Perfect Agent [EN]: Chapter 117

All-Star Break (4)

I was pondering what to do with the slightly empty schedule when a good idea suddenly popped into my head.

I came all the way to America, so I can’t just skip seeing a Major League game.

Besides, Ryu Hyun-soo is pitching for the away team in today’s game.

In this situation, wouldn’t it be a shame to come all the way to America and not watch him play?

As soon as the thought occurred to me, I headed straight to the stadium with Lee Joo-hyuk.

I wanted to get there early and watch the Major League players during their warm-ups.

Thanks to arriving well before the game started, I had plenty of time to look around the stadium.

As we got closer to the entrance, I noticed several groups of people – families and friends – who had come together.

Walking around and observing the atmosphere, we stopped in front of the team uniform shop.

I can’t come all this way and not bring something back as a souvenir.

In the end, we each grabbed a baseball cap before we could leave the store.

And then we found our seats in the stands.

Since we didn’t have season tickets and made a last-minute reservation the day before, we ended up with seats way up high.

It’s better to see the game from up here than not at all.

Not long after the game started, I saw Ryu Hyun-soo take the mound.

“Wow!”

Just watching Ryu Hyun-soo’s first inning, I could see why he was recognized as a starting pitcher in the Major League, earning millions of dollars.

Even though his fastball wasn’t blazing fast, sitting around the mid-140s km/h (roughly 87-90 mph), Major League hitters couldn’t easily make solid contact.

The highlight was definitely his changeup.

The hitters swung and missed at the changeup that looked like a fastball coming in, only to drop unexpectedly at the last moment.

It was a shame that I hadn’t seen him during his prime years in the Major League.

And the true value of other Major Leaguers was evident in their defense.

Because they possessed such excellent natural physical abilities, almost miraculous defensive plays were not uncommon.

The shortstop dove to snag a line drive and then made an accurate throw to first to get the runner out, and the right fielder made a strong, accurate throw to nail a runner trying to score from second.

*Thwack!*

And then a home run was launched with tremendous power.

“Wow!”

I couldn’t help but exclaim and applaud in admiration.

I could feel that this was the stage where the best baseball players in the world gathered.

One thing that was a bit disappointing was that the stadium was quieter compared to those in Korea.

Occasionally, I could hear some fans shouting cheers, but it wasn’t nearly as energetic as the Korean cheering culture, where cheerleaders’ dances and team chants for each player echoed throughout the game.

Cheering is an important part of the experience that draws fans to the stadium.

I was watching the game while thinking about this and that when…

Vibration-

The phone vibrated.

The message was from Michael Scott.

I immediately checked the message.

-Can we meet tomorrow morning?

* * *

The next day, Lee Joo-hyuk and I met with Michael Scott again.

Scott’s eyes were red and bloodshot, as if he hadn’t slept well the night before.

“Scott, have you made a decision?”

“I’ve talked with my family and mostly sorted out my thoughts, but I haven’t made a definite decision yet.”

Still, the fact that he asked to meet with us directly must mean he’s leaning towards it, right?

“What are you worried about right now?”

“Going to Korea to give it a shot is something that I and my family are positive about.”

“Then…?”

“But I’m wondering if it’s the right time to go now. The draft is not far away. Of course, I know very well that it’s impossible for me to pitch in the Major League right now, but I’m wondering if it’s right to try it out in the minor leagues first and then go.”

“Hmm…”

“If I do well in Korea, there’s no problem, but if I get released in the middle of the season, I’ll be a player with nowhere to go.”

It wasn’t easy for a foreigner to make a living as a player in Korea.

If they didn’t clearly outperform Korean players, there was a chance that their contracts wouldn’t be renewed.

There were quite a few cases where players failed to renew their contracts the very next season, even after being key contributors to the previous season’s championship team, because they were sluggish or suffered long-term injuries and couldn’t perform properly.

“It’s understandable that you’re worried about that. But if that’s the reason, you don’t have to worry at all.”

“Really?”

Scott asked, widening his eyes.

“I’m sure you’ll do well in Korea.”

“What makes you think so?”

“First of all, you have some serious strengths. Your fastball speed and power are excellent. Your slider against right-handed hitters is also very effective. You held your own against Seok-hoon and Seong-joo during the last spring training. And now those two are playing at an MVP level in Korea. So imagine how you’ll fare against other players.”

“Really…?”

Scott shrugged his shoulders, looking surprised.

“Of course, you’ll have to address your weaknesses in order to be competitive in the United States later. You need to develop a wider variety of pitches and strategies that you can use against left-handed hitters.”

“Of course.”

“You also need to be able to use the slider against left-handed hitters, and you need to strengthen the splitter, as I mentioned last time.”

