On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 63

Two Strikes.

The bench signaled to remove the sign.

Now, the batter had to figure it out himself.

Park Sang-yeon took a breath and made eye contact with the first base runner.

Bang Jeong-wook and Park Sang-yeon often exchanged signals as shortstop and catcher.

They knew what each other wanted just by looking at each other.

Jeong Jin-oh’s third pitch.

Bang Jeong-wook took off for second base.

The pitch was a fastball that missed outside.

The batter swung awkwardly.

Whack!

-Strike! Out!

The ball, starting outside, nipped the edge of the strike zone at the last moment.

Backdoor slider [a pitch that appears to be outside but curves into the strike zone].

The advantage a left-handed pitcher has against a right-handed batter.

The fastball starting outside was a good pitch for the catcher to throw to.

Thwack!

Song Seok-hyun’s throw flew to second base.

Bang Jeong-wook also had a quick start.

The second baseman blocked the front of the base as soon as he caught the ball.

Just in time, Bang Jeong-wook reached out his hand to the base.

Whoosh.

Dust flew.

The umpire hesitated to make the call.

The second baseman pointed to his glove, and Bang Jeong-wook pointed to the base.

……Out.

At the umpire’s call, Bang Jeong-wook jumped up and shouted, “Safe!”

Out.

The umpire did not reverse the call.

Bang Jeong-wook started to protest but held back.

“……Hoo.”

The second baseman clenched his fist as if he had made a great play.

A slightly high throw.

Half of the tag by the second baseman was lucky.

“Hehehehe.”

The Sangmu coach laughed loudly.

The louder the coach’s laughter, the deeper the players’ silence.

“Someone, take that Song Seok-hyun and promote him to the first team. Huh?”

There was no response to the coach’s joke.

A long silence hung over the Goat bench.

Although they didn’t score any additional points, the coach came out himself, clapping and welcoming the players.

“Good job. Good concentration.”

The coach patted Ji Shin-jun, the second baseman, on the butt.

“Good today. As expected, Shin-jun is the best on defense.”

And finally, he gave a thumbs up to Song Seok-hyun, who came in last, without saying a word.

Top of the 9th inning.

The first batter was Song Seok-hyun.

Park Sang-yeon sat at home plate and greeted Song Seok-hyun as he stepped up to the plate.

“Good arm.”

Song Seok-hyun replied to Park Sang-yeon’s joke with one word.

“Yes.”

Park Sang-yeon immediately signaled.

Outside changeup [a slow pitch designed to disrupt the batter’s timing].

He had been struggling with inside pitches all day, so even if the ball was near the outside edge of the zone, he would swing.

Park Sang-yeon’s prediction was reasonable, and it played out as expected.

Clang!

The ball was slightly outside.

Song Seok-hyun swung at it with a full swing.

The ball, hit off the end of the bat, floated weakly and high.

The ball flew straight towards the right fielder.

The right fielder walked slowly and held out his glove.

One step, two steps, three steps, four steps…….

Thud.

The ball, which had passed just beyond the right fielder’s glove, barely cleared the right-field fence.

Song Seok-hyun tossed his bat.

“Nice hit, too.”

Song Seok-hyun ran to first base.

Park Sang-yeon was stunned by the fly ball that became a home run and couldn’t respond to Song Seok-hyun’s words.

“I’m going crazy…….”

It was clearly a weak hit, but it went for a home run.

It was amazing that he hit the outside pitch, but it was even more amazing that he swung with a full swing.

Is a full swing possible without confidence?

It doesn’t make sense to be sure that the outside pitch would come.

It makes even less sense to decide to swing fully at the outside pitch.

If that’s true, then Song Seok-hyun should be called a hunter, not a batter.

A hunter who sets traps and waits.

Park Sang-yeon watched Song Seok-hyun running toward home plate.

“…….”

“…….”

The two looked at each other, wordlessly.

Song Seok-hyun went straight to the bench.

Just a solo home run.

The Goat finished the game without scoring any additional points.

It was a big win for Sangmu, but the atmosphere was the opposite.

Sangmu was like a funeral home, while the Goat players had smiles on their faces, as if today’s defeat was nothing.

“Thank you for your hard work!”

After the game, Sangmu coach Jeong Sang-hoon headed to the Goat bench instead of leaving.

Goat coach Gu Chang-hyun also waited for Jeong Sang-hoon without leaving.

“Coach Gu, I’m sorry about today.”

Jeong Sang-hoon took off his hat and extended his hand to Gu Chang-hyun.

“No. It’s okay.”

Gu Chang-hyun took Jeong Sang-hyun’s hand.

“I got carried away. Song Seok-hyun, why is his arm so good?”

“I know, right? His arm seems to be the best among all catchers I’ve ever seen.”

“The best you’ve ever seen? It’s completely different, even though he used to be a pitcher.”

“Thank you for your compliment.”

