On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 166

I almost missed the ‘Slider’ sign.

‘Slider. Outside.’

If you have a good slider [a type of baseball pitch], there’s no reason to hide it.

-Strike! Out!

The batter swings and misses.

“Strikeout! It’s a strikeout! He shuts down this inning with a strikeout! He’s still pitching a no-hitter!”

“Amazing. Just amazing, Han Min-seok. It seems like he’s getting stronger. It’s like a razor blade slider. Sharp. Really sharp.”

“In the top of the 8th, Han Min-seok gave up a walk, but he struck out the next batter, maintaining the 0-0 tie.”

“The Goats must be struggling. They need to score at least one run, but unfortunately, their cleanup hitter [typically the 3rd or 4th batter in the lineup, known for power hitting], who can hit a home run at any moment, is out.”

“A no-hitter and a 0-0 score. Baseball fans will be holding their breath, wondering when this balance will be broken.”

Catching Success

Battery (3)

Pegasus bench before the start of the 8th inning.

The pitching coach and Kim Seong-hoon were talking in one corner.

“You want to pitch more?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm……”

The pitching coach scanned Kim Seong-hoon from head to toe.

“What’s with you? It’s been a long time—no, it’s the first time I’ve seen you so proactive.”

“I haven’t given up any runs either. I don’t want to be taken out in a game like this.”

“They’re pitching a no-hitter. You want to keep pitching to complete a shutout? You’ve already thrown ninety-eight pitches. Don’t you know you need to take even better care of your body at the end of the season?”

“Isn’t one win more valuable at the end of the season? If our team goes directly to the Korean Series [the championship series in Korean professional baseball] anyway, we’ll have plenty of time to rest.”

“Oh, geez.”

The pitching coach scratched his head.

“I don’t know what’s gotten into you lately, you stone-faced guy. You’re throwing inside pitches you never used to throw, and now you’re even refusing the coach’s orders.”

“Please, Coach.”

The pitching coach stroked his chin.

Kim Seong-hoon waited for the pitching coach’s answer, his mouth shut tight.

“Phew, alright. I like that competitive spirit. I’m not just saying this, but I always thought you had more potential than Jin-hee. But you were missing one thing: grit. You have stubbornness, but no grit… If you show that kind of proactive attitude now, I’m all for it.”

“Are you giving me permission?”

“Yeah, let’s do it. Now that it’s come to this, we have to go all the way. What makes you any worse than Han Min-seok? I’ll talk to the manager, so don’t worry and just wait.”

Kim Seong-hoon looked at Han Min-seok on the mound.

He couldn’t see his expression because his hat was pulled down low.

“……”

Kim Seong-hoon silently stroked the fingers of his right hand, one by one, with his thumb.

* * *

Bottom of the 8th inning.

The commentator chuckled as Kim Seong-hoon came up to the mound.

“Kim Seong-hoon is coming up again.”

“Is this going to turn into a battle of pride? Kim Seong-hoon usually manages his pitch count, but if he goes on like this today, he’ll exceed 100 pitches.”

“Kim Seong-hoon’s desire to win is strongly felt.”

“Doesn’t this make it even more exciting?”

Kim Seong-hoon loosened up his arm.

He picked up the rosin bag [a small bag filled with powdered rosin used by pitchers for a better grip], patted it a few times, and dropped it on the ground.

As the rosin powder scattered, the first batter appeared in the white smoke.

“Bottom of the 8th. It won’t be an easy match. It’s Lee Ji-seong.”

“He’s a player who stubbornly clings to the pitcher. He was used as a pinch hitter [a substitute batter] and defensive specialist in the Scorpions because he was considered to have lost his long-hit power, but he’s found his place again with the Goats. Even without long hits, his contact ability is so good that his on-base percentage has risen to .430. If you’re fast, field well, and get on base, you have everything you need as a leadoff hitter [the first batter in the lineup].”

“He was overshadowed by Hwang Gi-deok in the Scorpions, but for the player himself, the trade to the Goats was a turning point in his career.”

“Actually, who is a better center fielder than Hwang Gi-deok in Korea?”

“Haha, that’s right. He’s a player who is mentioned as the best center fielder in the country, surpassing even the best of all time.”

“The point is that you should never underestimate Lee Ji-seong just because he was pushed back by Hwang Gi-deok. Especially when the pitcher is this tired, a guy like Lee Ji-seong is a real headache. From the pitcher’s perspective, you just want to give him a base and get him out of there. It’s painful to throw a lot of pitches and then let him get on base.”

Kim Seong-hoon blew the rosin powder out of his mouth.

