On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 28

Time is relative; it can feel long or short depending on your perspective.

Song Seok-hyun was brewing a plan of his own.

“Shall we become friends?”

Song Seok-hyun picked up his familiar 1 kg, 36-inch bat, the one he’d used back in Japan. The only way to make the heavy bat feel lighter was through relentless training.

Song Seok-hyun dedicated his mornings to weight training and his afternoons and evenings to batting practice.

He meticulously repeated each step: pelvic rotation, stretching, and shoulder rotation, just like when he was first learning to bat.

He drilled the basics until the bat felt like an extension of his arm, light and responsive.

One day bled into the next, and before he knew it, February was drawing to a close.

As spring camp neared its end, a welcome face appeared at Song Seok-hyun’s door one morning.

“Good morning!”

“Senior?”

It was Kim Jeong-ryul.

“Hahaha, how have you been?”

Kim Jeong-ryul had returned sporting an even deeper tan.

Song Seok-hyun scratched his head, his expression a mix of pleasure and surprise.

“Is your camp already over?”

“Let’s go inside first. Phew, it’s still chilly.”

“Ah, yes. Come in.”

Kim Jeong-ryul stepped into the room.

Song Seok-hyun grabbed a drink from the refrigerator and offered it to Kim Jeong-ryul.

“Thank you, thank you.”

“What happened? Isn’t camp still going on?”

“Oh, everyone’s working hard in Okinawa right now. The Okinawa League [pre-season exhibition games] is probably in full swing.”

“But why are you…?”

Kim Jeong-ryul pointed to his shoulder.

Song Seok-hyun looked at Kim Jeong-ryul, his eyes widening in disbelief.

“Senior, did you perhaps…?”

“It’s nothing much. Well, I slipped on the ball like a fool and bruised my shoulder.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. It doesn’t really affect my throwing. The doctor told me to rest, so the manager sent me back. So, that’s why I’m here.”

“Are you sure you’re not in pain?”

Kim Jeong-ryul rotated his shoulder.

“Not entirely. A little?”

“Ah…”

Song Seok-hyun bit back his words.

If Kim Jeong-ryul was injured again, it could very well mean the end of his career.

Who would take a chance on him?

Kim Jeong-ryul stood up and raised his arm.

“I don’t think I can throw overhand anymore. The pain gets worse as my arm angle goes up.”

“Does it hurt a lot?”

“A bit. A little too much.”

Kim Jeong-ryul chuckled ruefully.

“It’s become a joke. There were even articles saying I’d fixed my yips [involuntary throwing errors], but now I’m injured again. I’ve unintentionally become the boy who cried wolf. I don’t think the manager will ever use me again. He was really pissed.”

“…”

“Haa, so, the promise that I would help you might become an empty one.”

Song Seok-hyun shook his head.

“It’s okay. An opportunity will come when the time is right. More importantly, Senior, how’s the pain in your arm right now?”

“It’s okay. The doctor said it’s just accumulated fatigue. He said it’ll be fine with some rest, but I don’t know if I can raise my arm angle. I can’t tell if it’s fatigue or if it hurts when I throw overhand.”

“Overhand throws are bound to put a lot of strain on the arm and shoulder. It’s the form that generates the most velocity, after all.”

“I guess so. I guess 140 km/h [approximately 87 mph] is gone from my life now, haha.”

Kim Jeong-ryul swung his arm around gingerly.

“Then how about transforming into an underhand pitcher this time? What do you think? My ball isn’t bad, right?”

“It’s good. Your sinker is excellent.”

“What about you? Can you use it effectively in a real game right away?”

“If you modify the deception a little, it could be a very effective pitch.”

“Ah, deception. Is it not good right now?”

“You weren’t focusing on deception because you were throwing to rehab. I think it can be competitive enough if you tweak it a bit.”

“Hmm, is that so…”

Kim Jeong-ryul mimicked throwing underhand.

“Then shall we try underhand until the season opener?”

“Um.”

“What do you think?”

Song Seok-hyun hesitated to answer immediately.

He couldn’t bring himself to speak rashly.

After a moment of careful consideration, Song Seok-hyun finally spoke.