“That’s right.”

Scott nodded and agreed with me.

“To do that, what you need most right now is practical experience. No matter how much you train alone, there’s a limit if you don’t use it in real game situations. But even if you play in the minor leagues, you might not get a chance to start.”

“I hate that idea,” Scott said, frowning and shaking his head.

“If you go to Korea, there’s almost no chance that you’ll pitch as a relief pitcher [a pitcher who comes in during the game to replace the starting pitcher]. No team will use foreign pitchers, who are limited to two per team, as relief pitchers.”

“Hmm…”

“And the Korean league is by no means an easy league. There are many players who went there thinking it would be a breeze and ended up packing their bags and returning without making an impact. That means it will be a stage where you can develop your skills significantly.”

There were many cases where players with Major League experience were quickly released.

“Then what if I get released? If the club has high expectations for foreign players, I don’t think they’ll wait patiently for me to develop.”

“I’m confident that won’t happen, but if you do get released, I’ll take responsibility and find you a new team.”

“Kang is responsible?”

Scott tilted his head and looked at me.

“If you sign a contract with our company, I’ll be Scott’s agent. It’s the agent’s job to find a team where the player can play.”

“Wow…”

Scott said in a low voice.

“Lastly, if you come to Korea, you won’t have to struggle with the hardships of the minor leagues.”

“What does that mean?”

“There’s no need to mention the first team, but even if you’re sent down to the second team [a team for developing players], the club will provide you with excellent conditions. And you’ll be able to play amidst tremendous cheers that you can’t even imagine in the United States. And Korea isn’t a big country like the United States, so even if you travel by bus, you’ll arrive at the away stadium in about 5 hours.”

Scott, after hearing my last words, was lost in thought for a moment.

I waited patiently for him to sort out his thoughts.

“Kang, can I really trust you?”

“Of course.”

I answered without hesitation.

Scott smiled brightly and slammed the table once.

“Okay! I’ve decided. I’ll give it a try.”

“Really? Are you sure you’ve made up your mind?”

“I think I can trust Kang. I’ll just do it.”

“I’ll make sure you don’t regret your decision today.”

I reached out and shook his hand.

Scott, who grabbed my hand, smiled brightly and jumped up to hug me and then hugged Lee Joo-hyuk next to me.

“Then should I start preparing to go to Korea right away?”

Scott’s face, smiling brightly, was full of anticipation.

* * *

I immediately boarded a plane to Korea alone.

Lee Joo-hyuk decided to stay and return home with Michael Scott as soon as he finished preparing.

Now all that’s left is to find a domestic club to sign Scott.

The teams that would be satisfied with the performance of their current foreign pitchers were the Wolves, Doubles, and Dragons.

The other 7 teams must be dissatisfied.

Even if they don’t plan to replace them right away, they were likely to consider it if a good opportunity came along.

As soon as I arrived in Korea, I first visited Kim Seok-won, the Pelicans’ general manager.

Because the Pelicans were at the bottom of the league, and I also confirmed from Kim Seok-won’s information window that he wanted to replace his foreign pitcher.

“Representative Kang, why did you suddenly ask to meet?”

Kim Seok-won asked, tilting his head.

Did he forget what I said a while ago, or does he not expect that I would really find such a player?

“I’m going to give you a gift, General Manager.”

“A gift for me?”

“I found a good foreign pitcher.”

“A pitcher? What kind of pitcher is he?”

Only then did Kim Seok-won’s eyes widen, and he leaned forward, revealing his enthusiasm.

“I found a right-handed fastball pitcher. His average speed easily exceeds 150km/h (93 mph), and his slider is amazing.”

“Oh! Is it possible to sign a player like that at this time of the season?”

“If you look closely, there are hidden gems to be found.”

I smiled confidently at Kim Seok-won.

“Can I see what kind of player he is?”

“Of course.”

I took out the tablet and played Michael Scott’s pitching highlights.

“Oh, oh.”

Kim Seok-won couldn’t stop exclaiming throughout the video.

When the video was over, I took out the data and handed it to Kim Seok-won.

While Kim Seok-won was looking at the data, I added an explanation.

“Honestly, he’s not a fully polished pitcher yet, but his potential is truly endless.”

“Which team is he playing for now?”

Kim Seok-won asked while reading the data.

“He’s a player in the American college league. He’s preparing to be drafted in the upcoming draft.”

“Oh, really…?”

As soon as Kim Seok-won heard my words, he paused and stopped what he was doing.

Why is he doing that?

And after a moment, words that I didn’t expect at all came out of his mouth.

“Hmm… I don’t think it would be easy to sign a pitcher like this, no matter what.”