Perfect Agent [EN]: Chapter 114

All-Star Break (1)

As the exciting All-Star Game concluded, the players enjoyed a well-deserved break during the All-Star Break.

For many, it was a time to replenish their stamina, depleted by the season’s intensity, and to prepare for the crucial battles ahead in the rankings.

Leading up to the postseason player registration deadline, clubs were actively working behind the scenes to strengthen their rosters.

With nearly half of the season’s games remaining, no team could afford to become complacent or give up.

It was also the final opportunity to decide whether to replace foreign players who hadn’t met expectations.

Meanwhile.

I arrived at the airport with Lee Joo-hyuk, ready to board a plane to the United States.

After personally assessing Michael Scott’s performance once more, I planned to offer him an agency contract immediately if everything checked out.

I opted for one-way tickets, anticipating that the contract process might take longer than expected or unforeseen circumstances could arise.

Similar to spring training, I booked two business class seats.

The ticket prices were quite steep, likely due to the peak summer vacation season.

Despite the expense, I knew I needed the space and comfort to work and rest on the plane, so I considered it a worthwhile investment.

We arrived at the airport early and immediately began reviewing Michael Scott’s detailed data on our laptops in the business lounge.

The data collected since the last spring training was as crucial as his past performance records.

Thanks to Lee Joo-hyuk’s diligent updating and organization, comparing the latest data was a breeze.

As I immersed myself in the data, Lee Joo-hyuk cautiously inquired, “CEO, are you only planning to meet Michael Scott on this trip?”

“I suppose so?”

I didn’t really know anyone else in the United States.

“If you’re open to it, how about meeting one of my contacts?”

“A contact?”

“He manages American college baseball players. I thought it might be beneficial to meet him, even briefly, since we’re going anyway.”

“Is he working as an agent?”

“Not with a big company or anything. He mainly provides players with data and offers management advice.”

It sounded like an agent who provided data on players and their opponents but didn’t handle contract negotiations or other typical agent duties.

“He must have extensive knowledge of local players, right?”

“Absolutely. He probably knows most of the American college players in that region. He has enough data to analyze them thoroughly.”

“Let’s meet him then. Our schedule isn’t too tight.”

There was no reason to pass up the chance to network with a local expert.

Before I knew it, it was time to board the plane.

Barely having a moment to appreciate the comfort of business class, I pulled out the data again as soon as the plane took off.

I only paused briefly for the in-flight meals, spending the rest of the time replaying Michael Scott’s videos and scrutinizing his stats.

I also took note of other players who occasionally caught my attention, comparing their data to Scott’s.

It wasn’t until a few hours before landing that I finally managed to get some sleep.

* * *

As soon as we disembarked, we rented a car and drove straight to the stadium.

I was tempted to rest at the hotel, feeling the fatigue from the long flight, but time was of the essence since the game was starting soon.

Fortunately, Lee Joo-hyuk knew the way, and we arrived on time.

It was a relatively small stadium, slightly larger than a typical domestic amateur baseball field, but the facilities were comparable to those of a professional stadium.

Food and drink vendors were set up around the stadium.

We grabbed some refreshments and headed inside.

Upon entering the stadium, I noticed a sizable crowd filling the stands.

Even for an amateur game featuring college players, some of whom were quite talented, the turnout was impressive.

I could definitely see why the United States was known as the country of sports.

“CEO, I think I see a few people from Asian countries here.”

“Really? Scouts, perhaps?”

I glanced around and spotted several individuals who appeared to be baseball officials.

“They probably come to scout from time to time, but the opposing team’s starting pitcher today is supposed to be quite good.”

A sudden wave of worry washed over me.

“They’re not here to see Michael Scott, are they?”

“No way.”

I guess not.

He’s not even starting, so why would they be here?

As Lee Joo-hyuk and I searched for seats in the stands,

“Oh? Kang Hyun-woo?”

A familiar Korean voice called out from nearby.

I never expected to hear Korean at a college baseball game in the United States.

Who recognized me?

More surprised than anything, I turned to see who it was.

The Korean in front of me was someone I knew.

“Oh, General Manager?”

It was Choi Min-sung, the general manager of the Buffaloes.

“I never imagined I’d run into you here.”

“I know. It’s especially nice to see you in a place like this.”

I shook hands with Choi Min-sung.

-We plan to replace the foreign starting pitcher in order to aim for the championship next season.

-I’m stressed because the contract with the minor league pitcher is not going as planned.

The Buffaloes were currently in third place in the league.

