On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 211

I first noticed the wall in middle school.

From middle school onward, rumors of his exceptional skills spread so widely that even major league scouts came to observe him.

Jang Dae-hee was considered among the top three nationally, but Song Seok-hyun was in a league of his own, far surpassing even those top players.

Song Seok-hyun’s background was starkly different from Jang Dae-hee’s.

He lost his father and started playing baseball later in life. His family was so impoverished that affording baseball team dues was a struggle.

While Jang Dae-hee had a professional baseball coach as a personal mentor, Song Seok-hyun could only study books and videos, practicing alone.

There was a vast disparity between Jang Dae-hee, who enjoyed nutritious meals year-round and had meat every day, and Song Seok-hyun, who only had grilled pork belly once a week.

Jang Dae-hee’s misfortune began there.

Jang Dae-hee’s father, Jang Hyuk-jin, learned about Song Seok-hyun, who faced similar hardships as he once did.

Born into a poor family, Song Seok-hyun distinguished himself through sheer natural talent.

From that moment on, Jang Hyuk-jin began to constantly compare Jang Dae-hee to Song Seok-hyun.

As a parent, he provided all the support he could, but he grew increasingly frustrated by the insurmountable gap between his son and Song Seok-hyun, who was not just a rival but an unattainable ideal.

He resented his own past, where he had only talent to rely on, so he poured everything into his son. Yet, his son was overshadowed by a boy who thrived on natural ability alone.

For Jang Hyuk-jin, who had only known success, his son Jang Dae-hee became a symbol of failure.

From middle school, Jang Dae-hee was subjected to daily comparisons with Song Seok-hyun by his father.

When they attended the same high school, the comparisons intensified.

Jang Hyuk-jin both hated and admired Song Seok-hyun, who reminded him of his younger self, and he also felt a strange sense of pity for him.

Jang Dae-hee’s life became increasingly miserable.

The sun finally shone on Jang Dae-hee after Song Seok-hyun’s injury.

When Song Seok-hyun disappeared from the scene due to his injury, Jang Dae-hee became the ace pitcher of the newly formed Woojin High School and a national sensation.

He believed it was all over then.

He thought he had finally won.

His father stopped mentioning Song Seok-hyun and reverted to being a doting father, providing everything materially and emotionally, just as he had before.

Jang Hyuk-jin no longer displayed any affection or resentment towards Song Seok-hyun, who had lost his pitching prowess.

Although Song Seok-hyun showed some promise as a catcher, Jang Hyuk-jin turned completely hostile after he missed Jang Dae-hee’s pitch during a crucial game.

Jang Dae-hee falsely told Jang Hyuk-jin that Song Seok-hyun was jealous and deliberately dropped the ball out of spite.

He feared that if Song Seok-hyun made a comeback as a catcher, his father would resume comparing them.

Jang Hyuk-jin was a prominent figure in amateur baseball with influence even in professional circles.

As soon as the media began to praise Jang Dae-hee as a star player, Jang Hyuk-jin spread rumors that Song Seok-hyun was a troublemaker.

Jang Hyuk-jin’s words carried weight.

There was no need for elaborate explanations.

A player whose pitching career was over and who couldn’t even showcase his talent as a catcher.

With Jang Hyuk-jin’s added influence, Song Seok-hyun was effectively forced out of the baseball world for good.

However,

Song Seok-hyun made a comeback.

And he did so with the Wolves’ rival team, the Goat.

Since then, Jang Dae-hee had been haunted by the same nightmare.

Seeing Song Seok-hyun continually rise despite being suppressed, Jang Hyuk-jin became increasingly critical of Jang Dae-hee, whom he saw as a pampered and sheltered player.

Jang Hyuk-jin, who had connections with the Wolves, pushed Jang Dae-hee as much as he could, leveraging his influence.

It was unusual to complete a brief adaptation period in the minor league and immediately debut in the major league.

Regardless of Jang Dae-hee’s performance, it was unprecedented in the Wolves, a team known for its deep roster.

Jang Hyuk-jin was prepared to face the 욕 [criticism] and disapproval from those around him as he pulled strings to advance his son’s career, but compared to Song Seok-hyun, Jang Dae-hee seemed like a firefly next to the moon.

Jang Dae-hee tried to surpass Song Seok-hyun out of anger, but only became more self-conscious.

His father’s coldness, the ever-widening gap between himself and Song Seok-hyun, and the 뒷담화 [gossip] from teammates about him using his father’s connections all took their toll.

Exhausted, Jang Dae-hee confessed to his father, who had come to the Wolves’ clubhouse, that he no longer enjoyed baseball.

“I’m going to quit after this year.”

“…Huh. What a crazy bastard!”

Jang Hyuk-jin slapped Jang Dae-hee across the face.

Jang Dae-hee staggered.

