On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 108

The two men shook hands.

Ham Seong-hoon led Yoo Seon-ho into the room.

“You were supposed to come tomorrow, why are you here already?”

“I thought it would be better to greet the manager early. It’s not far, just Incheon.”

“We need to have a meet-and-greet with the players tomorrow. Are you planning to stay here tonight?”

“I don’t have a place in Seoul yet, and it wouldn’t be bad to stay here for a night.”

“I see… Haha. You’re very eager.”

“I came because I felt it was right to introduce myself before tomorrow when you’ll be busy. I already told the team in advance that I’d like to start in the minor league, but I wanted to tell you directly.”

“I heard about that. I agreed too. You’ll need time to get back into form in the minors.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

Yoo Seon-ho bowed his head.

“And… Manager.”

“Yes?”

“I have a question.”

“Go ahead.”

“I heard you specifically requested this trade.”

“That’s right. Why?”

“So, you really brought me in because you needed me, right?”

“Of course. I desperately needed Yoo Seon-ho, so I traded for you knowing I’d get criticized. I’m already getting a lot of flak, haha.”

“Can I ask how you plan to use me?”

Ham Seong-hoon suddenly held up five fingers.

“The best fifth batter, a hitter to support Song Seok-hyun, the final piece of the cleanup trio.”

“You want me at fifth, not third?”

“Kim In-hwan struggles to perform without support behind him. But Kim In-hwan has clear weaknesses to be placed at fourth. Above all, it’s hard to put In-hwan at fourth when Seok-hyun is already there.”

“Can’t I be fourth?”

“Song Seok-hyun is the G.O.A.T.’s fourth batter, and that won’t change as long as Song Seok-hyun is with the G.O.A.T.”

Yoo Seon-ho looked down and sighed, then smiled.

“I understand. So, you’re saying you really need me?”

“Of course. My hope is that the K.S.Y. [Kim, Song, Yoo] will dominate the league for at least five years as the best cleanup trio. The best cleanup in professional baseball history.”

“Haha, I’m thirty-two this year. I’ll be thirty-eight in five years. Why are you saying that?”

“Hitters with good eyes, good power, and a great physique tend to last a long time. My wish is for you to remain active even past forty, as the best player in professional baseball history. If it’s you, Yoo Seon-ho, you’ll be able to break all the records in professional baseball. And…”

Ham Seong-hoon lowered his voice.

“Once the KSY cleanup is complete, we can win the league championship. The G.O.A.T. already has a complete starting lineup. We’ve also reinforced the bullpen properly this time. If the batting lineup is complete, it’ll be the crowning glory. You, Yoo Seon-ho, are the final piece. With a perfect starting lineup, bullpen, and batting lineup, why can’t we aim for the league championship? I think we can even build a dynasty. If the G.O.A.T. wins three, four, or five championships while you’re here, there’s no reason why your number 10 jersey can’t be hung in the stadium [retired in his honor].”

“What? No way, that doesn’t make sense. Everyone knows I’m a Scorpion player.”

“You’ll be a legend of the Scorpions and a legend of the G.O.A.T. Why do you think you can’t be a legend of the G.O.A.T.? Did you think I brought you in to use you for just one or two years? I brought you in knowing I’d have to make sacrifices, thinking we could be together for at least three years, maybe five, or even ten if I’m greedy. You’re that kind of player, Yoo Seon-ho. The final piece in building the G.O.A.T.’s dynasty. A great player worthy of trading away home run king Lee Nak-gyun. You can finish writing the history of Korean professional baseball here at the G.O.A.T.”

Yoo Seon-ho’s lips trembled.

“I’m embarrassed, I’ve never heard such words before.”

“What’s embarrassing? It’s all true.”

“I always hear people telling me to get out, old-timer… Haha.”

Yoo Seon-ho wrinkled his nose.

Ham Seong-hoon extended his hand to Yoo Seon-ho.

“I’ll give you plenty of time, so get your body in proper shape before coming up. You’re a player who’ll be playing for five or ten years, so what’s a few days of waiting?”

“Thank you, Manager. I’ll definitely get my body in proper shape and come back.”

Yoo Seon-ho stood up and bowed.

Ham Seong-hoon also stood up and bowed.

“Please take good care of me, Manager.”

“I should be the one saying that.”

Success Story as a Catcher

Baseball is a Sport of Variables

[The Most Shocking Trade of This Season]

[G.O.A.T., Challenging for the Championship This Season?]

[A Drastic Move to Send Out Lee Nak-gyun, Choi Dae-gyu, and Kang Moon-gyu. Will It Work?]

[Fans Question the Assets Acquired After Giving Up Lee, Choi, and Kang]

What dominated the portal sites after the game between the Whales and the G.O.A.T. wasn’t Song Seok-hyun’s two home runs out of the park, but the G.O.A.T.’s trade.

Park Shin-eon, Lee Nak-gyun, Choi Dae-gyu, Kang Moon-gyu.

Four players who were considered A-class players beyond just being starters, no matter which team they went to, were released.

