­ Live Pitching (3)

“Gun’s pitch reached 151km?”

“He also pa.s.sed the live pitching session. I think his talent is good enough for the Korean national league”

Chief leader let out a smile after hearing the scout manager’s report.

“then try to scout him in. if we are lucky, his story may become ‘the next big news’”

Nam Hyun, the scout manager, was a bit hesitant in taking the chief leader’s order.

“hm… well…”

“why, is there a problem?”

“Player Gun, he himself has let others know that he strives to play in the major league… it’ll cost a fortune to get him in”

“well isn’t it your job to negotiate and make compromises on both ends to make it work? We don’t pay you a high salary for no reason. Gun’s not even from the major league, he’s from the minor league. Shouldn’t this be a breeze to work out?”

Nam Hyun let out a sigh and simply nodded.

‘yeah… got to do as I’m told… that’s why I get paid’

The salary cap given to him for Gun was $350,000.

It was a rate that a rookie straight out of high school would be willing to accept.

But Gun was no rookie, he was a 25-year old star dark horse pitcher dreaming of the major league entrance.

There was no way that Gun would accept this offer.

“this is going to be very tough…”

Nam Hyun let out another deep sigh as he left the office.

Nam Hyun stood at Gun’s doorsteps.

Gun lived in an old apartment located in a newly developed area in Seoul.

It was an apartment that Gun bought from the money he received from entering the contract with his agent 7 years ago.

The planned venue for the meeting was a café located not far away.

The reason Nam Hyun travelled all this way was to get a brief insight of the player’s personal life.

‘seems as though he’s not doing too well financially… I might have a chance if I talk this out well’

Nam Hyun was planning to offer an unusual deal, such as an upfront, one lump sum payment, in order to make the offer more desirable.

Half an hour later, Nam Hyun met up with Gun at the café.

“Player Gun! You look fabulous.”

“Thank you! It’s all because AT telecom has taken good care of me!”

Gun had a general idea of why Nam Hyun had approached him.

But he tried to hide this knowledge as much as possible.

Judging from Gun’s rather positive responses, Nam Hyun decided to be advance hastily with the offer.

“Player Gun, I’ll be very straight forward here. Would you be interested in continuing your career with us, AT telecom, at all?”

Gun lowered his tone and replied.

“I will surely never forget the grace and care you’ve shared with me in a number of different occasions. I will never forget it. But, my heart still belongs in the major league”

Nam Hyun was almost expecting to hear this instant rejection. But as the scout leader, he could not back down here.

“Player Gun, please do not take any offence in what I am about to say. I mean no disrespect. But let’s get real. Next year, you are turning 26. How long are you going to stay in the minor league, getting paid petty sum? You need to think about your family too.”

Instead of frowning, Gun let out a small smirk.

“It’s because of that age that I cannot give up the major league”

“because of the age? What do you mean? If you let your 20s pa.s.s like this, you won’t get another opportunity in your 30s. Take this as your last chance.”

Gun returned a question back at Nam Hyun,

“What would happen if I join the national professional major league? Will I even get a chance of becoming an FA (free agent)?”

In the professional baseball league, the requirement of an FA was 9 seasons of career.

Even if Gun started right away next year, he could only get his FA qualification when he is 35.

Nam Hyun could not say anything else.

‘he’s absolutely right… there’s nothing else I can do about this’

After re-organising his thoughts, Nam Hyun continued the conversation.

“Player Gun, this isn’t all about becoming a FA. You need to think of your career. If you come back to the national league in your 30s, no team will accept you. But right now as of this moment, the story is entirely different. You can easily get six-digit salaries and contract deals. It helps the family RIGHT NOW. Do you understand?”

How would Gun not know that?

However, the fear of failure was not going to stop his dream journey towards the major league.

As if testing the waters, Gun asked Nam Hyun,

“if I was to stay in Korea, how much would the down payment be?”

It was a question out of pure curiosity.

Gulp.

Nam Hyun let down a dry gulp.

This was the difficult part. Money.

“I can give you $300,000 in cash”

$300,000 was not a small sum. It was what an average businessman with the average salary of $30,000 could make in 10 years.

But it wasn’t a sum big enough to weigh down Gun’s dream of the major league.

“….”

“Player Gun, $300,000 is not a small amount. It’s an amount offered to only 1st round draft picks”

Gun dropped his head.

“that’d be tough”

Nam Hyun offered his maximum amount.

“I will give you $350,000. I will also think of clearing away the tax.”

It was true that Gun’s been facing a financial downfall in the recent days, but it wasn’t so critical that he needed urgent cash.

Gun proposed a higher agreement as a means to reject Nam Hyun’s offer.

“I’m not saying this because I play for money. I’m sure you are already aware, but professional players have a high sense of pride. I would have to get at least as much as Player Woo Chul Park who returned to Korea from the major league 5 years ago”

Woo Chul Park had 7 wins as a left handed pitcher in the major league and when he returned to the national league, he was offered a down payment of $800,000”

‘a player who hasn’t even entered the major league is offering such an amount… this negotiation is over”

However, Nam Hyun already knew before that $350,000 would not be enough.

“Player Gun, I will go back and have a talk with the chief leader”

“Can I add one last thing?”

Nam Hyun raised his eyebrows.

“yes?”

“In December, Arizona, there will be a show case. If I still haven’t found a decent team by then…”

“then you’d come back?”

“I’d presume so”

Nam Hyun’s face brightened.

“okay. If you do ever return to the national league, then I may be able to give you an offer at around half, if not higher, of Woo Chul Park’s contract”  

Park’s down payment was $800,000, so half of that is $400,000. This meant that Nam Hyun is promising a contract worth around $450,000 – $500,000.

However, it still didn’t change the fact that a contract with AT telecom was towards the more undesirable options in Gun’s mind.

His goal was the major league, and in order to achieve that, he was willing to accept AAA or AA contracts.

However, if he failed to acquire a AA contract, then he would be left with no other option but to return to the national league.

Gun’s age didn’t allow him to partic.i.p.ate in the rookie or A league.

He let out a deep sigh as he exited the café.

‘hmph… am I getting old? Back in the days, I would’ve rejected meetings like this upfront. I was so determined to avenge Thompson, filled with pa.s.sion. But here I am now, considering a national league debut….’

Unlike the old days, Gun was thinking to himself that he was making compromises with the world, and his dream.