On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 148

“Am I good to go? Looks like you’ve really settled in.”

Song Seok-hyun waved his hands dismissively at Park Shin-eon’s joke.

“No, sir. I’m not starter material yet. I don’t know how I ended up here… I still have so much to learn from you, senior.”

“You’re doing well. Your mitt work is improving.”

“I’m still nowhere near good enough.”

“It would have been nice if we could have played together for another year or two. It’s a shame.”

“The other seniors also regret that you left so abruptly.”

“Really? Hmm.”

Park Shin-eon put down his spoon.

“Come to think of it, it is a shame. I wonder if I should have taken it easier on myself. I think I was too obsessed with baseball. Even if it wasn’t drinking, I should have had meals or gone to cafes with the guys sometimes… This is my third team already, and I don’t have many close friends.”

Song Seok-hyun scratched his cheek.

“It’s good that you’re working hard, but make time to meet people. It’s good to be good at baseball, but life is short. You should make friends and create memories while you’re young.”

“Yes, senior.”

The two finished their meal and moved to a cafe.

Song Seok-hyun brought coffee and placed it on the table.

“How is it with the Bulls?”

“Here? The atmosphere is better than I thought. The rumors were so bad that I was prepared for the worst, but it suits me well.”

“The rumors, you mean the strict discipline…?”

“Yeah. The Bulls are famous for their strict discipline. But it’s not that bad. Rather, because there’s discipline, the guys are quick and efficient. I don’t have to adapt to anything significant. Maybe because this place is a catcher wasteland, they listen to me well, and the higher-ups support me fully. It might sound disappointing to you, but honestly, the atmosphere is better than with the Goats.”

“I’m glad you’re satisfied, senior.”

Park Shin-eon took a sip of coffee.

“The Goats, to put it nicely, were free-spirited, but to put it bluntly, they were too undisciplined. That’s why the free agents [players eligible to sign with any team] and the younger Goats players split into factions and fought. There are factions everywhere, but the Goats didn’t even have basic discipline… It will probably get better now that the Lee Choi-gang trio left. Seon-ho *hyung* [older brother or respected male senior] will keep a tight rein on things.”

“Yes, with Seon-ho *hyung*, the atmosphere on the bench has definitely changed. It’s become more cohesive.”

“Everyone had bad things to say when Seon-ho *hyung* said he was going to the Goats, but I thought it was a good thing. Even if Seon-ho *hyung* only has the skills to stay in the first team, it would be a huge help to the team. Especially to the Goats.”

“Yes, I also think it’s a good thing.”

“Come to think of it, it’s a shame. If the Goats had a strong leader a little earlier, I could have won a championship ring when I was the starting catcher. The Goats had a decent roster. It was my wish to win a championship ring as a starting catcher, but it seems difficult now.”

“…You’ll be able to. The Bulls’ roster isn’t bad either.”

Park Shin-eon nodded.

“The lineup is actually pretty good. It’s not just lip service, but if their potential explodes, they’ll be the best in the league. It’s good now, but the future is even more promising. The problem is the pitchers, of course. The foreign pitchers are lackluster, the starters are lackluster, and the bullpen is lackluster… There’s no easy solution. But you’re lucky. The Goats’ pitching staff isn’t this bad. If the pitchers are a mess, the catcher can’t grow either.”

“Yes, I also think I’m lucky. I think our team’s pitching staff is more than average in the league, both starters and bullpen.”

“The starters aren’t just above average, they’re competing for first and second place. The problem is the fifth starter, but these days Jeong Cheon-woon is doing surprisingly well. It’s a problem that Min-seok always rides a roller coaster, but he does well when he’s on.”

“Han Min-seok *senior’s* pitching is the best when he’s on.”

“Hey, is Min-seok okay to handle?”

“Why?”

“Isn’t he the most difficult to deal with?”

Song Seok-hyun smiled awkwardly instead of answering.

“He’s not a bad guy. He’s surprisingly kind. If a junior is having a hard time, he’ll take all the cash out of his wallet and give it to them. The problem is that his personality is as erratic and stubborn as his pitching. So it’s going to be hard for you. He didn’t listen to me, so why would he listen to you?”

“But he’s very considerate of me.”

“I don’t know about that. He’s not the type to do that.”

“Ha, haha.”

“I used to nag him a lot when I was there, but I don’t know what it’s like now. He likes women and alcohol. That bastard has driven drunk a few times. He just didn’t get caught.”

“Drunk driving?”

“Lee Nak-gyun, Choi Dae-gyu, and Kang Mun-gyu weren’t the only ones hanging out. Min-seok and Chang-hoon also hung out with them. Chang-hoon is at least restrained, but I’m worried about Min-seok. He’s the type who needs to be reined in.”

“Ah… yes…”

“I know he’s difficult, but don’t be too harsh on him. He’s strong to the strong and weak to the weak. He doesn’t treat those younger or weaker than him carelessly. If you come on too strong as the starting catcher, you might cross a point of no return with him. So coax him appropriately.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Park Shin-eon put ice in his mouth and crunched it.

