On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 74

“Hahaha, I just don’t want a complicated life. It’s hard enough paving my own way; why would I throw dating into the mix? If Nayoung and I actually start dating, her relationship with her parents will worsen, and my relationship with her parents will also sour. There’s no point in pursuing a relationship that her family opposes; it’ll only make Nayoung miserable. I wouldn’t feel good about it either. It’s best to just stay friends—friends who respect each other’s boundaries.”

“But Nayoung isn’t like that. She’s being more and more obvious about liking you.”

“That’s just temporary, man. With her looks, do you think guys will leave her alone? There are so many guys with good families, good looks, and good educations. How can you compare that to my life, constantly struggling as a backup’s backup even on the first team? Nayoung’s feelings are probably just a passing infatuation. She’ll change her mind when a decent guy comes along.”

“You’re talking like someone who’s lived their whole life already… And you played as the cleanup hitter [the batter who bats fourth in the lineup, typically a strong hitter] today. You’ll become a star on the first team soon. Then the situation will change.”

“An athlete’s career can crash at any moment. I thought I was guaranteed to go to the majors too. Even guys who seemed to be flying high disappear in a flash in this industry. I don’t want to get ahead of myself just because I had one lucky day.”

Jung Minam approached Song Seokhyun and clenched his fist.

Thwack!

Suddenly punched in the stomach, Song Seokhyun stared at Jung Minam with a dumbfounded look.

Jung Minam snorted.

“Stop being so melodramatic. And talk if you’re having a hard time. How long are you going to act like you’ve lived your whole life alone? What are friends for? Aren’t you frustrated living like that? Ha! I’d be bursting with frustration if I lived like you.”

“Ah… damn… You son of a bitch. Couldn’t you have hit me softer? Ah… you’re just ridiculously strong.”

“Dating Nayoung is dating Nayoung; why are you talking such nonsense? You’re twenty years old. Just go for it; why are you overthinking it so much?”

“Ha, do you think it’s that easy?”

Song Seokhyun got up, rubbing his stomach.

“I don’t have much. When you don’t have much, it’s normal to be anxious about losing what you have. You guys are my only friends; I don’t want things to become awkward between us four because of Nayoung. I like things the way they are now. I’m completely satisfied. I get to play professionally.”

“Ha, you frustrating bastard.”

“How can a wren know the aspirations of a roc [a mythical bird of enormous size and strength]?”

“Cut the crap. A wren my ass. You’re what they call a worrier, a worrier. How can you live being so afraid the sky will fall?”

Song Seokhyun lightly kicked Jung Minam’s butt.

“Anyway, this stays between you and me. Don’t tell Nayoung or Youngseok.”

“How would I even bring that up? It’s embarrassing for both you and Nayoung.”

“That’s why I’m telling you.”

Song Seokhyun walked ahead.

Jung Minam followed.

“Don’t encourage Nayoung anymore. That’s all I ask.”

“……Ha.”

“Okay?”

“I don’t know, you bastard.”

Song Seokhyun and Jung Minam trudged down the street.

The streetlights sparsely illuminated their path.

* * *

The next morning, in the Goths’ manager’s office.

Knock knock.

“Come in.”

Ham Sunghoon got up from his seat.

The people who opened the door and entered were battery coach [a coach specializing in the pitcher-catcher relationship] Kim Taewoo and starting catcher Park Shineon.

“Sorry to bother you all so early in the morning. There’s something important I need to discuss. Please, have a seat.”

Ham Sunghoon offered them seats, and the battery coach and Park Shineon sat down.

Ham Sunghoon looked back and forth between the two.

“Actually, there’s something I really need to ask you about….”

Succeeding as a Catcher

What is a Catcher?

“About Seokhyun?”

Coach Kim Taewoo asked back.

“Isn’t it too early to put him in games already?”

Manager Ham Sunghoon nodded.

