A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 78

The Newcomer to the Baseball Team is Too Good – Episode 78

Chapter 22: A Drink That Summons Victory (1)

The next day, afternoon.

Having finished the coaching staff meeting, Ji-seop sought out Park Yong-hwan, the first-team manager of the KH Cannons.

He was in charge of the team’s living arrangements as part of the operations team.

“Ah, a team dinner?”

When Ji-seop conveyed Arthur Freeman’s suggestion, Manager Park Yong-hwan’s expression remained calm.

“The date is this Sunday… I understand. I’ll post an announcement in the team chat room shortly.”

The first-team manager moistened his finger and turned a page in his notebook.

“Ah, where should I make the reservation? Would the same rib restaurant we went to last time be alright? I think Manager Freeman liked it a lot.”

As always, the choice of menu for the whole team followed the ‘boss’s’ taste.

The KH Cannons team was no exception, so until now, they had been preparing team dinners to suit Arthur Freeman’s preferences.

The most frequently visited place was, of course, the American-style steakhouse near the stadium.

When that got a bit boring, they would go to Seoul-style Bulgogi [thinly sliced marinated beef] or Suwon-style marinated rib restaurants that foreigners would enjoy.

If they had gone with just that kind of menu this time, there would have been nothing to worry about.

“Ah, well, that’s the thing. I was originally thinking of that rib restaurant too…”

Ji-seop clicked his tongue.

“In the coaching staff meeting we just had… the menu has been changed.”

“Changed? Why?”

“The coaches didn’t look too happy. They said we always go to eat greasy food that Americans like…”

Of course, no one could openly object in front of the manager.

But who was Arthur Freeman?

A veteran with over 30 years of experience in the industry.

He could grasp the atmosphere just by looking at their facial expressions, so he turned to Ji-seop and gave this instruction.

“Let’s go to a place the coaches like this time.”

“If it’s a place the coaches prefer…”

The person in charge of first-team manager duties was the most perceptive member of the operations team.

Give them a hint, and they immediately knew the answer.

“Ho, perhaps you mean that place? Near the Namhan River… the Spicy Fish Noodle Soup restaurant?”

“…Yes.”

As Ji-seop nodded, the first-team manager groaned and scratched the back of his head vigorously.

“You’ve chosen the ultimate menu.”

Ji-seop also gave a bitter smile.

“Tell me about it.”

* * *

Spicy Fish Noodle Soup.

A dish made by boiling freshwater fish until the flesh and bones are crushed, seasoning the broth, and adding thin wheat noodles to eat with a ‘slurp’.

It’s a summer health food that people who like it can’t live without, but it’s quite a hurdle for young players and foreign players.

On days when this kind of food is decided as the team’s entire dinner menu, the work of the baseball team’s front office staff seemed to almost double.

“Don’t lie to me, you punk! Your grandfather’s birthday was last month. Do you think I wouldn’t remember that?”

“Hyung [older brother/male friend], please don’t be like that and think proactively! It’s the whole team’s dinner, how can the pitching group leader not show up?”

First, there was the task of persuading the players.

The number of players attempting to ‘escape’ with all sorts of excuses skyrocketed if they didn’t like the dinner menu.

The role of the baseball team’s front office staff was to target these players one-on-one and bring them to the dinner venue.

“Yes, hello! The steak lunchbox I ordered last time… is it possible to order it again this Sunday? Ah, it’s difficult?”

“Hello! This is the KH Cannons operations team. I was wondering if it would be possible to order about six pizzas on Sunday evening. Yes, yes, if possible, so we can eat them warm…”

Next, they had to order special menus for the foreign players.

In fact, Ji-seop initially thought they could just use a delivery app, but the other party was a ‘precious person’ receiving hundreds of millions of won in annual salary.

There were many players who were very picky about the food they ate, so they had to be very careful when choosing a special menu.

‘Hehe, not easy. Not easy at all.’

After diligently moving around for several days, the KH Cannons team dinner finally began.

Fortunately, they managed to prevent ‘escapees’ with only Ryu Jang-ho, and the ‘special menu’ for the foreign players was safely procured from a nearby family restaurant.

Ji-seop thought he could finally relax and enjoy the meal, but-

“Hey, Jimmy! Jimmy Morris!”

It was the point when the dinner was slightly transitioning from its peak to a winding-down atmosphere.

Manager Arthur Freeman had returned home early, and only the players who still had room in their stomachs were ordering additional ‘Spicy Fish Noodle Soup’ to eat with soju [Korean distilled spirit], at that very moment.

The pitching coach, already drunk, his face flushed red, staggered towards the table where the foreign players were.

“Jimmy! Jimmy Morris! Our Cannons’ top ace!!! You know how your coach feels, right?!”

As the pitching coach began to spout incomprehensible words, the players nearby, as if by agreement, turned their gazes towards Ji-seop.

In fact, Jimmy Morris also had a personal interpreter.

However, that friend had already been knocked out 30 minutes ago and was lying on the floor.

At this moment, Ji-seop was the only one who could interpret the conversation between the pitching coach and Jimmy Morris, and who possessed a player-level strong alcohol tolerance.

‘Damn it, why is that old man doing that again…’

Muttering inwardly, Ji-seop roused himself with a ‘hmm’.

Of course, it seemed that the pitching coach hadn’t approached Jimmy Morris without any reason.

“About the game last time… I’m sorry! If I had managed the bullpen a little more tightly, you would have secured the win…”

It was about the game a few days ago.

