A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 379

Baseball Team New Recruit Is Too Good – Episode 379

Baseball Team New Recruit Is Too Good 379

Chapter 86: Powerful, Truly Powerful (2)

Ji-seop’s one and only brother, Kim Ji-chang.

He was a ‘Minus Touch’ [someone who brings bad luck] that made everyone in the family shake their heads.

From a long time ago, he was unbelievably unlucky.

Whether it was stocks or crypto, no matter how well an investment was doing, the moment Kim Ji-chang got involved, it would plummet like a ghost.

So much so that Ji-seop’s mother would say this as a habit:

– Sigh, the thing I regret most in my life is not knowing where that rascal Ji-chang invests.

– Come on, Mom! Don’t blame yourself too much. Even if you knew in advance, you couldn’t have stopped him, right? Kim Ji-chang is so stubborn.

– No, that’s not it… If we had invested the opposite of what he did, we would have bought an apartment in Gangnam [a wealthy district in Seoul] by now, wouldn’t we? How can he be so consistently wrong? Is that even a talent?

– Ah, is that how it works?

Anyway, Kim Ji-chang’s investment performance was as terrible as Ji-seop’s baseball skills.

However, just as Ji-seop occasionally recorded quality starts [a good pitching performance], his brother also made a profit with the probability of a bean sprouting in a drought.

It seemed to have happened only three or four times in over ten years, but the one Ji-seop remembered most vividly was this time.

It must have been around the time when Ji-seop quit the Japanese independent league and was looking into opportunities in the United States.

– Hey, Kim Ji-seop! Don’t you need to get a new glove? The one you had looked too old.

It was a little past 11 PM. Suddenly, his brother came into the room and threw a card at Ji-seop.

– Here, go to Dongdaemun [a shopping district in Seoul] tomorrow and buy a good one. You’re going to the American stage, so you need to have a cool glove!

– What, did you have a dream, hyung [older brother]? What money do you have to buy me a glove?

At this time, Ji-seop looked at his brother with wary eyes, but Kim Ji-chang just laughed heartily while leaning back.

– You brat, what dream! This hyung made a big hit with stocks. So I wanted to share the joy with you.

– Hyung… with stocks? Really?

Ji-seop was startled and jumped out of bed.

However, the moment he saw the stock app that his brother proudly showed, Ji-seop let out a hollow laugh.

– 500,000 won [approximately $400 USD]? Hyung, are you kidding me?

If it wasn’t his brother, he would have smacked him on the back of the head.

– How much money have you lost so far, and you’re celebrating with a mere 500,000 won profit? If Dad finds out, he’ll definitely come at you with a broom!

That wasn’t all he had to say.

– Besides, if even I’ve heard of this company, it must be a pretty big corporation, right? Big corporation stocks naturally go up if you leave them alone…

– Hey, no! This 500,000 won has a very special meaning, you poor and foolish brother.

His brother put his hand on Ji-seop’s shoulder with a satisfied expression.

– This is an achievement made entirely by my judgment.

– Your judgment?

– Yeah, everyone said it wouldn’t work! They said it’s a company with no growth engine, a very risky investment! There was so much fuss!

He continued.

– But when I looked at it, it wasn’t. There’s potential, I felt a jackpot! So, no matter what others said, I boldly invested…

Sigh, sigh, sigh, sigh.

His brother pointed to the phone showing the 500,000 won profit and smiled triumphantly.

– I was right. My judgment was correct. So, wouldn’t I feel even better? Even if it’s the same 500,000 won profit.

Honestly, Ji-seop just listened with one ear and let it out the other at this time.

His brother was the type to say trivial things, and considering his past losses, he didn’t think a 500,000 won profit was a big deal.

However, several years later, at Citizens Bank Park [home of the Philadelphia Phillies], as the first game of the World Series was coming to an end.

Woaaaaah!!!

Woaaaaah!!!

Listening to the Phillies fans’ screams, Ji-seop was reminded of his brother’s happy expression back then.

‘Ah, so this is how it feels.’

The feeling of everything falling into place.

The feeling when his thoughts, analysis, and the bold decisions he made based on them returned as amazing results.

