On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 197

The only regret is the lost momentum.

Although they avoided a significant loss of points, the opponent continues to press their attack.

They need to halt their momentum quickly.

They need to get Choi Jae-wan out and launch a counterattack in the next inning.

“First pitch. It has to be the first pitch. Just focus on the fastball and swing at the first pitch. Got it?”

“Yes.”

Hitting coach Kang Yeon-tae emphasized this to Choi Jae-wan repeatedly.

First pitch fastball.

Jo Jin-ho has been relying heavily on changeups today.

A direct confrontation against the cleanup hitters would be risky.

However, the changeup strategy, whether through skill or sheer luck, keeps resulting in hits.

From the Pegasus’s perspective, Choi Jae-wan is predictable.

The probability of a changeup here is, at most, 30%.

Now, they’re gambling on the fastball.

“The sign exchange between pitcher Jo Jin-ho and catcher Jung Yong-wook is unusually prolonged.”

“They need to be careful. One more hit, and this inning is over.”

Jo Jin-ho delivers the pitch.

A 141km/h [approximately 87.6 mph] fastball.

Choi Jae-wan connects.

“Right fielder! Right fielder! Right fielder, come forward!”

The ball, struck by Choi Jae-wan, goes high but lacks distance.

The ball doesn’t travel beyond the area between the second baseman and the right fielder.

Soaring as a Catcher

Number One is Mine (8)

“Mine! Mine!”

Right fielder Song Jae-wan calls out.

Choi Young-seok is slightly closer to the ball, but the right fielder can make the catch while running forward.

Choi Young-seok glances at Song Jae-wan.

The distance to the ball is considerable.

Considering Song Jae-wan’s speed, it’s going to be close.

Should I attempt the catch, or defer to him as planned?

While he hesitates, Song Jae-wan dives.

Swoosh!

Song Jae-wan throws his body forward.

Choi Young-seok feels relieved, assuming his concern was unfounded.

The relief is short-lived.

Song Jae-wan’s slide is faster than anticipated, and the ball deflects off Song Jae-wan’s forearm instead of settling into his glove.

“…Damn it!”

Choi Young-seok dives quickly, but the ball, having slipped past Song Jae-wan, is now out of reach.

“The right fielder misses the catch! The third runner scores! 4-0. Goth extends their lead to 4-0! Another run scored due to a lucky hit.”

“Song Jae-wan’s slide was well-intentioned, but the problem is that when you slide, your view of the ball is obstructed. You need to carefully assess the ball’s trajectory before committing to the slide, but he went too early. He was too eager.”

“Is this a string of misfortunes? They brought out their ace, but they continue to concede runs. They’re giving up points incrementally without any major hits.”

Goth’s good fortune ends there.

Bullpen ace Jo Jin-ho prevents further runs with his skill.

4-0.

It’s not a massive lead, but it’s a difficult one to overcome quickly.

Catcher Jung Yong-wook gathers the team.

“It’s not over yet. Let’s chip away at the lead, one run per inning. Even better if we can get two or three. Luck is cyclical, right? They’ve had their share, now it’s our turn. Let’s focus, focus.”

“Yes!”

Bottom of the 5th inning.

The Pegasus batters struggle against Han Min-seok, who is in excellent form.

Goth also fails to add to their score in the 6th inning.

Now it’s the bottom of the 6th inning.

Han Min-seok is no longer on the mound for Goth.

Replacing the pitcher who pitched five scoreless innings is Go Jin-seok, a bullpen pitcher who was the closer for the Bulls until recently.

“Goth is making a strategic move. They’re pulling Han Min-seok, who hasn’t allowed a single run, and bringing in Go Jin-seok.”

“They’re determined to win today’s game and secure the shared top spot, right?”

“Ah, look at the bullpen now. Look at the Goth bullpen. Jung Hong-min and Kim Jung-ryul are warming up. Goth, known for protecting their must-win pitchers, is mobilizing all their key relievers.”

“If they concede even one run, they’ll replace the pitcher immediately. And look at the combination. Right-handed pitcher Go Jin-seok, left-handed pitcher Jung Hong-min, and underhand [sidearm] Kim Jung-ryul. Each pitching change forces the hitters to adjust. With such diverse styles—right-handed, left-handed, and underhand—it’ll be difficult to adapt even after seeing them once through the batting order.”

Pegasus coach Choi Seong-yeon’s brow furrows.

