On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 116

As Song Seok-hyun’s turn at bat came around again, Jeon Jang-il was already taking off his cap to wipe away sweat.

Already 4 runs lost.

Even though it was just an internal scrimmage, giving up 4 runs in 3 innings wasn’t a good showing.

Joo Pan-seok threw a slider that broke sharply from the very first pitch.

Whack.

A foul ball.

The second pitch was a slow, looping curveball.

“Ball, low!” Manager Gu Chang-hyun shouted, his voice echoing across the field.

“Be confident! Even if you get hit, be confident!” he added, trying to boost Joo Pan-seok’s morale.

Joo Pan-seok received the ball thrown back by the catcher.

He understood what the manager was saying, but his body wouldn’t cooperate. A knot of anxiety tightened in his stomach.

Wasn’t the batter in front of him now known as ‘Mr. Home Run Beyond the Fence?’ The nickname sent a shiver down his spine.

He didn’t want to see his ball soaring far into the sky, disappearing over the fence. The thought was mortifying.

But he couldn’t just throw another ball down the middle in front of the manager, so he aimed a fastball for the outside corner, hoping to catch the edge of the plate.

Clang!

Song Seok-hyun somehow managed to push the slightly off-target ball to right field for a hit.

Joo Pan-seok hung his head, dejected, as the ball he tried to throw as a ball became a hit. His shoulders slumped.

“Wow, he even hits that,” Lee Ji-sung said, laughing in disbelief. He couldn’t believe Song Seok-hyun had made contact.

He pushed a ball that barely caught the end of the bat. It defied logic.

He could understand if he was right up on the plate, crowding the strike zone, but he wasn’t even doing that.

“Seok-hyun’s bat is a bit longer than others. And heavier too,” another player watching the game explained to Lee Ji-sung, offering some insight into Song Seok-hyun’s unusual success.

“Really? Did he do that on purpose?” Lee Ji-sung asked, intrigued.

The other player answered Yu Seon-ho’s question. “Yes, it’s about 1-2 inches longer than standard, and it weighs almost 1 kilogram [2.2 pounds].”

“Really? That must be really heavy, then?” Lee Ji-sung exclaimed.

“Yes, we tried swinging it once, and it was hard to keep our balance,” the player confirmed.

“Hmm… I understand now,” Yu Seon-ho mused, absorbing the information.

Yu Seon-ho turned his head and looked at Song Seok-hyun, studying his batting stance.

“Because the bat is heavy, he keeps his arms tight to his body when he hits. Because his arms are close to his body, his accuracy is high, and it’s easy to put power into it. There’s a reason he uses a heavy bat,” Yu Seon-ho analyzed.

“If you think about it like that, isn’t his bat speed fast? If the bat is heavy but the bat speed is similar, that means his power is better than other guys,” Lee Ji-sung added, impressed.

“That’s right. That’s probably why he’s sparing with his swings. It must be incredibly hard every time he swings. If he swings that heavy bat with a full swing, it’s no wonder the ball goes over the fence. But it must take a lot of stamina. Isn’t that why he doesn’t train as much?” Yu Seon-ho speculated.

“You’re a walking encyclopedia, senior. How do you know all that?” Lee Ji-sung asked, genuinely curious.

“If you look closely, you can see it,” Yu Seon-ho replied with a shrug.

“You should publish a hitting theory book,” Lee Ji-sung joked.

“It’s still a long way until I retire,” Yu Seon-ho chuckled.

“But he seems to be the first guy to hit like that, right?” Lee Ji-sung pressed.

“Usually, guys who hit with their hitting point so far back do it because they don’t want to strike out, playing it safe, but he’s different. He keeps the hitting point back, but his swing is a full swing. Usually, if the ball is hit from behind, it naturally doesn’t fly as far as when it’s hit from the front, but his bat is heavy, and his wrist is bent almost 180 degrees, so even if it’s hit from behind, it flies far. It’s strange. If he did that on his own, he’s crazy, and if there’s a coach who created that form for him, he’s no ordinary person. It’s too experimental. I got a lot of flak and was made fun of when I created this hurricane hitting style. I was older when I did that, but for a twenty-year-old to do that?” Yu Seon-ho marveled.

A young player slipped into the conversation, eager to share his knowledge.

“I heard Seok-hyun created it himself. Seok-hyun knows a lot too. He’s read all the baseball books that have come out in Korea. He even translates and reads overseas books,” the young player revealed.

