A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 406

Baseball Team Newbie Is Too Good – Episode 406 (End) (406/512)

Baseball Team Newbie Is Too Good Episode 406

Chapter 89: Another Sunshine Day (8)

A few days later.

At Tropicana Field, the home stadium of the Tampa Bay Rays, a high school baseball game was in full swing.

It was an annual event where the Tampa Bay Rays invited promising high school players from the Florida area during the off-season.

For the young players, it was an opportunity to step onto the Major League ground they had only seen on TV. For the Tampa Bay Rays, it was a chance to closely monitor the growth of local promising players.

A win-win situation. An event that achieved two goals at once.

Thwack!

Perhaps because they were standing on the stage they had longed for, the student-athletes participating in the game that day looked very bright.

Just stepping up to the plate made them grin, and if they happened to hit a long one, it was a literal adrenaline rush.

Just as all the players were enjoying a fun baseball game with happy expressions.

“……Kim.”

In the central grandstand on the second floor, where the entire field was clearly visible,

Jisub was receiving the club’s decision from Brian Spon, the general manager.

“The team owner made the final decision last night.”

The general manager said.

“To get to the point, the team owner has accepted the request from the Future Strategy Planning Department. Our Tampa Bay Rays will not stop negotiations with the city government of St. Petersburg. And…….”

He looked at Jisub.

“The responsibility for this task will be transferred from the existing Public Cooperation Department to the Future Strategy Planning Department.”

This meant that the negotiations with the city government of St. Petersburg were given to the Future Strategy Planning Department.

It also meant that the Tampa Bay Rays’ new stadium construction project fell entirely into Jisub’s hands.

Although he had already been hinted at to some extent by John Llama, Jisub slightly bowed his head to the general manager.

“Thank you, sir.”

Of course, he couldn’t stop there.

“And in many ways… I’m sorry.”

The general manager, having received Jisub’s greeting, looked down at the distant field and sighed deeply.

He must have been quite frustrated. He had set the ‘stage’ for the Future Strategy Planning Department, but it had all gone to waste.

“Kim, it won’t be easy.”

The general manager said.

“Even if negotiations with St. Petersburg resume, the team owner’s interest is still leaning towards Nashville.”

Currently, Nashville was a much more attractive option than St. Petersburg.

That’s why team owner Jeffrey Taylor ordered the selection of the best employees from each department to form a negotiating team.

“If things continue like this, the Future Strategy Planning Department will become nothing more than a supporting role. It will only be used as a means to pressure the Nashville city government, and in the end, it is likely to step down without gaining anything.”

“…….”

“Have you thought about that? Was that decision made with that possibility in mind? I can’t understand it with my common sense.”

His tone was as polite as ever, but the content was clearly rebuking Jisub.

*Why did you make such a foolish choice? What if you get caught up in John Llama? How are you going to overcome this difficulty in the future?*

The general manager was making an unusually firm expression, but Jisub’s face was full of ease as he faced it.

“To be honest, I also feel like I’m stepping into a thorny bush…….”

Smirk.

It was at this moment that a playful smile appeared on Jisub’s lips.

“Sir, is it just my imagination?”

“Yes? What is it?”

“You say that, but somehow your expression looks very bright.”

Jisub continued, looking intently into the general manager’s eyes.

“Perhaps you also had St. Petersburg in mind? Even though the conditions are much better in Nashville, you can’t abandon the place where you’ve lived for over 20 years…….”

“Oh, what are you talking about!”

The general manager was startled and waved his hand.

“I’m not someone who cares about such things. In a situation where I have to meet the total payroll for next year, what does it matter if it’s a new home or an old home? The only thing that matters is a place where a lot of spectators come and corporate advertising comes in generously.”

“Really? Your expression doesn’t seem to match what you’re saying…….”

“Geez, what’s wrong with my expression? Now that I see it, Kim, you seem to have a surprisingly persistent side…….”

Thwack!

What stopped the two men’s bickering was a powerful hit from the field.

A high school prospect from St. Petersburg had hit a home run that soared over the Tropicana Field fence.

Ji-no! Ji-no! Ji-no! Ji-no!

The players burst out of the dugout and chanted the name of their teammate who hit the home run.

