A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 451

The New Recruit of the Baseball Team is Too Good 451

97. Indian Rain Dance (1)

The new season began with the familiar organ music of Mr. Huck Flender.

The Tampa Bay Rays had a great start to the season, racking up 6 wins and only 1 loss in their first 7 games.

They swept the opening 4-game home series against the Minnesota Twins and followed it up by winning 2 out of 3 in the subsequent home series against the Texas Rangers.

While their achievement was somewhat overshadowed by the rival New York Yankees’ impressive 7-game winning streak to start the season, it was still enough to surprise many Major League Baseball analysts.

“That’s right. It’s still very early in the season, so we need to watch a little longer… but it’s undeniable that the Tampa Bay Rays are performing stronger than expected.”

This was the comment from Major League Baseball’s official YouTube channel on their first day off after the 7-game home series.

“Victor Johnson Jr. has been impressive, securing 2 wins as a starter in the first 7 games. Could it be because of his experience winning the World Series? His game management skills seem to have improved noticeably.”

“Personally, I think it’s important to pay attention to Richard Stelmetzek’s performance. He seems more confident in every play, like a bird that’s escaped from its cage.”

There was also praise for players like Alex Montelona, Brett Evans, and newcomer Tommy Justice, but the underlying message was clear.

The Tampa Bay Rays are effectively filling the void left by Vincent Hyama. Perhaps their success last season wasn’t solely dependent on one exceptional player.

This was precisely what the people of Tampa Bay had been hoping to hear throughout the off-season. Perhaps that’s why manager Mike Klemblas wore a satisfied smile on his face.

“Haha, thank you for your kind words. It makes me feel proud.”

This was Klemblas’s response at a press conference before the 6-game road trip to the West Coast.

“But our Tampa Bay team isn’t perfect. We will do our best to address the weaknesses that have been pointed out.”

Rather than basking in immediate victories, he chose to focus on the areas needing improvement that had been exposed during that period.

This interview clearly showcased Klemblas’s management style, which emphasized stable season-long performance.

It was at that moment, as the pre-game interview was wrapping up, that something unusual was happening back at the stadium.

“Okay, everyone, always be safe! Please follow the instructions of the safety personnel!”

Tropicana Field, the home stadium of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Since the players had departed for their road trip, the stadium would normally have been as quiet as a mouse.

However, on this day, the parking lot of Tropicana Field was bustling with hundreds of people, creating a lively scene.

Sizzle, sizzle-

Sizzle, sizzle!

The enticing aroma of grilling steaks filled the air on one side, while fresh salads were being prepared on plates on the other.

Even though it wasn’t a game day, the baseball stadium parking lot felt like the center of a vibrant festival.

This was another initiative organized by the Future Strategy Planning Department, aiming for a ‘box office hit’ this season.

Namely,

a tailgating day.

* * *

A tailgating party is a quintessential event in American professional sports.

It’s a tradition where people gather in the parking lot around the stadium a few hours before the game starts and enjoy a lively party.

Typically, equipment is unloaded from car trunks, with all the cars’ trunks remaining open throughout the party.

That’s how it got its name: tailgating, referring to the tailgate of a car.

“Kim! Come over here! The steak is perfectly cooked!”

“Yes, yes, I’m coming!”

It’s such a common event in the United States that even people who aren’t particularly interested in sports attend tailgating parties.

However, the Tampa Bay Rays had never held this event since their founding.

This decision was based on a St. Petersburg city ordinance that prohibited open fires in the parking lot.

Therefore, R. J. Higgins, the vice president of marketing, hadn’t even considered a tailgating event, but this obstacle was overcome thanks to an unexpected intervention.

“Tailgating is prohibited? Really? I don’t think there’s a clearly defined regulation like that.”

It was the advice of St. Petersburg City Councilwoman Dana Sears, who had enjoyed the exhibition game more than anyone else on opening day.

“Could you contact our council office later? I’ll check the relevant regulations. I mean, why can’t we do an event that everyone else does?”

Could this be considered ‘gathering resident feedback’?

Thanks to Sears’s intervention, Jisub received a call from the relevant department a few days later.

“We apologize. The regulations, created about 40 years ago, were still in effect. Back then, Tropicana Field’s parking lot was ridiculously small, so it was difficult to use fire safely.”

Currently, Tropicana Field’s parking lot is eight times larger than it was then.

After confirming this fact, the city hall responded that they would push for the revision of the city ordinance.

“Wait a minute, so does that mean we have to wait until the city ordinance is passed?”

“That’s right. But… well, it’s not like there’s no workaround at all.”

“If there’s a workaround?”

“The city ordinance stipulates that fires cannot be used in the parking lot *when the stadium is in operation*. So, if there are no games at Tropicana Field…”

“…Aha?”

