On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 253

This meant that the burden on each individual player increased.

Shortstop Jung Young-soo and second baseman Jung Dong-gyu, who were openly perceived as weak links in the lineup, completely overhauled their swings.

Jung Young-soo acknowledged his lack of contact and focused on improving his contact ability with a downward swing.

While the league trend was towards an upper swing that could send the ball far, he focused on increasing his on-base percentage, even if only by a little, for the sake of the team.

In contrast, second baseman Jung Dong-gyu spent all day trying to master the difficult in-and-out swing.

Jung Dong-gyu also changed his bat to a much heavier one, 940g, focusing on improving his long hit power.

Jung Dong-gyu’s swing, with his unusually long arms, looked slow, but if he made solid contact, he could send the ball over the fence.

This was thanks to the increased rotational force as he whipped the long bat with his long arms.

Hong Dae-sung, who was chosen as the new fifth starter, focused on increasing the drop of his slider and changeup.

Lee Chang-hoon completely revamped his pitching form after watching Kim Young-hoon’s pitching.

Instead of the extremely overhand style he used in the latter half of the league season, he lowered his arm angle as before.

He even argued with the pitching coach about giving up his curveball altogether, but Lee Chang-hoon’s stubbornness could not be꺾을 [overcome].

“I think it’s right to focus only on the changeup.”

No matter how much he practiced his curveball, he couldn’t dare to throw it like Kim Young-hoon.

Lee Chang-hoon abandoned his curveball and instead honed his two-seam fastball and circle changeup.

The spring camp was long, but it felt short to the players who were eager.

The Pegasus, Wolves, and Scorpions were still strong teams, and teams like the Bulls, Astro Boys, and Phoenix, which had been languishing in the lower ranks, were also transformed.

There wasn’t a single easy team, but the expectations of fans and the media were for a championship.

The worries were not unfounded.

* * *

Bang!

“Good, good! Run!”

“Well done! Great!”

Four days before the end of spring camp, a practice game between the Goths and the Busan Astro Boys.

The scoreboard read 11-3.

Although it was only a practice game, the atmosphere in the Busan team was heating up, and the Goths’ bench was quiet.

“Hmm.”

Ham Sung-hoon sighed with his arms crossed.

2 wins and 9 losses.

It’s just a practice game, but there are too many losses.

It’s not just that there are many losses, but that they are listless.

Even if ace Fish is affected by tendinitis, ground baller McKinnzie only allowed fly balls.

Lee Chang-hoon declared that he would lower his arm and induce ground balls with a two-seam fastball and changeup, but every hit was a long hit.

Han Min-seok was understood because his body was warming up late, but Hong Dae-sung, who was chosen as the fifth starter, had terrible results.

Both the slider and changeup, which he had chosen as his finishing pitches, were terrible.

The pitching coach, who had initially been relaxed, saying that he was still adapting, was worried that he should go back to his old slider.

Fortunately, the bullpen pitchers’ results were 괜찮았다 [not bad].

Kim In-hwan, who went to the outfield, and Yoo Sun-ho, who went to first base, also had decent defense.

The problem was Song Seok-hyun.

His batting tempo was about 1/4 tempo late.

He said that he was modifying his batting form and not to worry, but not hitting the ball and not being able to hit the ball were different problems.

But the biggest headache was… club owner and chairman Kim Myung-jin.

Even though it was just a practice game slump, as soon as the article came out, he called Ham Sung-hoon and had to appease Kim Myung-jin for over an hour.

Every time they lost a practice game, the chairman called, so he was burning up inside.

Interest is good, but the interest is too much.

After winning the championship once, the chairman’s interest became 부담스러울 정도로 [burdensome].

After the spring camp, he went to the group headquarters and had a meal from lunch to dinner, which was ostensibly a慰勞宴 [consolation banquet] but in reality, it was a 추궁 [inquisition].

During the exhibition game, the Goths ranked 8th.

Ham Sung-hoon couldn’t count how many times he had talked to the chairman.

Even the fans doubted Ham Sung-hoon’s leadership, and on the Goths’ official fan page, Blue Pasture, supporters and opponents of Ham Sung-hoon wrote and 댓글로 싸우기 [fought in the comments].

With the fans’ 불안을 안은 채 [unease], March 29th.

Finally, the 2014 league opened.

The Goths’ first opponent was Pegasus.

As the opponent was the opponent, the interest was 뜨거웠을 만큼 [as hot as it could be] broadcast on public television.

