The Extra in a Baseball Novel

Chapter 49

The Phoenix team’s owner sat on the sofa, and the general manager approached to sit across from him.

The general manager had beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead, looking tense.

It wasn’t usually something to be nervous about when the team owner summoned him, but today, Phoenix had just lost their 10th consecutive game.

And it was with an absurd score of 24:0.

“Did you watch today’s game?”

The owner’s words made the general manager flinch, and he struggled to respond.

“Yes… I did.”

“Should I laugh or cry after watching that game?”

The general manager wanted to cry too.

“Do you know what the fans are saying about us this season?”

The general manager couldn’t bring himself to speak. He could already imagine the unutterable profanities.

“Well… insults are expected… but they’re saying that if it weren’t for Lee Seungtae, they would have set Sajik Stadium on fire. They say the rookie is the only decent player. Does that sound right? Huh? They’re calling me senile, saying I forget and waste money like an idiot while we’re always in last place.”

“…I have no excuse.”

“Enough. Sigh… It’s not all your fault. From what I see, this team is just cursed. Cursed to never play good baseball… But… we still need to try to break the curse, don’t we? General manager, it seems it’s time to make some decisions.”

In other words, he needed to change the coaching staff, fire the manager, or do something.

“Yes. I’ve been looking for a new manager.”

“Good. That’s the right approach. Tell me if you’ve got anyone in mind.”

“I’m leaning towards Kim Jichan—”

“Forget it.”

“Excuse me…?”

“Did you hear what Lee Eun-seok said?”

Lee Eun-seok is a legendary manager in Korean baseball, having led the Incheon Dragons to three consecutive championships.

The general manager had seen the interview in which Lee Eun-seok, who had announced his retirement right after his illustrious career, stated that he was considering returning next season.

“Yes, I saw it yesterday.”

“Right… I’m sure teams at the bottom like us are going to scramble for him. So, go ahead and bring him in before they do.”

The general manager’s mind went blank for a moment.

‘Is that even possible…?’

Why would such a renowned manager come to Phoenix, a team stuck in last place and known as the “graveyard of managers”? Besides, this man was someone who had valued his career so highly that he had retired even after being offered the highest manager salary.

“Can you do it?”

“Yes, of course!”

Of course… there was no option to refuse. Whether it was possible or not, he had to make it happen.

The general manager had a gut feeling. If he didn’t produce results soon, his career as a general manager would be over.

“Oh, and it should go without saying, but just in case you’ve forgotten…”

The owner spoke with a very serious expression.

“If Cha Taehyun goes to the Major League… I might join the fans in setting Sajik Stadium on fire… with you hanging there…”

The general manager awkwardly laughed at the grim joke and replied.

“Hahaha… Of course. I will definitely bring in Cha Taehyun!”

Sometimes, there are things you have to do even when you know they’re impossible.

For the general manager, this was one of those moments, sitting across from Lee Eun-seok.

“Well… you didn’t really call me here just to have a drink, did you? Shall we get to the point?”

“Uh…?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know. You came to ask me to manage Phoenix, didn’t you?”

“Yes… that’s right.”

Lee Eun-seok chuckled and said.

“Do you know?”

“Know what, sir?”

“I’m originally from Busan. I’ve lived here my whole life. I only left briefly when I was managing, but I still live here now. I love this city. So, which baseball team do you think I support?”

The corners of the general manager’s mouth twitched.

‘No way?’

“Of course, it’s Phoenix. I’ve never once stopped supporting Phoenix, even when I was managing the Dragons.”

“Then why have you refused the manager position until now?”

“Because even as a fan, it’s maddening. And you want me to manage them? That’s like telling me to die.”

The general manager nodded subconsciously; it was too relatable.

“Anyway… I never intended to manage Phoenix, but this time, I’m feeling inclined.”

The general manager’s eyes widened at the unexpected hopeful news.

“Does that mean…?”

“Cha Taehyun… he’s a real gem. His mindset is excellent, and his talent is outstanding. It’s been a while since I found a player I like this much. Bring in Cha Taehyun for sure. Then I’ll consider taking the manager position at Phoenix.”

‘It’s Cha Taehyun again?’

The general manager felt like his insides were burning. Recalling Lee Seungtae’s interview last year, where he said, “Cha Taehyun asked me to win together,” it was likely that Cha would join Phoenix, but it wasn’t guaranteed.

Officially, Cha Taehyun hadn’t declared his intentions, and considering his performance, joining the Major League seemed more probable.

Moreover, rumors were circulating that several Major League teams had already offered Cha Taehyun over $3 million…

“Hmm… You’re hesitating. Not confident?”

“No, not at all! I will definitely bring him in.”

Regardless, the general manager had no option to say otherwise.

‘Alright… this might actually work out for the best.’

If he couldn’t convince Cha Taehyun, he might end up tied to a burning Sajik Stadium. But if he succeeded, he could also bring in Manager Lee Eun-seok.

‘I’ll do whatever it takes to bring Cha Taehyun in!’

The only way for him to survive was to pull this off.

After finishing the meal, the general manager immediately contacted his subordinate.

“Hey, Chanbin. We need to revise our plan. This might sound a bit crazy, but… I’m thinking of investing 2 billion won in Cha Taehyun.”

– “What? Did I hear that right? 2 billion for a rookie?”

“Yeah. Considering the offers from the Major League, we need at least that much to stand a chance.”

– “But even then, 2 billion could mess up our budget for signing FA players…”

“Well… I’ll have to beg the owner to make it work.”

– “But, sir, even so, this is—”

The general manager hung up immediately.

By now, his mind was solely focused on one thing: ‘Sign Cha Taehyun!’

