On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 204

“This is truly unfortunate. Lee Yong-cheol is a great defensive player, but the bounce was unexpectedly high.”

“If you look closely, you’ll see the boundary between the grass and the dirt on the field. Infielders predict the bounce and adjust their position based on where the ball first hits the ground. Unfortunately, the ball hit right on that boundary. He likely anticipated a bounce based on the grass, but it seems the ball hit a slightly raised area, causing it to bounce higher than expected. Song Seok-hyun’s hit was also very strong, with a lot of spin, making it bounce even more forcefully.”

“Lee Yong-cheol’s injury looks serious… Do you think he’ll be okay?”

“We’ll need to see the results of a thorough examination at the hospital, but if he’s injured to that extent, he’s likely out for the season. At best, he might return around the middle of next season. The blood… if there’s that much bleeding, it’s a really serious injury.”

The atmosphere in Jamsil Stadium became somber.

An ambulance immediately entered the field and took Lee Yong-cheol away.

The Jamsil Stadium staff cleaned up the blood and tidied up the infield.

A player from one of the teams was seriously injured.

And it happened during the Jamsil rivalry match.

Considering the recent bench-clearing incident, the umpire, worried that things might escalate, resumed the game before the tension could fully dissipate.

“Song Ji-hoon will be playing shortstop. He’s a versatile infielder, a backup player. He’s experienced and can cover all infield positions: shortstop, second base, first base, and third base.”

“He’s a veteran who has been a reliable presence in the Wolves’ infield for a long time. He’ll be able to fill Lee Yong-cheol’s spot adequately.”

Mark Rogers was back on the mound.

The impact of the game being interrupted for over 10 minutes was evident on the starting pitcher.

The first inning is always the toughest for a starting pitcher.

They have to adjust to the umpire’s strike zone and adapt their pitching to match the opposing batters.

Just as he had found his rhythm, Yoo Seon-ho stepped up to the plate.

Whack!

Whack!

Two consecutive pitches went in high.

With a two-ball count, Rogers clenched and unclenched his hand once.

After applying rosin [a sticky substance used by pitchers for grip] to his hand, Rogers decided to throw a curveball.

When pitchers can’t control their fastball, they often throw breaking balls to get a feel for the game.

In particular, the curveball is one of the pitches that pitchers use most when they’re struggling with their control.

To throw a curveball properly, the release point and balance must be perfect.

Rather than sticking to a fastball when the control isn’t there, it’s more advantageous to throw a curveball after showing an uncontrolled fastball to get ahead in the count. Choosing a curveball at this moment was a smart move.

However, there was one thing.

The fact that pitchers often choose breaking balls, especially curveballs, when trying to find their control wasn’t just a secret known to pitchers.

Experienced veterans, especially, knew it instinctively or through experience.

Bang!

Yoo Seon-ho’s swing was decisive.

Two balls, no strikes.

It was the perfect count for a batter to swing with full force.

“It’s huge! It’s going far! Is it going over the fence? Does it go over? It’s gone! Yoo Seon-ho hits a three-run homer! Yoo Seon-ho blasts a three-run homer right in the first inning! A monstrous hit that goes over the right-field fence! The Jamsil fence couldn’t contain Yoo Seon-ho.”

“The Wolves must be feeling terrible. Not only did their starting shortstop get injured, but they also gave up three runs in the first inning with two outs.”

“Living legend Yoo Seon-ho shows the class of a veteran.”

“Yoo Seon-ho is often overshadowed by KS [likely referring to a more famous player], but he has plenty of power. He’s a hitter who can easily hit around 20 home runs each season.”

The Wolves’ bench was as silent as if cold water had been poured on them.

The Wolves’ manager, Jang Tae-seop, clenched his fist and slowly tapped his thigh.

Rogers walked the next batter and gave up a hit to the batter after that, putting himself in another scoring crisis.

He struck out the batter to prevent further runs but faced seven batters in the first inning, working up a sweat.

“Alright, alright, gather around.”

The Goats’ defensive coach, Ahn Young-jae, gathered the players and began to speak.

“As you saw earlier, the grass is wet, so the bounces will be quick. Infield, play closer; outfield, spread out. Infield, try to catch it on the fly or on a short hop. Outfield, if you can’t catch it on the fly, let it drop and play the long bounce. Got it?”

“Yes!”

“The momentum has shifted to us. Don’t be greedy. Give what we have to, and let’s only take what we can.”

The Goats’ starting pitcher, McKinsey, took the mound.

McKinsey got off to a great start by striking out the first batter.

The problem occurred during Jung Soo-young’s at-bat, the second batter.

Jung Soo-young swung at a sinking fastball that was tailing away outside.

Jung Soo-young kept his top hand close to his body and forcibly lifted the ball.

“Second baseman… missed it! The ball goes over Jung Dong-gyu’s glove. Jung Soo-young reaches first base.”

“If that were a normal defensive position, it would have been an easy out, but he seemed to be playing too far forward. McKinsey is good at inducing ground balls, so they probably tightened up the infield defense, but it’s unfortunate for the Goats.”

The next batter after the speedy runner was left-handed hitter Jung In-ha.

He should have been an easier opponent for the left-handed pitcher, but Jung In-ha sent McKinsey’s first pitch to right-center field, creating a situation with runners on first and third with one out.

“McKinsey is giving up a lot of hits today. He’s not getting ground balls.”

“The Wolves seem to have prepared well. If you look now, they’re all swinging to lift the ball, right? But they’re not swinging too big. A short, compact swing to lift the ball. It’s the perfect strategy for a pitcher who induces a lot of ground balls. They may have known it all along but couldn’t execute it, but now they seem to have gotten the hang of it.”

“Isn’t McKinsey’s strength getting ground balls? If he can’t get ground balls, it’s going to be quite difficult.”

“McKinsey’s pitches are a two-seamer [a type of fastball with slight movement], a cutter [a fastball with a late, sharp break], and a changeup [a slower pitch designed to disrupt timing]. On the bright side, the ball comes in on a similar path, making it difficult to hit squarely, but on the other hand, the timing is similar, making it easier to time.”

The next batter was the cleanup hitter, Kang Je-gwan.

As Kang Je-gwan came to the plate, the Wolves’ fans loudly sang their cheering song.

“Je-gwan, Je-gwan Kang Je-gwan hey! Kang Je-gwan hey! Kang Je-gwan hey!”

Song Seok-hyun took a deep breath.

Even Kang Je-gwan was holding the bat short.

Rather than trying for a long hit, he seemed intent on making solid contact.

He’s a hitter who sees the ball well and makes good choices.

How should they approach a hitter who can easily hit .300 [a batting average indicating a successful hitter] if he abandons his desire for long hits?

McKinsey looked at Song Seok-hyun and waited for the sign.

After a moment of hesitation, Song Seok-hyun chose a bold approach from the first pitch.

“Okay, okay.”

McKinsey narrowed his eyes and nodded.

As McKinsey threw the first pitch, Kang Je-gwan flinched.

-Strike!

“The first pitch, he throws it close to the batter’s body.”

“It was a cutter that broke high and inside. It’s a very dangerous pitch, but he’s using it aggressively.”

“Kang Je-gwan probably didn’t expect such a dangerous pitch to come on the first pitch.”

Kang Je-gwan took a breath.

The Goats’ battery’s [pitcher and catcher] determination to not give him an easy pitch, even if it means hitting him, is evident.

A breaking ball that curves toward the batter’s body is generally considered the easiest breaking ball for a batter to hit.

This is the opposite of a breaking ball that tails away from the batter, which is the most difficult pitch for a batter to hit.

McKinsey’s cutter is different from typical breaking balls, so even though it’s a breaking ball that comes inside, it’s not an easy pitch, but he openly aimed for the batter’s body from the first pitch.

Is it the recklessness of a young catcher, or his ambition?

Kang Je-gwan shortened his stride by about two finger widths as he stood in the batter’s box.

“Second pitch!”

The pitch McKinsey threw was a cutter that came in low.

Kang Je-gwan leaned back, feeling like he was lifting the ball with a short swing.

Thwack!

Thud!

“Ah!”

Kang Je-gwan collapsed with a scream.

The surprised crowd, especially the Wolves’ fans, gasped.

“Kang Je-gwan has fallen. A foul ball hit Kang Je-gwan’s calf.”

“Oh dear, the calf is a sensitive area even when you press it with your finger. Unfortunately, the ball went there. Ah, the Wolves are having a tough day. If it hit the calf, it’ll linger for a long time. It’ll be difficult to swing powerfully.”

“Kang Je-gwan can’t stand properly. That means the pain is significant, right?”

“It’s fortunate that it didn’t hit the bone, but… it’s truly unfortunate.”

The Wolves’ manager, Jang Tae-seop, stood up from his seat.

He waited anxiously for the coach’s signal, who was checking on Kang Je-gwan.

The coach exchanged a few words with Kang Je-gwan and then made an X with his hands.

“…Ha.”

Jang Tae-seop bit his lip tightly and trembled.

The loss of the starting shortstop and now the third baseman.

If he was hit in the calf, the effects would last for at least a week.

It’s obvious that he can’t play third base, and it’s difficult to stand in the batter’s box as a designated hitter.

“Those Goat bastards…!”

The curse words rose to his uvula, but he suppressed them for the sake of maintaining his composure.

The coach continuously sprayed patches on Kang Je-gwan’s calf.

Kang Je-gwan said, dripping with cold sweat.

“Help me up. I’ll take this at-bat.”

“No way. If you run now, your calf will cramp up. You know it’ll get worse if your calf cramps up, right?”

“I’ll just take this at-bat. Coach, please.”

“I’ve already sent the signal. You have to be replaced.”

“Coach, please. Just this at-bat, please.”

The coach massaged Kang Je-gwan’s calf.

Kang Je-gwan raised his upper body and looked into the coach’s eyes.

“It’s the left calf anyway. I can hit with this much.”

