야구단 신입이 너무 잘함 370화
84장 강 건너 호랑이 구경(6)
About 30 minutes later.
Jessica Ross of the Boston Red Sox was on the phone with the Tampa Bay Rays’ ‘pesky rookie.’
“So, you’re saying there are signs of an injury to Ryu…”
She tossed the energy drink can she was holding into the trash.
“What’s the source of this information?”
That was the first thing she needed to confirm.
“This isn’t something that would come from the press, is it? Do you have an informant I don’t know about? Or…”
Jessica narrowed her eyes.
“Did Ryu contact Kim directly?”
– No, that’s not the case.
Jisub stated firmly.
– You know Ryu, Ms. Ross. He’s stubborn. He wouldn’t go against an official request from the team.
“Then?”
– Well, I have a feeling you might not like what I’m about to say…
Jisub hesitated for a moment, then clicked his tongue and answered.
– It’s just a feeling I have.
“…A feeling?”
For a moment, Jessica felt like the words ‘Are you kidding me?’ were about to burst out of her throat.
Perhaps anticipating her reaction, the Tampa Bay Rays employee quickly elaborated.
– I know Ryu’s defensive style well. He aims for safe catches based on thorough data analysis.
“And?”
Jessica replied curtly.
– But in today’s game, he was diving and sliding all over the place… like he was filming a highlight reel.
“…”
– Isn’t that strange? The opposing team’s lineup hasn’t changed much, and the wind isn’t a big factor either.
That’s why I suspect an injury.
Jisub continued.
– I think he might have pain in his side or lower back. That would slow down his reaction time when the ball goes up. He would have to endure the pain before taking his first step.
“You’re saying he tried to compensate for the slower first step with diving and sliding catches…?”
– Yes, that’s right.
After hearing Jisub’s answer, Jessica Ross was speechless for a moment.
She just nervously jingled the coins in her pocket.
As she started putting the coins into the vending machine one by one, Jisub’s voice came over the phone.
– Ms. Ross, do you think this is nonsense?
“No, it’s not that. It makes sense. Ryu is definitely a solid defender rather than a flashy one.”
Clunk.
Jessica answered as she pulled out another can of energy drink.
It was the fifth energy drink she had gotten that day.
“But I can’t help but wonder if Tampa Bay is trying to pick us off right now…”
Pick off.
Originally, it refers to a pitcher’s attempt to catch a runner off base.
However, among front office staff, it is also used to refer to minor ‘tricks’ that each team tries.
“If Ryu really had that kind of pain, why didn’t he tell the team…? Okay, I’ll let that go.”
There are many players who grit their teeth and play for the sake of the team.
Jessica had also been frustrated by such stubborn players.
“But what happens if I believe you? The time to go to the hospital, the time to see a doctor, the time to take an MRI and CT scan… it would take about six hours in total, right?”
Regardless of the results, the time to prepare for tomorrow’s game would be greatly reduced.
“Ryu is the backbone of our Boston team right now… You’re saying I can shake such a player with just a few words? Wow, isn’t this a very cost-effective pick off?”
– Haha, I guess you could see it that way. Honestly, I didn’t think that far.
Jessica thought she had made a sharp point, but the answer she received was very calm.
– The decision is up to you, Ms. Ross, and the Boston Red Sox. Who am I to argue with that?
Jisub said.
– But let me tell you this. From the first time I learned front office work, I was taught that you shouldn’t play around with players’ health issues. At least, that’s how I was taught in the teams I’ve been with.
“…”
– Besides, Ryu is clearly a player for Boston, but he’s also a symbol of Korean baseball in a broader sense. That’s why I’m even more concerned.
Up to this point, Jessica Ross had been drinking her energy drink with an indifferent expression.
However, the moment she heard Jisub’s next words, she couldn’t help but put down the can.
– And most of all… Ryu, or Jangho, is like a younger brother to me.
“…A younger brother?”
– Yes, don’t you have someone like that, Ms. Ross? Someone you met through work, but you became close to quickly, and at some point, they feel like a sibling.
“Well, I haven’t met a colleague like that yet, but…”
I understand.
After organizing her thoughts for a moment, Jessica slowly nodded.
“If you say so, I’ll check it out. Ryu’s health is important to us too.”
– Oh, really?
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Jessica listened to Jisub’s bright voice coming from the speaker and couldn’t help but smile bitterly.
‘He thinks of the player like a younger brother?’
Is he being sincere?
Or is this another clever trick?
Jessica Ross was a sharp front office person, but at this moment, she found it difficult to judge.
* * *
And the next day in the afternoon.
Fans were entering Fenway Park, the home stadium of the Boston Red Sox.
Let’s go Red Sox! Clap clap clap!
Let’s go Red Sox! Clap clap clap!
Up to this point, the Boston Red Sox’s series record was 2 wins and 1 loss.
They only needed one more win to secure their spot in the Championship Series.
Perhaps that’s why the atmosphere at Fenway Park was even more heated than usual.
Cheers were already flowing from the stands, and there were arguments between opposing team fans here and there.
In a scene that was both a festival and a battlefield before the war.
“Mike, I’m back.”
“Oh, good job.”
Mike from the Tampa Bay Rays Baseball R&D team was taking his returning colleague’s bag.
“Rest a bit while drinking this. Your eyes must be blurry from looking at the small screen.”
“Oh, thank you. The measuring equipment was giving me so much trouble today…”
The colleague took the drink Mike handed him and sat down.
