On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 143

“Slider?”

Lee Chang-hoon saw everyone shaking their heads.

“Four-seam?”

Only then did Lee Chang-hoon nod.

Outside four-seam.

Song Seok-hyun held his breath, looking at the muscular Jung Byung-soo.

‘Will it be okay?’

Lee Chang-hoon threw the ball, and Jung Byung-soo swung.

“Right field fence! Right field fence! Ah, it’s caught! Right fielder Seol Jin-il with a super play! He catches it right in front of the fence!”

“Jung Byung-soo was too greedy just now. It was a ball that was a bit outside, but he forcibly pulled it. It would have been enough to push it along the grain, but it seems like greed got the better of him.”

“Now it’s two outs. Gote [team name] takes another breather. The Wolves’ chance for consecutive home runs is thwarted.”

Lee Chang-hoon tapped the rosin bag in his hand.

‘There’s something I forgot for a moment.’

‘This is Jamsil [stadium name].’

‘Home run?’

‘Even if you tell them to hit home runs in a home run derby, they don’t even exceed 50%.’

‘No matter how bad their condition is, a pitcher who uses Jamsil as their home field effectively throws with an extra 5 km/h of speed.’

“Phew, I just need to block them somehow, right?”

Winning Streak as a Catcher

Winning Streak (2)

Lee Chang-hoon induced a ground ball against the next batter, Kang Ki-soo, with an inside fastball.

On the way back to the bench, Lee Chang-hoon called out to Song Seok-hyun.

“Let’s go for a quick win today.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Use high balls and inside pitches a lot. Except for Jae-gwan, we can handle them.”

Bottom of the 1st, Gote’s attack.

Gote’s leadoff hitter is Lee Ji-sung.

Left-handed pitcher Kim Jun-gi came to the mound.

“It’s a match between a left-handed pitcher and a left-handed batter. Isn’t it clear that left-handed pitchers have an advantage against left-handed batters?”

“That’s the general perception, and the actual results show it too. These days, pitchers don’t just rely on power like they used to. They definitely take advantage of what’s favorable to them. Kim Jun-gi’s ball isn’t fast, but he hides the ball well when he throws. Some batters say it feels like facing 150 km/h.”

“That’s almost a 10 km/h difference.”

“That means Kim Jun-gi is pitching smartly.”

Kim Jun-gi rotated his shoulder.

Lee Ji-sung.

A fast left-handed batter.

He’s also excellent at making contact.

However, his power… not at a level where you can expect a home run in Jamsil Stadium.

‘Four-seam, outside.’

‘You have to keep it simple against this type of batter.’

‘A quick battle with fastballs.’

Kim Jun-gi raised his leg, gathered his strength, and threw the ball.

Thwack!

The ball that left Kim Jun-gi’s hand went a bit too much into the zone.

Lee Ji-sung pushed the ball, looking towards the third baseman.

“Third baseman! He misses the ball going over his head. Third baseman Kang Jae-gwan’s jump was a bit short.”

“Lee Ji-sung is aggressively going for it from the first pitch. It must be more important to hit and get on base than to watch the ball, right?”

Lee Ji-sung took a breath as he stepped on first base.

For a leadoff hitter of his type, pitchers’ options were always similar.

Fastball, fastball.

A changeup is mixed in, but over 70% are fastball battles.

If there are no runners, it’s over 70%.

If it’s the first pitch, it’s over 80%.

The only reasons to throw a changeup on the first pitch are if your arm isn’t fully warmed up or to waste a ball.

He had watched the ball for a long time for the team, but now is not the time to be picky.

You have to hit and get on base.

“Lee Ji-sung gets on base, making it first base with no outs. He’s quite a troublesome runner for the Wolves, isn’t he?”

“The batter is Seol Jin-il, a player who is good at targeting the first pitch. When a fast runner gets on base, the battery [pitcher and catcher] often calls for an outside fastball, which means the pitch selection becomes simpler. The offense knows this well. But if they throw an outside fastball, Seol Jin-il hits fastballs well, especially the first pitch. The pressure on the pitcher from the first pitch is considerable.”

The catcher gave a sign.

‘Slider, low.’

