On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 40

Jang Dae-hee’s Sixth Pitch.

As Jang Dae-hee wound up, he locked eyes with Song Seok-hyun.

Song Seok-hyun’s bat began its arc.

*Swoosh.*

Soaring as a Catcher

Fear.

The ball, released from Jang Dae-hee’s hand, climbed slightly before plummeting.

A 12-6 curveball [a curveball that drops sharply from the 12 o’clock to the 6 o’clock position].

It was a sharp curve, often called a waterfall curve.

Since the pitcher had been establishing the count with fastballs and sliders, a curve to disrupt the batter’s timing was a smart move.

If the batter hadn’t anticipated it, that is.

*Whoosh.*

The sound of a swing cutting through the air.

A curveball dropping right into the sweet spot.

Song Seok-hyun’s bat met the ball as if he’d been waiting for it.

*Thwack!*

“It’s going, going, gone! It’s going ooooover!”

“Home run! Home run! Home run!”

“He did it!”

It was a home run that sailed far beyond the left-field fence.

Roughly estimated, a minimum distance of 130 meters [approximately 427 feet] or more.

Song Seok-hyun tossed his bat aside and looked at Jang Dae-hee.

Jang Dae-hee, meeting Song Seok-hyun’s gaze, tugged his cap down, shielding his eyes.

“Wow! That guy is amazing.”

“Damn, did you see that? Did he break the ball?”

“Song Seok-hyun! Seok-hyun is the best!”

A walk-off home run.

As Song Seok-hyun crossed home plate, his teammates mobbed him in a walk-off celebration, as if they’d been expecting it all along.

Even in the minor leagues, it’s still professional baseball.

They had turned an 8-0 deficit into a 10-11 victory.

A rare come-from-behind win.

The Goat players roared.

Song Seok-hyun simply offered a small smile.

“He’s definitely a super-sized catcher, right?”

The Goat’s battery coach [coach specializing in pitchers and catchers] said slyly to the manager.

The manager nodded.

“Did we develop him well, or was he just born great?”

“Both. I just helped a naturally gifted talent grow even more.”

“No humility, no humility.”

“Is this the time to be humble? We need to start fighting for our share of the credit.”

The manager patted the battery coach on the shoulder.

“You must have had a tough time, but now you can finally breathe a sigh of relief.”

“I’m embarrassed to take all the credit, but I feel like I’ve finally done my part.”

“It would have been even better if the chairman had seen that game-winning hit.”

“Isn’t there a saying, ‘Talent will always shine through’? If he performs well in the minor leagues for just one month, how could they *not* call him up to the major leagues?”

“We’ll see.”

The manager licked his lips.

“Is our manager just anyone?”

While the Goat celebrated their victory, the Wolves packed their bags and left the dugout.

The catcher slung his bag over his shoulder and asked Jang Dae-hee.

“Why was your control so erratic just now?”

“Ah… I’m just not in good condition…”

“You’re not the type to throw balls like that, are you?”

“I’m sorry, senior.”

“No, it’s not your fault for giving up a home run. It’s also partly my fault for calling the pitches.”

“No, I’m the one who’s sorry.”

“Focus more in the future. That beanball [a pitch thrown intentionally at the batter’s head] was dangerous just now. A beanball is a death sentence for the batter, but the pitcher isn’t unscathed either. Many kids develop the yips [a sudden and unexplained loss of skills in experienced players] and trauma from hitting someone with a beanball. There’s a reason why they don’t throw high inside pitches often.”

“Yes.”

“Hoo.”

The catcher looked directly at Jang Dae-hee.

Jang Dae-hee avoided the catcher’s eyes.

The catcher patted Jang Dae-hee on the back.

“Okay. Let’s go.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Before leaving, Jang Dae-hee glanced at the Goat’s dugout.

Song Seok-hyun was surrounded by players, basking in their cheers.

“…”

Jang Dae-hee pulled his cap down further, obscuring his face, and left the dugout.

* * *

Song Seok-hyun returned to the dorm, showered, and lay down.

He opened his hand and brought it to his face, examining the calluses.

The hand that hit the home run was still trembling.

*Knock knock.*

“Yes.”

“Hyung [older brother or close male friend] is coming in.”

“Yes, come in.”

