A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 356

New Recruit of the Baseball Team Is Too Good – Episode 356

New Recruit of the Baseball Team Is Too Good 356

82 A Classy Meal (7)

The next evening.

Tampa Bay Rays, hosting the Baltimore Orioles, who were ranked 4th in the Earth League, were having an unexpectedly difficult game.

Victor Johnson Jr., the starting pitcher for the day, was suddenly struggling with his control.

-Ah, the umpire’s hand doesn’t go up! It’s a walk! Victor Johnson Jr. records his fifth walk today!

-That’s right. Johnson has been excellent throughout the season, but he doesn’t seem to be in good condition today. His signature sweeper [a type of breaking ball] feels like it’s missing the plate by about a ball more than usual.

Fortunately, they didn’t concede any runs.

The velocity of his fastball was still there, so he was able to suppress the batters, and even when they made good contact, the ball repeatedly went straight to the fielders.

The problem was the continuous full-count battles and the resulting walks.

With the starting pitcher’s pitch count exceeding 80 before the end of the 3rd inning, the broadcasting camera began to focus on Tampa Bay’s outfield bullpen as if by agreement.

Whoosh- Pow!

Two relief pitchers had already finished warming up and started practicing their throws.

Behind them, the bullpen coach with a worried expression, and the setup man and closer still in their jackets could be seen.

And there was another person, a pitcher who caught Ji-seop’s attention.

“…….”

This man, sitting quietly alone amidst the bustling bullpen, intently looking at something.

To those who didn’t know him, it might have seemed like he was reading scouting reports, but in reality, he was doing a hidden picture puzzle from a magazine supplement.

That’s right. He was Dexter Sullivan, the ‘swingman’ [a pitcher who can start or relieve] who had been added to the Tampa Bay Rays’ bullpen roster that day.

* * *

As he had told John Llama, Dexter Sullivan’s hobby was quietly doing hidden picture puzzles in the bullpen.

Normally, he would have been able to enjoy his hobby until the end of the game that day.

He had been away from the team for the past two weeks due to a position change, and even though he had been doing individual training, he needed to gradually get back into the swing of things.

However, the flow of the game that day did not allow Dexter such leisure.

Thwack!

Thwaaack!

After starting pitcher Victor Johnson Jr. was taken out at the end of the 3rd inning, the Baltimore lineup suddenly started to explode.

They racked up 5 runs in the top of the 4th inning alone with 6 hits, and then another 3 runs in the top of the 5th with 2 home runs.

Even if the momentum of the game had shifted early on, the situation was such that the bullpen operation for the entire week could be disrupted.

There were long phone calls between the Tampa Bay dugout and the bullpen, and soon the TV broadcast showed Dexter Sullivan putting down his magazine and getting up.

And I think it was around that time.

John Llama, who had been silently watching the game, quietly turned to Ji-seop.

“Kim, what’s the reason?”

He meant Dexter.

He asked Ji-seop.

“Why did he suddenly agree to the bullpen transition? Did the manager or coaches say something to him separately?”

“No, there was nothing like that.”

Tap, tap.

Ji-seop calmly said while recording the game details on his laptop.

“Originally, the manager was prepared for quite a bit of persuasion, but I heard it ended surprisingly quickly.”

It took less than 10 minutes for Dexter Sullivan to enter and leave the manager’s office.

“He said he told the manager and coaches ‘I’ll go to the bullpen’ as soon as he saw them… At least Dexter’s mind was made up before that.”

“Then is it family?”

John Llama also had a persistent side.

“Did his wife advise him? Or… Brett? Right, maybe Brett Evans contacted him separately?”

“Well, I can’t completely rule out that possibility, but…”

Ji-seop chuckled here.

“Llama, let’s just admit it.”

“Huh?”

“Didn’t I tell you? Dexter was persuaded by you. You led Dexter to the bullpen transition. Don’t you believe me that much?”

“No, it’s not that I don’t believe Kim’s words, but…”

John Llama smacked his lips.

“I’d be grateful if you said it was my accomplishment. But you have to have done something to deserve that, right? I didn’t do anything yesterday.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

John Llama nodded.

“All I did was have a meal with him. I tried to have a conversation, but it only irritated Dexter.”

“…….”

“In the end, I couldn’t say much after that. I just listened to Dexter grumbling. I thought the situation might get worse if I said another word.”

He said it was the most nerve-wracking dinner he had ever had.

By the time dessert came, he didn’t know if the food was going into his mouth or his nose.

That’s how it was, so how can it be my accomplishment?

John Llama looked like he wanted to protest like this, but Ji-seop had a very calm expression on his face.

“You did everything you needed to do.”

“Huh?”

“You bought him a delicious meal and listened to all the complaints the player had about the team, right? What more were you planning to do?”

“No, you told me to persuade him.”

John Llama had a frustrated expression.

“Isn’t persuasion supposed to be like Kim? Using fancy metaphors, pointing out the other person’s weaknesses…”

“Yes, I have to do that. But you’re someone who doesn’t need to do that.”

“Don’t need to?”

“Of course, is that even a question.”

And then, one more word.

“You are the one and only son of owner Jeffrey Taylor.”

“The owner’s… son?”

