On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 62

Clang, clang.

“Alright, alright. Let’s focus!”

Song Seok-hyun said to the pitcher in a loud voice.

The top of the 1st inning ended with 6 runs allowed.

The number of pitches in the 1st inning was thirty-three.

The pitcher, returning to the bench, was exhausted and panting.

“Let’s catch up one point at a time. Focus.”

Top of the 2nd inning.

The lead batter was Song Seok-hyun.

As Song Seok-hyun came up, catcher Park Sang-yeon’s gestures became frantic.

The Sangmu bench was also giving out loud signals.

“…….”

Song Seok-hyun, the person in question, stood still.

Hwang Jun-pyo’s first pitch was a fastball inside.

Song Seok-hyun didn’t move.

-Strike!

The battery coach of Goat, Kim Tae-woo, frowned.

“It’s too deep. Who’s going to swing at that if you give it like that?”

The pitching coach next to him said.

“We wouldn’t mind if we could just throw it there. It’s because we can’t.”

The second pitch was also a fastball inside.

Song Seok-hyun didn’t budge this time either.

Park Sang-yeon’s hands were even busier before the third pitch.

The pitcher shook his head, and the catcher gave the signal again.

The umpire even told them to hurry up, but the signals didn’t end easily.

Nod.

After a long exchange of signals, the pitcher nodded.

Big wind-up and pitch.

-Strike! Out!

This time, it was also a deep inside pitch.

Usually, it was a place one ball deeper than the strike zone.

Song Seok-hyun stood there and took a called strikeout.

Park Sang-yeon looked at Song Seok-hyun’s expression with a flushed face.

As soon as Song Seok-hyun struck out, he left the plate without any regret and returned to the bench.

“……What, how boring.”

Park Sang-yeon licked his lips.

When Song Seok-hyun, called the core of the batting lineup, was silent, Goat’s batting lineup became a cannon soaked in water.

In the 2nd inning, three consecutive batters grounded out.

In the bottom of the 2nd inning, Sangmu scored an additional point, widening the score to 9-0.

“Yeah!”

“Let’s destroy them today!”

“Crush Goat!”

The Sangmu players raised their voices even louder, as if they wanted to be heard on purpose.

The balance of the game had already tilted.

A game like flat beer.

The game caught fire again from the bottom of the 3rd inning.

Out!

2nd batter, Bang Jeong-wook, failed to steal second.

The player who steals the best on the Sangmu team failed to steal for the second day in a row.

The Goat’s batting line was soaked, and the pitcher’s ball was dull, but the catcher’s shoulder was very angry.

The Sangmu coach, Jung Sang-hoon, called the coach.

“Today, all the kids have a green light. Make them succeed in stealing second base, no matter what.”

The aspect of the game turned into a fight for pride, not victory or defeat.

Success as a Catcher

Young Gun (7)

Nine out of ten teams that suffer a big loss would rather the game end quickly.

There is no sign of a comeback, and the score difference is huge.

A big score difference tends to relax not only the losing team but also the winning team, but…….

“……What? A bunt?”

The Goat’s coach, Gu Chang-hyun, frowned.

4th inning.

The score difference is 11-1.

The 2nd batter, Bang Jeong-wook, took advantage of the loose defense and bunted, running to first base.

“What?”

“Is he crazy?”

“What is he trying to do?”

The Goat bench was also agitated.

There is an unwritten rule in baseball.

The unwritten rule is neither law nor morality, but the loyalty of the same industry.

The unwritten rule of baseball is not to do unnecessary things that scratch the opponent’s nerves with a big score difference.

Bang Jeong-wook’s bunt froze the languid air.

“…….”

The first baseman, Lee Myeong-seong, left Bang Jeong-wook behind and breathed roughly.

The first base coach approached Bang Jeong-wook and tapped his butt.

It was a signal asking why he did that.

Bang Jeong-wook whispered to the base coach.

“Steal…….”

The base coach nodded slightly.

The Sangmu coach on the bench had been crossing his legs and staring at the ground since earlier.

Blocked by Song Seok-hyun’s throw, he had been caught stealing every time since yesterday.

The coach was determined to get proper revenge.

Stealing with a big score difference could lead to a bench-clearing brawl, but this is the Futures League [a developmental professional baseball league].

The opposing team is Sangmu [the athletic corps of the South Korean Armed Forces].

No team can afford to make enemies with the Sangmu and National Police Agency teams.

Sangmu and the National Police Agency were the strongholds of players who had not yet completed their military service.

In addition, the Sangmu coach was more than 6 years senior to the Goat coach.

The Sangmu coach, Jung Sang-hoon, concluded that Goat might be displeased, but he wouldn’t be able to make things big.

A big score difference was an opportunity to steal comfortably.

“…….”

Song Seok-hyun couldn’t fathom the mind of Sangmu coach Jung Sang-hoon.

