A Rookie in the Baseball Team is Too Good

Chapter 2: The Coach from Qingdao (1)

The next afternoon.

Kim Ji-seop headed to the amateur baseball training center that his older brother had introduced him to.

Located in the basement of a building in Gangnam, Seoul was **[Superstar Baseball].**

He vaguely remembered that the Director of this training center, Oh Su-man, had been a military buddy of his brother.

“Hmm.”

The interview took place in the ‘consultation room’ of **[Superstar Baseball].**

It was a space where the usual musty smell of a building’s basement had been subdued by large amounts of Febreze.

Just as the overwhelming scent of Febreze started giving Ji-seop a slight headache, the Director, Oh Su-man, finally spoke.

“Wow, Mr. Kim Ji-seop… You’ve been on quite an adventure, haven’t you? Quite the baseball adventure?”

That was the first thing Oh Su-man said after reviewing Ji-seop’s resume.

“Japan and the United States, I get it… but what’s this, the Qingdao Elephants?”

Director Oh tilted his head in confusion.

“Wait, they have baseball in China?”

“Yes, it’s not fully professional yet… but there’s a semi-professional league.”

In fact, Ji-seop had prepared an answer for this very question.

The level of the league might not be great, but there were at least one or two players on each team who had studied baseball in the U.S., or he could mention that a few fairly well-known KBO players were working as playing coaches in the Chinese league.

However, it seemed that such preparations were unnecessary.

“Well, whatever… as long as you played baseball. Does it really matter where?”

And then he added.

“The past doesn’t really matter, right? What’s important is that we’re here together now, and the time we’ll spend together moving forward.”

At that moment, Ji-seop was certain that the Director of this training center was very close to his older brother, Kim Ji-chang.

‘That overly positive attitude… just like someone I know.’

When his brother Kim Ji-chang had once lost 30 million won in coin investments, he had made a similar comment.

Of course, shortly after, he was thoroughly beaten with a broom by Inspector Kim, who was then the head of the Major Crimes Unit at Geumcheon Police Station in Seoul.

As they say, birds of a feather flock together… while Ji-seop was thinking this, Director Oh spoke again.

“If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t hesitate to hire you since you’re Ji-chang’s younger brother… but we have certain rules here.”

Ji-seop was a bit surprised to hear that this training center had ‘rules,’ but he nodded anyway.

“I’ll ask you a simple question. Your answer will determine whether or not you’re hired.”

“Yes, please go ahead.”

“First, I should say this. Deciding to move into an amateur baseball training center right after retiring was a really good choice.”

There are a lot of opportunities here.

Director Oh continued.

“In the past, if ten rich guys played sports, all ten would play golf, but these days, some of them play baseball instead.”

“Ah.”

Ji-seop had heard this before.

“If you keep working in this field, you might land some personal training gigs… or if you’re lucky, you might even get hired as a mercenary to play in baseball games between rich folks.”

“A mercenary?”

“Yes, a mercenary. For positions like shortstop, catcher, or sometimes pitcher. These are positions where if a smart player doesn’t fill in, the game itself won’t function, right? So former players go in, get paid, and fill those spots. It’s quite profitable.”

“Oh, I see.”

This was new information for Ji-seop.

“But here’s where the problem starts.”

Director Oh’s expression grew serious.

“Because this field is profitable… competition is getting fiercer every day.”

“That makes sense.”

“There are more than a few training centers in this area. Just recently, a guy who was considered a legend in the KBO opened a training center… so those of us who aren’t former players but just have money are finding it harder and harder.”

“Now, here’s my question.”

Director Oh’s eyes sparkled.

“In this situation, where the amateur baseball training center industry is becoming more of a red ocean, what management strategy do you think our **[Superstar Baseball]** should use?”

“Ma-management strategy?”

At that moment, Ji-seop was honestly a bit flustered.

Management and strategy.

These were words that had never once crossed Ji-seop’s mind in his 32 years of life.

“……”

But he couldn’t stay flustered for long.

After all, Ji-seop had a special ability that others couldn’t even imagine.

By simply gazing intently into someone’s eyes, he could read their inner thoughts.

“Hmm.”

Ji-seop gazed intently into Director Oh’s eyes.

And then, one by one, he began to speak the thoughts that came to him.

“There are various methods, but I think the most effective one for this training center would be to lower the tuition fees first.”

“Oh?”

Director Oh looked slightly surprised.

“Why is that?”

“There are many companies around here. Most of the clients who come to this training center are 30 to 40-year-old office workers… given that they attend with the meager allowance they get from their wives, it’s only natural that they’d be sensitive to the price, don’t you think?”

“Good, very good.”

Director Oh gave a thumbs-up.

But it seemed that wasn’t enough for him, as he posed another question.

“But wouldn’t that be like cutting off your nose to spite your face? You can’t just keep lowering the tuition fees indefinitely, can you?”

“Well… there’s a way.”

‘You’re telling me right now.’

A slight smile appeared on Ji-seop’s lips.

“The losses from lowering the tuition fees can be compensated by… let’s see.”

Ji-seop shifted his gaze to the walls of the **[Superstar Baseball]** consultation room.

Lined with baseball gear, enough to rival any sports shop.

“I think we can make up for it by selling those baseball goods to the members. Of course, the focus should be on items that can generate the highest profit margin…”

Ji-seop continued.