Jang Dae-hee lowered his head and sobbed.

“I don’t like it anymore… I don’t like baseball.”

Jang Dae-hee calmly recounted to him the history of 애증 [love and hate] he had felt since middle school.

Only then did Song Seok-hyun realize why he had been so thoroughly ignored in the draft.

He felt anger that it had started with Jang Dae-hee’s lie, but he was also taken aback by the fact that Jang Dae-hee had been beaten by his father every day since middle school.

“I won’t ask my father for money. I’ll even work part-time. So please let me quit baseball, okay? I’m going to die from being compared to Seok-hyun every day!”

Jang Hyuk-jin frowned at Jang Dae-hee’s crying.

“What a pathetic bastard. A man without ambition just whines… Tsk tsk. If I had received even a tenth of what you received when I was your age, I would have been flying high. You’ve only grown up nicely since you were a child, so you’ve only become more whiny, haven’t you? Do whatever you want. I don’t want to waste my time holding on to a guy like you as my son. Do whatever you want, do whatever you want!”

Jang Hyuk-jin stormed off.

Jang Dae-hee stood there and cried until his face was soaked with tears.

Song Seok-hyun left the scene much later.

When the commotion at the baseball field subsided, Song Seok-hyun stepped into the batter’s box.

Jang Dae-hee didn’t flinch at the pouring criticism.

Song Seok-hyun closed his eyes briefly and then opened them.

He felt foolish for hesitating.

According to Jang Dae-hee, today’s game was his last.

Perhaps this was the last chance for him and Jang Dae-hee to face each other.

Jang Dae-hee threw the ball at his body, signaling him not to just stand there but to compete.

He must have meant that he wanted to have a match without regrets since it was the last time.

Song Seok-hyun only took in half a breath.

Exactly half the tension.

Not completely relaxed, not completely tense.

Song Seok-hyun subtly shifted his weight.

Jang Dae-hee powerfully raised his leg once again.

The ball that left Jang Dae-hee’s hand flew like a bullet toward Song Seok-hyun’s body.

Success as a Catcher

No. 18

Clang!

Catcher Shin Min-ho heard the sound of the bat shattering.

Song Seok-hyun didn’t evade the ball hurtling toward him but instead swung with all his might.

Even though he used a thicker and longer bat than others, the bat was still thin near the handle.

The bat, struck by Jang Dae-hee’s fastball, splintered diagonally.

“Fly ball!”

The ball soared into the sky.

Jang Dae-hee turned his head, following the ball as it flew toward the left fielder.

Whoosh.

The wind swept past Jang Dae-hee’s face.

The wind added force to the ball behind the spin.

The left fielder took a few steps back and then stopped.

Clang~.

The ball struck the foul pole and was sucked into the stands.

“Home run! It’s a home run by Song Seok-hyun! Song Seok-hyun’s home run explodes here! Song Seok-hyun’s two-run home run! All of Goat’s points come from Song Seok-hyun’s bat!”

“As you can see, the bat is broken, right? But he still hit it over the fence. There are cases where a home run is hit while the bat is broken, but it’s very rare. Especially in Jamsil Stadium… Well, only Kim In-hwan could hit a home run like that.”

“He technically scoops up the ball that almost hit his body while letting go of one hand. Song Seok-hyun is venting his frustration for not reaching 40 home runs this season.”

“At this pace, he could aim for 50 home runs next year, not just 40.”

“Thanks to Song Seok-hyun’s two-run home run, Goat is leading 3-0. They are overwhelming the Wolves. It’s literally overwhelming.”

Jang Dae-hee lowered his head and stared at the mound, his hat pulled down low.

Talent.

Effort cannot overcome talent.

The talent that effort can overcome is only that which is rusty, marked by laziness and misfortune.

If only he had been born just one year later.

No, if only he had been born one year earlier.

Jang Dae-hee scuffed the mound with his foot.

“Okay. I don’t have any regrets now.”

Wolves coach Jang Tae-seop closed his eyes.

He was a baseball player before he was a coach.

The current home run was a 쐐기포 [game-winning hit].

The evenly balanced scales that had been leaning toward Goat had now tipped decisively.

Currently, Goat had young and fast pitchers like Lee Baek-chan and Hong Dae-seong, as well as Go Jin-seok, who was the closer for the Bulls, and Kim Jeong-ryul, an underhand pitcher who maintained an ERA of 1 point this season.

Three points.

Could they really overcome a 3-point deficit?

Coach Jang Tae-seop wasn’t the only one in despair.

Even the sound of conversation ceased on the Wolves’ bench.

The Wolves players on the field swayed lifelessly, like wildflowers withered in the summer heat.

“Coach, should we change the pitcher?”

“…Okay. You never know. We have to save the closer.”

Jang Dae-hee glanced at the bench.

