On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 151

It seemed nearly impossible to hit Jung Gwang-woo’s forkball without anticipating it perfectly.

He had mastered the forkball to a degree rarely seen in Korea.

It was refined enough to be effective even in Japan, so I had to remain vigilant.

“Hoo.”

Song Seok-hyun stepped into the batter’s box.

The pitcher and catcher exchanged signals, the pitcher shaking his head repeatedly.

Given Jung Gwang-woo’s confidence, he likely wanted to throw a fastball, while the catcher probably preferred more forkballs with two strikes.

Either way, he essentially had two pitches: fastball and forkball.

I only needed to anticipate two pitches: fastball and forkball.

The more choices a pitcher has, the fewer choices a batter has; conversely, the fewer choices a pitcher has, the more advantageous it is for the batter.

Song Seok-hyun narrowed his choices to one.

Only swing at outside fastballs.

It’s difficult to distinguish between a fastball and a forkball after two strikes.

The probability of an outside forkball was over 70%.

Among the remaining 30%, there was a chance of an outside fastball.

Only swing at outside fastballs, only swing at outside fastballs.

I steeled my resolve and waited for the pitcher’s delivery.

“Jung Gwang-woo is carefully selecting his pitch. After signaling… he winds up.”

Jung Gwang-woo threw the ball.

Song Seok-hyun’s bat swung.

The outside fastball that Song Seok-hyun was anticipating didn’t come.

Neither was it a forkball.

A fastball right down the middle of the strike zone.

It was a slightly late swing, but Song Seok-hyun lightly connected with the ball.

“Left field fence! Is it going over? Is it going over? It goes over~~~! It went over! A home run that barely misses the outfielder’s glove and clears the fence! Song Seok-hyun puts Goat in the lead with a solo home run. 1-0. Goat takes the lead at the top of the second.”

Song Seok-hyun was dazed even after hitting the home run.

His hand stung.

Even though the timing was a bit late, and the ball connected slightly on the inside of the bat, it was a well-placed hit.

It would have been difficult to hit a home run without the wind.

Jung Gwang-woo’s ball definitely had power.

With that velocity and his forkball.

Today’s game would be challenging.

Unless Jung Gwang-woo just keeps walking batters, it seems difficult to score many runs against the Phoenix.

Song Seok-hyun stepped on home plate and returned to the bench.

The players came out to greet Song Seok-hyun.

“You’re not doing a ceremony today?”

“Congratulations.”

“Good job.”

Only then did Song Seok-hyun suddenly snap out of it.

“Ah, the ceremony.”

The fact that he had forgotten the ceremony was quickly overlooked.

After allowing a solo home run to Song Seok-hyun, Jung Gwang-woo seemed shaken, giving up a walk, but he ended the inning with a double play and a strikeout.

Song Seok-hyun had no time to catch his breath and had to put on his catcher’s mask.

“Phoenix’s lead-off hitter is Kyung Soo-in. He’s a living legend now, isn’t he? He’s a national team cleanup hitter and is constantly setting new records for right-handed hitters.”

“They call Yoo Seon-ho the ‘man of records,’ but Kyung Soo-in is not far behind. I think who ultimately breaks more records will depend on who plays longer.”

With a hitter like Kyung Soo-in, the pitch selection is relatively straightforward.

A hitter with good eyes, high patience, and no excessive aggression.

For a hitter who swings his own swing whether it’s a favorable or unfavorable count, it’s best for the pitcher to induce a swing on a well-placed pitch.

Bang!

-Strike!

The first pitch was a fastball.

Kyung Soo-in smacked his lips.

The second pitch was a changeup.

Kyung Soo-in swung and missed.

Two strikes.

Mckenzie’s third pitch was also a changeup.

Kyung Soo-in held back on the changeup.

The fourth pitch was a two-seamer [a type of fastball with a slight horizontal movement] that moved from outside to outside for a right-handed hitter.

Kyung Soo-in lowered his bat and held back, but the umpire called it a strike.

-Strike! Out!

“Kyung Soo-in strikes out. Kyung Soo-in is struck out.”

“This strikeout is huge. Kyung Soo-in couldn’t do anything. A ball that breaks from outside to outside from the hitter’s perspective looks really far away. If the umpire calls that pitch a strike, the Phoenix hitters will have a pretty tough fight today.”