“What do you think about gloves?”

“Heh… hah, ha-ha-ha!”

At that moment, Director Oh’s expression was almost like that of Liu Bei when he first met Zhuge Liang.

He clapped his hands, gave a double thumbs-up, and leaned back, absolutely thrilled.

After a while, when he had calmed down, Director Oh spoke again.

“Kim Ji-seop… are you really Ji-chang’s brother? Are you biological brothers?”

This doesn’t make sense.

Director Oh tilted his head in disbelief.

“How could that idiot Ji-chang have such a sharp-witted brother?!”

“Hahaha.”

I hear that a lot.

* * *

Once Director Oh’s joyous laughter had died down, Ji-seop finished signing the contract.

‘So, I’ll be a coach at an amateur baseball academy, **[Superstar Baseball].’**

The salary was just above the minimum wage.

Still, the four major insurances were covered, transportation and meal allowances were provided, and necessary baseball equipment would be supplied while coaching.

Most importantly, if I sold gloves at the training center, I’d get 50% of the profit margin.

‘If I work hard for just one year… yes, if I work hard for exactly one year, I should be able to start my poker career without asking my father for help.’

After signing the contract, Ji-seop was introduced to the other coaches at **[Superstar Baseball].**

After the introductions, he observed them coaching the members in his capacity as an ‘apprentice coach.’

And after a long day, when he returned home and was having a late dinner of instant noodles and a triangular kimbap,

“Hey, Kim Ji-seop, are you back?”

His older brother Kim Ji-chang, who had just returned from helping their parents at the store, poked his head into Ji-seop’s room.

“Yeah, just a little while ago.”

Slurping up the noodles, Ji-seop answered.

“Did you meet Su-man hyung?”

“Yeah.”

“What did he say? Did he hire you? He didn’t tell you to get lost because you’re from Qingdao, did he?”

“Ugh, what are you talking about?”

Normally, Ji-seop would have thrown a baseball at his brother’s annoying face, but he decided to hold back since it was a special day.

After all, it was true that he had found a job thanks to his brother’s introduction.

“I start work tomorrow. From 2 PM to 11 PM. Maybe even later.”

“Wow, that’s rough.”

“What choice do I have? I have to work hard. If I want to save money quickly and get to the States.”

“Yeah, that’s the way to go. Anyway, good job, you punk.”

Kim Ji-chang gave his younger brother’s shoulder a light tap and was about to leave the room when he noticed something on Ji-seop’s bed and stopped in his tracks.

“Hey, Kim Ji-seop.”

His voice trembled slightly.

“W-what’s this?”

“Hmm?”

Ji-seop turned his head while taking a bite of his kimbap.

Seeing what his brother was pointing at, he spoke nonchalantly.

“Can’t you tell by looking? It’s a glove.”

“I know that. But this… this isn’t just any glove, is it?”

Although he had never played baseball himself, thanks to his baseball player brother, Ji-chang was an expert on baseball gear.

After years of exposure to baseball equipment, the glove lying casually on his brother’s bed…

“Isn’t this a Tabota Slugger? And not just any, it’s the 2023 Nakamura Hideo Limited Edition?! I’ve never seen one in person before.”

Eyes wide with surprise, Kim Ji-chang rushed over to the bed.

But Ji-seop raised a leg to block his brother.

“Ah, don’t touch it. I’m still breaking it in.”

“Breaking it in? This? You?”

Ji-chang blinked, trying to make sense of the situation.

And then, as if something clicked, he suddenly raised his hand and smacked his brother on the back.

“You’re crazy, you’re really crazy, you brat!”

“Ow, have you lost it? Why are you hitting me?”

“Do I look like I wouldn’t hit you? Does it seem like I wouldn’t?”

Their mother shouted from outside, “Are you two fighting again?!” but Ji-chang didn’t lower his voice.

“Hey, you’re not a professional player anymore! You’re an amateur baseball coach now! What kind of amateur baseball coach uses a limited-edition glove that costs a million won?! Where did you get this? Tell me quickly. We need to return it immediately.”

Though Ji-chang was making a fuss, Ji-seop remained completely calm.

“What am I going to do with my brother?”

“What?”

“Think before you act, hyung. Even when I was playing professionally, I used a 300,000-won B2000 glove. Now you think I’d start using a Tabota? Does that make sense?”

“……Oh?”

Yeah, that does make sense.

Ji-chang blinked.

“Then what is it? Why do you have this Tabota? Did a younger player ask you to hold on to it?”

“What are you talking about? Pros don’t use gloves like these. Gloves are consumables anyway, who would be crazy enough to spend a fortune on them? This is…”

Ji-seop picked up the ‘Tabota’ glove.

Staring at the glove, which still smelled of fresh leather, he continued.

“It’s for sale.”

“What?”

“For the suckers who come to the training center… I’m thinking of selling it for around 1.5 million won.”

“One… one point five million?”

Are you out of your mind?

Kim Ji-chang snorted.

“Even if it’s a limited-edition Tabota, it wouldn’t go that high. With coupons online, you could probably get it for under 950,000 won… who would buy this for 1.5 million?”

“Hyung, want to make a bet?”

A sly smile tugged at the corner of Ji-seop’s mouth.

“Whether I can sell this for 1.5 million or not?”