Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Fall Camp 2
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After the team meeting ended, the veteran lineup players who had attended sought out Woo Jung-geun first.
"Jung-geun, the manager basically meant we're ramping up training overall, right?"
Woo Jung-geun, who had frequently joined team meetings back in his Incheon Cranes days, could tell the mood was pretty sour right now.
"Yeah, that's right. And both the volume and intensity are going up together."
"They're cranking it even higher from here?"
Woo Jung-geun nodded.
"No doubt about it. We'll probably have to grab meals on our own whenever we get a break."
"This is insane."
"And tomorrow, the catchers are in for it especially."
"Us?"
"Yeah, hyung."
Park Bombardier let out a deep sigh at Woo Jung-geun's words.
"They weren't kidding about the skill evaluation today, and now it's gonna be even tougher?"
"Yes. That's how it is."
Today's evaluation had already felt like it would shatter their knees, so the idea of it getting harder was unbelievable.
"And that... who's the rookie catcher again?"
"Choi Seung-taek?"
"Yeah. Looks like the manager's planning to watch him extra close, so tell Seung-taek to keep his head straight tomorrow. And warn him it's gonna be brutal."
"Got it."
After the evening meeting, Park Bombardier roamed the dorms looking for Choi Seung-taek.
"Hey, Park Bombardier sunbaenim, who are you looking for?"
"Oh, hunting for Choi Seung-taek. Where's he at?"
"If you mean Seung-taek, he's probably in 502."
"Thanks."
Park Bombardier headed straight to room 502 and knocked.
rapping sounds
"Choi Seung-taek. You in there?"
Choi Seung-taek, who had just showered and was resting after dinner, rushed to the door at the familiar voice from outside.
He recognized it right away from earlier today.
"Yes! Park Bombardier sunbaenim. I'm in here. What's up?"
"Ah, it's nothing big... Actually, scratch that, it is. Manager said he's overseeing the catchers' training personally tomorrow."
Choi Seung-taek's heart suddenly started pounding—not from excitement, but from dread shrinking it tight.
"Ah... Sounds like it'll be a bit more dynamic tomorrow."
"Yeah, you get the gist? With the manager watching, no slacking or showing fatigue tomorrow."
"Understood! I'll crash early tonight and recover fully."
"Good, as long as you're clear on it. Oh, and starting tomorrow, we'll be eating on our own time too. So chow down whenever."
"Yes, sir!"
A question popped into Choi Seung-taek's head.
Back with the Busan Sea Gulls, no matter how grueling camp got, they always ate meals together.
'Why restrict meal times too?'
Choi Seung-taek hadn't truly experienced Manager Han Geun-seong yet.
The next day arrived.
As announced, Manager Han Geun-seong took charge of the catchers' training himself today.
Since the manager wanted to see it personally, all six catchers, including Choi Seung-taek, gathered for blocking drills.
"Let's start."
"Yes, sir! We'll ease in slow."
The training kicked off with the battery coach tossing balls for blocking practice.
It was light warm-up level, and with rotations in play, it didn't seem too taxing.
Stability in blocking consistently was key.
Once again, Choi Seung-taek stepped up first.
'Whew... Manager's watching. Nerves are kicking in.'
Choi Seung-taek focused up.
The ball came easy, and he stably dropped it in front of his knees before tossing it back.
thwack
"Okay."
thwack
"Nice."
The catchers hyped each other up with calls.
Next, the two second-team catchers and the developmental catcher rotated through, followed by the veterans loosening up with blocks.
"Faster."
After about ten rounds, Manager Han Geun-seong ordered quicker rotations.
They split into two groups—one with the manager, one with the battery coach—for blocking drills.
Choi Seung-taek's group had one second-team and one developmental catcher.
The developmental was a second-year, the second-team a third-year, but with the manager pitching, they started tensing and messing up.
"You guys... heads up or what?"
"Sorry!"
"My apologies."
'Uh... my turn?'
"Sorry, sir."
"Not you. You two. Can't handle basics? Night training too—more blocking."
"Got it!"
Manager Han Geun-seong was ice cold.
"Send Geuk-po and Kyung-ho over here. Rest keep grinding basics."
"Yes, sir."
While tossing to Choi Seung-taek and the other two, Manager Han Geun-seong eyed the adjacent blocks too.
Veteran Park Bombardier and starter Jeong Kyung-ho blocked steadily, so he called them over.
With Park Bombardier and Jeong Kyung-ho joining Choi Seung-taek's side, Manager Han Geun-seong finally grabbed a bat.