“Alright, alright, focus. We’ve rested enough, so let’s show our skills. Let’s go!”

With captain Yoo Sun-ho’s shout, the Goths players ran out onto the ground.

Rise of the Catcher

A Good Start (1)

[Hello, baseball fans. The long-awaited baseball opening day has finally arrived. After a long winter, you have waited for a long time with a love of baseball. I am caster Jung Sun-woo. Next to me is commentator Jung Chul-hyuk, who will help with the commentary.]

[Hello. Ah, it’s finally the opening. I’ve been waiting for this season for a long time. All eight teams have had so many changes, haven’t they? In addition, today’s opening ceremony will feature a match between last year’s winning team, the Goths, and last year’s runner-up, Pegasus.]

[This is 참 [indeed], I wouldn’t have 짜진 [arranged] the schedule like this on purpose. It’s really 재밌게 [interesting].]

[Both teams have put their aces as starters on the first day of the season. The Goths have Michael Fish, who perfectly played the role of the first starter last year, and Pegasus has Kim Sung-hoon. Now that Cho Jin-hee has left for the major league to pursue his dream, Kim Sung-hoon is 사실상 [in reality] the best starting pitcher in the league.]

[We should see it as a match between the best foreign pitcher and the best Korean native pitcher, shouldn’t we?]

[Here again. Pegasus’s fourth hitter, Kim Wook, was FA 영입 [free agent acquisition] to the Goths. Pegasus fans were 충격에 빠졌는데요 [shocked]. Pegasus, which had been called one of the league’s big 손 중에 [big spenders], received hundreds of billions of won in posting fees for Cho Jin-hee, 놓쳤단 [missed out on] Kim Wook. The amount revealed in the media was 거짓말이 아니냐고 [not a lie], considering the recent market price, it was not a high price.]

[The winning team last year has 김욱 선수까지 [even Kim Wook], so wouldn’t it be 달리는 말에 날개까지 달아 준 격 [like putting wings on a running horse]?]

[That’s right. The lineup from 1st to 6th is really 숨 쉴 틈 없이 꽉 찬 [packed without a breath].]

-Playball!

Michael Fish stood on the mound.

The catcher was Song Seok-hyun, and the batter was Choi Young-seok.

Song Seok-hyun didn’t give complicated signs.

Outside fastball.

Fish’s first pitch was 148km/h.

Choi Young-seok couldn’t 따라오질 [keep up].

Bang!

-Strike! Out!

[Strikeout with four balls! Michael Fish. He seems to be in very good condition today.]

Song Seok-hyun 돌렸다 [turned] the ball.

Michael Fish, who is in good condition, is a pitcher who is 남을 [remaining] in the top five fingers of the league.

A tall stature, a fastball, a curve with a large angle, and an above-average changeup.

He is a typical player with a tall right-handed fireballer starter that all managers 선망 [envy].

If he was younger, he would be a player who could aim for a starting rotation in the major league.

There is a reason why he signed a contract with a foreign player for two consecutive years in Korea, where foreign players are often 서너 번 [three or four] a year.

Fish couldn’t get good scores on bunt defense, sliding steps, and checks.

He has improved since coming to Korea, but 도루 저지 [stealing bases] is still a big stress for Fish.

When Song Seok-hyun appeared, the묵은 체증이 내려가면서 [old indigestion went down] ball became even better.

The fact that there is less to 신경 쓸 [worry about] adds power to the pitcher’s ball.

But even 타격 [batting] is more 말할 것도 [needless to say].

“Fish is good today?”

“Fish. Good good. You are best!”

Fish also smiled at the players’ praise.

Ham Sung-hoon, who saw this, sighed in relief.

“Last year, I heard that he was a 냉혈한 [cold-blooded person], but this year, Fish has become much 부드러워졌어요 [softer]. Right?”

Defense coach Ahn Young-jae replied.

“Yes. After all, if baseball goes well, all the 안 좋은 감정도 다 풀리는 법이니까요 [bad feelings are resolved].”

“It would be the best if he only 고치면 [fixed] his 성격 다혈질 [hot-tempered personality].”

“Would he have come to Korea if his 성격까지 좋았으면 [personality was good]?”

“Well, 욕심이죠 [that’s greedy].”

First inning, Goths’ attack.

Pegasus’s first starter, Kim Sung-hoon, gave up a walk to the first and second batters, 무색하게 [making meaningless] the word ace.