“Ha, alright. I’ll send the signal to the manager again.”

Holding the coach’s hand, Kang Je-gwan got up from his seat.

While Kang Je-gwan wiped away the cold sweat, the coach exchanged signals with the bench.

Manager Jang Tae-seop sent a signal to let him take this at-bat.

Kang Je-gwan won’t be able to play properly during the remaining games of the season.

‘Wouldn’t it be okay to let him have one last at-bat?’ That was Jang Tae-seop’s thought.

“Hooo.”

Kang Je-gwan took a breath and entered the batter’s box.

Song Seok-hyun dusted off Kang Je-gwan’s butt and said.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m okay. Hoo.”

Song Seok-hyun, sitting at home plate, sent a sign to McKinsey.

The pitch McKinsey threw was a two-seamer that tailed away outside.

Hitting the ball while almost kneeling, Kang Je-gwan made contact.

The ball was hit squarely, but it lacked power.

Second baseman Jung Dong-gyu caught the ball and immediately tossed it to first base.

It was a double play.

“Double play! A double play here. The Wolves are really having a tough day today.”

“The course was good, but the ball didn’t get up.”

Kang Je-gwan let out a hollow laugh as the double play was made.

“Geez, you really are…”

Kang Je-gwan shook his head as he looked at Song Seok-hyun.

A right-handed batter sustained an injury to his left calf.

For a right-handed batter, the left leg is the lead leg.

A right-handed batter swings while extending his left leg, but if a pitch comes far from the batter’s body, he inevitably has to shift his center of gravity outward.

If the left leg only receives axial force, the rotational force of the body can be evenly distributed, but if it also receives lateral force, more load is placed on the calf.

It was only natural that Kang Je-gwan had difficulty putting full power into the ball as he bent his knee to hit the outside pitch.

The fact that he lifted the ball even in an unbalanced state was a testament to Kang Je-gwan’s talent, but even talent cannot overcome injury.

The pitcher may have felt sorry for throwing the ball inside and deliberately threw it outside.

However, when Song Seok-hyun apologized to him, Kang Je-gwan was convinced that it was a calculated move.

“I’m sorry.”

“……Hoo. It’s okay.”

Kang Je-gwan limped back to the bench.

He was seething inside, but what could he do? This was also part of the game.

“Are you okay?”

The coach asked, pointing to Kang Je-gwan’s calf.

Kang Je-gwan shook his head.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to play for a while. I’m sorry.”

“Sigh.”

Kang Je-gwan’s injury was a symbol of this season’s Jamsil rivalry match.

Success as a catcher

Previous pitch

The departure of the defensive anchor shortstop and the offensive anchor cleanup hitter.

The Wolves’ worries deepened.

Objectively and emotionally, the advantage had shifted to the Goats, but the Wolves’ potential often emerged when they were cornered.

No runs were scored by either team through the 2nd and 3rd innings.

In the top of the 4th inning, Rogers roared, showing the value of an ace by stopping the Goats’ cleanup.

Back in the bottom of the 4th, the Wolves’ offense.

The Wolves started their attack with the 3rd batter, left-handed hitter Jung In-ha.

“1-1. McKinsey was a bit shaky in the 1st inning, but he’s been pitching well since then.”

“The Wolves aren’t having any luck either. Balls that they think they hit well keep going straight to the fielders, resulting in outs. On days like this, it’s really frustrating. There’s no way to fix it.”

In a 1-1 situation.

Jung In-ha bunted at McKinsey’s outside changeup.

“Huh? A bunt! Third baseman Choi Jae-wan dashes in! Choi Jae-wan catches it, ah! He missed it! He missed it!”

“The ground is still wet. It must have been too slippery to catch it cleanly and throw the ball. Jung In-ha is a left-handed hitter, so he must have been even more anxious to get on base.”

“The 3rd batter bunts and gets on base. That shows how desperate the Wolves are right now.”

“The 4th batter is Baek Hyun-seong. Baek Hyun-seong is as strong as anyone. He’s a player who has hit 20 home runs in Jamsil.”

“He’s been wandering around without a fixed position at first and third base because of Kang Je-gwan, but he’s a hitter who is doing his part. A left-handed power hitter who hits 20 home runs in Jamsil. He’s a scary hitter. If he connects properly, he can hit it over the fence even in Jamsil Stadium.”

Song Seok-hyun signaled for a high inside pitch as the first pitch.

McKinsey nodded without complaint.

The opposing batters are all swinging with an uppercut today.

Since an uppercut swing hits the ball from low to high, it’s theoretically weak against high pitches.

That’s theoretically obvious, but the problem is the pitcher’s habits.

Pitchers are reluctant to throw high pitches because they can easily lead to long hits.

It’s not easy to throw a high pitch to a power hitter without trust between the catcher and the pitcher, but McKinsey trusted Song Seok-hyun.

He’s a catcher who has shown a lot of promise, so he can’t be dismissed as just a young kid anymore.

McKinsey’s first pitch went in high, but it was directed toward the center of the strike zone.