On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 69

“I know. I’ve already done all the reporting, but I couldn’t post the article, so I know it even better.”

“Why couldn’t you post the article?”

“With the Goth situation as it is now, do you think they’d accept an interview request?”

“Ah, that’s true.”

“Song Seok-hyun, I directly covered what he did with the managing director. Wow, it was amazing. He was beating up Kim Young-gon. He was hitting home runs left and right, it was scary. His power seemed better than Kim In-hwan’s.”

“Really? Can there be someone stronger than Kim In-hwan?”

“Kim In-hwan might be stronger in pure strength. But when it comes to swinging the bat, he might be stronger. There’s a reason for that.”

“What’s the reason?”

“I can’t tell you that, I need to use it myself.”

“Oh, come on.”

“Anyway. I thought I’d see Song Seok-hyun in the first team someday, but I never thought I’d see him so soon, and as the cleanup hitter.”

“Song Seok-hyun?”

The reporters took out their notebooks and started writing.

Some were searching for Song Seok-hyun on the internet and reading about him.

* * *

At that moment.

Song Seok-hyun was out of his mind, hugging his bat.

Cleanup hitter.

First debut.

He wondered if it was a dream.

His head went completely white. The sounds he heard were like tinnitus [ringing in the ears].

Time flew by in a daze.

Before he knew it, the national anthem was playing, signaling the start of the game.

Only then did Song Seok-hyun come to his senses.

Once the game started, he would be at bat.

First debut in the first team as the cleanup hitter.

Song Seok-hyun felt his heart burning just from the national anthem.

-Play ball!

The game started.

Song Seok-hyun gripped the bat tightly in his hand.

Phoenix Game (2)

“What are you doing?”

“Pardon?”

“What are you doing hugging the bat?”

Song Seok-hyun was looking at the ground with a dazed expression.

Park Shin-eon came and sat next to Song Seok-hyun.

“Song Seok-hyun.”

“Yes.”

“You should be watching the game. What’s with the cuddling with the bat?”

Only then did Song Seok-hyun properly see himself.

“I’m sorry.”

“Where’s your notebook?”

“Notebook?”

Song Seok-hyun blinked.

Park Shin-eon flicked Song Seok-hyun’s forehead.

“Hey. Wake up, man. What’s your position?”

Song Seok-hyun rubbed his forehead.

“Ah, ouch. Catcher.”

“Not designated hitter, catcher, right?”

“Yes.”

“Did you read today’s scouting report?”

“…Yes, I read it.”

“That’s good.”

Park Shin-eon snapped his fingers.

“Then you should take out your notebook and write things down. What’s the opposing pitcher’s condition like? What are the catcher’s signs like? What’s the umpire’s zone like today? Umpires are people too. Each umpire has a different tendency, and even the same umpire’s zone changes a little every day. If we’re batting first, we can see the umpire’s tendency and zone in advance. That way, we can get a sense of how to approach the next inning, right?”

“…That’s right.”

“You should be preparing for the next inning instead of spacing out here. Are you acting like this because you’re not playing as catcher today?”

“No, that’s not it. I was being shortsighted.”

“Don’t hug the bat like a *bamboo wife* [a type of body pillow made of bamboo] just because you’re not playing as catcher today. Take out your notebook. Write it down. Write it down every inning. Review and organize it that day when it’s over. Organize and review it every day. That’s how you gain confidence every game, every inning. Is it okay to just look at the paper the scouting team gives you and think, ‘The umpire is stingy on the outside, so I shouldn’t throw outside’?”

“…No, it’s not.”

“Did you bring your notebook?”

Song Seok-hyun pressed his lips tightly.

Then, pitcher Lee Chang-hoon, who had been watching from the side, chimed in.

“Why are you picking on him from the first day? He must be out of his mind since it’s his first start today.”

“It’s basic, basic. I’m teaching him the basics as a catcher.”

“Who said anything? Take it easy. What are you going to do if you scold him when he’s about to go up to bat?”

While Song Seok-hyun was being scolded by Park Shin-eon, the second batter was already out.

Third batter Kim In-hwan stepped up to the plate.

Song Seok-hyun, the cleanup hitter, also had to go to the on-deck circle.