“Once you change your form, it will be harder to go back.”

“I know, I do.”

“Underhand and overhand are so different that it may be difficult to return to overhand.”

“I’m prepared for that. Even if I throw overhand, my max velocity is 142 km/h [approximately 88 mph]. Even if I throw hard enough to break my shoulder. Even if the weather warms up, it’ll be 145 km/h [approximately 90 mph] at best, which means the average will be around 140 km/h [approximately 87 mph]. What can I do with that? It’s not competitive. So, I think going underhand isn’t a bad idea. These days, orthodox underhand pitchers are rare, and more than anything, my shoulder and elbow don’t hurt. I may look like this, but my waist and lower body are strong. Perfect for throwing underhand.”

“Hoo, if you’ve made up your mind, you should do as you wish. If there’s anything I can do to help, I’ll do my best.”

Kim Jeong-ryul sat back down.

“You don’t have much to do these days, right? All the pitchers have left.”

“…I’m working hard on personal training.”

“A catcher needs to catch the pitcher’s ball, you know? Right?”

“It’s a bit disappointing. No, it’s very disappointing.”

“That’s good. Then let’s work together. Once the season opens, we’ll both be playing in the Futures League [Korean minor league] anyway. If we do well there, we might get a chance in the KBO [Korean professional baseball league], right?”

“Yes, I hope so.”

Kim Jeong-ryul extended his hand.

It was a handshake.

Song Seok-hyun looked at Kim Jeong-ryul, unsure of what to expect.

“You help me, and I’ll help you. Let’s help each other out.”

Song Seok-hyun clasped Kim Jeong-ryul’s hand.

“I don’t know what I can do to help… But I’ll work hard if you just tell me what to do.”

Song Seok-hyun and Kim Jeong-ryul began their own training regimen.

Kim Jeong-ryul began his transformation into an underhand pitcher in earnest.

Song Seok-hyun continued to refine Kim Jeong-ryul’s deception.

Kim Jeong-ryul focused on mastering just two pitches: the sinker and the curveball.

As Song Seok-hyun worked with Kim Jeong-ryul, one thought kept recurring.

Genius.

It didn’t even take three months for a pitcher who had thrown overhand his entire life to switch to underhand.

The legendary pitcher with 111 career wins wasn’t just good at throwing the ball.

He made Song Seok-hyun realize the true meaning of natural athleticism and innate talent.

The spring camp period ended, and the exhibition game season began.

After a short series of exhibition games, the regular season would commence.

It was the first time since joining the team that Song Seok-hyun was watching a KBO game live.

“It’s starting.”

Song Seok-hyun and Kim Jeong-ryul sat together and turned on the TV.

The Seoul Goats were playing against the Daejeon Phoenix.

-Strike! Out!

-Strike! Out!

-Strike! Out!

Jeong Gwang-woo, the Phoenix’s starting pitcher, roared as he struck out three batters in a row.

“With Kim Young-hoon gone, Jeong Gwang-woo is acting like he owns the place. What’s going on?”

Bottom of the 1st inning.

Lee Chang-hoon, the Goats’ pitcher, was equally impressive.

He toyed with the batters, inducing routine ground balls.

He retired the side with just seven pitches.

“Watch closely. You’ll have to work with him when you get to the KBO.”

Top of the 2nd inning.

Kim In-hwan stepped up to the plate as the cleanup hitter.

Song Seok-hyun straightened his back and focused intently.

Kim In-hwan had worked hard to improve his skills over the winter and throughout spring camp.

How much had he changed?

How much had he transformed into a fearsome hitter?

As Kim In-hwan settled into the batter’s box, Song Seok-hyun’s eyes narrowed.

“Why…?”

Catcher’s Rise

Restart

“Senior, is In-hwan’s form right?”

Song Seok-hyun tilted his head, puzzled by Kim In-hwan’s batting stance.

Wasn’t that the same form he had before?

A stance with a wide stride and the back leg planted behind the batter’s box.

A position a step away from home plate.

The hitting position raised above the shoulder.

It was a typical power hitter’s batting form.

“Hoo, it is. Can’t you tell by looking?”