Watching John Llama tilting his head, Ji-seop burst into laughter inside.

It felt new again. The fact that John Llama didn’t think much about the fact that he was the owner’s son. The fact that he didn’t know his position in the team well.

‘This friend’s greatest strength and weakness.’

Because he wasn’t aware of being the owner’s son, he didn’t hesitate to befriend Ji-seop.

It wasn’t just Ji-seop. He was able to get along with people in the future strategy planning department, including David Wilson.

But for the exact same reason, he once had a past of chasing alligators.

Without realizing the influence he had within the team, he just focused on enjoying each day.

And at this point, Ji-seop felt the need to make John Llama realize for sure.

What kind of person are you?

And what kind of power do you have?

“Llama, do you remember? What was the message we wanted to give to Dexter Sullivan?”

“The team considers him an important asset… Wasn’t that the message?”

“That’s right.”

Ji-seop nodded.

“Just the fact that you invited him to a meal, just the fact that you listened to his story, Dexter Sullivan was able to receive that message sufficiently.”

It’s not unreasonable.

Ji-seop looked at John Llama.

“I don’t know what you think… Llama, to our Tampa Bay people, your words are the team’s words. Your actions are the team’s actions.”

So John Llama’s sincere meal was like a meal from the Tampa Bay Rays.

John Llama listening to the story was like the Tampa Bay Rays listening to the player’s situation.

So, in conclusion, John Llama led Dexter Sullivan’s bullpen conversion.

John Llama, hearing Ji-seop’s words, reacted with a slightly bewildered expression.

“Kim, is that… really?”

“Why, don’t you believe me?”

Then you can see for yourself.

Ji-seop pointed to the TV broadcast screen with his finger and said.

“Dexter Sullivan is coming up to the mound.”

* * *

Dexter Sullivan came on the mound after 2 outs in the top of the 5th inning of the game that day.

When the relief pitcher who had allowed 2 home runs caused a crisis again with consecutive walks, the Tampa Bay dugout took out a substitution card.

“…….”

While he, who had run from the outfield bullpen, was receiving some instructions from Coach Thomas Culkin on the mound.

John Llama was staring at the TV broadcast screen with a slightly dazed expression, his mouth tightly shut.

[…Is it real?]

John Llama, who would have believed Ji-seop even if he said that he made meju [fermented soybean block] with red beans, couldn’t easily understand this time.

[Dexter Sullivan really changed his mind because of me? Just because I listened to his story?]

[Was I someone who could do that? Even if it’s Kim, this doesn’t make sense.]

Unable to believe Ji-seop’s words, John Llama was having all sorts of trivial thoughts alone.

Ji-seop, reading his mind, wanted to hit the back of his head, but he barely managed to calm himself down.

Because Ji-seop had experienced a similar situation once.

‘When was it? When I first joined the KH Cannons?’

To be exact, it was around the time when he and Go Chang-deok were pulling Ryu Jang-ho out of his slump.

When Ryu Jang-ho went to the batting cage the next morning after listening to the explanation all night, Ji-seop’s mind was also doubtful.

Was my idea right? Did this work? Is there a way for me to survive in the baseball world?

He still remembered it vividly. That anxious feeling, that heart-pounding feeling, and that exhilarating feeling he felt when Ryu Jang-ho hit a great home run.

Maybe the exhilarating feeling he felt at that time made Ji-seop who he is now.

The belief that my method works. The conviction that I have the ability. The confidence that I can create my own area in the baseball world with this ability.

“…….”

Therefore, at this time, Ji-seop was looking at Dexter Sullivan with a desperate heart.

He wanted Dexter Sullivan to show something great. He wanted him to show that he had shaken off all the dissatisfaction with the position change.

If he showed that he had shaken off all his grudges and was playing for the Tampa Bay Rays, if he showed that he was on the mound with a completely new heart.

Wouldn’t John Llama be able to feel it too? That exhilarating feeling that is hard to feel even once in a lifetime, that feeling when you discover your true ability.

‘Yes, if that happens… John Llama can change too.’

Ji-seop began to watch the TV broadcast screen with an almost prayerful heart.

Before he knew it, all the practice pitches were over, and Coach Thomas Culkin patted the pitcher’s shoulder and went to the dugout.

The score at this time was already 8-0, and it wasn’t a very exciting situation for the pitcher who came up as a substitute.

Even if he pitches well, it is difficult to win, and if he doesn’t pitch well here, he will be criticized as one of the causes of the defeat.

Especially for a pitcher who had been aiming to enter the starting rotation until recently, it was an even more unwelcome situation, but-that day, Dexter Sullivan, who came on the mound, perfectly fulfilled Ji-seop’s desperate wish.

“Alright! Let’s cheer up and go!”

The 26-year-old young pitcher shouted to his surrounding teammates almost at the same time as the pitching coach went down the mound.

“Let’s clean up this inning and push hard from the next attack!”

It was a screen seen through TV broadcasting, so it was impossible to know exactly what this message was.

But this much was certain. Dexter Sullivan was energizing his teammates. He hadn’t given up on the game yet, even with a score of 8-0.

And the decisive thing is.

“……!!”

John Llama, who was staring blankly at the screen, trembled slightly.

As if,

Electrified.