On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 9

Song Seok-hyun bit his lip tightly.

He didn’t usually cry much, but he could feel his eyes burning.

“It’s not because I think I’m so great that I’m doing this for you. I’m just giving you a chance because I feel sorry for you. It’s not a great opportunity, and you might get cut at any time as an undrafted free agent from high school, but you should at least have a chance so you don’t feel so wronged. Right?”

“…Thank you. Thank you, Coach.”

“Do you really want to go?”

“Yes, of course. Absolutely.”

“It’s the same everywhere, but going to fill a vacancy usually isn’t for a good spot. Usually, people leave because it’s tough or difficult. Still, if it’s the Gotes [a fictional baseball team], it’s in Seoul, and the facilities for the Futures League [minor league] are pretty good.”

“I don’t care as long as I can play baseball.”

“Hoo, okay. With that attitude, it’ll be easier to endure even if it’s hard. It’s tough to get treated well anywhere as an undrafted free agent from high school. But try to hang in there. If you show at least some potential, you might get another chance or two from other teams even if you get cut.”

“Yes, yes, Coach.”

“And this.”

Lee Ki-sung handed over a memo.

“I got this too. It’s the number for the Gotes Futures League front office. They said they’re looking for a catcher. I don’t know much about it either, since I got introduced through someone. First, call this number, state your name, and explain yourself well.”

Song Seok-hyun took the memo.

The memo was just a yellow sticky note, but it shone with a golden light in Song Seok-hyun’s eyes.

The cold wind of late autumn warmed his whole body like a spring breeze.

Just a little while ago, he was barely an undrafted free agent, but now it was like a rope sent down from heaven.

“Thank you. I won’t forget your kindness, Coach.”

“Kindness, my foot. It’s just a little thing like this. I just asked for a contact because I felt sorry for a junior who plays baseball. I don’t intend to brag about this. You might get cut soon after you go there. Don’t get too excited. You might get hurt again.”

“You’re the first person who’s ever done this for me, Coach. I really won’t forget this kindness.”

“Okay, okay. Kindness, my foot, it’s embarrassing. Now get up. Contact them quickly. It’s better to do it before they contact other guys.”

“Ah… Yes!”

Lee Ki-sung held out his hand to Song Seok-hyun.

“This is just the starting line. There’s still a long way to go before your pro debut. If you go in as an undrafted player, most guys can’t even make their pro debut even if they work their butts off all year. Even if you get drafted, only a small number of guys get to play a full season in the first team. Go and work hard. Whatever the result, work hard so you don’t have any regrets. If you work hard in a vague way like me, you’ll have vague regrets, and that’s a painful thing too.”

“Thank you, Coach. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Lee Ki-sung put his hands in his pockets.

“Now go. I’ll cheer you on. If you want to repay my kindness, be sure to make your pro debut and appear on TV. Then I can think that my meddling was a good thing, and feel proud. Repay my kindness that way. Got it?”

“Yes, yes. I understand.”

Song Seok-hyun pressed down on his reddened eyes and held back his tears.

Success as a Catcher

Accepted…?

On the way home after parting with the coach,

Song Seok-hyun picked up his phone.

He dialed the number the coach had written down and pressed the call button. The phone was answered soon.

-Yes, hello.

“Hello. I’m calling because I heard you’re looking for an undrafted free agent catcher.”

-……Who is this?

“Ah, I got your number from Coach Lee Ki-sung.”

-Lee Ki-sung, Lee Ki-sung… Ah, you’re Hyun-sung’s junior. Um, I see. I’ll send you an email address here, can you send me your resume?

“Yes! I will.”

As soon as Song Seok-hyun got home, he emailed his resume.

Less than five minutes after sending the email, he received a call.

-Ah, I saw it. Your catching experience is short, isn’t it?

“Ah, yes. But I’ve been practicing hard…”

-It’s okay. You know how to catch, right?

“Yes? Yes, of course. Absolutely.”

-If you can just catch the ball, that’s enough. I’ll send you the directions, so come here.

“Ah… When should I come?”

-It’s late today. Let’s meet tomorrow afternoon. Call me when you come in the afternoon.

“Yes, I understand!”

-Okay. See you tomorrow.

Song Seok-hyun hung up.

The call lasted 1 minute and 42 seconds.

Song Seok-hyun touched his cheeks.

The problem that had been simmering for so long passed in the blink of an eye.

