On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 146

Okay, keep an eye on me.

I’m not that slow, you know.

Jang Dae-hee winds up and throws.

A fastball on the outside corner, a straight-up challenge.

Jung Dong-gyu takes a sizable secondary lead [a lead taken after the pitcher releases the ball].

Crack!

Foul ball.

Just as I thought.

Jung Young-soo isn’t that great of a hitter.

He wouldn’t be able to easily hit a fastball from a pitcher like Jang Dae-hee.

Jung Dong-gyu slowly increases his lead again.

Bang!

“Safe!”

“Pitcher Jang Dae-hee attempts another pickoff.”

“He’s feeling the pressure. He doesn’t want to let a runner get into scoring position.”

Jung Dong-gyu lowers his stance, subtly shaking his knees from side to side.

Jang Dae-hee huffs, letting out a puff of air through his nose.

It’s as if he’s openly showing that he’s feeling the pressure.

Jang Dae-hee’s second pitch is another fastball on the outside.

Jung Young-soo swings with all his might.

Crack!

The sound of the bat hitting the ball off-center.

The ball dribbles towards the ground.

The shortstop scoops it up and throws to second base.

The second baseman steps on the bag and fires to first.

“Out!”

Jang Dae-hee freezes, mid-step off the mound.

“Jung Dong-gyu is safe at second! It’s not a double play.”

“The shortstop argues with the umpire, but the call stands. It was a close play, but Jung Dong-gyu was just a little faster, it seems.”

Jung Dong-gyu gets up, brushing the dirt off his chest.

Even if he can’t steal, he has to run the bases aggressively.

He benefited from a good slide that kicked up dust, obscuring the play.

“No… ha…”

The shortstop couldn’t argue with the umpire any further.

Isn’t the tie supposed to go to the runner?

Even if Jung Dong-gyu was a hair faster, common practice is to call him out in that situation.

“It seems like Jung Young-soo’s hit was a bit weak.”

“So, the inning that could have ended with a double play continues? The next batter is leadoff hitter Lee Ji-sung. They’re back to the top of the order.”

Lee Ji-sung couldn’t handle Jang Dae-hee’s powerful pitches.

A routine flyout to center field.

Despite Jung Dong-gyu’s hustle, the inning ended with no runs scored.

On the way back to the bench, Jung Dong-gyu trudged along, a little disappointed.

The manager came out to meet him, offering a fist bump.

“Great play out there. Good job.”

Jung Dong-gyu was a little surprised but bumped fists with the manager.

“Thank you.”

“Thank you, too.”

Passion is contagious.

The spark that Song Seok-hyun ignited spread to Kim In-hwan, but it struggled to grow any larger.

It’s hard to transform a team with just one person.

However, when Lee Ji-sung and Yoo Seon-ho joined, the spark grew into a flame.

Lee Ji-sung, Seol Jin-il, Kim In-hwan, Song Seok-hyun, Yoo Seon-ho.

With more than half of the lineup on fire, it’s now spreading to the other players.

It’s not something a manager or coach can force.

If they were a team with a deep bench like the Wolves, fierce competition would naturally create passion. But for a team like the Goats, where the gap between the starters and the backups is significant and teamwork is lacking, it’s out of the question.

All the manager can do is acquire good players and wait for chemistry to develop.

A fan can fan the flames, but they can’t create a fire that doesn’t exist.

It’s not just that the lineup has come alive.

The players have started to truly immerse themselves in the game.

“Let’s go!”

Lee Chang-hoon heads to the mound.

“Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!”

“Let’s go win this!”

The players also raise their voices in support.

Lee Chang-hoon gave up two more runs after that, both solo home runs, but he finished the 6th inning with ninety-one pitches and left the mound.

The pitches that were carelessly thrown too close to the hitters became home run sacrifices. But as the Wolves hitters grew impatient and swung aggressively at the first pitch, the game sped up.

“It’s going, going, gone! Kim In-hwan hits a solo home run!”

