A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 351

Baseball Team Newbie Is Too Good – Episode 351

Baseball Team Newbie Is Too Good Episode 351

82. A Classy Meal (2)

About two weeks after the Cowbell Day event.

Ji-seop was hurrying to get ready for work early in the morning.

Pudeoldeoldeoldeol.

The morning didn’t exactly feel smooth.

Maybe it was because he had been using the air conditioner too much lately, but Ji-seop’s old used car was acting up.

By the time he barely managed to start the engine and get out of the parking lot, there were three or four unknown warning lights on the dashboard.

It looked like he would have to visit a car center soon. If it were Ji-seop in normal times, he would have said something like, ‘Damn it,’ but-

“Azalea flowers have bloomed on Yeongsan Hill, but there’s no news from my departed love~”

A song flowed from Ji-seop’s mouth as he turned the steering wheel towards Tropicana Field.

That wasn’t all. Even when the traffic lights turned red on the way, he patted the gear stick, thinking, ‘It could happen.’

Even when the car next to him cut in without signaling, he nodded, thinking, ‘Ah, they must be very busy?’

He wasn’t usually a rough driver, but there was a good reason why Ji-seop was so relaxed that day.

-Hello, baseball fans! [Good Morning Baseball] on August 14th, let’s start with energy!

It was the sound coming from the radio that Ji-seop had turned on.

-Yes, we have to deliver this news first today. In the first game of the mid-week 3-game series held at Fenway Park last night, the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Boston Red Sox with a final score of 7-4!

-With this, the Tampa Bay Rays, about two and a half months after rising to second place in the American League East Division…….

1st place in the interim standings!

The host’s voice was also passionate.

-Defeating the defending champion Boston Red Sox, they rose to first place in the division interim standings!!

That’s right. This was it.

The Tampa Bay Rays’ rise to first place.

As the radio host said, it was an achievement made in almost two and a half months, and on this day, Ji-seop couldn’t help but see everything in the world as beautiful.

‘Well, it’s just an interim ranking.’

It was true that there was a long way to go.

There were about 40 games left in the regular season alone, and considering the post-season that would unfold afterward, there were almost 60 games left.

Even though the New York Yankees seemed to have lost some steam recently, the Boston Red Sox had made considerable reinforcements by passing the trade deadline.

In addition, the LA Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies in the National League were also formidable, so they couldn’t relax yet about winning the World Series.

Still, it was the first time he had risen to first place in the division since coming to the Major League. The fact that he had achieved results in the AL East, where competition was the fiercest.

That fact made Ji-seop’s heart flutter that day.

‘You’re doing well, Kim Ji-seop.’

As he entered the Tropicana Field parking lot, Ji-seop carefully encouraged himself.

‘Just keep doing what you’re doing… Yes, just like now.’

And achieve it. The Tampa Bay Rays’ first-ever championship.

That was Ji-seop’s firm resolution as he got out of the car.

The next moment, as Ji-seop was picking up his bag and laptop, he heard a familiar voice.

“Oh, Kim! Didn’t you follow the team on this away trip?”

A middle-aged man approached, waving a hand as big as a pot lid.

It was Gregory Campbell.

He was a veteran employee in the stadium operations department, and he had a relationship with Ji-seop since the ‘parking lot incident’ a long time ago.

“Ah, yes.”

Ji-seop greeted him with a bright expression.

“I decided to stay at Tropicana Field this time. The manager specifically asked me to…….”

“Hmm, I can guess what it is?”

With Gregory Campbell’s level of experience, there was nothing he didn’t know about the team’s operations.

“It’s until tomorrow, right? Finalizing the 40-man roster. You have to register by tomorrow to be able to play in the post-season games…….”

“Wow, you’re like a ghost.”

As Ji-seop admired and gave him a thumbs up, the veteran employee in the stadium operations department waved his hand.

“Oh, what ghost! More than that… I heard you went up to 1st place yesterday? Our Tampa Bay Rays.”

“Yes, we finally made it.”

“Hehe, there was a time when I really wondered what would happen… But still, this day is coming?”

Mr. Campbell looked moved.

But right then, a strange story came out of his mouth.

“Kim, congratulations.”

He patted Ji-seop on the shoulder.

“I don’t know how happy I am!”

* * *

Congratulations.

I really congratulate you.

When Ji-seop heard these words from Gregory Campbell, he thought he had made a slip of the tongue.

‘Isn’t that right? It wasn’t a situation where congratulations would come out in the context…….’

He must have been trying to say something like, ‘You’ve worked hard,’ or ‘You’ve done a great job,’ but the words came out wrong.

Thinking that, Ji-seop didn’t bother to argue and lightly brushed it off, saying, ‘Thank you.’

‘……Hmm?’

But what.

That day, Ji-seop heard quite a few congratulations.

People in the baseball operations department, people in the marketing department, people in the ticket sales department.

After the story of Tampa Bay’s rise to first place came out, it was added as if they had made an appointment.

“Anyway… Kim, congratulations.”

“Congratulations, in many ways.”

“Kim, congratulations!”

Why were these people doing this? Ji-seop couldn’t help but tilt his head.

Tampa Bay’s rise to first place was something everyone should be happy about. But why were they singling him out to offer congratulations?

Ji-seop learned the cause of this strange phenomenon around the afternoon of that day, when he met Brian Sphan, the president of baseball operations.

“Haha, that’s natural.”

The president said.

“Didn’t you know? Kim, you’ve become a kind of icon in our Tampa Bay Rays. You could even say a symbol.”

“An icon…… did you say?”

“That’s right. You are this season’s icon and the symbol of the championship challenge. At least among the team and front office staff, I’ve heard reports that you are seen as such a symbolic presence.”