He wondered if he was being substituted, but there was no movement.

He had confirmed the difference in talent with his own eyes and felt it in his body.

Now, he just wanted to leave the mound without any regrets, but Yoo Seon-ho had stepped into the batter’s box.

“Ah, annoying.”

He was now sick and tired of baseball.

No, he had been sick and tired of it for a long time.

Jang Dae-hee threw the ball without even waiting for the catcher’s signal.

Thud!

The ball, caught on the end of the bat, trickled to the third baseman with a dull sound.

Yoo Seon-ho ran to first base but was thrown out.

Yoo Seon-ho’s bat was broken.

“That guy’s ball is good?”

Yoo Seon-ho, who returned to the bench, stuck out his tongue at the broken bat.

“The ball is fast and heavy, so he throws pretty well.”

Jang Dae-hee handled all the following batters with ground balls, preventing any additional runs.

Four balls.

After being hit with a home run by Song Seok-hyun, it only took four balls to end the inning.

“It’s okay, it’s okay.”

“Good job.”

The Wolves players comforted Jang Dae-hee, who returned after giving up a home run.

Jang Dae-hee only nodded once and sat down with a nonchalant expression.

“He’s got a strong back, doesn’t he.”

“What an arrogant bastard.”

“Even if you do well, he’s like that. Tsk tsk.”

The 뒷담화 [gossip] that was almost audible tickled Jang Dae-hee’s ears.

Jang Dae-hee consciously or unconsciously 흘려 들었다 [ignored] the 뒷담화 [gossip].

These were people he would no longer see from today onward.

Wolves coach Jang Tae-seop glanced at Jang Dae-hee and licked his lips.

“Is he brave, or does he have no sense of the situation?”

8th inning.

Only 2 innings left.

If they could hold on for 2 innings, Goat could aim for the sole lead.

Pegasus was currently 2 points behind Scorpion.

They had already crossed the 8th ridge toward 1st place in the regular season.

“Jung Hong-min is back on the mound.”

“Go Jin-seok and Kim Jeong-ryul are warming up in the bullpen. It seems like a declaration to finish it for sure.”

“That means they’ll change the bullpen right away if necessary, right?”

Jung Hong-min’s opponent was the 6th batter, Kang Ki-soo.

He was a player with a good arm and a good eye for the ball, but he was stronger defensively than offensively.

The maximum number of home runs he had hit in a season was twelve.

He was a hitter who played in Jamsil Stadium [known for being difficult to hit home runs in], but twelve home runs for a right fielder was not a good record.

“Hoo.”

Jung Hong-min lifted his leg and 찍어 눌렀다 [pressed down] on the ball from top to bottom.

A unique high-angle throw.

Kang Ki-soo only watched two balls go by.

“0-2. He gets two strikes without throwing a ball.”

“Look at Jung Hong-min’s pitching form. His ball is good, but his pitching form is quite 까다롭습니다 [tricky/difficult]. Especially the 종 slider [vertical slider] that comes out of that angle has a better angle. He is a pitcher who is very 까다로운 [difficult] to attack before one batting order rotates.”

“He is said to be weak against right-handed hitters, but his ERA has dropped to the 3-point range against right-handed hitters. It’s in the 1-point range against left-handed hitters.”

“It’s best to approach a pitcher like that with the thought of just hitting the ball without being greedy.”

Bang!

Bang!

2-2.

Jung Hong-min received the ball thrown by the catcher with a dissatisfied expression.

He had thrown two well-placed sliders that were taken as balls.

Jung Hong-min’s slider was a sharp 종 slider [vertical slider].

Since it was difficult to distinguish between a fastball and a slider, the bat usually came out in a two-strike situation, but the batter had taken two in a row.

There was no way to know whether he 보고 골라낸 건지 [picked them out intentionally] or just 참아 낸 건지 [held back], but it was 찝찝하다 [unsettling].

If the slider didn’t work, there was only one ball he could throw: a fastball.

Jung Hong-min 찍어 눌렀다 [pressed down] on the ball with all his might.

Tang!

With a light hitting sound, the ball 갈랐다 [split] the left-center field.

A hit that 받아치는 [countered] the ball that was going to the top of the strike zone 결대로 [along the grain].

Kang Ki-soo went to second base with ease.

“Kang Ki-soo gets a hit here.”

“For now, the Wolves have a good chance in the bottom of the 8th inning. This should be seen as their last chance. Goat has closer Go Jin-seok and Kim Jeong-ryul left. They have to catch up by at least one more point here.”

“Ah, but the pitching coach is coming up. The pitching coach is already coming up. Are they changing pitchers here?”

“They’re changing. They’re changing. They’re changing the pitcher with one hit. They’re changing the pitcher here in the bottom of the 8th inning without recording a single out.”