On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 225

This year, there was a desperate belief that they would win, no matter what.

Both teams arguably had the strongest roster in their respective histories this year.

The Goats had assembled what many considered the best collection of cleanup hitters of all time, while the Pegasus boasted a lineup of power hitters regarded as the best center line of any team ever.

The Pegasus also had the best left-handed and right-handed ace pitchers in the country, Cho Jin-hee and Kim Seong-hoon, completing a lineup that wouldn’t be easily intimidated by any team.

“What’s up with Choi Young-il, seriously?”

“But what’s the big deal about an opener [a relief pitcher who starts the game]?”

“They should have just put up Cho Jin-hee.”

The Pegasus fans grumbled at the sight of the starting pitcher.

The player warming up on the mound wasn’t Cho Jin-hee or Kim Seong-hoon.

It wasn’t Hoffman or Sheber either.

It was Choi Young-il.

A journeyman [a player who has played for many teams] who hadn’t firmly established himself in either the starting lineup or the bullpen for the Pegasus.

He had the advantage of being a left-handed pitcher with a fastball, but it was a talent that had never truly blossomed in his 14 years as a professional.

Even now, he was a player who typically filled the rotation for the Pegasus’s minor league team or filled in for the major league team when needed.

The pitcher who, at best, came in to clean up during losing games was now starting Game 1 of the Korean Series.

“What is he thinking?”

Ham Seong-hoon was also taken aback by Choi Seong-yeon’s lineup.

How many people would have predicted that Choi Young-il would be the first starter in the Korean Series?

Manager Choi Seong-yeon only stated that the starting pitcher and lineup had changed slightly because the players’ sense of the game had deteriorated.

The outfield also featured players who weren’t typically on the first-string team, but rather considered “one-and-a-half string.”

“Rumor has it that there was a bout of the flu going around,” said Kim Tae-woo, the battery coach [coach specializing in pitchers and catchers] with wide connections.

“The flu? Is that confirmed?”

“Even if it’s true, how can we confirm it? But if that’s not the case, would they really put up this kind of lineup for Game 1 of the Korean Series?”

Ham Seong-hoon didn’t answer easily.

How could anyone not know the importance of the first game of the Korean Series?

The reason Ham Seong-hoon adjusted the starting lineup in the playoffs was also to prepare for the Korean Series starting lineup.

The Goat’s starter today was their ace, Fish.

“Maybe it’s an opener strategy?”

Ham Seong-hoon nodded at pitching coach Yeon Woo-sik’s words.

“Well, if that’s not the case, it doesn’t make sense. There are many other pitchers.”

“Wouldn’t they be thinking of putting up the weakest pitcher and taking him down right away?”

“Yes… that’s also a strong possibility.”

Even with Yeon Woo-sik and Kim Tae-woo’s words, an uneasy feeling lingered in Ham Seong-hoon’s heart.

Still, Choi Young-il?

Was Manager Choi Seong-yeon this unconventional? His head throbbed.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Outside the bench, the sound of bats swinging was fierce.

Hitting coach Kang Yeon-tae clicked his tongue with his hands behind his back.

“Marriage is amazing. Are they very excited?”

There were players spinning their bats like fans outside the bench.

It was Kim In-hwan and Song Seok-hyun, who had decided to hold their weddings this year.

Ham Seong-hoon regained his smile when he saw the two.

Even if there are variables, if those two are in normal condition, there’s nothing to worry about.

“After all, the best buff [a bonus or advantage] is the baby formula buff.”

The coaches chuckled at Manager Ham Seong-hoon’s joke.

* * *

Thwack!

Thwack!

Jung Yong-wook, who received Choi Young-il’s ball, nodded.

The weight of the pitch is definitely heavy.

The fact that he hasn’t been given much importance due to poor performance and hasn’t played many games due to moving from team to team has become an advantage as he gets older.

The fact that he can still throw such a strong ball after 14 years as a pitcher is a great advantage.

It must be thanks to getting out of hard labor.

The problem is…….

“Oops.”

