Guidance

"Listen, Sendou. The catcher is the command center of a team. He's the only player who can see everyone's defensive positions. So the catcher, who has a full view of the field, is best suited to direct the defense. But that's something you'll learn later. First, I'm going to teach you the core ideas and basics of pitch calling..." Then came a flood of fundamental knowledge.

He could tell Sendou was a sharp kid, so he covered a lot of ground. He'd pause now and then to ask questions, gauging Sendou's understanding to decide whether to move on. But even when he got to how to use inside and outside corners and balls outside the zone to get batters out, Sendou showed no confusion. So he couldn't help asking for Sendou's take.

"Coach, after all that about pitch calling, it's basically using these things to make the batter swing at a ball trajectory he wasn't aiming for, break his stance, mess up his depth perception, get him to whiff or hit an easy ball to field, right?"

"Exactly!"

"But what if the batter doesn't aim for any trajectory and can hit anything? Then he wouldn't need to adjust his stance for a specific trajectory, would he?"

"Then you have to settle it with a tricky ball trajectory. For example, an outside-corner ball outside the zone. The goal isn't to make him swing—it's to give him a sense of space. So even if it's clearly off the strike zone, that's fine. Make the batter feel the ball is far from him. Even if his stance doesn't change, his body's subconscious will register it. Then throw another outside-corner ball to deepen that impression. Once that impression sets in, his body will unconsciously lean forward on the next swing. Even for a tougher batter whose body doesn't move, his eyes will stretch. That's when you throw an inside-corner ball. Even if that pitch is a strike, he'll feel it's way too close, like it's about to hit him. Using these edges to create space makes the batter feel like the strike zone has expanded. Of course, once you have changeups later, you'll use changeups at various angles and pitch speeds to completely disorient the batter. If even the edge tactics can't fool a batter—well, at this stage, even top high school batters can barely manage that, and by then you'll have changeups too. I'm just giving an example, but it branches into all kinds of pitch calling. Later, there's even psychological battles. There's no fixed pattern for how to execute it—it depends on your judgment in the moment."

"So pitch calling is simple, isn't it? It's just using psychological warfare to lure the batter's thinking. If you can see through his thoughts, you don't need all that messy stuff to take him down!"

"Messy stuff..." Coach Nakanishi, who was about to apologize for getting too deep, was left speechless. This kid hadn't failed to understand—he was deliberately blocking him with twisted logic. But Coach Nakanishi couldn't argue. If you really could see through the batter's aimed trajectory, it would be easy to get him out. Unless he was the kind of batter who could hit even when the spatial gap from his aimed trajectory was huge. Like aiming for an inside-corner swing but adjusting his stance to hit an outside-corner ball. If someone could do that, why bother aiming at any trajectory? Just swing at whatever comes, if it feels hittable. Coach Nakanishi himself thought such a batter was a fantasy—only possible if the batter's level far exceeded the pitcher-catcher duo. Like a Major League Silver Slugger going up against a high schooler's pitches. Now he realized this kid was full of mischief, in every sense.

"Can you do it? What you said earlier—seeing through the batter's thoughts."

"Well, if it's those simple-minded guys out there, it's easy."

So that meant this kid was observing even when he seemed spaced out, and he had a unique way of analyzing others' behavior. That really was a matter of talent. Sharp observation and analytical skills, like a psychologist guessing someone's thoughts—others couldn't replicate that!

"Looks like you've got some grasp of the basics. These are choices you need to memorize through experience. For now, I'm just giving you an overview. As for what you called 'messy stuff,' it'll also help you analyze unfamiliar opponents faster, while racking up strike counts—after all, it takes three strikes for a strikeout."

"I understand!" Sendou bowed in thanks.

"Forget all that. It seems you already get what I was trying to teach you. Now I'll start showing you some basic catcher techniques. Follow me!"

The earlier lessons were all meant to keep Sendou from falling into fixed thinking. Especially as a catcher—once you get stuck in a pattern and the opponent figures you out, you're done. (I won't dig any deeper, or I'll confuse everyone.)

Then Coach Nakanishi took Sendou to grab a set of catcher's gear and headed back to the batting cage.

"In a bit, you'll catch balls from the pitching machine. I'll set it so it only throws balls outside the zone. You need to catch them in the shortest time, and then do this..."

As he spoke, he demonstrated the setup for a pickoff throw—rising from the catch position instantly, ready to throw at any moment. How to use the cramped space to maximize power generation, increase launch speed, and use body mechanics to boost ball velocity. A professional catcher can absolutely maximize the use of every muscle in his body, executing the most efficient, textbook movements.

"Once you've practiced these, we'll move on to throwing posture habits and training methods. I'll write you a menu."

"Here's how to train your body and shoulders. Your strength lies in explosive power, and this regimen will amplify that advantage."

"Whether you're a pitcher, catcher, or batter, you need to engage your entire body's explosive muscle power in an instant."

"All of this requires the most standard, efficient movements to maximize your body's potential. Understand?"

"What about batting?"

"Batting is mainly about correcting your stance, then just do what you've been doing. Trust your instincts—the gradual approach others use won't work for you."

"Once you've nailed the basic pitcher-catcher drills, I can put you in a game. That's the fastest way for you to grow."

"When your body adapts, we can work on finding the batting stance that suits you best. Now, keep practicing!"

Without another word, Sendou bowed deeply.

Even if he had no other thoughts about baseball.

He still had to thank Coach Nakanishi for his sincerity.

As he left, Sendou took several beginner catcher books, along with Coach Nakanishi's personal notes and training regimen.

I was a bit busy today and almost missed the update. This chapter mainly focuses on the coach using his expertise to instill baseball knowledge into the protagonist. The gap between professionals and amateurs is truly vast—often, a few words from a pro can be more helpful than years of self-training.