The Returned Catcher Wants to Win the Championship
Choi Seungtaek stepped out of the dugout and approached the pitching coach.
“What’s this about?”
“It’s… well… that’s…”
Seungtaek’s stomach churned like boiling water, but he answered honestly. “Yes, sir. That’s correct.”
The pitching coach rubbed the back of his neck. “Seungtaek, when you came to the mound earlier, you told Chung-seong he should be pulled, right?”
Seungtaek swallowed the bitter taste in his mouth. “That’s what I said.”
The coach sighed. “Of course the manager would have pulled Chung-seong if you signed him out on the bench. But if you tell a pitcher still on the mound that he’s getting pulled right after he’s throwing the ball… it won’t look good for the game.”
“I’m sorry, but…” Seungtaek started to explain.
The coach waved him off. “Wait. Let me finish.” He turned to Chung-seong first. “Hey, Chung-seong.”
“Yes, Coach.”
“I still think you should be up in the second. The manager never told me to pull you. So go to the bullpen, get your command back fast.”
“Understood.”
Chung-seong’s face lit up like the sun. He thought the coach was switching sides and immediately headed to the bullpen to throw again.
“And you, Seungtaek. Come here.”
The pitching coach pulled Seungtaek aside and folded his arms.
“The situation has changed a lot since we talked before the game, hasn’t it?”
“Yeah…”
“It feels like you’re about to get completely shut out in one inning.”
Seungtaek caught the strange note in the coach’s voice. Not exactly scolding—just a deep unease.
His injury report earlier had to be common knowledge. Could it be the same thing this time?
But he couldn’t say Chung-seong was deliberately tanking the game, so he took a slow breath and started speaking.
“Well… honestly, it’s extremely weird.”
“Weird?”
“Yes. His command is perfect, but every pitch feels like he’s throwing them on purpose.”
The coach raised an eyebrow. “A pro pitcher throwing balls on purpose?”
Seungtaek shifted uncomfortably. “At least… that’s how it feels to me.”
The coach crossed his arms again and stayed silent for a long moment.
“I always thought Chung-seong was the type who could throw a little dirt but still have talent. The club saw that potential too.”
“Talent that’s holding back?”
“Exactly. A guy with raw ability but something missing that makes you wonder if he’ll ever break through.”
Seungtaek tilted his head. That’s how he looks?
Fastball pitchers who lose command. Starters with rocky mental games. Players with injury histories. Baseball had plenty of those kinds of gaps.
“I thought the same last year with a guy named Woo-su. He threw against Chung-seong three times—one win, two losses. After the third game Woo-su told me, ‘Something’s off with that kid.’”
Hope flickered in Seungtaek’s chest. Great. The coach is suspicious too.
“Gyeokpo and Kyung-ho never said anything, so we just let it slide. But you saying it… it’s pretty blunt.”
The coach looked uneasy. He kept thinking.
Gyeokpo is a high-value hitter-catcher. Kyung-ho lacks overall feel. But Seungtaek’s catcher instincts are sharp. If he can sense something off like Woo-su did…
A veteran catcher who had thrown with the pitchers—his instinct was usually spot-on.
The coach couldn’t ignore it.
“Seungtaek, the club still sees Chung-seong as a promising pitcher. We signed him for over fifty million with the Magpies.”
Seungtaek knew the history. The club had been hesitant, but Chung-seong had shown flashes. They hadn’t cut him.
Sunk cost plus potential. That’s how they saw it.
“But because of what Woo-su said last year, I pushed the club to trade him. That’s why I’m saying this now.”
The coach’s logic was clean. Without proof, only suspicion wasn’t enough, but the direction was right.
He’s telling me this in front of me because he believes my opinion too?
Seungtaek’s hope rose.
“So what do you think I should do?”
“Keep going as planned. There’s nothing else we can do. Trade it is.”
Seungtaek’s mind spun fast.
Chung-seong’s command wobbles. Lies. Starting pitcher. Five innings. This pitching coach. Manager Han. Everything lines up.
He quickly revised the scenario he had already completed.
“We should change the plan.”
“Change it? What can you do?”
“Just one thing, Coach. If you help me, that’s all.”
“What?”
“It’s ridiculous. Isn’t this the opposite direction?”
Seungtaek smiled. “Doesn’t that sound wrong? And this only helps the other pitchers.”
“No… well… you really think so?”
Seungtaek’s demand left the coach flustered.
Is this guy crazy?
“Is there something wrong with my request? You said you’d support me.”
“I know, I know. But whether the manager will approve it is another question.”
“Don’t worry. He will.”
Seungtaek turned and headed back to the dugout.
In the bullpen, Chung-seong had finished his warm-up and returned to the mound area. The other pitchers were waiting with the coach.
“Coach… how did it go?”
“Oh! I talked to Seungtaek. You’re good for the rest of the game. No worries about getting pulled. Go out there and throw freely.”
“Thank you, Coach!”
“Start the second. Go!”
Chung-seong grinned and trotted toward the mound.
From the plate, Seungtaek watched him approach and let out a thin, bitter smile.
The smile of a winner.
Seungtaek sat behind the plate. Ha. Laugh all you want. I’m just getting my revenge.
He signed to Chung-seong and the game continued.
Seungtaek called for a low breaking ball.
Low curve.
Chung-seong nodded, but he had no intention of obeying.
The pitch landed in the dirt in front of the plate. Seungtaek blocked it cleanly.
As expected.
He called the next pitch.
Low fastball.
The ball sailed right down the middle. The batter smashed it for a clean hit.
Perfect. Keep going like this.
Chung-seong continued to nibble at the edges, but Seungtaek stayed silent and followed his plan.
Bip!
Bip!
Walk.
Bip!
The inning drifted exactly toward what Chung-seong wanted. The Magpies scored five runs in the third.
In the top of the fourth, Chung-seong’s pitch was still finding the batters, and runners kept piling up.
One more hit and I’m done. Both goals achieved. Perfect.
Seungtaek had already signed. Chung-seong threw a pitch right down the middle again.
Bip!
Another single. Runners crossed home. The White Sox now led 7-0.
Time to react?
Chung-seong glanced at the dugout.
The dugout buzzed instantly.
The coach and Manager Han exchanged quick words. The coach jogged up to the mound.
Done for the day. Time to wrap it up.
Chung-seong hung his head.
“I’m sorry, Coach.”
“Hey, hey. What are you sorry for? Pitchers get hit all the time. Good job.”
“I let you down even though you believed in me. Really sorry.”
Chung-seong started to step off the mound.
“Hold on.”
“What?”
“You came up to get pulled, didn’t you?”
“No! What do you mean?”
The coach chuckled softly. Chung-seong looked confused.
“Just stay here and get your command back. The manager told you to do that.”
“Huh?”
“That means hustle. The manager isn’t thinking about pulling you. Show me what you’ve got. You can do it.”
Tap, tap.
The coach patted Chung-seong’s shoulder and walked back to the dugout.
Chung-seong stood there stunned.
Seungtaek watched the exchange and smiled inside his mask.
Hahaha. He looks like an idiot now.
Seungtaek’s request to the coach had been simple: Do not pull Chung-seong until the game was officially over.
When the time came, the coach passed the order straight to Manager Han.
After watching Chung-seong’s pathetic performance through the fourth, the order was accepted without hesitation.
It was basically a punishment outing, but Manager Han had seen worse.
If you messed up, you get punished.
Seungtaek tapped his mitt under the mask. Throw. Throw like you mean it. We still have six full innings left. If you don’t throw, it’s on you.