A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 77

The New Recruit of the Baseball Team is Too Good – Episode 77

Chapter 21: You Can Tell at a Glance (6)

The next morning.

The key figures of the KH Cannons team were trickling into the conference room on the 3rd floor of the field.

It was time for the power reinforcement meeting, held weekly.

“……”

Just before the meeting started, the atmosphere inside the conference room was tense.

Some exchanged greetings, but most stared at their phone screens with serious expressions.

There was a good reason for that.

A few hours ago, news broke that one of the top prospects in this year’s draft had joined hands with ‘Devil’s Agent’ Scott Boras and was aiming to advance to the United States.

“Hmm, isn’t this the third time already? That prospects are declaring their intention to go to the United States.”

“Reporters say that the exchange rate has a big impact. As the dollar exchange rate rises, players can’t help but feel that there are great merits to advancing to the United States.”

“Whatever the reason, isn’t the problem the upcoming rookie draft? Looking at the way things are going, this draft seems like it’s going to be a complete mess…….”

Baseball insiders often compare the rookie draft to a ‘Swiss-made luxury watch.’

Like a luxury watch with tiny gears so small you can barely see them with a microscope, the rookie draft also has a structure where each of the 10 clubs’ choices are connected in a precise, interlocking manner.

‘I heard that in this kind of structure, even if only one promising player leaves, the whole picture is likely to fall apart…….’

However, this year, three promising players had already announced their intentions to play overseas.

Even Ji-seop thought that establishing a solid draft strategy would not be easy.

Exactly 30 minutes later.

The 3rd-floor conference room was filled with a much warmer atmosphere than before.

“It’s a relief, really a relief!”

“They say that in a successful family, even if you squeeze a dry rag, clean water pours out. Isn’t that exactly what’s happening now?”

“Haha, does that mean our Cannons are becoming a successful family?”

The people who had been sighing and glued to their phone screens were nowhere to be seen.

Everyone wore expressions of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted, as if a long-standing worry had vanished in an instant.

Again, there was a good reason for this.

The scout team, which oversees the rookie draft, had submitted a report that was far more promising than the one from a few days ago.

Twenty more promising players were added to the list of possible nominations, and it was assessed that three or four of them could be nominated in the upper rounds.

Beyond simply listing the players’ names, detailed supporting data was attached, so people who were initially skeptical soon nodded in agreement.

“To secure so many promising players… At this rate, it seems like we can respond no matter how the draft goes.”

“Huh, is the draft the problem? I’m almost sad that we can’t sign all the players we’ve secured like this.”

A report that satisfied baseball people in all areas, both quantity and quality.

Naturally, questions began to pour in for the scout team leader.

“Hey, Team Leader Jang! What’s the secret?”

“What on earth happened in the past few days that you were able to secure so many promising players?”

“Did you share information with other clubs? No, even if that’s the case, this is not a small number…….”

The people tilted their heads repeatedly.

The next moment, a soft smile appeared on Ji-seop’s face as he diligently translated next to Director Arthur Freeman.

“Deputy Manager Cha Jong-min… A friend who is in charge of the Chungcheong area in our scout team, contributed greatly.”

Ji-seop was vaguely grasping how this happened.

However, even Ji-seop did not anticipate what the scout team leader said next.

“And one more person…….”

The scout team leader’s gaze turned to the seat next to Director Arthur Freeman.

“The performance of Kim Ji-seop, who is sitting there, cannot be left out.”

……Excuse me?

* * *

The incident of securing as many as twenty promising players in just a few days.

It was after the meeting that day that Ji-seop heard the full story.

“Don’t even mention it. I was so surprised too.”

Smoking room installed outside the baseball field.

The scout team leader smiled as he put a cigarette in his mouth.

“Anyway, I talked to Deputy Manager Cha last night… It seems like he originally went down there because of player Shim Seong-joon.”

The scout team leader had declared that he would nominate Shim Seong-joon, but until then, it was in the lower rounds.

To put it coldly, his nomination was uncertain, depending on how the draft unfolded.

So, the story was that Deputy Cha went to the Chungcheong area to collect information to ensure Shim Seong-joon would be a definite nomination.

“But while collecting information about Shim Seong-joon… naturally, other players caught his eye.”

A pitcher who completely shut down Shim Seong-joon caught his eye.

A teammate who showed good teamwork with Shim Seong-joon also caught his eye.

In that way, as he increased the number of players he was watching, he had almost twenty people at some point.

Ji-seop’s response to this was as follows.

“……He’s a scary person.”

Ji-seop stuck out his tongue.

“It seems that it’s really true that you get a ‘sense’ of a player right away when you see them. If that’s not the case, it’s impossible.”

“Hehe, are you surprised? But I wasn’t very surprised. The fact that he has that much talent… is something that everyone on the scout team knows.”

