Chapter 35

It was the third week in January when I walked into the offices of the Ginza Dragons. People were working and a pretty lady looked up from the reception desk and asked, “How may I help you?”

“I’m Nick Duke and wanted to talk to the general manager if he’s in.”

“Is he expecting you? Are you a player?”

“I’m sure he was expecting me to stop by at some point. I’m the new owner.”

Her eyes got big and she said, “Let me let him know that you’re here.”

A man in his late thirties or early forties came out and introduced himself as Enji Ogawa. We bowed and shook hands as we introduced ourselves. We went back to his office and sat down. “Nick, I was told that the team was sold to a young American but then we didn’t hear from you so I wasn’t sure what to think or do. So we just kept doing what we were doing.”

“I had to go back to the states for some other business. I wanted to stop by and talk about what your goals and strategy are or will be so that we’re in agreement and those goals match up.”

“We try to win as much as we can with the budget that we have. We have the Dragons and two farm teams for developing players. Last year we won our division and didn’t go any further. Financially, we made a little but have some contracts that are getting near the top of the scale.”

“I have some ideas and I know that sounds scary but hear me out. I think we need to look at each player and their contracts to see if they are the best fit for our roster. I know of two that are making a lot to sit on the bench. If they’re expected to recover and contribute then let’s get them rehabbed and back on the field. If not then let’s get them in here and find a place for them on another team, retired or in the office supporting the team.”

“It may cost us some money.”

“I’m a young guy but also own many businesses. I bought this team with the coins found in my couch cushions. If I’m going to own the team, I want to win. I want the best coaches and the players that will make Ginza proud and fill the bleachers. Division, league and series titles are the goal.”

“That’s nice to hear. It’s a big change from the last owner that wanted to not spend a dime.”

“I don’t plan on cleaning house and starting from scratch but if there are changes that should be made, now is the time to blame everything on the new owner.”

“Do you want to be here when I call in the two all stars that are not playing?”

“Sure. I tend to be a fair guy so it will help me to learn the team and how things work. If I offer something that could get us in trouble, please interrupt and stop me. I tend to sometimes think outside of the box.”

It was just two days later when we were in a conference room with the player, his agent, our team attorney as well as Enji and me. After the introductions I spoke to the player, Hisito and said, “When I bought the team and had some research done there were two bullet points in the column that were negative. Your name was at the top because of the performance we were getting in relation to the salary we were paying. I know that you didn’t plan or expect for this to happen but injuries happen. What do you think would be the best way to move forward with this?”

His agent got a little haughty and said, “We have a contract that you will have to pay.”

“I was talking to your client since it’s he that has to play to get paid. He’s in good enough health to play but not at the level that we need to help the team.”

“You just said that he’s healthy enough to play so you have to pay him.”

“You’re right. I’ve discussed it with our legal team and we all agree that he has two more years on his contract. That also means that we can make him play every day. He’ll be remembered as the guy that had more errors than anyone else on the team for two years, more strikeouts and the lowest on base percentage in the league. I don’t know if that is the legacy that he wants to leave behind and the reason that I was asking him what would make him happy.”

The agent started to talk and Hisito put his hand on his and indicated that he needed to back down. He said, “Mr. Duke. I hear what you are saying. I can use the money but it may be a good idea to understand what my options are.”

“I think you have done well for the team when you could. We’re a big organization. I also have other businesses outside of the Dragons. We could buy out your contract or we could move you to a role as a coach, a public relations person or a scout. We could also look at you to become an analyst in the press booth. I also own other businesses we could set you up in to give you an income. Again, the question is what would make you happy?”

This time the agent stayed quiet and Hisito thought for a minute. “I like the idea of being a coach and helping the younger players. I’ve also come up through the system and can help point them on a good path financially or in how they act off the field. I could be a scout but there are only so many nights in crappy hotels and watching high school baseball a guy can handle. I would be willing to do PR but sitting in an office doesn’t make me happy. I’m too young to retire and sit on my butt.”

Turning to Enji the GM I asked, “Do we have any openings in our coaching roster that needs to be filled?”

“He would be a good batting coach for our top level farm team and could coach either first or third base during the games.”

Hisito was nodding his approval. I followed up by asking Enji, “What does that position pay?”

“Not as much as he was making on the field. Maybe twenty percent of that.”

