On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 206

The more intense the rivalry between the Gotes and the Wolves became, the more buzz it generated, which was a welcome outcome.

The departure of two starting fielders.

And it happened at the end of the season.

If I were the Wolves’ manager, I’d be out for the Gotes’ blood.

Not just the manager.

The players and fans would want to tear the Gotes apart, spit them out, and then stomp on them.

With yesterday’s loss, the Gotes are now tied for first place with the Pegasus again.

Finishing the league in first place is the ideal scenario, but now the priority is ensuring everyone makes it through the regular season without injury.

If a bench-clearing brawl erupts between the Wolves and the Gotes, whether intentionally or unintentionally, a major fight is almost guaranteed.

They already had a significant altercation not long ago, so sparking another one wouldn’t be difficult.

A fierce fight could easily lead to injuries.

Disciplinary action from the league office is also a major concern.

Given that it’s the end of the season, the owners of Pegasus, Scorpions, and the other six teams won’t hesitate to push for harsher punishments.

The Wolves might try to focus solely on the game since their postseason hopes are on the line.

But I can’t be certain.

Human behavior is often dictated by emotions.

If even a slightly hostile situation arises, will the Wolves players really be able to restrain themselves?

Even if the manager and coach try to intervene, will the players be able to hold back?

Today’s starters are Suarez and Lee Chang-hoon, of all people.

Suarez, being from South America, is known for his fiery temperament.

He has a history of hitting opposing batters when things don’t go his way.

I’ll issue a warning to the team, but the players are only human.

The moment the Gotes players show any sign of anger, another fight will erupt as if they’ve been waiting for it.

It’s like pouring gasoline on a bonfire.

We can’t afford to back down since the top spot in the season is at stake, but we also need to avoid suspensions or injuries that could impact the postseason.

Even after much deliberation, there’s no easy solution, and Ham Sung-hoon was already dreading coming to work.

* * *

Bang!

Bang!

Song Seok-hyun nodded as he caught Lee Chang-hoon’s practice pitches.

“Good.”

“Really? Or are you just saying that to be nice?”

“No, your pitches have some real weight behind them today.”

Lee Chang-hoon smiled.

“Really heavy? Or are you just trying to butter me up?”

“I’d have to check the velocity later, but your stuff is definitely looking better. Seriously.”

Pitching coach Yeon Woo-shik, who was observing from behind, added,

“Looks good to me too. Did you have a good meal or something?”

Lee Chang-hoon shrugged.

“Just ate well and got some sleep.”

“Not out partying or anything?”

“Nah, I don’t have the energy for that these days. I think I’ve been sleeping about twelve hours a day lately.”

“Maybe it’s because you’re well-rested, but your stuff is back to your usual level. No, it seems even better.”

Lee Chang-hoon patted his shoulder.

“Looks like this old arm still has some life in it. It just needed some rest.”

“That’s why, you idiot, you need to take better care of yourself from now on. You used to bounce back in a few days even when you weren’t feeling your best, but now, once your condition dips, it takes forever to recover. You need to manage yourself so your condition doesn’t drop in the first place.”

“Yes, yes. I know. I’ll keep that in mind.”

After Lee Chang-hoon finished, pitching coach Yeon Woo-shik called Song Seok-hyun over.

“Seok-hyun.”

“Yes, Coach.”

“You can probably sense the tension in the air today, right? When you’re catching today, try to avoid calling for inside pitches as much as possible. Let’s not do anything that could stir up trouble. Got it?”

Song Seok-hyun hesitated for a moment before answering.

“Yes, I understand.”

“Chang-hoon can manage just fine pitching outside. Let’s play it as safe as possible. Okay? Let’s keep things calm.”

“Yes, I understand.”

As the game drew closer, Jamsil Stadium was packed to the rafters.

Direct entry to the Korean Series [championship series of Korean baseball] or elimination from the postseason.

Both the Gotes and Wolves fans were intensely invested in this game.

-Play ball!

With the start of the game, Wolves’ starter Suarez threw the first pitch.