Kim Jung-ryul opened the door and held out a box.

It was a chicken box.

Following that, a pizza box appeared as well.

“We have to celebrate on a day like today, right?”

Song Seok-hyun, Kim Jung-ryul, and Kim In-hwan each grabbed chicken and pizza.

The three sat down and took a slice of pizza each.

“Seok-hyun-ssi [a polite way to address someone]. Congrats, congrats. It would have been perfect if the chairman had seen today’s home run.”

Song Seok-hyun chuckled at Kim Jung-ryul’s exaggerated acting.

“It’s a relief I didn’t make any errors.”

“That catcher’s interference, was that intentional?”

Song Seok-hyun shrugged.

“I aimed for it, thinking it would be good if it worked out, and if not, oh well.”

“Wow, you little rascal. You’re so clever. How did you think of that?”

“I figured they wouldn’t enforce the rules as strictly in the minor leagues as they would in the majors. The batter also swung big without much awareness, and his body drifted towards the batter’s box after the swing, so I thought it was worth a try.”

“At this point, you could go straight to the major leagues, right?”

“Would these tricks work in the major leagues? It’s only because everyone wasn’t thinking clearly today.”

Kim In-hwan poured cola for Song Seok-hyun.

“About that curveball you hit earlier.”

“Yes.”

“Did you aim for it? Your timing was perfect.”

Song Seok-hyun paused before drinking the cola and answered.

“I was expecting a curveball.”

“And if a fastball came, you’d just strike out?”

“No. If a fastball came, it would be an outside fastball, and since my bat is long, I thought I could at least foul it off even if my timing was off. I estimated the chance of a curveball to be over 70%.”

“Why a curveball? What made you think that?”

Song Seok-hyun gulped down the cola.

“First of all, I know the pitcher well. We’re from the same Woojin High School, and he’s a timid guy. Even just now, he tried to throw a beanball but couldn’t go through with it because he made eye contact with me.”

“A beanball? Was that what that was just now? I thought it just slipped?”

“It was probably a beanball.”

“Hey! But you just stood there?”

Song Seok-hyun nodded.

“I figured he wouldn’t be able to throw a beanball on purpose unless his pitch accidentally slipped.”

“Why would he throw a beanball at you?”

“I don’t really know the reason either. Maybe he just harbors some resentment towards me? He’s timid but also meticulous in his own way. That’s why he kept throwing pitches that nearly hit the previous batters. It was a build-up. And then a beanball at me. He probably would have thrown a real beanball if he hadn’t made eye contact with me.”

“Wow.”

“Wow.”

Kim Jung-ryul and Kim In-hwan clicked their tongues.

“Are you crazy? He could have thrown a beanball, but you just stood there?”

“A guy who’s smart but timid like him can never act decisively if he thinks his actions will be exposed. Especially him.”

Kim In-hwan grabbed Song Seok-hyun’s shoulder.

“Still, be careful in the future. Don’t do that. It’s too dangerous.”

Song Seok-hyun nodded once at Kim In-hwan’s serious expression.

“Yes, I’ll be careful in the future.”

“Once you get hit by a beanball, it’s not just the end of your career as a batter, but your whole life can be over. Don’t take such risks.”

“Yes.”

Kim Jung-ryul said.

“Were you absolutely sure? 100%?”

“Yes, he’s timid and smart, and he’s very conscious of his father. He was probably worried about getting called in by his father and getting scolded if things got out of hand.”

“Is he a daddy’s boy?”

“He has that tendency.”

“So you thought it would be a curveball…?”

“Thinking from the catcher’s perspective, a curveball makes the most sense. The young rookie pitcher has no control and almost threw a beanball. It’s a bases-loaded situation, and the pitcher is primarily a fastballer. There’s no way he’d call for an inside pitch, and the easiest thing to do would be an outside fastball. If I were the catcher, I would have thought he’d try to trick me one more time. He has no control, so who knows if the outside fastball will even be a strike? If the outside fastball is questionable, then a curveball isn’t a bad choice either. A curveball is easier to control than a fastball, and since he’s been throwing only fastballs, it’s good for disrupting the batter’s timing.”

“If he hasn’t thrown a curveball until now and throws it for the first time, the ball could completely slip out of his hand?”

