On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 154

“Choosing Kim In-hwan over Song Seok-hyeon was a gamble, but Kim In-hwan isn’t an easy opponent either.”

“He’s a KS [Korean Series] player, after all, isn’t he?”

A sigh escaped from the Phoenix bench.

The batting order was Song Seok-hyeon, Yu Seon-ho.

The manager signaled Song Seok-hyeon to compete.

He judged that it was better to allow a solo home run than to let the score difference widen further, which would shift the momentum.

It was already the 8th inning.

Once the momentum is lost, there’s no way to get it back.

Thwack!

“To the right field fence! To the right field fence! It’s going over again! Song Seok-hyeon’s solo home run! 14-11. Gote extends the lead by 3 points.”

“They challenged Song Seok-hyeon with too straightforward a pitch. A fastball coming in that directly is a delicious treat for Song Seok-hyeon.”

“The KS duo picks up the momentum that was cut off by the double play.”

“This might give Gote some peace of mind in today’s game.”

Following him, Yu Seon-ho reached base with a double, and then Choi Jae-wan scored with another double.

The score is now 15-11.

The Phoenix manager rubbed his eyes as Gote nibbled away, scoring one point at a time.

Gote chose to secure the game by bringing in their must-win pitcher, Go Jin-seok, from the bottom of the 8th inning.

The game result was 15-12.

Go Jin-seok allowed a solo home run to Gyeong Su-in, but there were no further runs.

The game was intense, but Gote was the ultimate victor.

“With this sweep of the three-game series against Phoenix, Gote rises above 4th place to claim sole possession of 3rd place. This puts Pegasus in 1st, Scorpion in 2nd, Gote in 3rd, and Wolves in 4th. The standings are incredibly tight, with only a 4-game difference between 1st and 4th place.”

“Now, it’s less about who’s good and more about who’s less bad. Any team that makes a mistake here, in other words, falls into a losing streak, might not be able to get back into the top 4.”

“Gote, who once fell to 6th place, has risen to sole 3rd place, opening up the possibility of directly advancing to the Korean Series.”

“Next week will be an important one for Gote. They face Fox and Pegasus. If they can manage two more sweeps next week, they could even take sole possession of 1st place.”

“If they beat the 1st place team, they become the 1st place team.”

“Everything is working out for Gote. There seems to be no team that can stop their momentum!”

* * *

“Hoo.”

The next morning.

Even though it was Monday, a day off for the baseball team, Ham Seong-hoon had come to Jamsil Baseball Stadium.

Han Min-seok had injured his back in the early hours of the morning and visited the emergency room.

Fortunately, it wasn’t a major injury, but he was advised to rest for 1-2 weeks.

-I’m sorry, Manager…

Han Min-seok’s voice was subdued as he reported the injury over the phone.

“It’s okay. Take this opportunity to rest fully and come back strong. Take the full 2 weeks. Think of it as preparing for the postseason.”

-……I’m sorry.

After hanging up, Ham Seong-hoon sighed.

Operations Team Leader Kim Hak-in, watching Ham Seong-hoon’s expression, offered him coffee.

“Are you alright?”

Ham Seong-hoon took the coffee and gave a bitter smile.

“Well, I think it’s a good thing in a way. It’s better to rest.”

“Oh, dear. Of all times, it has to be during this important period.”

“What if he had a drinking accident? This is a healthy accident by comparison.”

“I’m afraid this will make the news. What’s with a pitcher slipping while hitting batting balls and injuring his back?”

“Well, he must have been frustrated.”

“This is… I feel so bad for the manager.”

“Why should Team Leader Kim feel bad?”

Kim Hak-in sipped his coffee, continuing to watch Ham Seong-hoon’s reaction.

“Is there something you want to say?”

“…Um, ahem.”

“Go ahead. Don’t hide it.”

Kim Hak-in said cautiously.

“I think the manager… has heard about it.”

“About them looking for a new manager?”

“…Yes, you’ve heard?”

“How could it not reach my ears? It doesn’t seem like it’s being done quietly behind the scenes.”

“I’m sorry. I should have told you in advance, but the instructions came from above.”