[Kim Sung-hoon’s balls are 아쉽게 벗어납니다 [unfortunately escaping] from the strike zone by half a ball. Two walks from the first inning.]

[Kim Sung-hoon’s finishing ball, the slider, keeps 빠지네요 [falling] to the side. If the finishing ball doesn’t 승부가 [decide the game], the batters will be more 유리할 수밖에 [advantageous].]

[Kim In-hwan is in the 타석 [batter’s box].]

Song Seok-hyun held the bat in the waiting 타석 [batter’s box] and looked at Kim In-hwan.

Kim In-hwan 벌린 [widened] his stride to shoulder width and held the bat a little higher than his shoulder.

It’s completely different from last season.

Upper swing 위주의 상체 힘 [upper body strength focused on upper swing].

Kim In-hwan 잠실 좌측 담장을 넘겨 버렸다 [hit over the Jamsil left fence] during free batting, even though the power is 줄어들 수밖에 [inevitably reduced] because he doesn’t get 힘 [power] from 하체 이동 [lower body movement].

It was 자명 [obvious] that he was an 전무후무한 역사(力士) [unprecedented Hercules] in Korean professional baseball history if he was just 따진 힘 [judged by power].

“Whoa.”

Kim Sung-hoon on the mound was 역력하게 긴장한 [visibly nervous], unlike usual.

Catcher Jung Yong-wook brought the mitt to the 몸 쪽에 [inside].

If the 바깥쪽 [outside] ball doesn’t 안 먹힌 [work], the only way is to 높이는 활용도 of the 몸 쪽에 [inside] ball.

It’s not easy to 요구하는 [request] a 몸 쪽에 [inside] ball to a 강타자 [slugger], but there’s not much difference between 채우고 만루 [filling the bases] with a walk and 맞이 [facing] Song Seok-hyun, or 승부 [competing] to Kim In-hwan with two runners.

Kim Sung-hoon’s first pitch, ball.

“하체가 풀렸어 [his lower body is loose].”

Song Seok-hyun 중얼거렸다 [muttered].

It’s different from the usual Kim Sung-hoon.

The pitching form was a 자세 [posture] well 다듬어 놓은 [refined] like the usual baseball textbook, but it lacks 안정감 [stability].

Song Seok-hyun is a pitcher who 찍은 정점을 [reached the peak] in 고교 야구 [high school baseball].

It was 자명 [obvious] that Kim Sung-hoon’s 증상은 [symptoms] is 열이면 열 [ten out of ten], 러닝 부족으로 하체 밸런스가 안 잡혔을 때 벌어지는 일 [happens when the lower body balance is not caught due to lack of running].

스윽 [swoosh].

Jung Yong-wook 빠져 앉았다 [sat back] to the 바깥쪽 [outside].

Now that he’s 보여 줬으니 [shown] one 몸 쪽에 [inside] ball, he has to 넣어 줘야 [put in] one or two balls on the 바깥쪽에 [outside].

Kim Sung-hoon took a few breaths and 던졌다 [threw] the 2nd ball.

The ball that couldn’t 빠지지 못했다 [escape] on the 바깥쪽에 [outside] 말려 들어갔고 [got caught], Kim In-hwan’s 허리도 동시에 돌았다 [waist also turned at the same time].

탕 [bang]!

“……와 [wow].”

Even Song Seok-hyun 벌리고 말았다 [opened] his mouth.

The ball that 뻗어 간 [stretched out] as soon as it was 맞자마자 앗아 [hit] even the right fielder’s 생각조차 [thought].

The ball 뚝 떨어졌다 [dropped] on the 상단 [top] of the 잠실 담장 그대로 [Jamsil fence as it is].

[스리런 [three-run homer]! Kim In-hwan 터뜨립니다 [bursts] a 스리런 [three-run homer] from the start! 3-0! The Goths 뽐냅니다 [show off] the 위용 [power] of the champion.]

[It was a 완전히 몰린 [completely cornered] ball. There are 왕왕 [often] cases where they 놓치는 저런 공을 [miss such a ball] even if it was a 몰린 [cornered] ball, but Kim In-hwan 잘 노리고 잘 쳤습니다 [aimed well and hit well].]

[Kim Sung-hoon 주저앉습니다 [sits down] on the mound. Is the 타격 [impact] too big for a 선수 [player] who doesn’t 평소에 저런 모습을 잘 보여 [usually show such a figure]?]