“Really? That guy’s crazy too,” Yu Seon-ho repeated, shaking his head in amazement.

The game between the Blue Team and the White Team turned into a slugfest, with both sides trading powerful hits.

All the decent pitchers had been called up to the first team, and there were many injured players, so there weren’t many good pitchers left in the second team. The situation favored the hitters.

While Yu Seon-ho continued to rack up hits, finishing with 4, Song Seok-hyun had two walks, one strikeout, and one hit. He was proving to be a difficult batter to face.

9th inning.

Manager Gu Chang-hyun called over Oh Young-sik, who had finished preparing to pitch the final inning. Oh Young-sik was a rookie left-handed pitcher brought in from Wales, known for his fastball.

“…Okay. Got it?” Manager Gu Chang-hyun asked, giving Oh Young-sik specific instructions.

Oh Young-sik answered energetically, “Yes, sir!” He was eager to prove himself.

The top of the 9th inning started with the 3rd batter.

The batter, intimidated by Oh Young-sik’s fastball, retreated and popped up an easy outfield fly.

As Song Seok-hyun stepped into the batter’s box, Oh Young-sik threw a pitch inside from the very first pitch, testing the waters.

Whack!

Song Seok-hyun instinctively stepped back from the ball that came in deep. It wasn’t going to hit him, but it reminded him of Gu In-seon’s beanball [a pitch intentionally thrown at the batter’s head].

“Hmm,” Gu Chang-hyun muttered, his eyes narrowing. He was observing Song Seok-hyun’s reaction closely.

Many batters develop a weakness to inside pitches after experiencing a beanball. The psychological impact can be significant.

Oh Young-sik threw a second inside fastball, this time a bit closer to the plate.

Whack!

-Strike!

This time, it was a ball close to the center of the strike zone. Song Seok-hyun swung and missed a hittable pitch.

“Ugh,” Gu Chang-hyun groaned, his worry growing louder. He didn’t like what he was seeing.

Was his worry becoming reality? Was Song Seok-hyun developing a mental block against inside pitches?

He had told the pitcher not to stick too close to avoid injury, but Song Seok-hyun’s reaction was unusual, suggesting a deeper issue.

The pros are no different from the savanna. It’s a constant battle for survival.

If a weakness is seen, it will be relentlessly exploited. There’s no room for mercy.

Especially if they seem weak to inside pitches, pitchers will throw inside pitches as if they’re willing to die, even throwing beanballs, pushing the limits of what’s acceptable.

No matter how much the batter pretends to be okay, getting hit by a baseball going over 140km/h [87 mph] will cause a bruise that lasts at least 2 weeks, or even more than a month. The pain is undeniable.

Just when the bruise is about to heal, another bruise appears, and if bruises keep appearing, it can even lead to bone damage. The cumulative effect can be devastating.

The batter naturally steps away from the plate, creating more distance, and the pitcher can happily exploit the empty outside corner. It’s a strategic advantage.

It’s like having weaknesses on both the outside and inside. A batter becomes vulnerable from all angles.

This was the case for many of the once-successful hitters who had a lot of ups and downs in their rookie years. They showed flashes of brilliance but struggled with consistency.

Their strengths are clear, but they can’t overcome their weaknesses. They become predictable and easily exploited.

Kim In-hwan had been like that recently. He was deathly afraid of outside breaking balls, constantly flinching away.

He had improved his plate discipline to overcome his weakness, but pitchers still relentlessly throw outside breaking balls, knowing it’s his Achilles’ heel.

What if Song Seok-hyun becomes weak to inside pitches? The thought sent a chill down Gu Chang-hyun’s spine.

A batter who is weak on the inside is more of a problem than a batter who is weak on the outside. The fear can be crippling.

Because it means they’re afraid of the ball. And fear is a batter’s worst enemy.

‘One more,’ the manager signaled to the pitcher, holding up a single finger.

He needs to check if it’s a genuine weakness or if Song Seok-hyun just missed a ball. He needed more information before drawing any conclusions.

Oh Young-sik threw another cross-seam fastball, aiming for the inside corner.

The ball that dug in diagonally crossed the strike zone and was caught near the batter’s body. It was a risky pitch, but Oh Young-sik was committed.

“…” Song Seok-hyun looked at the pitcher without saying a word. His expression was unreadable.

At this point, anyone could tell what the pitcher was trying to do. The intent was clear.

It was an obvious pitch, a challenge.