“If they were going to do it, they should have hidden it completely. I already thought I’d be fired at the end of this year anyway, but if rumors like this spread, how can the team be managed? I’m not saying this for my own benefit, but if my authority diminishes, it will be difficult to run the team.”

“I have nothing to say. The team’s improved performance is largely thanks to you, but the president and general manager don’t seem to think about that. Still, Manager, if you perform well, the front office can make its voice heard. Even if we don’t win the Korean Series, if we finish in the top 1 or 2, we’ll leak it to the media.”

Ham Seong-hoon shook his head.

“There’s no need to do that. I’m leaving anyway, and you and the front office staff will be here for the long haul. There’s no need to upset the higher-ups.”

“Still, this isn’t right. Even if the president and general manager don’t know much about baseball, this goes against basic ethics.”

“If you’re trying to comfort me, it’s okay. I’m satisfied with having been a manager once. And it was for the most popular team in professional baseball, wasn’t it? With this much career experience, I can live a satisfied life.”

Kim Hak-in scratched his sideburns.

“Are you really okay? Aren’t you upset?”

“Of course, I’m upset. How could I not be? But at this age, I have to live according to the natural order. I’m not relaxed enough to fight against things that can’t be done.”

“Hoo.”

“So, don’t worry about me. I’m satisfied with my current life.”

“I’ll leak it to the media in advance. If the president and general manager suppress it, there’s nothing we can do, but we’ll do our best within our means. We can’t let go of a good manager.”

“Thank you for the thought. But don’t do that. We’re adults, aren’t we? We’re not at an age where we risk our livelihoods on naive loyalty or goodwill.”

Kim Hak-in sighed.

“This is… You have such a big heart, so big. Hoo.”

“Let’s think about what’s right in front of us first. Package Min-seok’s injury well and release it. He slipped while hitting batting balls and twisted his back. It’s embarrassing for both the team and Min-seok.”

After parting with Kim Hak-in, Ham Seong-hoon returned home.

It’s fortunate that he had a replacement starter ready in advance.

Among Lim Jin-pil, Ju Pan-seok, and Jeong Jin-oh, there’s no one who can truly replace Han Min-seok.

Han Min-seok is a resource who could be a solid 3rd starter on any team.

If a 3rd-starter-caliber starting pitcher could pop out of the minor leagues, no team would be struggling with their pitching.

A perfect replacement is impossible.

He’d be satisfied if they could just fill the void.

Can he salvage even one of the three?

If it’s the fireballer Ju Pan-seok, if it’s Ju Pan-seok who’s better than Han Min-seok was at twenty-one, can he have some hope?

The days he doesn’t play baseball seem to be the days he thinks about baseball the most.

On days off from baseball, he should rest completely without thinking about baseball to properly refresh himself…

Do the players agonize over it like he does?

* * *

“I told you, it’s okay. There’s no need to go this far.”

“Still. You never know.”

On Monday, a day off, Song Seok-hyeon expected a historic first date, but the place he went with Kim Na-yeong was a comic book cafe.

“We should go somewhere nicer. You said you wanted to go to an amusement park.”

“Too many people would recognize you there.”

“What if they recognize me? I’d be happy to show off how pretty my girlfriend is.”

Na-yeong’s cheeks turned red.

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s our first date, but we should go somewhere brighter and more cheerful, not necessarily a place like this…”

“I like it here. This was my dream: reading comic books together while lying down.”

“Isn’t that a bit much to call a dream?”

“I like it, okay? And what good would it do to have articles about you already? Now is the time to focus only on baseball.”

“What is it? Are you already being a supportive girlfriend?”

“It’s not about being supportive, I just don’t want you to get caught up in unnecessary rumors because of me.”

“What rumors? Is dating a rumor? And I’m not some celebrity.”

“Do you know that you get more articles than celebrities?”

“Me?”

“You’re the only one who doesn’t know. You goof.”

Kim Na-yeong pinched Song Seok-hyeon’s cheek.

Song Seok-hyeon glanced around, then grabbed Kim Na-yeong’s cheek and kissed her.

“What was that?”

Kim Na-yeong asked in surprise, and Song Seok-hyeon grinned.

“These private rooms are nice. There are curtains, so no one can see.”