Ji-seop felt like he could finally understand why his brother had looked so satisfied years ago.

There was a good reason.

– It’s a home run, a home run! A huge home run that goes far beyond center field! Vincent Hiyama hits his second home run of the game!!!

It was Vincent Hiyama, whom the Tampa Bay Rays acquired through a trade last July.

The two-way ace that Ji-seop had insisted on acquiring, against everyone’s opposition.

That player was leading the Tampa Bay lineup with truly fearsome performance.

In the first game of the World Series, he had 4 hits in 5 at-bats, 2 home runs, and a whopping 8 RBIs [runs batted in].

Ji-seop’s bold investment was returning as a huge profit.

* * *

The final score was 12-8, with the Tampa Bay Rays winning the first game of the World Series.

Vincent Hiyama, who was selected as the MVP [Most Valuable Player] of the game, expressed his feelings in a press interview as follows:

– I was just lucky.

It was a fairly simple statement.

– Rather than being happy with today’s victory, I’m going to focus on showing a good performance in tomorrow’s starting pitching. The World Series has only just begun.

He showed a very mature expression in front of the reporters. Vincent Hiyama didn’t show himself to be elated or depressed by one game.

He still had a calm expression in front of the coaching staff and fellow players. He was Tampa Bay’s genius baseball player who amazed everyone.

However, even Vincent Hiyama, who was so reserved, returned to being a young man in his mid-20s, his age, in front of Ji-seop.

“Oh, Kim! You’ve worked hard!”

When he returned to the away team’s accommodation after the game, Vincent, who he met in the hotel hallway, smiled at Ji-seop while clenching his fist.

“What do you think? Me becoming the second Wade Boggs [Hall of Fame baseball player]… Has the possibility increased a little with today’s game?”

Wade Boggs. A player who received a retired number from the Tampa Bay Rays.

He was also the player that Vincent Hiyama had said was his role model from the first day he was traded.

Like Wade Boggs, who received a retired number from the team after playing only about 200 games in just two years in Tampa Bay.

His ambitious plan to receive a retired number from the team, even though he wouldn’t be playing in Tampa Bay for a long time.

Of course, Ji-seop was the only one who knew about that plan.

“Well, I don’t know…”

Ji-seop opened his mouth with a satisfied smile to the genius hitter who was looking at him with an excited expression.

“At least today, you showed a performance like Wade Boggs… No, even better than that.”

“Hey, what is it? Does that mean there’s still some distance to go before I get a retired number from the team?”

Looking at Vincent Hiyama, who was genuinely disappointed, Ji-seop couldn’t help but smile bitterly inside.

To aim for a retired number from the team with only half a year of performance. That endless declaration felt absurd, and on the other hand, it felt a little amazing.

How much confidence would you have to have to confidently say such a thing to others?

“I understand. I think there’s a bit of a lack of just one game’s performance.”

Vincent’s eyes became serious.

“Kim, please watch me a little more. Maybe your mind will change after seeing my starting pitching tomorrow.”

“Is that so?”

Ji-seop raised one eyebrow.

“It seems like you have something to believe in?”

“Of course. Everyone will be surprised tomorrow.”

Vincent crossed his arms and puffed out hot air, saying ‘Heung’ [a Korean expression of smugness or pride].

“I’ve received final confirmation from the manager. The breaking ball [a type of pitch] I’ll use as a finisher in tomorrow’s game.”

The breaking ball he’ll use as a finisher.

Ji-seop was a little surprised by this.

“The manager gave you confirmation? Then tomorrow’s finisher is a knuckle cur…”

“Hey, Kim! How can you say that here? Haven’t you heard that the walls have ears?”

Vincent Hiyama, who made a fuss while putting his finger to his mouth, soon looked at Ji-seop with a confident expression.

“Anyway… Kim, please look forward to it.”

Vincent said.

“I’m having a lot of fun playing in Tampa Bay right now. So I’m always grateful to Kim for calling me here.”

So I promise.

He continued.

“This World Series championship, Kim’s contribution to bringing in Vincent Hiyama was the greatest… I’ll make sure you hear that story.”

