On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 163

Song Seok-hyun crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

Han Min-seok studied Song Seok-hyun’s face.

“Why?”

“Sunbae-nim [senior colleague or mentor], this is just my opinion, but… you know you need to throw at least one ball in situations like this to maintain your feel, right?”

The Chinese character for ‘three’ was etched on Han Min-seok’s forehead [indicating annoyance or frustration].

“You want me to pitch?”

“You could just go up and come down after getting one batter out. How about trying to throw at least one?”

“You want me to play just to get one batter out?”

“It’s not just about getting one batter out. It’s not a bad thing for the team either.”

At the mention of the team, Han Min-seok smacked his lips.

“Is that so?”

“Think about it. If you really only face one batter and come down, it’s no different from a decoy starter. But if you come down because you’re in pain, what will Pegasus say? And it’s good for you because it helps you find your feel, and it’s good for today’s replacement starter because they save at least one out.”

Han Min-seok crossed his arms.

“That doesn’t sound bad…”

“The decision is up to you, sunbae-nim, but you caught your feel even while suffering from body aches, so I’m just saying it’s a waste of an opportunity.”

“Hmm.”

As Han Min-seok’s *gomin* [worry or concern] deepened, Song Seok-hyun stepped in.

“How about eating first and then calling the coach to explain the situation? The coach’s judgment will be faster.”

“Should I?”

“Yes, let’s eat a hearty meal first and then think about it.”

Han Min-seok said he knew a good place and emptied a large pot of seafood stew for lunch.

“I feel a little better now that I’ve eaten.”

“Let’s go to work first. You need to discuss it with the manager and coach.”

When the two arrived at work, Ham Seong-hoon was already at the stadium.

After listening to Han Min-seok’s explanation, Ham Seong-hoon pointed to the manager’s office door.

“Min-seok, go out quickly and get some more sleep. It’s okay if you miss all of today’s training, just come an hour before the game starts. Got it?”

“Is it okay to miss all the training?”

“Just sleep. Sleep and recharge your stamina.”

“Thank you, Manager.”

Han Min-seok left first.

Song Seok-hyun was about to leave when Ham Seong-hoon stopped him.

“Min-seok called you?”

“Yes, I was sleeping when he suddenly called and said he was in pain.”

“I see…”

Ham Seong-hoon chuckled.

“He’s been prickly, but it seems like he relies on you as a catcher.”

“Me? Relies? No way.”

“If that’s not the case, why would he call you first? Il-hyeok is also there.”

“Well, it’s because I go to bed early and wake up early…”

“Pitchers are selfish beings, in a good or bad way. They’re the main characters. Do you think he wouldn’t have called Il-hyeok because he was sleeping? How could a person in pain have time to think about that? He called you because he thought of you.”

Song Seok-hyun rolled his eyes and shuddered.

“I feel a little eerie?”

“It’s not a bad thing. What’s eerie about it? It means he relies on you that much.”

“That’s what it means, right?”

“Are you worried Min-seok might be interested in you?”

“It’s not necessarily that, but…”

“Haha, it’s a good thing, a good thing. It’s good that the pitcher trusts the catcher. I don’t know when that stubborn guy became so docile. He was aloof even with Shin-eon.”

“Well, Shin-eon sunbae-nim’s personality is also…”

“Like a knife. He’s very strict about separating work and personal life. He’s the type who doesn’t easily let people into his inner circle.”

“But he’s a really good sunbae-nim.”

“I know. He’s the most professional guy I’ve ever seen. But it’s a human thing. You can’t open up to a friend who doesn’t let you into his inner circle. Professionalism is important, but baseball is also a human endeavor. Skill is important, but it’s good to have camaraderie; it can’t hurt.”

Ham Seong-hoon turned his eyes back to his desk.

“You should get some more sleep or rest. You came early.”

“Yes, I understand.”

After Song Seok-hyun left, Ham Seong-hoon looked at the manager’s office door.

“The next manager will be lucky. A complete Song Seok-hyun as a catcher… As long as they don’t mess things up, they’re guaranteed to be a championship contender. It’s a shame, a shame.”

* * *

When Han Min-seok wasn’t seen during practice, the players whispered among themselves.