“Hey, people walk around here, what are you doing?”

“What’s wrong with kissing my girlfriend?”

Kim Na-yeong’s face was so red it looked like it would explode.

“Next time, let’s go to an amusement park and see the autumn foliage. What does it matter if there’s a scandal?”

“Still…”

“What ‘still’? I’m a baseball player, not a celebrity. What if there’s a scandal? We’re not just dating, are we? Right?”

Pop!

Kim Na-yeong’s red face turned even redder.

Song Seok-hyeon, not as a friend, but as a boyfriend, is straightforward.

A fastball right down the middle.

Success as a catcher.

The wall of the pros.

“Are you saying we should use these guys as starters for the three-game series?”

Busan ×× Hotel.

The Gote team’s lodging.

Manager Ham Seong-hoon and the entire staff were sitting in the conference room.

“Yes, we’ll go with a 1+1 strategy. Cheon-un will prepare for Wednesday’s game, and Pisi will prepare for Thursday’s game.”

The coaches looked at each other.

It was as if they were asking if they already knew.

Especially the looks directed at pitching coach Yeon Woo-sik were fierce.

Yeon Woo-sik shrugged his shoulders.

It meant that he didn’t expect it to be this extreme.

Yeon Woo-sik cautiously opened his mouth.

“Wouldn’t it be better to have him start in one game or put him in as a long reliever in the middle? We’re right in front of 1st place. We need to push hard here, even if it’s difficult…”

“Does it matter if we take 1st place here? Even if we squeeze and take 1st place, it’ll be taken away in an instant. The season is still far from over.”

“2nd and 4th place are right next to us.”

“Postponing taxes doesn’t avoid them. We should have consistently worked hard to discover starting pitchers from the beginning to the middle of the season, but I was too impatient, so I was lacking in this area. First, I’d like to apologize to all of you.”

As Ham Seong-hoon bowed his head, the coaches also bowed their heads in a daze.

Except for battery coach Kim Tae-woo, they were all younger than Ham Seong-hoon.

“Chang-hoon, Min-seok, and Cheon-un have all done their part, so I was complacent. I should have consistently considered replacement starters, but I lacked experience in this area. We may not be able to find starters to replace Chang-hoon and Min-seok right now, but we need someone who can play as a long reliever.”

“Wouldn’t it be enough to utilize the bullpen now?”

It was the battery coach’s question.

“Yes, that’s right. Our bullpen is strong right now. We have plenty of resources. Which team has all their starters ready? At the end of the season, they all cover it with the bullpen.”

“We have at least three guys who can be classified as A-level, wouldn’t it be more reasonable to pick one of them to use as a long reliever and use the guys we brought up this time in the bullpen?”

Ham Seong-hoon shook his head.

“The reason our bullpen seems complete is because it’s being managed that well. But if you look at the individual players, there are definitely elements of instability. Jeong-ryul has repeatedly undergone surgery and rehabilitation for a long time and succeeded in making a comeback by changing his form to an underhand. Underhand pitchers have to use muscles they haven’t used before, so it puts a lot of strain on their backs. We need to manage his number of games and innings. Hong-min is doing well right now, but he’s thirty-three this year. This is his first year playing in the 1st team bullpen. He has no experience and may not be physically prepared. In particular, his weakness against right-handed hitters hasn’t been overcome. It’s just improved recently.”

Ham Seong-hoon took a sip of water.

“Go Jin-seok has been playing as a reliever and closer throughout his professional career. Then there’s Kim Jin-seok, Hong Dae-seong, and Lee Baek-chan left, but Lee Baek-chan hasn’t been able to fix his 불안한 모습을 [unstable form] when there are runners on base. He’s a good player to use for short stints, but if we use him as a starter, especially in the postseason, he’ll be relentlessly attacked for this. Kim Jin-seok doesn’t have the pitches to use as a starter, and only Dae-seong has the potential, but he’s doing well in the bullpen right now, isn’t he? He’s been playing in the bullpen since he came up to the 1st team, so it’s difficult to get good results if we suddenly switch him to a starter.”

The coaches were silent.

Even the seemingly perfect Gote bullpen is just a sandcastle when you look at it closely.