I remember when I was about to join the pros, the general manager of the Busan team came to me and persistently pleaded.

Can a mere player hold more leverage than an entire team? If you’ve dominated the league like I did, then yes. For teams at the bottom, talented rookies are desperately needed.

Phoenix is no different. They finished last place two years in a row, and it’s almost certain they’ll end up there again this year. People are even saying they’re reliving their “password” days.

In this situation, if I decide to go to the Major League? Hmm… something might actually happen to Sajik Stadium.

Anyway, I had no intention of getting ripped off by the general manager today, considering this is practically my second life.

I’m going to join Phoenix, but I don’t like getting the short end of the stick.

The highest rookie signing amount so far has been 1 billion won, right?

It might be a stretch, but I’m thinking of asking for double that—2 billion.

Okay, it’s quite a stretch, but I think I deserve it.

Wasn’t I the player who won both Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young MVP in my Major League debut season?

Yes, I should get 2 billion. No matter what, I’ll get more than that.

“How about 2 billion?”

“What?”

For a moment, I thought I had spoken out loud, but it was actually the general manager who had said it.

“As you know, it’s twice the highest rookie signing amount, which is 1 billion. We believe this is the best offer Phoenix can show.”

“Oh…”

I hesitated briefly in surprise, and perhaps interpreting my reaction as reluctance, the general manager suddenly grabbed my hand.

“…This is truly the best we can do! Anything higher is just impossible! Please reconsider, Cha Taehyun!”

I had a feeling something was off from the beginning, and now that I saw him up close, his dark circles were hanging down like a panda’s.

Who knows what he’s been through lately.

Anyway… I was just momentarily caught off guard because he offered the exact amount I had in mind. I’m quite satisfied with the deal.

“Yes. I’ll need to go over the detailed contract terms, but for now, I’m satisfied with the signing amount.”

Upon hearing my response, the general manager’s face lit up instantly, and he started to pour out his grievances.

“Th…thank you so much. I know it’s rude to bring up personal matters, but… the owner said he’d hang me from Sajik if I couldn’t bring you in… And the fans keep saying, ‘Just wait’ if I fail to sign you…”

…It

seems this guy has been through a lot.

The draft day, the final gateway for high school players dreaming of joining the pros, had arrived.

If there was something Miyeon loved as much as watching baseball broadcasts, it was watching the draft broadcast.

But today, she wasn’t watching the broadcast from home.

Instead, she was attending the draft in person as Cha Taehyun’s proxy, standing in for his parents.

‘Seeing it in person… the atmosphere is no joke.’

The hall where the draft was to be held was luxurious and elegant, but the atmosphere was heavy.

It felt like being in a college entrance exam room.

As Miyeon cautiously took her seat, she looked around.

The people who seemed to be parents of the players were sitting with their eyes closed and hands clasped together as if in prayer.

Being invited here meant that most would likely be drafted, but there were still cases where players went undrafted.

It was probably the anxiety of that slim chance and the hope that their child’s name would be called as early as possible.

Miyeon clasped her hands and closed her eyes.

‘Please let Taehyun be drafted by Phoenix… He’s worked so hard.’

If someone heard her prayer, they might criticize her for being presumptuous.

But Miyeon was sincerely worried.

Phoenix had lost their starting catcher in free agency, and their backup catchers had been performing poorly, leading to whispers that they might draft a catcher, Lee Yeonghal, who was ready to start immediately.

Of course, no matter how terrible Phoenix’s catcher situation was, and even though Lee Yeonghal had been performing well, any sensible person would draft Cha Taehyun.

But this was Phoenix.

How many times had they shocked their fans with bizarre trades?

There was no telling what kind of crazy move they might make at the draft.

‘I should have just asked Taehyun…’

She had refused to let him tell her to avoid any contract complications, but now she regretted that decision.

Soon, the announcer began the draft, and the general manager of Phoenix, who had finished last place last year, took the microphone.

“Phoenix selects Hyuksan High School’s Cha Taehyun.”

The moment she heard those words, Miyeon relaxed her tension and let a big smile spread across her face.

She wanted to jump up and shout Taehyun’s name, but this was the draft hall.

Instead, she lowered her slightly raised butt back onto her seat and murmured quietly.

“Congratulations, Taehyun.”

Miyeon beamed with happiness as she looked at Cha Taehyun.

And this moment was captured by a camera.

Meanwhile, back at Miyeon’s family home, her family was peacefully watching TV.

Miyeon’s father held the remote, changing the channel since the variety show they had been watching was boring. By chance, the draft broadcast appeared on the screen.

He had been a baseball fan in the past, so he seemed a bit interested, but he was about to press the channel button again.

“Hmm?”

A familiar back caught his eye.

Tilting his head, he lowered the remote and focused on the broadcast. When the camera angle changed, his eyes widened.

“Wait… isn’t that Miyeon?”

Sure enough, his daughter was on the screen.

“It is! It’s Miyeon! But how did she get there? Everyone here looks like they’re parents of students…”

Soon, Cha Taehyun’s profile appeared on the screen. As Miyeon’s father saw the words ‘Hyuksan High School,’ he asked.

“Isn’t Hyuksan High School where our daughter works?”

Miyeon’s mother nodded repeatedly.

Watching their daughter look at Cha Taehyun with an enchanted expression, they were stunned.

Lately, whenever their daughter called, they heard her cooing “Taehyun-ah~ Taehyun-ah~.”

They had been secretly pleased, thinking that the daughter they feared would remain single forever was finally dating.

But…

Could it be that Taehyun was…?

“…Honey, this isn’t what I’m thinking, is it?”

“It can’t be…”

Despite their words, Miyeon’s father hurriedly reached for his phone.

—