The room got quiet and everyone looked at me. “Why don’t we pay you one year’s salary in a lump sum and then sign a ten-year deal for you to be a coach. If we’re both happy then it can be renewed. If not then you can quit or we can let you go after five years. How does that sound?” I knew that it would cut into the agent’s money or prolong the payment.

The agent said, “Can we have a few minutes to talk it over?”

As I was standing I said, “You can have a few minutes and up to a week. But, this will probably be my best offer unless you want to change something small. If you think this is some lowball offer and you can squeeze me then you will find I’m a man of my word and think what we offered is more than fair.” With that we left the two alone to talk.

When the door closed I asked, “Do I have an office or a place where I can sit and work when I’m here?”

Enji smiled and they both went with me to the owner’s office. When we all sat down, Enji said, “I think that was both a fair and generous offer. I liked the way you laid out his options. He really has been a boost to the organization in his days.”

The attorney said, “I agree. If we can do the same with the next player we should have enough cash to attract some top talent.”

“When I was back in the states, I was talking to a few people and got some names of people that should be in the majors but aren’t for one reason or another. Some are off field issues and some are like Hisito but have recovered but their name demands too high of a price. I wanted to talk about bringing some over not as a gimmick but to use that to spark more interest in the team.”

“Who were you thinking about?”

“I have some names. I’ll get them to you, and you can have them checked out. Dan Hench is the one name you will probably recognize. He was the star catcher for the Dodgers. I don’t think he would go to Milwaukee or take a huge pay cut to stay in a major market. We may get him to come here. We would just have to put some injury clauses in the contract.”

“I know of Dan. Do you think he can come back?”

“We should fly him over and see if he’s interested in working out for us.”

“The player we’re meeting with tomorrow was our starting catcher before his injury but his injury was in his throwing shoulder and he can’t get the guys out that are trying to steal. He doesn’t have the zip and by the late innings, he struggles with the pain of getting it back to the pitcher.”

There was a knock at the door and the receptionist said, “Hisito and his agent are ready to talk.”

When we were all seated, Hisito said, “I appreciate your offer to keep my honor as I move on. Your offer to keep me as part of the club shows that you value me and my contributions over the years. My agent’s biggest concern is about sponsors and the probable loss of that income.”

Not knowing whom to ask, I said, “Who owns the stadium we play in? What controls do we have?”

The attorney said, “The city owns the stadium and gets revenue on all the parking in the garage next door and half of the concessions during the games. They’re also able to use the stadium for concerts or other events but they still have to split concessions with us.”

“If we put a sports bar and restaurant with access to the public that was open every day and night and called it Hisito’s Dugout, and made him the owner, could we do that?”

“In theory I would say yes but we would have to get them to sign off on not collecting half of the take at least during games and other events.”

I looked at Hisito and he said, “I’d like that. If you can do that, I’ll agree to the terms.”

We all shook on the deal and then the agent said, “I also represent Ichizo and we’ll be here tomorrow. Can we expect the same type of offer?”

“I try to be a fair person. You can prepare him to think about what would make him happy. If we can work something out from there, then we can call it a win for both sides.”

Ichizo was not one that wanted to stay in Tokyo if he didn’t have to. He was from the north and all of his siblings were still there. We offered him a buyout for fifty percent of what he would make sitting on the bench and he countered at seventy-five. We settled at sixty and he was on his way.

Enji took the list that I had for him and made some calls. Three guys from the US were interested enough to accept a first class ticket to fly to Japan to do a workout. Dan Hench the catcher was one of them, Tony Williams the kid from Atlanta and the last one was a pitcher from the Mariners that had Tommy John’s surgery the year before. His name was Trevor Reed.

They were all put up in my building and Mi was there to oversee their care with the help of her girls. They had a day to settle in and would be over at the practice facility the next day. When I went up for dinner there was a table with all three players and both Mizue and Preeda having dinner. Mizue invited me over when she saw me walk in.

She said, “Nick, this is Tony, Trevor and Dan. They’re all baseball players from America. Gentlemen, this is our friend Nick. He lives here in the building.”

“Hello. Welcome to Japan. I hope that you had a good flight.”

Dan said, “It was a good flight. The condos here are nice and the girls are helping us settle in.”

“I think all the ones that work for the rental company give great massages. It helps to relax after a long day or a long flight.”

