On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 10

“Okay, go ahead then.”

Song Seok-hyun rolled his eyes from side to side.

“Is it okay for me to leave like this now?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“Is it all over? Am I accepted?”

“I told you, yes! Accepted! Should I stamp an acceptance seal for you or something?”

“No. It’s not that, it’s just a bit… Yes. No. Thank you.”

“Okay, oh, where do you live? Seoul?”

“Yes, Seoul.”

“Then that’s good. Your home is close, which is nice. Go carefully. Let’s work well together in the future.”

“Yes.”

Song Seok-hyun picked up his bag again—a duffel bag full of equipment—and stepped out of the indoor baseball field.

After passing the parking lot and entering the main road, Song Seok-hyun stopped and turned around.

Behind him, he could see two large baseball fields and one towering building.

“…Is this really it?”

His head was filled with complicated thoughts.

Had he even talked to Park Gi-deok for 10 minutes?

Park Gi-deok handled the matter quickly, as if he were rushing to finish overdue homework.

Rehab group, and an okay sign from an operations team employee without any tests from the minor league coaching staff, was all it took.

Shouldn’t at least a coach, if not the minor league manager, have been present?

There were many things he wanted to ask and argue about, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it in person.

This was his last chance, and it was a position recommended by Coach Lee Gi-seong, who had no connection to him.

He didn’t want to stir up trouble unnecessarily, so he just nodded and left.

“What’s going on?”

Unlike when he first arrived at the minor league field, Song Seok-hyun drooped his shoulders and trudged along.

Catching Success

Seeing Off

As Song Seok-hyun walked down to the bus stop, he saw two burly men coming up the hill.

Song Seok-hyun immediately recognized who they were.

‘Kim Jeong-ryul, Kim In-hwan.’

Kim Jeong-ryul had been called an ace since his high school days and had been active as the team’s top domestic starter after being drafted in the first round by GOAT.

A textbook example of a right-handed fireballer with a tall stature and a fast fastball.

Kim In-hwan became a star in high school baseball by hitting two grand slams in one game during his high school years.

GOAT immediately spared no expense for the first-round pick, given the condition of being a left-handed power hitter.

Song Seok-hyun watched the two men walk up the hill in their slippers.

“Two first-rounders in the minors?”

* * *

Song Seok-hyun returned home and immediately met with Jeong Mi-nam.

Jeong Mi-nam rushed over and urged him to tell him the results quickly.

“I just left, and I passed. There wasn’t even a test.”

“Really? Oh, that’s a relief, that’s a relief. That’s great. I knew it would work out well.”

Jeong Mi-nam breathed a sigh of relief.

“But it’s a bit strange.”

“What is?”

“It’s not the minors, but the rehab group. A rehab group catcher, they said. I don’t even know if the rehab group needs a catcher, but they said they’re hiring someone to catch balls.”

“Rehab group? So, you’re taking care of injured pitchers?”

“I guess so. They didn’t explain it in detail, so I don’t really know. I just said I understood and left.”

“Rehab group catcher…?”

Jeong Mi-nam tilted his head.

“Is there even such a thing?”

“That’s what I’m saying. I’ve never heard of that.”

“Is it like a bullpen catcher or something?”

“It could be. But then aren’t you a front office employee? Bullpen catchers aren’t even registered as official players.”

“Is that so…?”

Song Seok-hyun and Jeong Mi-nam exchanged glances.

“Hey, it can’t be. Isn’t becoming a front office employee much harder than registering as a minor league player? If they accepted you without a test, it probably isn’t that.”

Song Seok-hyun clicked his tongue at Jeong Mi-nam’s consolation.

“I guess so?”

“That’s probably it. They said they were hiring urgently, so… maybe they’ll call you when things settle down a bit?”

“But when I asked if I could go to the minors, they said I could only move up when a spot opens up.”

“Yeah, being able to move up when a spot opens up means you’re still a player. It’s different from a bullpen catcher.”

“Hmm, I guess that’s the right way to think about it?”

“Yeah. That’s probably it.”

The two men talked while smiling at each other, but they couldn’t avoid the creeping anxiety that was smoldering in one corner of their hearts.

Rehab group catcher.

It was a position that high school baseball players were hearing about for the first time.

Jeong Mi-nam spoke in an even brighter voice on purpose.

“Kim Young-hoon started as a batting practice pitcher. But he still carried Phoenix by the scruff of their necks. Even if it’s the minors, you never know what might happen when the season starts. Once you get a spot, just showcase your skills. You have the skills to do that.”

