On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 266

Song Seok-hyun swung with all his might, but the weakly hit ball resulted in a routine fly out to center field.

Song Seok-hyun shook his head.

“I can’t do it, not today.”

[Weren’t the Wolves making a fuss about Song being a mercenary [foreign player] they carefully selected before the season? Brian seems to be pitching really well.]

[It’s rare to see a right-handed orthodox pitcher of that caliber. His ball has good velocity, his angles are sharp, his control is decent, and he can handle innings well.]

[Last year, the Gotes benefited greatly from the effects of mercenaries Fish and Mackenzie, but this year, both players are causing trouble, aren’t they? They must be envious.]

[That’s why mercenaries [foreign players] have short lifespans. It’s rare to see a mercenary pitcher who keeps pitching well. The reality is that it’s hard to find even one pitcher who signs a contract for more than three years in a year.]

In the bottom of the first inning, Mackenzie took the mound.

Today, his wife is sitting in the stands with their child.

Recently, his performance has been poor, so he tried to dissuade her from coming, but his wife insisted that she should support him even more.

Both he and his wife know it well.

If he quits baseball in Korea, all that’s left is the minor leagues.

At his age, wandering around the minor leagues is a meaningless endeavor for both him and his family.

He came here thinking it was his last chance, so he has to give it his all.

“Hoo.”

Mackenzie took a breath.

At the plate was Kim Ha-kyun, the Wolves’ leadoff hitter.

His on-base percentage is in the mid-.300s, but his batting average is over .300, making him a contact hitter.

A hitter who focuses more on making contact than drawing walks.

Mackenzie exchanged glances with Song Seok-hyun.

‘Curveball.’

Mackenzie smiled at Song Seok-hyun’s sign.

[Mackenzie’s first pitch. Strike. It was a curveball.]

[I thought Mackenzie didn’t throw curveballs.]

[Yes. I thought so too, but that was a very good curveball just now.]

Wolves manager Jang Tae-seop groaned at Mackenzie’s curveball.

‘Cutter.’

A cutter that breaks towards the batter’s body on the right-handed side.

Recently, he hasn’t thrown body cutters often because his pitches have been getting hit for extra-base hits.

But if he doesn’t throw his main weapon, the cutter, there will be no turnaround.

Swoosh.

Kim Ha-kyun lifted his leg slightly.

A swing timed to Mackenzie’s rhythm.

The ball came into the strike zone between the center and the batter’s body.

He thought he could hit it well enough, so he swung, but with the sound of the bat breaking, it was a ground ball.

The shortstop caught the ball easily and threw it to second base.

-Out!

[Kim Ha-kyun is out. Mackenzie’s cutter is effective.]

[It’s one of Mackenzie’s strengths. That cutter can be thrown outside to left-handed batters to induce weak contact, but its greatest advantage is breaking the bats of right-handed batters like that.]

Kim Ha-kyun returned to the bench and sighed.

“Something’s off with the timing.”

“You just couldn’t get a hit, what’s with the timing talk?”

“No, something feels subtly off.”

Mackenzie got the next batter and the batter after that out on ground balls.

The batters swung confidently, but they couldn’t get a solid hit.

In the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd innings, both teams remained scoreless.

In the top of the 4th inning, Kim Wook’s solo home run broke the 0-0 tie.

“Is a home run contagious…? Why is Wook hitting so many home runs these days?”

A complaint, not quite a complaint, flowed from the Wolves’ bench.

Kim Wook is overshadowed by Kim In-hwan and Song Seok-hyun, but he is also prominently listed in the top ten home run hitters.

Neither Yoo Seon-ho nor Kim Wook were known as power hitters, so they didn’t have many home runs, but since coming to the Gotes, their home runs have been increasing as if they were rejuvenating.

Conversely, the Wolves felt that something was unusual.

It’s not a big deal that the pitching form changes a little, as it can happen at any time during the season.

However, with the addition of the curveball, the timing that had been set for Mackenzie began to go awry.

When a pitcher who only threw fastballs and changeups gains a curveball, there are two advantages.

One is that the range of speeds widens.

The other is that the variety of pitches increases.

Even though it’s not a great curveball, increasing the proportion of curveballs alone was enough to increase the confusion of the batters in one game.

In the bottom of the 5th inning, the score was 4-1.

The Gotes were leading by 3 points as the midpoint of the game approached.

“I should have tried it sooner.”

Mackenzie laughed as if he was feeling relieved.

Song Seok-hyun winked at Mackenzie.

“Mack, do you know that your body is gradually twisting every inning? Soon, only your back number will be visible.”

“Really? I guess I keep twisting like that without realizing it.”

“Anyway, your pace is good right now. Keep throwing like that.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

Lee Chang-hoon, who saw Mackenzie’s good pitching, approached the pitching coach.

The pitching coach, Yeon Woo-sik, chuckled at the sudden question.

“Did I teach him? No. He must have changed it himself. Anyway, you have to do something to survive.”

“Should I correct my pitching form like that too? Hiding the ball as much as possible-”

“Hey, everyone has their own style. Mackenzie is naturally flexible, so he can do that right away, but you’ll get hurt right away.”