Tony said, “You look about as Japanese as I do. What brought you over here?”

“I grew up here at the American Embassy. After school, I came back and started to open a few restaurants. I have other businesses now as well. I love the people and the country.”

Trevor asked, “Have you ever seen the Ginza Dragons play?”

“Baseball is very big here in Japan and the games are on TV all the time. I’ve only been to one game live but had a good time.”

“I hear that it’s a popular sport.”

They had already eaten and I was going to grab some food before I went over to play cards. I said goodbye and went to the bar to order some food. The card game was interesting and I was up and down all night. I ended up playing until half past 2am and slept in a little later than usual.

When I arrived at the practice facility, all three guys were in different areas showing their skills. The pitching coach had Trevor warming up and throwing with a catcher. Tony was out in center field catching balls and throwing to wherever the coach told him to. Dan was at the plate hitting batting practice. He was making good contact in my opinion but what do I know about evaluating professional players?

I stayed out of the way with Enji and let the coaches do their thing. They had a speed gun on Trevor and watched his fastball speed drop off almost ten miles per hour over just sixty pitches. Things weren’t looking good for him but they were going to let him rest for a few days and then pitch against live batters to see how his curve, slider and cutter worked in keeping the batters guessing.

Tony had some speed and could cover a lot of ground in the outfield and on the base path he was almost unstoppable. Dan had a solid day hitting and when he got behind the plate to catch for a few batters. He had a cannon for an arm and only one of the people trying to steal on him made it.

They finished up their first day around noon and I went down to see Yuto and see how things in the business world were going. As I walked in he said, “There was a smiley face on the napkin as you once told me.”

“What sparked that?”

“Sona Limited had a big party for their sales team at my restaurant. Their quarterly sales were double expectations and they spent a ton at my steakhouse. I was just about to call our broker.”

“Do you know when they have their quarterly meeting?”

“Not for two months but I looked and they normally announce expectations a month before that. If they do that I expect a bump and then another one a month later.”

Yuto called our guy Nao on speakerphone. When he answered I said, “Nao, it’s Nick and Yuto. I saw a bunch of guys having a big celebration last night at the restaurant I took you to. I know that place isn’t cheap and they had more than a few empty bottles on the table. Can you pull a chart on Sano?”

We waited and he said, “It looks like they hit a resistance line yesterday and were up a few yen today.”

We talked about the options trading three months out and the different strike prices and option prices. I did some calculations and placed three orders. Yuto said, “Place the same orders for me.” After the trades were placed he said, “That was my tip but I ended up paying more for all my trades because you moved the market.”

“Says the guy who made millions in currencies.”

“Says the guy who made billions.”

“Yeah, I think I’ve done enough for today.”

“You never even sat down. Did you need anything?”

“No, I just stopped by to pick up some reports. I can read them at home.”

We had stopped building out restaurants and office spaces in all the buildings we’d bought and weren’t buying at nearly the same rate as we had been. That meant that the income was outpacing the down payments and remodeling cost. With the extra income from just last month, the accounting paid off our lowest cost building. I could see where this could become a trend. It brought a smile to my face.

I went upstairs and the baseball players were having a drink. The girls weren’t with them. I stopped by their table to say hello and ask how their day was. Tony and Dan seemed happy but Trevor said that his day could have gone better. I said, “I know of a place that has the best steak in Japan or at least Tokyo in my opinion. They feed the cows beer and give them massages. The meat is so tender that it melts in your mouth.”

Big Dan said, “I’m in for that.” The other two were nodding their agreement.

“I’m going to call and let them know that I’m coming and get a table. I’ll grab a sports coat and meet you downstairs in say thirty minutes?”

“Sounds good,” was Tony’s reply.

I could have called a car service but just got two cabs to take us. I gave the driver of Dan and Tony’s cab the name of the restaurant and then hopped in with Trevor. We were soon at Yuto’s place and sitting at a nice table. Tony said, “So, Nick, how do you like living in Japan?”

“I like it, I chose it. I have a condo on 72nd street overlooking Central Park in Manhattan. I can really live anywhere but my partner lives in the states and this makes sense for our businesses right now. Except for the people, food and culture, it isn’t much different than any major city.”

Trevor said, “I like the apartment that they have us staying at and the massage is nice after a long day.”

