On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 56

“Yes! I understand!”

KPBL [Korean Professional Baseball League] was preparing a project to support minor league and amateur games.

It was none other than broadcasting games.

They had been steadily trying to broadcast minor league games, but sports broadcasting companies were reluctant.

The problem was viewership ratings.

KPBL changed direction and partnered with internet broadcasting stations to prepare for pilot broadcasts. Due to circumstances, they couldn’t broadcast all minor league games.

The first team KPBL set its sights on was Sangmu [a military baseball team comprised of professional players fulfilling their mandatory service].

Currently, Sangmu had a large number of promising players who joined this year, making them a strong team, and there were many players that even general baseball fans would know.

A big reason was that the Northern League was centered around teams from Seoul and Gyeonggi [the province surrounding Seoul], making broadcasting convenient.

As the manager left his seat, the players also relaxed.

“Wow, the team is perfect today. Gote [the name of their team].”

“If it’s Gote, it’s doable. There aren’t any guys who came down from the first team right now, are there?”

“If it’s the regular minor league members, it’s not difficult.”

“We have to win big today to save the manager’s face and get our faces plastered all over TV.”

“Isn’t the lineup good too? Young-gon is starting today.”

“Hey, does anyone have more sunscreen? I need to put more on.”

Sangmu players chatted and warmed up.

Gote players were on the bus heading to the Sangmu stadium.

Song Seok-hyun was sitting by the bus window, looking at his notebook.

-Kim Young-gon. 22 years old. Fastball, slider two-pitch. At least a domestic third starter level in other teams. Fastball and vertically dropping slider are threatening. A-grade control. Command is below B-grade. Stamina is also excellent. A-grade among prospects under 23 years old.

-Insufficient control on the body side. Hitting close to the plate is the answer, but the ball’s quality is so good that it hasn’t been very effective.

-Hong Dae-sung. 20 years old. Fastball, slider, changeup. Gote’s first-round pick in 2013. Contract amount of 600 million [Korean won, approximately $450,000 USD]. Among the top three pitchers in 2013. Fastball quality is A-grade. Control is also B-grade or higher. The horizontally breaking slider is not impressive. Changeup is also below average.

“Are you looking at mine too?”

Song Seok-hyun turned his head at the voice from beside him.

A man whose eyelids seemed to take up half of his eyes, Hong Dae-sung.

“Can I sit here?”

“Sure.”

Song Seok-hyun cleared the seat next to him.

Hong Dae-sung plopped down next to him and sighed.

“The coach told me to talk to you a bit.”

“Really? About what?”

“Just talking before the game.”

Song Seok-hyun closed his notebook.

“Do you have anything to say?”

“No, do you?”

“No pitcher, no catcher [a common saying implying they have nothing to talk about].”

“Really? Hmm… then I’ll stay here for a bit. That way I’ll have something to say to the coach.”

“Okay, do that.”

Hong Dae-sung crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

Song Seok-hyun opened his notebook and picked up his pen.

-1st batter Hong Jin-seop. Fast runner. Holds the bat short but the bat comes around. Big kicking [referring to his leg kick during his swing]. Weak against both outside and inside pitches. Hits falling balls well.

-Solution: Body side. Outside pitches as finishing pitches. Compete with fastballs.

-2nd batter Bang Jeong-wook. High-level hitter. Lacks home runs but has good eyes and contact too…

“You write really hard.”

Hong Dae-sung slightly opened his eyes.

“What are you writing so hard for? Baseball is all about working hard.”

“I need to know about the opposing team. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. Whether we win or lose, knowing is the catcher’s basic.”

“Wow, amazing. No wonder everyone says Song Seok-hyun, Song Seok-hyun.”

Song Seok-hyun stared at Hong Dae-sung without a word.

Hong Dae-sung raised his hand and waved it from side to side.

“I’m saying it sincerely. Not trying to tease you. It’s just that Jin-pil hyung [older brother/senior] and Pan-seok hyung, Cheon-un hyung, and Jin-oh hyung all say good things after playing with you, so I was curious.”

“There are a lot of things to be curious about.”