The current aces of the bullpen are Kim Jeong-ryul, Go Jin-seok, and Jeong Hong-min.

Among the three, Kim Jeong-ryul and Jeong Hong-min could collapse at any time.

If Lee Baek-chan, Hong Dae-seong, and Kim Jin-seok are rotated to the starting lineup and the bullpen collapses, it’s a dilemma.

Ham Seong-hoon’s criticism made the coaches realize the team’s situation that had been hidden by the winning streak.

“Sang-heum, Jae-jin, and Seok-ju, who have been playing as long relievers as the 5th starter, haven’t been good or bad. In fact, excluding Sang-heum, Jae-jin and Seok-ju have little chance of improving in the future considering their age. We should have brought up replacement starters in the middle of the season and looked for other starting pitchers, but I was late in this area. If we advance to the postseason, we’ll go with Pisi, Mackenzie, Chang-hoon, and Min-seok as our 4 starters. But since Chang-hoon and Min-seok aren’t in very good condition right now, we need one or two replacement starters. Since we have Cheon-un, it would be nice to have at least one decent starter.”

The coaches couldn’t argue anymore.

Unless they go directly to the Korean Series, they need four starters to get through the postseason stably.

With Han Min-seok struggling and Lee Chang-hoon also faltering, it’s time for a versatile starter and bullpen pitcher.

“Still, isn’t it too risky to bring up three minor league pitchers as starters for three games?”

“It is risky. That’s why we’re putting Cheon-un and Pisi behind them. We’re planning to put them in right away if they collapse early.”

“Fox has a pretty good offense. I think there’s a high possibility that they’ll suddenly come out strong.”

“The goal for the Fox series is 1 win. It would be best to take 2 wins, and 3 wins would be ideal. The winning streak can’t continue forever. It’s a burden on the players too… We’ll take a break before we start pushing hard and use it as a period to reorganize our strength. We’ll give plenty of opportunities to the backups and minor league players who haven’t had a chance so far. Those guys want to go to the postseason too, don’t they?”

“Are you going to bring up the hitters too?”

“Yes, I think I’ve given them enough chances so far. We need to give a wake-up call to the players who think they’ll definitely go to the postseason, or they won’t come to their senses. When Seok-hyeon and In-hwan came up, everyone was full of tension, but because the two of them are doing so well, the tension has eased. They need to have the tension that their position can be taken away at any time, but because the two of them are doing so well, they just dismiss it as ‘oh well’…

The coaches laughed.

“Well… it’s ridiculous to be jealous of those two.”

“If the minor league guys all did as well as Seok-hyeon and In-hwan, would winning the league have been a problem?”

Ham Seong-hoon said.

“Right now, it’s not the postseason, it’s the regular league. I think it’s more important to go step by step in a 정석대로 [orthodox] way than to rush out quickly. After the Fox series, there’s the Pegasus series and the Scorpion series. Then there’s the 6-game series against Fox. Even if we lose 1 or 2 games in the Fox series, we can get them back. But if we lose 1 game against Pegasus and Scorpion, we may not be able to get it back until the end of the season. If we’re going to experiment, we have to do it now. Maybe now is the last chance.”

Pitching coach Yeon Woo-sik said.

“The best scenario would be to finish the Fox series with Jin-pil, Pan-seok, Jin-oh, and Cheon-un, and then put in our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd starters from the Pegasus series. Even if we pull Pisi up, it’s still our 2nd, 3rd, and 4th starters, so I don’t think it’s bad. It’s much better to give up points to Fox and take points from Pegasus than to pull all our aces up for the Fox series and give 승점 [winning points] to Pegasus.”

Ham Seong-hoon smiled.

“Yes, we can’t throw away 실리 [practicality] just because we’re experimenting.”

* * *

The next day, Busan Sajik Stadium.

Bang!

Bang!

Before the game started, Lim Jin-pil warmed up.

Song Seok-hyeon exchanged signs while catching Lim Jin-pil’s pitches.

“How is it?”

Lim Jin-pil asked in a subtle voice.

Song Seok-hyeon nodded.

“Yes, it’s good.”

“Do you think it’ll work against the 1st team with this much?”