The Catcher Who Can't Stand the Rehabilitators
Jo Oosoo stared at Choi Seungtaek in utter disbelief.
"Yo, kid, why the hell are you trying to learn this from me, who's stuck in rehab?"
"I can't even play in the majors anymore!"
"That's the problem! How the hell are you getting kicked out of the majors? There isn't even a single catcher in the big leagues right now!"
Jo Oosoo shook his head, frustrated. But Choi Seungtaek just kept talking calmly.
"Ah, Senior Jo, I got benched. I got benched for fighting with Senior Song and getting sent down by the manager. I can't climb back up until Manager Han calls me up, right?"
"No. Just tell the manager you're sorry for causing trouble and apologize to Song too, and you'll be back in the majors for sure. Why crawl all the way down here to the rehab group?"
Jo Oosoo's eyes flared with anger as he spoke.
"Ah, players do what the manager tells them to."
"That's not the situation right now. Look at this team — it's falling apart. If you climb back up, it'll help the whole team. Don't you get that?"
"Um… If I'm needed, you'll call me, right? I trust Manager Han Geunseong completely. This team won't fall apart without one person."
"You crazy bastard."
At those words, Jo Oosoo gave a disgusted look and dropped back into his chair.
"Seriously, if you're needed, they'll call you. Honestly, I'm kind of glad I'm not in the majors right now."
"All the major-league catchers are gone, and you're happy not to be in the majors?"
"There aren't even any catchers."
Jo Oosoo's face twisted at the mention of that.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"You know, don't you? I saw everything when I got here."
Choi Seungtaek had walked into the rehab group and seen way too many people.
This place was supposed to be for injured players recovering from injuries, but half the roster was full of important big-league players.
"National Team second baseman Woo Jeong-geun, the foreign slugger Wolf, two-year veteran starter Lee Seon, and FA pitcher Ki Youngbae from the Daegu Eagles — all of them were supposed to be in the majors, right?"
"Hmph."
Jo Oosoo groaned because Choi Seungtaek was right.
"And right now the futures team has foreign pitcher Damon and relief pitcher Seo Choong-sung and outfielder Kim Geontaek. The majors are already wrecked, aren't they? What's the difference if I play here or not?"
On top of that, the entire catcher position was wiped out. The majors had been playing game after game anyway.
That's how the Magpies ended up with the futures catchers starting. The futures team was using their own development catchers, but without decent catchers, the games were going nowhere.
"So what were you thinking?"
Choi Seungtaek looked up and out the window.
The futures players were all on the road, so the training field was almost empty.
Most of the remaining players were rehab guys doing indoor rehab.
"Senior Jo, I don't hate the Magpies. I want to win the championship here."
"Win the championship?"
Jo Oosoo laughed out loud. That goal was so far away it was ridiculous.
*'Winning here? Who does he think he is?'*
But when Choi Seungtaek's face stayed serious, Jo Oosoo's expression softened a bit.
"But why not climb back up to the majors? Right now, winning one tough game will help later, won't it? A guy who wants to win shouldn't stay out of the majors."
"I don't feel confident yet, honestly. I felt the wall when I played against the Cranes."
Choi Seungtaek spoke from the heart.
Still, he had investigated everything and used every resource, and getting crushed by Kim Gwang-gyeon in four at-bats was shocking. Not understanding why Song Geumho kept throwing fastballs was shocking too.
"I'm going to be qualified as the major-league starting catcher."
"When the manager calls?"
"Then I'll climb up. Until then, I'll train to the best of my ability."
"Playing in the majors would give more experience."
"That's true. The biggest experience is actually playing in the majors."
But Choi Seungtaek had a different goal.
"I want to learn the proper technique and come back when the seniors return from injury and the lineup is strong. That's when the winning streak starts."
"Stop talking nonsense."
"So you'll teach me?"
Jo Oosoo sighed and rubbed his forehead.
***
The next day, after finishing his knee rehab, Jo Oosoo headed to the training field where Choi Seungtaek was waiting.
The futures players were all away on road games, so no one was there.
"Alright, I thought about it. Let's start by fixing what I hate the most."
"You hate something?"
"Yeah. First, go sit at home plate."
"Got it!"
Choi Seungtaek went straight to home plate and set up.
"Think of me on the mound as the pitcher and give me your normal sign like always."
Choi Seungtaek gave the sign for a fastball and got into position.
Jo Oosue threw the ball. Choi Seungtaek caught it.
*Huh? What did he just do?*
"See? That's the problem. Your posture sucks from the very first moment you sit."
"What?"
Choi Seungtaek didn't understand at first.
"A catcher shows his level the second he sits at home plate."
