On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 265

“Well, he’d be ace-level if he got back in shape, but he’s already thirty-four. He’s not a domestic player, and for a foreign player, a long slump at thirty-four usually means it’s over.”

“So, they’re going to replace him?”

“I don’t know for sure yet, but the rumors are everywhere. It’s not like he’s the only foreign player packing his bags. Mex must be anxious too. At his age, it’ll be hard to get another chance in the major leagues.”

“Yeah, unless his skills are absolutely top-notch, they wouldn’t give a thirty-four-year-old pitcher who played in Korea a chance in the major leagues.”

“Going to the minors at that age is out of the question, so it’s practically retirement. Isn’t he here in Korea to save up for retirement with his skills?”

“I don’t think it’s just the aging curve.”

“Unless your fastball is super fast, pitchers who rely on finesse are dying out these days because it’s a hitter’s game. Honestly, Mex is in a tough spot right now.”

“Hmm.”

That day’s game was the Jamsil rivalry match against the Wolves.

Ace Fish, returning after a long absence, allowed 8 hits and 4 walks, getting pulled after 4.2 innings with 5 runs against him.

Fish sat in the corner of the bench with a flushed face.

Ham Sung-hoon also watched the field with a dark expression.

The Goats were trailing 5-2, but Yoo Sun-ho’s three-run homer in the 6th inning tied the game.

Afterward, the Goats used their entire bullpen to hold the opponent to 2 runs, then scored 5 runs with an explosive offense, securing the victory.

After the game, during 퇴근 [quitting time; time to leave work].

As Song Seok-hyun was about to leave, he found Mckenzie sitting alone by the flower bed in the parking lot.

His due date was just around the corner, so he should have gone straight home, but Song Seok-hyun hesitated several times before approaching Mckenzie.

“What are you doing here?”

“Oh. Just, you know… leaving work?”

“Yeah. You’re starting tomorrow, what are you doing here?”

Mckenzie shrugged.

“I don’t know either.”

Song Seok-hyun scratched his head and sat next to Mckenzie.

“I can’t help you, but I can listen. Tell me about it.”

Mckenzie gave a hollow laugh.

“It’s not something anyone can help with. The problem is just that I can’t play baseball well.”

“Everyone goes through slumps. And this year, the hitter’s advantage is especially strong.”

“I’m a foreign player. I have to perform, no matter what. No excuses.”

“……”

“You’ve heard the rumors, right? I might be leaving here soon.”

“I heard nothing’s been decided yet.”

“Even if I were the manager, I wouldn’t like myself these days. My performance is bad, I’m old, and I’m not a fastball pitcher… Ha. How did I end up like this? Damn it.”

Mckenzie covered his forehead.

Song Seok-hyun looked at Mckenzie and said cautiously.

“Mex, can’t you throw a curveball at all?”

“Curveball? Of course, I can throw it. What pitcher can’t throw a curveball?”

“But why don’t you throw it at all? Is it because you don’t like your curveball?”

“I like curveballs. But my motion is too big, so it gets read easily.”

“How much?”

“That’s… I don’t know, I haven’t thrown it lately. I can’t show you right now.”

Song Seok-hyun took out his phone and checked the time.

“Then can I catch for you for a bit, Mex? Can you throw some pitches? Just a light warm-up.”

“Now?”

“Yes. You’re starting tomorrow; when else will you have time to throw?”

The two moved to the practice field.

Song Seok-hyun sent a text to Kim Na-young, put his phone aside, and sat down.

“Throw lightly once. Just lightly.”

As Mckenzie threw a curveball, the ball sharply curved downward.

Song Seok-hyun caught the ball and gave a thumbs up.

“Good ball.”

“If I throw it like this in a real game, they’ll know it’s a curveball before I even throw it.”

“I guess so. The motion is big.”

“It’s useless if I can’t use it in a real game.”

Song Seok-hyun put his hands behind his back.

Mckenzie waited for Song Seok-hyun for a long time.

