Baseball: A Two-Way Player-Chapter 633 - 4: In-Depth Negotiations (Part 1)
"Tom, Lin's agent has sent a message—we've been granted the first face-to-face meeting with the player himself!"
In the restaurant of a star-rated hotel in Tokyo, Seattle Mariners' head coach Scott Servais waved the phone in his hand excitedly towards Tom Allison sitting opposite him, the electronic screen clearly displaying the message from Nomura Katsuhiko.
Seeing the situation, a hint of happiness appeared on Allison's face, "It seems our early arrival in Japan was effective, at least helping us temporarily take a half-step lead over other teams."
However, after the brief excitement, the two returned to a more troubled state:
Even though being first permitted to communicate with the player team is a good thing, it also cost them the chance to gather information and test the waters; this means that unlike other teams, the Mariners have only one opportunity to present their conditions and prospects.
To be safe, Servais and Allison decided that at the very start of the meeting, they would offer everything they have, showcasing their full sincerity!
The next morning at 9 a.m., the bidding meeting to decide Lin Guanglai's future officially began.
The venue for the negotiations was already surrounded by journalists and media from all over the world; amidst the constant flashing of cameras and the sound of lenses, Scott Servais and Tom Allison, along with the Japanese player currently playing for the Mariners, Iwakuma Hisashi entered the building where the negotiation would take place.
"Lin, long time no see! Seeing your excellent performance in Japan, I'm genuinely happy for you; this also proves my judgment back then wasn't wrong—you were born to play in the majors!"
Almost as soon as they walked into the meeting room, Tom Allison began to praise Lin Guanglai's performance over the past few seasons, trying to use past friendships to close the distance between the two sides.
"I'm also very pleased to see you, Mr. Allison; thank you for your appreciation back then; I'm equally pleased to have the opportunity to discuss with the Mariners." Lin Guanglai greeted the opponent with a smile, with an attitude that wasn't cold but not overly enthusiastic either—after all, compared to four years ago when he was merely considered a "potential stock" as a high school student, now being "Japan's number one" means he is the one choosing the team, not the other way around.
Aware that the negotiation power lies with the player, Seattle Mariners representatives did not waste time, swiftly taking out their prepared PPT and materials from their briefcases, handing them to Lin Guanglai and Nomura Katsuhiko, then began their presentations.
"Lin, since the beginning of this century, the Seattle Mariners have been deeply invested in Japan's baseball market. We have brought players like Sasaki Juzo, Ichiro, and Shiroyama Kenshi to the United States, helping them grow into world-class players—in terms of nurturing Japanese players and assisting them to adapt to the intensity of Major League Baseball, the Mariners claim second place, no team in the majors dare to claim first."
"Seattle is a beautiful city with a large, vibrant Asian community—believe me, Lin, on game days, every community in Seattle will be your support, we will arrange everything for you, allowing you and your team and family to live comfortably, so you can focus on baseball without having to spend effort integrating into the culture, Seattle will let you unleash your full potential!"
Following Allison's words, as the head coach of the Seattle Mariners, Servais also showed Lin Guanglai the team's future plans and his personal commitment to Lin Guanglai.
"Lin, I know many teams pursuing you enter the playoffs every year, even directly contending for championships, but have you ever thought that playing for these powerhouse teams means you will face pressure from upper management, fans, and the media on a daily basis, sometimes a single loss could lead them to completely undervalue you."
"Our Mariners may indeed be lacking somewhat in strength, but the environment and atmosphere here are absolutely most conducive to your development, here you can freely showcase your talents on both offense and defense. I assure you as coach that if you join the Mariners, you will immediately become our number one starter and batting lineup core, we will let you play as designated hitter and devise a detailed scientific rotation plan to ensure your health while maximizing your impact!"
"We know, many prestigious and historically successful teams are pursuing you: Yankees have 27 championships, Dodgers have 6, Giants have 3, while our Mariners have none... Lin, you led SoftBank to achieve a three-peat feat in Japan, we also believe you are the chosen one who can lead the Mariners to break the curse and touch the championship trophy! I promise you that once you join Seattle, the management will work with your team to quickly start rebuilding, and you will be our absolute core and the face of the team!" 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎
"Seattle's fans long for a hero, and Lin, you are the one we have been waiting for—becoming the number one legend of a great team is far more challenging and exciting than joining a team full of trophies and legendary players, isn't it?"
After the two management personnel finished speaking, Iwakuma Hisashi, who had been serving as a translator by their side, also began his persuasion as a player:
