On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 97

“Oh… you mean Senior Park Man-seong?”

“His elbow has been bothering him for a while, but they said he can’t delay treatment any longer. They’re recommending surgery before the end of the year, and the manager thinks he should get it done now.”

“Why? Our bullpen is already stretched thin.”

“Man-seong’s performance has been declining noticeably. He’s pitched a lot over the years. The manager believes it’s best to get the surgery over with quickly. It’s true, it’s better to have surgery when you’re in good shape for a faster recovery and a better outcome. If you keep putting it off, like I did, you’ll never be the same.”

Kim Jeong-ryul stroked his arm.

Though hidden by his clothes, Kim Jeong-ryul’s right arm was covered in surgery scars, like a roadmap of past injuries.

The lingering effects of three surgeries remained.

“Will the club even allow it? The bullpen is already short-handed, and now surgery too?”

“If the manager approves and Man-seong wants it, it’s a toss-up. Well… Man-seong has made a good amount of money through free agency, so he wouldn’t lose much even if he was demoted [to a lower league or role]. If he gets surgery, what can the club do? If they oppose it and things get messy, the club will take a hit too.”

“The manager is amazing, isn’t he? He’s willing to risk a conflict with the club and recommend surgery, essentially giving up on winning.”

“…That’s true. I knew he was reasonable and open-minded, but the manager’s position is different. I don’t know if it’s because he’s an interim manager or if he’s always been like this, but he’s very broad-minded. Anyway, he asked me if I could fill Man-seong’s spot.”

“As closer?”

“Yeah, closer. He asked if I could handle being the closer.”

Song Seok-hyun smiled brightly.

“That’s great. It’d be good if you were the closer, Senior. It’s the most closely watched position, after all.”

“Hey, I’m most scared of being the closer. Even if a starter gives up runs, they can at least pitch a long inning to make up for it. But if a closer gets hit, it’s over, right?”

“Your pitches are hard to hit these days. Your deception is good, and your stuff is good. What are you worried about?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know how much I can do as an underhand pitcher. I don’t have faith in myself.”

“Why are you suddenly like this? Like you’ve suddenly lost all your confidence?”

Kim Jeong-ryul gripped the baseball.

“If I fail again here, will I get another chance? I’ve had three surgeries. I even changed my pitching form. If it doesn’t work here, who will give me another chance? If the Gotes release me, another team might pick me up hoping to strike gold, but I want to retire with the Gotes.”

“Hmm.”

“That’s why I’m more anxious. It’s okay if I don’t get better, but I can’t get worse, and the position is closer – a position where you get criticized if you mess up. There are already fans calling me washed up, so imagine if I blow a save. They’ll be clamoring for me to be released immediately.”

“You have a lot of fans who support you, Hyung [older brother or respected senior].”

“That’s just nostalgia. There will be even more people calling for my retirement if I don’t perform.”

Kim Jeong-ryul stroked his arm.

“I want to retire *meotjige* [stylishly/coolly] before this arm goes completely bad. I don’t want to disappear while getting *yongmeogeumyeonseo* [cursed at/berated] for blowing saves as a closer.”

“Your pitches are good enough. You’ll do well.”

“Well… even if they aren’t, I have to believe that. Hah.”

Kim Jeong-ryul stood up and tapped Song Seok-hyun on the shoulder.

“I owe you a lot in many ways – changing my pitching form, and this too.”

“This?”

“Yeah, thanks to you, things with Hye-mi have… progressed a bit.”

“Oh? Are you dating?”

“We’re not dating *yet*, but you could say it’s a somewhat serious relationship.”

“Congratulations, haha. It seems like I’ve been useful.”

“What do you mean, useful? Hey, are you sulking? Right?”

“You know I’ve had a really hard time because of the dating rumors, right? I’ve been avoiding reporters these days.”

“Hey, but you two decided to go to the cafe.”

“I wouldn’t have gone if it weren’t for you in the first place. Romi Nuna [older sister] and I left to make room for you and Announcer Peng.”

“Hmm, does it always turn out that way?”

Kim Jeong-ryul massaged Song Seok-hyun’s shoulder.

“Anyway, if things go well, I’ll get you a suit. Is that okay?”

“You don’t have to give me a suit. I’ve already received so much from you. Anyway, I hope things go well.”

“It has to go well. That’s why I feel more pressure. Even if things go well with Hye-mi, I should date and marry when I’m *meotjil* [cool/impressive], not when I’m being called washed up. That wouldn’t look good.”

“So that’s why you’re working so hard… The power of love is the best, after all.”

“What about you? You’re doing well with Romi, aren’t you?”

“We’re not like that. Now is the time to focus on baseball, not to be distracted by dating.”

“Yeah, yeah. Those who say that are the ones who end up causing trouble and getting married.”

“Wow, such *akdam* [a curse/bad wish] to me… That’s too much.”

“*Akdam* [a curse]? Getting married early is good for stability.”

“Then why didn’t you do it, Senior?”

“That’s why I’m trying to do it now.”

* * *

The Gotes players were excited ahead of the second game against the Foxes.

Except for the Foxes’ ace [best pitcher] Shin Gyu-won, the Foxes didn’t have a single decent starter.

The two foreign players weren’t pulling their weight, and the remaining 4th and 5th starters had ERAs [Earned Run Average, a measure of pitching performance] in the 6s and 7s.

In particular, Jeong Jeong-guk, the starter for the second game against the Foxes, was known for his poor control.

A ball approaching 150km/h [approximately 93 mph] might seem impressive at first glance, but even that was treated like batting practice.

The Gotes lineup, which had been tightly bound by Shin Gyu-won, exploded in the second game.

“Seol Jin-il gets a hit! That’s three hits today!”

“Kim In-hwan is on a tear today! He’s getting a hit in every at-bat!”

“Song Seok-hyun also adds a home run today, recording an *chulru* [on-base appearance] in every at-bat. The Gotes’ lineup is really hot today! Really hot!”

The Gotes’ second starter, James McKinsey, came down from the mound after recording a decent 7 innings with 3 runs allowed.

The Gotes bullpen gave up 4 points in the 8th and 9th innings, but the Gotes had scored more than 10 points.

The final score was 14-7.

It was a big win for the Gotes.

The players were riding high on the two-game winning streak, and the fans cheered.

The difference with the Wales was 1 game.

With 7 games left, it was a *seungcha* [game difference] that could be easily caught up.

It was like a dream for fans who had even considered competing for last place due to the departure of the cleanup trio [the team’s best hitters] in the first half.

Except for Manager Ham Seong-hoon.

* * *

“…Hoo, is that all?”

“Yes, both teams are more stubborn than I thought.”

After the game, Manager Ham Seong-hoon discussed trades with the operations team leader.

A trade involving Seo Il-hyuk was not progressing easily.

“They seem to know that our team’s bullpen is weak, so the Foxes and Bulls are holding out for more. In fact, we’ve been giving up a lot of runs recently.”

“…Yes, that’s right. We’ve been leading with the strength of our lineup, but it’s clear that our bullpen is weak.”

“I wanted to get at least Kim Jin-seok, Yoon Gi-jin, or Jeon Byeong-seop, but both teams are firm.”

“Who did you offer them?”

“Han Jeong-gyu and Shim Hyun-il.”

“Ha.”

Ham Seong-hoon massaged his temples.

“At best, they’re just guys who can pitch long relief, right? Their ERAs are probably in the 5s and 6s.”

“Yes, that’s right. The final offer is that they can include one or two bullpen pitchers from the second team [minor league team].”

“Even so, it’s Seo Il-hyuk. Before the season, they would have accepted a one-on-one trade for Jeon Byeong-seop or Kim Jin-seok without hesitation.”

