<7> Practice Game (1)

Chapter 7: Practice Game (1)

The next day, Sendo was officially announced as part of the first string, although he wouldn't be training with them just yet.

Over the following week, Sendo made rapid progress, mastering the basic techniques of catching and getting accustomed to the pitching posture. However, his batting stance was still a work in progress.

As the coach put it, with the tournament approaching, it was best to let him stick to a stance that felt comfortable for now.

The coach would then help him refine it, correcting his form while also finding a stance that suited him, possibly by referencing the styles of other batters.

Coach Nakani, with his experience from Major League Baseball, was well aware that some of the common beliefs in Japan were misguided.

For instance, while long-distance running helps pitchers build lower body stability, the idea that it steadily increases pitch speed is incorrect.

What directly affects speed and pitch power is explosive strength—the ability to unleash the body's power at a single point in an instant.

Long-distance running can stabilize the lower body and aid control, but the belief that it increases a pitcher's stamina is also wrong.

Pitchers rely on explosive power, much like how sprinters and marathon runners undergo different types of training.

The mode of using up energy in an instant versus sustaining energy output over time is fundamentally different.

This is why, despite all the long-distance running, a pitcher still can't throw significantly more pitches. The body must get used to that explosive energy release.

As a simple example, a person might be able to jog 10 kilometers, but they would likely collapse after sprinting 100 meters a few times. That's the difference between sustained endurance and explosive bursts of energy.

Sendo's training plan focused heavily on building explosive power.

This type of long-distance training wasn't suited for little league or youth baseball.

Elementary and middle school should be focused on learning techniques, while high school is the time for accumulation.

Of course, even though the explosive power training was intense, it was still within what an elementary school student's body could handle.

Coach Nakani had been carefully observing how Sendo's body responded to the training, and he had even consulted friends in the U.S. for advice. He didn't want to risk ruining everything.

Sendo had also participated in a few more joint training sessions, and both his hitting and pitching quickly gained the approval of the entire team.

With his stance corrected and his form settling in, his growth was explosive. He was soon promoted to the team's ace and cleanup hitter, a decision no one objected to.

Even Coach Nakani hadn't anticipated such rapid progress.

"Sendo, there's a practice game tomorrow against the Mariners Little League team. I'm assigning you as the starting pitcher, so head home early today."

"Got it!"

The next day was Sunday. Teams like the Wildcats, a well-known team with their own bus, frequently traveled for practice games, especially with the summer tournament approaching.

While the Wildcats were weak in terms of catchers, it didn't matter too much. For an elementary school team, their level of pitch-calling—based mostly on flexible in-game adjustments from the books—was more than sufficient.

"However, due to unforeseen circumstances, the Mariners' coach has had to reschedule, so the practice game will be pushed back to next Sunday."

Life is unpredictable, and such things happen.

.....

A week later…

"Coach Nakani, I see that your starting pitcher is a fourth-grader who just joined the team, and he's batting cleanup as well. That's really not your usual style! Isn't Wildcats' strength supposed to come from absolute team coordination?" The opposing coach, Yasuda, clearly noticed the unusual lineup.

If it was just about letting a talented player get a feel for the game, they wouldn't be batting them in the cleanup spot. Moreover, Yasuda had never heard of Wildcats allowing a fourth-grader onto the first string before.

"Coach Yasuda, this year is a little special," Nakanishi replied.

"I see," Yasuda nodded, intrigued.

"For Coach Nakanishi to say that, could it mean this player's individual strength surpasses even the Wildcats' famed team coordination? I'll be watching closely then, to see if someone really can outshine the so-called absolute kings, the Wildcats!" he thought to himself.

The Mariners Little League team was set to bat first.

As per the pre-game arrangements, Sendo was instructed to hold back a little in his pitching, to work on defensive coordination.

After all, the Wildcats' strength had always been in their professional-level tactics, along with their exceptional teamwork and execution. While Sendo was an independent factor in defense, his reflexes were far from a liability.

Even though the opposing batters could make contact, the Wildcats' infield defense was no joke.

The first and second batters were easily put out, but the third batter managed to reach base with an infield single. Now it was the fourth batter's turn—a hefty-looking kid.

The catcher called for an outside pitch, keeping it low, which is a typical strategy against unfamiliar batters.

In youth baseball, there's so much unpredictability—who knows when a talented player might emerge? Testing the waters was a necessary part of the game.

Moreover, the Mariners' cleanup hitter and catcher was fairly well-known.

But none of this had anything to do with Sendo.

He didn't even know the names of his own teammates yet, since they only called out positions during practice.

This was one of the Wildcats' rules, designed to prevent communication errors with new members of the first string.

"Whoosh!"

Thwack!

"Ball!" The opposing batter cautiously held back his swing.

Sendo's control wasn't refined enough to purposefully place a ball on the edge of the strike zone, though technically any part of the ball that touched the zone would count as a strike.

"Second pitch, inside corner, in the strike zone!"

Seeing the sign, Sendo muttered the signal code in his head. Once he confirmed it was correct, he nodded and glanced over at the runner on first.

"Steal!"

Just as Sendo turned his head to begin his pitch, the runner on first suddenly bolted for second. However, by then Sendo's motion was already underway, and he couldn't stop.

"Whoosh!"

Thwack!

"Strike!"

Thwack!

"Safe!"

Despite a quick throw, the runner successfully stole second base.

"That scared me! I thought no matter how talented, a beginner couldn't have mastered all the different pitching motions. That open stance would've given the runner plenty of chances to steal. But this fourth-grader… his arm speed is unreal! His explosive power is terrifying."

"Good thing the catcher doesn't have a strong arm. If it had been our team's Harada, he'd have been thrown out for sure," Yasuda thought. "With this kind of power, he doesn't even need a set stance, even with runners on base."

By this point, Coach Yasuda had realized that Sendo had been holding back earlier. The arm speed he was displaying now was on a completely different level.

"I know all about the usual problems beginner pitchers have. But this kid's physical talent… Even with all the typical rookie issues, he won't be easy to exploit."

Coach Nakani, of course, was well aware of the opposing team's strategy.

Steals and bunts are some of the biggest challenges for rookie pitchers, and they're often easy to break down.

But with two weeks of intense training and Sendo's extraordinary explosiveness, those weaknesses were hardly an issue.

"Next pitch, another inside ball, but don't make it too obvious."

"Steal!"

Whoosh!

Thwack!

"Ball!"

"Another steal?"

Thwack!

"Safe!"

"So this is how we're starting? Two outs, runner on third, cleanup hitter at the plate, two balls, one strike," Sendo thought to himself.

"Even though this pitcher can't be easily exploited, the catcher's weak arm is becoming apparent. I won't miss this opportunity, Coach Nakani." Yasuda smile.

The opposing catcher seemed to have realized this weakness, but Sendo could see through his strategy.

"That was too predictable," Sendo mused.

"The next pitch should be outside. Let's finish this in the strike zone."

However, Sendo shook his head in disagreement with the catcher's call.

He could tell from the batter's overall stance that he was waiting for an outside pitch.

After an inside pitch, most catchers would follow up with an outside one.

And since the opposing batter was a catcher himself, he had already watched both inside pitches closely without swinging.

In the previous pitch, Sendo had also noticed the batter almost extending his foot, as if preparing for a move.

Although the batter didn't fully commit, Sendo had caught onto this subtle tell. He wasn't going to fall for the obvious setup.

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