Jung Yong-wook jumped to catch the ball flying over his head.

Choi Young-il signaled to Jung Yong-wook that he was sorry.

“Whew.”

Jung Yong-wook sat back down.

As expected, control is the problem.

Sometimes it seems to be going well, but sometimes such absurd balls fly in.

It’s a ball that confuses not only the opponent but also the allies.

It’s an opener strategy, but why Choi Young-il of all people?

The question still hadn’t gone away, but what could he do? The game had already started.

Meanwhile, at the Goat’s bench.

Hitting coach Kang Yeon-tae called the hitters together.

“Cho Jin-hee didn’t come out, so our strategy fell through, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad, right?”

“Yes.”

“Choi Young-il, you guys know him well. His weight is amazing. His cutter and splitter are also sharp. But his control is bad, so he only competes on the outside no matter what. So you guys also stick to the plate and narrow the zone and wait. Even if it’s a full count, don’t go out and only hit the balls that come in for sure. Our strategy for Choi Young-il is to make him fall out on his own. Don’t hit too well. It’s our loss if Choi Young-il goes down too early.”

“Hahahahaha.”

The players burst into laughter.

“Let’s score a lot of points before Cho Jin-hee comes out. Got it?”

“Yes!”

The game was about to begin.

The national anthem ended and the ceremonial first pitch followed.

The ceremonial first pitch was thrown by Kim Bo-yoon of BESO, who has recently been gaining popularity as a vocalist.

“Wow…….”

“She’s really pretty…….”

Even though the Korean Series was just around the corner, the players were mesmerized by the appearance of one of the most beautiful women in the music industry.

-Play ball!

The game began.

The Goats had no changes to their lineup, and center fielder Lee Ji-seong came out as the lead hitter.

The pitcher was Choi Young-il.

The cheering was still loud.

Lee Ji-seong stuck close to the plate and held his bat short.

“Hoo-oo-oo.”

The pitcher took a deep breath.

The first pitch was a cutter that fell outside.

It was a ball, but Lee Ji-seong stepped back from the plate and shook his head.

“The ball is really good.”

“The sound of it hitting the mitt is different?”

Kim In-hwan and Song Seok-hyun each commented while watching Choi Young-il’s ball.

Choi Young-il’s next ball also fell outside.

The Goat hitters sighed in relief when two consecutive balls came out.

“See? Just be patient and deal with it. Patiently.”

As the hitting coach said, Lee Ji-seong was patient.

The third ball was a strike that filled the outside.

It was a shame, but Lee Ji-seong just nodded once.

The next ball also fell outside.

3-1.

Choi Young-il carefully picked and picked the fifth ball again.

The ball thrown with caution, even receiving a warning from the referee, was…….

“Oh!”

-Ball!

It was a perfect ball that went all the way to the plate, surprising the hitter.

“Walk. It’s a walk. Choi Young-il gives up a walk to the first hitter.”

“It was dangerous just now, right? It seems like he tried to throw a ball to the body after only throwing to the outside, but it was too deep.”

“It would have been a big deal if he had been hit by that ball. The ball was quite fast.”

“If you get hit by Choi Young-il’s ball, oh, it’s a big deal. Isn’t he a player known for his heavy ball?”

After that, Choi Young-il gave up a hit to Seol Jin-il.

No outs, runners on first and second.

When Kim In-hwan entered the plate, the Goat fans stood up and sang the cheer loudly.

“Goat’s Hulk Kim In-hwan! Kim In-hwan! Kim In-hwan!”

Was it because they were facing a crisis of giving up a run in the first inning?

Choi Young-il’s expression was dark.

The pitcher closed his eyes once and took a breath, gripping the ball tightly.

Success as a catcher

Whose victory is it?

Kim In-hwan took a breath.

He promised his wife today.

To give her a nice home run as a gift.

The opposing pitcher is a pitcher who only focuses on the outside because his control is bad.

Since the ball thrown to the body has fallen out a lot, there is little chance that he will throw to the body again.

