Villain On The Mound [EN]: Chapter 44

Villain on the Mound – Episode 44

The spring training camp came to an end.

As expected, Ha-seong made the opening day roster.

However, Jack did not.

“Kheu! Delicious.”

Ha-seong was having a drink with Jack.

They were sharing a beer at a pub near their accommodation.

Jack, who hadn’t even taken a sip of beer during the camp, emptied his glass in one go, as if he’d been craving it.

“Thanks, Ha-seong.”

“Huh?”

“Thanks to you, I was able to do what I wanted to do in the last game.”

“Yeah. It’s all thanks to me.”

Perhaps because the answer was unexpected, Jack looked bewildered for a moment, then burst into laughter.

“Puhaha! Yeah, that’s right. It’s all thanks to you. I’ve heard so much about the mental game since I was young, but when I faced reality, I couldn’t pull it off.”

“Well, that’s life.”

“Keukeu, you talk like an old man. Act your age.”

“You’re one to talk. Why is an American bowing like an Asian?”

“Ah, I like Bruce Lee.”

What a funny reason.

“Anyway, I realized it painfully this time. Skill is important, but mentality is also crucial.”

“It’s good that you know that. And don’t be too disappointed.”

“Huh?”

“It’s kind of natural that you didn’t make the opening roster. The starting catchers were already decided.”

“Then why did I stay until the end of the camp?”

“Athletics [referring to the team’s management] doesn’t have much depth in their roster. So they’re trying to scout potential guys until the end. It’s not just you; other guys with bad records stayed until the end, right?”

That was certainly the case.

The Athletics made a somewhat questionable choice in this exhibition game.

They kept promising players with poor records until the end of the exhibition games.

This was the choice of General Manager Chris.

‘To make up for the lack of depth, we need to prepare the next card. They must have been testing things out.’

They used the exhibition games literally as a testing ground.

“The skills of the guys who stayed until the end are likely to be remembered by the front office. That means you can be called up at any time during the season.”

“You’re really amazing. Do you think about that stuff too?”

“Pro ball is all about skill, but if you add an extra something [alpha], you can get more chances.”

“Hoo… I have to learn too.”

After that, the two shared various stories.

About baseball.

And about everyday life.

That’s how the two spent the last day of camp.

* * *

I came back to Oakland.

Ha-seong chose a hotel as his accommodation this time as well.

The only difference was that it wasn’t the same hotel as before.

“Residences are better after all.”

A residence with cooking facilities.

In addition, the facilities were better than before.

Of course, it cost more.

“A big splurge gives me the motivation to make money!”

There was another reason for choosing this hotel.

Namely, the hotel’s architecture was modern.

The internal facilities were all equipped with the latest technology.

In particular, the fitness center was filled with more and better machines than most gyms.

“I can train too.”

Anyone would say he’s a training addict.

But Ha-seong knew it well.

Becoming a top-class player in the major leagues means being a monster.

“I’ll get a good position this season.”

He was taking his first real step as a major leaguer.

“The full season starts in three days. Should I take a good rest until then?”

Ha-seong sat on the sofa and turned on the TV.

Just in time, the news about the Major League opening came on ESPN.

[The Major League opening is three days away. Shall we check out the players to watch this season?]

Various segments were being broadcast as a special preview of the opening.

[The first is the player who is causing controversy recently, right? It’s Alex Rodriguez.]

Alex’s picture appeared on the screen.

[This is Alex Rodriguez, who recently admitted to taking drugs.]

[Ah-! This is really a shocking incident. How could a Major League superstar do this?]

Alex Rodriguez’s drug use issue.

The bigger shock was that he admitted it himself.

President Obama expressed it as a very depressing day, delivering a great shock to the African American community.

But Ha-seong didn’t care.

“Well, this is just the start.”

This drug scandal would pass surprisingly quietly.

The fact that he admitted it and his past actions were taken into consideration.

He would play the season without any special sanctions.

It seemed impossible, but Alex Rodriguez was the player who could pull it off.

‘He is the target of criticism, but he still continues his life as a superstar.’

A player who silences all controversies with his skills.

That was Alex Rodriguez.

Of course, that wouldn’t last forever.

[We also look forward to Buster Posey’s performance. And let’s look at the next player.]

The segment continued.

Various players were introduced.

And when it was about halfway through.

[Oakland Athletics’ Super Rookie]

His picture came up.

[It’s Jung Ha-seong. He showed a great performance in last year’s expansion roster, right?]

[That’s right. He’s a really promising rookie. He came back with a lot more muscle in this season’s exhibition games.]

[Many experts have expressed concern about his bulked-up appearance, haven’t they?]

[Yes. There were worries that the change in physique would affect his precise pitching mechanics.]

[But it was unfounded. He proved that last year’s performance was not a fluke with 5 games, 2 saves, and no runs allowed in the exhibition games.]

[His 100-mile fastball was impressive. It’s even scarier because it’s controlled. Above all, the ball has great velocity. It’s hard for hitters to hit.]

Praise piled up.

Ha-seong’s value in the big leagues was highly regarded.

That meant his visibility had increased.

‘If I continue to perform well this season, I’ll get more endorsements.’

The side business increases.

In other words, income increases.

It seemed like there would be quite a few things to deal with.

Then a phone call came.

“Oh.”

Ha-seong smiled as he checked the number.

The call came from the right person at the right time.