“I feel comfortable knowing that the catcher is studying hard. So, what’s our strategy for today?”

“Strategy?”

“They say we’re on TV today, so I need to do well, right?”

Song Seok-hyun put down his pen.

“Then just throw whatever I tell you to throw.”

“What, that’s too dictatorial.”

“What can I say to a pitcher who isn’t interested in today’s game? Just do what the catcher tells you to do.”

“Hey, why am I not interested in the game?”

“If you were interested, you would have talked to me yesterday about how we’re going to play today.”

“That’s because…”

“Don’t pretend to be interested when you’re not. It’s hard for me to pretend to accept someone who’s pretending to be interested. You’re the type to throw whatever the catcher tells you to throw anyway.”

“Well… that’s true.”

“If you’re not thinking and throwing, then trust the catcher and throw.”

“Can I trust you? Can you do well in today’s game?”

“Whether you trust me or not is up to you. You do your best on the mound. I’ll do my best at home plate.”

“That sounds reliable.”

Hong Dae-sung held out his hand to Song Seok-hyun.

“Let’s do well today.”

Song Seok-hyun also took Hong Dae-sung’s hand.

“Yeah, let’s do well.”

“I’ll trust you and throw. Is that enough?”

“Don’t just trust me, give me your trust too. Throw the ball well.”

“They say Kim Young-gon is coming up today, so hit a home run and let me get a win.”

“Is that something I can control?”

“If not, I won’t give up a single point.”

Song Seok-hyun and Hong Dae-sung chuckled at each other.

The car arrived at the stadium before long.

Cameras and commentators were at the stadium.

Compared to the broadcasting station’s cameras, the number and performance were lacking, but the broadcast was a welcome event for the minor league players.

Sangmu, who had finished training earlier, was resting outside the ground.

Gote players also began training one by one.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Among the Gote players, Kim In-hwan was by far the most eye-catching.

He was now swinging full even in free batting.

Even mis-hit balls were flying close to the fence.

Sangmu pitcher Kim Young-gon shook his head as he watched.

“His power is ridiculously strong.”

In contrast, Song Seok-hyun lightly pushed the ball, only adjusting his condition.

After free batting, Kim In-hwan asked Song Seok-hyun why he was hitting short.

“Because the pitcher’s ball is fast today. I tried to keep the timing as late as possible.”

As the game start time approached, the stands became noisy.

As it was a live broadcast game using a personal broadcasting platform, even reporters came and took their seats.

It was a seat they were forced to come to at KPBL’s request, but the minor league players were already nervous and constantly turned their heads to find the reporters.

-Play ball!

Gote’s attack began first.

The first batter was Kim Seung-hwan.

Gote’s center fielder and a player who was in Sangmu until last year.

He was a first-round pick, but already 25 years old.

He was performing outstandingly in the minor leagues, but there was no call-up to the major leagues.

In a booth set up on one side of the stands, the caster and commentator sat side by side to complete the setup.

“The game is starting. How do you think today’s game will unfold?”

“Yes… Sangmu’s pitcher Kim Young-gon was selected for the national team at the age of 20. He was selected because of team distribution, but he is that good of a player. I think the players will adapt after the batting order has gone around at least once. It’s important to see a lot of pitches first.”

“Speaking of which, ah! He hits the first pitch. A hit in front of the right fielder. It’s a hit.”

“He got a hit now, but it was a lucky hit. It was a Texas hit [a bloop hit that falls between the infield and outfield]. If he was the lead batter, it would have been better to see the ball a little more.”

As Kim Seung-hwan went to first base, the pitcher glanced at first base.

A surprise check and a return to base.

Kim Seung-hwan returned to base standing, not sliding.

“Kim Seung-hwan isn’t taking much of a lead. To avoid a double play, it’s important to widen the lead.”

The pitcher threw an outside fastball as the first pitch.

The batter hit it to the outside as if he had been waiting for it.

The runner ran as is and advanced to third base.

No outs, runners on 1st and 3rd.

The pitcher smiled bitterly and received the ball.

“Amazing. Both the first and second batters hit the first pitch.”