The manager signaled again, urging the pitcher to continue the strategy.

This time, the pitcher threw it a little more inside, daring Song Seok-hyun to stand his ground.

The ball was perfectly controlled inside the strike zone, a testament to Oh Young-sik’s skill.

Song Seok-hyun swung the bat with all his might again this time, determined to prove he wasn’t afraid.

Bang!

The ball, hit squarely, flew far beyond the center fence without a doubt. It was a towering home run, a statement of defiance.

Song Seok-hyun ran silently toward first base, his head down, focused on the task at hand.

Clap clap.

Manager Gu Chang-hyun gave a short round of applause, a subtle acknowledgment of Song Seok-hyun’s resilience.

That was enough. He had seen what he needed to see.

There was no trauma, no lingering fear.

He needs to verify a little more, but he avoided the worst-case scenario. He breathed a sigh of relief.

Manager Gu Chang-hyun headed to Yu Seon-ho, eager to discuss his potential.

Yu Seon-ho, Lee Ji-sung. These were the players he needed to evaluate.

If only these two lottery tickets don’t turn out to be duds, Goht will be the winner of this trade. The future of the team might depend on it.

“I wonder if 777 will come out [a jackpot in gambling],” he muttered to himself, hoping for the best.

Success Story as a Catcher

Crisis is Opportunity (3)

Mealtime after the game.

Yu Seon-ho ate at the same table as Song Seok-hyun, wanting to get to know him better.

“Is your wrist okay?” Yu Seon-ho asked, concerned.

“Excuse me? My wrist?” Song Seok-hyun replied, surprised by the question.

“Yeah. You twist your wrist like crazy when you swing,” Yu Seon-ho explained.

“Ah… Yes, it’s okay. I’ve trained my wrist a lot since I was young,” Song Seok-hyun said, reassuring him.

“Really? Your wrist?” Yu Seon-ho pressed, still curious.

“Yes, I used to be a pitcher before I switched to catcher,” Song Seok-hyun revealed.

“You were a pitcher and then became a catcher? Haha. You’re unique, really,” Yu Seon-ho chuckled, impressed by his unusual background.

Lee Ji-sung brought his tray and joined the table where the two people were sitting, eager to join the conversation.

“But Seok-hyun,” Lee Ji-sung began.

“Yes, senior?” Song Seok-hyun responded respectfully.

“Don’t you run out of stamina every time you swing? I took a peek earlier, and your bat is really heavy,” Lee Ji-sung asked, genuinely curious about the physical demands of his batting style.

“That’s why I’m trying to be as careful as possible with my swings. If I swing and miss a few times, my strength drains quickly,” Song Seok-hyun admitted.

“Do you do any weight training?” Lee Ji-sung inquired.

“I only do it at a basic level,” Song Seok-hyun replied.

“What do you mean by basic?” Lee Ji-sung pressed.

“I do some squats and pull-ups…” Song Seok-hyun explained.

“Like bodybuilding?” Lee Ji-sung asked.

“I don’t necessarily do it in a set way,” Song Seok-hyun clarified.

“Then why don’t you try learning weightlifting?” Lee Ji-sung suggested.

“Weightlifting?” Song Seok-hyun repeated, intrigued.

Yu Seon-ho chimed in, “Ji-sung learned some weightlifting, and it helped him a lot. If you want to increase your power in a short period of time, there’s nothing like weightlifting.”

“Weightlifting… Would I have time to learn that?” Song Seok-hyun wondered.

Lee Ji-sung answered, “You don’t have to learn the clean and jerk [two-stage weightlifting movement]. Wrestlers and track and field athletes also do weightlifting-style training, but they don’t do weightlifting. I only learned the high pull [a variation of the clean]. That alone really helped. I felt like my instantaneous elasticity became stronger.”

“Ah, so…” Song Seok-hyun said, starting to understand the potential benefits.

Song Seok-hyun recalled Lee Ji-sung’s batting form, trying to connect the dots.

He hits the ball with the hitting point so far forward that it can be called extreme. It was an unusual approach.

Hitting is a combination of linear and rotational energy. The more efficiently you combine these, the more power you generate.

The greater the distance and amount of rotation of the pelvis’s forward and backward movement, the stronger the power becomes. It’s all about maximizing the transfer of energy.

Lee Ji-sung sets up his front leg and pushes his pelvis forward as much as possible, creating a powerful linear movement.

The power should be better as the distance of the pelvis’s movement increases, but the number of extra-base hits has decreased instead. Something wasn’t quite right.

