On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 161

“Nice!”

“Nice!”

As Song Seok-hyun returned to the bench, the players stood up and applauded instead of performing their usual celebration.

Clap, clap, clap, clap.

Clap, clap.

Song Seok-hyun scratched his nose and walked past the players.

He sat at the end of the bench, catching his breath.

“Ha, you rascal.”

Kim In-hwan ruffled Song Seok-hyun’s hair.

“You actually hit that?”

“I had to. I had to hit it to win.”

“You relentless bastard. How did you hit that ball?”

“The training I did with Ji-sung helped. Especially power cleans and power snatches [weightlifting exercises]. My swing speed was faster than I thought.”

“Or maybe you’re just crazy? I do high pulls too, why doesn’t it work for me?”

“Instead of doing high pulls with such heavy weight, hyung [older brother or close male friend] should just do power cleans. You could increase your power clean weight much faster than me, so why only do high pulls?”

“It’s hard. I’m worried about hurting my collarbone.”

“That’s why you need to practice, so you can rack it properly. You lift as much as most weightlifters, you’re being too weak.”

“Maybe I should try it too…….”

After being hit with a home run by Song Seok-hyun, Jo Jin-hee didn’t get discouraged but instead, his eyes burned with more intensity, and he increased his pitch.

With Jo Jin-hee, who was strong against left-handed hitters, increasing his pitch, Yoo Seon-ho couldn’t do anything and struck out.

It was a change of offense and defense.

“Today’s Jamsil game is flowing very interestingly. From the first inning, Song Seok-hyun’s beautiful home run put GOAT ahead 2-0. It was a super-sized home run that cleanly washed away the past four-game losing streak. Out-of-the-park home runs are rare in Jamsil, but that kind of out-of-the-park home run is the first I’ve ever seen in my baseball career. I think a home run like that will go down in history.”

“Whoever caught that baseball must be incredibly lucky.”

“I wonder how far that baseball flew.”

Song Seok-hyun’s one home run instantly reversed the atmosphere.

Pegasus hitters aimed for Lee Chang-hoon’s fastball but repeatedly swung and missed or hit ground balls.

Only after a full cycle of the batting order did Kim Wook gather the players as the captain.

“In my opinion, his changeup isn’t just one type. There are two types: one that just reduces speed and one that reduces speed and increases the drop. Especially that drop, I think he can control it.”

“Is that even possible……?”

The players looked at Kim Seong-hoon, who was scheduled to be the starting pitcher tomorrow.

Kim Seong-hoon shrugged instead of speaking.

“I’m not a changeup specialist.”

“Anyway, don’t be too eager just because his fastball isn’t good. Let’s watch. His fastball command is already gone. We can hit it even when the count is against us, so let’s try to see as many pitches as possible this at-bat, increase his pitch count, and adapt. Got it?”

“Yes! Understood!”

“Good, good. Let’s go for the sweep!”

“Sweep!”

Third inning, top.

Pegasus’s leadoff hitter, Choi Young-seok, watched the first-pitch curveball.

Song Seok-hyun, seeing Choi Young-seok not moving at all, called for an inside fastball.

Bang!

-Strike!

Choi Young-seok tilted his head once at the inside fastball and then moved closer to the plate again.

Song Seok-hyun smirked and then held his mitt to the outside.

-Changeup.

Lee Chang-hoon was startled but didn’t show it.

A 134km/h changeup going to the outside.

Choi Young-seok lowered his bat and stopped.

Bang.

-Strike!

“Strikeout with three pitches! Leadoff hitter Choi Young-seok is struck out with three pitches.”

“Choi Young-seok isn’t showing any strength today. He’s not usually like this, it’s strange.”

A fastball with only reduced speed and no drop.

Because Choi Young-seok had better eyes than anyone else, he stopped his bat at the moment he thought the ball seemed a little slow as he was about to swing.

It was a momentary sense that other players wouldn’t be able to catch, but it was possible because Choi Young-seok had a good feel.

However, a sensitive sense doesn’t always lead to good results.

“Now you know.”

Song Seok-hyun got up from his seat and exchanged signs with the pitcher.

First pitch, fastball sign.

Giving the sign before the batter even comes to the plate.

The catcher’s confidence.

He was convinced that the opposing team was late in realizing that Lee Chang-hoon’s changeup was tricky and had decided to watch the ball.

He would have done the same if he were them.

If the pitcher brought a new pitch, especially if it was a powerful breaking ball, he would have to watch it for a long time, even if it meant losing an out, to be able to hit it next time.

If you know the opposing team’s strategy, the response is easier.