“It’s funny. Now I’m talking about this to the starting catcher of another team.”

“No, I appreciate you telling me this.”

“I’m saying it’s funny. I’m giving you helpful advice. Am I a spy?”

Song Seok-hyun scratched the bridge of his nose.

Park Shin-eon chuckled.

“I must have been lonely. But I keep worrying about you because you’re my junior. Don’t take what I say too seriously. You can think of it as an old man’s nagging.”

“No, I think it’s incredibly helpful to me.”

“I’m just rambling to you because I have nowhere else to say it. Don’t worry too much about it.”

“I’m always grateful to you, senior. Without your help, I don’t think I would have even dreamed of being a starting catcher.”

“It’s only a matter of time. Which team in the world wouldn’t make you the starting catcher? If you can just catch the ball, you’re 100% the starting catcher.”

Park Shin-eon looked at his watch.

“I should get going now. It’s time for you to go to work, right?”

“Yes, senior, you woke up early because of me, right?”

“I wake up at this time anyway. I’ll see you at the stadium later.”

“Yes.”

Park Shin-eon got up from his seat.

“Take it easy later. My heart is already pounding just thinking about facing you.”

“Please take care of me, senior.”

“Me too. Don’t push yourself too hard today. Okay?”

Park Shin-eon left first.

Song Seok-hyun walked to Jamsil Stadium.

Winning a championship ring as a starting catcher.

It’s every catcher’s wish, but actually fulfilling that wish is a difficult task.

Can I win a championship ring with the Goats?

Can we beat the Pegasus and win the championship?

Can we beat the Scorpions and Pegasus in a short-term playoff series?

I’m not sure.

Short-term games don’t end with a single lucky hit, but with a battle of wits.

If it comes down to a battle of wits, can I win as the starting catcher…?

My head was swimming with complicated thoughts.

Song Seok-hyun shook his head.

“Let’s just think about today’s game, just today’s game.”

* * *

“Hello, viewers. This is Jeong Seon-woo, the caster for KBC Sports.”

“This is commentator Jeong Cheol-hyeok.”

“Today, the Goats and the Bulls are facing off in Jamsil. Just a week ago, they were rivals for the fourth place, but before we knew it, the Goats had climbed into the fourth spot.”

“They didn’t just take fourth place. They have 7 wins and 2 losses against the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place teams in the league. Their recent momentum is truly impressive.”

“The Goats’ batting was faltering for a while, but the Goats are still the Goats. Kim In-hwan, Song Seok-hyun, and Yoo Seon-ho, who are said to be the best cleanup hitters in the league, have come alive, and the entire team’s batting has improved.”

“Originally, the Goats were a team with good starters. The bullpen and lineup were also decent, but they didn’t have a clear identity. Even with Song Seok-hyun and Kim In-hwan joining, it was hard to say that the team’s lineup was strong overall. But with Lee Ji-sung and Yoo Seon-ho joining, it’s definitely different. The upper lineup has become stronger, and the lower lineup has also gained momentum.”

“The starters are good, and the lineup has come alive. There’s a reason why they have 7 wins and 2 losses against the top 3 teams recently.”

“On the other hand, the Bulls’ starters are very disappointing. Among the starting pitchers, one has an ERA [Earned Run Average, a measure of pitching performance] of 4, and the rest are all over 5. It’s a complete contrast.”

“Even the foreign pitchers are causing trouble, right?”

“They signed William with a big investment, but he was sidelined due to injury. They signed Perez to replace William, but he also suffered from minor injuries, and the starting rotation was messed up. Ivy, who signed a contract last year and this year, is at least saving face, but his performance isn’t good enough to say he’s doing well.”

“Even though the starters have collapsed like this, many experts still predict the possibility of reaching the postseason.”

“It’s the lineup, of course. The Bulls’ lineup is definitely good. If you only look at scoring, their cumulative score is third in the league. There are many hitters who are good at clutch situations. There are resources that can be used for tactics, and there are also home run hitters. The Bulls’ lineup is also decent.”

“So, will today be a battle of the lineups?”

“No. It will eventually be decided by the starters. Which starter can hold out. That will determine the victory or defeat of today’s game, as well as this three-game series.”

-Play ball!

As the game began, Han Min-seok took the mound.

Kim Jeong-deok was at bat.

Song Seok-hyun took a deep breath.

Han Min-seok’s practice pitches today are not good.

His control was sharper than usual, but his pitching was so bad that I doubted if it was really Han Min-seok.

Song Seok-hyun looked at Han Min-seok’s chin.

He didn’t shave his beard today.

I remembered that Han Min-seok’s performance wasn’t good when he didn’t shave his beard.

Is it a jinx?

He shaves and doesn’t shave his beard sometimes, so it’s probably not a jinx.

He must be so out of it that he couldn’t be bothered to shave.

Remembering what Park Shin-eon said in the morning explains everything.

It’s proof that he was doing something else late last night, whether he was drinking or something else.

“Kim Jeong-deok is at bat. He is a twenty-one-year-old player who is called a genius along with Jeong Dae-han of the Scorpions. He is a player who will aim for the national team’s center fielder in the future.”

