Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 243

Villain on the Mound – Episode 243

25 wins in the season.

Ha-sung added another chapter to history.

The day after setting the record.

Ha-sung was having breakfast with Isabel.

“The Yankees have made an offer.”

The Yankees would only offer one thing.

An extension contract.

Ha-sung was already achieving unparalleled results in Major League history.

Therefore, the team must have felt pressured by his potential salary arbitration.

“I thought they would make an offer after the season. They did it sooner than I expected.”

“They can’t know what kind of record Ha-sung will achieve by the end of the season.”

Ha-sung was breaking his own records every day.

With each record he broke, his evaluation increased, and his value soared.

Originally, serious discussions about a contract extension would take place after the season.

But the Yankees didn’t have time to wait.

If Ha-sung performed well after the season, his value could be even higher than it was now.

“They chose now because they thought it was the most opportune time.”

“And the fact that they made an offer at this time means they’ve presented conditions we can’t refuse.”

“That’s right. These conditions are unprecedented.”

“What are the conditions?”

Isabel took a breath and said, “The contract involves transferring Yankees shares to Ha-sung.”

Major League teams were business entities.

They earned huge profits and distributed them to investors.

So how was that distribution done?

It was the same as a regular company.

It depended on how much investment was made in the team.

Dividends were distributed according to the shares held by each investor.

The Yankees were a team that grew every year.

“The Yankees have grown by 17 percent this year compared to last year alone. It is expected that they will continue to grow steadily, although not to that extent.”

There were various forecasts for the Major League market.

Some made pessimistic predictions, while others were optimistic.

But Ha-sung knew how the history of Major League Baseball would unfold.

“Major League teams will continue to grow. They will become even bigger than they are now.”

“Many experts think like Ha-sung. But the truth is that many people think negatively.”

“Isabel seems uneasy about the Yankees’ offer.”

“Hoo… that’s right. The Yankees’ offer is, in some ways, a very good condition. But on the other hand, it’s a risky offer.”

Isabel shared her concerns.

“If the Yankees grow every year, it will be a great condition. The dividends Ha-sung receives will increase every year, and the value of his shares will also increase.”

“Conversely, the moment the team’s growth stops, the value of my shares will fall.”

“That’s right. It might be easier to receive cash right away.”

If he received his salary in cash instead of shares, there would be no possibility of its value falling.

Above all, receiving cash that could be used immediately would also secure liquidity.

“Even the Yankees can’t pay Ha-sung’s entire salary in a lump sum. They will pay in installments, but that may be better than receiving shares.”

“There are definitely pros and cons.”

Whether to receive shares or cash.

There were definitely pros and cons to that.

But Ha-sung knew something that others didn’t.

‘In the early 2010s, the popularity of Major League Baseball will slow down for a while. The growth rate will decrease, and as a result, experts will say that Major League Baseball is in crisis.’

Reports also came out that the Major League was in a slump as overall viewership and stadium attendance declined.

But as time passed, those concerns disappeared.

‘Major League Baseball overcame the crisis in its own way. And 10 years later, it will become an even bigger business than it is now.’

He knew how the Major League Baseball business would change.

In short, the value of the Yankees would be higher in 10 years than it is now.

‘If I can receive stock when I know the company’s value is increasing, there’s no investment that can fail.’

Ha-sung made a decision.

“Let’s go with receiving the Yankees’ shares.”

“Are you really okay with that?”

“I think the Major League Baseball business will continue to grow. In fact, there are many new people who are becoming interested in Major League Baseball recently.”

It was an undeniable fact.

Recently, the influx of new fans into Major League Baseball was increasing.

In particular, many people in Europe were starting to become interested in baseball.

Major League Baseball’s efforts to enter Europe for decades were paying off in a meaningful way.

‘That’s possible because of Ha-sung’s performance right now.’

The emergence of the superstar Ha-sung made even existing fans who had lost interest in Major League Baseball turn back.

Thanks to this, the current number of spectators in Major League Baseball was approaching an all-time high.

‘There are some 불안한 [uneasy] parts, but… if there is Ha-sung, Major League Baseball will definitely grow.’

Before he knew it, Ha-sung had become a player who led the huge business called Major League Baseball.

If he was there, it would be possible.

For Major League Baseball to become even bigger than it is now.

“Let’s proceed with accepting the Yankees’ offer.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Instead, you have to get the best possible conditions.”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll show you once again what kind of agent Isabel is.”