“I appreciate you thinking of me, but this doesn’t seem to be helping. It would be good to throw a curveball, but it hasn’t worked so far–”

“Mex, just a moment.”

Song Seok-hyun approached Mckenzie.

“Can you step a little more inward with your foot?”

“My foot?”

“Yes. Can you step inward and throw the ball? About… this much? This much?”

Song Seok-hyun pointed to where Mckenzie should step with his hand.

“Can you step here and throw the ball?”

“It shouldn’t be too difficult.”

Mckenzie gave a wry smile.

“Okay. You can’t leave work either, so I’ll do whatever you say.”

“We have to find something we can do. Try throwing it once.”

Song Seok-hyun sat back down.

Mckenzie spread his feet, reducing the angle by about a fist’s width compared to usual.

And the curveball came.

Song Seok-hyun smiled brightly as he caught the ball.

“Okay. Let’s move your body a little to the left and reduce the angle even more? Think of stepping on the end of the pitching plate.”

After four or five pitches, Song Seok-hyun marked the spot where Mckenzie said it was too difficult and said.

“If you open up a little more from here, you should be able to throw it similarly to how you usually throw.”

“This much isn’t too difficult. Is this how you want me to throw it?”

“We can’t increase your speed right now, and we can’t adjust your control more precisely. But we can change the deception just enough so that it doesn’t affect your pitching. If you throw it like this, you can hide the ball while throwing, so you can hide the curveball as long as possible. It’s a temporary fix, but it’s better than not being able to throw a curveball at all. If you throw a curveball, your speed range widens, making it much easier to face hitters.”

As it was a long sentence, Song Seok-hyun broke it down into English for Mckenzie to understand.

Mckenzie quickly understood Song Seok-hyun’s intention.

“But if I throw it like this, it feels like the ball will keep going to the left.”

“Spread your legs more so you can throw the ball to the right. It’s better to gradually narrow your legs from there.”

After Mckenzie threw seven balls, Song Seok-hyun chuckled.

Song Seok-hyun got up and shouted.

“Genius, genius. How did you adapt so quickly?”

Mckenzie also chuckled.

“I’m getting embarrassed. I don’t know what to say when you praise me like that.”

“I’m sorry if I was being nosy. But it would be too unfair if you left here without even trying when there’s still something you can do.”

“I appreciate you caring about me. I don’t know if it will work tomorrow, but let’s give it a try.”

Song Seok-hyun high-fived Mckenzie.

“If I did this to Fish, I would have gotten an earful for being presumptuous, right?”

“Oh. Is it because I’m easy to talk to?”

“No. Is it because I love you more?”

“What? Hahaha! It’s not bad to hear, even if it’s just flattery.”

“It’s not flattery. This is the battery of love [a play on words, referring to the catcher-pitcher relationship as a ‘battery’].”

As Song Seok-hyun was cleaning up, his phone rang, and he answered it.

The caller was Kim Na-young.

“I, I… I think I’m going into labor. Come quickly. Quickly.”

Song Seok-hyun immediately hung up.

“Mex! See you tomorrow! Something urgent came up!”

Catching Success

A Change (2)

Squeak.

5 a.m., when everyone was asleep.

Song Seok-hyun closed the door of the hospital room and came out.

Outside, his mother-in-law, father-in-law, and even Seok-hyun’s mother were waiting.

“Na-young is sleeping now.”

His mother-in-law grabbed Seok-hyun’s hand.

“You have a game tomorrow, so you should get some sleep now.”

“I’m thinking of contacting the team and taking a day off today. The manager said he would give me a day off if something like this happened.”

“No, no. We’re here. She’ll be going to the postpartum care center soon. So, don’t worry and just focus on baseball.”

Seok-hyun’s mother added.

“Yes. We’ll take care of Na-young, so don’t worry. I heard the postpartum care centers are well-equipped these days.”

His father-in-law added.

“Too many people won’t help. Seok-hyun, you should get some rest and focus on tomorrow’s game. There’s nothing you can do right now anyway. You’ll be busy after she leaves the postpartum care center.”