“Of course, he will have to surpass Hwang Gi-deok and Shim Chang-gyu, but he is a strong candidate for the next national team center fielder. He is a fast, good hitter with good defense and a good arm.”

“In fact, the word genius isn’t attached to just anyone, is it? How many hitters hit .300 from their debut and solidify their starting position?”

“I wouldn’t hesitate to use the word genius under normal circumstances, but there happens to be another genius on the same screen.”

“He was once a genius. Now, the word genius isn’t even associated with him. Isn’t Song Seok-hyun’s nickname these days the King of Jamsil?”

“I heard that they also call him God of Baseball on the Internet.”

“Haha, are you even mentioning God?”

“Looking at his debut record, it’s not wrong. Of course, the real God came and went last year, but if you show this kind of performance from your debut, you can’t help but call him God.”

Thump!

Han Min-seok was hit with a single on the first pitch.

Han Min-seok frowns.

A fastball on the outside came in at 142 km/h [kilometers per hour].

His pitching wasn’t good, so he decided to throw accurately, but a fastball at 142 km/h is too slow.

Han Min-seok shook his hand.

Even if it’s not good, this is Jamsil Stadium.

As long as it’s not a huge hit, I can barely hold on.

I’ve been playing baseball for 20 years, no, I’ve been a pitcher for over 20 years, so how can I not have that much know-how?

Success as a catcher

Irresistible force (2)

“Han Min-seok is coming down after finishing a long first inning.”

“Forty-two pitches in the first inning alone. He faced all the batters.”

“It was a very difficult first inning, but the score was 4 points. Can we say that he overcame the crisis well?”

“He prevented the worst, but it’s hard to say it’s good. If this happens, it becomes certain that he can’t pitch long innings.”

Han Min-seok returned to the bench, sweating profusely.

Hits, hits, hits.

Every time he throws, it’s a hit.

Han Min-seok is not a pitcher with good control.

Since the pitcher who relies on his pitching speed doesn’t have his speed today, it was no different from batting practice for the hitters.

Fortunately, well-hit balls were caught for outs, so he finished with 4 points in an inning where it wouldn’t be strange to give up 7 or 8 points.

“Senior.”

Song Seok-hyun brought him a drink instead of speaking.

“Okay.”

Han Min-seok opened the drink with trembling hands.

Reducing speed for control is close to superstition.

Control may improve, but balance and pitching effectiveness collapse significantly.

There’s no way Han Min-seok doesn’t know this.

He knows it, but his condition is not good today.

“I’m sorry.”

Song Seok-hyun doubted his ears at Han Min-seok’s words.

Han Min-seok is apologizing?

“Phew, my ball is really trash today.”

“The next inning will be easier.”

“How can it be easier when they’re used to my ball?”

“Because you’ll get a feel for it, senior.”

Han Min-seok chuckles.

“What feel? My ball is just trash today.”

“I’ll earn some runs. Don’t worry.”

“That’s sweet. If you say you’ll score, well, I can trust you.”

The Goats’ first batter is now as good as fixed.

Lee Ji-sung.

The Bulls’ pitcher is Jeong Jin-woong.

A twenty-four-year-old prospect and the Bulls’ homegrown left-handed starter.

Left-handed starters are a valuable asset, but his ERA is in the 5s, even in the second half of the season.

A speed that barely exceeds 140 km/h, mediocre pitching and control.

If it weren’t for the advantage of being a left-hander, it would have been difficult to be in the starting rotation.

The fact that this pitcher is the third-best pitcher on the team means that the Bulls’ pitching is weak.

Thump!

“Hit! Lee Ji-sung hits a single to right-center field.”

“He hit it while leaning back. Jeong Jin-woong’s fastball went right into the middle.”

A fast runner against a left-handed pitcher stood on first base.

It was common knowledge that it was easier for left-handed pitchers to check runners on first base.

Jeong Jin-woong looked at Lee Ji-sung’s eyes and prepared to throw the ball to the batter.

Thud, thud, thud.

Jeong Jin-woong’s eyes were looking at Lee Ji-sung, but Lee Ji-sung immediately ran to second base.

Jeong Jin-woong’s pitch was a four-seam fastball.

As soon as the catcher caught the ball, he threw it to second base, but it was safe.

“It was a safe with plenty of time.”

“The runner’s start was that fast.”

“Lee Ji-sung, this will give the pitcher a neurosis. He’s aggressive from the first pitch. Looking at his record, he’s trying to steal from the first pitch.”

“With the arm strength of an average catcher and the quick motion of a pitcher, you can’t catch Lee Ji-sung. Even this was because Lee Ji-sung went in with a bent leg slide, but if he had gone in head first, the opposing battery [pitcher and catcher] would have been sweating quite a bit.”

Jeong Jin-woong’s pupils are shaking.

The runner ran to second base while he was watching with his own eyes.

If he were a right-handed pitcher, he could have dismissed it as the runner being fast, but since he is a left-handed pitcher, he has nothing to say about the fact that he was stolen a base.

Shake, shake.

Lee Ji-sung widens his lead even when he goes to second base.