The ball came inside to Gotes’ leadoff hitter Lee Ji-sung.

-Strike!

“……Hoo.”

Lee Ji-sung took a step back and took a deep breath.

The atmosphere at Jamsil was incredibly tense.

Even though the ball was clearly in the strike zone, both the Gotes and Wolves fans watched with intense scrutiny.

Suarez’s second pitch was an outside changeup.

Clack!

Foul.

Suarez’s third pitch was a curveball.

Clack!

Foul.

Suarez frowned and pursed his lips.

He realized Lee Ji-sung had already hit more than ten foul balls.

Clack!

Clack!

Clack!

As the fouls continued, the count reached 2-2 after eight pitches.

Suarez rubbed the rosin bag.

Another inside pitch.

Lee Ji-sung fouled it off again.

“Lee Ji-sung is showing incredible persistence. He’s demonstrating everything a leadoff hitter should do at the plate.”

“When the leadoff hitter battles like that and forces the opposing pitcher to throw so many pitches, the next hitters really benefit. It helps them gauge the opposing pitcher’s condition and timing. It’s also great for wearing down the opposing pitcher’s stamina.”

Eleven pitches, twelve pitches, and then fourteen pitches.

Finally, Suarez walked Lee Ji-sung.

“Lee Ji-sung finally gets on first base. He finally gets there.”

“It’s almost more frustrating than giving up a hit. How many pitches did he throw? It’s like he threw an entire inning’s worth of pitches to one batter.”

Suarez muttered, looking up at the sky.

The next hitter is Seol Jin-il.

Knowing that he tends to swing at the first pitch, Suarez threw an outside changeup.

Tada-da-da!

As soon as Suarez released the ball, Lee Ji-sung took off for second base.

Seol Jin-il swung and missed, interfering with the catcher’s throw.

The catcher threw to second base as soon as he caught the ball, but Lee Ji-sung’s jump was too good, and he was safe.

“Lee Ji-sung is showing the same form he had in his prime. Once he gets on first base, it’s like he automatically advances to second base. Was his stolen base success rate over 80% back then?”

“He’s been avoiding head-first slides since his injury, but if he gets the timing down like he did just now, he can steal bases effectively with a bent-leg slide. Stealing bases isn’t just about speed; it’s about timing.”

Lee Ji-sung’s steal was enough to irritate Suarez.

The curveball thrown by the now agitated Suarez became a wild pitch.

“Lee Ji-sung to third! Lee Ji-sung advances to third without a hit. No outs, runner on third. Scoring opportunity for the Gotes.”

1-1.

Suarez threw a fastball outside.

Seol Jin-il pushed it to right field, resulting in a single in front of the right fielder.

Lee Ji-sung scored.

“1-0. The Gotes take the lead again today. The Gotes’ table setters [players who get on base frequently] have delivered a run.”

“This is a textbook example of how table setters should perform. Somehow get on base, and if you get on base, steal to get into scoring position. Add just one more hit, and you score right away. While some teams struggle to score even one run, teams with good table setters start by scoring one run like this.”

One challenge after another.

The next hitter after Seol Jin-il is Kim In-hwan.

A hitter with a physique imposing enough to stand out even in Major League Baseball.

A hitter who will undoubtedly hit it out of the park if he makes solid contact.

One home run here would immediately mean three runs lost.

Since he’s a left-handed hitter, it’s difficult to throw a curveball, so the pitches he can throw are limited to fastballs and changeups.

Suarez carefully considered the first pitch and chose an outside fastball.

Clang!

With a resounding crack, the ball soared over the left field fence.

Foul.

“I thought that was a home run for sure. It was a really fast and powerful hit.”

“That’s what makes him so dangerous. There’s a lot of talk about Kim In-hwan being weak against outside pitches or breaking balls, but why can’t pitchers easily exploit those weaknesses? If they make one mistake, he has the power to send it over the fence immediately. Kim In-hwan possesses that kind of power.”

Suarez’s second pitch was an outside fastball, ball.

The third pitch was a changeup that fell even further outside, ball.

