On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 144

Aiming for the body isn’t an easy choice against strong hitters, especially when the fastball speed clocks in at the early 140s km/h [approximately 87 mph].

They’re poised to steal second base on any pitch that drifts to the outside.

Song Seok-hyun subtly watched the pitcher’s heel while extending his lead off first.

‘Four-seam fastball, inside.’

Catcher Shin Min-ho signals for an inside fastball.

If Yu Seon-ho were his usual calm and collected self, he’d anticipate an outside pitch, ruling out an inside first pitch or a curveball.

The strategy is to secure an early strike with an inside pitch, then induce a ground ball with an outside curve and slider.

Kim Jun-ki’s pitch cuts inside, close to the batter.

Even though Kim Jun-ki’s fastball isn’t blazing fast, his pitching motion is deceptive, making it seem quicker.

Thwack!

“A hit to center-right! A clean hit through the gap! The runner on second rounds third and heads for home! He scores! The runner on first advances to third, stopping there. The batter slides into second with ease, and the score is tied 3-3!”

“Today, the Goat [referring to a player or team known as ‘Goat’] is making quick decisions, dictating a fast tempo. The Wolves are struggling to keep up.”

Shin Min-ho slowly removed his catcher’s mask.

He had been too eager.

He should have prepared for a full count and engaged in a more challenging battle against a hitter of Yu Seon-ho’s caliber. Instead, he assumed it would be easy, given Yu Seon-ho’s recent slump in the last two games.

Playing it straight is exactly what a hitter like Yu Seon-ho wants.

“In the bottom of the first inning, the game is tied once again. Both teams’ offenses are explosive, and this Jamsil rivalry [referring to a rivalry between two teams based in the Jamsil neighborhood of Seoul] is really starting to heat up!”

Rising to Prominence as a Catcher

Winning Streak (3)

“Hmm…….”

Wolves’ manager Jang Tae-seop’s brow furrowed in concern.

That kind of explosive offensive power…

It’s no accident that they traded Pegasus and then seized the winning series from Scorpion.

If their batting lineup was only at the level of Song Seok-hyun and the younger players, Pegasus and Scorpion, with their established power, wouldn’t have surrendered the victory so easily.

“What’s the bullpen looking like today?”

The pitching coach hesitated at Jang Tae-seop’s question.

“You mean the bullpen? We have some options available today.”

“How’s Seok-nam’s condition?”

“He’s in top form.”

“What about Dae-hee and Won-seong?”

“Both are available, but…….”

“But what?”

“I’m not sure if Dae-hee will be a good matchup. His track record against the Goat isn’t great.”

“We can put him in and see how he does.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Kim Jun-ki exited the first inning having allowed three runs.

Sweat beaded on Kim Jun-ki’s face as he returned to the bench.

“Hyung [Korean term for older brother or senior male], is my pitching off today?”

Shin Min-ho shook his head at Kim Jun-ki’s question.

“No, you’re fine.”

“Are they just hitting well?”

“They have a potent lineup. We got lucky the past two days.”

“Why does it always explode when I’m pitching?”

“Just relax and pitch your game. This is Jamsil. The fielders will back you up if you get into trouble. Just chalk up the first inning to bad luck and focus on the next one. Got it?”

“Okay, okay.”

The offensive momentum that ignited in the first inning cooled off in the second.

Both teams remained tied at 3-3 after a scoreless second inning.

Top of the 3rd inning. Lead-off batter: first baseman Jung In-ha.

“Hoo.”

Lee Chang-hoon took a deep breath.

The Wolves’ batting order is well-structured.

Even the hitters in the lower part of the lineup are capable of hitting home runs, so you can’t let your guard down.

And the upper batting order?

The career OPS [On-Base Plus Slugging, a common baseball statistic] of numbers 2, 3, and 4 all exceed 0.8.

In particular, cleanup hitter Kang Je-gwan boasts a career batting average of .300, an on-base percentage of .400, and a slugging percentage of .500.