Jung Yong-wook called for an inside fastball from the very first pitch.

Whack!

-Ball. Inside.

“The pitch was a little off. Kim Seong-hoon starts with a ball.”

“As the game gets longer, the pitcher’s stamina and concentration decrease. Precise control becomes increasingly difficult.”

Kim Seong-hoon clenched and unclenched his fist once.

‘Four-seam. Inside.’

Another inside pitch.

Kim Seong-hoon lifted his leg slightly and placed the ball inside.

Bang!

“Foul. A foul that passes the third baseman.”

“Lee Ji-seong is disappointed. Lee Ji-seong is a little weak against inside pitches and fastballs, but if he’s that disappointed, it means he thought he could hit it.”

“Does that mean the ball has lost its power?”

“You could say that.”

Kim Seong-hoon showed a changeup [a slow pitch designed to deceive the batter] and then threw a fastball on the outside.

Bang!

The ball hit by Lee Ji-seong rolled between the first and second basemen, a ground ball.

“Hit. Lee Ji-seong finally gets a hit. Bottom of the 8th. The leadoff hitter reaches first base.”

“It’s nerve-wracking to have a fast runner on first base. Especially if it’s Lee Ji-seong. His base-running sense is extraordinary.”

As the second batter, Seol Jin-il, came up, the Pegasus bench became busy.

Catcher Jung Yong-wook’s signs became more elaborate, and the fielders shifted their positions.

“Everyone knows that Seol Jin-il is strong on the first pitch. The combination of a fast runner and a hitter who likes the first pitch. It’s a good time for both the Goats and the Pegasus to use a strategy.”

“Could this at-bat be the turning point of today’s game?”

“Yes. But the Goats can also go in reverse. They can induce the opponent’s strategy, gain a favorable count, and then switch to offense.”

“Is it all about mind games in the end?”

“Yes, it’s a mind game. If it comes down to mind games, manager Choi Seong-yeon will have a slight advantage.”

Will he throw the first pitch into the zone, or will he avoid it?

Will the runner steal, or not?

Batter Seol Jin-il looked at first base runner Lee Ji-seong, runner Lee Ji-seong looked at pitcher Kim Seong-hoon, and pitcher Kim Seong-hoon looked at catcher Jung Yong-wook.

Lee Ji-seong was the one who made the first move.

He showed an attempt to steal second base so quickly that it was hard to tell if it was a fake or not.

At the same time, Kim Seong-hoon threw the ball toward the catcher.

Seol Jin-il swung, turning his waist.

Clack.

The ball that hit the end of the bat weakly went to the shortstop.

Fast runner Lee Ji-seong strode toward second base.

Shortstop Kim Hyeong-woo ran forward, caught the ball, and threw it to second base.

At the same time, Lee Ji-seong slid with a bent leg.

Second baseman Choi Young-seok stepped on second base, jumped, and twisted his body to throw the ball to first base.

-Out!

-Out!

“Double play! A double play! A double play here!”

“It seems like the Goats used a strategy, but it failed due to Kim Seong-hoon’s slider. Seol Jin-il seems to have thought it was a fastball, but it was a slider.”

“If this is the case, there is only one out until the 8th inning. Kim Seong-hoon may be able to come up until the 9th inning.”

“But you never know. The next batter is Kim In-hwan. If he hits a home run, you don’t know what will happen to today’s game.”

-Walk. The batter walks to first base.

The Pegasus intentionally walked Kim In-hwan and competed with Seo Il-hyeok.

Seo Il-hyeok struck out on three pitches.

It was a change of offense and defense.

“……”

Ham Seong-hoon leaned against the wall with one hand and closed his eyes.

Top of the 9th inning.

Kim Wook gathered the Pegasus players before the attack.

“Aim for just one ball. Just one. Don’t try to hit everything; just aim for one and hit it properly. He’s tired too. If you make solid contact, it’s definitely a long hit. Do you know what I mean?”

“Yes!”

“Let’s aim for just one, whether it’s a fastball or a slider. We’re not going to give him a no-hitter, are we?”

“No!”

-Out!

-Out!

-Out!

“Another three strikeouts! Three consecutive strikeouts! He’s really just one step away from a no-hitter!”

“If it doesn’t go to the 10th inning, he’ll get a no-hitter… Kim Seong-hoon’s pace is extraordinary right now.”

The aftereffects of three consecutive strikeouts were great.

There was no conversation on the Pegasus bench.

When the players barely managed to say a word, there was one common word:

Slider.

The players shook their heads as they talked about the slider.

