“I’ve prepared 1.5 billion won as a signing bonus. As you know, it’s the highest amount ever for a rookie.”
The next day, the Oceans’ general manager confidently stated.
It is indeed the highest signing bonus in history. It’s an amount that adds 500 million won to the previous record of 1 billion won.
From their perspective, it may seem like a big sum, but to be honest, I think Oceans is still getting a good deal.
I succeeded in the Major Leagues as a two-way player.
I won the Cy Young Award as a starting pitcher and the Mariano Rivera Award as a closer.
Midway through my career, I stopped pitching due to an injury and focused on hitting, and combining my time as a two-way player, I won the MLB MVP a total of three times.
As I got older, I mostly played corner outfield, first base, or as a designated hitter, but I was basically capable of playing any position.
Come to think of it, playing in Korea...
I can already hear the league exploding.
“And regarding the SMC you mentioned earlier...”
The general manager cleared his throat and began to speak.
SMC. Sports Motion Chaser.
It was a machine I used very effectively during my Major League days to maintain and adjust my batting and pitching form.
I had requested it because I wanted to use that equipment personally.
It would be nice if they could provide it, but I thought I’d just buy it with the signing bonus if they couldn’t.
“We looked into the product from RayPak that you mentioned.”
“Yes.”
It sounded like they were about to say they couldn’t provide the SMC, but it seemed like he wanted to take some credit. He’s the type whose emotions are easy to read.
“Well, we strongly requested it from the higher-ups, but...”
The general manager glanced at me.
To be honest, it was just something I threw out there. If they didn’t provide it, I was planning to buy it with my signing bonus, anyway.
“I think we can provide it on a long-term lease free of charge. To be honest, it’s a very expensive product, so... haha. I had to pester them quite a bit, but this is the best we could do.”
I hadn’t expected much, but if they were offering to lease it or whatever, I’d take it.
The general manager had a look on his face like he was waiting for praise.
“Even a lease is fine. Thank you for your consideration.”
There weren’t any other complicated matters regarding the contract.
Anyway, as a rookie, I would just take the salary they offered, and there was no room to negotiate things like options.
However, the general manager did ask me to keep one thing in mind.
“I would like you to keep the details of the contract confidential. Not just the terms, but the fact that we even made one.”
He had an expression like he was trying to hide his excitement. He probably wanted to pull a fast one on the other teams.
Since I had declared my intent to join the Major Leagues but hadn’t officially withdrawn it yet, the moment Oceans picked me, other teams’ draft strategies would fall apart.
“It’s a kind of... well, strategy. So I hope you can understand.”
He might get some flak from other teams, but that wasn’t my problem.
He was known as a gullible general manager, so who knows how things would turn out?
“Let’s just say this is the condition for the free equipment lease.”
“Hmm. That wasn’t my intention, but if that’s how you want to think of it, that’s fine.”
The general manager answered, barely able to hide his smile.
There’s nothing more expensive than something free. If I could pay off a debt just by staying quiet, it would be a win for me.
“You’ve made the right decision to stay in Korea. And... um. How should I put this, haha. I hope you won’t suddenly change your mind. This is... a bit awkward for me, haha.”
“Don’t worry.”
He seemed a bit nervous.
Since it was only a verbal agreement, if I suddenly changed my mind and decided to go to the Major Leagues after the draft, the Oceans would lose their first overall pick.
“Oh, and there’s something else I need to tell you.”
“Yes. Go ahead.”
“I don’t plan on continuing as a two-way player.”
“Pardon?”
“Huh?”
“What?”
“I want to focus solely on hitting.”
Both my parents and the general manager were shocked simultaneously.
I had been going around saying that I would continue as a two-way player even in the Major Leagues, and honestly, if I were to do it again now, I was confident I’d do even better than before.
So why was I now declaring that I wouldn’t continue as a two-way player?
“This is a bit sudden. May I ask why?”
It’s because of the conversation I had with Yuri earlier.
* * *
“A wish?”
Yuri responded to my words with a puzzled expression.