“Usually, when you come out as the lead batter in the first inning, it’s standard to watch the ball for a long time. But today, Gote is very aggressive.”

“And Kim In-hwan is coming out as the third batter. Isn’t Kim In-hwan’s power the best in the league?”

“It’s not just the best in the league, it’s safe to say it’s the best of all time. He’s a batter with tremendous power. He’s a batter who hit consecutive home runs to the opposite field even in Jamsil [a large baseball stadium in Seoul]. Any fly ball hit by Kim In-hwan is a home run.”

“Maybe if his accuracy was a little higher, we could have seen him more often in the major leagues.”

“Kim In-hwan is still young, so there’s plenty of time.”

The time Kim Young-gon spent exchanging signs with the catcher became longer.

No outs, runners on 1st and 3rd, and the batter is Kim In-hwan.

Kim In-hwan turned his head and looked at the on-deck circle.

In the on-deck circle, Song Seok-hyun, who was selected as the 4th batter today, was warming up with a bat ring on.

Catching Success

Young Gun (2)

Kim Young-gon chose an outside fastball as the first pitch.

-Strike!

Kim In-hwan didn’t move.

The pitcher chose an outside fastball again.

-Ball, outside.

Kim In-hwan didn’t react this time either.

‘Slider, from the center to the bottom.’

If there’s no reaction to the outside, he has no choice but to go further inside.

The catcher induced a swing and miss with a falling ball.

Isn’t Kim In-hwan’s weakness a falling ball?

Bang.

-Ball, low.

Kim In-hwan’s bat almost went out.

2-1.

The catcher frowned.

This isn’t the Kim In-hwan he knows.

He knew Kim In-hwan’s power, but he was a batter whose bat came out easily.

The catcher glanced at Kim In-hwan’s glasses.

Could it be because of that?

‘Slider, to the bottom.’

The catcher tried again.

Luck or skill?

The pitcher dropped the slider to the bottom.

-Ball, outside.

3-1.

The batter’s count.

Kim In-hwan was unmoved.

The catcher’s choice was simple.

“Ah, he’s just walking him.”

“There’s no need to face Kim In-hwan head-on, right?”

“Kim In-hwan’s problem was excessive aggressiveness, but this time he showed a very calm appearance.”

“If Kim In-hwan maintains this calmness even in the major leagues, he will definitely show a great performance.”

“The 4th batter is… yes, the catcher is coming in. It’s Song Seok-hyun.”

“He’s a rookie who joined this year? It’s rare to use a rookie as a catcher, even in the minor leagues. I wonder if there’s a problem with the existing catchers.”

“No outs, bases loaded. It’s a burdensome situation for a rookie, right?”

“The bench is probably praying that he doesn’t hit into a double play. Rookies are divided into two types in situations like this. They either wait for the ball completely, or they swing from the start. They don’t have the composure to look at the ball and choose. In this situation, it’s better to wait.”

Song Seok-hyun spread his legs and laid down his bat.

A stride that is one foot shorter than other batters.

A bat that is one inch longer than other batters.

The catcher scanned Song Seok-hyun up and down.

‘Fastball, inside.’

The fact that a rookie’s stride is short often means that it’s to increase accuracy.

If a batter who needs to increase accuracy has brought a long bat?

He must have shortened his swing for accuracy, and if the swing is short, less power will be applied, so even if he hits an outside ball, it won’t extend.

The catcher’s conclusion was that he had prepared a long bat to offset the obvious shortcomings.

It was clear that he was aiming for an outside ball, so he was planning to intimidate the batter with one inside ball and then see his reaction by stabbing an outside ball.

Okay.

The pitcher nodded.

Kim Young-gon on the mound is one of the best pitchers of his age.

Regardless of age, he is currently a top 20-30 domestic pitcher.

A left-handed fireballer’s inside fastball.

He was confident that it would be a difficult ball to hit even if you knew it was coming.

“Hiss.”

As the pitcher wound up, Song Seok-hyun took a short breath.

He pulled his left armpit inward and slightly relaxed the strength in his right shoulder.

“Kim Young-gon’s first pitch.”