“They know our situation has changed. Il-hyuk has become a *gyeruk* [a white elephant/something that is more trouble than it’s worth], our bullpen situation is urgent, and the trade deadline is approaching… The Foxes and Bulls have the upper hand.”

“Then is this the end?”

“They said they could trade Seo Il-hyuk plus one more for Kim Jin-seok or Jeon Byeong-seop, but they mentioned Hwang Dae-gi and Lee Dae-seong.”

“Aren’t those players who have just broken out? Players who can play in the first team by next year at the latest… They’re being too greedy.”

“They’re just testing the waters. They know we’ll be at a disadvantage if we go with a desperate tactic. We’re the ones in a hurry, aren’t we?”

“Ha.”

Ham Seong-hoon closed his eyes.

The lineup exploded today, but the lineup is always inconsistent.

Moreover, Kim In-hwan, the main KS Po [Key Slugger], is too inconsistent.

Since there are no hitters to support Song Seok-hyun, the opposing team *geolleo beorinda* [intentionally walks] Song Seok-hyun when Kim In-hwan is not doing well.

The team’s performance should improve as Song Seok-hyun’s *chulruyul* [on-base percentage] increases, but Song Seok-hyun cannot reach home.

Choi Jae-wan and Oh Jin-young, who support Song Seok-hyun, are hitters whose offensive power does not exceed the league average.

“Our team’s starters are above the league average. They’re good. Even if the lineup does well, it’s below the league average… In the end, the bullpen will determine the results. We need at least one A-class bullpen pitcher or two regular bullpen pitchers.”

“The club approves of trading Seo Il-hyuk, but they don’t want to increase the scale. You have to decide, Manager – whether to trade Seo Il-hyuk or not.”

“Hmm…”

Ham Seong-hoon clenched his fist.

“Frankly speaking, saying one A-class bullpen pitcher is the best-case scenario. All the bullpen pitchers who have been sent down to the second team are complaining of pain. Two of them will need surgery this year. I don’t want to start the second half with a question mark over the bullpen, but… for the sake of the team, it’s better to keep Seo Il-hyuk.”

“So you’re giving up on the trade?”

“In the current situation, it can’t be helped. In the second half, we’ll let Il-hyuk accrue his FA [Free Agency] days and get a bullpen pitcher next season through a sign-and-trade. Since the kids will be going in for surgery anyway, they’ll be back in the second half of next year at the earliest, so we’ll need a bullpen pitcher next year as well.”

The operations team leader smiled bitterly.

“You must be tempted to aim for this season…”

“We’ll have to manage with what we have.”

“I’m sorry. I asked you to take on the role of interim manager in a difficult situation, but I can’t help you.”

“What can we do when the situation is like this? We can’t just buy something cheap. What we need is a bullpen that does its job.”

The operations team leader stood up.

Ham Seong-hoon also stood up.

“We’ll continue to try to proceed with the trade anyway. The Foxes and Bulls also need a catcher, so we have to persuade them as much as possible. The general manager is also paying special attention, so please trust us and wait.”

“Yes, I understand.”

* * *

The next morning.

Song Seok-hyun ate a late breakfast and turned on the computer.

He wanted to rewatch the highlights of other teams’ games from yesterday, but his hand stopped.

[Song Seok-hyun, Home Run with the Power of Love?]

“Ha.”

Song Seok-hyun lowered his head.

Once a dating rumor breaks out, reporters cling to it tenaciously.

He became a star of the Gotes, a Seoul team, and a popular original Seoul team, no less.

Regardless of the truth, reporters continued to link Yoon Romi and Song Seok-hyun, making the dating rumor seem like a fact, as they could get views just from Song Seok-hyun’s name.

“It’s disgusting.”

Song Seok-hyun turned off the computer and went to the stadium early.

When he arrived at the stadium, the phone rang.

It was Park Shin-eon.

“Yes, Senior.”

-Where are you?

“I’m at work now.”

-Are you at the stadium?