“Off the left field wall! He does it again! Back-to-back! Song Seok-hyun follows with another solo home run!”

In the 8th inning, Kim In-hwan and Song Seok-hyun hit back-to-back home runs.

Two solo shots, but it was enough to solidify their lead.

The score is now 11-7.

The Goats gave up a lot of runs, but their offense exploded.

The Goats set a team record with every hitter getting at least one hit, showcasing their unique offensive power.

The next day is Monday, a day off, but the players were more disappointed than happy.

“We’re on a roll against the Bulls, why is tomorrow a day off?”

“We need to keep this hitting streak going.”

“It’s a shame, a real shame.”

Seven wins and two losses against the top three teams: Pegasus, Scorpion, and Wolves.

A huge success in the midst of a grueling nine-game series, propelling them to 4th place, surpassing the Whales.

Reservations for the Goats’ autumn jackets are already through the roof.

Celebrities are also clamoring to throw out the first pitch for the Goats.

Even though the team is ranked 4th, it’s undeniable that the Goats are currently the most popular team and a major draw at the box office.

The most explosive cleanup hitters in the league right now.

Hulk Kim In-hwan.

The King of Jamsil, Song Seok-hyun.

The God of Hitting, Yoo Seon-ho.

50% of Monday’s sports news was dedicated to the Goats.

Half of that 50% was about Song Seok-hyun.

Song Seok-hyun, who has become a star in Korea, was still only twenty years old.

Monday, the only day off of the week.

Song Seok-hyun was standing in front of the movie theater with Jung Mi-nam and Kim Young-seok.

Success as a Catcher

One Step

“Is this real…?”

“This is insane.”

Jung Mi-nam and Kim Young-seok stared at Song Seok-hyun in amazement.

Song Seok-hyun was surrounded by a crowd, signing autographs and posing for pictures.

At first, only one or two people cautiously approached, but when Song Seok-hyun readily agreed, they started flocking to him, and he had been taking pictures for ten minutes straight.

“Is this Jamsil [a neighborhood in Seoul]? What’s with this popularity?”

“A star is a star. Is it even possible for a baseball player to be this popular?”

“I’m not even jealous… okay, maybe I’m a little jealous. This level of fame is just too much.”

“The Goats are definitely a popular team. Is it because they’re a Seoul team?”

“Wow, did you see that? She’s gorgeous… He’s taking a picture with a total hottie.”

“Wait a minute. What’s up with that guy? Wow, did you see that? Did you see that?”

“…That’s 100% intentional. That woman deliberately pressed her chest against him. Unbelievable… So jealous…”

“I should have stuck with baseball… Ha…”

“Even if you had, you would have been standing behind Seok-hyun like a folding screen [a background prop].”

“Oh, really? Is that a challenge?”

“Try denying it. If you could have achieved what Seok-hyun has, I would have admitted defeat, shaved my head, and become a monk.”

“…Um, well.”

After taking a picture with a child, Song Seok-hyun returned to Jung Mi-nam and Kim Young-seok.

“Did you guys wait long? There’s still some time before the movie. Should we head inside early, or grab some popcorn first?”

“Can we even grab anything here? Everyone’s running up to you for pictures. Let’s just go to the theater.”

“Alright, let’s go, let’s go.”

After the movie, the three stretched and got up from their seats.

Song Seok-hyun chuckled and nudged Jung Mi-nam in the ribs.

“You actually cried?”

“Who said I cried?”

“Maybe you should wipe the dried tear tracks from your eyes before you say that?”

“I didn’t cry!”

“You were complaining about watching a kids’ animation, but you were the most moved and cried the hardest.”

“Hey, let’s go eat. What do you want to eat?”

“Look at him changing the subject. Hehe, Young-seok. He’s changing the… Hey, did you cry too?”

“No, I didn’t!”

The three headed to a Korean spicy stir-fried chicken restaurant.

They quickly devoured a plate of chicken and even ordered fried rice to finish it off.

“How’s studying going?”

Song Seok-hyun asked Kim Young-seok.

Kim Young-seok sighed deeply.