Until the opponent changes their strategy, he would exploit it tenaciously, almost unfairly.

Bang!

-Out!

Bang!

-Out!

“Two consecutive strikeouts! Two batters are struck out by curveballs in a row.”

“Lee Chang-hoon’s curveball is giving the hitters trouble today. Has Lee Chang-hoon’s curveball always been this good?”

“Lee Chang-hoon has 5 strikeouts through the 3rd inning. He’s terrifying today. We can call him Dr. K.”

Keeping the changeup in mind?

If so, then only throw other pitches and make them give up on trying to hit the changeup.

If he uses the curveball as a finishing pitch, the opponent will start reacting to the curveball.

When the opponent reacts to the curveball, it means the opponent’s choices increase.

The more choices the pitcher has, the better, and the fewer choices the batter has, the better.

The moment they focus on the curveball, Lee Chang-hoon’s early 140km/h fastball will feel at least 5km/h faster.

“That sly bastard.”

Jung Yong-wook guessed what Song Seok-hyun was thinking, but he couldn’t change the team’s strategy.

A batter is at a disadvantage the more complicated their thoughts become.

Once they start changing strategies once or twice, their head gets tangled.

Even if he were the catcher, he would have to endure until the team came up with a strategy.

However…… he would aim for the curveball.

No, wouldn’t they throw the changeup to him instead?

Since they have pride as fellow catchers, they would throw the changeup…….

Or, conversely, just go for the curveball……?

“Ah…….”

Jung Yong-wook realized that he too had fallen into the swamp.

Once 잡념 (japnyum, [idle thoughts]) starts, it can’t be stopped.

Jung Yong-wook closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Meditation, meditation.

He had to empty his mind.

“Hyung! What are you doing? Aren’t you going out? It’s a change of offense and defense!”

“Ah, right!”

Catching Success

Team GOAT (4)

Bottom of the 5th inning.

The scoreboard showed a score of 2-2.

-Strike! Out!

“Out! Strikeout! Jo Jin-hee has already struck out seven batters today.”

“Bottom of the 5th inning. Jo Jin-hee ends the inning with a strikeout, so we’ll have a short break.”

“It’s amazing that Jo Jin-hee, who is pitching like that, gave up 2 runs, but Lee Chang-hoon is also holding his own, only giving up 2 runs and blocking the Pegasus lineup well.”

“GOAT fell into a 4-game losing streak due to yesterday’s loss, but today’s game is the best game they’ve had recently.”

“Pegasus must have been thrilled to meet the declining GOAT, but the game is not easy.”

* * *

Cleaning time.

Both teams’ players came to the bench to catch their breath for a moment.

Some players were eating snacks, and others were meditating with their eyes closed.

Song Seok-hyun took off his catcher’s mask and sat down, enjoying the breeze.

“Good lead today?”

Starting pitcher Lee Chang-hoon sat next to Song Seok-hyun.

“It’s because your pitches are good, senior [term of respect for someone older or more experienced]. I couldn’t hit your changeup today even if I knew it was coming.”

“Well, it’s thanks to the good lead.”

“It’s thanks to the good pitches.”

The two laughed heartily.

“Can I go until the 6th inning? Wooki hyung timed that home run well, and it went over, in Jamsil.”

“With your current pitch count, you can go until the 7th or 8th inning. We can’t help the home run.”

“The ball isn’t going where I want it to go. It needs to have that feeling of pressing down hard.”

Lee Chang-hoon stared at his hand.

“It’s not always about pressing down with strength. Rather, if they’re fooled by breaking balls, the batter’s mentality breaks down even more. If their mentality breaks down, it’s much easier to manage the game.”

“Is that so?”

Lee Chang-hoon clenched and unclenched his fist.

“It’s amazing. As I live, I gain one thing and lose another, and if I lose one thing, I gain another. Who knew that my changeup would get this good when my fastball got worse? And it happened overnight. If I had thrown this kind of changeup earlier, I would have gone into FA [Free Agency] with at least 1 billion won more.”

“You’re too greedy. You’ve already made enough money. You’ve made enough money to live off for the rest of your life, even for three generations. I’m jealous, senior.”

“Oh, you?”

Yoo Seon-ho, who was munching on a banana from behind, sat behind Song Seok-hyun.

“You, you’ll get at least 10 billion, 10 billion. With the rising prices these days, no one would say anything if you got 15 billion.”

“You never know in life. I just hope I can make it to FA safely. I’d be so stressed if I got hurt or slumped during FA and signed a cheap contract.”

“So take care of your body. That’s how baseball is. Working hard is good, but working too hard is not good, and being lazy is not good either. Moderately. Work hard, but not too much.”

