[315] The Completion of the Lineup

Chapter 315: The Completion of the Lineup

"Speaking of the team, you know how things have been. After the seniors left, the strength of our team has dropped significantly. Especially after captain and Jun-senpai left, the batting lineup's quality has declined, and the defensive formation also needs a lot of work. The infield requires better coordination, and the same goes for the outfield. Before, I just had to manage you two troublemakers, but now…"

Miyuki rubbed his temples with a slightly troubled expression as he spoke.

This wasn't just Miyuki putting on a show—Seidou High really did have its fair share of issues. At first glance, things might seem similar to the original story, but in reality, there was quite a significant gap.

Losing a whole month of team bonding and adjustment in August is no small matter.

And that's not to mention the fact that even the main players who stayed behind had exhausted themselves at Koshien.

With this newly-formed team, problems were bound to crop up in all areas.

In this regard, it wasn't just the coaching staff who were aware of these issues—the players themselves were fully cognizant. And as the newly appointed captain, Miyuki couldn't ignore it.

The pressure was real—it wasn't just talk.

After winning the national championship in the summer, it would be utterly humiliating to lose in the first round of the autumn tournament.

While such things have happened in history, Miyuki absolutely didn't want Seidou High to become one of those examples.

Naturally, his face showed a hint of frustration.

"Well, when the boat reaches the bridge, it'll straighten itself out."

Eijun, however, didn't appear overly concerned. He understood Miyuki's worries, but in Eijun's view, everything would ultimately be proven on the field. The rest would depend on their regular training.

There's a line from the original story that Eijun has always firmly believed in. It's also a message the story wanted to convey to its fans: hard work never betrays.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Clearly, Miyuki didn't quite grasp what Eijun meant.

Eijun smiled, swallowed his food, and explained, "It's an old saying. It means there's no need to rush. Take things one step at a time, and when the time comes, the solutions will naturally appear."

"You sure know how to take it easy," Miyuki said with a shake of his head and a faint smile.

Surprisingly, after talking with Eijun, Miyuki felt a bit of the frustration in his heart ease.

Eijun was right—the most important thing right now, or rather, the only thing they could do, was to take the next step forward.

The future would take care of itself when the time came.

With that thought, Miyuki felt much more relaxed.

"The autumn tournament will be counting on you, Ace."

"Heh, likewise, Captain."

Later that afternoon, at Seidou High's secondary practice field, the entire baseball team gathered near the first-base dugout after finishing their basic training.

The players stood in neat rows, forming a square formation.

At the front were Coach Kataoka, with his serious demeanor, and Coach Ochiai, who stood with his usual lazy posture and squinting eyes. Beside them were Rei Takashima, Ota, and a few female managers.

At this moment, aside from the seven remaining first-string players in the front row, everyone else looked serious.

Of course, under normal circumstances, even the first-string players would be feeling somewhat nervous. That's because today's agenda had taken everyone by surprise.

Not only was the team going to be finalized, but positions and jersey numbers for the new lineup would also be assigned today.

The jerseys in Rei's hands were clear evidence of this. However, for the seven remaining first-string players, their roles were more or less already set in stone.

It was almost guaranteed what numbers they would receive.

Oh, perhaps Haruichi might be a little nervous. After all, he still couldn't be certain if he could truly succeed his older brother, Ryousuke Kominato, and become the starting second baseman.

In the original story, Kijima Rei, a second-year player, was also a diligent and capable second baseman.

However, he remained a substitute throughout the series.

Now, with the jersey numbers yet to be announced, only the two coaches—or perhaps the heavens themselves—knew what the outcome would be.

"The Autumn Tournament is about to begin. Although the upcoming matches are only regional preliminaries, we cannot afford to take them lightly. To prepare for the integration and training of the new team, we will finalize the 13 players to be added to the first string today. Those who are selected must carry the awareness of representing the honor of our school. Do you understand?!"

Kataoka's cold gaze swept across everyone present, lingering especially on the second-string members. His voice was low and resolute.

"Yes, sir!"

Everyone in Seidou's baseball team, including Eijun and Miyuki, responded firmly, their expressions turning serious.

They knew Kataoka wasn't joking. He was a man who followed through on his words.

"Coach Ochiai, huh…"

Amid the tense atmosphere, Eijun couldn't help but glance at Ochiai, who stood beside Kataoka with his characteristic squint and nonchalant demeanor.

As if sensing Eijun's gaze, Ochiai slowly opened his eyes. For a brief moment, their eyes met.

Ochiai's expression shifted slightly, revealing a subtle, meaningful smile.

The look in his eyes made Eijun's heart skip a beat.

Feeling awkward, he quickly looked away, his posture straightening as if he hadn't been caught staring.

Inwardly, however, he muttered, "Man, this old guy's senses are sharp."

Kataoka's voice broke the moment.

"The players being added to the first string are: second-years Maezono Kenta, Asou Takeru, Higasa Shoji, Ono Hiroshi, Kijima Rei, Seki Naomichi... First-years Toujou Hideaki and Kanemaru Shinji. A total of 13 players!"

Just like in the original story, there were no changes to the roster.

The players who were called naturally couldn't hide their excitement, their faces lighting up with joy.

Meanwhile, those who weren't selected, especially the second-years, looked pale and despondent.

Their dreams had been shattered once again.

The lineup was complete.

For the second-years in particular, missing out on this reshuffling meant that the remaining time in their high school baseball careers was running out.

This is the brutal reality of high school baseball: even if you put in the effort, there's no guarantee of reward.

Hard work may never betray you, but it doesn't always yield the outcome you desire.

This is the world of baseball.

This is the essence of competitive sports.

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