However, the fact that he had broken the unwritten rule made his breathing even heavier.

“Ahem, ahem.”

The 3rd batter, Park Sang-yeon, cleared his throat and entered the plate.

As he stood at the plate, he kept glancing at Song Seok-hyun.

“No beanballs [a pitch intentionally thrown at the batter’s head]. Stop looking.”

Park Sang-yeon pretended not to hear Song Seok-hyun’s words.

The pitcher on the mound was Jung Jang-hoon.

He was a sidearm pitcher.

His control wasn’t great, but like a sidearm pitcher, the end of his pitches were dirty.

Song Seok-hyun gave a sign.

Jung Jang-hoon widened his eyes and nodded.

Thwack!

As Jung Jang-hoon threw the ball, Bang Jeong-wook ran to second base.

The batter had to swing, but he stepped back behind the plate.

A high ball that stuck close to the body.

As soon as Song Seok-hyun caught the ball, he threw it to second base.

Smack!

The second baseman caught the ball and naturally tagged the runner’s leg.

“Out!”

The umpire declared out in a loud voice.

Bang Jeong-wook confirmed the out, then lay back and sighed.

“Hey.”

Park Sang-yeon looked at Song Seok-hyun with a dumbfounded face.

Song Seok-hyun got up from his seat and stretched.

“It wasn’t a beanball, was it?”

Park Sang-yeon hesitated to approach Song Seok-hyun to say something.

The atmosphere on the ground is chilly.

If he argued with Song Seok-hyun, a beanball might really fly over his head.

“Okay, I believe you.”

Park Sang-yeon entered the plate.

The second pitch was an outside slider.

Park Sang-yeon just tapped it.

The ball passed over the second baseman’s head for a hit.

Park Sang-yeon unpacked his equipment at first base.

“Hey, it won’t be fun if you hit me.”

The Sangmu’s 4th batter, Hwang Young-shik, looked at Song Seok-hyun as he entered the plate.

Song Seok-hyun didn’t answer.

Hwang Young-shik didn’t provoke Song Seok-hyun any further.

Hwang Young-shik glanced at the bench.

Run and hit [a play where the runner attempts to steal as the batter swings].

The pitcher checked the runner repeatedly.

It was a season when the sunlight had become warmer, but the stadium was cold.

Thwack!

As the pitcher threw the first pitch, first base runner Park Sang-yeon ran to second base.

The batter Hwang Young-shik swung, but it was a slider that went outside.

Song Seok-hyun moved his left leg forward to catch the ball, then turned his body and threw the ball to second base.

Whoosh!

Park Sang-yeon slid headfirst, raising dust.

“……Ha.”

Park Sang-yeon felt the touch of the glove blocking the front of the base.

Out!

Runner failed to steal for the second time in a row.

The Sangmu bench was careful even with their breathing.

“He catches even when he throws breaking balls……?”

The Sangmu coach let out a hollow laugh.

On the Goat bench, they realized Sangmu’s intentions with the continuous stealing attempts.

As the inning ended, the Goat’s coach called Song Seok-hyun.

“I don’t care if you give up ten home runs, don’t throw breaking balls today. Just go with fastballs. No, if that’s too hard, just throw fastballs.”

“Yes, coach.”

The 11-1 score difference continued until the 6th and 7th innings.

Song Seok-hyun recorded a strikeout, a walk, and a strikeout.

Song Seok-hyun chose to strike out instead of swinging at the umpire’s generous inside pitches.

The climax of the game came in the 8th inning.

One out, runner on first.

The runner is the 2nd batter, Bang Jeong-wook, and the batter is the 3rd batter, catcher Park Sang-yeon.

A situation identical to the 4th inning.

Goat replaced the pitcher.

“Huh, Jung Jin-oh.”

Park Sang-yeon took a breath.

A player who should be rotating in the starting rotation came up in a situation where they were trailing by 10 points. It was a sign that Goat could no longer tolerate the humiliation.

Since Jung Jin-oh was a left-handed pitcher, stealing became more difficult as a bonus.

Park Sang-yeon looked at the bench.

Run and hit.

Hit it no matter what.

Park Sang-yeon put more weight on his front leg.

He gives up on long hits.

As Jung Jin-oh threw the ball, the runner ran.

Clack.

The first pitch was a foul.

It was a fastball inside.

“Ah…….”

Park Sang-yeon blamed himself.

It was a fastball in the strike zone, but he was pushed back by the power.

He checked the bench’s signal again.

The signal was the same.

Hit it.

No matter what.

Jung Jin-oh’s 2nd pitch.

Clack!

Park Sang-yeon fouled again.

The bat was pushed back again by the ball coming high inside.

“Sang-yeon’s bat is late, late.”

The hitting coach wet his dry lips at the Sangmu coach’s mutter.