“That’s even harder. It’s ambiguous.”

“There’s no right answer in life, so everything is difficult. Whether you’re a young guy like you or an old man like me, living is difficult for everyone, the same for everyone.”

As cleaning time was coming to an end, Lee Chang-hoon turned his head and looked at Yoo Seon-ho.

“Senior.”

“Why?”

“I want to get a win today. You need to hit a home run too.”

“Why are you saying that to me? Say it to him, say it to him. It’s not like I don’t want to hit it. I just can’t.”

“They’ll just give Seok-hyun a walk anyway. Senior, please hit one out. They’re definitely going to compete against you, so the chance will come to you. Isn’t the next attack starting with In-hwan?”

“Then tell In-hwan to hit it.”

“Still, you’re better than In-hwan. If you hit a home run, I’ll grant you one wish.”

“No, what wish. And I’m not confident about hitting a home run against Jin-hee either. Can’t you see him throwing with gritted teeth today?”

“Ahem, my cousin is Joo Yoon-hee, do you know her?”

Yoo Seon-ho’s eyes twinkled at the name Joo Yoon-hee.

“That Joo Yoon-hee? Is it the one I know?”

“Yes. Yoon-hee has a lot of pretty friends around her……. They say there are a lot of pretty and kind-hearted girls.”

“Yoon-hee has friends?”

“Well, if you don’t like it, there’s nothing I can do, but Yoon-hee and her friends like baseball, so I was wondering if we could arrange a meeting with you.”

Yoo Seon-ho got up from his seat.

“Can’t I get a RBI instead of a home run?”

“Come on, senior. I’ve seen all of Yoon-hee’s friends’ faces. Yoon-hee is average, average. There are girls prettier than Yoon-hee. Would just an RBI be enough?”

“Okay, let’s do it. You’re not lying, are you?”

“Of course, of course. Ah, if Seok-hyun hits another home run, hyung will take responsibility and arrange a meeting for you too. If you get a chance, hit it too.”

Song Seok-hyun smiled awkwardly and picked up his catcher’s mask.

“Let’s go. We can’t make a comeback unless we stop them first, right?”

“Yeah, let’s go. Let’s go stop them.”

Top of the 6th inning.

The leadoff hitter is first baseman Kim Han-sung.

He was a man covered in muscles.

“Kim Han-sung isn’t doing so well today, is he?”

“Yes. He’s being helplessly defeated by Lee Chang-hoon’s breaking balls today.”

“He’s one of the best power hitters in the league, along with Kim In-hwan, but his hits aren’t going anywhere today.”

“He’s Pegasus’s franchise star. He’s the same age as Kim In-hwan, and they were rivals in high school, but Kim In-hwan was a little closer to being the best. After turning pro, it was the opposite. Kim In-hwan couldn’t adapt, but Kim Han-sung was a rising star who swept the league. As a member of the Pegasus dynasty, they were 승승장구 (seungseungjanggu, [riding a wave of success]), and it seemed like the gap between the two peers would widen forever, but Kim In-hwan has grown significantly.”

“First baseman, 3rd batter, league’s representative power hitter. Aside from the difference between a left-handed hitter and a right-handed hitter, they have many things in common. The rivalry between the two players could be a key point in today’s game.”

-Strike! Out!

“Strikeout. Kim Han-sung is struck out again.”

“That changeup is unusual today. It’s really good. It drops sharply.”

“The next batter is Kim Wook. He’s in good condition, enough to hit a game-tying two-run home run today.”

Song Seok-hyun openly gave Kim Wook a walk.

Kim Wook licked his lips in disappointment.

“Hey, junior [term of endearment], I thought you were pushing the home run king, why are you doing this?”

“Is Chang-hoon’s control not good today, why is he doing that?”

“Cheeky.”

After sending Kim Wook to first base, an outside fastball to 5th batter Kim Seong-hyun on the first pitch.

-Strike!

Kim Seong-hyun’s legs gave way, and he dropped his head.

“Kim Seong-hyun missed a good ball.”

“The outside course is 난젭니다 (nanjepnida, [a tough problem]) for the Pegasus hitters today. If the fastball comes in fast, there’s nothing they can do, but Lee Chang-hoon’s fastball is in the early 140s today. It’s a fastball they can hit, but they keep picturing the changeup in their heads, so their bats keep getting late. If they get a strike like that, they lose even more energy.”

Song Seok-hyun exchanged signs with the pitcher.

This time too, the outside course.

A course that was slightly more outside than before, so the batter stopped his bat.

-Strike!

-132km/h.

“Another strike. This time, he gets a strike with a changeup.”