Oh Seok-hoon and Park Seong-joo were the cornerstones of the lineup, and the batting was producing good results, but the pitching staff was still lacking.

In particular, the foreign pitchers weren’t delivering the strong performances that were expected.

“What brings you here, General Manager?”

“What else would a general manager be doing? I’m just scouting for potential players.”

Choi Min-sung replied with a sly smile.

But there was no way the general manager would travel all the way to a U.S. stadium during the season just for a casual scouting trip.

The contract negotiations with the foreign pitcher he wanted must be hitting a snag, prompting him to come in person.

“Is it alright for you to be at a college baseball game, General Manager? You must be busy these days.”

“I needed some fresh air and wanted to see the level of college baseball here.”

Choi Min-sung replied with a relaxed smile.

Fortunately, it didn’t seem like he was here to scout Michael Scott.

“You seem to be in good spirits, General Manager, so I assume you’ve found some promising players?”

“If I had, I would have already returned to Korea.”

“What kind of player are the Buffaloes looking for?”

Choi Min-sung took a deep breath and answered my question.

“Isn’t the expectation for a foreign player the same for everyone? A batter who can hit home runs, and a pitcher you can rely on to win games. It would be even better if they were left-handed.”

“With Seong-joo and Seok-hoon in the lineup, I don’t think you have much to worry about on the hitting side. So, it’s primarily pitching you’re after?”

I asked, feigning ignorance, even though I already knew through the information window [a feature that provides details about characters or situations in the story, like a heads-up display].

“The better the foreign player, the better, whether they’re a pitcher or a hitter. I have to keep my options open.”

Choi Min-sung only gave vague answers and instead turned the question back on me.

“What kind of player are you interested in, Hyun-woo? For an agent as busy as you, coming all the way out here must mean there’s a great player here. I wonder who it could be?”

I wasn’t about to give him the answer he wanted so easily.

“Wouldn’t the agency’s position be similar? We always welcome players who can perform well in Korea. I have to keep my options open even more.”

Choi Min-sung seemed to ponder for a moment, then smiled and said, “If you have time, let’s grab a meal. It’s nice to meet you so far from home, so let me treat you.”

“If you insist, General Manager, I can’t refuse.”

I could clearly sense Choi Min-sung’s intentions, but building a stronger relationship with the general manager wouldn’t be a bad thing.

* * *

“Play ball!”

Finally, the game began, and my eyes were glued to the field.

Above all, I felt the pressure of Choi Min-sung’s gaze, watching my every move from nearby.

He seemed determined to figure out which player I had come to see.

Even though Michael Scott hadn’t pitched yet, I pretended to be busy checking data and taking notes.

I was trying to avoid his gaze, but I also held onto the hope that there might be another player with potential for the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization].

Suddenly, I spotted a familiar name in the Sun Devils’ bullpen.

It was Michael Scott.

He was close enough that I think we made eye contact, but he didn’t seem to recognize us.

Come to think of it, if the starting pitcher performed well, there was a chance I wouldn’t even see Scott pitch today.

I knew it could take a while, but I hoped it would be over quickly.

In the meantime, the Sun Devils’ starting pitcher began his performance.

Thwack!

Thwack!

The batter swung aggressively, but

Whoosh-

“Strike out!”

The Sun Devils’ starting pitcher struck him out with a changeup.

The average fastball speed, as confirmed by the radar gun, was 147 km/h [approximately 91 mph].

Not particularly fast by American standards.

Nevertheless, he gained an advantage by precisely hitting the corners of the strike zone.

But problems began to surface as the game progressed.

Thwack!

Thwack!

The opposing batters consistently fouled off the pitches thrown by the Sun Devils’ starter.

Perhaps due to the constant foul tips, his control seemed to waver, unlike the early innings when he displayed pinpoint accuracy.

As a result, his pitch count was climbing.

The pitcher was visibly tiring from the opposing batters’ persistent fight.

Eventually,

Crack!

“Wow!”

“Home run!”

The batter capitalized on the pitcher’s mistake and launched a towering home run over the center field wall.

The pitching coach emerged from the Sun Devils’ dugout.

The starting pitcher on the mound nodded, seemingly unfazed, as if he anticipated being replaced.

He exchanged a few words with the pitching coach and then walked off the mound.

“Is Scott coming in already?”

My gaze instinctively shifted to the bullpen.

The bullpen door swung open, and a pitcher jogged toward the mound.

“Finally!”

Lee Joo-hyuk and I exchanged excited glances.

The pitcher heading to the mound was Michael Scott, the player we had been waiting to see.