On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 215

Jang Dae-hee hesitated, then leaned in slightly, drawn by Song Seok-hyun’s earnest expression.

Thwack!

“Ah!”

Stars exploded behind his eyes.

For a moment, Jang Dae-hee nearly blacked out.

Song Seok-hyun had headbutted him, squarely in the face.

The impact was so fierce that blood gushed from his nose.

“Ah, shi… You son of a bitch!”

Song Seok-hyun tossed Jang Dae-hee a wad of tissues.

“Here. Stop the bleeding.”

Jang Dae-hee was too dazed to retaliate.

He was busy pinching his nose and wiping away the blood.

“Listen up. Somehow, I found out everything you did to me.”

Jang Dae-hee’s hand twitched.

“It’s all water under the bridge anyway, so there’s no point in rehashing it. But it still feels unfair, so let’s settle it with one hit. It’s a cheap deal for you, too, isn’t it?”

“……”

“And one more thing.”

Song Seok-hyun took a sip of his coffee.

“Next time, give me a sincere apology. Don’t just brush it off. You think everything’s forgiven if you quit baseball?”

“…How did you find out?”

“I have my ways, you idiot.”

Jang Dae-hee’s pupils dilated.

“I haven’t told anyone about quitting… Only my dad knows…”

“Is that what you’re focused on? I’m telling you to apologize when you’ve done wrong, that’s what matters. You still haven’t grown up. Tsk tsk. It’s your life, live it how you want, but if you don’t take responsibility, you don’t get to complain. How long are you going to act like a child? Huh?”

Song Seok-hyun stood up.

“Don’t mess with other people’s lives. It always comes back to bite you.”

Song Seok-hyun left.

Jang Dae-hee held his nose until the bleeding stopped.

He stared blankly at the passersby for a long time, unable to move.

* * *

The day before the playoffs.

Gote held a brief final practice.

The coaches went into a meeting, and the players packed up early and left the stadium.

Song Seok-hyun was heading out when he bumped into Jang Dae-hee in the hallway.

“……”

Song Seok-hyun tried to ignore Jang Dae-hee and walk past, but Jang Dae-hee spoke first.

“Hey.”

“What?”

Jang Dae-hee hesitated, then sighed.

“I’m really sorry.”

Song Seok-hyun frowned.

“Exactly for what?”

“Back then, deliberately making errors in the weekend league. And lying to my dad. Ruining your baseball career, all of it.”

Only then did Song Seok-hyun’s expression soften.

“Okay. At least you know what you did.”

“I’m sorry. It wasn’t your fault.”

“That’s enough. It’s enough that you understand what you did and apologized. This is the end. Let’s cut ties here. No more involvement.”

“Yeah… Right… It’ll be hard to see you in the future. I told them I’m retiring.”

Song Seok-hyun clicked his tongue.

“Ha, you finally told them?”

“Yeah. I don’t regret my career, but I started wondering if all this hard work was just for this. Once I cleared my head, I genuinely felt sorry for you. It’s a bit late, but I’m really sorry.”

“Okay. Well, you’re quitting, so I have nothing to say. So what are you going to do now? Your family’s rich, so are you going to become a landlord? I’d be even more pissed off if that happened.”

Jang Dae-hee gave a wry smile.

“My dad would never allow that. He’s ruthless if you don’t listen. I’m going to get a job. I’m thinking of joining a sports management company as an intern.”

“Sports management? Can you even make a living doing that these days?”

“I can’t be a coach with my history, and I don’t really want to hang around baseball fields. I wanted to be an office worker anyway. Even if sports management doesn’t pay much now, if the free agency [FA, the ability for players to negotiate contracts with different teams] market in our country keeps growing, we’ll have management companies like in the US. If it’s a new field, there won’t be much competition, and if I do well, I’ll be at the top, so there won’t be anyone to compare myself to.”

Song Seok-hyun chuckled.

“You want to be the best?”

“I don’t see any chance of being the best as a player.”

“You’re good, though. You’re just an asshole.”

