The KH Cannons’ spring camp this season was operating under a [4+1 system: four consecutive days of training followed by one day of rest].
It was during dinner on the last day of this ‘four-day training’ that Ji-seop spoke to Jimmy Morris.
“Mr. Morris, tomorrow is a rest day… Do you have any special plans?”
“Plans?”
Jimmy Morris still bristled whenever he saw Ji-seop.
“Why do you ask? Are you planning to break into my room again like last time?”
“Mr. Morris, you’re surprisingly petty, considering your appearance.”
Go Chang-deok’s jaw dropped, but Ji-seop continued, unfazed.
“I’ve already apologized several times for what happened then, haven’t I? If you’re still holding onto that…”
“Shut up.”
Jimmy Morris took a swig of beer and looked at Ji-seop.
“So, why are you asking about my plans?”
“If you don’t have anything else going on, I was wondering if you could spare an hour or two tomorrow afternoon.”
Ji-seop cut to the chase without giving Jimmy Morris a chance to refuse.
“One of the Cannons players has asked me to arrange a casual meeting with you over tea.”
“Ha, these guys have it easy.”
Jimmy Morris scoffed.
“Isn’t Cannons one of the perennial bottom-feeders in Korean professional baseball? Do they have time to chat over tea?”
*You’re* one to talk, you son of a…
Ji-seop muttered inwardly, but outwardly, he continued with a smile.
“Don’t be so prickly. Can’t you spare some time? This friend of mine… he dreams of making it to the Major League someday.”
“The Major League?”
Just as Go Chang-deok reacted to the phrase ‘full-time conversion,’ Jimmy Morris seemed intrigued by the words ‘Major League.’
“Yes, the Major League.”
Ji-seop nodded.
“Mr. Morris, you’re a veteran with 86 career wins in the Major League, aren’t you? Even just 10 minutes of your time would be a great help to him.”
“Well, if you want to get technical, I *am* a veteran…”
Jimmy Morris asked again, his voice slightly softened.
“But is there anyone on this team who could seriously aim for the Major League?”
“Why are you being like this? There’s only one, isn’t there?”
Ji-seop smiled faintly.
“I’m talking about Ryu Jang-ho.”
And then, he added one more thing.
“He was selected for the All-Star team at the last WBC [World Baseball Classic]… I don’t think you could possibly not know him, Mr. Morris.”
* * *
This was a kind of ‘cheat key’ [a strategy or advantage used to gain an edge].
-A young player dreaming of the Major League is seeking your advice.
There are very few Major League players who could coldly refuse such a request.
Because their experience in the Major League remains a source of pride, and they know how difficult and painful the road to get there is.
It’s only natural to want to offer some help to a junior who wants to follow the same path.
Of course, Ryu Jang-ho, who was suddenly cast in the role of ‘young player dreaming of the Major League’ at Ji-seop’s request, didn’t look too happy about it.
“Let me make this clear. Honestly… I’m only doing this because Ji-seop asked me to.”
“Yamma, I am!” [A Korean expression of agreement or affirmation, similar to “That’s right!”]
Go Chang-deok shouted from the side, and Ryu Jang-ho quickly corrected himself, “Ah, of course, that includes Chang-deok hyung [older brother or close male friend], too.”
“Anyway, I don’t have any special interest in Jimmy Morris.”
“Why?”
Go Chang-deok tilted his head.
“You’re going to the Major League, aren’t you?”
“Well, first of all, our positions are different…”
The reason that followed was quite absurd.
“Frankly, what can I learn from a guy with 86 career wins in the Major League?”
“….”
“He didn’t win the Cy Young Award [award given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball], he didn’t win the World Series, his only claim to fame is that he barely managed to hang on as a 2nd or 3rd starter…”
Ryu Jang-ho picked at his ear.
“If it were Mike Trout or Bryce Harper… I’d kneel down and lick their shoes, but Jimmy Morris is…”
Where does that confidence come from?
Ji-seop and Go Chang-deok were dumbfounded and just stared at each other.
Still, Ji-seop didn’t forget to gently persuade Ryu Jang-ho.
“I understand what you mean… but we really need Jimmy Morris’s cooperation right now.”
“Yes, don’t worry.”
Ryu Jang-ho pounded his chest with his fist, as if telling them to trust him.
“I just have to look like I’m sparkling with excitement, like I’m meeting Mike Trout or Bryce Harper… right?”
“Yeah, and the more questions you ask him, the better.”
Just as that simple ‘strategy meeting’ was about to wrap up, the person in question appeared.
“Ah, Mr. Morris! This way, this way!”
Go Chang-deok waved his hand high and greeted him cheerfully.
Jimmy Morris gave a slight nod and sat down in the empty seat.
“Thank you so much for taking the time on your day off, Mr. Morris. This is the person I mentioned yesterday…”
“Ryu, I know.”
The answer was as cold as a winter wind.
But with ‘full-time conversion’ on the line, Go Chang-deok’s sociability was at an all-time high.
“Th-then, shall we order something to drink? Mr. Morris, have you had coffee today? And their coffee here is made with beans from Hawaii, so…”
Ji-seop and Go Chang-deok’s initial plan was to order a cup of coffee first and wait for Morris and Ryu Jang-ho to get acquainted.