The news that Han Min-seok had a cold and body aches quickly spread to the opposing team, Pegasus.

“Body aches?”

“Yes, he couldn’t sleep properly and got an IV drip.”

“But he’s coming up as a starter?”

“Yes, it seems like he’s going ahead with it.”

“It might be anticlimactic… Bring me the list of how many bullpen pitchers they have left.”

“Yes.”

Choi Seong-yeon, the Pegasus manager, smirked after checking the list.

“This is great. As long as Seong-hoon doesn’t set the bullpen on fire, we’re guaranteed to win. Their bullpen situation isn’t very good either.”

“They used a lot of bullpen pitchers in the Fox game, so the maximum number of players who can come up for today’s game is about three. Except for Kim Jeong-ryul, both have been in a slump recently.”

“Good, good. Let’s not make any mistakes today.”

It wasn’t until Pegasus’s practice was over that Han Min-seok appeared on the ground.

The Goat players each said a word when they saw Han Min-seok.

“His face is a little swollen.”

“Is it because he slept a lot, or because he didn’t sleep?”

“His face is always touch-and-go, so I can’t tell even if I look at him like this.”

“He’s usually touch-and-go, but now he’s on his deathbed?”

Han Min-seok yelled back at the players’ jokes, but the players just chuckled and weren’t afraid.

Han Min-seok was lenient when it wasn’t during a game.

“Is it fun to make fun of a sick person, you guys?”

“Then who told you to get sick?”

“Oh? Ya, Lee Chang-hoon, even you?”

Yu Seon-ho was in charge of *jeongni* [tidying up/organizing].

“Tsk, you punk. You can’t mess with our Chang-hoon.”

“……Yes? Our Chang-hoon?”

Lee Chang-hoon shrugged his shoulders.

“That’s how it is.”

“What is this connection?”

“Hey, so how’s your condition?”

Han Min-seok massaged the back of his neck.

“I have a slight fever, but other than that, I think I’m okay.”

“That’s good then. Can’t be a *eomsal* [exaggerating symptoms] athlete just because they feel a little sick, right?”

“I was really sick in the *saebyeok* [early morning hours].”

“I know, I know. Aish, what a fuss for a man.”

“Ah, hyung [older brother or close male friend].”

“Who’s your hyung? My only *dongsaeng* [younger sibling or close younger friend] is Chang-hoon.”

“Ah, I can’t stand to watch. Why are those two like that?”

Ham Seong-hoon shook his head as he watched the players’ *daegeori* [banter/back-and-forth].

The pitching coach asked when he saw this.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s really a *cheonjigaebyeok* [earth-shattering change]. It’s amazing to see guys who were divided into factions and growling at each other like enemies joking around and laughing together.”

“Ah… yes… There was a bit of that. Our team has always had a lot of *line*s [factions/cliques] since a long time ago.”

“There were a lot of *oebu* [external] FA [free agent] acquisitions, so there were a lot of mismatches. The FA players were *buran* [anxious/insecure] as FA players, so they looked for *line*s based on *hakyeon* [school ties], *jiyeon* [regional ties], and *hyeoryeon* [family ties], and then the Goat players made even more *line*s in response. It’s a *aksunhwan* [vicious cycle]. It’s a problem if there are too few *oebu* acquisitions, but it’s also a problem if there are only *oebu* acquisitions without someone inside to establish team discipline. This time, we’re lucky that Seok-hyun, In-hwan, and Jeong-ryul *teojida* [are breaking out/performing well] internally, and Seon-ho, who came from the outside, is also team-first…”

Yeon Woo-shik smiled bitterly.

“It’s hard to establish discipline if there isn’t a *hwaksil* [definite/reliable] franchise star on the team. It’s a *manjeong* [stroke of luck] that Seon-ho is *hyeopjojeok* [cooperative].”

“Seok-hyun will play the role of captain as soon as he gains a little more experience. Until then, Seon-ho and Jeong-ryul have to do a good job of holding things together in the *tuta* [pitching and hitting]. I’ll be leaving, but the coach will be staying, right? Please take good care of the kids.”

“Ah… yes…”

Yeon Woo-shik couldn’t make eye contact with the manager.