The overall power is weaker because the amount of rotation is reduced more than the amount of linear movement. The balance was off.

Song Seok-hyun thought Lee Ji-sung’s batting form was unique, but he could understand the reason behind it. It was a compromise.

Wrist. The key to the puzzle.

If he hits with the correct batting form, the amount of rotation increases, and the load on the wrist increases. He was protecting his wrist.

Lee Ji-sung increased the linear movement to an extreme extent to reduce the load on his wrist. It was a clever adaptation.

Even that wasn’t enough, so he probably increased the force of pushing off with his back leg with weightlifting-type exercises. He was compensating for the lack of rotation with raw power.

An animal came to mind. A powerful image flashed through his head.

A gazelle. A gazelle that springs up with its hind legs with a ‘thud!’ The explosive power was undeniable.

“There’s nothing like weightlifting for using instantaneous power. You should also learn high pulls, cleans, and snatches [weightlifting exercises]. Even just power cleans and power snatches will greatly help increase your power. That’s what happened to me,” Lee Ji-sung insisted.

“Yes, thank you. Then where should I learn it?” Song Seok-hyun asked, intrigued.

Yu Seon-ho laughed heartily. “You can learn that much from me,” he offered.

“From you, senior?” Song Seok-hyun asked, surprised.

“Yeah, I learned it directly at Ta陵 [National Training Center in Korea]. I’m not an expert, but I can teach you a few things like an expert,” Yu Seon-ho said confidently.

“I didn’t know you had experience in that area,” Song Seok-hyun admitted.

“It’s not like I wanted to learn it. My roommate was a weightlifting medalist, so I learned it against my will, against my will. But after learning it, there were places to use it,” Yu Seon-ho explained with a grin.

“Then can you teach me too?” Lee Ji-sung asked, eager to refine his technique.

“Yeah. Well, what’s so difficult about it?” Yu Seon-ho replied with a shrug, happy to share his knowledge.

After finishing their meal, the three headed to the weight training room, ready to put Yu Seon-ho’s expertise to the test.

Yu Seon-ho showed them how, inserting 10kg [22 lbs] plates on both sides of the barbell.

“This is a clean, but if you do it like this, it’s called a power clean, which is a simplified version. They say that just doing this will increase your power,” Yu Seon-ho explained.

“Ah… I’ve done it before, but I haven’t really dug into it,” Song Seok-hyun admitted.

“I’ll teach you. It’s not that difficult. I learned this when I was creating my form. There’s nothing like this for increasing power and speed,” Yu Seon-ho said, encouraging them.

Song Seok-hyun watched Yu Seon-ho’s demonstration and followed suit, trying to mimic his movements.

The first time was difficult, but in less than 10 minutes, he followed along quite plausibly. He was a quick learner.

“Be careful with your wrists. They say to think of putting it on your collarbone, but if you really put it on your collarbone, your collarbone will be destroyed. You have to put it on your shoulder muscles. Got it?” Yu Seon-ho cautioned.

“Yes, I understand,” Song Seok-hyun replied, paying close attention.

“Then try it,” Yu Seon-ho said, stepping back to observe.

Song Seok-hyun did 3 sets and put the barbell down, feeling the burn in his muscles.

It wasn’t easy to maintain the feeling of putting it on the collarbone without directly hitting the collarbone. It required precision and control.

“If you do it until you get used to it, you’ll learn it quickly. Don’t increase the weight right away, but think of increasing it by 1kg [2.2 lbs] per day and do it slowly. Got it?” Yu Seon-ho advised.

“Yes,” Song Seok-hyun confirmed.

“Instead of working out 6 days a week, warm up and do 2 sets of 5 reps right away. Rest for more than 5 minutes between sets. If you increase the weight by more than 5kg [11 lbs], then reduce it by 3kg [6.6 lbs] the next day and increase the weight again,” Yu Seon-ho continued, sharing his training philosophy.

“So you’re constantly repeating the process of increasing and decreasing the weight?” Song Seok-hyun clarified.

“Yeah. They say that’s how you don’t accumulate a lot of fatigue in the neuromuscular system? I learned it too, so I don’t know it well,” Yu Seon-ho admitted with a self-deprecating laugh.

“I understand. I’ll keep that in mind,” Song Seok-hyun said, appreciating the advice.

Song Seok-hyun had never learned weight training from an expert before. This was a valuable opportunity to improve his strength and power.