“Thanks for the compliment, but if you’re around, even if I play well, second place is the best I can hope for. I don’t like that. If I knew this would happen, I would have gone to the majors [Major League Baseball in the US]. It’s too late for that now. I don’t have many options left. I learned to steal, so baseball is the only thing I’m good at, so I won’t starve.”

The two fell silent.

Song Seok-hyun patted Jang Dae-hee on the shoulder.

“Okay. Work hard.”

“Yeah. You too. Try to win the championship this time.”

Song Seok-hyun walked past Jang Dae-hee and left the hallway.

Jang Dae-hee stood there with his hands in his pockets, staring at the floor until Song Seok-hyun’s footsteps faded away.

Meanwhile.

The coaches, including Ham Seong-hoon, were gathered in the manager’s office, racking their brains over tomorrow’s lineup.

The first to speak was pitching coach Yeon Woo-shik.

“Since the Scorpions are on a three-game winning streak, there’s an 80% chance they’ll start Kenneth Champion as their number one pitcher. I think they’ll probably use the same starting rotation as they did against the Wolves: Kenneth Champion, Dale Jaeger, Kang Gu-il. They’ve had enough rest, and their game sense is sharp after playing three games, so they’ll definitely try to finish us off quickly before we find our rhythm.”

Ham Seong-hoon nodded.

“That makes sense. We still haven’t fully recovered from that devastating come-from-behind loss. We’ve had a longer rest, but the Scorpions have had enough rest due to their winning streak. Their morale is high, and their game sense is good, so they’ll probably be stronger in the first and second games. I expect the Scorpions to use their top three starters. If Sang-woong and Jin-woong can pitch long innings and support Champion and Jaeger, it’ll be ideal for them. They can wrap up the playoffs quickly and prepare for the Korean Series [championship series of Korean baseball].”

Yeon Woo-shik said.

“Since they’re in a better position than us, I think we need to come out strong as well. I think it’s best to start Fish and McKinsey as our number one and two pitchers, and then Min-seok or Chang-hoon, whoever is in better condition, as our number three and four.”

Ham Seong-hoon looked at the other coaches.

“What do you guys think?”

The other coaches agreed with Yeon Woo-shik’s suggestion, with only minor disagreements about who should be the third or fourth starter.

Ham Seong-hoon listened to everyone’s opinions and then paused.

Silence hung in the air.

Ham Seong-hoon began to speak.

“Have you ever heard of Sun Bin’s chariot strategy?”

“……Huh?”

* * *

Playoff day.

Even though they had lost their chance at a direct ticket to the Korean Series and were forced into the playoffs, it was still a long-awaited event for Gote fans.

Leaving behind the memory of the painful come-from-behind loss, they donned their fall jackets and gathered at Jamsil Stadium.

It was October, and the autumn wind was starting to bite.

While the fans were finding their seats and pulling up their collars, the general manager was on the phone, his voice rising in anger.

“Are you serious? Have you lost your mind?”

-Yes. That’s right.

“Do you really think it’s wise to start Han Min-seok today? Manager Ham! Do you really think so?”

-Yes. We came to that conclusion after careful consideration and discussion.

“Listen, Ham Seong-hoon! Why do you keep sabotaging a perfectly good situation?”

-General Manager, the game is my responsibility. If you’re not happy with my decisions, it’s your prerogative to fire me.”

The general manager felt a throbbing in the back of his neck.

Just as he was about to unleash another tirade, Ham Seong-hoon spoke first.

-I’ll hang up now. I’d appreciate it if you could turn off your phone, as I need to focus on the game.”

“Hey, you!”

The general manager tried to call back, but the phone had been switched off.

He considered storming over to Ham Seong-hoon and grabbing him by the collar, but the lineup had already been submitted and couldn’t be changed.

“He’s doing so well that he thinks he can just barge in and do whatever he wants.”

The general manager slumped back on the sofa.

Ham Seong-hoon hung up the phone and thought back to yesterday’s meeting.

“Sun Bin’s chariot strategy?”

“What’s that?”

Ham Seong-hoon began to explain.

“You’ve probably heard of it before. It was a chariot race with three matches. Each time, the best, average, and worst horses were sent out, but the general that Sun Bin served always lost. So Sun Bin suggested a new approach: put the worst horse against their best, the best against their average, and the average against their worst. In other words, it’s a strategy of accepting a big loss when you lose, and securing a narrow win when you win.”

