Outfield Guidance and Training

"The step we talked about earlier might feel difficult for beginners."

Sendou had considered that as well. He would not judge by his own standards; he had to think more about how to break the movements down for his companions when they could not manage them.

Back then, Coach Nakanishi had only explained it to him once. Then, after watching the Wildcats' outfielders during defensive practice quickly make a direct throw home to tag out a runner, Sendou had been able to do it himself.

"But that's okay. I'll teach you an outfielder-specific technique called the Crow Hop."

"Like this: when receiving the ball, take a hop step. As you catch it, push off hard with your left foot and take a big step forward into a leap. Then, once your body has risen as much as possible with the momentum, let your body weight carry the ball instead of relying on your wrist and arm. Swing your arm with the momentum! It does not matter if you fall afterward; it will not affect the quality of the throw.

What you need to do is turn all of that into bodily instinct. Even with a Rebound Ball, you have to make your throws fast and accurate.

This is something you can improve quickly through training. Even if your shoulder is weak, directly forcing out the opponent in an official game will become possible. If you are willing to work hard, you can achieve it in a short time!"

For Sendou, this might have been something he could learn just by watching once, without needing any process at all—something he could not even understand why others failed to grasp. But to his companions, hearing it broken down step by step was like opening the door to another world.

"Then, Eijun, give us a demonstration!" Sendou said with a smile.

If I remember right, this guy still couldn't play outfield defense in the fall of his first year. Even Coach Kataoka at Seidou couldn't teach a professional technique like the Crow Hop! Sendou thought maliciously, waiting to enjoy the show.

Why did he think that? Because the direct-throw technique Isashiki used was an ordinary small step, not this highly professional Crow Hop. The final step of a Crow Hop was a huge stride that turned the entire body weight into added force, greatly increasing the ball's speed. After all, Kataoka had never gone pro or received professional training. Once players entered the draft after graduating high school, their basic techniques and forms generally had to be corrected by actual professionals.

Some players could not even be corrected in a short time. Batting stances and the like would get them sent down to the second string.

That alone showed just how useful Coach Nakanishi's technique was. Much of it involved details that could not be understood without personally explaining them face-to-face. Others might not even notice those finer points.

Otherwise, Japan would not still be producing so many players with flaws in their supposedly professional form after all these years.

"Hahaha! Sendou, you finally understand how outstanding I am, right?"

"That's right. I'm looking forward to your 'performance.'" His tone did not change at all. Other than the companions who knew him—well, except for that idiot Sawamura—no one could possibly catch the hidden meaning. So only Sawamura believed Sendou genuinely wanted to see his performance, rather than knowing Sendou simply wanted to laugh at him like everyone else did.

The Camera on the field had been set up beforehand, while the one here had just been placed by Sendou. If he did not find some entertainment worth recording, he would be wasting this high-resolution Camera.

After laughing loudly, Sawamura came running over eagerly, and then...

"I'm pitching!"

"Eh, whoosh!" Sawamura made an exaggerated, strange sound, and then...

"Wild Pitch!"

"Oh no!"

"Hahahaha!" Sendou was delighted!

Just as I expected! he muttered to himself, though he did not want this farce to end so soon.

"What a shame! Did you throw that on purpose to liven things up?"

"Huh? That's right, exactly right! Please call me...!" Sawamura said, blushing. (Author: I really do not have Sawamura's talent for naming things.)

"What was that? I have no idea what you mean!"

"Watch me throw another one!"

"Okay! Okay!" Sawamura agreed hurriedly.

"Hmm, heave-ho!"

"..."

"Hahahaha! I can't take it anymore! Your throw was a full five meters off! You really didn't disappoint me!"

Sendou finally could not hold it in any longer. He clutched his stomach, squatted down, and burst into wild laughter as though he were about to cough something up. Since he planned to end this farce, he said that last line out loud this time.

"Sendou, you bastard... Wakaba, what was it you called this again?"

"Hahaha!" Sendou laughed even harder!

"Idiot," even Wakaba said, holding her forehead with one hand.

"Even Wakaba?"

"Hahaha...!" Once Sendou had laughed enough, things finally got back on track!

"All right, Eijun, go practice by yourself over there. Wakaba, you three pair up and start training!"

"Idiot, Sendou, how are three people supposed to form pairs? Can't you count? I'll join in!" Sawamura immediately cut in.

"No need. Your Wild Pitches would only reduce everyone's practice time. You can throw by yourself, and that will build your stamina too.

I'll go call A Shin over. Then we'll have enough people!" Sendou interrupted him directly.

"Then why didn't you call him over with us earlier?" Sawamura began to get angry from embarrassment!

"Oh, I only just thought of it!"

"..."

"Haha, you're our ACE, so naturally we have to increase your workload!" Sendou said, patting Sawamura on the shoulder!

"Huh? Of course! Yi ye! Yi ye! Yi ye! Is that so?!!" Sawamura said smugly after hearing those obviously flattering words.

"Of course!"

"Yi ye! Yi ye! Yi ye! So that's how it is!!!"

He's being played like a fiddle! the others thought.

He really is such a cute, innocent kid, Sendou thought as he looked at how easily Sawamura had been dealt with.

Seeing that he had obviously fooled one person silly, Sendou prepared to go call A Shin.

But before that, he did not forget to shatter someone's sweet dream.

"You're so hopeless that you're worth teaching! Hahaha!" With that, Sendou strode away.

Yeah, right! he added inwardly.

Sawamura's smug expression instantly froze. (Imagine the way Sawamura froze when Miyuki fooled him after he joined the team and Coach Kataoka caught him! Hahaha!)

After A Shin arrived, Sendou explained everything to him again and demonstrated it before having the four of them pair off. The reason he had called A Shin was because a catcher's quick-throw technique shared some similarities with the Crow Hop.

Even Wakaba, whose shoulder was weak, could easily use the Crow Hop and proper mechanics to make a direct throw of more than fifty meters. Her accuracy was still a little off, but the gap was small. Sawamura was simply dumb; his control over his own body was below average.

As time passed, they began to gain accuracy. This was not especially difficult to practice, so they could learn it quickly, but mastering it completely would not take just a few days. They still had a long way to go before they could avoid mistakes. Unless they were geniuses like Sendou or Amakusa, who could throw nasty Ball Trajectories without practice, everyone had to go through this process.

At Sendou's request, they began alternating between direct throws home with one bounce or two bounces and ordinary direct throws home without a bounce.

Meanwhile, Sendou merely enjoyed watching just how dumb one particular person could be.