That was truly,

A reliable word.

* * *

About 30 minutes later.

Ji-seop was in a convenience store near the away team’s accommodation with his colleagues from the Future Strategy Planning Department.

With the victory in the first game, the Phillies fans’ momentum had subsided considerably. However, the situation was still uneasy to have a drink without worry.

Inevitably, they had to find a nearby convenience store to buy some simple snacks.

“Hmm, popcorn is a must, and I’ll buy some nacho chips… What about beer? Two cans per person should be enough, right?”

“Hey, no. We’re definitely working overtime today, how can we drink two cans? Let’s just buy one can each.”

David Wilson, who was saying that while putting the beer that John Ramer had picked up back in the refrigerator.

He turned to Ji-seop, who was following one step behind, and asked.

“By the way… Kim, did something good happen?”

“Yes?”

Ji-seop tilted his head.

“No, I don’t know if it’s just my imagination… But you’ve looked very bright since earlier.”

“Me, me?”

Ji-seop was taken aback inside.

Indeed, he had been in a very good mood since meeting Vincent Hiyama.

It’s fun to see a player burning with motivation, and it’s even more fun if that player has great skills.

However, the reason Ji-seop’s expression was bright at this time was because of the ‘trump card’ that Vincent Hiyama would use in tomorrow’s game.

‘A knuckle curve…’

Vincent Hiyama was a player who was more greedy for new pitches than ‘pitch researcher’ Victor Johnson Jr.

The knuckle curve was Vincent Hiyama’s secret weapon that he had been preparing for almost the entire season.

Its use in actual combat was uncertain due to the opposition of the field staff, but it had received final confirmation from the manager.

So, Ji-seop couldn’t help but look forward to tomorrow’s game even more.

‘The baseball world might be completely turned upside down. If a pitcher like Vincent comes to the game with a completely new pitch…’

But he couldn’t carelessly say these things outside.

Ji-seop decided to play dumb for now.

“Well? There’s nothing particularly good going on.”

“Is that so? No, you really looked good…”

Looking at David Wilson, who was tilting his head, Ji-seop was quietly smiling inside.

He was going to tell David and John Ramer about Vincent Hiyama’s new pitch when he got back to the accommodation. David and John Ramer would be surprised then. Just as he was imagining the expressions those two would make at that time.

“… Hmm?”

John Ramer, who was searching for snacks to eat later one step ahead, stopped walking.

He narrowed his eyes and stared at something, then pulled on Ji-seop’s sleeve and said.

“Kim, that white man standing in front of the food corner… Doesn’t he look familiar?”

“In front of the food corner?”

Ji-seop turned his gaze in the direction John Ramer was pointing.

Indeed, a young white man was holding sausages and ham in both hands, deep in thought.

But to Ji-seop, all white people looked the same. Ji-seop turned to John Ramer and asked.

“Do you remember seeing him somewhere? I can’t remember…”

“No. He’s definitely someone I’ve met. Where was it? I don’t think it was St. Petersburg…”

Ah, that’s right!

John Ramer snapped his fingers.

“It’s Camden Yards [home of the Baltimore Orioles]!”

“Camden Yards?”

“Yes, the home stadium of the Baltimore Orioles. We went there to discuss Vincent Hiyama’s trade, right? I think he was a baseball operations staff member who guided us then…”

John Ramer tilted his head.

“Why is a Baltimore staff member loitering around here?”

“I know, right. The Baltimore Orioles must be busy cleaning up the season by now…”

A Baltimore Orioles baseball operations staff member appeared in Philadelphia, where the World Series was in full swing.

“…”

Ji-seop, who felt a strange feeling for a moment, immediately took out his phone and started sending a message to someone.

– Hey, Ronnie.

The recipient was Ronnie Cordell.

He was Ji-seop’s college classmate who was working for the Baltimore Orioles.

– I’m contacting you because I was wondering if you could check one thing for me.

Ji-seop, who pondered while looking at the ceiling for a moment, decided to get straight to the point.

– Has any of your fellow staff members recently transferred to the Philadelphia Phillies?