The coaches exchanged glances.

Yeon Woo-shik asked Ham Seong-hoon.

“So you have a different idea, Manager?”

“The opponent has strong momentum. Our morale is low, and our game sense is rusty. We can’t guarantee victory even if we put out our best pitcher right now. It’s a break-even if we win, and we lose even more if we lose. Our strengths are the power of our cleanup hitters and the consistent performance of our starters. This season, Fish, McKinsey, Chang-hoon, and Min-seok all have ERAs [Earned Run Average, a measure of pitching performance] in the 3.00s. Of course, Fish and McKinsey have the best detailed stats, but it’s still a very even record. Let’s capitalize on that.”

“Then what……?”

“The key is the third game. As we play in the playoffs, our game sense will improve, our concentration will increase, and we’ll shake off the effects of the come-from-behind loss. The third game is when we’ll be at our peak. That’s when we put Fish out there. The opponent will probably start Kang Gu-il, right? Fish is a better starter than Kang Gu-il. Their next starter will be Jaeger, who has rested for three days, and we’ll have McKinsey, who has had plenty of rest. And their fifth starter will be either Kang Gu-il, who has rested for three days, or Sang-woong or Jin-woong, so we can put out Chang-hoon or Min-seok, who have rested for more than four days.”

The coaches looked at each other, hesitant to speak.

“The point is this: since the opponent’s momentum is strong, it’s better to plan with all five games in mind. We have to win the third game no matter what, so we start Fish. In the fourth and fifth games, we’ll have a starting advantage over the opponent. Of course, that doesn’t mean we’re giving up on the first and second games. However, to the extent that our win rate decreases in the first and second games, we’ll increase our win rate in the third, fourth, and fifth games.”

The first to speak was battery coach [coach specializing in catchers and pitchers] Kim Tae-woo.

“But Manager, short-term games don’t always go as planned. You have to squeeze out every last bit of effort, treating each game as if it’s the last, to barely win. I think your strategy is logically sound, but if we lose the first and second games, there’s a higher chance we’ll collapse.”

Pitching coach Yeon Woo-shik added.

“The longer Fish and McKinsey rest, the greater the chance that their game sense will become dull.”

At this point, defense coach Ahn Young-jae, who had been silent, spoke up.

“But if you look at the bigger picture, I think it’s a good idea. Think about it. If you put Fish and McKinsey in the third and fourth spots, they can then start in the first and second games of the Korean Series. You know how important the first and second games of the Korean Series are, right? The team that advances through the playoffs gets tired faster as the series goes on. That’s why it’s important to win at least one of the first two games. If things go as you say, Manager, I think this is the most reasonable starting lineup.”

The other coaches didn’t add anything to Ahn Young-jae’s comments, as he was the most senior coach.

Ahn Young-jae looked at Ham Seong-hoon.

“It’s logically sound, and if you’re keeping the Korean Series in mind, I think it’s a strategy with a good chance of success. Let’s go with it. Chang-hoon and Min-seok will also take responsibility and work hard if they start in the first and second games.”

Ham Seong-hoon smiled at Ahn Young-jae, grateful for his support.

“Thank you. If we win at least one of the first two games, I think the Korean Series is 80% ours. If luck is on our side, it’ll be easier, and even if it’s not, it’s a lineup worth trying, so please trust me and follow my lead.”

Success as a catcher

Playoff Game 1

People couldn’t believe their eyes when the lineup was announced before the game.

Gote’s starting pitcher was Han Min-seok.

Even though Han Min-seok’s performance had been improving recently, it was undeniable that Fish was Gote’s ace.

When Han Min-seok was announced as the starter instead of Fish, baseball fans and experts alike were constantly speculating about what was going on.

Jamsil Stadium.

As the start of the game approached, the announcer and commentator grabbed their microphones.

“Hello, viewers. Tonight is a beautiful night here in Jamsil. The first game of the playoff series between Gote and the Scorpions is about to begin.”