‘Aim for a ground ball with a quick breaking ball to create a double play.’

Kim Jun-gi checked the sign and glanced at the runner.

To aim for a double play, you need to reduce the runner’s lead.

Lee Ji-sung’s lead is about six steps.

Around 180cm, neither too short nor too long.

First, he made a quick motion while looking straight into the runner’s eyes.

Whack!

The trademark slider that falls downward.

The catcher, holding the ball, looked alternately at the batter and the runner.

-Ball, low.

“Seol Jin-il watches a breaking ball.”

“Seol Jin-il, who aggressively targets the first pitch, just watched a tempting first pitch. It was a ball that was harder not to swing at.”

“For now, the Wolves have wasted a first pitch.”

The runner’s secondary lead is also not long.

The batter didn’t hit the first pitch.

Does he not intend to steal?

A sign came from the Wolves’ bench.

‘Go for it.’

It was a sign to forget about Lee Ji-sung and go for the win.

Except for Song Seok-hyun, there are no particularly scary batters in this three-game series.

You could trip over your own feet if you complicate things unnecessarily.

‘Slider, low.’

The same slider.

There’s no way the batter would have picked the slider.

If the runner doesn’t intend to steal, try for another double play.

The runner ran the moment the pitcher threw the ball.

“Seol Jin-il, bunt! It’s a bunt!”

Seol Jin-il lowered his body and extended his bat the moment Kim Jun-gi threw the ball.

The ball, hit at the end of the bat, rolled along the third base line.

“Mine! Mine!”

The pitcher and catcher shouted at each other.

The ball was slightly closer to the pitcher, but Kim Jun-gi was a left-handed pitcher.

For a left-handed pitcher to throw the ball to first base, he has to turn his body half a circle.

Throwing was easier for the catcher, but the pitcher was closer.

The catcher and pitcher hesitated for a moment, and the pitcher caught the ball.

The ball thrown to first base went into the first baseman’s glove, but it was a ball that the first baseman had to jump to catch.

-Safe!

“Safe! It was a close play, but the first baseman’s foot came off the base.”

“The play came at an unexpected time. It’s quite a fast tempo. Seol Jin-il watched the first pitch, didn’t he? So it seems like the Wolves didn’t expect the play.”

“It’s also because Seol Jin-il doesn’t bunt well.”

“That also has an impact. Isn’t he an aggressive batter?”

Kim Jun-gi let out a puff of air.

He was too hasty and didn’t throw properly.

It was because Seol Jin-il’s feet were faster than he thought.

“Sorry, hyung [older brother/senior].”

Kim Jun-gi lowered his head, looking at Shin Min-ho.

“It’s okay. Well, it can happen.”

He didn’t expect the play either, so he’s not in a position to make a fuss.

“Seol Jin-il bunts well too…”

The Wolves’ manager, Jang Tae-seop, put his hands behind his back.

Bunting a breaking ball that breaks quickly below the zone is not easy.

For a bunt, the bat must be horizontal to the ground, but in the case of a quickly falling breaking ball, the bat tends to tilt without you realizing it.

He lowered his body ridiculously and matched the ball with the bat, managing to bunt.

The course was good, and he was calm.

“Hmm.”

He knew that Lee Ji-sung was fast and good at plays, but if even Seol Jin-il, who is just aggressive, has that much sense… Gote’s 1st and 2nd hitters become very difficult.

Especially in short-term games like the postseason, Lee Ji-sung and Seol Jin-il’s feet can be like daggers.

“Third batter Kim In-hwan comes up. First and second base with no outs. It’s a chance to create RBIs [runs batted in].”

“Kim Jun-gi is not in his right mind right now. He needs to take a breather. From now on, he’s facing Kim In-hwan and Song Seok-hyun.”

Kim In-hwan closed his eyes and muttered before entering the plate.

“Let’s just target one, just one.”

Kim Jun-gi’s pitches are fastball, curve, and slider.

Kim Jun-gi’s go-to pitch is a slider that falls vertically.

It’s hard to distinguish between the fastball and slider, and it’s a combination that creates a lot of ground balls and strikeouts.

The curve isn’t bad, but it’s not that great either.

Just a common third pitch.