The moment you show any weakness, they’ll pounce on it.

‘Curveball, into the strike zone.’

Song Seok-hyun called for a breaking ball as the first pitch to Jung In-ha.

Jung In-ha is a patient hitter.

He doesn’t swing indiscriminately.

Swish. Bang!

-Strike!

Song Seok-hyun breathed a sigh of relief.

Jung In-ha’s shoulder twitched, but he held back his swing.

He never intended to swing in the first place.

“Jung In-ha watches a curveball go right down the middle for a strike.”

“I think he was anticipating a fastball. But he should have taken a swing at that pitch, regardless of whether it was a fastball or a breaking ball. A missed opportunity.”

Song Seok-hyun glanced at Jung In-ha’s feet.

His stride is long.

A hitter who takes a big swing, relying on his keen eye for pitches.

He must be good at anticipating pitches.

The pitch Jung In-ha is likely expecting is… a fastball.

Today, Lee Chang-hoon’s fastball is showing good extension [meaning the ball travels well and appears faster to the batter].

That also means his control is less precise.

A pitcher has to rely on his fastball for at least half of his pitches, no matter what.

If the pitcher’s control is shaky, the hitter should be even more focused on anticipating the fastball.

‘Curveball.’

Song Seok-hyun decided to take a bit of a gamble.

He knew the batter would be looking for a fastball, so he called for a curve. However, throwing the same pitch twice in a row is risky because it becomes easier for the hitter to recognize.

But the reason he threw another curve was…

Clang!

-Foul.

“Jung In-ha can’t hide his disappointment. A foul ball that goes far outside.”

“The pitch was way outside, but Jung In-ha was a little too eager.”

A curveball that drops below the strike zone.

When a right-handed pitcher throws a curveball to a left-handed batter, the ball appears to come from outside and break towards the batter’s body, from the left-handed batter’s perspective.

When a breaking ball moves towards the body, it becomes easier to see and is closer to the bat.

It’s a tempting pitch for the hitter.

Jung In-ha swung at the dropping ball because it was the second breaking ball he had seen.

“Good.”

The Goat’s battery coach, Kim Tae-woo, clenched his fist.

He’s more than just a genius.

Song Seok-hyun is mixing his pitches like a seasoned professional catcher.

Every catcher has their own preferred pattern of pitch selection.

The pitcher also has his own preferred mix of pitches.

The specific mix of pitches used on any given day depends on the communication and understanding between the pitcher and catcher.

Young catchers often use extreme pitch-calling strategies.

It’s either an overly aggressive, game-focused approach or a strictly textbook-based approach.

Song Seok-hyun initially worried the coaching staff with his very aggressive pitch selection, but he’s adapting to the game as he gains more experience.

The best pitch selection takes into account the pitcher’s condition, the type of pitches they have, and the hitter’s tendencies and expectations.

The two curveballs he just called.

He correctly guessed that the hitter was frustrated at missing the first curve and tempted him again with a similar pitch.

Another catcher might have shown a fastball to gauge the hitter’s reaction before throwing another breaking ball.

That’s a textbook approach to see if the hitter is reacting to the fastball or is vulnerable to breaking balls.

How difficult is it to break free from that mold?

Is it because he hasn’t been a catcher for very long?

Song Seok-hyun doesn’t have a set pattern.

Because he doesn’t have a predictable style, it’s difficult for opposing hitters to anticipate his calls.

The catcher’s pitch selection accounts for about 30% of the battery’s [pitcher and catcher] effectiveness, and in baseball, 30% is a significant number.

The pitcher throws the ball, but the catcher can either elevate the pitcher’s performance or become a hindrance.

‘Four-seam fastball, high in the zone.’

The pitch Song Seok-hyun signaled for was a high fastball.

Lee Chang-hoon tried to hide his apprehension but nodded and began his windup.

