On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 242

“Are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m just a little sore.”

“I’ll run extra hard for you. Don’t worry, just watch.”

“I’m not worried. I trust you, senior.”

Seo Il-hyeok patted Song Seok-hyeon on the shoulder.

“Thanks, everyone. Thank you all.”

“Huh?”

“Thanks to you, we made it to the Korean Series, and I even get to play. I’m really grateful.”

Seo Il-hyeok was substituted in for the injured Song Seok-hyeon.

Next up was Yoo Seon-ho.

Jeong Gwang-wook induced a double play with a splitter [a type of fastball with a sharp downward break] after a full count.

The next batter struck out.

Jeong Gwang-wook roared as he came down from the mound.

“…….”

Ham Seong-hoon crossed his arms and clenched his left fist tightly.

Song Seok-hyeon’s injury isn’t a big problem right now.

It’s not a major injury, and he’s already taken his at-bats.

Seo Il-hyeok is reliable on defense.

The problem is the momentum.

Since Song Seok-hyeon’s injury, the momentum has completely shifted to the Pegasus.

Baseball isn’t a real-time game.

It’s a game where you take turns.

The more you take turns, the longer the momentum lasts.

Bottom of the 8th, the Pegasus’s attack.

The pitcher is still Hong Dae-seong, the batter is number 9, Song Min-joon.

“Hong Dae-seong is showing a great performance today. He’s proving why the Goat picked him in the first round.”

“A left-hander with a speed of over 150km/h? That’s a must. He’s pitching well now, but there’s still so much room for growth.”

Hong Dae-seong made it 2-2 against Song Min-joon with four fastballs.

“Song Min-joon can’t keep up with Hong Dae-seong’s fastballs.”

“At times like this, hitters need to concentrate more and aim for one ball for sure. If the fastball is too fast, reducing the swing width is also a way.”

Hong Dae-seong’s fifth pitch was a slider.

He aimed for a backdoor slider [a slider that starts outside the plate and breaks back over it], but the ball completely missed to the outside, making it a 3-2 full count.

Hong Dae-seong chose a changeup as his final pitch.

Thwack.

The changeup, which fell weakly, went straight into the catcher’s mitt.

Instead of hitting the ball, Song Min-joon watched it and got a walk.

Runner on first with no outs.

Hong Dae-seong clicked his tongue as if he was disappointed.

“Choi Young-seok is up to bat with a runner on first and no outs.”

“It’s a shame he gave up a walk when he should have caught him. He should have caught the ninth batter since it leads to the Pegasus’s upper batting order. Hong Dae-seong showed some immature play.”

Seo Il-hyeok looked back and forth between the batter and the runner.

The runner on first is slow, and Choi Young-seok is a .300 hitter.

Sloppy breaking balls won’t work against Choi Young-seok.

It’s the perfect situation to aim for a double play.

Since Hong Dae-seong’s pitch is fast, he naturally brought the mitt to the body side.

Thwack!

-Strike!

It was close to the middle, but Choi Young-seok flinched and missed the ball.

The southpaw’s fastball comes flying in, digging into the right-handed batter’s body.

Although he missed the first pitch, Choi Young-seok had some results.

He realized Seo Il-hyeok’s intention.

If the plan is to induce a double play with a fastball to the body, he has no intention of being easily fooled.

The second pitch was an outside fastball, ball.

The third pitch was a changeup, ball.

Situation 2-1.

Choi Young-seok gripped his bat short.

The deciding pitch is a fastball to the body.

The moment Hong Dae-seong was about to pitch, Choi Young-seok took a bunt stance.

The third baseman immediately dashed forward.

Choi Young-seok took a batting stance again.

Fake bunt and slash.

Originally, he would continue to take a bunt stance and then hit, but Choi Young-seok only took a bunt stance briefly before returning to his original stance before hitting.

It’s not common because the batting stance is disrupted, but it was Choi Young-seok’s improvisation.

He thought he could shake Hong Dae-seong with a clumsy improvisation.

Hong Dae-seong’s pitch was a fastball to the body as expected.

The ball came close to the body, but the course was high.

Choi Young-seok hit it hard like a Baltimore chop [a type of hit where the batter chops down on the ball, causing it to bounce high in front of home plate].

The reason for doing a fake bunt and slash.

If he hits a ball to the body, there is a high possibility that it will flow between the shortstop and third baseman, so he created space in advance with a fake bunt and slash.

“A ball that skims past the third baseman! Hit! It’s a hit! The runner goes to third. Runs to third. The batter-runner stops at first. No outs, runners on first and third.”

“Choi Young-seok is really a talented player. This hit was a created hit. He shook the opponent’s defense and sent the ball to the course he wanted. He’s smart. I know why he’s called the Devil Second Baseman.”

Ham Seong-hoon sighed.

So, the momentum has shifted again…

Ham Seong-hoon didn’t have many options in the current situation.

If he had to pick the best one, it would be one thing.

Changing the pitcher.

“Hong Dae-seong is coming down from the mound. Go Jin-seok is being replaced.”

“Both Pegasus and Goat are bringing up every pitcher they can throw today.”

“We’ll be back after the commercial.”

Catcher’s Rise

Korean Series Game 7 (11)

Go Jin-seok came up and warmed up.

Thwack!

Thwack!

Thwack!

The sound of the mitt echoed loudly.

Thirty years old this year.

A closer [a relief pitcher who specializes in pitching the final inning of a game] who is facing his first free agency.

One of the few orthodox right-handed fastball forkballers [a pitcher who throws both fastballs and forkballs] in the league.

“Pitcher Go Jin-seok is coming up. It looks like Goat has used almost all the pitchers they can use.”