Kim Jun-gi’s first pitch is 50% fastball, 40% slider, 10% curve.

A ball combination that’s hard to target and hit.

Batters tend to watch one ball first, conscious of Kim Jun-gi’s slider.

‘If I were the pitcher, what ball would I throw…’

Just as his thoughts were getting longer, Kim In-hwan shook his head.

He’s not a batter like Song Seok-hyun.

He’s not a cerebral player who reads and predicts the ball combination.

You have to clear your head and go according to plan.

You hit according to probability.

Kim Jun-gi’s first pitch is 50% fastball.

You target the fastball.

Whack!

-Strike!

“Kim In-hwan shows a fiery swing, but it ends up being a swing and a miss.”

“Swing and a miss on a sharp slider on the first pitch. Kim Jun-gi’s slider is indeed a masterpiece.”

Kim In-hwan pressed his helmet with his hand.

‘It’s in the past now.’

‘Let’s forget it.’

‘Clear your head and go according to plan.’

This time, you change the pitch you’re targeting.

Slider.

Since they’re aiming for a double play, there’s a high probability they’ll throw an inside fastball or an outside slider.

If an inside ball comes, you take a strike, and if it’s an outside slider, you full swing, assuming it doesn’t break too much.

“…….”

Catcher Shin Min-ho glanced at Kim In-hwan.

He’s calm.

It seems like just yesterday that he saw Kim In-hwan always groaning like a puppy needing to pee at the plate, but lately, he’s become calm.

More than anything, it’s different that he doesn’t have any regrets at the plate.

He used to drop his head and go back to the bench like the world had collapsed when he struck out.

Now, he disappears to the bench as if it’s no big deal when he strikes out.

Has he emptied his mind?

‘Slider.’

Shin Min-ho decided to target Kim In-hwan’s weakness one more time.

A falling ball.

Kim In-hwan has been targeting and hitting falling balls lately, but he still swings and misses at falling balls.

Didn’t he swing and miss cleanly at the first pitch too?

Aim for a swing and a miss or a double play with a slider that breaks sharply outside.

It’s a ball that won’t go far even if you hit it cleanly.

Kim Jun-gi threw the ball.

“Hoo.”

Kim In-hwan took a shallow breath and started.

‘Clear your head and go according to plan.’

Bang!

“To the left fielder! The left fielder misses the ball! It’s a hit! It’s a hit! The runner on second goes home! Even the runner on first goes home! The batter-runner goes to second! He comfortably lands on second! A two-RBI double! Kim In-hwan finally gets the RBIs!”

“He technically pushed a low-breaking changeup well. Kim In-hwan’s technique is amazing. It’s a course where it’s hard to get a good hit. I thought it was a jammed ball, but he manages to put it inside the ground.”

“Lee Chang-hoon had a hard time getting through the 1st inning, and Kim Jun-gi is also having a hard time in the 1st inning. It’s really hard to get through easily.”

“The score is 3-2. The Gote lineup, which had been quiet for two days, is on fire again.”

“The power of the lineup was great in their good performance against Pegasus and Scorpion. They faltered for a while, but it seems like it was just a matter of condition. They’re coming back to life.”

“With this, Song Seok-hyun comes up to bat with runners on first and second with no outs.”

“The Wolves have been thoroughly avoiding Song Seok-hyun, but it’s not easy this time. The lineup’s condition has improved. If they let runners pile up, they could face even bigger trouble.”

The Wolves walked Song Seok-hyun and chose to face Yoo Seon-ho.

“The Wolves make a safe choice. They’re sending Song Seok-hyun to first base and trying to aim for a double play against Yoo Seon-ho.”

“Isn’t Yoo Seon-ho the player who hits 30% even if he holds the bat upside down? Is this choice okay?”

“They must have judged that Yoo Seon-ho is better than Song Seok-hyun. Song Seok-hyun is the strongest player in Jamsil. The Jamsil fence is lower than the fence in front of Song Seok-hyun’s house.”

Song Seok-hyun went to first base and lowered his body.

In the worst-case scenario, he needs to run to second base quickly to avoid a double play.

If they’re aiming for a double play, Kim Jun-gi, who is good at sliders, will target the outside falling course.