He smiled gently.

“It’s not unreasonable. Your contribution to our Tampa Bay Rays’ rise to first place has not been small. There was the Victor Johnson Jr. case, and there was the Yellow Book Project. Ah, of course, what is most imprinted on people is…….”

Vincent Hiyama and Brett Evans.

The president mentioned the two players who had now established themselves as key players for the Tampa Bay Rays.

“Kim’s role in recruiting these two players was very large.”

“Ah, because of that…….”

As Ji-seop trailed off, a playful expression appeared on the president’s face.

“People see you as taking the lead. If we win the championship, Kim will receive the biggest reward, and if we fail, he will bear the greatest responsibility.”

“…….”

“So everyone congratulated you today. Because we’ve taken a step closer to winning the World Series, the possibility that you will receive a big reward has also increased.”

The president, who had been talking up to this point, raised his eyebrows and looked at Ji-seop.

“Kim, what’s wrong? Are you suddenly feeling overwhelmed?”

“Yes? No, it’s not that…….”

Ji-seop initially waved his hand, but soon let out a short sigh and gave a bitter smile.

“To be honest…… yes, it’s a bit overwhelming. I didn’t realize that the people in the club were looking at me that way.”

“It’s okay. There’s no need to feel burdened. Even if we fail to win the championship, can the club kick you out? You’ve shown us your performance so far.”

‘I’m the one who should leave if anyone does.’

The president smiled with a joke that was difficult to respond to.

“Rather, I think this way. This is something Kim can be proud of.”

“Pride?”

“Yes, it’s a very rare thing. In a Major League club that can be said to be conservative, it is very rare for an employee who has not been with the company for very long to receive this much attention.”

Looking at the president, who was continuing to speak with a pleased expression, Ji-seop was actually thinking this inside.

‘……Damn it, it looks like he’s going to make me take on another job.’

It was Brian Sphan’s pattern.

After praising a person to the fullest, he subtly makes them take on a job.

However, Ji-seop couldn’t refuse the instructions of someone who was the president, so he was just hoping that it would be an easy task to handle-

“In that sense.”

Up to this point, it was the same pattern as usual.

But the next moment, a word that Ji-seop didn’t expect popped out of the president’s mouth.

“Before the full-scale post-season preparation begins, how about taking a day off to rest?”

“Yes?”

Ji-seop couldn’t help but ask back because it was something he had never heard from the president before.

“Mr. President, what are you suddenly…….”

“Why are you so surprised? I’m saying I’ll give you a special day off. Of course, with the other people in the Future Strategy Planning Department as well.”

Please receive it.

He took out a small booklet from inside his desk and handed it to Ji-seop.

“This is a vacation plan provided by the club. You can choose one of these and tell Anna in the HR department.”

Please take a good rest.

Although it’s only for one day.

That was the last word of Brian Sphan, the president of baseball operations, that day.

* * *

About 10 minutes later.

A cry of joy was erupting in the Future Strategy Planning Department office.

“Kim, is it real?”

The employees asked Ji-seop.

“You’re really saying we can choose one of the things listed here? There’s no need to pay extra money…… or anything like that?”

“Oh, that’s what I’m saying?”

Ji-seop handed over the ‘vacation plan’ he had received from the president and continued.

“Please choose one plan you want and tell me by the end of today. Then I’ll get the approval.”

“Jackpot, jackpot, jackpot!!!”

The people in the Future Strategy Planning Department all shouted cheers at Ji-seop’s bold statement.

“It really existed? The president’s vacation plan! I’ve only heard about it when I joined the company, but this is the first time I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”

“It’s my first time too. I heard that this is something that the baseball operations department…… or the Baseball R&D team friends receive.”

“Kim, thank you! We’ll really work hard. Really!”

The employees who thanked Ji-seop put the guide in front of them and entered into a serious discussion.

The vacation provided by the club was only one day, so there weren’t many plans they could choose from, but their faces were full of joy.

“I think I’ll go with this. One-day cruise experience! This seems to be the most expensive plan?”

“Then should I go with the hotel accommodation package? It feels like the kids would like this…….”

Cruise experience, hotel accommodation, fishing experience, or even paragliding experience.

Everyone was noisily talking about which plan to choose, when David Wilson approached Ji-seop.

“Have you decided, Kim?”

He sat down next to him and asked.

Judging by his expression, it seemed like he wanted to move with Ji-seop, but Ji-seop was shaking his head.

“No, not really…….”

“Not really?”

“I’m just thinking of resting at home.”

Ji-seop shrugged.

“If I got a week off, I might do something, but applying and preparing for just one day…… Ah, it’s annoying. It’s better to just take a leisurely nap at home.”

“Well, that’s true.”

David was subtly gullible.

“Even if you go to a hotel, you’ll have to go all the way to Tampa, and the cruise or yacht experience goes without saying…… If you think about it that way, it might be more comfortable to rest at home.”

“Right?”

This is how the story was progressing with Ji-seop and David Wilson, two lazy people, just staying at home.

John Lama, who had been listening to the conversation between the two from across the room, leaned his face over the partition.

“Kim, then can you take a good rest until the afternoon…… and spare some time in the evening?”

“In the evening? Why?”

“Ah, it’s not that…….”

John Lama smiled shyly.

“I usually owe Kim and David a lot, so I was thinking of inviting you to my house this time to treat you to a meal.”

“Ah, a meal? That’s not bad, but…….”

David tilted his head.

“Lama, were you able to cook there? I don’t think I saw any cooking utensils when I went last time?”

After being firmly targeted by owner Jeffrey Taylor, John Lama’s house was a shabby studio near Tropicana Field.