"Uh… how do you know?"
" Catchers are a delicate position. You see the details. Well, as a rookie catcher you wouldn't notice."
*'What details?'*
Choi Seungtaek was still confused.
"You don't get it? Okay, this isn't the perfect answer, but my experience says listen and think about it."
"Got it!"
"Most catchers shift a little when the pitcher throws, right?"
"Yeah."
"Of course you have to for good reception and blocking, but in my opinion catchers should stay perfectly still in the center."
"Stay in the center?"
"Yeah. You become one perfect strike zone and give the pitcher stability."
*Stability?*
Choi Seungtaek paused to think about the unusual viewpoint.
"We usually tell the pitcher, 'Show me your mitt. Throw here! This spot!'"
"Right!"
"What does that mean? You're marking one target spot with your mitt? But if the catcher moves even a little from the center, it helps the pitcher form the strike zone more."
Choi Seungtaek listened carefully.
Suddenly it clicked.
He remembered what he had heard before — the super catchers always stayed rock-solid in the center.
*'Who said that? I wonder who gave me this tip?'*
At first he didn't remember, but thinking back, he remembered pitchers throwing better when he caught with catchers who only moved their mitts from the exact center of home plate.
Choi Seungtaek felt lightning strike his mind.
*'That's right! Jeon Seol told me. Even though he talked too much, he gave me a huge tip. Whoa!'*
"I think I get it."
"Yeah, that's the start. You already look like you can mix pitches. Giving the pitcher stability means you can give him a lead that no catcher could ever match."
"But I keep wanting to move…"
"Stay in the center, but keep your lower body tight. It will be hard at first, but once you adapt, you'll get it."
Choi Seungtaek repeated the words, set up, and tried again.
*'Here? Just stretch my arms? Hmm…'*
The feel wasn't perfect yet, but every time Jo Oosue threw a ball, Choi Seungtaek caught it without moving too far from center.
"Good. Keep doing that. When you're drawing outside or inside pitches, stay in the strike zone as much as possible. Think of yourself as the pitcher's big target."
"Got it."
If Jo Oosue had shown it once, it would have been faster, but the verbal guidance was already helping him get the feel.
"Seungtaek-ah."
"Yes, Senior Jo."
"I wasn't like you when I was your age. Even in my thirties I couldn't mix pitches as boldly. I always got yelled at for trying to pull outside."
Jo Oosue suddenly smiled at an old memory.
"You're too kind. I can't mix pitches like that."
"Modesty won't get you anywhere. If you practice mixing pitches and set up a position that gives stability, when the pitcher comes to the mound he'll feel steady seeing you. He's going to trust you with every pitch."
"Got it."
Choi Seungtaek nodded at Jo Oosue's advice.
"And right here, we move to the next thing."
"Next?"
Jo Oosue walked toward second base.
*'Ah! He's teaching me his trademark — how to throw to block a steal from a seated position.'*
"Throw the ball exactly like you always do!"
"Got it!"
Choi Seungtaek stood up from sitting at the same time, took a step, and threw.
The ball flew perfectly to Jo Oosue's stomach. That was the ideal spot to tag out a runner trying to steal.
Jo Oosue checked the timer.
(1.97 seconds)
*'Pretty good? At this point I might not even need to teach him.'*
"Hmm! Not bad. Location is spot on."
But Choi Seungtaek's will to learn was so strong that Jo Oosue wanted to teach him something.
"Your arm is excellent. This will work. Now try throwing from a seated position."
"Got it!"
"Think less about throwing fast and more about throwing with a variety of postures to block the steal. Your stance is already solid."
*'Oh! So that's how you approach it.'*
"Got it!"
"Then throw from a seated position."
Choi Seungtaek threw to Jo Ousoo while still sitting.
Swoosh!
Pop!
"Nice! That's it."
Even on his first try, Choi Seungtaek hit the exact spot on Jo Oosue's chest from a seated position.
Jo Oosue looked at the timer.
(1.95 seconds)
*'Huh? On his first try it was already that good?'*
Jo Oosue was surprised at how well Choi Seungtaek was throwing.
"Oh! This is really going to work. Let's try it ten more times. This time, think of throwing like you're cracking a whip, not throwing precisely."
"Alright…"
Choi Seungtaek didn't throw toward second base — he threw like he was whipping toward second base.
Swoosh!
Pop!
Because he threw a bit roughly, the ball came to Jo Oosue's face height.
*'Hmm… Accuracy is definitely dropping. Still, this is pretty good.'*
Jo Oosue was pleased with the accuracy, but when he checked the timer he froze.
(1.88 seconds)
*'Eh?'*