After Autumn Tournament, Akashi, who was eliminated early, returned to normal training life, and Sendou also came up with some ideas, unique to a team with a small number of people like them.
Use limited practice time to achieve more efficient practice methods.
And with the addition of striking practice, Sendou already believed that the defense had reached a bottleneck, and the rest was just accumulation, so he began to shift his attention to other directions that can make rapid progress, such as striking.
However, at present, only someone can swing the bat at Ball Net while holding the ball. It may be completely difficult for laymen to understand, but swinging is not about swinging the bat with full strength and ignoring it. It is about being able to control the bat while swinging until the baseball is finally released. There are many situations where you need to take back and stop swinging.
This kind of practice will play a practical role. Although the ball has no ball speed, it will fall, that is, from top to bottom. Then the ball hit by the swing will be a changing point when viewed from the side, rather than a straight line like a normal straight ball.
So Slow Ball does not mean that it is easy to hit. What is easy to hit is just a half-baked Slow Ball with a small vertical gap at home plate. It is the Slow Ball practiced by the two outfielders of Akashi, but they have never had a chance to play. After all, Sawamura's outfield fielding ability...
The time we spend together always flies by.
Autumn passes and winter comes, and winter is about to pass.
Time flies, and the Chinese New Year is coming soon. As in previous years, everyone went separately to ask for signatures and enjoyed a short break.
By the way, this year is the same as in previous years, Sendou Sawamura Wakaba three people together, and then everyone gathers to play together.
A few months later,
"Hahaha! Starting today, we are sophomores! Finally we are no longer in the lowest grade!"
"So you're already in your second year of junior high school. Can you please put your stupidity away first?"
"Sendou! Aren't you happy?"
"What's there to be happy about? Isn't it the same as before?"
"Wait! What's the point of looking so stupid?"
"As expected, the reflex arc is as good as ever!"
"Sendou!" After a moment of silence, Sawamura finally returned to normal and said seriously.
"What happened this time?"
"Nothing! I just wanted to ask!"
"What?"
"What's our current level? It's been half a year since autumn, and we've been training hard every day. I don't know how much we've improved!"
This is indeed the case for Sawamura. He basically runs, practices balance, exercises basics, and throws just to see the status and cultivate a tacit understanding with Takeda.
But he really doesn't know if he has made any progress.
In fact, his progress is not that great. The main thing is the stability of the bottom plate. He is just so that he can control the ball more stably and faster when he receives formal guidance in high school in the future.
Sendou doesn't think he is qualified to teach Sawamura well, so all he can do is lay the foundation for him. Similarly, Coach Nakanishi has to manage his own team after all, and it is impossible to coach such a unique player from a distance, so laying the foundation constantly is the best way.
"You! I don't know, but the progress shouldn't be big! It's a time of accumulation, but everyone is progressing very quickly. Not only has the technique improved, but the fielding range has also begun to become a lot wider. The hitting has also improved a lot. It's no joke that everyone swings the bat every day."
"That!"
"I know you usually don't pay attention to anything. Why do you suddenly ask this, do you want to play a game?"
"As expected of Sendou, your guess is so accurate!"
"I know everyone has been holding it in for so long, but Practice Match can't do it for the time being!"
"Why? Are we in a bad state?"
"No! Other teams are not like us. They still have to rest during the spring break. School has just started and it is important to resume training in a few days, right!?"
"That's it!"
"I have asked Little Sano to help contact you! Make an appointment in advance and we will notify you then."
"Understood!"
"I feel so bored lately! I don't know what to do! Eijun! Are there any good novels you've read recently? Share them!"
"Haha! Are you short of books again?"
"Those two people have gotten closer and closer in recent months! Are they gay?" At this time, several girls had gathered at the table next to Wakaba. One of them was joking, but they were also curious about the reason why these two people became so harmonious.
"The two of them just have some overlapping hobbies! That guy Akila has always been a nerd!
Eijun also likes reading novels!
So..."
"That's it! Now! Wakaba, which one do you like?"
"This!"
"Sure enough, it's Sawamura-kun!"
"Huh?"
"Sure enough, those from childhood sweethearts are the best!"
"..." Wakaba feels like we can't talk any more today!
Sendou was not joking when he said that everyone has improved. As Batting Practice Pitcher, Sendou has the most intuitive feeling. It would take more than 40 balls to solve this round of hitting with the ball speed half a year ago.
You must know that Sendou's ball is not only fast for everyone, but also has four-corner ball control, and because he does not try his best to control the ball, his ball control has improved sharply.
For those who are serious about improving their hitting and eager to contribute on the offensive end, the progress is very amazing. Of course, this has a lot to do with everyone being used to the Sendou ball. Even for people with the same ball speed, the effect will be quite different.
Everyone's ball is different, and strictly speaking, a straight ball is also a Changeup.
But even so, Sendou is very satisfied with everyone's progress.
Sawamura is right about one thing, that is, this team continues to need an opponent to prove its strength level. Facing the same opponents and the same training every day, everyone will perform better and better. However, how much water there is can only be verified in actual combat.
Sendou personally infers that this team cannot compete with De Chuan Middle School, not only in terms of talent, formal training, equipment, etc. De Chuan's progress will also be amazing!
As a result of constant efforts, whether the gap has narrowed or become larger, it all depends on the performance of both parties in Xia Tian!
But the only thing that is certain is that after the summer, when De Chuan makes a major change to form a new team, they will significantly narrow the gap.
This is also the advantage of their group of friends in the same grade. They have been together since childhood and grew up together. The tacit understanding between them is no joke.
Not only Sano, but Sendou is also trying to inquire about Sakura Women's University's arrangements. Sakura Girls is also the original team and should be stronger after the offseason. They are all pitchers and can be said to be excellent practice targets for hitting the line.
However, Practice Match of Sakura Girls is expected to have to wait until Summer Tournament.
Sendou could only wait silently while other teams completed their joint training.
I just want to say that it's really difficult to write a story that goes too far.