“Not good. For some reason, I can’t study like I did in high school.”

“That’s what I’ve heard. They say college is completely different from high school? They say you can’t even make it to 9 a.m. classes.”

“Yeah, isn’t it weird? I used to wake up at 6 a.m. and sleep at midnight in high school, but now that I’m in college, it’s hard to even wake up at 9 a.m. Ha, it’s amazing. Did I burn myself out in high school, so I can’t push myself like that anymore?”

“So, are you studying or not?”

Instead of answering, Kim Young-seok just gulped down his cola.

Jung Mi-nam folded his arms and chuckled.

“He’s a regular at our batting cages these days. I don’t know what’s gotten into him, but he’s been hitting balls like crazy.”

“Ah, that’s refreshing. I used to hate physical activity, but these days everything is fun. Even the news is interesting these days.”

“That’s exactly what happens when you’re avoiding studying during exam period. How are you going to succeed in retaking the entrance exam like that?”

“Ah… that’s the problem. I thought I could do it if I just put my mind to it, but my body won’t cooperate. Am I already getting old?”

“Old? You’re just slacking off. Once you start slacking, it’s hard to get back on track. Or just go to the army.”

“Should I really do that? I feel like I’m wasting time right now. I’m most jealous of Jung Mi-nam. He’s doing public service instead of active duty.”

Jung Mi-nam patted his knee.

“If you’re so jealous, get surgery too.”

“Shouldn’t you have to serve active duty if there’s nothing wrong with you? How can he be doing public service while I’m doing active duty?”

“Or get married quickly and have a bunch of kids. Then you can at least get a job near your home.”

“Aish. How can I have kids when I can’t even get a date?”

“Just close your eyes and do it with a woman who likes you, huh? Pow pow pow!”

“I’m like this *because* there’s no woman who likes me… Are you teasing me?”

“Ah, where do you even meet women?”

“If you, a college student, are complaining about women, then what about me and the other guys…? No, Song Seok-hyun, that bastard, has women all over the place.”

“Why are you guys like this? I’m clearly single.”

“Single? Sooooo single? So how did that chest feel earlier? Was it soft? That bastard is the worst. He’s such a bastard. Seeing him taking pictures with all kinds of women, I get so jealous.”

“If you’re so jealous, go pro too.”

Kim Young-seok chuckled.

“You have nothing to say to that, do you?”

“Ah, annoying.”

The three moved to a cafe after eating the fried rice.

Jung Mi-nam pouted at the fact that they were going to a cafe instead of a bar, but he couldn’t argue when Song Seok-hyun cited his physical condition.

“So, anyway.”

Kim Young-seok started.

“I’ve been thinking about it seriously… Don’t laugh, you guys?”

“Yeah. We’re all ready to laugh our heads off.”

“It would be a relief if you were even funny.”

“Ah, seriously. I’m serious.”

“Then tell us quickly.”

Kim Young-seok took a deep breath.

“I’m thinking of going to a health college. I want to become a physical therapist.”

Song Seok-hyun and Jung Mi-nam lost their smiles.

“With my grades, health college is practically guaranteed. Physical therapists are going to be in high demand in the future. It’s easy to get a job, and who knows, maybe I’ll even get a job with a baseball team?”

Jung Mi-nam sighed.

“Are you serious? Health college? With your grades? Does your family know?”

“They don’t know. If they knew, I’d be dead.”

“Health college is…”

Song Seok-hyun also shook his head.

“Go to medical school, medical school. What health college?”

“It’s impossible for me to study that hard anymore. I’m burned out. Health college is still in the medical field, and the prospects are bright, and I think it suits my aptitude.”

“This guy is causing trouble now that he’s older. It’s always the quiet ones who cause the biggest trouble.”

“What’s wrong with health college, man? Above all, it’s a women’s college, a women’s college! Health college… has so many women that even the ugliest guys get girlfriends non-stop. And they date really good girls in turns.”

One of Jung Mi-nam’s eyebrows twitched.

“…Really?”