On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 187

“Shit!”

Barnett threw to first, but Jung Young-soo was fast.

Safe.

Barnett crumpled to the ground.

“Is Barnett hurt?”

“He took a bad hit. Ankle shots are always scary. Could’ve been a game-ender.”

“Coach is out there. They gotta check it quick. Bad for the team, worse for him if it’s serious.”

The conditioning coach examined Barnett’s ankle.

“Of all places to get hit…”

The pitching coach asked, “How’s it look? Can you keep going?”

“Not a deep injury. Week or two of rest, he’ll be fine. But today? He won’t be able to put much weight on it.”

“Seriously? Man, he was dealing today.”

Barnett spoke through the interpreter.

“He says he’s fine. Not even an injury.”

The conditioning coach shook his head.

“Week of rest, tops. You push it, you’ll make it worse.”

“Um… he insists he’s okay.”

“Stubborn. What do you mean, unconditionally okay?”

Barnett thumped his chest.

“I’m a pro. A pro plays ’til he can’t anymore.”

Barnett’s face reddened. The pitching coach turned to the conditioning coach.

“Completely impossible for him to play?”

“Not *completely*. But that area’s sensitive. I’d rather he rest.”

“Alright. Hey, Barnett.”

Barnett looked at the pitching coach.

“One walk, one hit, you’re out. No arguing. Got it?”

Barnett nodded.

“Deal. You keep your promise too, Coach.”

The coaches headed back to the dugout. Barnett stood on the mound.

Phoenix’s manager, Ahn Yong-duk, asked the pitching coach, “He says he’s good?”

“Says he’s fine. They all do, right?”

“So, you’re making him play?”

“Told him one baserunner and he’s done. You know pitchers’ pride. Gotta corner ’em before they listen.”

“True enough.”

Barnett glanced at his ankle, then set himself.

The batter: speedy Lee Ji-sung.

The runner: also speedy Jung Young-soo.

Barnett inhaled.

“Barnett playing is good, but this is a tough spot. Goat’s hidden scoring threat. Jung Young-soo’s on-base percentage is so-so, but he’s a menace once he’s on. Fast, smart baserunner. With Lee Ji-sung batting ninth and him on first, Goat has options. Run and hit, hit and run… more options for them, fewer for the pitcher.”

Barnett’s first pitch: an outside fastball.

Lee Ji-sung fouled it off.

142 km/h [approximately 88 mph].

“Velocity’s down. Injury’s taking its toll.”

“Ankle’s bad, Goat might bunt. He got hit on his right ankle, right? Bunt to the pitcher’s right, tough for him to twist and throw to first.”

Ham Sung-hoon’s hands flew.

The strategy coach’s too.

Lee Ji-sung nodded, choked up on the bat.

Tuk, tuk.

Phoenix’s manager, Ahn Yong-duk, signaled.

The infield crept in, ready for the bunt.

Barnett’s second pitch: an inside fastball.

Way outside. Lee Ji-sung backed off.

1-1.

141 km/h [approximately 87 mph].

Jung Young-soo edged further off first.

“Righty pitcher, gotta twist to check the runner at first. Stresses the ankle. Hard to hold him close.”

“Slow ball, tough to hold the runner. Crisis for Barnett and Phoenix.”

Barnett’s third pitch: an outside changeup.

Lee Ji-sung bunted it toward third.

“Barnett! Fields it clean, throws to second! Second baseman to first! Double play! Barnett!”

“Barnett charged like he knew it was coming. Really hurt? Or was it a fake?”

“Looks like a trap. He was moving before the ball left the bat. Jung Young-soo’s fuming at second. Good lead, but not good enough.”

“Got careless. Thought they’d go to first even with the bunt.”

“Acting or not, perfect double play for Phoenix.”

Barnett roared after getting Seol Jin-il out on a first-pitch fly ball.

147 km/h [approximately 91 mph] fastball, inside.

“Sly dog. Haha.”

Ham Sung-hoon chuckled.

Bottom of the sixth. Fish gave up a solo homer to Phoenix’s Hong Chan-yeol.

3-0.

Goat pulled Fish after the sixth to manage his pitch count.

Barnett came off the mound after retiring Kim In-hwan, Song Seok-hyun, and Yoo Seon-ho in the seventh – fly ball, two groundouts.

“How’s the ankle?”

Barnett frowned instead of answering.

“Hospital, now.”

Barnett limped off the field with the coach.

The Phoenix players watched in silence.

“Let’s protect this lead. Got it?”

Kyung Soo-in’s words met with a chorus of “Yes!”

Phoenix didn’t score in the bottom of the ninth, but they didn’t give up any runs either.

Final score: 3-0.

Goat was shut out for the first time in ages.

Song Seok-hyun glared at Kyung Soo-in, who was waving to the fans.

“What are you doing? Let’s go, Seok-hyun.”

“Right, coming.”

Soaring as a Catcher

The Angry Whale (1)

10 a.m.

Sunlight streamed through the apartment window.

Manager Ham Sung-hoon dozed on the sofa, basking in it.

“Sleep more. Why are you up?”

Ham Sung-hoon’s wife handed him coffee.

“Thanks.”

He sipped, then stretched.

“Wish I could. Gotta get to work.”

“So much earlier than everyone else?”