I spoke as shamelessly as possible.
“Didn’t you say I have to grant you three wishes if you let me off just once?”
Judging by her confused expression, it seemed like she had said it casually, without much thought.
“Oh, yeah, right. I did. So, you’re asking for three wishes? Huh, right.”
I’m not sure if the three circles on the ring actually represent three wishes. I have no idea what would happen if those three wishes weren’t granted either. Honestly, even the fact that I’ve come back to the past is completely absurd.
But if I think about it, three wishes aren’t that big of a deal.
And I didn’t think she’d ask for something totally outlandish.
“Don’t you have any?”
“Well... since you’re bringing it up all of a sudden...”
Even so, she fell into serious thought.
Then, as if something came to mind, she opened her eyes wide for a moment, suppressed her smile, and then half-closed her eyes as she spoke.
“Are you really not going to the Major Leagues?”
“Yeah. Why, is going to the Major Leagues your wish?”
“No!”
“Then I’m not going.”
“If I told you to go, would you?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow. Where’s the Kang Geon-woo who never listened to anything I said? Hey, where did you hide our Geon-woo?”
She grabbed me by the collar, glaring at me while shaking me, so I just smiled. Yuri stared at me intently for a long time, then ended up laughing with me.
“Well. Actually, if you don’t go, I’m happy.”
“Does that mean your wish is for me not to go?”
“As if. You think you can get by without working for it?”
Yuri wrinkled her nose and opened her mouth again.
“The first wish is...”
“The first wish is?”
“For our Geon-woo to get drafted by the Oceans!”
Unless the Oceans have lost their minds, there’s no way they wouldn’t draft me after I said I’m staying in Korea.
Why else would they keep coming to my house every day?
“Okay. The Oceans. Got it.”
“Really?”
“Of course. What’s next?”
“Hmm... hitting a walk-off home run* in the final game of the Korean Series?” (T/N: A walk-off home run happens when a player hits a home run in the last inning of the game, and it immediately wins the game for the home team. The game ends right after the hit because the home team now has more runs than the visiting team, so everyone can “walk off” the field.)
“A walk-off home run?”
--- [Read only at https://wyrdtranslations.blogspot.com/] ---
As confident as I am, expecting something like that in a specific game is a bit much.
“Is it a bit difficult? Just make it so we win then.”
“That much is easy. Just watch. I’ll turn 10 chances into 1 chance.”
“Ooh, Kang Geon-woo, full of confidence. And for the rest, um, how about staying injury-free and having a healthy career as an athlete?”
“Huh?”
Staying injury-free and having a healthy career?
“Yeah, why?”
She asked back nonchalantly, but that’s something that’s pretty much impossible for a professional athlete.
There’s no one who can stay completely injury-free. Absolutely no one.
“That’s impossible.”
“Then is the second thing possible?”
“Did you say that thinking the Oceans wouldn’t make it to the Korean Series?”
“The Oceans are a lost cause as a team, so no.”
“No, they might make it, but the third thing is impossible.”
“Well... it’s not like it has to happen, it’s just a wish...”
“Don’t you have anything more realistic?”
“Ugh, I don’t know. Just don’t get hurt.”
Yuri, who’s ruled by her moods, smiles brightly one moment and snaps the next.
There was a time when that used to stress me out.
Is this what they call ‘rose-colored glasses’? Even that seems cute now.
“Isn’t it okay for at least one season?”
“What? So you’re saying you’ll start getting hurt from the second season?”
“That’s not it. People need goals. Stay healthy for one season, and then set a new goal for the next season. How’s that?”
Honestly, by this point, I thought Yuri would nod her head.
I thought it was reasonable, at least in my own way.
However, Yuri responded with a frown.
“What are you talking about?”
I proposed a negotiation.
“…Two seasons?”
“Do you think baseball is a one-day thing?”
“No, there could be unexpected injuries…”
The negotiation fell through, and my future wife gave me an ultimatum.