The home run hitter, returning to home after circling the diamond, performed a celebratory dance.

Brian Spon, the general manager, watched the commotion with a satisfied look and quietly opened his mouth.

“The negotiations with Nashville gained momentum because of a story that came out of the St. Petersburg City Council.”

It was advice.

It was definitely advice.

Jisub didn’t say anything and perked up his ears.

“One of the more influential council members brought up the Tampa Bay Rays’ attendance numbers.”

“Attendance numbers?”

“That’s right. He pointed out that they didn’t exceed an average attendance of 10,000 even in the year they won the World Series.”

The general manager continued.

“There’s no need to build a new stadium when the current stadium isn’t even full. A new stadium is built when the existing stadium is too small to use… That was the opinion.”

“No, isn’t that too out of touch with reality? Tropicana Field’s location is also…….”

“That’s right. It’s a story that’s out of touch with reality. But it’s a story that works quite well for the council members.”

What should the Future Strategy Planning Department aim for in the future?

The direction was presented in the very next moment.

“So Kim, the key is attendance.”

The general manager said firmly.

“Whether you sign a star player, improve the team’s performance, or launch an aggressive marketing campaign… You have to get more people to visit Tropicana Field somehow.”

He said that was the only way to make the negotiations with the city government of St. Petersburg favorable.

“First, we need to fill the infield seats. Then the outfield seats. We need to increase the attendance by selling out once or twice, and then someday…….”

Swoosh.

The general manager raised his finger and pointed somewhere.

The highest place in Tropicana Field, the place that could accommodate the most spectators, but now closed due to declining attendance.

Thanks to what he heard from the Cowbell Boys, Jisub knew where the general manager was pointing.

“The third floor… the upper deck?”

“That’s right. The third floor, the upper deck.”

The general manager nodded.

“We don’t need much. Just once is enough. If the day comes when that third floor upper deck is opened and accepts spectators at the request of the citizens of St. Petersburg…….”

So exactly 45,369 people, the maximum number of spectators that Tropicana Field can accommodate, fill the stadium-

“The Future Strategy Planning Department will leave its name in the history of the Tampa Bay Rays, as the people who changed the fate of this team.”

“…….”

The people who changed the fate of the team.

Perhaps that was what Jisub had been aiming for since he accepted John Llama’s proposal.

The third floor upper deck. It is now closed and not even a single light is on, but the moment that place is filled with spectators, everything changes.

‘Hmm…….’

But at this time, Jisub couldn’t nod as coolly as usual.

Attracting people. In the end, it was marketing. A field that Jisub, who had only looked at baseball his whole life, still couldn’t grasp.

As Jisub was looking up at the third floor upper deck with a slightly troubled expression, Brian Spon, the general manager, took something out of his pocket.

“Kim, keep this.”

What he handed over was a piece of memo paper.

Written on the memo paper was the name and contact information of someone he had never heard of before.

“Sir, this is…….”

“It may be hard to believe now, but there was a time when our Tampa Bay Rays were incredibly popular.”

The general manager was looking at the players who were starting to line up on the field.

It seemed that the invitational game of the day was coming to an end.

“I don’t know exactly because it was before I joined the Tampa Bay Rays, but at that time, our team had as many as 20,000 season ticket holders.”

“20,000 people?!”

Jisub’s eyes widened.

Currently, the Tampa Bay Rays only had about 2,000 season ticket holders.

If there were 20,000 season ticket holders, it would be a top-ranking figure in the entire Major League.

“What I just gave you is the contact information of the person who was in charge of the Tampa Bay Rays’ marketing headquarters at that time.”

The general manager continued.

“Unfortunately, I couldn’t bring him in. Because he left Tampa Bay on bad terms, he repeatedly ignored our invitations.”

‘He’s a bit of a character.’

Jisub thought to himself.

“Of course, he’s old now, and I heard that he’s been retired from the field for quite some time. But doesn’t he have the know-how? The know-how to attract spectators to this Tropicana Field.”

“Y, yes, that’s right.”

Jisub felt like he was seeing a glimmer of hope.

A person who created 20,000 season ticket holders in St. Petersburg.