“Yes.”

-That’s good. I’m at work too. Come here. I have something to talk about.

Song Seok-hyun hung up the phone and tilted his head.

Park Shin-eon, who believes in routines more than anyone else, is already at work?

Song Seok-hyun put his phone in his pocket and went to find Park Shin-eon.

* * *

* * *

Catcher’s Success

Handshake or Bad Move

Last night.

Kim Hak-in, the Gotes’ operations team leader, got into his car after meeting with Manager Ham Seong-hoon.

“Hoo.”

He reclined the seat and closed his eyes.

He had been burning the midnight oil for several days, visiting Busan and Gwangju in person, but there were no results.

The price of bullpen pitchers skyrocketed.

If the Gotes had abundant resources, they could trade at a loss.

If Ham Seong-hoon insisted strongly, the club could force the trade, considering his recent performance and efforts.

Kim Hak-in was prepared for that, but Ham Seong-hoon backed out first.

Ham Seong-hoon was the one who knew the Gotes’ depth better than anyone else.

Useful resources were continuously leaked due to frequent external FA acquisitions.

The Gotes’ poor lineup was also largely due to the FA outflow.

If promising players were leaked through trades from an already poor depth, the Gotes’ future would be even darker.

If the Gotes were looking to win the championship with this trade, it could have been attempted, but in the current situation, it was an absurd imagination.

He was grateful and sorry for Manager Ham Seong-hoon, who was even considering the club’s situation.

Even now, he is giving rest to the bullpen pitchers who have been throwing their shoulders out in the first team and leading the game with the second team bullpen pitchers as the main force.

Two of the first team bullpen pitchers will have to undergo surgery this year alone.

Manager Ham Seong-hoon advised the two pitchers to have surgery immediately instead of postponing it to the end of the year.

Ham Seong-hoon judged that having surgery as soon as possible was good for the players’ careers and the team’s future.

Two of the four *pilseungjo* [winning combination] pitchers in the first team will soon undergo surgery, and the other two are also resting due to poor condition.

Ham Seong-hoon promised the other two pitchers that he would not call them up in the first half.

It is a declaration that he will not use at least four key bullpen pitchers for more than three weeks during the season.

It is natural for the team to shake as four key bullpen pitchers are missing.

Ham Seong-hoon brought in long relievers as an alternative to the weakened bullpen.

He guaranteed rest days to the bullpen pitchers who threw at least 2 innings, and at most 3 innings or more, to the bullpen pitchers who threw only one hitter when there were few, and usually 1-2 innings.

Bullpen pitchers are not suitable for long innings because their pitches are monotonous.

Most of the bullpen pitchers are also pitchers who used to play in the second team.

As it is a measure taken as a last resort, the bullpen’s ERA is rising every day.

Even if the bullpen gets hit, they don’t replace them and push them out, so fans *dobae* [plaster/cover] the *gesipan* [bulletin board/online forum] with *yong* [curse words] every day, calling them *dolseonghun* [stone seonghun] and *meongteongguri* [fool].

When former manager Im Eui-soo did *kwik hukeu* [quick hook, quickly replacing pitchers] and *hoksahada* [overworked] the bullpen, the fans even protested to save the pitchers, but now they are saying completely different things.

Ham Seong-hoon, who was covered in Im Eui-soo’s *omul* [filth/garbage], declined the interview.

The fans were excited and *jipjunghwapok* [concentrated fire/attack].

Ham Seong-hoon calmly accepted it as the share that the manager had to endure.

What is important to the fans is the victory, not the club or team operation.

The fans just want to find the cause of the team’s defeat.

That’s Manager Ham Seong-hoon.

“He’s a good person, but the timing…”

What if he had taken over as manager at the beginning of this year instead of Im Eui-soo?

We’re still fighting for 4th place, wouldn’t it have been better than now?

Woo woong.

Woo woong.

Kim Hak-in picked up the phone.

It was the general manager.