“It is early. He hasn’t even played many games in the second team, so it’s too early to entrust him with an entire game. I won’t deny that.”

“Then please reconsider. More than anything, Ilhyuk has contributed so much to our team; it’s too early to bring Seokhyun up as the second catcher.”

“That’s why I want you to tell me objectively and coldly: how does Seokhyun compare to catchers on other teams?”

“Manager.”

“Please don’t consider the circumstances. That’s my responsibility and my job. In your opinion, is Seokhyun significantly lacking in skill to be a second catcher?”

Kim Taewoo squinted one eye.

Ham Sunghoon waited for Kim Taewoo’s answer.

“The basic skills of a catcher, as I see it, are largely three things: catching, blocking, and stopping steals. Ball distribution and strategy can be done from the bench, but these three things are areas only the catcher can handle. To evaluate Seokhyun, we need to assess him based on these three abilities.”

“Let’s skip stopping steals since that’s practically an A. What about catching and blocking?”

“Catching isn’t too bad… but his skill in pushing balls that fall outside the zone into the strike zone is hard to give even 50 points.”

Park Shineon said.

“It’s not like Seokhyun is covering up balls that would be strikes either. Honestly, he’s decent. I’d say he’s at a level that’s neither bad nor good.”

Ham Sunghoon tapped the sofa with his finger.

“Can we summarize framing [the art of making a pitch look like a strike to the umpire] as decent?”

Park Shineon said.

“Glove work improves the more you do it. I think Seokhyun is doing quite well considering his experience.”

“Coach, do you feel similarly?”

“……I think he’s 괜찮다 [gwaenchanhda – Korean for ‘okay’ or ‘acceptable’] considering his experience.”

“Coach, you’ve probably had him practice blocking, so you know Seokhyun’s blocking well… What about blocking?”

Kim Taewoo hesitated.

“He’s not skillful, but his reaction speed is so good that he blocks well. Seokhyun is relatively agile for a catcher, so he blocks balls coming straight at him well. He’s still unskilled at creating angles to catch balls coming from the side. The break on first-team pitchers’ breaking balls is different from the second team, isn’t it? It’s hard to expect him to drop balls with good angles towards first or third base and then throw them.”

“But Seokhyun has a good arm, doesn’t he? Even if he doesn’t create the angle perfectly, shouldn’t there be a timing to compete?”

“There’s a big difference between creating the angle and not creating it. Even if Seokhyun’s arm is good, it’s not like his ball is twice as fast as others.”

Park Shineon said.

“What the coach says is right, but if he just drops the ball well in front, I think he’s at least 80 out of 100. Creating the angle beautifully and making the next move is just a bonus. There are only five or so catchers in the league at that level.”

Ham Sunghoon’s hand, which had been tapping the sofa, stopped.

“There aren’t any major problems with blocking or framing, and stopping steals is top-notch. As a backup catcher, this seems like there wouldn’t be any major issues. Don’t you think?”

Ham Sunghoon looked back and forth between Park Shineon and Kim Taewoo.

Kim Taewoo scratched his head and then gestured to Park Shineon.

“I’ll go to the restroom for a moment.”

Park Shineon left the manager’s office.

Kim Taewoo opened his mouth only after Park Shineon had left.

“Manager, you, who were the chief [likely referring to a previous role as a high-ranking team official], know our team’s situation best, don’t you? The situation has barely calmed down, but if you cut Ilhyuk here, the atmosphere will be clouded.”

From a few years ago, the Goths had been actively recruiting FA [Free Agent] players.

Along with this, conflicts between the FA players and the existing Goths players intensified.

When an FA player comes, the existing players are not only pushed out of the starting lineup, but even close colleagues are sent to other teams as compensation players.

FA players don’t necessarily cause conflict, but with the recruitment of players with many private life controversies like Kang Munkyu and Lee Nakkyun, the conflict intensified.

Kang Munkyu and Lee Nakkyun enticed the Goths’ young players to enjoy their escapades, so the Goths’ veteran players strongly protested.