'Whoa... What now...? Whew...'
"Alright, again."
The vibe felt off, so Choi Seung-taek tensed.
thwack!
Manager Han Geun-seong swung the bat, sending a ball at Choi Seung-taek.
In that instant, the ball looked unnaturally slow, stitches and spin visible in slow motion.
'Damn, spin on the ball!'
Manager Han Geun-seong's fungo was vicious.
Now hit off the bat, faster speed, plus spin—block that.
"Hup!"
Luckily, Choi Seung-taek predicted the bounce from the spin direction, twisting diagonally to drop it front-knee stable.
'This kid? Blocks that?'
Manager Han Geun-seong didn't show it, but he was shocked.
He'd lobbed a ball most catchers would miss, yet Choi Seung-taek blocked clean.
Only Park Wan-gyu (now Cranes manager) and Sparrows' Choi Su-jong had blocked such unannounced tough ones before.
The moment he succeeded, something amazing popped in Choi Seung-taek's vision.
Stably blocking the high-difficulty ball triggered the message, and checking showed his training gauge for B-rank blocking ticked up more than usual.
'Aha! Nailing the tough ones boosts it fast!'
Yesterday's training projected five years at that pace to B-rank.
But factoring these high-difficulty successes, three years tops to B-rank blocking.
'Whew... Nice? Harder training means faster gains?'
thwack!
"Hup!"
thwack!
"Ow!"
Manager Han Geun-seong started feeding tough balls to Jeong Kyung-ho and Park Bombardier too.
But they couldn't match Choi Seung-taek's stability.
'Hmm... Kid's got it. Luck? Or skill?'
Manager Han Geun-seong tested Choi Seung-taek again.
thwack!
This one slow off the bat but with ground spin to roll fast post-bounce.
Poor low block, and it'd slip between the legs.
Again, Choi Seung-taek saw the rigid spin, read it clean.
thud!
He blocked straight-line path, mitt swallowing it.
'Whew... Hitting with tricky balls.'
The speed jolted him—thought it'd slip, heart dropped.
"Kyung-ho, Geuk-po—back over there for training."
"Yes, sir!"
'Huh? Switching already? What's next?'
After just a few blocks, the sudden halt confused the veteran duo, but they followed orders.
With the shuffle, Choi Seung-taek eyed a quick breather—but Manager Han Geun-seong's words signaled trouble.
"Choi Seung-taek... What're you doing? No stance?"
"Sir?"
Manager Han Geun-seong needed to check if Choi Seung-taek could sustain this level.
That's why he cleared the vets—to drill the rookie solo.
'Hold up... This can't be.'
Choi Seung-taek's breath caught.
'Non-stop tough balls, no rotation or breaks?'
No backing out now—he reset stance.
The brutal fungo began.
whoosh!
'Huh? Urghhh.'
thwack!
"Hup!"
whoosh!
thump!
High-level balls kept flying at Choi Seung-taek; he poured focus into each reaction.
Problem: This ran morning through afternoon.
By 1 PM, sweat soaked him; by 3 PM, body wrecked, knees to torso screaming.
"Huff... huff..."
Hours of pure blocking pushed his stamina limit, but Manager Han Geun-seong showed no sign of stopping.
thwack!
Ball visible. Body too heavy.
Heavy, but instinct blocked the escape.
No more soft knee-drops like start, but scraping by on all blocks.
Other catchers and battery coach pitied and marveled at Choi Seung-taek's endurance.
thwack!
"Hup!"
Another ball—he blocked.
"Whew... whew..."
Mind cleared of distractions; blocking only.
thwack!
...
Time hit 5 PM before Manager Han Geun-seong finally called it.
"Good... Good work. Let's eat."
From morning to afternoon, non-stop blocking—Choi Seung-taek felt dead.
Body ached everywhere, legs jelly, but willpower dragged him to the cafeteria with Manager Han Geun-seong.
"Rookie... but solid."
"Thank you, sir."
"Choi Seung-taek, right? What is baseball to you?"
Sudden question, but Choi Seung-taek pondered deep.
Post-elementary, baseball only.
Even after quitting as player, baseball-related work.
Back now, playing—and succeeding, enough to support Mother.
"Everything to me."
Even after grueling training, Choi Seung-taek's eyes burned—Manager Han Geun-seong approved.
"Good. You worked hard today. More catcher drills tonight's too much. Hit batting practice during night session."
'No rest for him, huh.'