On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 37

Goth’s defense wraps up quickly, and they continue to score effectively on their attacks.

From Goth’s perspective, it’s a welcome sight. The chairman is known to be a huge baseball fanatic, a relative rarity among owners of domestic baseball teams.

“Postpone the schedule a bit. I want to watch the rest of this before I leave.”

“Yes, sir. Understood.”

The chairman leaned back fully in his chair for the first time, a sign of his engagement.

Top of the 6th inning, lead-off batter.

Kim Jung-ryul adjusted his grip on the ball.

When throwing a sinker, you spread your fingers; for a curveball, you bring them closer together.

Now that the sinker has been tested, it’s time to see how the curve works.

“Hoo.”

Kim Jung-ryul aimed for the upper part of the strike zone and delivered a curveball.

The batter, who had only seen sinkers until now, made a half-hearted swing as the ball arched upward, seemingly caught off guard.

Tuk.

“Mine! Mine!”

The right fielder frantically waved his hands and sprinted forward.

The batter-runner trotted towards first base, his shoulders slumped in disappointment.

“Hey! It’s right in front of you!”

The center fielder yelled at the right fielder, trying to guide him.

The right fielder, temporarily blinded by the glare of the sun, lost sight of the ball.

The ball dropped harmlessly in front of the right fielder, preventing the runner from advancing past first base, but another runner now occupied first.

‘Steal.’

The Wolves signaled for a steal attempt.

A green light [permission to attempt a steal], whether it’s a hit-and-run or a straight steal.

Even though minor league games are generally less pressure-filled than major league games, certain things are still crucial in the minors.

Data.

Data on opposing players must be meticulously collected for future use in both the minor and major leagues.

The Wolves’ minor league manager is actively compiling data on Kim Jung-ryul.

Can he effectively prevent steals, even with his underhand pitching style?

If he can’t control the running game, no matter how good his other pitches are, he’s essentially a crippled pitcher.

One of the primary reasons why underhand pitching largely disappeared from baseball history is the inherent difficulty in preventing stolen bases.

“What should we do?”

Goth’s pitching coach approached the manager, seeking guidance.

“Let’s observe a little longer for now.”

Kim Jung-ryul feigned a throw to first base, testing the runner’s reaction.

The runner dove back safely, easily beating the throw.

Kim Jung-ryul considered another feint but decided against it.

If the steal is successful, they take second, but we can just fill first and get a double play.

As Kim Jung-ryul began his pitching motion, the runner bolted for second base, as if anticipating the pitch.

The catcher held onto the ball, not even attempting a throw.

“Okay. Unless you have a cannon for an arm, you can’t throw out Jung-ryul, huh?”

The Wolves’ manager stood with his hands clasped behind his back, observing the situation.

It’s potentially damaging to Kim Jung-ryul, who is making a comeback after a long layoff, especially in front of the club owner, but the manager has to do his job as long as he’s being paid by the Wolves.

“Why isn’t that guy leaving, geez.”

Kim Jung-ryul is an opponent, but he’s also a fellow baseball player and someone who has worked hard to rehabilitate. The Wolves’ manager didn’t want to embarrass Kim Jung-ryul in front of the reporters.

Tak!

Kim Jung-ryul surrendered a hit to right-center field to the next batter.

With the bloop single, the runner on first advanced to third.

No outs, runners on first and third.

Kim Jung-ryul removed his cap and wiped the sweat from his brow.

Goth’s minor league manager, Gu Chang-hyun, turned his head towards the bench.

“Seok-hyun.”

“Yes?”

“Get ready.”

Song Seok-hyun pointed to himself, a bewildered expression on his face.

“Me?”

“Yes, quickly change and get out there.”

The manager glanced at the audience.

It’s acceptable to lose after giving up a hit, but we can’t afford to be humiliated by allowing the opponent to steal at will.

Moreover, we certainly can’t embarrass Kim Jung-ryul in front of the chairman, can we?

“Hurry!”

“Yes! I understand!”

Success as a catcher.

Spectacular debut.

“Catcher change?”

The Wolves’ manager chuckled, amused by the sudden move.