The players acquired in exchange were Go Jin-seok, Jeong Hong-min, Yoo Seon-ho, Lee Ji-seong, Kim Jin-seok, and three unknown pitchers.

They gave up four and brought in eight, so the numbers were richer, but the acquired assets were full of question marks.

Go Jin-seok is the closer for the Gwangju Bulls, but this is his FA [Free Agent] year.

Jeong Hong-min is a left-handed specialist for the Whales, but he’s thirty-three and has never played a full season.

Yoo Seon-ho is a legend in the KPBL [Korean Professional Baseball League], but his surgery, rehabilitation, recent slump, and thirty-three years of age have raised concerns about an aging curve.

Lee Ji-seong was a national team outfielder, but his power has disappeared since his wrist injury, and Kim Jin-seok only fills the depth of the bullpen.

The three young pitchers are still inexperienced and can only aim for the first team next year or the year after.

In terms of name value, it looks like a similar trade, but looking at the inside, it’s a clear defeat for the G.O.A.T.

Fans were busy arguing with each other in every G.O.A.T. article, and the fan pages and official website were also suffering from insults and disputes.

More than 70% of the criticism was about the trade, but the remaining 30% included fans who had expectations and hopes.

– [G.O.A.T.] Still, our bullpen is solid, isn’t it worth a try?

└If you’re going to bring someone in, bring in a hitter who hits well. Except for Seol Jin-il, Kim In-hwan, and Song Seok-hyun, it’s full of scarecrows. What can you do by bringing in old-timer Yoo Seon-ho and Lee Ji-seong, who’s gone bad? The article says they’re going straight to the minors. Those two were already treated as outcasts in the Scorpions.

└The crazy manager had two bullpen pitchers undergo surgery during the season. He used up the pitchers, so he sold off four: Park Shin-eon, Lee Nak-gyun, Choi Dae-gyu, and Kang Moon-gyu. Is he out of his mind?

└I don’t think it’s bad… I’m in favor of throwing away three guys I didn’t like and bringing in guys who can be used anyway. Personally, I hate people who cause trouble…

└If you’re going to put someone in charge as acting manager, just go smoothly, but you have to cause an accident. Ha.

└At this point, the higher-ups intervened. Why are you blaming the acting manager? LOL. What does a scarecrow manager do? There are a lot of baseball illiterate people.

└As a Scorpion fan, I’ll say one thing. Yoo Seon-ho is still good enough. He’s a slow starter, but the manager buried him while talking him up. He’s still good enough. G.O.A.T. fans, please love Yoo Seon-ho a lot. Unlike his image, he does a lot of good deeds and is kind. It takes a long time for his senses to come up, but he’ll definitely do well when they do.

└But I’m curious. Are the Whales okay enough to give up four bullpen guys?

└Except for Jeong Hong-min, they’re all scrubs, so it doesn’t matter.

└Let’s watch and talk first. Why are the fans fighting? You can’t reverse the trade.

* * *

The day of the second game.

News broke that caused sighs from the Whales and G.O.A.T. fans.

[Whales’ Shim Soo-kyung’s Injury is Serious. At Least Half a Year of Rehabilitation After Surgery. Worst Case Scenario, More Than a Year…]

[Kang Tae-yang, Traded to the G.O.A.T., at Risk of Retirement Due to Surgery Side Effects? Doubts About Whether the G.O.A.T. Conducted a Proper Medical Test]

Shim Soo-kyung was a rare power hitter for the Whales.

The Whales fans’ cherished prospect suffered a long-term injury just as he was about to perform after being discharged from the military.

Many players have disappeared due to injuries and rehabilitation at a young age, so the Whales fans’ worries deepened.

The worry and anxiety were expressed as anger towards the G.O.A.T., who had inflicted the injury on Shim Soo-kyung.

G.O.A.T. fans grabbed the back of their necks at the news that one of the promising pitchers they had acquired after giving up two big hitters was already on the verge of retirement.

The G.O.A.T. club argued in a rebuttal article that he was just undergoing rehabilitation and had nothing to do with retirement, but the fans, whose suspicions had deepened, ignored it.

Training time for the visiting team before the game started.

Song Seok-hyun finished his free batting and came out of the batter’s box.

Kim In-hwan was standing behind him.

“Your hitting feels off today?”

“I know, right? Is it because I’m distracted?”

“Why are you distracted?”

“When I looked at the comments on our team’s articles today, they were brutal. The atmosphere has changed drastically.”

“It’s always like that after a trade. We also had a fuss every time a compensation player left during FA.”

“Maybe it’s because I got burned by the last scandal, but when I look at the comments, I get startled. If I slump once, I’m already getting chills thinking about what kind of comments will be posted.”

“You’re doing well now, what are you talking about?”

“I have to be the main hitter instead of Il-hyeok for the time being. I used to want to be a starter quickly, but when I saw the comments today, I’m so nervous that I’ll be minced meat if I make a mistake.”

“Don’t exaggerate. Just do what you’ve been doing.”

While the two were talking, Kim Jeong-ryul approached.

Kim Jeong-ryul grumbled with a gloomy face.

