On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 178

Thwack!

The sound of the ball hitting the mitt echoed in Lee Ji-sung’s ears.

“Take it easy on me, Young-hee.”

Lee Ji-sung chuckled wryly as he stepped up to the plate.

“Hey, just relax. You know Young-hee’s personality, right? He’s not gonna let up.”

Lee Ji-sung nodded at catcher Gu Seung-cheol’s words.

“I’ll just try to get a soft hit. Please help me out, senior.”

“Where would you find a guy like that? Just focus on making contact.”

Thwack!

-Strike!

Lee Ji-sung clicked his tongue.

“That was a fastball that came in deep. It clocked in at 150 km/h [approximately 93 mph].”

“That fastball coming down from his tall frame… it’s almost impossible for left-handed batters to hit cleanly.”

Thwack!

-Strike!

“A swing and a miss! Lee Ji-sung swings and misses.”

“Even knowing Kim Young-hee’s pattern, you can’t help but fall for it. That’s the advantage of a pitcher with a blazing fastball.”

Lee Ji-sung gripped the bat tighter, choking up on the handle, and moved closer to the plate.

“You’re gonna get hit if you do that.”

Instead of replying to the catcher, Lee Ji-sung edged even closer.

The pitcher chose a slider as his finishing pitch.

Tap!

The ball, hit off the end of the bat, went foul down the third base line.

The next pitch was a fastball on the outside corner.

Tap!

Another foul.

Kim Young-hee threw another slider.

Thwack!

-Ball. Outside.

“Lee Ji-sung isn’t giving in easily.”

“He’s tenacious. That’s how a batter should be. You shouldn’t give up an out easily. You have to hang in there and make the pitcher work.”

Kim Young-hee threw another slider.

-Ball. Outside.

“He’s relentless, absolutely relentless. Isn’t he going to get out?”

“He’ll get out when you give him a strike to hit.”

Lee Ji-sung adjusted his batting gloves.

Thwack!

-Ball. Outside.

Thwack!

Foul, foul, foul.

Before long, Kim Young-hee’s pitch count exceeded thirteen.

Full count.

The pitcher took off his hat and wiped away sweat.

“Just give up already. It’ll be dawn soon.”

“Just give me a walk. Then I’ll go to first base.”

“Is that even something you should say? Who would give up a walk with the bases loaded?”

“Who’s the batter who gets easily out with the bases loaded?”

“Geez, are you acting up on me now that you’ve gone to another team?”

“Senior, aren’t you pushing your poor junior too hard?”

Kim Young-hee’s 14th pitch was a fastball that came in close.

-Ball. Inside. Walk. Batter to first base.

“Forced walk. A run scores on a forced walk. A run comes in after Lee Ji-sung’s tenacious at-bat. I never expected a forced walk here.”

“Lee Ji-sung has become much more resilient, even though he’s lost some of his long-hit power. He doesn’t get intimidated by the opposing pitcher and hangs in there until the end.”

Kim Young-hee bit his lip tightly and closed his eyes before opening them again.

“Bases loaded, no outs. A big score is possible with just one hit.”

“Seol Jin-il, who likes to swing at the first pitch, is coming up. It’s a dilemma for the pitcher.”

“Why is it a dilemma?”

“Because he’s a batter who likes the first pitch, so you might try to lure him with a ball… It’s an ideal calculation, but starting with a ball on the first pitch is like starting with a disadvantageous count. Whether the pitcher gets a first-pitch strike or not makes a significant difference in the hit rate. No matter how much a batter likes the first pitch, the pitcher can’t just throw a ball.”

“But the pitcher is Kim Young-hee. He’s a pitcher who competes aggressively.”

“It’s a more interesting situation because it’s bases loaded. An aggressive batter and a pitcher who doesn’t back down. Kim In-hwan and Song Seok-hyun are waiting in the wings. Anyway, it’s better for Kim Young-hee to challenge him here.”

Kim Young-hee picked up the rosin bag.

Seol Jin-il glared at the pitcher, raising and lowering his bat, trying to time his swing.

The catcher called for an outside fastball for the first pitch.

Kim Young-hee stared silently at the catcher.

‘Inside?’

Kim Young-hee nodded.

Raising his leg and winding up, he threw a fastball.