“Looks like they’re getting serious over there.”

“Besides Ji-hwan, their other catchers are Jang Byung-jun and Park Jang-hyun, but neither of them is better than Ji-hwan in any significant way.”

“Maybe one of them has a strong arm.”

“Well… according to the data I have, Ji-hwan is their best catcher overall.”

The unexpected catcher change caused a stir among the spectators.

Only Kim Jung-ryul smiled knowingly, glancing towards the bench.

“Is that punk coming to help his brother?”

Song Seok-hyun put on his mask for the final time and headed onto the field.

The weather was perfectly temperate, neither cold nor hot.

Song Seok-hyun felt a strange tingle down his spine, a mix of nerves and excitement.

“……!”

Jang Dae-hee, who was sitting on the bench, widened his eyes in surprise when he saw Song Seok-hyun’s name appear on the scoreboard.

“Who is Song Seok-hyun?”

“Who’s that guy?”

“Is he a complete rookie?”

On the Wolves’ bench, players and coaches exchanged puzzled glances, wondering about Song Seok-hyun’s identity.

“Looks like they picked him up from some obscure place.”

“Did they sign him after a tryout?”

In contrast to the relaxed atmosphere on the field, the chairman’s tension eased slightly. The game had been entertaining for a while, but it was gradually devolving into a disaster. They were struggling to contain the opponent’s running game. How much money have I invested in this team so far…

The chairman muttered to himself, frustration evident in his voice.

“It might be better to just recruit Kim Young-hoon [a hypothetical player].”

“Yes?”

“Secretary Kim, prepare the car. Let’s leave.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

As Song Seok-hyun took his position behind the plate, Kim Jung-ryul subtly waved the hand holding the ball, acknowledging his new catcher.

Song Seok-hyun responded with a single nod.

No outs, runners on first and third.

The batter at the plate is the number 3 hitter in the Wolves’ lineup.

The Wolves have a relatively small gap in talent between their minor and major league teams.

Even as a minor league number 3 hitter, he’s a player who could potentially make the roster of many major league teams.

‘Inside, sinker.’

Kim Jung-ryul shook his head at Song Seok-hyun’s first sign, disagreeing with the call.

The opponent is clearly focused on stealing.

The inherent large pitching motion of an underhand pitcher, combined with a velocity that barely reaches 140km/h [approximately 87 mph].

It’s common baseball knowledge, even for casual fans, that throwing the ball outside makes it easier for the catcher to throw to second base.

Conversely, throwing the ball inside, towards the batter’s body, can interfere with the throw. The batter might even intentionally swing to obstruct the catcher’s throw.

There was no sign from the Goth bench, signaling a specific strategy.

It was a critical moment, but they wanted to assess Song Seok-hyun’s capabilities and decision-making.

‘Another sign.’

‘Inside, sinker.’

Kim Jung-ryul frowned, questioning the catcher’s persistence.

Why is he being so stubborn?

‘Inside, sinker.’

Song Seok-hyun signaled again, unwavering in his call.

Kim Jung-ryul licked his lips, contemplating the situation.

Anyway, there are no outs and runners on first and third.

Loading the bases and potentially trading a run for a double play might be the most strategically sound option at this point.

It might appear as though he can’t control the runners at all, but if we analyze the situation objectively for the benefit of the team, the bases-loaded strategy is arguably the best course of action right now.

‘Okay.’

Kim Jung-ryul paused in his set position, gathering himself.

If he can’t quickly and effectively feint to first base, he shouldn’t give the runner an easy opportunity to time his steal.

Pat!

As soon as Kim Jung-ryul released the ball, the runner on first broke for second base.

Kim Jung-ryul saw the ball, which he was aiming to throw inside, drift even further inside than intended. It was already a difficult throw to make, and the errant pitch made it even more challenging.

The batter swung wildly, as if he had been anticipating the pitch.

Paang.

By the time the catcher secured the ball, the runner from first was already more than halfway to second.

A situation where he shouldn’t throw the ball.

Song Seok-hyun took a step forward and assumed a throwing posture, attempting to deceive the runner.

