The Catcher Feels the Wall
Choi Seungtaek glanced at the TV screen in the locker room and let out a sigh of relief.
*I guess I went a little overboard, but this should be fine anyway.*
He had never intended to trash-talk the whole conversation, but with the situation now resolved to such an extent, the weight on his shoulders had finally lifted.
*Now I can actually focus on the game.*
“Phew…”
Choi Seungtaek sent Park Gayoung a quick message saying he was heading into the game soon, then slipped his phone back into his locker bag.
The moment he set the phone down, the voice echoed through the room.
“Everyone, meeting’s about to start—get over here quick!”
“Got it.”
Choi Seungtaek was already seated, so he stayed put and waited. One by one the other players trickled in.
The entire Daejeon Magpies roster filled the locker room, and Manager Han Geunseong appeared to announce today’s starting lineup.
There were some big changes in the order, and the players’ reactions were immediate.
The lineup was as follows:
1. Right fielder Cha Haengjin 2. Left fielder Kim Haeja 3. Catcher Choi Seungtaek 4. First baseman Tae Pyung-yang 5. Designated hitter Wolf 6. Center fielder Lee Sung-sip 7. Third baseman Shin Heeseong 8. Shortstop Hwang Ganggyeong 9. Second baseman Gwan Yonggwon
Number one and two usually slotted the fastest runners, but today they had pushed the best hitters to the top of the order instead.
Kim Haeja had been in the table-setter spot since Woo Jeong-geun and Lee Gun-taek went down, but they had suddenly moved Cha Haengjin—who hit for power—into the leadoff spot.
With the lineup overall stronger, they needed a quick bat and ended up with Cha Haengjin at one.
“And today’s three is Choi Seungtaek.”
Every eye in the room locked onto him.
This was the most shocking moment of the day.
The rookie and catcher Choi Seungtaek had gone from the sixth spot all the way to the heart of the batting order.
*This is insane. They’re giving me three right away? That’s way too bold.*
The decision felt so extreme that Choi Seungtaek wondered if the interview had influenced it. He was a little dazed.
The other players felt it too.
The looks they gave him were all over the spectrum: respect, a touch of jealousy, pure surprise—everything.
But since he was the cute rookie catcher, most of them kept their expressions friendly. That was the one saving grace.
Choi Seungtaek felt weighed down by those stares.
*Oh man… they put me in such an important spot.*
“Today’s opponent pitcher is extremely strong, so focus hard and let’s beat them. Understood?”
“Understood.”
“Based on all the information we have, we’ve also done a full power analysis—everyone, use it.”
“Yes, sir!”
The meeting ended, and the Magpies’ hitters scattered to their own ways of preparing for the game.
Squeak, squeak.
“There he goes—Manager just handed the whole center lineup to that little flatterer.”
“Damn, lucky. When I get my interview shot, I’m asking for the same treatment.”
A voice dripping with envy drifted into Choi Seungtaek’s ears.
Thud!
“Ugh, you sycophant. Congrats. You really are in the center order now. I’ve got to step up too.”
Just as Choi Seungtaek’s mood was starting to sour, Hwang Ganggyeong walked over to tease him with congratulations.
“You’re doing great yourself, hyung. Me? I’m just stressed out that the Manager suddenly put me in such a good spot.”
“So just do well, man. The top of the order is brutal. Anyway, congrats. I keep getting left behind, and you’re climbing!”
“Hmph…”
“Listen, I’m fine staying back. Less pressure. If I’m two and I’m hitting .250, I’m suffocating. But eight and hitting .250? Everyone’s being nice.”
Choi Seungtaek couldn’t help smiling at Hwang Ganggyeong’s self-deprecating joke.
“Hey, Choi Seungtaek, three hitter, huh? Impressive. Now you’ve got to set me up. After all the times I set you up.”
Tae Pyung-yang came over too.
“Hmph. I’ll do my best.”
“Come on, at least try to hit well.”
Tae Pyung-yang’s words carried weight.
With Woo Jeong-geun and Lee Gun-taek out with injuries, the leadoff had been weakened. Wolf, the three hitter, had been out a lot, so there was no one ahead of him to clear the bases.
That was why they had moved Cha Haengjin, Kim Haeja, and Wolf up front—guys with some real bat speed. It should give them a better chance.
“I’m not going to tell you not to feel the pressure. You have to feel some at three.”
“Yes, I understand, senior.”
“And ignore anyone who makes it seem like your interview put you in the top order. That’s exactly why you’re here—because you’ve earned it.”
With that, Tae Pyung-yang headed for the dugout.
*Whew…*
Tae Pyung-yang was right.
