On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 20

Song Seok-hyun nodded.

Hadn’t he been preparing to come to the Japanese independent league himself?

“But will we be able to join? We don’t have much time left before we have to return to Korea.”

“It just so happens that some friends I’ve been helping are training here. They were all curious when I told them I was here. I asked them on the off chance, and it seems like they can vacate a spot for us.”

Kim Jeong-ryul looked at Kim In-hwan.

“What do you think?”

“I don’t mind. What about you, hyung [older brother or close male friend]?”

“I’m… well…”

Kim Jeong-ryul looked at Song Seok-hyun and grinned.

“Our youngest needs to play a game too. Alright, let’s go. It’s just a practice game, so let’s not get too nervous. Youngest, you confident?”

“Huh? Not really confident…”

“Just do it. You haven’t played a game in a long time. Coach, please arrange a spot for us. We’ll participate.”

“Then I’ll set up the schedule.”

“Yes, please.”

A sudden practice game.

It’s not a professional team, and it’s not an official game.

Song Seok-hyun placed his hand on his chest.

Dugun dugun [Korean onomatopoeia for a heart beating fast].

He could feel the blood circulating after a long time.

* * *

That evening.

Seven people, including the players, coach, and translator.

They enjoyed a hearty dinner before their day off.

Coach Hiroto took out his phone and smiled brightly.

“The game is scheduled for the day after tomorrow. It’s an afternoon game, and SoftBank players will also participate.”

“SoftBank? A professional team?”

Song Seok-hyun asked back in surprise.

“Ah, don’t be alarmed. One first-string player and about three second-string players will participate. They’ll probably be on the opposing team, not ours.”

“A first-string player… that’s no joke…”

“Ryosuke is just like Kim In-hwan here. His slugging ability is considerable. We worked hard together in the second string, and his performance has improved quite a bit. He came up to the first string in the second half of last year and hit maybe .340…”

“Wow, he did great.”

“But he didn’t get many at-bats. Maybe 11 or 12? Still, it was enough time to see his true worth.”

Kim Jeong-ryul pretended to wipe away sweat.

“This is a disaster. Are we going to get humiliated and end up on the news?”

Kim In-hwan said.

“I think it’s good. If you compare the levels, it’s a bit better than a professional second-string team, right? It’s a perfect opportunity to test ourselves.”

“Should I take a break? Hyeong-seok [familiar way to call someone], show them the skills of a Korean professional baseball pitcher. Go, God’s winning team, Kim Hyeong-seok!”

Kim Hyeong-seok put his hand on his waist.

“My back is about to give out. How can I play a game when I can’t even train properly?”

“So, it’s too hard?”

“I thought I’d be okay if I exercised in a warm place, but no such luck. It’s the same. I think I’ll have to pack my bags before spring comes.”

Kim Jeong-ryul smacked his lips.

“Should I get surgery?”

“What kind of pitcher has back surgery? Besides, I’m originally an submarine pitcher [a pitcher who throws with a very low arm angle]. The life of an submarine is in the waist. It hurts even when I throw from the side.”

“Sidearm is no good either?”

“Yeah, I’m sorry to say, but this training camp might be my retirement ceremony.”

Coach Hiroto, who had been listening, said.

“How about going to a rehabilitation hospital in Japan? The rehabilitation system is well-established here.”

Kim Jeong-ryul chimed in.

“Yeah, I didn’t think of that. Get a check-up here. Who knows, it might be different here?”

“It seems like it’s already ruined, why bother…”

“Hey, still go. It doesn’t cost that much, you rascal.”

“It’s not just the money, I’m just tired of everything. It hurts, so I’m tired of everything.”

“You should go to the hospital because it hurts, you idiot.”

While Kim Jeong-ryul and Kim Hyeong-seok were bickering, the food came out.

Coach Hiroto said to Kim Hyeong-seok.

“Then go with me tomorrow. It’s a day off anyway, so it doesn’t matter.”

“Ah, you don’t have to go that far for me.”

“You won’t go if I tell you to go alone, right? You have to go to the hospital when you’re sick. Let’s go together tomorrow.”

Kim Hyeong-seok couldn’t refuse Coach Hiroto’s words any longer.

After the meal.

Everyone returned to their rooms and lay down on their beds.

Kim Jeong-ryul tossed and turned in bed, then got dressed and left the room.