The reason he opted for a bunt with Yoo Seon-ho with bases loaded and two outs in the 5th inning.

“Ha…….”

Choi Seong-yeon shakes his head.

He was short-sighted.

He assumed Goth would stick to their usual strategy because they were known for protecting their bullpen, and Han Min-seok was pitching well.

He envisioned Han Min-seok pitching until the 6th or 7th inning, followed by one or two bullpen pitchers closing out the game.

Wasn’t Goth a team that hesitated to make bullpen changes even if they gave up another run?

If he had thought more deeply, this was the logical move.

The fate of first place could hinge on a single game today.

Goth could implement an even more drastic strategy than he anticipated.

He was preoccupied with the idea that Ham Seong-hoon was a novice coach and overlooked the obvious.

In a short-term game, it’s better to secure every possible point rather than aiming for a grand slam.

-Out!

-Out!

-Out!

“Go Jin-seok strikes out three batters in a row! Go Jin-seok’s forkball is devastating today.”

“Go Jin-seok’s forkball is well-known. Not just anyone can be a closer. Skill is essential, but you need a reliable finishing pitch. Go Jin-seok’s forkball is difficult to hit unless the batting order has seen it once.”

Top of the 7th inning.

Jo Jin-ho silences Goth’s batting order with three consecutive groundouts.

The problem is that the Pegasus’s batting order also fails to ignite.

In the bottom of the 7th inning, Goth changes the pitcher after Go Jin-seok allows a hit with two outs.

The new pitcher is Jung Hong-min.

Jung Hong-min induces a fly out with his first pitch.

“This is Jung Hong-min. He’s vulnerable against right-handed hitters, but even against them, his batting average against is just over .200. Against left-handed hitters, it’s in the .100s. His deceptive delivery from a high release point makes him a tough opponent.”

Top of the 8th inning.

The Pegasus changes the pitcher again to face Goth’s cleanup hitters.

The new pitcher is setup man Jung Gwang-ok.

Jung Gwang-ok walks Song Seok-hyun but manages to prevent any runs.

In the following bottom of the 8th inning, the Pegasus fails to get a single runner on base, drawing sighs from the Pegasus fans.

The Pegasus don’t give up.

They bring in closer Oh Gyu-ok and shut down Goth’s batting order in the top of the 9th inning.

Bottom of the 9th inning.

The Pegasus’s final chance.

First batter Choi Young-seok hits a double, raising hopes for a score, but Goth’s response is swift.

“Kim Jung-ryul is coming in. Kim Jung-ryul is coming out to end the game.”

“Kim Jung-ryul’s ball creates such an extreme matchup advantage that right-handed hitters struggle to even see it properly. The next four batters are all right-handed hitters.”

“Then should we use a pinch hitter?”

“It’s not the bottom of the batting order, and there aren’t any hitters on the Pegasus right now who are likely to perform better than these. It’s best to compete as is, but…….”

Song Seok-hyun signals to Kim Jung-ryul.

Sinker.

No need to be precise with the location.

As long as it’s low, the hitters will get themselves out.

When Kim Jung-ryul’s first pitch comes in at belt height, Shim Chang-gyu swings.

As Shim Chang-gyu swings, the ball drops sharply.

The ball hits the end of Shim Chang-gyu’s bat and floats weakly into the first baseman’s glove.

-Out!

Kim Jung-ryul nods once.

“This much is nothing.”

The next batter, Kim Han-seong, pops up a curveball on the first pitch and flies out.

Game over.

“Wow!”

The players shout and celebrate as if they’ve won the Korean Series [championship series of the KBO League].

League first place.

The players and fans are ecstatic, but the happiest person is someone else.

“That’s it, that’s it!”

The old man’s voice startles his family.

The old man with a broad smile is named Kim Myung-jin.

The chairman of Daekyup Jeonseong and the owner of Goth.

Kim Myung-jin raises his hand, his face flushed.

“Liquor. Bring me a drink. The best one. Hurry!”

A light brown liquid swirling around ice.

Kim Myung-jin empties his glass in one gulp.

“Hehe. Hehehehe. That’s right. It’s working. It’s working, we can do it too.”

* * *

[The Birth of Joint First Place. Who Can Stop Goth’s Second Half Surge?]

[Pegasus’s Fall? Goth’s Rise? The Direction of the Pennant Race is a Mystery]

[Strong Even Without Song Seok-hyun. Goth is Upgrading]

[Goth, the Team Weak in the Fall, Where to? The Team That Will Go Up Will Go Up]

Half of the baseball articles are about Goth.