That’s how the event was promoted.

On days when there are no games at Tropicana Field, hold a tailgating party and bring people together.

If they are offered a 10% discount ticket for Tampa Bay games, wouldn’t they be more likely to visit Tropicana Field again someday?

This event, launched with that calculation in mind, was generating a much bigger response than Jisub had anticipated.

“You know, meat tastes best when eaten in an open space! Was it Kim who arranged this? Thank you! There aren’t many places to camp in St. Petersburg…”

“Haha, you’re welcome. I hope you have a good time. Tampa Bay games will be broadcast on the big screen over there a little later.”

“Oh, baseball! Tampa Bay is doing really well these days, right? It wouldn’t be bad to watch a game for the first time in a while!”

Looking closely at the faces of the people packed in the parking lot and the people enjoying their time around them, it was clear that their impression of the Tampa Bay Rays was improving.

The strategy was working. Besides that, this event provided Jisub with valuable insights.

“I’m Brett! I like Brett Evans the most! I hope there will be more events centered around him!”

“What about Mark Kohun? Isn’t he the shortstop who won the Gold Glove [award for defensive excellence] last season?”

“Hey, he’s a bust! Didn’t you see? Mark Kohun ruined the game the day before yesterday! He couldn’t even get the timing right!”

He also approached fans who were devouring meat to gauge the popularity of the players.

“That’s right, that’s right! First of all, you have to solve the transportation from Tampa! How many people work in Tampa!”

“Hmm, I see. We’re also paying attention to that part…”

He also asked fans who were sipping beer what they wanted from the team.

“I guess it’s necessary to talk to the fans directly sometimes. It feels much more real than figuring it out with surveys.”

“Right? You need to listen with a grain of salt, but face-to-face interviews are a must. Go to Las Vegas! All the people on the street are marketing company employees!”

He was also able to carve out time to listen to Charles Flex’s marketing lectures, armed with the information he had gathered.

“Okay, Kim! You’ve done enough, come and sit here! Did you know? Rama’s grilling skills are amazing?”

“Yes, I know. In some ways, he’s a friend who would have been better suited to be a barbecue restaurant owner than a baseball team employee.”

“What should we do? Should we open a barbecue restaurant for that friend? ‘The team owner’s son’s barbecue time!’ That’s not bad, is it?”

“Hehe, should we?”

Just as they were about to join the tailgating party while sharing such lighthearted jokes,

Charles Flex pointed to Jisub’s cell phone, which he had placed on the table.

“Hey, Kim! Isn’t that your phone ringing? I think it’s David?”

“Ah, it is?”

It was David Wilson, who had taken over Jisub’s role from last season, starting this year.

So, he was with the team in San Diego that day.

The game was about to start, so was there some kind of trouble?

“Yes, David! This is Kim.”

Jisub picked up the phone and got up from his seat.

* * *

“Ah, Kim! Good afternoon. Oh, it’s already evening over there, right?”

Fortunately, David Wilson’s voice didn’t sound too stressed.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Jisub switched the phone to his other hand.

“Yes, the tailgating party is in full swing. John Rama is busy grilling meat.”

“Haha, I wish I could have been there with you… Rama is good at grilling meat, even if he’s not good at anything else, right?”

“Haha, I’ve heard that a lot today.”

As Jisub smiled faintly, David Wilson immediately got to the point.

“Actually… Coach Sam Harrison asked me for a favor a little while ago.”

“A favor?”

Before asking what the favor was, Jisub habitually took out his tablet PC.

Sam Harrison was the Tampa Bay Rays’ main hitting coach. So, checking the hitters’ data would help with quick analysis.

‘The hitters’ data seems to be generally good… Ah.’

As he scrolled through the players’ data written in small print, his finger stopped at one point.

Jisub raised his eyes and asked.

“Is it a problem related to Mark Kohun?”

“Haha, Kim, you’re like a mind reader!”

David Wilson laughed.

“That’s right. It’s about Mark Kohun. You’re probably checking the data right now, but… his performance hasn’t been very good since the opening game.”

“I see. Only two hits in the last 7 games… It’s about time the coaches noticed.”

Come to think of it, the passionate Tampa Bay fans had also complained about Mark Kohun a little while ago.

They even joked that 7 consecutive wins would have been possible if it weren’t for Mark Kohun’s slump.

Jisub recalled their flushed faces and asked.

“So, what is Coach Harrison’s request? Did he ask for video analysis like before?”

“No, I would have taken care of that myself. Video analysis is possible here too.”

“Then?”

“Well, that’s…”

Perhaps it was a request that he himself found strange, David hesitated for a long time.

And then the answer he gave was quite different from what a hitting coach would typically ask for.

“He asked if you could prepare an event.”

“Hmm?”