"I'm back!"
"Welcome back, Sen-chan!"
"So? Did you find any way to make us stronger quickly?" Sawamura immediately asked.
"No!"
"Still, I got plenty of help. You'll find out soon enough! Keep studying. I need to think first!"
Having just returned home, Sendou casually threw himself onto the sofa and closed his eyes in thought.
"Let them keep practicing bunting like this. Looks like they've found some tricks already, and there's nothing I can really do to help. That kind of thing isn't in my arsenal. We ordinary people can't understand Eijun's Martian explanations."
"That uncle already helped me solve the issue of judging balls and strikes in the Batter's Box, as well as the timing for base running!
"All that remains is defense. I'll also need them to work on explosive-power drills. They probably won't see much effect in the short term, but at least they can get used to that kind of intense exertion sooner. By next summer, it should show some results, right?"
"Make up your mind! I'm only half-baked myself, but I have no choice but to do this."
Sendou lay on the sofa thinking for a long time before finally deciding to change the training plan.
"Eijun!"
"What is it?"
"Starting today, we're adding another drill! Bring everyone along when you practice explosive power at night!"
"You should do it with everyone too, while you're at it!"
"I'm enough on my own."
"Why are you acting so shy?"
"Shut up!"
"Tch, fine, I won't ask!"
"Don't forget!"
"Yeah!"
That evening's self-practice remained unchanged, while A Shin's catching had also begun to look satisfactory.
The next day.
"Starting today, we'll assign positions. There won't be any major changes, though. Takada, switch positions with Wakaba. Everyone else stays where they are."
Takada and Wakaba switching meant that Takada, the chubby left fielder, and Wakaba, the first baseman, would trade places. Takada's build was not suited for the outfield.
Wakaba could keep up with the ball, and with modern baseball tactics favoring hits toward right field to avoid Double Plays and give runners more time, left field did not demand much defense. Still, fly balls would go there sometimes, so they could not put a fat kid who could barely run there.
"We can't really practice outfield defense here, but middle school outfielders aren't held to very high standards anyway. It's mainly Fly Balls and Line Drives, so we can practice that simply enough. Just stand a little outside the infield. The main focus is Backup Position and catching.
"The main thing is infield defense. Starting today, we'll practice coordination. Someone will also help us arrange Practice Matches with Middle Schools in Tokyo. Whether we can play a few games before we leave depends on how well you train. Call things out, make your bodies remember, and turn technique into instinct!"
"Yeah!!!"
"Then let's begin!"
"First, we'll start with a runner on second base!"
"Smack!"
Once practice began, Sendou's reminders echoed continuously across the field!
"Shortstop, cover third base!"
"Another ball!"
"Left field!"
"Yoshi! Nice catch! Another ball!"
"Shortstop!"
"What are you doing? Ono, get to second for backup, then throw it to first!"
"Right field!"
"Never take your eyes off the ball, not even for a moment, or you'll miss it!"
"Another ball!"
"Good, just like that!"
"Left field, third base is open! In that situation, you need to cover third. The same goes for the other outfielders. If the ball lands in the infield and you aren't positioned too deep, come in to back up as well. Got it?"
"Yeah!!!"
And so it went: Defensive practice, rest, bunt practice, rest, over and over. Only when everyone began their running drills at dusk did the day's official training finally come to an end.
During the evening's self-practice, everyone else carried on with their usual batting and swing drills.
After several days of practice, A Shin could now catch 130-kilometer pitches. So he and Sendou moved on to the next stage of training. Once again, Sendou began his one-on-one instruction with one-sided cramming and lecture-like guidance. He seemed to be enjoying it himself, though no one knew what A Shin thought about it.
"Don't scoop at the ball when you catch!
"Other than Rebound Balls, keep your elbows pointed outward at all times!
"Don't turn your wrists over!
"You only do that because you're slacking off and not keeping your body within the Strike Zone, so you end up scooping sideways at the ball with your hand!"
"You're squatting too low!"
"Your reactions are too slow! Are you tired already from just this much?"
"Don't let it get past you. Use your body to block the ball. Never let it roll behind you!"
"Take a break first!"
"Man, I'm exhausted!" A Shin said as he removed his mask.
"Um, Sen-chan!"
"Hmm?"
"I've been wanting to ask... is this Pitching Machine broken? It hasn't thrown a single strike. They've all been way off target!"
"Of course. I adjusted it that way on purpose. Eijun's pitches dodge even more than these! We definitely can't have him pitch at full power in the short term, or you still won't be able to catch them. Try to reach the point where you can catch his full-power pitches by your final year! Maybe you can!" Sendou did not actually have much confidence himself, but encouragement was still necessary.
"Uh!"
"Tired?"
"Actually, I'm okay!"
"Don't force yourself! Back then, I ran off before I'd even caught half as many balls as you!"
"Ran off...?"
"Don't worry about little things like that!" Sendou immediately said after realizing he had misspoken.
The more you tell me not to worry about it, the more I want to know! A Shin could only grumble inwardly. He was afraid Sendou would retaliate if he said it aloud. There was no doubt about it—Sendou was exactly that kind of person!
"You're tired too, right? Your hands are shaking. Catching uses muscles you don't normally use, including your waist and legs, so it's exhausting! Like what I said earlier about turning your wrists—just holding that catcher's stance is uncomfortable. It really isn't a good defensive position! It's pure suffering!"
"Sen-chan, when you were in Little League, at that prestigious club, did you play catcher too? Ei-chan said you were a pitcher, right? Um, the ace and cleanup hitter?"
"Who do you think I am? Aside from second base, third base, and shortstop, I played every position... a little! I know a little about every position!
"After all, they used relievers there to keep the pitchers from getting too tired. And since I was the cleanup hitter, they obviously couldn't take me out of the game. When other pitchers were pitching, I might catch or go to the outfield. I could play first base too, though there was a regular first baseman back then! But that was all just practice. I only played one official game, and it was a Practice Match!
"What was the opponent called again?... I forgot. Never mind the team name. It was too boring, so I don't remember the details. I only remember that we won easily. I had absolutely no interest in paying attention to those details back then!"
"..."
"Actually, A Shin, you guys are already working very hard. Ten times harder than I ever did. Back then, all I thought about every day was how to escape training..."
Damn it, I wanted to help him relax, but I accidentally let something slip! Sendou abruptly stopped halfway through his sentence.
"Alright, since your hands are already like this, we'll stop here for today!"
Before you continue