When Song Seok-hyun came out of the bathroom, Kim Jeong-ryul was already gone.

“Where did he go?”

Song Seok-hyun also changed his clothes and went outside.

It wasn’t hard to find Kim Jeong-ryul.

He could hear Korean coming from behind the accommodation.

“Like this. You grip it like this.”

“Like this? You throw it like this?”

“Yeah, the grip doesn’t make a big difference. But you snap your wrist.”

Song Seok-hyun didn’t step forward and only peeked his head out.

Kim Jeong-ryul and Kim Hyeong-seok were facing each other and talking.

“So, this is a curveball?”

“Yeah, but it’s different from the curveball an overhand pitcher throws. It’s like a ball that rises a little?”

“Rises?”

“When an submarine pitcher throws the ball, it naturally falls like a sinker, right? When you throw a curveball, it feels like the ball that should fall is alive and rising upwards. If the spin is good, it can curve a lot to the outside, but it doesn’t curve as much as a sidearm. So… an submarine’s curveball goes in like a slider? A slow slider with a small angle?”

“What’s that? That’s the worst? That sucks.”

“It’s not necessarily like that. The basic thing about an submarine is that the ball falls. But what if the ball doesn’t fall and instead rises up? The batter basically tries to scoop it up because the submarine’s ball falls, but the ball rises up. If they don’t hit it properly, it’s an easy fly ball.”

“That’s amazing? Induce ground balls with a sinker and induce fly balls with a curveball.”

“It’s not easy to throw a fast ball with an submarine throw anyway. So, you have to catch them by matching [mixing up pitches].”

“Okay, okay. I get it roughly. So, if I throw it like this, a rising ball will come out?”

Kim Jeong-ryul played with the ball in his hand a few times and then put it in his pocket.

“But why are you suddenly asking about this? It’s not like you’re switching to submarine.”

“It’s a Korea-Japan match, a Korea-Japan match. Even if it’s a practice game, we can’t just do it half-heartedly. We have to take at least one killer move, right?”

“You’re going to beat the kids with your ball? Can you even get 130 km/h [kilometers per hour] right now?”

“I think I can get that much?”

“It’s a practice game, a practice game. Do it casually. You’ll get hurt if you overdo it.”

“Aish [exclamation of annoyance], the nagging. I got it, I got it. Hey, is there anything else? Any other tips?”

Song Seok-hyun took a step back.

He could hear Kim Jeong-ryul and Kim Hyeong-seok bickering.

“I have to do well…”

Song Seok-hyun fiddled with his ear.

His steps back to the bed were heavy.

* * *

Kim Hyeong-seok headed to the hospital with Coach Hiroto.

Kim Jeong-ryul, Kim In-hwan, and Song Seok-hyun only did morning exercises and rested at the accommodation. It was just a practice game, but no player wants to lose a game. It was a way to maximize the recovery of their bodies, which were tired from the training camp.

The three of them rested all afternoon and had dinner together.

“Hyeong-seok is getting more detailed tests done. Only Coach Hiroto will come separately tomorrow.”

At Kim Jeong-ryul’s words, Kim In-hwan asked.

“Is it that bad?”

“I don’t know. But it can’t be good, he’s so frail.”

“He’s been saying he’s been hurting more lately.”

“A pitcher can’t not throw, and it hurts when he throws. Hooo, this is really something.”

“He threw a lot especially in recent years.”

“It’s a problem when the bullpen pitches well. They use them too much. They use them recklessly. submarine pitchers put a lot of strain on their backs, so they need more management, but there wasn’t any.”

“Hyeong-seok hyung [older brother or close male friend] is still young.”

“That’s what I’m saying. I don’t know if he’s really going to retire like this.”

“……”

The dinner table quickly became heavy.

Song Seok-hyun silently focused on his meal.

“Ah, and Seok-hyun.”

“Yes?”

“Coach Hiroto sent a text saying that it might be difficult for you to play tomorrow. He said it would be difficult to have someone else take the position of catcher.”

“Ah…”

Song Seok-hyun pressed his lips tightly.

The catcher is the commander on the ground.

He must memorize all the team’s tactics and signals in his head.

It is also the catcher’s role to encourage the pitcher and rally the team.