The first to take the lead at this time was Seo Ilhyuk.

Seo Ilhyuk even had a fistfight with Kang Munkyu, and the club even gave him a penalty.

Seo Ilhyuk, who had incurred the club’s displeasure, had his playing opportunities reduced, and his FA eligibility was delayed for two years.

Before Park Shineon came, Seo Ilhyuk was the Goths’ starting catcher, and even when considering the entire league, he was easily among the top ten.

“Ilhyuk played a big role in fixing the team atmosphere, which was a mess. Ilhyuk is now thirty years old. Whether he does FA this year or next year makes a big difference in his value. If you cut Ilhyuk because of Seokhyun, Seokhyun’s position could become difficult. The atmosphere, which has barely been fixed, could become even more of a mess.”

“I know your concerns, Coach. What you’re saying is reasonable enough.”

Ham Sunghoon took a deep breath.

“But yesterday, I heard bad news from the club.”

“……What do you mean by that? What bad news?”

“The lawyer for the victim who was sexually harassed by Munkyu and Nakkyun contacted the club. They said they’re suing for not just sexual harassment, but also sexual assault and filming without consent.”

“Sexual assault? Are you saying rape?”

“I don’t know the truth either. But they said they’re suing not only Munkyu and Nakkyun but also everyone who was there with them, which includes other players on our team.”

“……Wow, I knew those two played hard, but……”

“My short guess is that, based on previous cases, the victim’s lawyer will make the matter bigger. Whether it’s true or not, the bigger the matter gets, the harder it is to put Munkyu and Nakkyun on the first team. In the worst case, even including second-team players, four or five more people could be involved. The depth becomes significantly thinner.”

“Oh dear, Manager. Are you okay, Manager?”

Ham Sunghoon shook his head.

“There’s no way I’d be okay in this situation. But what can I do since I’m the manager? I have to run the team.”

“The club didn’t possibly know all this and pretend not to know, and then bring you in as manager, did they?”

“I don’t know that either. Whether they knew and did it, or didn’t know. Anyway, I accepted, so I have to take responsibility.”

“Wow, this is really something.”

“Right now, we need to build the team as efficiently as possible. I can’t deny that Ilhyuk is a good player. But that’s why we need to develop Seokhyun even more.”

Kim Taewoo tilted his head.

“I don’t understand. If the depth has thinned, why not put Seokhyun in as a DH [Designated Hitter] and have Ilhyuk as a backup, and then slowly wait until Seokhyun adjusts to being a catcher?”

“No. Our team’s lineup is currently a question mark. The cleanup of Choi Daegyu, Kang Munkyu, and Lee Nakkyun has been replaced by Song Seokhyun and Kim Inhwan. Even if those two break out, it’s greedy to expect them to fill the void of three A-class hitters at once. In the end, we have to go with the strength of the mound, not the strength of the lineup.”

“Ah, then perhaps……?”

“Yes, since the club has entrusted me with a heavy burden, I think I can also request a trade. The club and Ilhyuk don’t have a great relationship, and it’s difficult for Ilhyuk himself to get a good contract if he signs an FA contract with the Goths. However, it would be burdensome for other teams to bring in a backup catcher by adding even a player outside the 20-man roster. If Ilhyuk goes to a team that urgently needs a catcher, it will be easy for him to fill his FA days this year, and the contract itself will be more generous than when he’s with the Goths. It’s a choice that can be a win-win for Ilhyuk, the team, and the club.”

Kim Taewoo gave a bitter smile.

“The one who loves the team the most is Ilhyuk, but for him to leave the team is a win-win… It’s sad.”

“Things in the world don’t always go as you want, do they?”

“Now I roughly understand. I see. We need to quickly make Seokhyun a backup catcher since we need to trade him before the All-Star game.”

“Yes, there’s not much time left. And now is when Ilhyuk’s value is the highest. If it’s not now, it will be difficult to get good pitchers during the season. Pitchers are always the most valuable, aren’t they?”

