A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 482

The New Recruit of the Baseball Team is Too Good 482

102 Let Them Come (2)

According to Major League Baseball regulations, each team could sign overseas prospects to official contracts starting from the year they turned 16.

In fact, Ji-seop had known this much for a long time.

However, after joining the Tampa Bay Rays, he learned that there were several additional clauses to this regulation.

‘Official contracts are possible from age 16, but verbal agreements can be made as early as 13?’

A result of the teams’ desire to secure talented prospects as early as possible.

However, criticisms arose that 13 was too early, and that they were being influenced by professional teams from too young an age.

So, one more clause was added.

‘Official contracts are possible from 16, and verbal agreements are possible from 13… but teams can only bring players in for testing from the age of 15?!’

From the front office’s perspective, it was a regulation that made them want to say, ‘Damn it, what are we supposed to do?’

You can make verbal agreements. Some support funds are also allowed. However, obtaining specific information about the player is strictly limited.

A bizarre situation that arose from the clashing wills of teams wanting to recruit more overseas prospects and people wanting to protect the learning rights of overseas prospects.

In this situation, people who were remarkably good at smelling money appeared, and they were the information brokers in each region.

“Yes, it is true that such people exist. One information broker holds information on anywhere from 100 to nearly 1,000 prospects.”

That was the reaction of Chief Manager Brian Spann when Ji-seop went in to report.

“Vice President Rebecca Carney has come up with a plausible alternative. Certainly, if we go through them, we can secure a large database in a short period of time.”

“But you don’t seem very keen on it, sir…”

At Ji-seop’s remark, the Chief Manager scratched his head with an awkward expression.

“It was a long time ago… but I’ve been burned a few times myself. By information brokers in the Central and South American region.”

He continued.

“Especially the Venezuelan information brokers are notorious in the industry. Compared to them, the Dominican and Cuban information brokers can almost be called true friends.”

He said that the team’s disadvantage was too great in terms of information imbalance.

It means that there is no way to verify whether the database that the information brokers bring is genuine.

If it were the Dominican Republic or Panama, you could at least try to verify it through cross-checking with other teams, but Venezuela hardly has such a network.

Even if you are lucky enough to find out that the information was false, the information brokers often make excuses such as ‘The security was so bad that it was difficult to update the information.’

“It’s like…”

Ji-seop chuckled.

“They’re playing hardball [negotiating aggressively].”

“Kim, this is not a laughing matter.”

The Chief Manager had a worried expression.

“If possible, I would recommend considering other options. In my experience, you should consider Venezuelan information brokers as a non-factor…”

“Sir.”

Ji-seop stepped forward with a determined expression.

“Won’t you give it a try with me?”

“Give it a try?”

“Yes, it certainly seems that Venezuela is a chaotic situation in many ways, from what I hear. Thanks to that, the supply of prospects in that area is not as good as it used to be.”

Ji-seop continued.

“But isn’t Venezuela also a baseball country no less than the Dominican Republic? A place that has produced countless Major League stars… I think it’s a shame to leave such a place as it is.”

At Ji-seop’s passionate speech, even clenching his fist, the Chief Manager was already wearing a faint smile.

“Kim, is it my imagination? You seem quite different in the last few days.”

“Me?”

“Yes. You used to just faithfully follow my instructions… but since when have you been so strongly asserting your own intentions?”

“Ah, well…”

Ji-seop scratched the back of his ear slightly.

There was something that came to mind, but he thought this answer was the most appropriate at this timing.

“It’s because you trust me, Chief Manager.”

Ji-seop replied nonchalantly.

“I repay the trust you give me with my best effort… That’s my motto.”

“Huh, you’re almost an expert at responding slyly now, aren’t you?”

“Alright.”

The Chief Manager finally nodded.

“Do as Kim intends.”

And then one more word followed.

“If you need anything in Venezuela, feel free to contact me at any time.”

* * *

To be honest,

Ji-seop was confident at this time.

Confident that he could skillfully deal with the Venezuelan information brokers, confident that he could pick out only the really good information from them.

There was no other reason. Ji-seop had the ability to read other people’s minds.

‘Even if I don’t know anything else… I wouldn’t be fooled by other people’s lies, would I?’

Even if they are notorious Venezuelan information brokers, there must be some genuine people among them.

Ji-seop thought that his job was to find that genuine person. If he bought information from him, everything would be okay.

With such a light heart, Ji-seop packed his bags and headed to Caracas, the capital of Venezuela-

“……?”

Exactly three days later.

El Centro Hotel in eastern Caracas.

Ji-seop’s face, who was meeting with Venezuelan information brokers at the cafe on the second floor of this hotel, was slightly tense.

‘No, wait a minute….’

He could even feel a drop of cold sweat running down his back.

‘What is this situation? Everyone brought normal information….’

That’s right. This was it.

Ji-seop, who had been meeting with information brokers in this area for two full days, excluding the time it took to cross over to Venezuela.

However, contrary to Chief Manager Brian Spann’s warning, there were no lies in the information they brought.