Isabel replied with a confident look.

* * *

Serious discussions about a long-term contract began.

In the meantime, Ha-sung surpassed 27 wins in the season and was breaking his career high every day.

It was only natural that praise poured in for Ha-sung.

He had the skills as well as the showmanship, so he received enthusiastic support from fans.

His marketability, which was gaining popularity not only in his home country of Korea but also around the world, was difficult to compare to anyone else.

[Ha-sung is causing a huge stir not only on the field but also outside of it.]

[One of the things that shows how high his marketability is, is Vigor’s growth rate, isn’t it?]

[That’s right. When they signed a contract with Ha-sung, Vigor was ranked third among global sports equipment companies. But now it is ranked first in the world and boasts overwhelming sales.]

[What’s really amazing is that the average annual growth rate of companies that Ha-sung is a model for is 12 percent.]

[Above all, it’s impressive that the sales of products collaborated with Ha-sung are overwhelming.]

As it was proven that sales increased when Ha-sung was used as a model, his modeling fees soared.

Above all, the most attractive part was that Ha-sung was popular all over the world.

[Recently, baseball is becoming more popular among young people in Europe.]

[That’s right. As Ha-sung rewrites the history of Major League Baseball, interest has naturally gathered.]

[In particular, his two-way pitching and hitting is attracting the attention of young Europeans.]

[In addition, Ha-sung’s unique character is also an attractive point that captivates them.]

Broadcasts about Ha-sung were coming out every day, but the public wasn’t tired of it.

Rather, they were curious about everything he did, so the media was able to satisfy people’s needs.

In the meantime, a big article came out.

[Ha-sung and the New York Yankees begin serious discussions on a long-term contract!!]

It was an article about a long-term contract.

As Ha-sung’s performance continued, interest was focused on his future.

In particular, salary was the part that people were most interested in.

-Extension contract…

-Isn’t there still service time left [years of MLB experience required before free agency]?

-The Yankees are moving faster than I thought.

-That means Ha-sung’s performance is crazy.

-Well, if he plays like this for another year, I don’t know how much salary I’ll have to give him.

-Isn’t it true that you don’t even know how much to give him now?

-That’s right.

-He’s performing at an all-time level as both a pitcher and a hitter, so it’s right for him to receive an all-time salary.

-Wouldn’t it start at least $40 million?

-Wow~ $40 million is a lot of money…

-He’ll probably be the highest paid athlete in the world.

-Messi and Ronaldo, move aside.

Baseball fans showed great interest in Ha-sung’s salary and exchanged various opinions.

This was also the case with experts.

[According to local US media, reports are coming out that the New York Yankees have entered into negotiations with Ha-sung for a long-term contract. Today, we have invited experts to discuss this.]

The TV organized a special program to deliver the news of Ha-sung’s salary negotiations.

[We have invited Kim Seong-won, who is currently a professional baseball commentator and former Major Leaguer, and Park Won-cheol, a Major League expert.]

[Hello.]

[Nice to meet you.]

[Then let’s get straight to the point. How do you two view Ha-sung’s long-term contract this time? Let’s start with Mr. Kim.]

[In fact, it was only natural that this article came out. Ha-sung is performing so well that he can be said to be rewriting the history of Major League Baseball every day.]

[I agree. He is performing in a way that no one expected. This performance must have given the New York Yankees executives a headache.]

The program listed Ha-sung’s performance and related records in detail.

Each record was enough to change the history of Major League Baseball.

No expert could easily predict how much salary Ha-sung, who achieved such results, would receive.

[There are articles in the local area that the New York Yankees may sign a contract with Ha-sung in the form of transferring shares instead of astronomical salaries.]

[It’s unprecedented, but it’s not impossible.]

[Unlike Korea, in the case of Major League Baseball, the team is a corporation, so it is possible to compensate for the salary by transferring shares.]

[In fact, this is the best way. There is even talk that Ha-sung’s salary should start at a minimum of $60 million.]

[60 million dollars is three times higher than the current highest-paid players in Major League Baseball, so even the Yankees may have difficulty paying it.]

[Above all, it will give the player a sense that the player and the team are growing together, which will motivate the player.]

Various rumors were circulating about Ha-sung’s contract type.

But one thing was clear.

[Whatever form Ha-sung’s contract takes, it will definitely be a historic contract.]

[Everyone is paying attention to how his contract will be made and how this season will end.]