“Are you comparing me to Kim Young-hoon? He’s a pitcher who won four games in the Korean Series by himself.”

“I’m saying you can do it too. Anyway, you’ve made it to the pros. An opportunity will come. Don’t be too scared.”

“Hmm… yeah, well. There’s no need to be scared already.”

“It’ll be fine. At least the team is good, GOAT.”

* * *

“No matter how I think about it, GOAT still isn’t great…”

The next day, at a gathering with friends, Song Seok-hyun announced that he had joined GOAT as an undrafted free agent.

Kim Na-young congratulated him, but Kim Young-seok clicked his tongue.

“What’s not great about it? Your home is close, the team is big, and the facilities are good, right? Everything’s good, why?”

Kim Na-young snapped.

Kim Young-seok continued to say what he wanted to say, regardless of Kim Na-young’s annoyance.

“GOAT is the team where Kim Jeong-ryul and Kim In-hwan are in the minors. What’s GOAT’s concept? Buy and use, buy and use. Their thing is throwing money at free agents every year. It’s super hard for a minor league player to move up to the majors. Look at Kim Jeong-ryul and Kim In-hwan. Kim Jeong-ryul was put in the minors after a slump due to injury and they don’t bring him up, and Kim In-hwan, even though he’s a swing-happy hitter, his power is legit, but they use him for a few games in the majors and then send him down, use him for a few games and then send him down.”

Jeong Mi-nam said.

“So? Are you saying GOAT isn’t great because it’s hard to go to the majors right away? Hey, that’s not it. Still, any team will bring you up to the majors if you do well and prove your skills. The goal is to do well first, why worry about that already?”

“No, no. I’m saying there’s no such thing as doing well. They sign good players as free agents to the majors. Then the players who are ambiguously pushed out will go to the minors, right? GOAT’s minor league team is the deepest and strongest team out of the eight teams. It won’t be easy to be a starter and play well in the minors. Ah… you should have gone to Phoenix, Fox, or Bulls if possible.”

“Are you raining on his parade on a celebratory day, you jinx.”

“I’m saying it because I’m worried. Undrafted free agents need to be verified as soon as possible.”

Kim Na-young slammed the table.

“Seriously, Kim Young-seok.”

Kim Young-seok’s shoulders shrank.

“Let’s only say good things on a good day. Huh?”

“…I didn’t say anything bad though.”

“Sigh.”

“…Sorry.”

Song Seok-hyun said.

“I know Young-seok is worried about me. I’m a little anxious too. But what can I do, this is the best I can do right now. I’ll just have to do well. I have to prepare well so that I can take advantage of the opportunity when it comes to me.”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s a good mindset. If you’ve already started, you have to think positively.”

“So, are you enlisting on December 1st?”

“Yeah, the announcement said I could come in a little earlier, but I’ll just go according to the schedule. There’s nothing for me to do if I go in early by myself.”

“December is not far away…”

“I’ll study a bit and do some running in the meantime.”

Kim Na-young said.

“Then you can go out, right?”

“Yeah, I can apply to go out. GOAT is pretty lenient with outings and overnight stays, so I’ll be able to see you guys often.”

“Yeah, that’s good. It’s good to be close to home.”

Kim Young-seok muttered.

“It would be better to be in a team with a thin roster if possible.”

Song Seok-hyun said.

“Today is my acceptance day, so I’m going to treat you. Eat whatever you want, within 100,000 won [approximately $80 USD]. This is my entire allowance. No extras!”

* * *

After finishing their meal, Song Seok-hyun headed home with Kim Na-young.

Kim Na-young kept patting her stomach.

“That was a good meal.”

“Why are you eating so much today? Did you like the stew that much?”

“There are days like this, why? The college entrance exam is over, and I’m going to do whatever I want, do you have a problem with that?”

“I was just curious, how can you eat so well.”

Small snowflakes fluttered under the reddish-orange streetlights.

Kim Na-young stretched her hand out forward.

“It’s already snowing.”

“Looks like sleet.”

“That’s amazing. Is this the first snow of the year?”

“Do you even count this as the first snow?”

Kim Na-young clenched her fist tightly.

“Anyway, congratulations again on your acceptance.”

“How many times am I going to be congratulated today? Anyway, thanks. Your grades will be announced soon, right? Well, if there’s nothing special, you’re going to Seoul National University too, right?”