Thwack!

“Left field line! Foul! Foul! A foul ball that barely stays outside the left field line.”

“The pitcher was bold, and the batter was bold too. He just teed off on that pitch.”

“Neither player shows any signs of backing down.”

Kim Young-hee’s second pitch was also an inside fastball.

Seol Jin-il swung, but the ball whizzed past the bat.

-Strike!

“Quick match! Kim Young-hee is just powering through.”

“High inside course. It’s dangerous, but if it’s placed perfectly, the batter can’t do anything. In a moment of crisis, Kim Young-hee competes even more boldly.”

Song Seok-hyun, who was in the dugout, loosened his neck from side to side.

“If he does well, it might not even be my turn.”

The third pitch was an outside fastball.

Seol Jin-il hit the ball.

Thwack!

“Right fielder! The right fielder caught it. Out! The runner on third is tagging and going home. Seol Jin-il’s sacrifice fly brings in a run.”

“Both teams made the best of the situation. The Goat [team name] avoided a double play and got a run, and the Scorpion [team name] didn’t allow a double play and got an out at third. The runner on second isn’t particularly fast. Unless it’s a long hit, a play at home is possible. From the Scorpion’s point of view, this is not a bad result.”

As Kim In-hwan stepped up to the plate, Scorpion’s manager Lee Geon-hoo sighed.

“Compete against Kim In-hwan. Don’t let it get to Song Seok-hyun.”

“Yes, Manager.”

A sign came from the Scorpion’s dugout.

Showdown.

Kim Young-hee adjusted his hat.

“He’s the batter who hit an out-of-the-park home run earlier today, right? Kim In-hwan is stepping up to the plate.”

“Can you hear the cheers for Kim In-hwan? You can feel the Goat fans’ love.”

“It must be really tough for the pitcher. Kim In-hwan, who hit an out-of-the-park home run today, or Song Seok-hyun, the king of clutch hits. The next batter is living legend Yoo Seon-ho. There’s no easy out in this lineup. You have to compete with someone.”

“If I were the pitcher, I’d compete against Kim In-hwan.”

“Is there a reason?”

“Kim In-hwan is a left-handed batter. That alone gives you a slight advantage. And one more thing, even if you let a runner on here, it leads to Song Seok-hyun and Yoo Seon-ho, so you have to compete at least once unless you’re intentionally walking him. It’s better for Kim Young-hee to face a left-handed batter with one out and runners on than to load the bases and take a dangerous gamble.”

Kim Young-hee’s first pitch was a fastball.

Kim In-hwan swung his bat mightily at the first pitch.

Bang!

“Right field wall! Foul! Wow, that’s an incredible foul!”

“The ball flew almost in a straight line. It’s fortunate that it hit the wall; if it had gone over the fence, someone in the audience could have been seriously hurt.”

“A foul ball that hits the Jamsil [stadium name] outfield fence. Is this Kim In-hwan? It gives me goosebumps. What tremendous power.”

Kim Young-hee bit his lip.

Kim In-hwan adjusted his swing, making it smaller and more compact.

Kim Young-hee’s second pitch was a slider.

Thwack!

-Ball! Outside!

The catcher dropped his head slightly while catching the ball.

“Kim In-hwan laid off that one.”

“Kim In-hwan has changed. Does he have this kind of patience now? The batter who was always chasing pitches is now laying off balls in important moments. It was a well-placed pitch, too.”

“1-1. It’s a count where they can compete effectively.”

Kim Young-hee quickly decided on his next move.

Inside fastball.

Kim In-hwan didn’t back down either.

Clunk!

“First baseman! Over the first baseman’s head! The ball fell! The weakly hit ball fell between the first baseman, right fielder, and second baseman! Ah, but the runner on second hesitated and couldn’t advance home. He stops at third. So it’s bases loaded again, bases loaded.”

“The Scorpion prevented the score, but Song Seok-hyun is coming up to bat with the bases loaded. If he hits a home run here, the game will be turned upside down again today!”

The Scorpion bench fell silent at Song Seok-hyun’s appearance.

Pitcher Kim Young-hee took off his hat and wiped away the sweat.

The catcher sighed deeply as he watched Song Seok-hyun walk to the plate.

“Oh my, I’m going to die.”