There was a time when Goat’s lineup was called “Song Seok-hyun and the kids,” but it was nothing compared to Phoenix.

The Phoenix lineup had long been called “Kyung Soo-in and the dwarves.”

That’s how few hitters there are in Phoenix who consistently perform besides Kyung Soo-in.

After striking out Kyung Soo-in, they allowed one hit but immediately ended the inning with a double play.

Bottom of the 2nd inning.

The score was 1-0.

Goat’s momentum was good, but they couldn’t score in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th innings.

Goat’s lineup, which had been gaining momentum, couldn’t handle Jung Gwang-woo’s forkball.

The Phoenix hitters often got hits against McKenzie, but they self-destructed with three double plays through the 5th inning.

Both teams’ pitchers threw until the 6th inning and were then relieved.

Bottom of the 7th inning.

Jung Hong-min came to the mound for Goat.

“Goat is changing pitchers. McKenzie only threw eighty-one pitches, but they’re making a bold move.”

“Isn’t it a one-point game? I think they’re trying to play it safe.”

“Jung Hong-min. He rose as a rising star in Wales this season, but now he’s reborn as Goat’s reliable bullpen pitcher.”

“In the last 5 games, his ERA [Earned Run Average, a measure of pitching performance] against left-handed hitters is 0. His ERA against right-handed hitters is 2.12. He used to be strong against left-handed hitters and weak against right-handed hitters, but now he’s become a pitcher who is strong against right-handed hitters and even stronger against left-handed hitters.”

“What’s the special secret?”

“It’s probably rest. Wales isn’t a team that uses the bullpen a lot, is it? On the contrary, Goat is a team with strong starting pitchers. But Goat has also recruited a lot of bullpen pitchers, so there’s depth in the bullpen. Jung Hong-min, who had been overworked, is getting enough rest, so it’s natural that his performance is affected.”

The lead-off hitter for Phoenix was shortstop Kim Hyun-woo.

As a shortstop, his defense was decent, but his hitting was poor.

Jung Hong-min tried to get ahead in the count with a fastball on the first pitch.

Tang!

Kim Hyun-woo swung at the first pitch, and the ball sailed over the outfield fence.

Home run.

Both the hitter and the pitcher who was hit were surprised.

“Home run! A home run! Phoenix hits a home run to tie the score 1-1.”

“Kim Hyun-woo’s home run. A player no one expected hits a home run at a time no one expected.”

“Jung Hong-min is making a bitter expression. Jung Hong-min allows a tying home run. Phoenix is showing its determination not to back down.”

Song Seok-hyun shook his head.

The fastball just now wasn’t particularly fast, and it was right over the plate.

Today, both the hitters and pitchers seem generally relaxed.

Is it the result of winning three games in a row by a large margin?

Even though the opponent is Phoenix, I had a feeling that today wouldn’t be easy.

Catcher’s Success Story

Unstoppable Momentum (5)

Jung Hong-min allowed one home run, but he was definitely a valuable bullpen asset in the second half of the season.

As if venting his frustration at the home run, he ended the inning with two strikeouts.

Top of the 8th inning, Goat’s lineup started with the 2nd hitter, Seol Jin-il.

“After Jung Gwang-woo was taken out, Shim O-gi took over, but the Goat lineup can’t seem to get to him. Is it because he also throws a forkball?”

“Shim O-gi’s forkball seems sharper than usual. Although Goat sent up the bottom of their lineup, he shut them down effectively.”

“We’ll have to see if he can handle Goat’s cleanup hitters as well.”

Shim O-gi threw a forkball to Seol Jin-il on the first pitch.

Seol Jin-il got under the forkball, resulting in a routine fly out to the center fielder.

Kim In-hwan swung at a fastball that was close to his body on the first pitch, and it was a line drive out to the third baseman.

“What happened? Phoenix gets two outs with two pitches.”

“Goat is listless today. Did they lose their energy because they won too decisively? It’s a shame.”

Song Seok-hyun grabbed his bat and stepped into the batter’s box.

Today, Jung Gwang-woo was an impenetrable fortress.

After Jung Gwang-woo was relieved, the Goat players thought they had a chance, but they were too eager.

The premise that they would attack early in the count because he was a forkball pitcher was correct, but the overwhelming desire to win against Phoenix at all costs couldn’t be ignored.

Bang!

-Strike!

