Chapter 9 - Live Pitching (3)

    “Gun’s pitch reached 151km?”

    “He also passed 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 . S?a??h th? N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality.

    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 pass 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 participate 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 passion . 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 .