Catcher’s Heyday

Genius (5)

The catcher waited for the bench’s signal.

One out, bases loaded.

The pitcher gave the signal first.

“…….”

The pitcher moved before the bench’s signal came out.

The first pitch was an outside fastball.

Thwack!

Song Seok-hyun didn’t move.

“It’s a ball. Kim Young-hee shows an outside fastball.”

“That ball that a left-handed pitcher throws to the outside of a right-handed batter… it’s way outside. It looks so far away.”

The Scorpion’s bench.

The pitching coach looked at the manager’s expression when the pitcher moved first.

“He must be confident. Let it be. It’s Kim Young-hee.”

Manager Lee Geon-hoo crossed his arms.

The genius pitcher who once captivated the entire country.

The pitcher who the media raved about as the successor to the lineage of great Korean left-handed pitchers.

A left-handed pitcher who threw a 150 km/h fastball with a height of 190cm [approximately 6’3″ and 93 mph].

Kim Young-hee.

After turning professional, he became a relief pitcher instead of a starter due to his simple pitching repertoire, inconsistent control, and history of injuries, but his raw talent was undeniable, placing him among the best players of his generation.

“Kim Young-hee, second pitch!”

The ball thrown to the outside started there but then sharply broke back over the plate into the strike zone.

-Strike!

“Backdoor slider! Kim Young-hee throws an amazing backdoor slider. Song Seok-hyun didn’t even flinch.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a beautiful backdoor slider. As expected, it’s Kim Young-hee. The ball has incredible movement.”

“1-1. Kim Young-hee gets a strike.”

Song Seok-hyun breathed out.

The catcher took the ball in his mitt and tossed it back to the pitcher.

“Awesome.”

The catcher said loudly, as if taunting Song Seok-hyun to try and hit it.

“Isn’t it awesome?”

Song Seok-hyun smiled.

“It is awesome. It’s really awesome.”

The umpire chuckled at Song Seok-hyun’s sarcastic tone.

The third pitch was an outside fastball, a ball.

2-1.

Song Seok-hyun lightly gripped his bat.

“2-1. If another ball is thrown here, the pitcher will be at a great disadvantage. He has to throw a strike. He can’t afford to walk him.”

Kim Young-hee picked up the rosin bag.

Tap tap.

Kim Young-hee, who put white powder on his hands, loosened his neck from side to side.

“One out, bases loaded. All eyes are on what kind of pitch Kim Young-hee will throw in this critical moment.”

Kim Young-hee wound up.

The leg stretched out straight forward, followed by the body and arm.

The ball that left Kim Young-hee’s hand flew towards the strike zone.

A fastball seemingly headed right for the batter’s body.

Song Seok-hyun instinctively turned his waist to avoid being hit.

Clunk!

As the bat made contact with the ball, Song Seok-hyun’s brow furrowed.

The bat, which had always been reliable, cracked, and the ball dribbled weakly towards the front of the pitcher’s mound.

Kim Young-hee caught the ball as if he had been expecting it and threw it to second base.

“Second base! Out! First base is also out! Double play! Song Seok-hyun hits into a double play!”

“He threw a slider inside, close to the body! Kim Young-hee threw a slider to the body against Song Seok-hyun! Not everyone has that kind of courage. Who would dare throw a breaking ball near Song Seok-hyun’s body?”

“Song Seok-hyun is shaking his head. He was completely outsmarted by Kim Young-hee this time. It’s Kim Young-hee’s victory of experience. Showing one outside fastball, then a strike with a backdoor slider. And then showing another fastball to focus all attention on the outside fastball, and then a slider to the body. The setup was masterful. Who would have expected him to throw a breaking ball to the body of the cleanup hitter [4th batter] in a bases-loaded situation? Besides, he was throwing the ball well on the outside corner.”

“The Goat had a golden opportunity to take the lead, but ultimately failed to capitalize. It’s difficult for Kim In-hwan and Song Seok-hyun’s KS duo [likely referring to a nickname for the two players] to deliver in every at-bat.”

Song Seok-hyun shook his head and returned to the bench.

The hitting coach comforted Song Seok-hyun, acknowledging his disappointment.

“There are just too many people who are good at baseball in our country.”

The hitting coach laughed at Song Seok-hyun’s complaint.