“I’m screwed today.”

“Why?”

“I slept wrong last night and pulled a muscle in my back.”

“What? Are you not injured?”

“I don’t think so… It’ll be difficult today and tomorrow.”

“Ah… It’ll be tough today without you, hyung [older brother/term of respect].”

“So, you two score a lot of points. Boom, boom. Huh?”

“If it were as easy as saying that, everyone would win the championship.”

Kim Jeong-ryul patted his back and left the stadium.

Song Seok-hyun sighed deeply.

“Today’s vibe isn’t good.”

“This unlucky energy has been around since yesterday… Ah, I shouldn’t say this. Tuh, tuh. I’ll get bad luck.”

“It’s a relief that Go Jin-seok is here. It would have been difficult today if even Go Jin-seok wasn’t here.”

“You’re right.”

As the start of the game approached, the stands filled with people.

The players also finished their interviews and prepared for the game.

-Play ball!

The Whales’ starter is Seong Jong-hyun.

The Whales’ domestic first starter and a traditional right-handed pitcher who is now twenty-four years old.

A pitcher who uses a fastball, a big curve, and a changeup as his main weapons.

In comparison, the G.O.A.T.’s starter was fifth starter Jeon Sang-heum.

The same twenty-four-year-old traditional right-handed pitcher who throws a fastball, curve, and changeup, but he’s a pitcher who goes back and forth between the first and second teams due to his lack of control and breaking balls compared to his power.

Puck!

-Strike! Out!

“Seong Jong-hyun strikes out first batter Seol Jin-il.”

“Good fastball. Seol Jin-il’s bat was late.”

Seong Jong-hyun struck out Seol Jin-il, then made Kim In-hwan fly out and Song Seok-hyun hit a line drive to the second baseman, taking out three batters and going down to the mound.

“Hmm… This won’t be easy today.”

Manager Ham Seong-hoon crossed his arms.

Seong Jong-hyun’s pitches are unusually good today.

It’s a so-called day when he’s on fire.

In comparison, Jeon Sang-heum isn’t even in good condition today.

The pitching coach had just whispered that Jeon Sang-heum’s velocity was 2-3 km/h slower than usual.

Tang!

“Hit! The Whales report a hit from the first batter!”

-Ball.

“Ah, is he giving up a walk here?”

-Ball.

“Two consecutive walks. That’s bases loaded.”

-Ball.

“Forced walk! A forced walk in the first inning.”

“This isn’t right. He needs to compete. He can’t pitch like this.”

An ominous feeling never fails.

Jeon Sang-heum chose to pitch around, thinking that his pitches weren’t good today.

Song Seok-hyun held out his mitt to put it in the zone, but it was no use.

“The pitching coach is coming up from the first inning.”

“It’s the worst to give up points by avoiding the fight, even if you get hit while fighting.”

Pitching coach Yeon Woo-shik first tapped Jeon Sang-heum’s shoulder.

“Relax. Why are you throwing the ball with force?”

“I’m sorry.”

“The more you try to avoid getting hit, the more the ball goes wild. Just look at the catcher’s mitt. Forget about throwing hard and just think about putting it in the mitt. Got it?”

“Yes.”

After the pitching coach went down, the pitcher put his hat back on.

Just look at the catcher’s mitt.

Just the catcher’s mitt.

The ball thrown while looking only at the catcher’s mitt flew to a place unrelated to the mitt.

Tang!

“The third base runner to home! The second base runner to home too! To home! They’re coming home! A bases-clearing double! The Whales score coolly from the first inning!”

“That pitch was very disappointing. If a breaking ball goes in so flat at such a high course, there won’t be a hitter who can’t hit it.”

“The G.O.A.T. is in crisis from the first inning. I think I can hear Manager Ham Seong-hoon’s sigh from here.”

“If the starting pitcher falters from the first inning, the manager’s heart will burn. It’ll burn a lot.”

The misfortune of the first inning didn’t end there.

They couldn’t take away even one out count in the double play chance, and then they allowed a home run, giving up 6 runs in the first inning.

“……”

Jeon Sang-heum, who came into the bench, was silent.

The players didn’t talk to Jeon Sang-heum either.

What can you say to a starting pitcher who collapsed from the first inning?

Song Seok-hyun also lowered his head with his mouth shut.

Can the starting catcher be free from the starting pitcher’s slump?

-Out!

-Out!

-Out!

“Seong Jong-hyun is really hot today. He’s striking out three batters in a row!”

“The Whales’ two best prospects are Shim Soo-kyung and Seong Jong-hyun, and Seong Jong-hyun is filling Shim Soo-kyung’s vacancy like this. He’ll look more beautiful to the Whales fans.”

Seong Jong-hyun’s good pitching, Jeon Sang-heum’s slump.

Jeon Sang-heum gave up 2 runs in the second inning and eventually came down from the mound.

The twenty-four-year-old young pitcher sat in a corner of the bench, covering his face with a towel and holding his breath.

“The G.O.A.T. game is really not going well today. It’s 10-2 in the 5th inning.”