A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 373

Baseball Team Newbie Is Too Good – 373

Baseball Team Newbie Is Too Good Episode 373

85 Dog Fight (1)

Exactly six days later.

The Tampa Bay Rays secured their victory in the Championship Series against the Texas Rangers.

The final series record stood at 4 wins and 1 loss. Vincent Hiyama was selected as the Series MVP.

Woo-ah-ah-ah!!!

The way each team navigated the Division Series proved decisive in their fates.

The Tampa Bay Rays, having achieved a 3-game winning streak in the preceding series, held numerous advantages. Their players enjoyed ample rest, and the front office could comprehensively analyze their opponents.

Conversely, the Texas Rangers, emerging from a grueling battle that extended to the 5th game, faced an uphill struggle. The players’ stamina was depleted, and the front office’s scouting reports were not as thorough.

Adding to this, there was an unforeseen variable that even Jisub had not anticipated: the reaction of the Boston Red Sox fans, who had been eliminated by Texas.

Let’s go Rays! Clap clap clap!

The Boston Red Sox, who failed to defeat Texas despite securing two early wins in the Division Series.

Their disappointment and anger seemed to be far greater than Jisub had expected.

In the Division Series 5th game, a minor argument erupted between players, nearly escalating into a bench-clearing brawl.

Perhaps this was why, throughout the Championship Series, people wearing Boston uniforms were seen throughout the stadium.

Of course, these were the Boston fans, notorious even in Major League Baseball. There was no way they would sit quietly and just chant.

-Hey, Vincent! Destroy the pitcher! Just smash him to pieces!

-Yeah, hit a home run like you did against us! I’ll catch it here!

-Hey, what are you staring at? Is there a law that says Boston fans can’t sit in the Texas cheering section?

-Yeah, where’s that law? Federal law? Or Texas state law? If you’re staring, say something, you bastards!

Thanks to the Boston fans, who were exuding such a murderous aura, the Tampa Bay Rays were able to gain an advantage in the cheering battle as well.

‘If we had faced those guys in the Division Series… Ugh, just thinking about it gives me the chills.’

In any case, the Tampa Bay Rays broke through the Championship Series and secured a spot in the World Series.

As preparations for the World Series began both inside and outside the stadium, Jisub took a half-day off and visited Fort Myers University.

The official purpose of the visit was to meet Professor Kevin Pryor and submit assignments.

While being chased by the postseason schedule, the assignments given by the professor had piled up quite formidably.

“Hmm.”

Through the open window, a rather chilly breeze entered on a late afternoon in mid-October.

Professor Kevin Pryor, having received the assignment from Jisub, pushed up his glasses with a displeased expression.

“Well, well…”

He let out a low sigh, twitched his nose, twisted his overgrown beard with his fingertips-

And then,

He uttered a word.

“This is a mess.”

Professor Kevin Pryor took off his magnifying glasses and threw Jisub’s assignment onto the desk.

Of course, Jisub, upon seeing this, couldn’t help but gape in astonishment.

“Professor! Isn’t this a bit too much? On the opening day, you said that etiquette between teacher and student was the most important thing…”

“What, etiquette? Did you just say etiquette?”

Professor Kevin Pryor scoffed as if he was dumbfounded.

“You brat, if you wanted to talk about etiquette with me, you shouldn’t have brought such a report. Is that a report? Didn’t you just scrape content from Wikipedia and bring it here?”

“H, how did you know…?”

As Jisub opened his eyes wide like a startled rabbit, Professor Pryor began to poke his student’s side.

“Even though! Huh? Our MBA program is focused on discussion! And practical! Classes! Huh?”

Every time he uttered a word, the professor poked Jisub’s side.

Each time, Jisub twisted his body while making ‘Ugh’ sounds.

“Still, you’re a graduate student, shouldn’t you be able to create a perfect report?”

“Well, yes, but I’ve been so busy lately…”

“Enough!”

Professor Pryor slammed the desk with his palm and said.

“Redo this report from the beginning. I’ll give you plenty of time, so don’t scrape from the internet and do it properly. And…”

Professor Pryor’s gaze turned to the clock on the wall and then back.

“I have a class to attend soon. We don’t have much time, so let’s get to the point.”

“Excuse me? What do you mean by the point…?”

As Jisub subtly tried to play dumb, Professor Pryor gave a wry smile.

“Did you think I wouldn’t know? You’re a guy who’s been *jeongshineopshi* [in a 정신없이 manner, meaning incredibly] busy, as you said, there’s no way you’d come all the way out here just to submit a report.”