“The Pegasus have nothing to lose even if they drag it to the 10th inning. If it goes to a bullpen fight [when relief pitchers are used], the Pegasus will be at an advantage. Besides, this batting order starts with number 5, Yoo Seon-ho. The 6th and 7th batters are Jo Ji-ho and Kang Ha-young. The Goats’ lower batting order is already weak, but today the weaknesses are even more pronounced.”

Yoo Seon-ho spoke to Jung Yong-wook as soon as he entered the plate.

Jung Yong-wook did not respond to Yoo Seon-ho’s words.

“You’re not going to walk me, are you?”

Jung Yong-wook’s choice was a walk.

“Wow……”

Yoo Seon-ho hung his head and trudged to first base.

“The Pegasus are openly walking him. They’re putting Yoo Seon-ho on first base.”

“Well, it’s a natural strategy. Yoo Seon-ho is a scary hitter, but he’s a slow runner. The next batter, Jo Ji-ho, has pretty good power in the league, but his contact and eye are both lacking, so he’s been relegated to a pinch hitter and backup player early on. It’s a perfect chance to aim for a double play.”

“The Goats have no choice but to suffer, even though they know it. They have no pinch hitter card.”

“Seo Il-hyeok sometimes comes out as a pinch hitter, but Seo Il-hyeok has already been replaced by Song Seok-hyeon……”

* * *

Song Seok-hyeon, who arrived at the hospital, was in the car instead of the emergency room.

The coach urged him to go into the hospital quickly, but Song Seok-hyeon stayed in the car and resisted.

“It’s all over now. I don’t have any broken bones or anything. I’m fine. I’ll just listen to the game result and go.”

“You should get emergency treatment quickly and then listen.”

“Coach, please. There’s less than 5 minutes left. Just think of it as the car being a little delayed.”

“Ha, I should have put you in the ambulance if this was going to happen……”

“Coach, just this. I’ll just listen to this.”

-Two strikes. Kim Seong-hoon gets two strikes with two pitches.

-Jo Ji-ho can’t get a feel for it. Ah, he blames himself, but it’s so frustrating.

Song Seok-hyeon clenched his right fist tightly.

Jo Ji-ho.

In terms of power, he is one of the few sluggers in the Goats team who can hit over the Jamsil fence [a famous baseball stadium in Seoul], but his presence is insignificant.

Low batting average, poor eye, mediocre defensive skills.

A player whose maximum is a rotation member or a backup.

He was also a player with no particular connection to Song Seok-hyeon.

A player who the club couldn’t abandon because of his natural power, and there was nothing else to explain.

Neither Song Seok-hyeon nor the coach had any expectations.

However, there was one thing they hoped for: to avoid a double play.

-……He hit it!

“Ah!”

“Ah!”

The coach and Song Seok-hyeon simultaneously exclaimed.

After two strikes, the pitch the pitcher throws is unlikely to go into a good course.

-High into the sky! High into the sky! High into the sky! A fly ball!

“Did he pop it up?”

“……!”

The coach, who was listening, was surprised and turned up the radio volume.

-Left field fence~~~ The left fielder raises his hand!

“Please! Please!”

“Drop it, drop it. Please drop it.”

-Left fielder! It went over! The left fielder jumped, but couldn’t reach it with his glove! Home run! It’s a home run! A two-run homer!

-It’s a ball that barely went over the Jamsil fence. The wind helped. It wouldn’t have gone over if it wasn’t for the wind.

-Walk-off two-run! A walk-off! The Goats players are pouring onto the field!

“Wooaaaaaaaaa!”

“We won! We won!”

-Today’s MVP is definitely Han Min-seok, but my MVP is Jo Ji-ho. Walk-off home run. A walk-off two-run home run. It’s a home run that achieves Han Min-seok’s no-hitter and leads the team to a winning series.

-A great record was set today. With Han Min-seok’s no-hitter, the Goats win the winning series against the Pegasus 2-0.

“We won! We w…… Aaaah!”

“Hey! What are you doing clapping there?”

“Let’s go into the emergency room now. It hurts, it hurts. Oh, it hurts so much.”

“Let’s go, quickly.”

“Ah, I should be at the scene of the no-hitter.”

“Ah, come out quickly. You have to go in now.”

“Okay. I’m going, I’m going.”

Catching Success

Battery (4)

“It’s just a bruise, right? There are no problems with the bones or anything else, right? Okay, okay. I understand. I’ll talk to you in detail tomorrow. Thanks for your hard work. Go straight home. Okay. Go in.”

Manager Ham Seong-hoon hung up the phone.

“Phew, that’s a relief. That’s a relief.”

He smiled without realizing it.

No-hitter.

A great record was set.