Ham Seong-hoon crossed his arms and looked at Han Min-seok.

“Still, it’s a relief that Min-seok’s condition isn’t the worst.”

“Today’s game is already difficult because it’s against Kim Seong-hoon, but it’s become even more difficult.”

“We’ll figure it out somehow. Let’s just think about saving the bullpen as much as possible today.”

“It would be nice if Min-seok could hold out safely for at least the first and second innings…”

“That would be the best.”

The game started with the hope that Han Min-seok would handle at least the first and second innings.

The opponent was right-handed ace Kim Seong-hoon, who is strong against the Goat.

Objectively and subjectively, everyone playing the game thought Pegasus was at an advantage.

But after the third inning, both teams couldn’t help but have bewildered expressions.

Catcher

Battery

“Shhh.”

“Quiet, quiet.”

“Let’s shut our mouths, everyone.”

The Goat bench was looking at each other cautiously.

They pointed to their mouths with their fingers and glared at each other.

Han Min-seok drank water among the players.

“Ah, I keep getting a fever. Haa.”

“……”

Han Min-seok looked at the ground with sleepy, unfocused eyes.

“Did we score any points yet?”

“……”

“Why is everyone so quiet?”

Only then did Song Seok-hyun open his mouth.

“Not yet.”

“Still, try to score some points while I’m here. That way, I won’t feel as bad when I come down.”

“It’s not easy because Kim Seong-hoon sunbae-nim is starting today.”

“Ah, Seong-hoon. It was Seong-hoon…”

Han Min-seok wiped the sweat with a water-soaked towel.

“I have to go out now.”

“Yes.”

“Aigoo, my body. My whole body aches.”

Han Min-seok trudged to the mound.

The Goat players also grabbed their gloves and followed behind.

There was no usual fighting spirit or *japdam* [idle chatter].

“Ah, Seok-hyun.”

“Yes.”

Han Min-seok patted Song Seok-hyun’s shoulder.

“Let’s keep it simple today. I don’t think I have the stamina to throw a lot.”

“I understand.”

Top of the 4th inning.

The first batter was Pegasus’s leadoff hitter, Choi Young-seok.

The first pitch was a fastball inside.

Choi Young-seok stepped back from the plate.

-Strike!

“Han Min-seok gets the first strike with a fastball. He’s going aggressively today.”

“He’s always been aggressive, but something’s different today. He’s quickly getting the count and competing.”

The second pitch was also a strike. It was another fastball.

“A full ball on the outside. That kind of ball isn’t easy.”

The third pitch was a backdoor slider.

Choi Young-seok couldn’t swing the bat.

-Strike! Out!

“Strikeout! He turns Choi Young-seok away with three pitches. A standing strikeout. Han Min-seok is unstoppable.”

“That’s ten consecutive outs. He’s still perfect.”

“Is that so? Ten consecutive outs. There are still seventeen outs left until perfect, but the current pace is good.”

Batter number 2, Shim Chang-gyu, aimed for an outside fastball but flew out.

Kim Han-seong, batter number 3, grounded out with a first-pitch fastball inside.

“Han Min-seok ends this inning with seven pitches.”

“It’s refreshing. He’s really competing quickly.”

Han Min-seok drank a lot of water as soon as he entered the bench.

Han Min-seok, sitting on the bench, covered his eyes with a water-soaked towel.

The players and coaches were also sparing with their words.

Maybe today…

“Bottom of the 4th inning. The lead batter is Song Seok-hyun.”

“The ball that was caught on the warning track in the first at-bat was really disappointing. It would have been a home run in another stadium, but Jamsil is still Jamsil. It’s hard to hit a home run with an average ball.”

Bang!

Kim Seong-hoon threw a fastball inside from the first pitch.

152km/h.

Song Seok-hyun stepped back from the plate once.

Jeong Yong-wook spoke to him.

“Thanks, Seok-hyun.”

“For what?”

“Thanks to you, Seong-hoon has been upgraded.”

Song Seok-hyun stepped back into the plate.

“His inside pitch is good.”

“He didn’t throw it because there were a few accidents, but it’s all thanks to you.”