“Now I understand. I see. I’ll take steps to ensure Seokhyun can play in games quickly.”

“You have a personal relationship with Ilhyuk, right?”

“A little.”

“Please give him a hint. It won’t be a bad choice for him either.”

“……Yes, I understand.”

Kim Taewoo got up from his seat.

“Ah, but why did you call Shineon too?”

“I needed to hear the perspectives of the coach and the active catcher. And the senior catcher probably knows the field know-how best, right?”

“Ah, yes……”

“Shineon is a player who didn’t belong to any faction, so I thought he could coach Seokhyun well without any preconceived notions. He’s also tight-lipped and cautious. I think he’s a reliable player.”

“I understand. The manager who has watched him up close knows better. I’ll step down now.”

As Kim Taewoo left his seat, Ham Sunghoon leaned his head back on the sofa.

He felt fatigue spreading from his toes to his face.

Knock knock.

“Yes.”

The door opened, and Park Shineon peeked his head in.

Ham Sunghoon looked at Park Shineon with dim eyes.

“Why?”

“I have something to tell you… Is this a good time?”

“Yeah, come in.”

Park Shineon closed the door to the manager’s office.

* * *

“……So, I’m asking for your favor.”

Park Shineon, having finished speaking, lowered his head.

Ham Sunghoon gave a bitter smile.

“We’ve ended up in a situation where we’re asking each other for favors.”

“I’m sorry, Manager, for creating a difficult situation.”

“No. Anyway, I’m going to be fired at the end of the season, so it’s not that difficult of a request for me either. I’ll talk to them well.”

“……I’m sorry.”

“Instead, make sure to teach Seokhyun well. If Seokhyun doesn’t settle in quickly, we’ll have a hard time.”

“Yes, I’ll pass on my know-how to Seokhyun without holding anything back. I even have a book that I’ve been organizing for a while.”

“A book? You had already prepared it?”

“Not exactly, but……”

“Okay, I understand. You grant my request, and I grant your request. We’re even. Hah.”

Park Shineon got up from his seat.

“I’m sorry that things have turned out this way.”

“Well, it’s unavoidable. Hah, okay. I understand. Go on out.”

“Then, goodbye……”

Park Shineon left the manager’s office.

Ham Sunghoon washed his face with his hands.

“It’s tough, being a manager.”

* * *

The second game against the Phoenixes.

Before the game started, the Goths players clicked their tongues as they looked at the stands.

“It looks like half the fans are gone.”

“This slump is going to last a lo~ng time.”

“I saw some people holding signs saying to disband the team earlier.”

“Why has our team’s image become such a mess?”

“Anyway, they think it’s okay as long as they get paid a lot, so they cause accidents. They have no sense, no sense. Even if they don’t have team spirit, they shouldn’t be making a mess.”

In the chaotic atmosphere,

Song Seokhyun stroked his bat.

Designated hitter and cleanup hitter again today.

For a rookie, especially an undrafted high school catcher, to be the cleanup hitter would normally be big news, but now it just looks like evidence that the team is a mess.

Kim Inhwan, who used to be a strikeout machine until recently, is batting third, and a rookie no one has ever heard of is batting fourth.

The Goths’ fans raised their banners high as the game started.

[Disband the Goths who can’t even manage their players!] [Is this all we get for our support!] [If you can’t play baseball, at least live properly!] [Fall apart, Goths!]

While the stadium staff were arguing with the fans to take down the banners, the game started.

The fans who had been waving the banners also sat down as the game started.

It was the Goths’ turn to attack.

“Goths! Knock it out of here!”

“Run! Goths! Run! Goths!”

The cheerleader captain and cheerleaders deliberately raised their voices and sang the cheer song.

Unlike usual, there was no response from the cheering section.

Only a few people sporadically followed along with the cheering.

-Strike! Out!