2-1.

Suarez threw a fastball inside.

-Strike!

2-2.

It was an inside pitch that came in close enough to make Kim In-hwan flinch.

Suarez twirled the baseball in his fingers and exchanged signs with the catcher.

The pitch Suarez threw after the sign exchange was a slow ball breaking outside, a curveball.

It was a backdoor curve [curveball that starts outside the plate and breaks back in] that started outside and curved back into the strike zone.

Clang!

-Strike! Out!

“Standing strikeout! Standing strikeout! Kim In-hwan strikes out looking in a crucial situation.”

“Suarez is a quality pitcher after all. He has good control and good composure. Not many pitchers would throw an outside backdoor curve against Kim In-hwan.”

Song Seok-hyun, who was watching Suarez from the on-deck circle, bit his lip.

Even a pitcher with that level of control struggles to make it in the major leagues.

Objectively speaking, he’s a bit faster, throws a heavier ball, and has better control than Lee Chang-hoon.

If Lee Chang-hoon effectively utilizes outside pitches, Suarez knows how to exploit the entire strike zone.

Besides…….

Song Seok-hyun glanced at catcher Shin Min-ho.

Even if Suarez is a confident player, it’s not an easy decision to call for a backdoor curve as a finishing pitch against a hitter who just hit a foul ball that nearly went out.

The fact that he did it suggests it was the catcher’s decision, not his own.

I thought he was just carefree, but he clearly trusts his catcher a great deal.

Even though his pitches are relatively simple, if he has good velocity and precise control, a strong synergy effect will occur regardless of which catcher he’s paired with.

“Hitter, are you coming to the plate or what?”

“Ah, yes. I’m coming.”

Song Seok-hyun put his bat on his shoulder and stepped into the batter’s box.

A pitcher who trusts his catcher…….

Song Seok-hyun grinned.

Soaring as a catcher.

An ace is an ace.

As Song Seok-hyun stepped in, the atmosphere of the stadium shifted.

Suarez also covered his mouth with his glove and waited for the catcher’s sign.

‘Fastball. Outside.’

Suarez’s fastball has good weight today.

If it catches just the edge of the plate, even Song Seok-hyun would have difficulty getting an extra-base hit.

Clang!

-Ball. Outside.

A slightly missed pitch.

Catcher Shin Min-ho couldn’t hide his disappointed expression.

Should I have framed it better [made it appear more convincingly as a strike]?

Suarez also raised both hands high, expressing his frustration with the call.

Swoosh.

Song Seok-hyun dragged his foot and opened his stance a little more.

The more he opens his stance, the stronger he becomes against inside pitches, but he becomes more vulnerable to outside pitches.

Recently, as batting techniques have improved and hitters have become stronger, there have been many cases where they hit outside pitches to the opposite field for a hit, but it’s still difficult to turn them into extra-base hits.

“…….”

Shin Min-ho fell into thought as he observed Song Seok-hyun’s foot.

Is he trying to focus more on inside pitches since he can already hit outside pitches well enough?

Or is he intentionally trying to bait me into calling for outside pitches so he can use his long bat to drive the ball?

Considering Song Seok-hyun’s core strength, it wouldn’t be surprising if a ball that barely connects with the end of the bat still goes over the fence.

Did he just drag his foot absentmindedly?

Or is there a deliberate reason behind it?

Shin Min-ho’s mind became clouded even by Song Seok-hyun’s subtle movements.

He’s not a hitter who relies on tricks often, but he frequently displays a cleverness that goes beyond mere intelligence.

Not knowing the opponent’s true intentions, he ends up overanalyzing even the smallest actions.

‘Fastball. Outside.’

The hitter didn’t react to the previous fastball.

Throwing it again wouldn’t be a bad idea.

The pitch Suarez threw was a strike.

It was a ball that caught about half a ball more of the plate than before.

“Hmm.”

Song Seok-hyun simply made a sound without showing any visible disappointment.

As the outside fastball proved effective, Shin Min-ho immediately signaled for a changeup.

Show two fastballs and then a changeup.