A person who filled Tropicana Field with spectators.

If he could get advice from such a person, the Future Strategy Planning Department would be able to move forward without wavering.

“Thank you, sir.”

Jisub said.

“But is it okay for you to give me this contact information? I’m sure the team owner has Nashville more in mind…….”

“Hmm, it looks like the game is over.”

The general manager did not answer that question.

“I have to go down to the field now. I have to present the MVP award.”

He picked up the coat he had taken off to one side and continued.

“Wouldn’t it be better for Kim to go down too? Today was the day the Future Strategy Planning Department moved offices.”

“Ah, that’s right. I have to go if I don’t want to be nagged.”

As Jisub put the memo paper in his pocket and nodded, the general manager tapped him on the shoulder.

“Kim, I’m counting on you.”

“Yes?”

“St. Petersburg or Nashville. If I had to choose one, I wouldn’t be able to answer from my position, but…….”

*I’d like to see it at least once.*

The general manager said, looking around the baseball stadium.

“The sight of this baseball stadium filled with over 40,000 spectators.”

*Really, wouldn’t it be spectacular?*

That was the last thing Brian Spon, the general manager, said that day.

* * *

“Kim! Isn’t that too much!”

About 10 minutes later.

Jisub was being nagged by his colleagues in the Future Strategy Planning Department.

“You said 10 minutes would be enough, right? But how can you be away for two hours?”

“That’s right, it was so hard! The desk is so big, and the stairs are so narrow… Ugh!”

People surrounding Jisub and complaining.

Jisub would have retorted at least one word if it were normal, but at this time, he had no choice but to remain silent.

“…….”

As the general manager said, it was the day the Future Strategy Planning Department moved offices.

From the moldy basement office on the 2nd floor to the office on the 3rd floor above ground where the sunlight shines warmly.

Although the club sent people separately, one hand was sorely missed when moving the office.

Since he was away for an hour on such an important day, Jisub had no choice but to scratch the back of his head.

“I’m sorry. The conversation with the general manager was longer than I thought…….”

At this time, Jisub was thinking of buying lunch.

Since he was unintentionally excluded from the difficult task, it would be right to do that much.

Americans wouldn’t eat Jajangmyeon [Korean black bean noodles], so he was wondering what he should buy.

A strange reaction came from the employees of the Future Strategy Planning Department.

“Yes? The general manager?”

It was David Wilson’s words.

“Were you with the general manager? Weren’t you going to the stadium operations department to discuss the lighting problem?”

“What are you talking about.”

Jisub blinked.

“I told you. I said I met the general manager while talking about the lighting and came to talk for a while…….”

Jisub turned his gaze to John Llama.

“Llama, didn’t you tell David? I told you on the phone earlier. I might be a little late.”

“……Ah.”

John Llama had a difficult expression.

“T, that’s right? I’m sorry. I forgot to tell you…….”

“Hey, Llama! How can you forget that? Kim was scolded by us for no reason.”

“That’s right, it’s too much!”

In that way, the nagging of the people in the Future Strategy Planning Department was transferred to John Llama.

*Aren’t you going to wake up? Where did the appearance in Nashville go? What are you going to do in the future?*

“S, sorry…….”

Only after John Llama shrank his neck like a turtle and apologized, the commotion in the Future Strategy Planning Department was somewhat settled.

“So, what did the general manager say? The negotiations with St. Petersburg are…….”

It’s a conversation with the general manager, not anyone else.

David Wilson asked with a serious expression, then scratched his head and changed the subject.

“No, let’s just start the meeting right now? It’s a bit messy, but it’s much better than the old office.”

“Shall we?”

Jisub also had a lot to tell.

From the fact that the team owner’s interest is in Nashville to the person he must meet to attract that interest.

Jisub was about to clean up the messy boxes and sit at the conference room table.

“Hey, no!”

John Llama, who had been a little depressed for a while, suddenly stepped forward.

“Did you all forget? There’s something we decided to do first when Kim comes back, right? We have to do that first.”

“The first thing we decided to do?”

Jisub, who didn’t know what was going on, blinked, but the other employees, including David, smiled and said, ‘Ah.’

“That’s right! There was something we had to do first.”