“Ah!”

Goth’s pitching coach exclaimed, realizing the potential consequences of the play.

It was already too late to make a strategic adjustment.

If he throws, the runner on third base can easily score.

Even if he possesses a strong arm, it’s useless if the timing is off.

If he throws to second base now, the runner on third base will undoubtedly attempt to steal home.

It was at that moment, as the Goth players collectively sighed in resignation.

Tuk.

With a slight brushing sound, Song Seok-hyun abruptly stopped his throwing motion.

“Hit the batter’s body.”

Song Seok-hyun turned his head to address the umpire, asserting his claim.

“The batter interfered with the throw.”

The batter, Jang Gi-hoon, visibly flinched and remained silent, unable to refute the accusation.

The batter’s foot was clearly outside the confines of the batter’s box.

He should have simply swung and moved his body naturally, but instead, he stood awkwardly, fixated on the runner’s progress.

“…Batter interference. Ball dead. Batter out. Runners return to their original bases.”

The umpire also heard the faint sound of the ball making contact with something.

The catcher’s confident assertion and the batter’s hesitant demeanor solidified the umpire’s decision.

“Hahahaha.”

Kim Jung-ryul erupted in laughter, finding humor in the unexpected turn of events.

Both teams’ benches were initially puzzled, wondering about the cause of the commotion.

Since catcher’s interference is a relatively rare occurrence, both teams’ benches initially assumed that the batter must have made a significant error.

Kim Jung-ryul, however, understood the situation perfectly.

The reason why Song Seok-hyun had stubbornly insisted on an inside sinker suddenly became clear.

“Wow, that young punk is smart too.”

During the training period, Kim Jung-ryul had primarily focused on improving his pitching mechanics.

He was admittedly lacking in his ability to control runners on base.

Even if Song Seok-hyun possessed a strong throwing arm, it would be difficult to throw out runners consistently if Kim Jung-ryul couldn’t effectively hold them on base.

Everyone on both teams’ benches, as well as the players on the field, had assumed that a stolen base was inevitable.

If you assume something is a given, you tend to become complacent and less attentive.

If it’s difficult to prevent steals directly, you have to find alternative ways to gain an advantage.

What Song Seok-hyun chose was an inside sinker.

If the batter made contact with the inside sinker and hit a ground ball, they could not only get the batter-runner out but also potentially trap the runner on third base in a rundown.

What if the batter didn’t make contact?

He would have to concede the stolen base to second.

However, if the batter swung carelessly and inadvertently extended his body outside the batter’s box, he could potentially induce catcher’s interference.

He took a calculated gamble, having observed Jang Gi-hoon, the number 3 hitter, staggering slightly every time he swung in the batter’s box.

Catcher’s interference is a relatively uncommon occurrence in baseball.

In a less critical situation, the batter wouldn’t even consider the possibility of catcher’s interference.

Moreover, this is the minor league, where player development takes precedence.

In the minor league, where the primary focus is on improving individual skills, players often don’t make plays that rely on intricate knowledge of baseball’s complex rules.

Song Seok-hyun’s initial decision was a move that aimed for both practicality and a bit of luck.

Because he was a pitcher himself and because he trusted Song Seok-hyun’s baseball instincts, Kim Jung-ryul couldn’t help but laugh at Song Seok-hyun’s clever play.

“…….”

The chairman paused, halting his departure.

Catcher’s interference.

Even though the chairman doesn’t follow baseball on a daily basis, he was aware that such instances are relatively rare.

The newly substituted catcher managed to draw catcher’s interference on the very first pitch.

Was it merely a coincidence?

“Who is that guy?”

The president stammered, caught off guard by the chairman’s question.

“Th-that, um, that…”

“It’s alright. You don’t know, do you?”

“I apologize, Chairman.”

The president internally lamented, ‘I should have brought an employee who was more familiar with the minor league situation in advance.’

He belatedly beckoned one of the minor league front office employees, who had been discreetly observing from a distance, with a subtle finger gesture.

“Hmm.”

The chairman stroked his chin thoughtfully.

Was it intentional?