Then the scout team leader lit a cigarette.

“Rather, what really surprised me… is not his talent, but Ji-seop’s skill.”

“Yes?”

“Deputy Cha said that after talking to Ji-seop, he realized how misguided he had been acting all along.”

Tuk, tuk.

The scout team leader tapped the ashtray with cigarette ash and continued.

“Ji-seop, think about it. Do you think I’ve been doing nothing until now? Wouldn’t I have thought about correcting Cha Jong-min’s bad habits?”

“…….”

“I really did everything. I scolded him until tears came out, fed him alcohol, and almost begged him, except for kneeling…….”

Hehehe.

The scout team leader gave a hollow laugh.

“Deputy Cha, who didn’t budge even when I made such a fuss… Understood our Ji-seop’s story perfectly!”

Isn’t it amazing?

The reason why the scout team leader pointed out Ji-seop in the conference room was probably this.

* * *

On the way back to the manager’s office after parting with the scout team leader.

Ji-seop was staring blankly at his cell phone.

“…….”

It was because there was a request from the scout team leader just before they parted.

To tell Deputy Cha Jong-min in Daejeon that the evaluation at the meeting that day was good.

-I thought it would be better for Ji-seop to contact him directly than for me to contact him.

-If Ji-seop casually says ‘You’re doing well,’ I think he’ll be excited and work hard for a while.

Ji-seop also wanted to give Deputy Cha a word of encouragement.

Isn’t that right?

It didn’t matter if he listened to his advice with one ear and let it flow out with the other.

But the fact that he listened to it and put it into action.

Ji-seop was grateful for that and secretly pleased.

‘However…….’

What should I text him?

Ji-seop was slightly worried.

However, he was older than him by a few years, and he wasn’t close enough to contact him without any burden.

‘I’m getting nervous again…….’

As he pondered, Ji-seop opened the door to the manager’s office with a ‘squeak.’

And right then, as if waiting, Director Arthur Freeman’s voice was heard.

“Hey, Ji-seop! Are you here?”

“Ah, yes, Director.”

“What did the scout team leader say? He didn’t try to persuade you to come to his team next year, did he?”

Ji-seop raised his head, wondering why this person was doing this again, and Freeman’s face was full of playfulness.

‘He’s joking.’

Ji-seop also smiled and replied.

“There was no such offer. Even if there was, I would have refused.”

“Um, that’s right! No matter what anyone says, you are the talent I discovered.”

He said that, but Freeman also seemed quite pleased that Ji-seop was influencing other teams.

The director, who was looking at Ji-seop with such a happy gaze, opened his mouth as if he suddenly remembered something.

“Ah, that’s right. Ji-seop, do you know anything about cars?”

“Cars… are you talking about?”

“Yes, cars.”

Freeman continued.

“The acting owner contacted me a little while ago. Because the team is doing well, it seems like there are a lot of good stories coming out of the KH Group [the team’s parent company]. So, they said they would replace the car assigned to me with this opportunity.”

Replacement of official vehicles.

Ji-seop had also heard of the story.

“They said they would replace it with whatever car I wanted… Haha, to be honest, I’m completely ignorant when it comes to cars.”

“…….”

“So, I was wondering if I could get some help from you… How is it, would that be okay?”

“Of course, Director.”

Ji-seop nodded readily.

“Actually, I don’t know much about cars either… But I know someone who is almost an expert in that field.”

“Ah, really? That’s great! Then contact that person.”

“Yes, Director.”

As soon as he received permission from Director Freeman, Ji-seop took out his cell phone.

The ‘expert’ he mentioned was already decided.

‘……Deputy Cha Jong-min.’

Was it when he first met him?

Deputy Cha had repeated the story of ‘the director’s official car’ several times.

‘Hehe, I can’t believe that’s actually going to happen.’

Ji-seop moved his fingers and started sending a message to Deputy Cha Jong-min.

He didn’t write about the fact that there was a good evaluation at the meeting today.

There was no need to give lip service to encourage him to work hard in the future.

Because the story that our ‘car maniac’ Cha Jong-min would be happy to hear is actually separate.

[Deputy Cha, the club is going to replace the director’s official car. The director told me to decide on the car model, but it’s not easy to decide. I want to discuss it with you… Is this a good time?]

What kind of reply will arrive?

As he put his cell phone in his pocket with anticipation, Freeman looked at Ji-seop again.

“Ah, and by the way.”

“Yes, Director.”

“I was able to get a new car because the team is doing well… Wouldn’t it be a bit much to enjoy that joy alone?”

“Yes? What do you mean…….”

“I was wondering if we should have a team dinner on the day this series ends.”

Freeman asked.

“What kind of menu would be good?”