A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 501

The Rookie of the Baseball Team is Too Good 502

106 Unexpected Guest (2)

Increasing contact with Major League teams was a long-standing desire of the Korea Professional Baseball League (KPBL) office.

It was part of the ‘Globalization Strategy for Korean Baseball.’ The aim was to enhance the popularity of Korean baseball by actively engaging with other countries and improving its overall level.

Inviting the owner of the Tampa Bay Rays to the quarterly breakfast meeting with the team owners was in the same vein, but-

The problem arose on the day of the breakfast meeting.

The atmosphere among the professional baseball team owners gathered at a luxury hotel in Gangnam, Seoul, was not very bright.

“Commissioner, can I be frank? This doesn’t help the prestige of Korean professional baseball.”

This statement came from the president of SH Knights.

“Is Major League Baseball such a big deal? Are they our superiors? What’s so great about a Major League team owner that we have to summon all the team owners?”

“That’s right! President Kang has spoken well!”

The president of Yuseong Warriors chimed in.

“Globalization of baseball? That’s great! But Korean professional baseball doesn’t have to bow down to anyone!”

He clapped his knee.

“Again, is that so? If a truly prestigious team had come as a guest, I wouldn’t say such things. Like the Yankees or the Dodgers… But the Tampa Bay Rays? Ugh, Commissioner! There are many teams in our country with a longer history than Tampa Bay!”

People grumbled and complained to the commissioner of Korean professional baseball.

Their gazes turned to ‘Sakhalin Park,’ Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju, who was quietly silent.

“Vice Chairman Park, don’t just stay still, say something!”

“That’s right, Vice Chairman, you are the representative of our team owners! Are you just going to stand by and watch this happen?”

Sakhalin Park was known in the industry for his outspoken personality.

The team owners hoped that he would say something with the same force he had used to negotiate with the Russian president in his younger days.

However, all they got was a bitter smile from the CEO and acting owner of KH Cannons.

“Huh, if you have so many complaints, you shouldn’t have come in the first place.”

Sakhalin Park said sharply.

“Besides, wasn’t I the only one contacted initially? Director Choi here made the calls, asking if it was okay to change the schedule. Director Choi, am I wrong?”

“No, no, of course… I contacted all the team owners.”

“See?”

Sakhalin crossed his arms and looked around at the team owners.

“I’m not 100% happy about it either. It’s a bit of a blow to my pride, as someone said. But everyone came here, taking time out of their busy schedules, hoping to learn something, right?”

The team owners, who had been constantly complaining, coughed at this moment.

“If you came to get ideas for team management, you need the virtue of overlooking some inconveniences. That way, the league office will prepare more opportunities like this.”

“Oh, thank you, Vice Chairman!”

With Sakhalin Park’s support, the commissioner of Korean professional baseball was overjoyed.

“I knew you would understand my heart, Vice Chairman. I’m so glad you understand my sincerity like this…”

The commissioner stood up awkwardly as if to shake hands, but Sakhalin Park was not an easy person to deal with.

“Commissioner Kang, didn’t you hear what I just said?”

“Yes?”

“Didn’t I say that all the team owners here took time out of their busy schedules to come? But where is that Tampa Bay team owner right now?”

“Ah, th, that’s…”

The commissioner’s face turned pale.

That’s because the promised time had already passed by 10 minutes.

“I only understand schedule changes [referring to Sakhalin Park’s initial agreement to the meeting]. If the league office can’t even say a word when the other party is late, I won’t stand still either.”

“Ah, I understand! Now that I think about it, a lot of time has passed! Just a moment, can you wait just a moment?”

While the league office staff, belatedly realizing the urgency, were making calls, trying to figure out their current location, and causing a commotion.

“Commissioner, we have received a call!!”

A voice was heard from outside.

“The Tampa Bay Rays team owner and his party have just arrived at the hotel!!”

* * *

The hotel banquet hall became noisy about 5 minutes later.

The Tampa Bay Rays team owner and his party, who had entered the meeting place, began to greet the commissioner of the league office.

“I’m sorry I’m late, Commissioner. I went for a walk and got lost…”

“Oh, that could have been a disaster! I’m glad you arrived safely. Welcome, Mr. Taylor!”

After exchanging brief greetings, the team owner and his party turned their attention to the team owners of Korean professional baseball.

Of course, there were 10 teams in Korean professional baseball. Since it would take some time for his turn to come, Sakhalin Park had the opportunity to gather information about the guests that day.

“The person standing in the middle is Jeffrey Taylor, the owner of the Tampa Bay Rays.”

Director Choi from the league office approached and whispered to Sakhalin.

“And the person standing next to him is Jonathan Dale from the Major League Baseball International Cooperation Division.”

Director Choi introduced each of the people who came with Jeffrey Taylor.

Sakhalin Park, who was looking at the other party with sharp eyes, suddenly realized something strange and turned his head.

“Hey, didn’t that person come?”

“Yes? Who are you talking about…”

At this time, Sakhalin Park was reminded of the contents of a letter Ji-seop had sent him sometime ago.

Just as he had met Sakhalin Park at KH Cannons, he had met someone who cared for him at the Tampa Bay Rays.

“What was it? I think I heard that there is someone comparable to General Manager Billy Bean or President Theo Epstein, although his presence is a bit faint.”