Throwing a high fastball with shaky control is a risky move.

But didn’t he make a promise?

He said he would pitch aggressively, he declared it.

Bang!

-Strike! Out!

“A three-pitch strikeout! Jung In-ha is completely baffled.”

“It was a fastball that was right on the inside corner. Jung In-ha hangs his head. He looks disappointed. I think he was expecting something else.”

“Lee Chang-hoon gets Jung In-ha out and starts the third inning on a positive note.”

Lee Chang-hoon swallowed hard.

Is this what it feels like to gamble?

“The next batter is the hero of today’s game so far, with a three-run home run. Kang Je-gwan steps up to the plate.”

“Fortunately, there are no runners on base, but he’s a dangerous hitter. We have to be careful.”

Song Seok-hyun called for a fastball aimed at the batter’s body.

Lee Chang-hoon struggled to maintain his composure, but he closed his eyes and threw the first pitch inside.

Bang!

-Ball, way inside.

“That was way inside. A ball.”

“First, he shows a pitch inside to start the at-bat.”

Kang Je-gwan tilted his head.

With that kind of wild pitch, you’re going to pitch aggressively?

But he quickly regained his composure.

Regardless, Lee Chang-hoon’s pitches don’t have much power today.

At best, he’s going to try to navigate this situation with trickery.

Like the Jung In-ha at-bat a moment ago.

All you have to do is not miss your pitch.

Just hit the ball that comes into the strike zone—.

-Strike!

“Outside corner strike. Lee Chang-hoon’s pitch finds the edge of the plate.”

“You couldn’t hit that kind of pitch even if you knew it was coming. It’s too far outside for the hitter to reach.”

Kang Je-gwan pursed his lips.

I forgot for a moment.

Lee Chang-hoon isn’t the type to rely on pinpoint control.

His fastball isn’t particularly fast, his breaking balls aren’t flashy, and his control isn’t amazing.

He doesn’t have any obvious strengths, yet he’s still a league A-class starting pitcher.

His fastball isn’t blazing, but it consistently reaches around 145km/h [approximately 90 mph].

His breaking balls aren’t spectacular, but his curveball, slider, and changeup are all above average.

His control isn’t precise, but he rarely walks batters.

In addition, he’s durable and can pitch deep into games.

Even if his control isn’t perfect, Lee Chang-hoon is a pitcher who can always find the corners of the strike zone.

“Hoo.”

Time to refocus.

You have to concentrate on the ball.

Another fastball coming in on the outside corner.

Kang Je-gwan swung.

-Strike!

“Swing and a miss. Kang Je-gwan swings and misses.”

“The changeup dropped perfectly. It’s difficult for the hitter to lay off that pitch on the outside corner. It’s too difficult to distinguish from the fastball.”

Lee Chang-hoon smiled.

Since he can’t put much force into his grip, the changeup is working better.

There’s no need to strain your fingers to lose strength.

“Good, good.”

Then the changeup is the main pitch today.

Isn’t that what a starting pitcher has to do, even if he has to rely on his gums if he doesn’t have teeth [meaning to use whatever resources are available]?

‘Slider.’

Lee Chang-hoon smirked slightly at the catcher’s sign.

Today, he and Song Seok-hyun seem to be on the same wavelength.

His control is terrible, but his arm feels light.

Clang.

-Ball, outside.

A slider that breaks well outside the strike zone.

Jang Je-gwan’s shoulders slumped.

It’s not a slider with the sharp, hooking action of Jang Gye-seong’s, but after getting two strikes, Lee Chang-hoon’s slider is sharp enough.

And the deciding pitch is……

-Strike! Out!

“Strikeout! Another strikeout here.”

“Is Lee Chang-hoon finding his rhythm? He’s striking out the cleanup hitters in succession.”

“It was a picture-perfect changeup. The ball really dropped off the table.”

“Lee Chang-hoon’s changeup is a masterpiece today. Has his changeup always been this good?”