After just two games, Choi Seungtaek’s batting average sat at .667—good enough for the heart of the order.
If the Manager kept him in the bottom, the guy would have to be an idiot.
Choi Seungtaek headed to the dugout with his equipment.
The moment he arrived, he didn’t have to strap on the full catcher gear. He was batting first in the top of the first.
He looked up at the mound and began preparing for the top of the first.
The biggest problem today was the opponent pitcher.
***
There were three famous left-handed pitchers in Korea.
One had already moved from the Magpies to the Major Leagues, another played for the Gwangju Pigeons, and the third—today’s opponent—was Kim Gwang-gyeon of the Incheon Cranes.
Known as the Mad Dog for his explosive delivery and massive arsenal, he was notoriously difficult to face.
**[System is assisting.]**
As Choi Seungtaek stepped into the box, the System flashed Kim Gwang-gyeon’s profile.
*This guy…*
**[Kim Gwang-gyeon: A+ grade starting pitcher, condition: good]**
**[Pitches: fastball, two-seam, changeup, curve, slider]**
**[Notes: Plenty of pitches to work with, but recent form adjustment has made it unstable.]**
*Unstable?*
Choi Seungtaek watched the first two batters get crushed and realized the truth.
*He changed his form.*
The overall frame was similar, but the delivery was clearly different.
This made scouting shaky.
The System pulled up Kim Gwang-gyeon’s preferred pitch trajectories.
*Wow… this is insane…*
The A+ pitcher’s level was undeniable.
The System tracked every movement perfectly, but the sheer volume of trajectories was overwhelming.
It was almost like the data itself was working against him.
*Then I’ll have to give up a lot of options…*
And with his form changed, the predictions would be even more off.
This meant the pre-prepared analysis would lose a lot of its edge.
*Unstable form? Is he really that predictable? The first two guys got strikeouts way too easily. Or is he just that talented?*
Choi Seungtaek’s head spun.
Nod.
Kim Gwang-gyeon nodded and delivered.
*Let’s look at one.*
Shweeeeik.
Thud!
Strike!
He threw a straight fastball right down the middle.
*Bold.*
The Incheon scouting staff had clearly passed on his tendencies.
Now that Choi Seungtaek was batting three, they were daring to throw a fastball right over the heart.
*Then where? Changeup to the corner? Or straight down the middle?*
Nod.
Here it comes.
Shweeeeik.
Thud!
Strike!
Another middle-of-the-plate fastball.
*Damn…*
Choi Seungtaek tilted his head.
“Phew…”
He looked back at Kim Gwang-gyeon.
*Did I just get blocked?*
The feeling was completely off-balance.
*This is going to be tough. For the next pitch, I’ll just swing hard at whatever comes.*
With two strikes, he had no choice.
Nod.
Here it comes. Stay locked in!
Shweeeeik!
Woooom!
Thud!
Strike!
*Son of a—*
It was a two-seam fastball sucking him in on the inside for the right-handed batter.
***
“Hard.”
“Yeah, it was.”
“How many did you guys get?”
“They weren’t getting anyone.”
Four innings had passed and they still had no answer.
Choi Seungtaek’s turn came again.
At least he had driven in a run in the second, so no one had gone scoreless—but the Magpies were silent.
*I have to hit this properly.*
He stepped back into the box with renewed focus.
**[Kim Gwang-gyeon: A+ grade starting pitcher, condition: very good!]**
**[Pitches: fastball, two-seam, changeup, curve, slider]**
**[Notes: Plenty of pitches, but recent form adjustment has made it unstable, velocity climbing, adapting to new delivery]**
*So it’s possible.*
Usually a pitcher gets stronger early and fades, but Kim Gwang-gyeon had grown stronger the longer the game went.
*This is nuts. Think. Read the opponent.*
Shweeeeen.
Woooom.
Thud.
Strike!
Changeup.
It rose like a fastball then dropped at the last second.
Choi Seungtaek swung at it thinking it was the same old fastball from the first inning.
*What the—*
After that, Kim Gwang-gyeon kept dominating with his strong fastball and the changeups that backed it up.
Shweeeeen.
Woooom!
Thud!
Strikeout!
The scouting had collapsed.
The watermelon-sized fastballs had shrunk to marbles, and the System’s assistance was useless against the well-located changeups.
So in the first, fourth, and seventh innings, Choi Seungtaek could only watch Kim Gwang-gyeon in silence.
Kim Gwang-gyeon, one of Korea’s three great domestic lefties.
He lived up to his name.
In that sense, he was faithfully playing the role.
The single thought that crossed Choi Seungtaek’s mind as he struck out for the third time was simple.
*The guy throws like shit.*