“Now there’s only one bullpen pitcher left, Kim Jeong-ryul. If it goes to extra innings, Goat has no backup.”

The batter enters the plate.

Ham Seong-hoon crossed his arms and moved his eyes quickly.

Bottom of the 8th, 1 point difference, no outs, runners on 1st and 3rd, and the batter is Shim Chang-gyu.

He is the perfect player for the role of a classic number 2 hitter, which is rare these days.

He is good at hitting and also good at tactics.

The current weakness of Goat is the unstable defense of the infielders on 1st and 3rd base.

This is like Pegasus openly setting the stage for a sacrifice bunt to take 1 point.

However, fortunately, the Go Jin-seok card that has been saved is the best in this situation.

The most difficult ball to bunt is a low-course fastball and curveball.

Go Jin-seok’s pattern was close to a one-pattern targeting the outside low course.

“Hmm.”

Ham Seong-hoon groaned.

There is nothing the manager can do.

All he can do now is trust.

Knowing that there was nothing he could do, Ham Seong-hoon bit his lip in frustration.

Tap tap.

Go Jin-seok shook the rosin bag in his hand.

Go Jin-seok also hadn’t worn a championship ring thanks to playing for the Bulls, who had been going through a long dark period.

When he was first traded to Goat, he resented why it had to be Goat rather than the sadness of leaving his hometown team.

Goat, a synonym for high-cost, low-efficiency, spending a lot of money but not performing well, neither a strong team nor a weak team.

With key players being traded en masse due to unsavory incidents, he was just trying to manage his body well this season to raise his FA [Free Agency] value.

His first thought was giving up, but as the season went on, hope arose.

The KS [Korean Series] force, which turned around games that were already lost as if turning the palm of his hand, was thrilling.

Perhaps, perhaps changed to maybe, and maybe changed to definitely in an instant.

The ranking fluctuated like a roller coaster, but finally reached Game 7 of the Korean Series.

It’s an opportunity he’s never dreamed of in his life.

If he misses this opportunity, he may retire without ever wearing a championship ring in his baseball career.

Then he can’t blame the world, fate, or his destiny.

“Hoo.”

Go Jin-seok took a breath.

The catcher Seo Il-hyeok’s sign is an outside fastball.

Anyway, Go Jin-seok’s pattern is more than 90% outside fastballs.

Occasionally, he throws a ball to the body or a high ball, but it doesn’t happen often.

Raise the count with an outside fastball and strike out with a forkball.

It’s an obvious one-pattern, but it’s a one-pattern that you can’t break even if you know it.

The Goat’s infielders moved forward.

The condition of the 1st and 3rd base infielders today is so-so.

You can’t trust the fielders.

You have to suppress the batter with your own strength, with the pitcher’s strength.

Thwack!

Strike!

The commentator was excited about the speed displayed on the electronic display.

“149km/h from the first pitch! It’s a tremendous speed. Go Jin-seok has raised the gear to the end from the first pitch. He’s a fast pitcher, but that’s almost his top speed.”

“0-1. Shim Chang-gyu couldn’t move.”

“If the ball goes so low and fast, it’s not easy to bunt. Generally, even if you bunt in that course, the success rate is good if you succeed once out of five times.”

Shim Chang-gyu glanced at the strategy coach.

The timing is right for a strategy to come out in the current situation.

He waited for the first pitch to watch the pitcher’s ball.

What will the bench choose?

Even if the opponent narrows the infield and the pitcher throws a fastball, will they force a bunt? Or will they go for a hit?

The strategy coach’s hands became busy.

Shim Chang-gyu quietly looked at the strategy coach’s hand and nodded.

The Goat’s infielders lowered their bodies.

Seo Il-hyeok also pondered the sign.

‘Fastball.’

The same course, the same fastball.

As Go Jin-seok threw the second pitch, the runners immediately ran.

The batter Shim Chang-gyu’s choice is a strong hit.

The bat hit the ball.

“Between the shortstop and third baseman! The shortstop catches it… Home! A battle at home! At home~~!”

The giant Song Min-joon ran towards home with an angry expression.

The catcher Seo Il-hyeok held out his mitt, blocking the home plate.

Thwack!

Bang!

At the same time as Seo Il-hyeok caught the ball, Song Min-joon pushed Seo Il-hyeok with his shoulder.

Seo Il-hyeok wasn’t small, but when the giant Song Min-joon collided with acceleration, he fell backward.

At the same time, Song Min-joon stretched his foot and stepped on home, looking at the referee.

“…….”

The referee swallowed hard.

“Ugh.”

Seo Il-hyeok groaned and raised his left hand slightly.

His left hand, the mitt, had the ball deeply embedded in it.

-Out!

“Out! Shortstop Jeong Young-soo’s judgment on the home battle was spot on! Out! It’s out! Seo Il-hyeok’s devoted play! He didn’t let go of the ball until the end!”

The coach jumped out of the Goat’s bench and checked on Seo Il-hyeok.

Seo Il-hyeok raised his head with the coach’s support.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m okay.”

“You fell properly. Are you really okay?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t look good… Let’s replace you, Il-hyeok. You fell too hard when you fell. It looks like you hit your head.”

“No. I’m okay.”

“Are you really okay?”

“Yes. I’m really okay.”

Seo Il-hyeok grabbed the coach’s arm.

“I’m really okay. So please don’t take me out. Okay?”

“…Okay, if you can stand up on your own now. If you can’t get up, I’ll replace you.”

“Just a moment.”

Seo Il-hyeok took a few breaths and exhaled, then slowly touched the ground and stood up.

He groaned several times, but finally straightened his body.

“Haa, haa. Is it okay now?”