“The Wolves didn’t put up much of a fight in the semi-playoffs, did they? The Scorpions were able to conserve a lot of energy by winning three games straight. As a result, they’re starting Kenneth Champion today. On the other hand, Gote is starting Han Min-seok.”

“The reason for that is still unclear.”

“That’s right. Manager Ham Seong-hoon said he took the team’s situation into consideration, but it was a vague explanation that didn’t fully satisfy our curiosity.”

“If there’s a specific reason, it’s probably an injury or condition issue.”

“If it was an injury, it would have been hard to hide, and in my opinion, Fish doesn’t seem to be in top condition. After all, he played a lot of games and pitched a lot of innings during the regular season, right? His stamina might be flagging.”

“And an interesting article came out yesterday, didn’t it? Kim In-hwan announced his marriage following his dating rumors.”

“That’s something to celebrate! The team advanced to the playoffs, and he’s getting married. It’s a double celebration.”

“It would be the icing on the cake if they advanced to the Korean Series and won the championship, wouldn’t it?”

“If that happens, nothing could be better. Anyway, marriage is always something to celebrate, right? The sooner a baseball player gets married, the better. Kim In-hwan will be more responsible and play even better.”

“This is the second Gote player to get married this year, right? Kim In-hwan and Kim Jeong-ryul. There’s a lot to celebrate for Gote this year.”

* * *

Just because it’s the playoffs doesn’t mean that twenty people play baseball or that they play 20 innings.

It’s the same game they play every day in the fall, but the expressions on the faces of the players lined up on the field were quite solemn.

A team aiming for its first championship in 23 years and a team wanting to reassert its dominance.

As Han Min-seok took the mound, the game began.

-Play ball!

With the cheers of the crowd ringing in his ears, Han Min-seok threw the first pitch.

The opposing batter was the Scorpions’ reliable leadoff hitter, Hwang Gi-deok.

From the very first pitch, Han Min-seok unleashed a 150 km/h [~93 mph] fastball right down the middle.

Clack!

-Foul.

“Han Min-seok is coming out firing right from the start. He’s hitting 150 km/h.”

“Hwang Gi-deok made good contact, but he was pushed back by the power. Is this why Manager Ham Seong-hoon chose Han Min-seok as the starter? It seems like he’s trying to suppress the Scorpions’ momentum with Han Min-seok’s speed.”

Song Seok-hyun positioned his mitt closer to the batter’s body.

It would be ideal if the pitch came inside, but even if it doesn’t, it could intimidate the batter.

Unless the batter is actually hit, there’s no need to issue a warning in advance.

Thwack!

“Ugh!”

Hwang Gi-deok clutched his side and crumpled to the ground.

Song Seok-hyun pursed his lips.

The ball had sailed four or five pitches inside.

It had struck the batter’s side with pinpoint accuracy.

In the first game of the playoffs, no team would intentionally give up a free base to the opposing leadoff hitter, so the Scorpions players didn’t react as aggressively as they might have during the regular season.

If Hwang Gi-deok, the fastest runner in the league, reached first base, he would immediately be a threat to steal second.

Since Han Min-seok doesn’t have a particularly quick pickoff move, the Scorpions could potentially score a run in the first inning.

“Hwang Gi-deok must be in a lot of pain. He groaned for a long time before heading to first base.”

“Han Min-seok is known for having a heavy fastball, isn’t he? It must really hurt to be hit by that ball on bare skin. He would have groaned even if he had been hit on his protective gear, but it happened to hit his unprotected side, so he absorbed the full impact.”

“It’s bad news for Hwang Gi-deok, but it’s a golden opportunity for the Scorpions. They have a runner on first base with no outs in the first inning. And that runner is Hwang Gi-deok.”

As soon as Hwang Gi-deok reached first base, a signal came from the Scorpions’ dugout.

Run!

The signal was to steal second, no matter what.

The second batter was Kang Gyun-seung, who had the most hits in the regular season.

It was a chance to put runners on first and third with no outs, unless Gote called a pitchout [pitch thrown away from the batter to allow the catcher to throw out a runner stealing a base].

“Hoo.”

Han Min-seok puffed out his cheeks and swallowed.

Too much is as bad as too little.

He was in peak condition today.