“I was rude today. Let’s have a drink sometime.”

“Yes, Coach.”

“Wait a minute.”

Jeong Sang-hoon approached Song Seok-hyun, who was packing his equipment in one corner.

“Song Seok-hyun.”

“Yes?”

Song Seok-hyun got up from his seat.

Jeong Sang-hoon extended his hand to Song Seok-hyun.

Song Seok-hyun also grabbed his hand, somewhat surprised.

“Don’t you have any plans to complete your military service soon? Come next year. I’ll draft you right away. How about it?”

“Uh…… Well…… That’s something I need to discuss with the club.”

“Hahaha, the sooner you complete your military service, the better. Anyway, Shin-eon and Il-hyeok are on the first team right now. Don’t waste your skills in vain and join the military quickly. When you’re discharged, you’ll be the Goat’s main catcher. Remember my offer. It’s my first time making such an offer to a twenty-year-old. Got it?”

Song Seok-hyun bowed.

“Thank you for seeing me in a good light.”

“Okay, let’s see each other often in the future. Next time, I’ll definitely steal a base from you. Be prepared, too. Got it?”

“Yes.”

“Hahaha. Okay, okay.”

Jeong Sang-hoon left.

Goat coach Gu Chang-hyun approached Song Seok-hyun and patted him on the shoulder.

“You saved us from a complete embarrassment today. Good job.”

“No.”

“You worked hard today.”

After the game, the Goat players returned to the second team’s dormitory.

While Song Seok-hyun was washing up and relaxing in his room, the phone rang.

It was coach Gu Chang-hyun.

“Come to the coach’s office for a moment. Right now.”

Song Seok-hyun hung up the phone and headed to the coach’s office.

Gu Chang-hyun and a man were sitting in the coach’s office.

The man was wearing a Goat uniform, but his face and physique looked like an ordinary office worker.

“Oh, you’re here? Come here.”

Gu Chang-hyun called Song Seok-hyun closer.

The man turned his head and made eye contact with Song Seok-hyun.

Gu Chang-hyun pointed to Song Seok-hyun and said to the man.

“This is Song Seok-hyun. He’s the Goat’s future.”

The man got up from his seat.

The man was not tall either.

He had a gentle face, fair skin, and wore gold-rimmed glasses.

The man extended his hand.

“Ah, nice to meet you. My name is Ham Seong-hoon.”

Song Seok-hyun shook the man’s hand and looked at Gu Chang-hyun.

His eyes were asking for an explanation.

Ham Seong-hoon spoke instead of Gu Chang-hyun.

“I was the Goat’s head coach until now. I’ll be the acting coach from tomorrow.”

Song Seok-hyun’s mind raced.

Coach, acting.

It was just one word, but it implied many changes.

Ham Seong-hoon shook Song Seok-hyun’s hand.

“Congratulations. Pack your bags today. You’re going to Jamsil tomorrow.”

Song Seok-hyun blinked.

Ham Seong-hoon’s white and slender hand felt surprisingly firm.

“Excuse me?”

“I guess I had to be the one to tell you. Please take care of me. Let’s work well together starting tomorrow.”

“……Yes?”

Gu Chang-hyun laughed at Song Seok-hyun, who looked dazed.

Catcher’s Success Story

Coach Im Eui-soo (1)

A few days ago.

Three men appeared at a Japanese restaurant in Gangnam [a wealthy district in Seoul].

Two of them were dressed in neat suits, while one was wearing a faded shirt and a wrinkled suit.

“Here, have some.”

The man who appeared to be the oldest held up a kettle of sake [Japanese rice wine].

The man’s name was Lee Hwa-seong.

He was the president of the Goat baseball team.

The one who received the drink was Im Eui-soo.

He was the current first team coach of the Goat.

The man sitting silently was Kim Myeong-soo, the general manager of the Goat.

The three people, who could be considered the leaders of the team, were sharing a drink during a Monday lunch.

“Coach Im.”

“Yes.”

President Lee Hwa-seong smiled kindly.

“You must be having a hard time these days, right?”

“No.”

“I know that you’re the one who is having the hardest time here.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Baseball isn’t something that always goes as planned. Haha. Isn’t that right, General Manager Kim?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“But there are some things that are a bit disappointing. I think it’s too early to have fallen back to 5th place.”

Im Eui-soo let out a shallow breath.

“It’s just a temporary setback. We’ll be back up soon.”

“Of course, of course. We were doing well in April, weren’t we? We trust Coach Im. After all, only those who have won championships know how to win them, haha.”

“……I’ll try my best.”

“I always support Coach Im, but I hope you understand that I’m also in a position to lead the club. Even fences can’t withstand strong winds [a Korean proverb meaning that even the strongest defenses can be overcome by powerful forces].”

After a short meal, the president and general manager got up from their seats.

Im Eui-soo bowed as the two left in the car.

“……Hoo.”

The car drove away.