“It’s much better than hoping for a fastball with no control. And the catcher would have been hesitant to call for a fastball again. If he’s a sharp catcher, he would have thought that the pitcher might have intentionally aimed for a beanball. So, rather than calling for a fastball and risking trouble, it’s more comfortable to call for a curveball, right?”

Kim In-hwan opened his mouth wide.

Kim Jung-ryul put down the pizza he was eating and pondered.

“You thought of all that in that short moment?”

At Kim In-hwan’s exclamation, Song Seok-hyun shook his head.

“On the plate, I just guess by feeling. I think on the bench, in the waiting batter’s box, I pick out a few options and then look at the situation on the plate and choose one of the options by feeling.”

“I’ve always thought I think too much on the plate, but it was just idle thoughts… I should have thought like you.”

“Why are you like that, hyung also had 3 hits in 4 at-bats today.”

“That’s all walks.”

“You picked out the balls [referring to his ability to recognize balls and strikes].”

“I don’t pick out balls by thinking like you, I just think I won’t hit it if it doesn’t come into the zone.”

“That’s also a method. Hyung has a fast reaction speed.”

“I wonder if I’m just swinging the bat without thinking too much.”

Kim Jung-ryul clapped twice.

“Okay, okay. Let’s stop the chatter. Let’s enjoy the feast a little. It’s Seok-hyun’s first home run and we won the game. Isn’t it a happy day?”

“Yes, I’ll eat well.”

After finishing the meal, Kim Jung-ryul and Kim In-hwan left.

Kim Jung-ryul walked around the dorm with Kim In-hwan, claiming it was for digestion.

“In-hwan-ah.”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t baseball fun these days?”

Kim In-hwan only hummed.

“Why? Aren’t you having fun? Even though baseball is going well?”

“I’m not sure if this is the right way to do it, I don’t really know.”

“What’s bothering you?”

“I feel like I should be playing baseball thinking like Seok-hyun, but I’m just swinging wildly…”

“Everyone has their own style, can you suddenly change your style? Find the answer in your own style.”

“…I need to hit the ball a bit to accumulate batting stats, but will I even get to the major leagues by just getting walks like this?”

“Take it easy. The opportunity will come soon. Before long, the day will come when you, me, and Seok-hyun will go up to the major leagues. Then baseball will be quite fun.”

“It’s easy for hyung to say that because you’re doing well these days.”

“Have confidence too. You’re the best in Korea when it comes to power.”

Kim Jung-ryul put his hands behind his back and looked at the sky.

“Baseball is really fun these days. It’s even more fun because it seems like it will be even more fun in the future.”

“Yes? What does that mean?”

“Just fun words?”

“Yes?”

* * *

[Kim Jung-ryul Starts Comeback? No Runs Allowed in First Minor League Return Game]

[Kim Jung-ryul Transformed into an Underhand Pitcher. Will the Gamble Succeed?]

[Kim Jung-ryul, The Reason for the Drastic Change]

[Today’s Baseball Hot Issue Video ‘Come See the 150km/h Throws [approximately 93 mph].’]

Kim Jung-ryul’s underhand transformation had been rumored in baseball circles, but it was dismissed as insignificant due to the nature of rehabilitation assignments.

As soon as Kim Jung-ryul officially appeared as an underhand pitcher in the minor leagues, articles poured out as if they had been waiting for it.

As Kim Jung-ryul was once the ace of the Goat and a right-handed fastballer representing Korea, his transformation to underhand became a hot topic in the baseball world.

Not only baseball information programs but also baseball communities were fiercely debating whether Kim Jung-ryul’s gamble could succeed.

On the Goat’s fan page ‘Blue Pasture,’ other stories were even more popular than Kim Jung-ryul’s.

└Is this real?

└It’s really going to be 150km/h?

└Who is that guy? Did we have a catcher like that?!!?!?!?!

└Wasn’t our catcher experiment a failure? That’s why we brought Park Shin-eon with expensive money.

└Song Seok-hyun. Undrafted player. From Woojin High School. A pitcher who was supposed to go to the major leagues a few years ago.

└A pitcher? Until a few years ago? But how is he a catcher?

└That’s probably why he’s undrafted.

└So that’s why his shoulder is good.