“My performance hasn’t been good lately either, don’t I need some change?”

“Change… then why don’t you refer to Baek Chan?”

“Baek Chan? He and I have completely different styles, why? He’s a guy who just throws fastballs, and I’m a guy who tries to get them out with contact.”

“You think too much. You’re trying to get them out with contact anyway, so why do you think so much? Reduce the pitching interval as much as possible and throw it quickly. That might suit you better.”

“Hmm…”

Mackenzie came down from the mound after 7.2 innings with 2 runs, 6 hits, and 2 walks.

The applause of the fans, as well as the applause of his wife and children in the stands, was a bonus.

While Mackenzie was shutting down the score, the Gotes scored a total of 7 runs, taking a comfortable lead.

The result was a 9-4 victory.

After the game, Mackenzie hugged Song Seok-hyun.

“Thank you. Thank you so much.”

Song Seok-hyun also patted Mackenzie on the back.

“Please continue to do well, Mack. Let’s retire gracefully from the Gotes.”

Success as a Catcher

The Fall of a Prestigious Team

The next day was Lee Chang-hoon’s pitching game.

Lee Chang-hoon was in a crisis with 3 runs in the 2nd inning, but he induced three double plays by the 6th inning.

The game flow was good and the number of pitches was good, so Ham Seong-hoon trusted Lee Chang-hoon and let him continue until the 7th inning, but a double play couldn’t happen every time.

[Here it comes! Here it comes! Three-run! A three-run home run! Baek Hyun-sung’s powerful swing! The Gotes are reeling from a three-run home run.]

[Lee Chang-hoon had been holding them well so far, but he couldn’t hold on until the end.]

[A pitcher change is made. Lee Chang-hoon. He pitched well until the 6th inning, but it’s a pity.]

An 8-5 defeat.

The Gotes had a decisive victory the previous game, but lost this one.

The following game schedule was against the Scorpions and the Wales.

The Gotes had only lost 1 game to the Scorpions in 6 games, winning 5 and securing 1st place.

The last week of June was scheduled with the Astro Boys and the Wolves.

The team rankings at the midpoint of the season were completely different from the beginning.

1st place – Seoul Gotes

2nd place – Busan Astro Boys

3rd place – Gwangju Bulls

4th place – Daegu Scorpions

5th place – Suwon Pegasus

6th place – Incheon Wales

7th place – Seoul Wolves

8th place – Daejeon Phoenix

Except for 1st and 8th place, the remaining rankings deviated from the predictions of all experts.

In particular, the fall of the Pegasus, Scorpions, and Wolves, which had been achieving 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, was a shock to baseball fans.

Broadcasting stations even organized special broadcasts to cover this.

An announcer and two commentators sat down and analyzed each team critically.

-In the end, I think it’s investment, investment. Despite their existing strong lineup, the Gotes strengthened their power by bringing in the big fish Kim Wook. The Astro Boys brought in their entire coaching staff from the United States, and the Bulls hired a Japanese-Korean director and recruited a large number of first-team coaches who were evaluated as top-notch in Japanese professional baseball. They retained all four internal free agents [players eligible to sign with any team], so there was no loss of talent at all.

-On the other hand, Suwon Pegasus was good at promoting sports entertainment, but there are rumors that the morale of the players has decreased a lot as investment has decreased. The team with the most allowances is now the team with the least. There’s nothing more demoralizing than giving and taking away.

-The Scorpions have the same talent as last year, but there has been virtually no investment. Although he failed last year, director Lee Geon-hoo is currently at a top level in terms of championship experience, age, and skill. I think firing director Lee Geon-hoo was a bad move. Director Jang Gyeong-tae is good at leading the team smoothly, but he is not able to show any distinct style. In particular, the pitcher changes, which can be said to be the strength of the Scorpions, are too different compared to when Lee Geon-hoo was the director. The timing is very off. I think the Daegu fans have a lot of complaints.

MC and announcer Yoon Ro-mi asked.

-On the other hand, didn’t Wales invest?

-Wales’ recruitment of director Hwang Geun-seong for a large sum of money was only a good attempt. Their performance was good until the beginning of the season, but in the end, they overused a large number of bullpen pitchers. Bullpen pitchers can’t keep being used so frequently, and if they operate like this, any team will collapse in the summer. Wales is already showing clear signs of exhaustion. At times like this, it’s necessary to rest the players and slow down a bit, but director Hwang Geun-seong’s mind is too impatient. I know he wants to perform well, but if he does this, he won’t have the strength to push through in the second half of the league.

-What about the Wolves?

-The Wolves are being held back by not investing now. It’s good to cultivate promising players and build a strong team organically, but when other teams bring in external talent to reinforce their rosters, there’s nothing you can do if you’re the only one standing still.

-I see. Then let’s talk about Phoenix. There were many talks that Kim Young-hoon’s return would cause another upset, but they are currently 8th in the league.

-First of all, it’s important that they are 8th in the league, but only 6 games behind 4th place. I’ll start with the premise that the league has become more competitive overall. Phoenix has a perfect ace with Kim Young-hoon, but Kim Young-hoon can’t pitch after resting for only 2-3 games like before.