“Look at that. In the end, he didn’t even see the ball properly because he was listening to you.”

“Hey, are you saying it’s my fault?”

“I’m saying you should scold him later. He has to hit the ball.”

Song Seok-hyun turned around and bowed to Park Shin-eon before going out of the dugout.

“Thank you for teaching me, senior.”

Song Seok-hyun went to the on-deck circle and put on his batting gloves.

Lee Chang-hoon came next to Park Shin-eon and poked him in the side.

“But why the sudden nagging? You’re usually so quiet.”

“He’s a green rookie. I’m teaching him as a senior.”

“You’re not picking on him because you’re upset that he came to the first team with a free pass, are you?”

“Tsk, what do you take me for?”

Lee Chang-hoon chuckled and crossed his legs.

“Still, it’s good to see. It’s rare for you to be so proactive.”

“What?”

“Honestly, you’ve always been on your own.”

“That’s because I hate things like factions. Free Agents [FAs] gather together, purebloods gather together, things like that.”

“Nak-kyun and Moon-gyu are gone too, so now you should step up and fix the atmosphere. If Jung-ryul is in the pitcher’s group, you’re the oldest in the infielder’s group.”

“I’m just not the type for that kind of thing.”

“You’re being nice to him, but you say you won’t do it.”

Park Shin-eon crossed his arms and looked at Song Seok-hyun.

“He’s a catcher.”

“So? Is that position discrimination?”

Park Shin-eon didn’t answer.

He just stared at Song Seok-hyun’s back.

-Ball, outside.

Meanwhile.

Kim In-hwan was driven to a full count of 2-3.

Song Seok-hyun gripped his bat and matched his frequency to the pitcher’s rhythm.

“It’s definitely going to be a walk…”

The opposing catcher, Kim Chang-hyun, is only asking the pitcher to throw outside.

Every ball thrown so far has been a full outside ball or a breaking ball.

The announcer said.

“It looks like they’re going to give him a walk, right?”

“Yes, Song Seok-hyun, a rookie, is the cleanup hitter today. So there’s no need to compete with third batter Kim In-hwan. All they need is one out.”

“There have been massive player changes since acting manager Ham Sung-hoon took the helm, and using a rookie as the cleanup hitter is really unconventional.”

“Unconventionality is a double-edged sword. If it succeeds, it’s to the manager’s credit, but if it fails, he’ll be swept up in enormous criticism.”

“Nevertheless, there must be a reason why they used a rookie as the cleanup hitter, right?”

“Choi Dae-gyu, Kang Moon-gyu, Lee Nak-kyun. Three key hitters on the team have been demoted to the second team. In addition, bullpen pitchers have also been sent down to the second team. They recognized that there was an overload in the first team and took a break, but the problem is that they replaced too many at once. Goth isn’t originally a team with a strong bat, is it? That’s why they brought in three hitters as free agents, but all three hitters went to the second team, so there’s no choice but to take a gamble.”

“As we speak, Kim In-hwan is eventually walking on a walk.”

“Beron doesn’t look happy. I saw that player during spring training, and he’s quite hot-tempered. He’s got a fast ball and a quick temper. He’s a player who enjoys head-to-head matchups, so he’s going to be quite upset that he was given a walk outright.”

“Among foreign players, there are often cases where they ignore the catcher’s signs and throw, right?”

“Korean baseball is a bit safety-oriented, but the American atmosphere is to compete by throwing your own ball even if you get hit. When an aggressive pitcher comes to Korea, they have a hard time adapting to that.”

Song Seok-hyun stepped up to the plate.

The catcher looked at Song Seok-hyun, who was clearly nervous, and smirked.

“Hooah.”

Song Seok-hyun took a deep breath in and out as he stepped up to the plate.

As expected of the popular team Goth and the defending champion Phoenix, the Daejeon Baseball Stadium was sold out in the infield seats, except for the outfield.

Goth fans in white and red uniforms shouted Song Seok-hyun’s name in unison.

“Hit! Song Seok-hyun! Hit! Song Seok-hyun!”

“Song Seok-hyun! Blast it away!”

“Run! Goth! Blast it away! Song Seok-hyun!”

Thousands of people are calling his name.