Song Seok-hyun 들고 [raised] his hand and 준비했다 [prepared] to high five.

Lee Ji-sung 가볍게 손을 마주쳤고 [lightly touched hands] 설진일은 가위를 냈다 [showed scissors].

“……?”

Kim In-hwan 달려와 [ran] 힘껏 [with all his might] high-fived Song Seok-hyun, who was 황당해하는 [embarrassed].

“Ah! 살살 해, 형 [do it gently, hyung]!”

“Sorry. 크하하 [kuhaha]. I’m so 기분이 [in a good mood].”

Song Seok-hyun 털면서 이리저리 [shaking here and there] his hand and 들어섰다 [entered] the 타석 [batter’s box].

Hulk.

Is there a name more 어울리는 [suitable] than 저 [that] for Kim In-hwan’s 별명 [nickname]?

I was 갈 지경 의심이 [about to suspect] that the 겉에만 [outside] is a person, but the 속은 [inside] is 초록색 [green].

“…….”

Jung Yong-wook 서 있었다 [stood] with a 굳은 얼굴 [stiff face] until Song Seok-hyun 들어설 때까지 [entered] the 타석 [batter’s box].

“경기해야지 [we have to play].”

The 심판 [umpire] 넌지시 [gently] said, and then Jung Yong-wook 자리에 앉았다 [sat down in his seat].

Song Seok-hyun 슬쩍 보곤 [glanced] Jung Yong-wook 훑었다 좌우로 [scanned left and right] the 그라운드를 [ground].

Even though it’s after 맞은 스리런 [hit a three-run homer], the 분위기 [atmosphere] of the Pegasus players is 축 처져 있다 [drooping].

When Pegasus 수비에 나서면 평소 [usually takes the field], the 타자는 가슴이 절로 답답해진다 [batter’s chest naturally feels stuffy].

The 완벽에 가까운 내외야 수비 [near-perfect infield and outfield defense] makes it 감도 못 잡게 어디로 보내야 할지 the ball [unable to grasp where to send the ball].

But today…… 다르다 [different].

It’s 마치 평소에는 100만큼 나사를 조였다면 오늘은 70 정도만 조이다 만 거 같다 [as if they tightened the screws by 100 usually, but today they only tightened them by about 70].

스윽 [swoosh].

Kim Sung-hoon 어느새 [already] 다리를 들어 피칭을 시작했다 [raised his leg and started pitching].

Song Seok-hyun 잡았다 [grabbed] 더 헐겁게 [more loosely] the bat.

스윙 스피드가 빨라야 치려면 더 오래 보되 멀리 the ball [to hit with a fast swing speed, you have to see the ball longer and farther].

스윙 스피드를 올리려면 배트를 채찍처럼 휘둘러야 하는데, 이를 위해선 허리와 손목의 힘이 중요하다 [to increase the swing speed, you have to swing the bat like a whip, and for this, the power of the waist and wrist is important].

손에서 힘을 빼서 손에 힘을 주는 시간만큼 늘려야 평소보다 배트가 늦게 나오기 [by taking the power out of the hand and increasing the time to give power to the hand, the bat comes out later than usual].

Kim Sung-hoon’s first pitch was a slider.

The 각도는 예리했으나 [angle was sharp] the ball was 오는 [coming] from the 몸 쪽에 [inside] to the 존 한가운데 [center of the zone].

Song Seok-hyun 노렸다 [aimed] the ball with the 생각만 [thought] that he would 정확하게 맞춘 [hit accurately].

탕 [bang]!

The ball 향했다 세차게 [headed fiercely] the 중앙 담장을 [center fence].

타이밍이 늦었다면 조금만 더 밀릴 뻔했지만 [if the timing was late, it would have been pushed a little more], the 타이밍이 시범 경기 내내 애먹었던 [timing that had been difficult throughout the exhibition game] is 이제야 딱 맞춰졌다 퍼즐처럼 [now perfectly matched like a puzzle].

[Back to back!]

Song Seok-hyun 달렸다 [ran] 1루로 들면서 [to first base while raising] his hand.

쉽다 [easy].

Was Kim Sung-hoon 쉬운 적이 이렇게 [ever this easy]?

오로지 김성훈의 실투 덕이다 만들 수 있었던 건 홈런으로 김성훈을 공을 자신의 스윙으로 아직 완성되지 않은 [It was only thanks to Kim Sung-hoon’s mistake that he was able to make a home run with his swing that was not yet completed].