“Fine. You could get hurt, that’s understandable. I’ll make a big concession. You can get injured, but no injuries or surgeries that would put you out for the season.”
“…Until when?”
“Until you retire.”
“No, think about it. Wouldn’t it be fine if we limit it to just until free agency?”
“What?”
“Once you make a big deal, you can relax a bit and take it easy, right? Don’t you think?”
Yuri burst out laughing, finding my words amusing, and after laughing for a while, she answered.
“Okay, I’ll give you that.”
This is exactly why I said I wouldn’t be a pitcher.
Maybe I could handle the bullpen occasionally, but I have no intention of being a starting pitcher.
During my Major League days, I stopped pitching due to an elbow injury.
It’s tough to manage both pitching and hitting. The muscles used for pitching and hitting are different, and maintaining a pitching routine while playing a full season as a hitter is no easy task.
There comes a time when it physically drains you more than other players. When that happens, both sides start to crumble.
So, I trained ridiculously hard.
Well, I believed I could do both, and I actually succeeded in doing both well.
But my career high as a hitter came after I quit pitching. Even hitting over 40 home runs happened after that.
Anyway.
Let’s return to the present.
When I said I wanted to focus solely on being a hitter, Oceans’ general manager spoke cautiously.
“To be honest, I’d still like to test you out as a pitcher. How about we don’t make a decision now, and let you choose between pitching and hitting during spring camp?”
In the WBSC finals, where I pitched a complete game shutout, I had also hit two home runs.
From the Oceans’ perspective, it might be hard to give up on one of the potentials of a 1.5 billion won prospect.
“If part of the 1.5 billion signing bonus includes my pitching ability, I’d be fine with only receiving the portion as a hitter.”
At my firm response, GM Park Joon-gi pondered for a moment with a serious expression.
Then, after a brief pause, he spoke.
“If that’s really how you feel…”
* * *
“Why is he acting like this? He’s like a completely different person from a few days ago.”
As soon as GM Park Joon-gi left Kang Geon-woo’s apartment, he grumbled to himself, lighting a cigarette.
The 1.5 billion won bet was based on both his pitching and hitting abilities. He was regarded as having the best talent as both a pitcher and a hitter in history.
On top of that, his recognition from the WBSC tournament, his solid build, and decent looks contributed to his star potential.
But most importantly, the chairman of the parent company had ordered him to sign Kang Geon-woo at all costs.
The daily visits, as if clinging to the other’s pant leg, were because of that.
“Well, still…”
In modern baseball, excelling at both pitching and hitting was nearly impossible.
In conclusion, the GM told Kang Geon-woo that he would still give him the full signing bonus.
If he performed well both as a pitcher and hitter after joining the pros, that would be ideal.
However, if the player was truly set on focusing on hitting, they would simply announce after spring camp that he would concentrate on hitting rather than pitching. If the coaching staff wanted to develop him as a pitcher or a two-way player, that would be up to them.
The plan was simply to convey the player’s wishes to the manager.
The mission as the general manager was complete.
“Heh heh.”
Park Joon-gi laughed lowly as he stomped out his cigarette, as if he had never complained in the first place.
Either way, this would allow him to stick it to the other general managers.
The other teams had probably already drafted their strategies or were in the middle of doing so.
It was no secret that if the Oceans failed to recruit Kang Geon-woo, they would pick Yoo Byeong-seong instead.
But now that they had decided to sign Kang Geon-woo, it could become a move that would completely disrupt the strategies of the other teams on draft day.
Daejeon Meteors, who were to pick their player right after the Oceans, would now have to decide whether to stick to their original plan or go for Yoo Byeong-seong. Whether they adjust their plan or not, the confusion might trigger a chain reaction.
“I can already picture the looks on the other general managers’ faces…”
1.5 billion won?
It’s not like it was his own money, anyway.
Hiding his expression as best he could, Park Joon-gi headed for his car. He had finally found a way to strike back at the other general managers who had treated him like a fool.
For him, that alone was enough.
In truth, however, the sense of relief from having somehow carried out the chairman’s orders was even greater.