But the flow of that initial plan began to go a little strangely.
“No, there’s no need. I’m leaving soon anyway.”
Jimmy Morris said, pushing away the menu that Go Chang-deok had offered.
“……Yes?”
“When I thought about it, I wondered what advice a pitcher like me could give to an outfielder like Ryu.”
Jimmy Morris took out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Ryu Jang-ho.
“Young man, take this.”
“……What’s this?”
Ryu Jang-ho tilted his head and took the paper.
His eyes widened the very next moment.
“Wait a minute, Jimmy! This, this…”
Ryu Jang-ho couldn’t even finish his sentence.
Jimmy Morris seemed to have guessed what he wanted to say without needing a translator.
“Yeah, it’s real.”
Jimmy Morris smirked.
“It’s Mike Trout’s contact information.”
* * *
“M-Mike Trout?!”
Even Ji-seop couldn’t help but be surprised at this moment.
Mike Trout. The undisputed best outfielder in the Major League.
More than just a star player, he’s a true genius who’s now emerging as a symbol of an era.
Jimmy Morris had given Ryu Jang-ho the personal contact information of that incredible outfielder.
“I thought it would be better to get advice from the best outfielder in the Major League than to get advice from me.”
Jimmy Morris continued.
“I contacted Mike last night. I explained the situation, so he’ll be happy to answer your call.”
That should be enough advice, right?
With those words, Jimmy Morris tried to get up from his seat.
“Wa-wait a minute, Mr. Morris!”
The atmosphere was flowing in a completely unexpected direction.
Go Chang-deok, startled, jumped up from his seat and looked at Ji-seop.
[Ji-seop, wh-what should we do?]
Ji-seop was just as flustered.
Jimmy Morris, who always spoke in a prickly tone and acted insincerely.
Who knew he would be so diligent when it came to Ryu Jang-ho.
‘Damn it, I didn’t know the cheat key would work this well.’
At this rate, the plan to connect Ryu Jang-ho and Morris as friendly acquaintances would be completely ruined.
It was at that moment, when Ji-seop was racking his brain, that a lifeline came down to him.
“No, but…”
It was Ryu Jang-ho.
The guy, who had heard Morris’s words from Go Chang-deok, suddenly tilted his head and opened his mouth.
“Hey, Jimmy! How do you know Trout?”
He held up the piece of paper with two fingers and shook it slightly as he spoke.
“Jimmy, you’ve never been on the same team as Trout, have you? So how did you get this?”
If Ji-seop had asked, he would have gotten a prickly answer like, ‘Are you complaining even when I give it to you? Why are you asking?’
But Jimmy Morris was showing a rather friendly side to Ryu Jang-ho, the current best hitter of the KH Cannons and a future Major League prospect.
“Was it three years ago, or four years ago… I held Mike Trout to 0-for-4.”
“That’s when he got it.”
Go Chang-deok translated.
“Mike Trout was so surprised by Mr. Morris’s pitches… that he contacted him directly through his personal SNS [Social Networking Service]?”
Of course, since they belong to different teams, there wouldn’t have been direct conversations about pitches or ball location.
However, it’s not uncommon in the Major League for talented players to contact each other and expand their networks.
“Anyway, since then, he’s had meals with Mike Trout and even trained with him?”
Go Chang-deok diligently translated.
Jimmy Morris’s face was filled with more pride than ever as he looked at Go Chang-deok.
[Hehe, young man! This is who I am. I’m a pitcher who was recognized by the famous Mike Trout!]
Although he’s now in a precarious position in Korean professional baseball, he was once someone who shared a beer with the best hitters in the Major League.
Perhaps reminded of those proud and fulfilling days, a warm smile spread across Jimmy Morris’s face.
However, Ryu Jang-ho only tilted his head after hearing Go Chang-deok’s translation.
“Mike Trout recognized Jimmy’s pitches? And they ate together and drank together?”
And then, the words that leaked out from Ryu Jang-ho’s hateful lips.
“…You’re lying.”
Ryu Jang-ho scoffed.
“What kind of player is Trout to go 0-for-4 against Jimmy? And what? Trout contacted him directly? Are you telling me to believe that?”
“Hey, Ryu Jang-ho!”
Go Chang-deok looked flustered, wondering how to translate this, but as it turned out, there was no need.
As if he understood what Ryu Jang-ho was saying just by looking at his eyes, Jimmy Morris stared straight at him.
“Hey! Are you saying I’m lying right now?”
At this point, even the quick-witted Ryu Jang-ho didn’t need a translator.
“Yeah! Can’t believe! Jimmy, you are not good pitcher! How kill Trout? Huh?”
Then, Ryu Jang-ho looked at Ji-seop.
“Hyung, what’s ‘explanation’ in English?”
“Explain.”
“Aha.”
Ryu Jang-ho turned his gaze back to Jimmy Morris.
“If not lie, explain! Explain! How kill Trout!”
“E-explain?!”
Jimmy Morris looked at Ryu Jang-ho with a ‘look at this guy’ expression.