He gulped down the cold drink and looked back at Mike with a ‘Hoo’ sound.
“But whose decision is this?”
“Huh?”
“I’m talking about the person who told us to focus on the Texas Rangers for today’s game.”
The colleague put down the empty can and said.
“The series record is 2 wins and 1 loss… Shouldn’t we be focusing on Boston right now? I think Boston has a 70% chance of making it to the Championship Series.”
“Well, that’s true.”
Mike nodded.
“And you always said we shouldn’t miss a single move of Ryu, but today you said we don’t need to do that…”
What is this?
You’re going back and forth too much.
At the colleague’s grumbling, Mike replied with a troubled expression.
“The assistant general manager said there was an emergency meeting last night. The conclusion of the meeting was to change the focus of the scouting report…”
Rebecca Carney, the assistant general manager of the Baseball R&D team, only said that and hung up, but Mike had ears.
He already knew why the Tampa Bay executives had changed the direction of the scouting report.
‘…I heard it was Kim?’
That’s what another colleague who attended the meeting had told him.
The Assistant Director of Future Strategy and Planning strongly argued that they should pay attention to Texas.
There was a debate at first, but ultimately, they decided to follow Jisub’s opinion.
“If that’s what was decided at the meeting, there’s nothing we can do, but…”
The colleague clicked his tongue.
“If Boston wins today, we’ll have to reset the measuring equipment again, right? Damn, that’s not an easy task.”
That’s how data measuring equipment was.
It would be nice if you could capture all the movements in the stadium at once, but unfortunately, the data collected in that way could not be used for precise analysis.
To use it for simulations or to identify players’ weaknesses, each employee had to set it up individually.
If the team’s policy changes during the game, Mike’s colleague would have to walk around this vast stadium again.
Perhaps that’s why Mike’s colleague was scratching his head with a displeased expression.
“Hurry! Hurry up!!!”
Just then, the area around where the Tampa Bay employees were sitting became noisy.
“Okay, Tom, go all the way to first base! Jake, go to third base! Let’s move, it’ll be hard to get around if more fans come in!”
“Yes, I understand!”
“I’ll be back!”
They were people from other teams.
To be exact, they were scouting staff from teams that had advanced to the postseason.
Employees from the Philadelphia Phillies, LA Dodgers, and New York Mets suddenly jumped up from their seats and started making a fuss.
“What’s going on?”
“I don’t know.”
Mike tilted his head, not knowing what was going on, when a ‘Wow’ sound erupted throughout Fenway Park.
It wasn’t a positive feeling. It was full of regret, and it sounded like a sigh. The reason for that sound was-
“Mike! Look over there!”
It was the list of starting players for today’s game that appeared on the scoreboard.
“Ryu is out of the starting lineup! Ramirez is playing center field instead?!”
“What, what did you say?”
His colleague’s words were true.
Ryu Jangho’s name could not be found anywhere on the scoreboard.
Instead, a Triple-A player who had been called up to the major leagues at the end of the regular season was playing center field.
“What the hell are these guys thinking?!”
Angry voices of Boston fans erupted from all over the stands.
“How can you take Ryu out? Who’s going to score points without him? Who’s going to hit?”
“Offense is one thing, but what about defense? Don’t they know Ramirez is a complete stone glove [a player known for poor fielding skills]?”
People were angry that Ryu Jangho was out of the starting lineup.
But Mike couldn’t just stand there and listen to these stories.
“Wait a minute… Oh, Max! Max!”
Mike stretched his neck and looked around, then grabbed a staff member from another team who was passing by.
He lowered his voice and asked the staff member called ‘Max’.
“Max, what’s going on? Why was Ryu suddenly removed from the lineup?”
“What, haven’t you heard the news in Tampa Bay yet?”
The staff member wearing a New York Mets team shirt said quickly.
“Ryu had a medical checkup this morning, and they found a hairline fracture in his left rib.”
“A hairline fracture?”
Mike’s eyes widened.
“Yeah, it’s an injury that will heal with about 2-3 weeks of rest, but it’s difficult to let him play in the game. It could lead to a bigger injury.”
“Ah, so…”
As Mike nodded, the staff member called ‘Max’ tapped him on the shoulder.
“Got it? Then I’ll go first. I have to completely change the settings of our data measuring equipment now…”
“Yes, yes, please go ahead. You’re working hard.”
“Yes, then…”
As the New York Mets team staff member slung a large bag over his shoulder and ran away, Mike’s colleague approached with a strange expression.
“Wow, what’s going on?”
He looked like he had seen a ghost.
It seemed very strange that they had changed the settings of the equipment one step ahead of the other teams.
“It’s like… it feels like luck is starting to be on our Tampa Bay Rays’ side?”
“Luck is starting to be on our side?”
“No, isn’t it? Even if Boston wins today, Ryu is out of the lineup, and if Texas wins, it means they’ll play at least up to the 5th game and come up to the Championship Series…”
Either way, it meant that the Tampa Bay Rays’ road to victory was turning green.
Mike nodded at those words, but he was expressing a slightly different opinion from his colleague.
“That’s right, it certainly seems like we’re having good luck…”
“But?”
“It doesn’t seem like that luck started now.”
“Yes? No, what does that…”
The colleague blinked, not knowing what he meant, but Mike really felt that way.
Luck didn’t start now.
It seemed that luck had been with the Tampa Bay Rays since the beginning of this season.
‘Yeah, luck named Kim.’