Jimmy Morris had pitched as a starting pitcher in an away game.

He had pitched well with 6 innings and 1 run allowed, but the bullpen pitchers who came up next had collapsed ‘catastrophically’, blowing Morris’s chances of becoming the winning pitcher.

Although the team had won with a come-from-behind game-winning hit in the top of the 9th inning, it seemed that the pitching coach couldn’t just ignore it.

“I’m sorry. I wanted to help you reach the 10-win mark this time… Gee, baseball doesn’t go as planned…”

The pitching coach sighed deeply and staggered.

Jimmy Morris, who had initially been wide-eyed and clueless, slowly nodded after hearing Ji-seop’s interpretation.

“I’m okay. It’s okay, Coach.”

Jimmy Morris conveyed his intentions without going through Ji-seop.

Of course, the words that followed required a little help from Ji-seop.

“He says that because the game went well, he doesn’t really care about not becoming the winning pitcher. Rather, he says he’s grateful that you said this.”

“Re, really? Okay? You’re okay with that game, Jimmy?”

The pitching coach’s expression brightened.

Ji-seop hoped he would return to his original seat at this point, but the pitching coach instead ‘plunked’ himself down across from Jimmy Morris.

“Haha, our ace is saying this… How can I just let it go!”

With that, the pitching coach emptied his soju glass.

And the next moment, Ji-seop’s expression slightly hardened.

The pitching coach ‘suddenly’ held out his empty soju glass under Jimmy Morris’s chin.

“Come on, Jimmy! Take this glass! This coach will pour you a drink to wish you 10 wins! Huh?!”

“Co, Coach!”

Ji-seop didn’t even need to step in.

The players sitting around stepped in to stop the pitching coach.

“Coach, foreign players really hate sharing glasses. Why are you doing this when you even went to the U.S. for training?”

“Here, here! If you’re going to give him a drink, give it to him in this glass. This is a glass that hasn’t been used yet.”

The players each said a word, but the pitching coach, already drunk, was adamant.

“Hey, be quiet! I’m going to give my student a drink to wish him 10 wins… What are you guys making such a fuss about?!”

“Hey, Coach! Still, you can’t do that!”

“Ji-seop hyung [older brother/male friend]! Get rid of that soju bottle over there. It’s better to just get rid of it!”

Just as a commotion was about to break out, Jimmy Morris ‘tapped’ Ji-seop on the shoulder.

He looked as if he was wondering what everyone was talking about.

“Ah, well, that’s…”

As Ji-seop roughly explained, Jimmy Morris gave a bitter smile as if he was in trouble.

However, the very next moment, he shouted ‘Okay!’ loudly and accepted the soju glass that the pitching coach had handed him.

“Huh?”

“Hmm?”

As everyone blinked in surprise, Jimmy Morris’s voice was heard.

“Coach, give me soju!”

It was perhaps only natural that the corners of the pitching coach’s mouth stretched out like a catfish.

* * *

Two days later.

Ji-seop, who had come to work at the stadium, was having ‘coffee time’ with Manager Arthur Freeman.

Of course, the topic of conversation between the two at this time was the story from the last dinner.

“So… Jimmy actually accepted that drink? Really?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Ji-seop nodded.

“Not only did he drink the alcohol… but he also finished a whole bowl of Spicy Fish Noodle Soup at the coach’s recommendation afterwards.”

“Spicy Fish Noodle Soup… you mean that red fish soup that came out at the dinner that day? Oh, I really had a hard time even tasting it…”

As expected, Spicy Fish Noodle Soup didn’t suit the tastes of foreigners.

Ji-seop couldn’t help but be amazed at Freeman’s ‘tact’.

This was because Freeman had raised his thumb and emptied a bowl in front of the coaches.

“Anyway, if what you’re saying is true, I should buy Jimmy a meal after the game today. This time, something that suits his taste.”

Freeman had a satisfied expression.

“It’s easier to find a pitcher who throws good balls. What’s really hard to find is a pitcher who takes the initiative to lead the team’s harmony.”

It was an assessment that Jimmy Morris was already establishing himself as such a pitcher.

When he thought back to the past when he was skipping training while doing internet broadcasts, it was hard to believe that it was the same person.

Ji-seop, who had once rescued Jimmy Morris from the brink of being kicked out, couldn’t help but feel proud.

“I heard that a new steakhouse has opened not far from here. If you’re okay with it, I’ll make a reservation there.”

“Ah, is that so? That would be good too. He’ll definitely need nutritional support after pitching in the game as a starter.”

Nodding, Manager Freeman approached the whiteboard on the wall of the manager’s office.

It was just then that his gaze was directed towards the name of ‘Jimmy Morris’ attached to the ‘Today’s Starting Pitcher’ item.

Ding-

A message came to Ji-seop’s phone.

Ji-seop’s expression began to harden slightly as he checked the contents.

“Ji-seop, what’s wrong?”

“Ah, well, that’s…”

Ji-seop felt as if his lips were burning.

With a troubled expression, Ji-seop opened his mouth.

“It’s a message from the first-team manager… He says Jimmy Morris’s condition isn’t good.”

“Condition?”

“Yes, he had diarrhea all day yesterday, and his condition is still not good. According to the trainer’s report, it seems like…”

“Seems like what?”

To Freeman, who asked urgently, Ji-seop carefully continued.

“It seems like he has a hangover.”

“A, a hangover?!”