His mother-in-law said.

“After she leaves the postpartum care center, we’ll take care of Na-young and Se-young at our house for a while, so don’t worry about anything. Just focus on baseball. That’s more important. Na-young and I have been talking about it for a while.”

“Se-young… I can’t see her again right now, can I?”

“Later. You’ll see her for the rest of your life, so don’t be so impatient.”

Song Seok-hyun scratched his nose.

“It’s becoming more real now. There’s a world of difference between thinking about becoming a father and actually seeing the baby.”

“Now you’re really becoming the head of the household.”

* * *

Song Seok-hyun tossed and turned until morning before finally falling asleep.

He was late for training because he overslept, but he was greeted with applause.

“Wow. Seok-hyun is joining the path of hardship.”

“Now your real married life begins.”

“Congratulations.”

He smiled brightly when receiving congratulations from the players, but when talking to Mckenzie, his face quickly turned serious.

“How’s your condition today?”

“Not bad. I think I’m okay.”

“Should we do some bullpen pitching? Like we discussed yesterday.”

“Okay. Let’s do it.”

Mckenzie set his body slightly diagonally and threw the ball.

Thwack!

It wasn’t 100% power since it was bullpen pitching, but the ball had force.

“How is it? Is it throw-able?”

“It’s okay.”

“How’s the control?”

“Enough.”

“Then should we try throwing it outside to a left-handed batter?”

Mckenzie pitched to the opposite side this time.

After a few pitches, Song Seok-hyun nodded.

“The control seems fine. Now, should we look at the curveball?”

“Hoo. Okay.”

Mckenzie took a breath.

Mckenzie’s curveball dropped sharply from above.

The ball came in as a strike.

He threw three more balls like that.

The ball bounced and sometimes was a strike.

“The curveball is good enough.”

“Is my curveball not visible?”

“You can’t hide it perfectly, but it’s usable enough.”

Song Seok-hyun got up and approached Mckenzie.

“As Mex knows, this is the best we can do right now. The best thing would be to increase the angle between your upper and lower body, but we can’t change that during the season. But winding up your body before throwing the ball is worth a try. Today, aim to throw it as hidden as possible. Forget about speed and power for today. We can’t change that right now.”

“Okay. Hide the ball as much as possible.”

“Then I’ll bring the coach. Let’s get it checked and go to the game.”

“Okay.”

The bullpen pitching began in front of the pitching coach and manager.

After throwing the ball twice.

The pitching coach called Mckenzie.

“Your form suddenly changed? What’s going on?”

“I’m trying to hide the ball because I want to throw a curveball.”

“A curveball?”

The manager and coach looked at each other.

“Good. Throw it once.”

Mckenzie showed the curveball in front of the two.

A curveball with a pretty big angle.

The pitching coach said to the manager.

“The curveball is okay if he throws it intentionally. The problem is that it’s still visible even if he tries to hide it.”

“Still, it would definitely be less visible if he threw it like that.”

“It’s a temporary fix, but it doesn’t look bad. If he can throw it properly, that’s fine too.”

“We usually wouldn’t take such a risk during the season…”

“The rumors can’t be avoided. Mckenzie must have ears too.”

“Anyway, making changes is important. If we go on like this, we’ll have to wait indefinitely for Mckenzie to get a feel for it.”

Before going into the game, Mckenzie continued to repeat shadow pitching alone.

He didn’t swing his arms to protect his shoulders, but he kept twisting his body and tilting his head.

Although it was a Jamsil game, the Goats were the away team today, so it was their turn to attack first.

The Wolves’ starter was foreign player Brian.

A right-handed orthodox power pitcher with a tall stature and a fastball that reaches up to 150km/h [approximately 93 mph].

Lee Ji-sung and Seol Jin-il’s hits created a situation with runners on first and second with no outs.

Kim In-hwan’s double play changed it to two outs with a runner on third.

Song Seok-hyun’s at-bat.

Brian stuck the ball close to his body from the first pitch.