-In the past, he used a strategy of alternating arms to pitch after only resting for one game.

-It was really scary from the perspective of the team facing him. But it’s the season after surgery. I don’t think it’s possible to do that. Then the conclusion is that it’s difficult to go up with only Kim Young-hoon.

-Then how do you see the postseason [lit. autumn baseball] this season?

Commentator Jeon Sang-heon said first.

-The Gotes are definitely going. The Astro Boys are definitely too. I think the remaining two spots are unpredictable.

-I’m similar to that. The Gotes and Astro Boys are definitely going. The remaining two spots… I can’t be sure, but I think Phoenix will take the last train.

-Phoenix?

-Who will stop Kim Young-hoon if he raises his game in the second half of the league? Even if he only pitches after resting for 2 games instead of resting for 1 game, his winning percentage will increase significantly compared to now.

Yoon Ro-mi said.

-Then where should each team focus on the most in the future?

-Starting with the Gotes, it’s the starting pitchers. Fish, Mackenzie, and Lee Chang-hoon. The performance of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd starters is all unstable. If the three players can’t get back on track, they certainly won’t be able to keep their current 1st place.

Lee Chang-hoon turned off the TV.

Lee Chang-hoon’s reflection was visible on the black TV screen.

“How did I become like this?”

* * *

The 3-game series against the Astro Boys at Jamsil Stadium during the week.

As befits the match between the 1st and 2nd place teams, a huge number of fans gathered, but the 1st game was anticlimactic.

Hong Dae-sung was pulled from the game [lit. 강판] with 6 walks and 6 runs in 5.2 innings.

Hong Dae-sung was a fastball pitcher, but his control was still inconsistent.

The Gotes’ lineup scored 5 runs, saving face, but still lost.

The 2nd game was started by Fish, who was still unreliable, but an unexpected result came out.

[Fish wins a complete game with ninety-two pitches. Ace Fish is back.]

[If this happens, the Gotes’ championship is getting closer. If Fish does his part, the Gotes have nothing to regret.]

The next day, Mackenzie recorded a quality start against Busan’s lineup.

He showed some instability, giving up as many as 12 hits, but he achieved the feat of inducing four double plays without a single walk.

Busan fans were frustrated every time they hit into a double play.

After the game against the Astro Boys, it was time to go home [lit. 퇴근].

When Song Seok-hyun was preparing to go home, whistling, Lee Chang-hoon asked casually [lit. 넌지시].

“Seok-hyun.”

“Yes. Why?”

“How is your throw to second base so fast?”

“Um. It’s fast because I throw it hard, right?”

“No. Your arm swing is short, but your throw is still incredibly fast.”

“Well, if you step well, it’s fine. Isn’t it okay if you only swing your arm properly when you release [lit. 뿌려 줄]?”

“Is that so…?”

“But why are you asking that suddenly?”

Lee Chang-hoon rotated [lit. 빙빙 돌렸다] his shoulder.

“I’m increasing [lit. 끌어올리니까] the tempo these days, so it feels like something’s not quite right [lit. 아다리가 안 맞는]. My body is rushing [lit. 급한], but the ball seems late [lit. 늦는].”

“Ah. You mean the overall tempo doesn’t match?”

“Yeah. So I’m thinking about shortening my arm swing a little, but I’m worried that my speed will decrease. It’s a bit much if my speed decreases from now on.”

“Think about it. If you discuss it with the coach, something might come out?”

“Should I do that…? Oh, right.”

Lee Chang-hoon opened the locker and took out a shopping bag.

“Here, this.”

“What is this?”

“A gift. Wouldn’t something like this leave a more lasting impression than just congratulating you with words? Sorry for the late gift. It’s Se-young’s clothes and shoes.”

Song Seok-hyun smiled brightly and hugged Lee Chang-hoon.

“Thank you, senior [lit. 선배님].”

“I told you to call me 형 [older brother].”

“Thank you, 형 [older brother]!”

* * *

The 3-game series against the Wolves on the weekend.

The game between the Jamsil rivals was the league’s most popular [lit. 흥행] matchup.

The Wolves had long been stronger than the Gotes, but last year and this year, the Gotes were dominating [lit. 독주].

The Wolves had recently fallen to 7th place, making the contrast between the two teams stark [lit. 극명해졌다].

It was a bleak [lit. 암울한] reality for Wolves fans, but today was a day to look forward to.

The Wolves’ starter was ace Jang Gye-seong.

A national team starting pitcher and one of the league’s top left-handed power pitchers.

Lee Chang-hoon of the Gotes was no less than Jang Gye-seong in terms of name recognition, but it could not be denied that he was in a decline [lit. 하락세] in terms of age and recent performance.

The Wolves’ batting lineup had also improved [lit. 올라온] recently, so fans and experts predicted [lit. 점쳤다] the Wolves’ superiority, but you have to see how it plays out.

-Strike! Out!

[Three-pitch strikeout! Lee Chang-hoon! Catches two batters in a row with strikeouts.]