Kim Jeong-ryul sighed deeply.

“Didn’t he readjust his form during spring training? He hit home runs with that form… More than that, wouldn’t it be bad for the player to change his batting form so frequently?”

“There was no choice. The coaches criticized him, saying they didn’t know where he got such nonsense. Isn’t that a form that abandons inside pitches and strictly targets outside pitches? They made a fuss, saying he wouldn’t hit any home runs that way. Even the manager said something.”

“…Ha, but it’s a form that the hitter himself worked hard to create.”

“In-hwan is excessively kind. He’s kind, steadfast, and polite. But he’s so impatient at the plate, isn’t it funny? Ah, anyway. So, he’s too polite, that’s the problem. He can’t say a word when the coach tells him to do something.”

Song Seok-hyun frowned.

“He worked so hard and then immediately changed his batting form according to what the coach said?”

“I tried to stop him. But what can I do? That’s his personality. He can’t say anything unpleasant to others.”

“Ah… If he keeps changing his batting form like that, it’ll only get worse.”

As soon as Song Seok-hyun finished speaking, Kim In-hwan swung and missed repeatedly.

Swinging and missing at a slider that broke away outside the strike zone.

Kim In-hwan retreated silently to the dugout.

Kim Jeong-ryul sat with his legs crossed and scratched his chin.

“It’s like knowing what’s coming and still getting fooled. There’s no answer.”

“You should have tried harder to stop him, Senior. It seemed like In-hwan was finally getting a feel for hitting outside breaking balls.”

“What can I do if I say something? The coach tells him what to do. Ah, you don’t know what Manager Im Ui-soo’s group is like, do you?”

Im Ui-soo was currently the manager of the Goats.

“I don’t know much about it.”

“The coaches are strong-willed, following the manager’s lead. If a player doesn’t listen to them? Then they half ruin him. If they still resist, they send him to the Futures League and don’t bring him back up. Thorough top-down command. The military. That’s Im Ui-soo’s group.”

“…You don’t seem to have good feelings towards the manager.”

The TV showed Im Ui-soo, the manager of the Goats.

“How can I have good feelings when he keeps burning out the team? If he does this for one or two more seasons, even the pitchers we have left will be burned out. His philosophy is that you can squeeze and use pitchers no matter what.”

“Your assessment is harsh.”

“He’s too old school. He’s focused on winning one game by burning out the bullpen. Hoo, I understand since he was brought in as a championship troubleshooter… But still, it’s too much.”

Kim Jeong-ryul was usually more energetic and positive than anyone else.

He was someone who could get along with anyone without hesitation.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen you dislike someone so much, Senior.”

“…Hoo, I don’t like backstabbing either, but, ha.”

Kim Jeong-ryul shook his head.

“That’s enough. Let’s watch the game.”

The game quickly devolved into a pitching duel.

Kim In-hwan struck out three times in three at-bats.

The manager replaced Kim In-hwan.

The camera occasionally showed Kim In-hwan, who was simply blinking with a dejected expression.

“They’re the defending champions, but they’re getting beat by the Phoenix, who are openly at the bottom of the league? Ugh.”

Kim Jeong-ryul took a few deep breaths and stood up.

“Let’s stop here for today. That’s enough.”

“Are you going in?”

“Yeah, I’m going now. What about you?”

“I’ll watch the rest.”

“Okay, do that.”

Kim Jeong-ryul left the room with slumped shoulders.

Song Seok-hyun watched Kim Jeong-ryul leave and returned to his seat.

The Goats were overwhelmed by the Phoenix’s momentum and couldn’t muster any strength.

“Hmm.”

Song Seok-hyun watched the Goats’ defeat with his arms crossed.

* * *

“Haha, tsk.”

The next day.

Kim Jeong-ryul and Song Seok-hyun couldn’t believe their eyes during lunchtime.

Kim In-hwan was standing in the Futures League cafeteria with a tray.

Kim In-hwan offered an awkward smile.

“What’s going on? What happened?”

At Kim Jeong-ryul’s question, Kim In-hwan pulled out a chair.

“Can I sit here?”

“Stop. Don’t tell me you were sent down to the Futures League?”