Goth, who had always been a supporting actor in autumn baseball [post-season play], is now the main attraction.

The original Seoul team had the largest fanbase in the league due to their early championships, but they were a team that often disappointed their fans.

Now, as soon as they release autumn jackets, they sell out immediately.

Interview requests flood in, and offers to film documentaries pour in.

The biggest point of interest is twenty-year-old catcher Song Seok-hyun.

For the weekend three-game series against Wales, reporters and Major League scouts are present.

“Is Seok-hyun going to the Major League?”

The players tease Song Seok-hyun after spotting the Major League scouts.

Song Seok-hyun shakes his head, denying it, but the media is already speculating about his future, debating whether he could debut as a catcher in the Major League.

“We’re not even on their radar.”

The Wales players click their tongues, noticing the reporters clustered around the Goth bench.

The gap with 4th place has widened, and autumn baseball is hanging by a thread.

The distance between the top four teams and Wales has increased, making it nearly impossible to catch up.

The current 4th place team is Daegu Scorpion.

The competition for the top four spots is so intense that the team that usually contends for 1st and 2nd place with Pegasus has fallen to 4th.

Even within Wales, there’s little talk of being able to beat Scorpion.

Scorpion is a team that matches Wales in every aspect, including starting pitchers, bullpen, batting order, and defense.

As hopes for autumn baseball dwindle, the players’ spirits sag.

“Alright, alright. Let’s play well today too. Let’s just focus on winning one game at a time. Huh?”

Starting pitcher Gu In-seon encourages his teammates.

“I’ll win today, so don’t worry too much. Just trust me.”

There’s a reason for Gu In-seon’s confidence.

The starting matchup is Gu In-seon versus Jung Cheon-woon.

Gu In-seon has the advantage in terms of reputation and experience.

The fact that Gu In-seon’s performance is improving towards the end of the season also plays a role.

Gu In-seon’s control isn’t exceptional, but his natural stamina and arm strength are among the best in the league.

His ability to throw with the same velocity and power at the end of the season as at the beginning is a significant advantage.

This contrasts with other pitchers whose pitches lose effectiveness due to fatigue.

Opposing pitcher Jung Cheon-woon is a relatively new starter.

Since it’s his first full season in the starting rotation, he’s likely experiencing fatigue.

Gu In-seon’s assessment is reasonable, but he overlooks one factor.

He isn’t the only pitcher with exceptional stamina.

* * *

“Hoo.”

Gu In-seon takes a sip of his drink on the bench.

Top of the 4th inning, the score is 1-1.

Gu In-seon allowed a solo home run to Song Seok-hyun, and opposing pitcher Jung Cheon-woon also gave up a home run to Kim Jae-hong.

It was expected that Goth, with its many left-handed hitters, would struggle against Gu In-seon, but Jung Cheon-woon’s strong pitching is a surprise.

“Wales is struggling against Jung Cheon-woon.”

“There’s a reason why he’s nicknamed the best 5th starter in the league. Jung Cheon-woon is a bit inconsistent, but he’s talented. Depending on the team’s needs, he could be a solid 3rd or 4th starter.”

“Goth has a lot of promising rookies this year. Even if we exclude Song Seok-hyun and Kim In-hwan, Jung Cheon-woon and Jung Jin-oh are excelling among the pitchers. Lee Baek-chan and Hong Dae-seong too, of course.”

“Successful teams tend to attract success. It’s rare to see so many good rookies emerge at once.”

Contrary to Gu In-seon’s confidence, victory goes to Goth.

Jung Cheon-woon delivers a quality start [at least six innings pitched with no more than three earned runs], followed by Hong Dae-seong closing out the game.

The next day, Goth loses due to starting pitcher Jung Jin-oh’s poor performance, but in the final game of the series, they secure a decisive victory with ace Fish leading the way.

They aimed for sole first place with a series win, but Pegasus also wins their series, resulting in a continued tie for first place.

Amid the fierce competition for first place, there’s an even more exciting development…….

Soaring as a Catcher

Sweet and Delicious Peach

Monday morning in front of Seoul Station.

A man wearing jeans, a green shirt, a black hat, and sunglasses is on the phone.

Despite the partial disguise, passersby recognize the man and whisper.

The man who has been frequently in the news recently is Song Seok-hyun.