“Kim, postpone the meeting for 5 minutes! There’s something I want to show you before that.”

“What are you going to show me?”

*What is the real intention?*

Jisub tilted his head and moved towards the side where his colleagues were leading him.

And the next moment, Jisub was greeted with a ‘gift’ prepared by his colleagues in the Future Strategy Planning Department.

“Surprise! How is it?!”

“Do you like it?”

“T, this is…….”

It was Jisub’s office.

Ahead of his promotion to deputy general manager, the Tampa Bay Rays had prepared a separate room for Jisub.

In fact, he knew that the room would come out, but the reason why a bitter smile appeared on Jisub’s face was a little different.

“What is it, everyone…… Did you clean up my room first?”

No wonder the outside was so messy.

Only Jisub’s new office was neatly organized.

The desk was wiped so shiny, and the books Jisub had (although he rarely looked at them) were also arranged in a row.

It was an office that was organized so that you could just sit down with your laptop and start working right away.

“Llama begged so much. He said that no matter where else, Kim’s room must be cleaned up first.”

David Wilson shook his head.

“Even though he looks like that, isn’t he the team owner’s only son? Do we have the power to resist?”

“Wait a minute, David! If you say that, it sounds like I forced you to work?”

John Llama protested.

“David also agreed? He said that we can only work if Kim starts working, so it’s right to clean up even roughly.”

“Well, that’s true…….”

John Llama and David Wilson, who are always busy fighting when they meet face to face.

I wondered why the grown-ups were like that, but at this moment, Jisub felt strangely relieved.

‘Maybe…… I can do it.’

It was about the new business of the Future Strategy Planning Department.

Filling Tropicana Field with spectators. Making people overflow and opening the 3rd floor upper deck.

So that the stuffy council members of the St. Petersburg City Council rush over and beg to build a new stadium.

“…….”

To be honest, it was a daunting task for Jisub, but the moment he looked around at his colleagues, he felt strength rising from somewhere.

A feeling that his vision is opening, a feeling that his head is spinning, a feeling that energy is gushing out from deep inside his heart.

And a feeling that he can overcome any difficulties smoothly.

‘Yes, with these friends…….’

I can do it with them.

I can do it enough if there are people who follow me.

Just as Jisub was making up his mind inside.

“Everything else is done…… but this place is a bit empty.”

Tuk tuk.

John Llama said, tapping one wall.

“It would be perfect to hang a frame or something…… Kim, how about it?”

“What?”

“Executives who are former players hang up pictures of their active days here. So if you need it, Kim’s picture…….”

John Llama showed a picture of Jisub’s active days that he found somewhere, but Jisub was startled and waved his hand.

“Hey, hey, hey! Put it away, put it away.”

*I wonder where he got the picture from China.*

Jisub smiled bitterly and said, ‘Delete it right away.’

“Then what are you going to do here? It’s a bit awkward to leave the most noticeable place empty.”

“Um, then…….”

After thinking for a while, Jisub snapped his fingers.

The most noticeable place. So the place you see often. Then there’s only one answer.

“Let’s take a picture. Here.”

Jisub suggested to his colleagues.

“Wouldn’t it be best to hang up pictures of our team members here? Anyway, this is the new office of the Future Strategy Planning Department.”

“Take it…… together?”

“A group photo?!”

A group photo in the deputy general manager’s office.

At first, people seemed a little hesitant, but soon they smiled brightly and started nodding.

“That…… sounds good?”

“In commemoration of moving the office!”

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s take it now! Here! Everyone gather around!”

At Jisub’s gesture, people from the Future Strategy Planning Department gathered around him.

As people took their places, David took out his cell phone, put it in a suitable place, and set the timer.

“Okay, then I’ll take it!!”

As David hurriedly ran to join the group, everyone started counting in unison.

“Three!”

“Two!”

“One!”

Click, click, click.

At the same time as the camera shutter sound was heard from David’s old cell phone.

Jisub and the people of the Future Strategy Planning Department were entering a new season.

A season that will change the fate of the Tampa Bay Rays, a season that will come to Jisub with a special meaning.

It was a day in early winter when the sun was really warm and nice.

It happened in St. Petersburg, Florida.