“What is this…?”

* * *

Song Seok-hyun went to the store and met Jung Mi-nam.

Jung Mi-nam tilted his head after hearing Song Seok-hyun’s story.

“It was that easy?”

“Yeah, they just told me to come?”

“Are they telling you to come for a tryout?”

“I couldn’t ask that. They just told me to come and hung up.”

“There was nothing else?”

“They asked if I knew how to catch the ball?”

“They didn’t ask about your background or the incident?”

“Not at all. Nothing at all.”

“…Are they really that desperate? It’s too easy.”

“You’re uneasy too, right? It’s being resolved too quickly.”

“Well….”

Jung Mi-nam clicked his tongue.

The problem that had been simmering for so long was solved in a flash, almost comically so.

“No, well, that’s how it is. You’re just an undrafted free agent. It was weird that it wasn’t being resolved. With your skills, being an undrafted free agent is a waste. Right?”

“I… guess so?”

“Hey, the problem for you and me was always becoming an undrafted free agent, not not being able to become one.”

“Hoo, anyway, I’m glad I don’t have to go to Japan. I thought I was going to die memorizing the conversation.”

“Ah, did you call that coach?”

“I’ll call him after I get accepted. I don’t even know if I’m accepted yet. What if I go and fail the tryout?”

“With your skills? No way. They seem to be looking for someone so desperately that they’d turn you down?”

“Ah, I’ve finally got a chance, but what if I strike out here?”

“Hey, hey. Why is the great Song Seok-hyun so scared?”

“Damn it. They told me to come right away tomorrow, so I don’t have time to train, it’s ambiguous. What should I do? What should I wear?”

“Don’t overdo it. Just wear a tracksuit. Or wear our uniform. Hey, just get a good night’s sleep at home today. If they didn’t say anything about a tryout, it means they’re just going to pick you.”

“You think so?”

“That’s what it’ll be. Don’t worry too much.”

* * *

Song Seok-hyun spent the night with his eyes open.

He closed his eyes at 4 a.m.

He opened his eyes at 9 a.m.

As soon as Song Seok-hyun woke up, he took a bath and put on his uniform.

‘Woojin’ was written on the front of the uniform.

In his first year of high school, he wore the uniform and dominated the nation as a pitcher.

In his second year of high school, he rolled and rolled all day with Jung Mi-nam.

In his third year of high school, he finally thought he would be able to play properly again, but…

Song Seok-hyun stroked the name ‘Woojin’ on the front of the uniform.

“Please take good care of me today. Help me say my last goodbye without any regrets.”

Song Seok-hyun packed his equipment in his bag just in case, and then packed his bags and went out.

The way to go was long.

He took the subway and arrived at the bus terminal, then took an intercity bus. After taking the intercity bus for about an hour, he took another regular bus.

After getting off the regular bus, the nearly three-hour journey was over.

“It’s so far away…”

He thought it would be quick because it was Gyeonggi-do [province surrounding Seoul], but he was already exhausted.

Song Seok-hyun took a deep breath and picked up his phone.

“Hello. This is Song Seok-hyun, who contacted you yesterday…”

-Where are you now?

“I’m here at the bus stop. I got off in front of the main gate.”

-Ah, is that so? Then come straight up the main road. Then you’ll see a parking lot, and there’s an indoor baseball field next to the parking lot. Come there. I’ll go there too.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Song Seok-hyun went up the main road.

As expected of the Gotes, which was said to be second to none in terms of financial power, the scale and facilities of the Futures League stadium were splendid.

With two official baseball fields, one indoor baseball field, and dormitories and indoor practice fields, it felt like he had come to a small amusement park.

As Song Seok-hyun looked around and headed to the indoor baseball field, he saw someone walking slowly in the distance.

It was a man with a bit of a belly and glasses, and his hair was a little thin and reflected in the sunlight.

Song Seok-hyun waited in front of the parking lot with his hands clasped together.

“Are you Song Seok-hyun?”

The man spoke to Song Seok-hyun as soon as he arrived.

Song Seok-hyun took off his hat and bowed his head.

“Hello. I’m Song Seok-hyun from Woojin High School.”

“Yes, nice to meet you. I’m much older than you, so it’s okay if I speak informally, right?”

“Yes, please do.”