* * *

The next day.

A woman was standing in the hotel lobby.

‘Why does she want to see me right away?’

It was Isabel from J&J Agency.

She came to the hotel to meet Ha-seong.

“Did you wait long?”

“No. I just arrived.”

The two met and took a seat in the cafe.

As the drinks arrived in front of them, Ha-seong opened his mouth.

“Since you’re busy, let’s get straight to the point. What do I get if I sign a contract with J&J?”

Isabel’s expression brightened.

Ha-seong was one of the hottest players in the major leagues.

If they signed him, he was likely to become a big star.

She felt like she was being rewarded for her hard work.

But Ha-seong was not an easy opponent.

“Before you answer, you only have one chance.”

“Yes?”

“Please suggest the best conditions you can offer me. That way, I can compare offers while having meetings with other agencies.”

“Other agencies…?”

“You don’t think J&J is the only agency interested in me, do you?”

“Ho… Hoho! Of course not. Then I’ll ask you one thing too.”

“Anything.”

“Are we the first?”

A short question.

But Ha-seong knew what she meant.

“You’re the only one who has been consistently approaching me since last year. It’s not really a reward, but I gave you the first chance.”

This woman is smart, so this is enough.

She won’t miss the opportunity.

And it hit the mark.

“Of course. I’ll give you the best conditions.”

Her eyes changed.

* * *

Major League players are busy.

They participate in games for half of the year.

But there are many entities that want players’ attention.

Can a player handle all those calls while playing the season?

Of course not.

That’s why you need an agent and management.

The two roles are clearly different.

Agents also help players grow.

So, large agencies have doctors and trainers on staff.

Scott Boras, the most famous agent in Major League Baseball, also owns a training center run by his company.

‘J&J also has these training centers. The scale of the facilities is at the level of Boras Corporation.’

J&J is bigger than Boras Corporation in terms of size alone.

But there was a difference from Boras.

‘Unlike Boras, who focuses only on baseball, J&J supports various sports.’

Supporting only one sport versus supporting several sports.

Of course, this difference is bound to be significant.

Nevertheless, Ha-seong is still considering because J&J also has advantages.

‘J&J is a global company. It is also connected to the EPL [English Premier League], so it is more helpful when entering Europe.’

Boras Corporation was focusing on the United States and Asian countries where baseball is popular.

On the other hand, J&J has branches spread all over Europe, so there are countless companies connected to them.

That’s why you can get more opportunities.

‘Anyway, the negotiation skills are equal. Especially now that I have the right to negotiate my salary, agents also extract data with Sabermetrics [advanced baseball statistics], so there is no big difference in salary whether I choose Boras or J&J.’

The same goes for training.

Ha-seong already knows the developed sports science of the future.

He can create and apply his own training program accordingly.

J&J’s financial resources will be enough to support him.

‘Then the only thing left is how many companies can they introduce me to and get endorsements from.’

J&J was the right choice to make more money.

But this time too, Ha-seong didn’t bother to make the first move.

‘In the end, the side that wants it more becomes impatient.’

Ha-seong waited calmly.

* * *

Major League Baseball is one of the world’s four major sports leagues.

Of course, a lot of attention was focused on the opening game.

In the United States, attention was focused on games of popular clubs such as the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.

But in Korea, one of the smaller markets received attention.

[Hello?! Baseball fans across the country! We greet you at the opening game between the Oakland Athletics and the LA Angels!!]

The small market club was the Oakland Athletics.

Fans’ attention was focused on the long-awaited opening game broadcast live in Korea.

-Keueu-! It’s been a while since the Major League opening game was broadcast live.

-He killed it in spring training, so can we look forward to this season?

-Even if you fly around in spring training, you don’t know what will happen in the regular season.

-Isn’t he a traitor who avoided the national team anyway?

-What traitor lol? KBO [Korean Baseball Organization] said they didn’t want him from the beginning, right?

-In addition, Ha-seong’s choice not to go to the WBC [World Baseball Classic] was an excellent choice. He didn’t even have military service benefits lol

Korea finished 2nd in the WBC.

They were the runner-up.

But the military service benefits did not follow.

Nothing had changed from the future.

A small number of people say that if Ha-seong had joined the national team, they could have won.

Of course, there is no “if” in baseball.

Ha-seong did not go to the WBC, and that was the present.

‘I wonder if I can play in today’s game.’

Ha-seong was watching the game from the bullpen.

The opening game starter was Dallas Braden.

He was a pitcher who recorded 5 wins and 4 losses in the 2008 season.

The fact that he was the opening game starter showed how thin Oakland’s starting pitching depth was.

‘Hmm.’

Ha-seong watched the game without saying a word.

There was nothing the closer himself could do.

This is because his appearance is determined by the game situation.

‘I guess…’

Opening game.

It’s a game to make a good first impression.

But the Athletics’ lineup was sluggish.

‘I won’t have a chance today.’

Ha-seong’s thoughts became reality.

The Athletics lost the opening game with a score of 3 to 0, without scoring a single point until the end.

‘I’ll have to wait for the time to come.’

Ha-seong didn’t get impatient.

He quietly waited for his chance to come.

And that opportunity came sooner than expected.

[The 2nd game between the Athletics and the Angels! 9th inning! Jung Ha-seong takes the mound with a score of 6 to 3!!]

Ha-seong stepped onto the mound to close out the game.