Professor Pryor seemed to have been aware of Jisub’s purpose from the beginning.

“Didn’t you come because of the Philadelphia Phillies? Because you’re going to face them in the World Series.”

Ah, no.

He immediately corrected his expression.

“Or more precisely, did you come because of the Phillies’ general manager, Benjamin Oznovich?”

* * *

The professor’s words were true.

On this day, Jisub’s mind was not occupied with reports that were long overdue.

Moreover, he felt no joy in breaking through the Championship Series, and he was indifferent to the fact that Vincent Hiyama, whom he had recruited, had become the MVP.

There was only one reason. The Philadelphia Phillies’ incredible performance in the National League Championship Series.

‘It’s no joke…’

Ending the first game of the series with an unrealistic score of 21-3 was nothing more than a preview of the tragedy to come.

Indeed, the Philadelphia Phillies had thoroughly beaten their opponents, to the point where the word ‘tragedy’ came to mind naturally.

‘The LA Dodgers are by no means an easy team…’

In the second game of the series, they hit a whopping seven home runs, devastating the opposing team’s mound.

In the third game of the series, four pitchers achieved a team no-hitter for eight innings.

The fourth game of the series seemed to be a relatively even match, but in the end, they won with a final score of 8-7-

Woo-ah-ah-ah!!!

The current Philadelphia Phillies are truly unstoppable. The Tampa Bay front office was now on high alert.

“Ah, so Brian Sponn, the general manager, sent you here? Hoping to get some information about Benjamin Oznovich?”

It was at this moment that a troubled expression crossed Professor Pryor’s face.

“Well, I don’t know if I can be of help. It’s true that I often contact Oznovich, but that guy is no ordinary person.”

He was saying that he only tried to grasp the trends of other teams through Professor Pryor, but he rarely leaked information about the Phillies.

So, even if you come to me, it won’t be of much help in attacking the Phillies.

However, upon hearing Professor Pryor’s words, Jisub simply shook his head quietly without showing any signs of embarrassment.

“No, Professor.”

“What is it?”

“To be honest, my visit to you today was not at the direction of General Manager Brian Sponn.”

Jisub continued cautiously.

“Frankly speaking, it seemed that the people at Tampa Bay were quite confident right now.”

“Confidence?”

“Yes, they seemed to feel like we know Benjamin Oznovich the best, we can fully anticipate his moves… something like that.”

It wasn’t the atmosphere felt by the players or the coaching staff.

That side was almost a battlefield right now. They were on edge because the Phillies had defeated the LA Dodgers, who were called the strongest in the National League.

However, if you turned your gaze to the front office, they were showing subtle confidence, even if they didn’t express it openly.

[Benjamin? You mean Benjamin?]

[Yeah, if it’s Oznovich’s style…]

Rebecca Carney, the vice president of the Baseball R&D team, R. J. Higgins, the vice president of marketing, and even Brian Sponn, who was usually cautious.

The longer they had worked for the Tampa Bay Rays, the stronger the confidence became.

Jisub was a little uneasy.

“Of course, I don’t think it’s completely unfounded confidence. It’s true that Oznovich is from the Tampa Bay Rays.”

He was none other than John Lamar Taylor’s *ipsa donggi* [입사 동기, meaning colleague who joined the company at the same time].

He started his career in Tampa Bay, was recognized here, and based on that, he rose to the position of general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies.

“So, everyone probably knows him well. What does Oznovich value, what does he disregard, and what are his strengths and weaknesses.”

Jisub continued.

“But I heard that he left the team quite a while ago. Then shouldn’t we assume that there have been changes in his thinking or style during that time?”

“Hmm, that makes sense. The difference between working as a regular employee and working as a general manager cannot be ignored.”

“That’s right.”

Jisub became serious.

“That’s why I came to see you, Professor. I thought you would know Oznovich accurately.”

“Huh, me? This is a bit of a burden.”

To Professor Pryor, who was hesitating slightly, Jisub spoke in an earnest tone.

“No, please feel free to tell me. Right now, I just… need a perspective from outside the Tampa Bay Rays.”

“A perspective from the outside?”

“Yes, wouldn’t that allow us to see things a little more objectively? About the general manager we’ll be facing in the World Series.”

The sight of Jisub looking at him with shining eyes.

Although he didn’t show it, Professor Kevin Pryor was quietly smiling inside.

‘Heh, this kid. He’s quite… showing his colors now. He’s become one of us.’