“Not everyone in Japan has hostesses waiting to give you a massage. It’s part of the services offered for our guests. Most come in from out of town. They make sure you get to where you are going. They help out with acclimating people to Tokyo and other services like typing and massage if needed.”

Tony said, “Our guests? Do you own the rental company?”

“And the building and the baseball team you are trying out for. I don’t have any say in who they want to hire or acquire as players, but I pay the bills. I don’t own this restaurant but about a hundred and twenty or so others including some night clubs.”

Trevor said, “We’re all young but I would have guessed that you’re younger than both Dan and I.”

“You would have guessed correctly. I’m a couple years older than Tony but made my first million at fifteen. Almost every baseball stadium, concert, football, basketball and soccer game uses my software to sell the individual seats. I make a dollar on each seat. That is one piece of software but my partner and I have software that tracks orders at your major chain restaurants, helps people write reports, do accounting, and many other things.”

Dan was shaking his head. “So, you own the Dragons? Is tonight some kind of interview?”

“No, it’s just dinner. I saw all of you out there today. I don’t know if you were good enough or not to make the team. I played volleyball in school and for fun. I can compete at the highest levels in rowing. Baseball and football, I can throw and catch but not much more.”

Tony asked, “Then why buy a baseball team?”

“I don’t know. I was bored. The owner was in financial trouble and needed cash. I had some lying around and I’m a sucker for a good deal. I only went to the one game where I bought the team. I actually only own half and my partner owns the other half. I gave it to him as a wedding present but they live in Boston and don’t stop by often.”

Dan laughed. “It must be nice to have that much cash just laying around.”

“It’s nice. Like you being able to write a check for a Ferrari while most people make payments to afford their Toyota Corolla. It’s all relative. I just live my life and try to have fun.”

About then the steaks arrived and there was a hush that fell over the table as they all took a bite and savored the flavor and texture of the Kobe beef. Dan said, “Japan is looking better and better each day.”

Dan looked the part of a big meat eater. He was at least 6’3’’ and a big guy. He has a full mustache and beard. He reminded me of Grizzly Adams. When I asked, he told us about himself. “I grew up in Memphis, TN. My dad worked on the riverboats as a deckhand when he was younger but eventually as a captain. When he was home, we were throwing the ball since I can remember. I played little league up through high school. I was drafted by the Reds and played in Cincinnati for two years before being traded to the Dodgers.

“I had always done well behind the plate but the batting coach in L.A. really worked with me and that’s where my hitting picked up. I made the All Star team two years ago and then last year hurt my knee in a pick up basketball game at the gym. I feel good but this was my contract year and there is a big gap in what I’m supposed to be paid and what teams are willing to risk on me. The Dodgers didn’t re-sign me and other teams haven’t been calling.”

“I hope things work out well for all of you here in Japan.”

When we walked out to find a cab, they were all thanking me for a great dinner. As we walked into the building after the short cab rides they were all in a good mood. I pushed a different floor on the elevator and said good night as Dan and Trevor got off on the seventh floor. Tony was on the eighth, but I invited him up to my place.

When we walked in he said, “This place is huge compared to where they have us.”

“I call it home. I wanted to talk to you about baseball. As we were talking at dinner, I know that Dan and Trevor have played in the big leagues and you haven’t. You could be stepping into this lifestyle. That means that you will have more money than it takes to just pay the bills and hold on until your next paycheck. The reason that you weren’t drafted was because of what you do off the field because you’re very impressive on the field. Can you tell me about what happened that made everyone so afraid?”

“I knew that it would come up at some point. I’m not a saint. I grew up in a neighborhood that was on the poor side of poverty. There was no dad in my life and Mom wasn’t much better. The way it works is that the drug dealers use kids to move things so they never get caught with anything on them. I made money as one of those kids. I loved and still love baseball but if I wanted some new cleats, a new glove or even food for dinner, I had to do something because my mom probably traded our food stamps for a carton or two of cigarettes or a case of beer.

“I smoke some weed now and then but don’t do it daily or even weekly. I don’t do any hard drugs. You saw me have a beer last night and tonight but a couple is about my limit. When I was seventeen there was a drug deal gone bad. My best friend was shot and I carried him eight blocks to the hospital. I was covered in blood and didn’t even think about the backpack full of weed on my back. By chance a reporter was at the hospital and took my picture as I held my friend. The mug shot wasn’t much better.”