessary item, and it’s something you can get anywhere….”

After trailing off for a while, Ji-seop turned his gaze to Ryan.

“Why are you doing sales for players so recklessly when you know that so well?”

“Yes?”

Ryan, momentarily speechless, hesitated, and Ji-seop seized the opportunity.

“Whether it’s a lighter or a player, isn’t it important to know the customer’s needs in order to sell something? What kind of item the other person needs right now.”

“……”

“But you just emphasized the point that you can recruit players cheaply without any rhyme or reason. Do you buy something unconditionally if it’s cheap? Is the team’s player composition that simple?”

“Th, that’s….”

Ryan Choi seemed to realize his mistake.

But he didn’t back down easily.

“That’s why I showed you the file, wasn’t it? If you had looked closely at the list, you might have found a player you needed….”

“Hey, that’s not it.”

Ji-seop cut him off.

“Major League teams have countless prospects. Even our Tampa Bay has contracts with nearly 300 prospects. In this situation, who would look closely at the list of independent league players? It’s not a particularly special list, anyway.”

Here, Ryan Choi closed his mouth tightly.

“Of course, I know that. There’s no way someone working at Boras Corporation wouldn’t know what I’m saying right now. You knew it all, right?”

“……”

“However, the desire to open the way for independent league players, the desire to give them hope to continue playing baseball no matter what… I understand that your judgment was momentarily clouded because of that feeling.”

‘Because I’m also from the independent league.’

Ji-seop said in a calm voice.

“But I hope you will move more carefully. If you really want to help independent league players.”

“Ca, carefully….”

Ryan Choi, who had been silently looking down at his toes.

It was around the time when Ronnie Cordell’s voice was heard from afar, calling out ‘Kim!’ that he raised his head again.

“I understand. I’ll give it a try.”

The expression that had been thick with the smell of a con artist had disappeared, and he was now a fairly serious Boras Corporation employee.

“Thank you… for your words.”

* * *

A few days later.

Ji-seop, who had returned to the team, was meeting with General Manager Brian Spon to submit the ‘Game Prediction Report’ for the upcoming series.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

In the past, the general manager would point out things to improve for more than 30 minutes.

But now, the ‘Yellow Book Project’ is also completely on track. The general manager would just skim through it and not drone on for long.

“At this point, there shouldn’t be any major problems in preparing for the upcoming series. However, one thing….”

“Yes?”

As Ji-seop raised his head, General Manager Brian smiled bitterly as he took off his glasses.

“The legends of Tampa Bay players who Kim suggested for the ceremonial first pitch recently… that has been canceled.”

“Ah, is that so?”

The legend’s ceremonial first pitch event.

It was something Ji-seop suggested after returning from the freshman welcome event at Port Myers University.

The idea was to invite Tampa Bay legends to arrange a ceremonial first pitch and a conversation with active players.

He thought that he could give some message to the players through their conversation, but the opinions of the higher-ups seemed to be a little different.

“It’s not for any other reason… The problem was that everyone’s period of activity in our team was too short.”

“Ah ha.”

“Most of them only played for a season or two at best, so there were many stories that it would be difficult to give our players a particularly big message.”

General Manager Brian Spon delivered a message of comfort in a soft tone.

It was a good idea even though it didn’t materialize, and he wanted to hear more of these opinions in the future.

It was always welcome to be praised by the general manager, but Ji-seop’s expression was not so bright as he left the office.

‘As expected… it’s difficult.’

It felt like it was easier to recruit Vincent Hiyama.

The team’s history is already short, and the reality is that they couldn’t secure a franchise star due to the team’s circumstances.

Solving this old problem seemed like a difficult mission.

‘There’s no place to ask for more help… What should I do? Is it right to just accept it as reality now?’

As he was thinking about that and walking towards the office, Ji-seop’s cell phone, which he had put in his pocket, rang.

It was David Wilson.

-Kim! Where are you now?

“I’m on my way back after finishing the report. I was wondering if I should have a cup of coffee… Would you like to go with me?”