He slicked back his hair and muttered ‘Okay’ briefly.
“Alright, if you don’t believe me, I’ll explain. I’ll tell you how I caught Mike Trout!”
Thud.
Jimmy Morris sat down in the small chair in the cafe.
“……”
“……”
It was at this moment that Ji-seop and Go Chang-deok exchanged meaningful glances.
* * *
“Hey, Mr. Go! Come over here. From now on, accurately convey what I’m explaining to that guy!”
“Ah, yes, Mr. Morris!”
Thus began the conversation between Jimmy Morris and Ryu Jang-ho.
The conversation, which was expected to last only an hour or two at most, continued endlessly.
Of course, the form was almost like a fight, except they didn’t grab each other by the collar.
“Are you kidding me? If you compare Mike Trout and Bryce Harper, Mike Trout is definitely a level above!”
“When evaluating a baseball player’s career, the team’s performance is also important! Harper won the WS [World Series], but Trout hasn’t even made the postseason in years!”
They fought over the topic of ‘Who is the better player, Mike Trout or Bryce Harper?’
“In some cases, the cleanup hitter should be able to bunt! Don’t you know that there’s a difference in scoring probability between runners on second and third base?”
“Do you know how annoying a bunt sign is from the batter’s perspective? We can bring in runners with a full swing, so why bunt there?!”
They went back and forth on the topic of ‘Should the cleanup hitter be able to bunt?’
“Isn’t pizza basically greasy? Because it has a lot of oil. That’s when the refreshing taste of pineapple in each slice comes into play!”
“That’s ridiculous! Pizza is eaten for its greasy taste. Pineapple is something that goes in desserts!”
It was unclear why they were discussing this, but they even got to the point of ‘Can you consider pineapple pizza as pizza?’
The conversation, which lasted for nearly five hours, entered a lull when Go Chang-deok said something.
“Oh my, it’s getting late.”
Go Chang-deok checked his watch.
“It’s almost dinner time… How about it? Since we’re already talking, why don’t we continue the conversation while eating pizza?”
Strike while the iron is hot.
Go Chang-deok seemed to be planning to make Ryu Jang-ho and Morris’s relationship even stronger by having dinner together.
“There’s a decent pizza place near here. It’s within walking distance…”
Go Chang-deok looked back and forth between Morris and Ryu Jang-ho with a smile.
Jimmy Morris seemed to like the idea, but unexpectedly, Ryu Jang-ho replied, ‘Let’s do that next time.’
“The season is just around the corner, and I don’t want to fill up on pizza.”
“Then should we go for salad or steak? There’s a good place for that too…”
“No.”
Ryu Jang-ho shook his head firmly.
“There’s a practice game scheduled for tomorrow, so I think it’s best to rest today. I think I’ve talked to Jimmy for quite a while…”
Ryu Jang-ho looked at Ji-seop as if asking for permission.
When Ji-seop nodded, Ryu Jang-ho said goodbye to Jimmy Morris as well.
“Hey, Jimmy! I go! Go for tomorrow game! Okay? Pizza next time!”
“Next time, okay.”
As Ryu Jang-ho got up from his seat, Jimmy Morris also got up.
“Then I should probably get going too. I have things to do.”
It took a lot of effort to bring them together in one place, but scattering was instantaneous.
Ryu Jang-ho and Jimmy Morris scattered in less than a minute.
As soon as the two of them disappeared from sight, Go Chang-deok sighed deeply, groaning, ‘Aigo’ [a Korean expression of frustration or exhaustion].
He seemed to have exhausted himself from translating for so long.
“It’s hard, it’s hard! I don’t think I’ve ever talked this much in my life.”
“You’ve worked hard, hyung.”
Ji-seop offered Go Chang-deok his share of iced coffee that was left in the cup, and Go Chang-deok drank the coffee ‘gulp gulp’ as if he was thirsty.
“Hoo,” Go Chang-deok said, putting down the glass and opening his mouth again.
“Damn it, it’s a little disappointing.”
“Yes?”
When Ji-seop tilted his head, Go Chang-deok gave a bitter smile.
“If we had just eaten one meal together here, had a drink… it would have been mission complete.”
“Aha.”
“Damn it, Jang-ho, that bastard. He cooperated well, but why did he have to ruin it at the end?”
“That’s true, but…”
You can’t be full on the first try.
We can always arrange another meeting on the next day off.
That’s what Ji-seop was about to say to the disappointed Go Chang-deok when it happened.
Buzz- Buzz- Buzzzzz-
An alert came to Ji-seop and Go Chang-deok’s phones almost simultaneously.
“……”
“……”
The two of them took out their phones to check the notification message and couldn’t help but look at each other as if they had made a promise.
The notification message that came to their phones was as follows:
-Broadcast Notice
-Today’s [Jimmy’s Baseball Planet] will be taking a break due to personal reasons.
-We will announce the resumption date and more details at a later date.
“Morris, that bastard, it seems like he doesn’t miss his friends on the monitor screen that much today?”
At Go Chang-deok’s words, Ji-seop smiled and slowly nodded his head.
“I think so.”