“Not *that* much.”

“Everyone else goes after lunch. You go after brunch.”

“Rookie manager. Gotta prep.”

“Too dedicated. Goat’s doing great, right? Slow down.”

Ham Sung-hoon sipped.

“No time to relax. Teams below are closing in, teams above are pulling away.”

“Weren’t you saying playoffs would be a success? Now you want first place?”

“Championship would be better.”

His wife sat close.

“Championship, you get a contract extension?”

“Well… that good, they can’t say no, right?”

“Then we stay in Korea?”

“Maybe?”

“Championship’s the only way? Not with your current record?”

“It’s Goat. They spend like crazy. Plenty of managers with better resumes. Can’t relax.”

“So stingy. Can’t reward someone who’s contributing… Why join them?”

“Without Goat, would I be a manager? Support me, don’t complain. If it fails, I managed the most popular team in Korea. If it works, I have a championship.”

“I *am* supporting you! Goat’s stingy. They should push you for the future.”

She pouted.

Ham Sung-hoon put his arm around her.

“World’s unfair. Baseball’s the same. Instead of complaining, squeeze out everything I can. Good results, I stay. Bad results, I gave it my all. No regrets. Right?”

“Even if you manage next season, take it easy. You’re making me anxious.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll remember.”

She looked up at him.

“How about starting today? Lunch with me. Let’s eat somewhere nice.”

“Tough. Season’s almost over.”

“Always tough. Tough at the start, tough in the middle, tough at the end.”

“Please understand. Pegasus is two games ahead. Twenty-ish games left. Hard to close that gap.”

“Fine. Who are you playing today?”

“Wales.”

“Fifth place. Gotta rush against them?”

Ham Sung-hoon leaned back.

“Wales is desperate. Miss the top four, manager and coaches are gone. That’s scary.”

“Don’t exaggerate. They’re fifth because they’re not good.”

* * *

Jamsil Stadium conference room.

Pre-practice meeting. Ham Sung-hoon and the coaches strategized for the three-game series.

“Robert Eugene, Sung Jong-hyun, Gu In-sun – the starters. Robert Eugene and Gu In-sun are on a roll. Robert Eugene struggled all season, but he’s waking up. More strikeouts, fewer walks.”

Manager Ham Sung-hoon asked about the power analysis team’s report.

“Reason?”

“Using the outside of the zone. MLB and KPBL strike zones are different. Foreign pitchers struggle. Robert Eugene did too, at first. Now he’s attacking the edges. Slider against righties is much better. Batting average against righties in the last five games is .174. Against lefties, .250. Meaningful difference, but not bad either.”

“Robert Eugene… Sung Jong-hyun?”

“Struggling with stamina. Skipped a rotation last time, so he’ll be better, but fatigue’s still a factor.”

“Gu In-sun improved? How?”

“Always good against lefties, now even better. Changed his arm angle, closer to three-quarters. Slider’s improved.”

“Forkball? Lower arm angle, forkball to righties gets ambiguous.”

“He throws a knuckle forkball.”

“Distinction between fastball and forkball gets clear, right?”

“Still tough to hit. Fast knuckleball that drops. Sometimes it looks like a mistake, sometimes it drops too sharply to touch.”

“A gamble, then.”

The coaches chimed in.

“Wales has potential.”

“Seem easy, but they’re tricky.”

The power analysis team leader said, “Fortunately, Max Kyu-dae and Kang Moon-kyu, whom we traded, won’t be returning this season. It seems like the KPBL felt burdened by public opinion. Public criticism has increased recently due to celebrity drunk driving and drug cases.”

“Relief. Almost half the remaining games are against Wales, right? Nine games.”

“Yes. We think Wales is tricky, but not *that* scary.”

“Wales will be scary next year. National team duo at the top, Max Kyu-dae, Kang Moon-kyu, Shim Soo-kyung in the cleanup…”

Ham Sung-hoon turned the page.

“Next year’s next year. Today’s game strategy… Wales’ attack point is…”

* * *

Pre-game.

Song Seok-hyun sat next to Kim In-hwan on the bench.

They watched Kim Jung-ryul chatting on the opposing bench.

“Senior Jung-ryul has connections. Friends on every team?”

“National team, TV appearances. Natural socializer.”

“He looked troubled when I first met him.”

“That was then. Different now. League’s best closer, they say.”

On the opposite bench, Kim Jung-ryul talked to Wales’ closer, Hwang Si-wan.

Hwang Si-wan tapped Kim Jung-ryul’s chest.

“Must be happy. Team’s doing well, you’re doing well.”

“Still second. Hard to catch Pegasus.”

“Thinking about first place?”

“Of course. Gotta aim high.”

“Lucky. Might get a ring this year.”

“Wales will be better next year. Kyu-dae and Moon-kyu went there.”

“Don’t know. Even if Wales improves, don’t know if I’ll still be pitching.”

“Why, hyung [older brother/friend]? You’re still good.”

“Thirty-six next year. Not closer age.”

“Still throwing 145 km/h [approximately 90 mph]. Age? Or skill?”

“Skills decline with age, idiot.”

“Baseball’s easier as I get older. Hehe.”

“Annoying bastard. Happy? Making fun of an old man?”

While they laughed, the pitching coach cleared his throat.