“I don’t have to go to Seoul National University, but my family is telling me to go no matter what.”

“You have to go no matter what, with your grades.”

“I don’t really care where I go to college, I’m going to prepare for the civil service exam right away anyway.”

“Civil servant? Why a civil servant all of a sudden? Isn’t getting a job a free pass if you go to Seoul National University?”

“I’m going to prepare for the higher civil service exam. A level 5 civil servant.”

“You’re going to study again? Without resting?”

“I heard that if you’re going to study, it’s better to do it right after finishing high school, because if you play around in college and then start studying again, it’s hard to study again. They say it’s easier if you do it right after high school because the habit of studying is ingrained in your body.”

“Wow, that’s amazing, the higher civil service exam. I’ve got good friends.”

Kim Na-young looked down at the snowflakes falling and melting on the ground.

“I don’t know how long it will take. It might take a year, it might take two years. Maybe it will take even longer. I’m going to try for about two years, and if it doesn’t work out, I’ll go back to school.”

“Yeah, it’s Seoul National University. Even if you fail the exam, you’re set if you graduate from Seoul National University. No worries, you.”

“So, you work hard too. Work hard and debut in the majors. I’ll work hard and pass the exam too.”

“That’s a lot of pressure. Okay. I’ll work hard. I’ll work very, very hard without resting. Let’s both succeed quickly. Let’s buy apartments and drive nice cars.”

Kim Na-young stopped walking.

“But did you make a wish?”

“A wish? Why all of a sudden?”

“It’s the first snow. You have to make a wish.”

“…Is that so? Do you make a wish when the first snow comes?”

“Make a wish quickly.”

Kim Na-young closed her eyes.

Song Seok-hyun closed his eyes as well.

“Did you make your wish?”

“Yeah, I made it.”

“What did you wish for? To debut in the majors?”

“No, I just wished that I could play baseball properly next year. If I can just play baseball properly, I’ll be in the majors soon enough with my skills. What about you? What did you wish for?”

Kim Na-young didn’t answer.

She just continued walking down the road.

“Hey, why are you only making me talk?”

The reddish-orange streetlight shone down on Kim Na-young’s face.

* * *

Song Seok-hyun told his family that he had been signed as an undrafted free agent.

His younger brother congratulated him, but his mother’s face was dark.

“I don’t know much about it, but I heard that being an undrafted free agent is usually very difficult.”

“It’s okay. I’m still a player, a player. There’s no problem if I just work harder.”

“Hoo.”

His mother didn’t say much.

Just sighs, and more sighs.

Song Seok-hyun knew what his mother was holding back, so he forced an even bigger smile.

“It’s a Seoul team, and GOAT is a pretty prestigious team, so I got into a good place. Well, if I do well by the first half of next year, I might be able to debut in the majors in the second half. I heard that GOAT’s middle layer is weak? If a spot opens up, I think I’ll have a chance too.”

Song Cheol-hyun tried to say something but closed his mouth.

Unlike other positions, such as pitcher, the opportunity to debut in the majors is rare for a 20-year-old high school graduate undrafted catcher.

However, Song Cheol-hyun knew that Song Seok-hyun was saying things that sounded good to his mother’s ears, so he kept his mouth shut.

“Okay, I understand. Since you’ve decided to do it, work hard.”

“Okay. Don’t worry. I’ll do well.”

After the three family members finished dinner, his mother went into her room.

Song Seok-hyun called Song Cheol-hyun into his room separately.

“Cheol-hyun, now that I’m leaving, you’re the only man in the house. Do you know what I mean?”

“Um… that I have to do well in the future?”

“I’m not worried because you’re doing your job well, but still, be careful with your words and actions in front of Mom from now on. Don’t worry her unnecessarily. I’m going to work out well no matter what, so if she asks about me, just say I’m doing well.”

“…Okay. I’ll try to talk about it as positively as possible.”

“Yeah, what good is it to upset Mom unnecessarily?”

“You’re the one who needs to cheer up, hyung [older brother]. It’s going to be the hardest for you.”

“Me?”

Song Seok-hyun patted his chest.

“I’m going to succeed no matter what. I’m going to do well. I’m naturally good at baseball. Baseball is originally something that good guys do well, you know.”

December 1st came quickly.

Song Seok-hyun packed his bags early in the morning and left the house.

His mother’s eyes, who came to see him off, were red and bloodshot.

Catching Success

Truth