If you put a zone on the outside and wait for the timing, it will look like a home run course.

Kim In-hwan stuck to the plate and waited for a ball that would hit his bat.

Tuk tuk.

Pitcher Choi Young-il shook the rosin bag in his hand.

The camera zoomed in on the pitcher’s stiff expression.

“Pitcher’s first pitch. It’s a ball. It’s a very fast ball.”

“The ball is good, but the ball is too erratic. It seems difficult to be responsible for long innings.”

“The second pitch is also a ball.”

“The hitter has abandoned the body and is sticking close to the plate. If the pitcher doesn’t throw the ball to the body, there’s nowhere to throw it. If you try to throw the ball to the outside, it’s just food for the hitter.”

“But hasn’t the ball to the body missed every time today?”

“It seems like his control is worse today than usual. I don’t know if it’s because it’s a big game like the Korean Series, but it’s a shame.”

Choi Young-il raised his glove to his face.

Kim In-hwan crouched down and waited for the ball that would be the sacrifice for the home run.

The third pitch.

The ball flew towards the body.

The ball is coming close to the plate.

Just as Kim In-hwan was about to dodge, the ball curved faster and lower towards the hitter’s body.

Thwack!

“Argh!”

Kim In-hwan collapsed.

Kim In-hwan grabbed his leg and swallowed his groans.

“Go, go!”

Ham Seong-hoon sent out a coach.

When the coach approached, Kim In-hwan pointed to his calf.

“Oh, did he get hit in the calf?”

“It looks like he got hit in the calf. It seems like a splitter went in just now.”

“A splitter?”

“Yes, Choi Young-il’s splitter doesn’t just fall down. It curves to the left or right. The movement of the ball changes depending on the position of the finger. Right now, it seems like he threw a breaking ball that curves towards the body to induce a double play… but since his control of the body is bad, he ended up hitting his calf.”

“If it’s the calf, it won’t be a big injury, right?”

“Well, I don’t know about the thigh, but I don’t know about the calf. The calf is an area with a small amount of muscle, so once it goes wrong, it keeps cramping up. Who was it from the Wolves last time? Was it Kang Je-gwan? That player also got hit in the calf and couldn’t play properly in the game. The calf lasts a long time. Recovery is slow.”

“We have to hope it’s not a big injury.”

Kim In-hwan stood up from his seat, but his legs gave way and he collapsed.

The coach was surprised and asked.

“Why? Does it hurt a lot?”

“I can’t put any strength in my calf.”

“Even if I put on a patch?”

“Yes.”

“Ha, just a moment.”

When the coach pressed his calf, Kim In-hwan groaned.

“I can’t do it. I can’t stand it.”

“Oh, dear.”

The coach drew an X on the bench.

Manager Ham Seong-hoon leaned against the wall without realizing it and cursed.

“Who can go out now?”

“Ji-ho is here.”

“Jo Ji-ho?”

“Yes.”

“Ha, let’s go with Ji-ho for now.”

When Kim In-hwan was replaced, the Goat fans were in an uproar.

Netizens who were watching the broadcast even fought with each other in the comments, but the Goat fans couldn’t raise their voices.

Kang Je-gwan of the Wolves, who was playing against the Goats, had the same injury and was out for a long time.

It was the end of the season, so he didn’t participate in the post-season, which became the cause of the Wolves’ elimination.

The opposing pitcher was Choi Young-il, who was also famous for his bad control, and it was a situation where there were runners on first and second with no outs, so the Pegasus or Choi Young-il couldn’t be blamed.

“No outs, runners on first and second. Song Seok-hyun is at the plate.”

“Originally, it’s a situation where the pitcher should be changed, but there are no out counts. Are you going into a match with Song Seok-hyun?”

“It seems like Manager Choi Seong-yeon’s plan isn’t working easily.”

Song Seok-hyun took a step back from the plate and took a stance.

Since his bat is a little longer than others, he was far enough to hit the outside ball.

Choi Young-il glanced at the bench. Choi Young-il glanced at the bench.