<53> Rebirth – Practice Match (5)

Chapter 53: Rebirth – Practice Match (5)

"Time out!" Upon hearing Coach Takei's voice, the umpire called for a time-out!

"Coach! I…" Ishihara hesitated, not knowing what to say.

"It's okay. It's scary, isn't it? Baseball!"

"Huh?" Ishihara wasn't the only one surprised by the coach's words; the rest of the infielders looked equally stunned.

"It's not a bad thing. At least now you've experienced the frightening side of baseball. This isn't just about skill gaps; it's also about a strategy that combines tactics with mind games." Coach Takei looked at the downcast Ishihara and placed a reassuring hand on his head.

"Listen, in the end, baseball is just a game. Why do you play? It's because you love it, right? You're not powerhouses or geniuses. You're just kids who genuinely love baseball. Forget about winning or losing and enjoy the game!"

"But what am I supposed to do? I have no idea what they're planning or how to stop them…" Ishihara's confusion was rooted in his uncertainty about what action to take.

"If you can't stop it, then don't worry about stopping it!"

"What?"

"I'm saying, don't try to block it if you can't. Focus on what you're supposed to do and trust your defense. Defense is a team effort, with all nine players. They haven't hit a home run, and there's no problem with Morishita's pitching."

"But…"

"Think about what you can do. Just focus on what's within your reach. If it's beyond you, no amount of overthinking will change that. In fact, by overthinking, you might even mess up what you can do."

"Didn't the last inning prove it? Their cleanup hitter barely made it to first base, but you all got distracted, letting him get on the bases."

"I understand!"

"That's right—stop worrying about all the unnecessary things. Just focus on what you can actually handle, and don't try to do more than you're capable of. Don't be too reckless. It's only the first inning, so don't stress too much about the runners. Focus on the batters. Be prepared to give up another run if you have to. Slowly, we can claw back any runs we lose."

"So, just do what I can, right?"

"Exactly. And that goes for the rest of you, too. Pitch framing, reminders to your teammates—don't try to do everything yourself. You're not alone out there on defense. And don't be afraid of losing. Play a game that gets your heart racing!" At this, Coach Takei gave a broad smile.

"Are you all ready to enjoy this thrilling game? Answer me!" he shouted passionately.

"Yes, Coach!"

"Remember, baseball is all about this tension—the adrenaline, that heart-pounding excitement. This game is a gift, isn't it? Games like these don't come around easily! Yeah!"

"Ohhh!" The players from Seiwa shouted as Coach Takei turned around.

"Amazing! So cool, too!" Sawamura, seeing this, felt a surge of motivation and thought how cool the coach looked turning away with their cheers.

"Impressive, senpai. Just a few words and they're fired up again. It looks like this will really turn into an awesome game. Though, we're pretty lucky; if they replaced their catcher, I'd have to reassess the situation!" Sendo was also very impressed by Coach Takei.

"The game resumes!"

"The coach is right. I'll just do what I can." As the catcher squatted back at home plate, he was once again calm, his mindset steady—after all, it was only a practice game.

"Omura, watch closely for that sweet spot on the inside. You can hit it. That pitcher's control isn't steady; he can't keep the outside low, so his outside pitch feels like an inside pitch in another batter's box. As for his breaking balls, they're still unpredictable, but no matter how sharp they might be, as a rookie, he can't throw them too much. That inside pitch is the lifeline of his pitching."

"Got it!" Omura nodded and stepped into the on-deck circle.

Omura was Sendo's secret weapon in the sixth spot. He didn't have the batting skill of Kondou and was on par with Ohno. He might not be considered a power hitter on other teams, but to Sendo, he was a crucial piece!

"Our luck really isn't bad," Sendo said, watching Takada step into the batter's box. "Takada, that guy, can barely manage an inside fastball. But today, he's going all out with his swings like he's trying his luck."

"Focus on the inside! Focus on the inside! Focus on the inside! ... Second pitch, full swing on the inside!" Takada was muttering like a mantra, finally declaring with confidence.

First pitch.

Pop!

"Ball!"

"As expected, the catcher's pitch-calling is really simple. If we don't grab one or two more runs while he's still unaware, it'll be hard to score later on," thought Sendo, noting that the first pitch was another outside ball. Still, this pitch-calling style wasn't too bad.

It's like when basketball fans first start out, only knowing a few basic moves.

In basketball, you can slowly train on moves, but baseball's pitch-calling mindset is more challenging—it's mentally demanding and relies on intuition and talent.

Smart players stand out, but it's clear that most catchers in regular baseball teams are just filling in.

Second pitch.

"It's here! Inside pitch, full swing!!"

Although the hit wasn't perfect, the ball still had enough power.

Whether it's a soft or hard ball, as long as it's not suppressed by the pitch's impact, it can really bounce.

If it were a hard ball and the impact was too strong, it would just roll on the ground—like trying to hit a lead ball with a bat; it's not going to fly.

After all, a hard ball, packed with wood shavings, is almost comparable to solid wood.

So, this hit bounced off the ground and sailed right over the infielder's head.

The runner on base returned safely, scoring a run!

Takada also made it safely to first base.

"Keep it up, Omura!" Sawamura said, high-fiving Omura as he returned to the dugout.

Similarly, Omura let the second inside fastball go by on purpose, only to hit the inside pitch on the fourth throw, resulting in a one-out situation with a runner on first.

However, this little trick didn't escape Coach Takei's sharp eyes.

"Would it kill you to just play like a regular rookie, a little more naturally? You can't hit the ball unless you anticipate the pitch, huh?" Coach Takei muttered to himself before starting to signal his instructions.

For Oyama, batting seventh, Coach Takei personally signaled the pitch-calling strategy, taking advantage of Oyama's tendency to aim for inside pitches.

Left with no choice, Oyama managed a sacrifice bunt to score a run.

For the eighth batter, Shin, Sendo didn't give any specific instructions—just let him go up and take a swing.

Akagi's inning ended with an unexpected attack, shaking up the opposing catcher's mindset, which nearly fell apart, resulting in a 4-0 score as they entered the bottom of the inning.

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