He’s been to the baseball stadium a lot, but it was the first time that thousands of spectators cheered his name.

-Strike!

While Song Seok-hyun was frozen, the pitcher threw a 151km/h fastball.

“Ah.”

Song Seok-hyun only came to his senses a little after giving up a strike.

It’s definitely so loud that his ears are ringing, but his vision is blurry as if he’s not fully awake.

Bang!

-Strike!

The second pitch was also a 152km/h fastball.

Song Seok-hyun couldn’t even swing his bat.

“Ah, Song Seok-hyun. He’s watching it again. It was a high ball.”

“Since he’s a rookie, the first game, the debut game, is bound to be difficult. Besides, he’s the cleanup hitter, isn’t he? The pressure is enormous.”

“Song Seok-hyun is missing a good opportunity. The Phoenix battery is coming out aggressively.”

“There’s no risk of a double play anyway. Even if he strikes out, Song Seok-hyun should swing his bat coolly and come in.”

The catcher gave a sign.

‘Slider, outside.’

One ball that falls out after two strikes.

It was a textbook combination, but the pitcher shook his head.

He was determined to overcome his bruised pride with a head-to-head match after avoiding a match with Kim In-hwan.

Fastball, inside.

The catcher decided to follow the pitcher’s lead.

There are few opponents as easy as a frozen rookie hitter.

The pitcher twisted his body as much as possible and threw the ball.

The pitcher’s full power throw reached a top speed of nearly 155km/h.

Thwack.

Song Seok-hyun fouled the fastball on the inside.

“Song Seok-hyun’s reaction is slow.”

“Still, he managed to avoid a strikeout. That’s fortunate for Goth, right?”

“Is it because he’s only been in the second team that he hasn’t seen such a fast ball? His swing seems to be very late.”

“It’s amazing that a foul came out now. Song Seok-hyun, he’s still following the ball. It seems like he has the ability to hit it.”

The pitcher received the ball from the catcher.

He’s a kid who would be playing in the rookie league if he were in the major leagues.

It’s quite something that he hit his ball, but luck doesn’t come twice.

‘Fastball, outside.’

The catcher gave a sign and nodded.

It was a signal to shake off the worry that the batter might get hit and throw the ball with all his might on the outside.

The pitcher checked the runner once with his eyes and then wound up his arm and threw the ball.

The ball was perfectly sucked into the outside border line.

When the catcher’s mitt was about to catch the ball, there was a thwack sound.

“A hit to the right center! The ball is rolling to the fence! The first base runner steps on second base and goes to third! The batter runner goes to second, second, all the way to second base!”

“That was really good timing for a hit. It was a no-ball, two-strike situation, but he made it a hit.”

“The Phoenix battery must be feeling pretty bad. They could have ended it with a strikeout, but they give up a scoring opportunity with two outs and runners on second and third.”

“I thought the bat was coming out late? I thought he would naturally be pushed back because Beron’s ball is fast and heavy, but he overcomes it with strength.”

“Is it because the cleanup hitter is different? He’s quite a strong hitter.”

Song Seok-hyun, who arrived at second base, was panting.

The ball got caught on the end of the bat that went out in a daze.

He was lucky that the ball went into the ground, but he couldn’t remember how he hit it.

“He hit that. He’s got a decent bat?”

At pitcher Lee Chang-hoon’s words, Park Shin-eon nodded.

“Good shoulder, good bat… We’ve got a good one for once.”

“Are you going to lose your spot to him?”

At Lee Chang-hoon’s joke, Park Shin-eon shrugged.

“If I lose it because of skill, I can’t help it.”

“What, what’s with that reaction? How bland.”

“He’s got good hardware. If we patch the software well, it’ll be worth watching.”

Fifth batter Choi Jae-wan came to the plate.

He was still a young player at 22 years old, but he was a promising player who Goth had marked as their next third baseman, and he was a solid player in both offense and defense.

-Strike! Out!

“Choi Jae-wan’s bat can’t keep up with the ball.”

“It’s difficult to attack Beron’s ball in the first inning. You have to go through one at-bat to get used to it.”

“Goth’s attack ends with two outs and runners left on second and third base, thanks to Song Seok-hyun’s hit.”