He had a rough idea of how this happened.

“How is it, Vice President!”

A burly man sitting next to Ji-seop.

His name was Rodrigo de Lima, and he was the president of the Caracas Regional Baseball Association.

It was this person’s contact information that Vice President Rebecca Carney gave to Ji-seop.

“Are they all good people? I’m talking about the information brokers you met today!”

He stroked his thick beard and laughed heartily.

“Our Venezuelan baseball world is not like it used to be. We knew that there was nothing left to gain by deceiving Americans with petty tricks! Ah, of course, you are Korean, Vice President.”

“Haha, that’s right.”

“Anyway, you don’t have to worry! I’ve made sure that the guys who used to play tricks can’t even set foot in the baseball scene anymore! Everyone will only bring 100% reliable information to the Vice President!”

President Lima showed confidence by pounding his chest with his fist.

He tilted his head slightly and asked Ji-seop.

“But… is there something you don’t like? You’ve met quite a few friends, but you haven’t signed a formal contract yet?”

“Ah, that? I’m going to take a look at it slowly for now. I have plenty of time.”

President Lima nodded as if he understood Ji-seop’s answer.

“I see, you’re right! You came all the way to Venezuela, so you can’t just take any data! Okay, then how about… would you like a cup of coffee?”

“Ah, yes, please.”

When Ji-seop held out his empty glass, the Venezuelan Baseball Association president took the glass with a very kind attitude and disappeared.

It was at this moment that David Wilson spoke to Ji-seop, who was staring blankly at his back.

“Kim, what are you going to do?”

David had more insight into baseball than Ji-seop.

He seemed to have accurately grasped why Ji-seop was looking embarrassed at this time.

“Leaving aside the issue of whether the data is real or fake, I feel that the quality itself is too poor.”

“……Right?”

Ji-seop smacked his lips.

This was an unexpected situation.

“Yes, the evaluation of each player is too subjective. The attached videos also feel like they were taken with a cell phone.”

Click, click, click.

David frowned as he checked the data he had received as a sample.

“I feel like that association president swept away even the experienced friends while replacing the information brokers.”

“Yes, I think so too. No matter how you look at it, this is amateur work. If we leave it to our team’s interns, this is exactly the kind of report that would come out…”

In the long term, it could be the right direction.

Pushing out the information brokers who were playing tricks and allowing new information brokers to fill their places.

However, the Future Strategy Planning Department, which had to receive information right now, could not be happy with this situation.

“Kim, what are you going to do?”

David asked.

“Although it feels a bit lacking, it seems like it could be used to simply fill the numbers…”

“No, that will be difficult. The opponent is Zeus Analytics. There’s no way that picky bastard Tommy Damon would just let this report pass.”

“Or should we contact the team and request data measurement personnel? If we move diligently, we can somehow fill about 500 people.”

“Hmm, should we?”

That wasn’t an easy choice either.

The data measurement personnel can only be mobilized for three or four days at most.

With the season continuing, it was absurd to deploy personnel to Venezuela for three months.

‘Would it be better to hire data measurement personnel locally? There must be people with Major League experience here too… Hmm?’

Just as Ji-seop was worrying, the president of the association came up with footsteps.

“Um… Vice President?”

“Yes, Mr. President.”

The president of the association was supposed to bring coffee, but he didn’t have a glass in his hand.

Instead, what he brought was a small piece of paper.

“Do you happen to know a friend named Rodriguez?”

“Rodriguez?”

It was quite a frustrating situation, but at this time Ji-seop ended up laughing in vain.

“Well, which Rodriguez are you talking about? I think I know more than ten Rodriguezes.”

“Ah, that’s right! Well, Rodriguez is a bit common in this neighborhood.”

Pablo Rodriguez.

The president of the association even gave him a name.

“He’s a friend named Pablo Rodriguez. He’s an agent in this area, and he said he wanted to meet the Vice President and gave me this business card.”

“Business card?”

When Ji-seop held out his hand, the president of the association handed over the piece of paper he was holding.

“Hmm?”

“This is……”

In fact, it was a piece of paper that was difficult to see as a business card.

It was crumpled here and there, scribbled on, and the silver-coated team logo was completely faded.

David Wilson showed a very firm reaction to this.

“Mr. President, I’m sorry, but please tell him that we can’t meet.”

He winked at Ji-seop.

“Kim, this doesn’t seem like a business card that Kim gave directly. It seems like it’s a business card that someone happened to get after wandering around… I don’t think it’s a good idea to meet him.”

This was common sense.

Major League front offices also receive related training.

Business cards circulate endlessly in Central and South America, so don’t accept business cards that are in poor condition.

Because you can’t know what kind of person the person who brought the business card is.

“Hmm……”

Ji-seop didn’t know either, but at this time, curiosity rather than vigilance was rising in his mind.

“How about we meet him once?”

“Yes?”

David Wilson blinked.

Ji-seop shrugged and said.

“I don’t know if you remember, but the only person I gave a business card to after coming to Venezuela was the president of the association here.”

“Hmm?”