“Ah, Brian Spahn! Are you talking about General Manager Brian Spahn!”

“Oh, right! General Manager, General Manager.”

Sakhalin Park snapped his fingers, but Director Choi from the league office narrowed his eyes and kept tilting his head.

“General Manager Brian Spahn… That’s strange? I’m sure I saw his face a little while ago.”

“Really? Did he go to the bathroom or something?”

Sakhalin chuckled.

“To go to the bathroom without even saying hello… Haha, that friend must have been quite urgent? Was it difficult because the traffic was bad?”

“Oh, Vice Chairman! What kind of joke is that? You have to maintain your dignity.”

“What dignity between us.”

At that moment, when Sakhalin Park was putting his hand on Director Choi’s shoulder with a playful expression.

Yes, it must have been at that moment.

“Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju… nim [a Korean honorific]?”

A strange pronunciation coming from behind.

Sakhalin Park and Director Choi, who turned their heads without thinking, widened their eyes for a moment.

“No, you are…”

“I’m Brian Spahn, the General… General Manager at the Tampa Bay Rays.”

A Western man introducing himself in clumsy Korean.

Sakhalin Park quickly decided to ease his burden.

“Ah, you can speak in English. I can understand that much.”

“Ah, is that so? Haha, thank you. I wanted to greet you without going through an interpreter if possible…”

The Western man smiled brightly.

“Are you Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju of KH Cannons?”

“Ye, yes, but…”

A Western man suddenly approached and greeted him in Korean.

Sakhalin Park, slightly embarrassed, was unknowingly wearing an awkward smile.

At this time, what came as a fresh shock to Sakhalin Park, and to everyone who participated in the breakfast meeting that day, happened in the very next moment.

“I would like to greet you once again. I’m Brian Spahn, the General Manager of the Tampa Bay Rays.”

It’s an honor to meet you.

General Manager Brian Spahn bowed deeply to Sakhalin Park while giving a friendly greeting.

Very,

A respectful attitude.

* * *

The main guest of the day was clearly team owner Jeffrey Taylor.

In fact, the commissioner of Korean professional baseball was sitting at the same table as team owner Jeffrey Taylor and having a meal.

However, the place where people’s attention was focused at this time was not the table where Jeffrey Taylor and the commissioner were sitting.

It was the table where Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju and General Manager Brian Spahn were sitting, a little away from the center table.

“What… what’s going on?”

People whispered.

“No, why is that friend, who is said to be the Tampa Bay General Manager, bowing to Sakhalin?”

“No, has there ever been a case like this in the first place? People from Major League Baseball tend to have stiff necks, regardless of their position…”

They were team owners who had been in the baseball scene for quite some time, but it must have been the first time they had seen such a scene.

A person from Major League Baseball bowing respectfully to a Korean baseball official.

Moreover, the top-class front office that led the team to win the World Series last season showed such a reaction, so people couldn’t help but be curious.

However, in fact, Sakhalin Park, who was sitting at the same table as Brian Spahn, was asking the same question.

“Who did you learn that from?”

After emptying the perilla seed porridge that came out as an appetizer, Sakhalin Park asked Brian Spahn.

“That greeting. It’s the first time in my life that I’ve received such a greeting from an American.”

“What else could it be? I learned it from Kim.”

Brian Spahn smiled softly.

“I thought everyone in the Orient clasped their hands together, but Kim said no. In Korea, you bow your head when you see your elders.”

“Ah, was it that guy from Qingdao [a city in China].”

Sakhalin took a sip of water.

“When you go back, tell that guy something for me. Tell him to teach the greeting properly.”

“Properly? No, did I make a mistake?”

“It’s not a mistake, but it was a bit too much.”

Sakhalin also chuckled.

“There are hardly any cases in Korea where you bow so deeply. Only those, what is it, gangsters? Or when you really desperately ask for something.”

“A gangster’s greeting, or an action when making a desperate request…”

It was at this moment that Brian Spahn gently put down the spoon he was holding.

“Haha, then I think I greeted you very properly.”

“What do you mean?”

“Actually, the reason why our group visited Korea this time is… to ask Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju for a favor.”

“A favor? From me?”

Sakhalin narrowed his brows slightly.

“Heo, you’re saying more and more incomprehensible things. Wasn’t it arranged by the Major League Baseball International Cooperation Division?”

“Yes, that’s right. We asked them to create such a justification.”

“Heo, is that so?”

Sakhalin Park kept tilting his head and leaned towards the other person.

“What is that favor?”

He asked.

“No, what kind of great favor is it that the team owner and the general manager came to Korea in person? Major League Baseball is also in the middle of the season, right? You could have conveyed most things through Kim?”

“Actually… it’s because of that Kim.”

In the next moment, Sakhalin Park couldn’t help but doubt his ears.

“Vice Chairman, our team owner is planning to appoint Kim as the next general manager of the Tampa Bay Rays.”

“Wh, what? General Manager?!”

“That’s right.”

Brian Spahn nodded.

“The team has completed all the preparations. But Kim himself is refusing our offer because he has to return to KH Cannons.”

“…….”

“That’s why I’m telling you this.”

Vice Chairman.

Brian Spahn looked at Sakhalin Park.

“In persuading Kim, could we get your help?”