“Shim O-gi throws a forkball for a strike. Song Seok-hyun is taking a look for now.”

“Throwing a forkball for a strike is definitely risky, but it shows he has a lot of confidence in his control. Still, you have to be careful.”

Shim O-gi touches the rosin bag [a bag containing powdered rosin used by pitchers for a better grip].

Even though Song Seok-hyun is standing a little further back in the batter’s box, the strike zone seems small.

The catcher puts his mitt on the outside corner.

If you can’t avoid it, you have no choice but to overcome it with power.

Bang!

-Ball. Outside.

1-1.

The catcher nods.

This is acceptable.

Next, a forkball that comes in a little more and then drops.

Bang.

-Ball. Low.

Song Seok-hyun watches the ball go by.

Phoenix catcher Kim Chang-hyun smiles wryly.

Is he anticipating every pitch in the textbook sequence?

But I have no intention of deviating from the sequence.

Kim Chang-hyun knew his role well.

A catcher who receives the ball cleanly.

He is not a catcher who proactively dictates the pitch selection.

He guides the pitcher in a textbook manner, based on the pitcher’s current form as much as possible.

I showed you a low forkball, so next is a high fastball.

Even if you know it’s coming, you can’t help but be vulnerable to the high pitch because your focus is on the low pitch.

Bang!

-Ball. High.

“Song Seok-hyun takes three balls. Phoenix is also being cautious.”

“It seems like they’re considering walking him.”

Bang!

-Ball. Walk. Batter advances to 1st base.

Song Seok-hyun took the walk to first base.

Neither the catcher nor the pitcher looked disappointed.

They did the best they could.

“They’re walking Song Seok-hyun and choosing to face Yoo Seon-ho.”

“Either way, they only have to get one hitter out to end the inning, right? I’ll keep testing the hitter’s patience with forkballs and try to induce a mistake. If you walk Yoo Seon-ho, the next hitter is Choi Jae-wan. After Choi Jae-wan, things look better. Ah, of course, I’m speaking relatively.”

Phoenix simply made a calculated decision.

Walk after a full count battle.

There was no attempt at an honest match.

You only have to get one hitter out to end the inning.

In the 9th inning, the bottom of the lineup continues with numbers 7, 8, and 9.

Even number 1 Lee Ji-sung doesn’t have much power, so it’s a favorable situation for the defense.

“The strategy is sound…”

Ham Seong-hoon looked at the Phoenix bench.

The power is lacking, but the strategy is well-executed.

Give up what you can afford to give up and protect what you need to protect.

Song Seok-hyun, Yoo Seon-ho walk, and a matchup with Choi Jae-wan.

It’s a good choice.

Statistically.

Tang!

“Center left! A hit that gets through the infield! The runner on 2nd base scores! Home! Safe at home! Even the runner on 1st base comes around to score. Choi Jae-wan hits a 2-RBI [Runs Batted In] single!”

“He timed the forkball perfectly and drove it. Did I mention it earlier? It’s dangerous to throw a forkball in the strike zone. He put a forkball right over the plate, and Choi Jae-wan resisted the urge to swing for the fences and just made solid contact.”

Ham Seong-hoon greets the players entering the bench.

Choi Jae-wan is catching his breath at second base.

Choi Jae-wan has definitely changed.

Since getting a hit in every game and even hitting a home run in the 3-game series against the Bulls, his swing has become more controlled.

He changed from a swing that aimed for a big hit to a stance of simply meeting the ball and making contact.

Since he was originally a power hitter, he can easily hit a double even if he takes some power off his swing.

It’s more difficult to give up greed than to be greedy.

Giving up greed is like admitting your limitations.

An athlete admits his limitations…

Ironically, for 99.99% of people, their skills and desires are mismatched.

Skills are bound to be lacking compared to desires.

They try to bridge the gap between desire and skill, but if the gap is too large, they choose frustration instead of effort.

They blame the world and resent their circumstances.

It’s a natural defense mechanism to protect the ego.

Because the ego will be bruised the moment I admit that I’m inadequate.

The reason why there are fewer people who admit their limitations than people who try to overcome them is that admission is more difficult than effort.

The fact that Choi Jae-wan abandoned his big swing and started focusing on making contact means that he has acknowledged his limitations.

There is still a significant gap between his skills and desires, so he cannot close it all at once.