He had hoped for the best, but as expected, it was not easy to have a foreigner play as a catcher, even in amateur baseball.

“But I asked him to give you at least one or two at-bats if he gets the chance, so don’t be too disappointed.”

“Yes, well, it’s okay. I’m still not good enough to play in a game, and well… It’s okay.”

Song Seok-hyun tried to hide his disappointment.

Kim Jeong-ryul and Kim In-hwan offered words of comfort.

As the day dawned, Song Seok-hyun was the first to wake up and prepare to leave.

Kim Jeong-ryul woke up late and rubbed his eyes.

“Why are you getting ready so early?”

“I still have to prepare in advance. When is the coach coming?”

“He said he’d come before we leave… Hmm, wait. I’ll call him.”

Coach Hiroto had already arrived and was waiting.

While Kim Jeong-ryul got up and prepared, Song Seok-hyun packed his bags and went down to the first floor.

“Have you arrived, Coach?”

Song Seok-hyun greeted him and looked around.

Fortunately, the translator was sitting next to him.

“Ah, you’re already down? It’s not even time yet.”

“I couldn’t just stay still, so I came down early.”

“Is that so?”

Coach Hiroto gave an awkward smile.

“Did you perhaps… hear? It might be difficult for you to play today.”

“Yes, I heard.”

“I’m sorry. I wanted to give you a chance, but the catcher position is a bit…”

“It’s okay. Isn’t that how the catcher position is?”

“But I’ve still told them to let you step up to the plate for one or two at-bats if possible. It depends on the situation, but I’ll try to make sure you can get in.”

“No, you don’t have to push yourself. It will be a great learning experience for me just to watch.”

Coach Hiroto kept apologizing, and Song Seok-hyun dissuaded him several times.

While the two were arguing, Kim Jeong-ryul and Kim In-hwan came down.

“Shall we go then?”

The stadium where the practice game was to be held was about a 30-minute drive away.

When they got out of the car, they could see the players who had already arrived warming up. The uniforms were all different, but the atmosphere was bright.

Coach Hiroto looked around, and three men who appeared to be players saw him and ran over.

“How have you been, Coach?”

Catching Success

Chance

“This is Ryosuke, Taisei, and Hiroshi.”

“Ohayo gozaimasu [Good morning/hello in Japanese].”

“This is Kim Jeong-ryul, Kim In-hwan, and Song Seok-hyun.”

“Nice to meet you.”

The players from both teams exchanged greetings with Coach Hiroto’s introduction.

Coach Hiroto introduced the Japanese players first.

“Ryosuke here is currently in the first string at SoftBank. Right?”

“I’m not a regular first-string player yet, haha.”

“Then can I call you a 1.5 string player?”

“Please make it about 1.7 string.”

“Okay, here’s 1.7 string Ryosuke. His position is left fielder. Right-handed batter and thrower. He could be a future slugger representing Japan. Remember his face well.”

“Coach, you’re too much, haha.”

Ryosuke was about 185cm tall and had a sturdy build.

“Taisei is currently training in the second string, but he’s aiming to be the next SoftBank closer with his forkball. His fastball speed exceeds 150km/h.”

“Closer? I haven’t even stepped on the threshold of the first string yet.”

“You’ll step on it soon, why? Hahaha, I’m already looking forward to it. Your control has improved a lot?”

“Yes, thanks to you, Coach. There are no more flying balls now.”

“Not thanks to me. It’s thanks to the player’s hard work.”

Taisei was a bit thin but had a solid physique.

If he hadn’t said he was a baseball player, he could have been mistaken for a passerby.

“Here’s Hiroshi. Currently a first-string utility infielder. He’s fast and very clever. The best second batter I’ve seen?”

Hiroshi bowed his head in silence.

Coach Hiroto then introduced the Korean players.

“This is Kim Jeong-ryul. You guys might have seen him on TV. He’s a pitcher who has also been on the national team. He’s a veteran with over 100 career starts.”

“Ooh.”

The Japanese players looked at Kim Jeong-ryul with admiration.

Kim Jeong-ryul scratched his sideburns awkwardly.

“I’m a pitcher who’s about to go bad, what.”

“He’s currently in rehabilitation, so he’s just warming up lightly today. If he had gone all out, you guys wouldn’t have been able to touch the ball.”

Coach Hiroto praised Kim Jeong-ryul once more.