“Okay, I’m Park Ki-duk, and I’m in charge of the operations support team here. I’m like a dispatched employee from the first team. Well, I’ve only been in the Futures League, though…”

Park Ki-duk clicked his tongue as if he was disappointed.

“Suddenly there was a catcher TO [team opening], you see. Everyone is under contract or going on to higher education, so it was hard to find a catcher, but it just so happened to fit perfectly. Should we move to a different place first?”

“Yes.”

Park Ki-duk headed to the indoor baseball field with Song Seok-hyun.

“By the way, who… who was it? The person who recommended you?”

“It’s Lee Ki-sung, a coach at Ilshin Middle School.”

“Ah, Hyun-sung’s junior. How do you know Hyun-sung’s junior?”

“We weren’t close, but somehow he knew I was looking for a team and recommended me.”

“Really? You’re not close? Oh, I see. So that’s why he recommended you.”

“Yes?”

“No. Well, I looked at it roughly, but you didn’t go to college?”

“…I couldn’t.”

“Why? You can usually go to college if you want to.”

“Because of my family situation.”

“Ah, I see. You’re in a hurry because of your circumstances. Hmm.”

Park Ki-duk scratched his head.

“It would have been better if you had a college degree. We feel a little sorry for high school graduates. Still, you applied to our team because you didn’t have anything else to do, right?”

“…Yes.”

“Then, well, you can think of it as gaining experience.”

Park Ki-duk headed to a small office attached to the indoor baseball field.

There was no one in the office and the lights were off.

Park Ki-duk turned on the lights and then turned on the heater.

“Sit down first. Have you eaten?”

“No, not yet.”

“Really? You must be hungry. Do you want to go to the cafeteria and eat? It hasn’t been long since lunchtime ended, so there should be something for you to eat.”

“It’s okay. I’m not hungry.”

“Then pass.”

Park Ki-duk crossed his legs and looked at Song Seok-hyun.

“First, I’ll explain it simply. You know about our team, right?”

“Yes, I know it well.”

“Then it’s simple. I won’t explain it at length. You’ll be in charge of the rehab group catcher. The Futures League catcher has been helping the rehab group, but the rehab group has gotten a bit bigger, so we needed a dedicated catcher.”

“The rehab group…?”

“Yeah, the work won’t be too hard. Everyone is recovering from injuries, so the time spent throwing the ball isn’t that long. You just have to catch the ball well and cheer them on, and that’s it.”

Song Seok-hyun asked cautiously.

“So… will I only be in charge of the rehab group?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Won’t I be playing in games?”

“Games? I don’t know. You might be able to play if we’re short on catchers.”

“If we’re short…?”

“Oh, anyway, you’re a Futures League player.”

“…Yes.”

“You can officially start working on December 1st. The annual salary will be 24 million won, and basic supplies will be provided, but you’ll have to pay for anything additional out of your own pocket. Of course, you don’t have to worry about breaking your bat, so you don’t have to worry about that. The uniform will be given to you on the day you start working… What else is there…”

Park Ki-duk took out a memo and scribbled something down.

“Ah, the Futures League rules. We’re a bit more relaxed than other teams. Still, you have to tell us in advance when you’re going to stay out overnight. Unauthorized departure is of course not allowed, and you can’t commit crimes such as drunk driving, gambling, assault, theft, robbery, or sexual assault. You know all this, right?”

“…Yes.”

“Hey, that’s all you need to know. You’ll get the official contract on your first day of work. Ah, there’s no problem with rookies staying in the dorms even in December, right? So pack your bags well and come. It’s best to bring at least a month’s worth of stuff. It’s a hassle to go home often.”

Park Ki-duk put down his pen.

“That’s all the explanation. Do you have any questions?”

“…No. I don’t.”

“Ah, that’s right. You’ll get an email too. It’s a guide, so refer to it.”

“Yes.”

“Then… that’s it. You seem sincere. You look good too.”

“Um… aren’t you going to do a tryout?”

“Tryout? Ah, should I…? You know how to catch the ball, right? You were a starting catcher?”

“Yes, but that’s…”

“Are you hurt somewhere? Do you have any injuries?”

“No. It’s not that.”

“Then that’s it. It’s written all over your face that you’re sincere, haha.”

“Yes?”

“Go home today. Let’s see each other on December 1st. Don’t come too early in the morning. Don’t come too early on the first day to look good and fidget around, just come on time and don’t be late.”

“…Yes.”