Chapter 197: [197] A Discussion Between Two
Chapter 197: A Discussion Between Two
Eijun didn't bring up the topic as a distraction; his thoughts were genuine.
Miyuki, too, wanted to explore the issues around pitching and pitch selection further.
In yesterday's game, when Eijun reached his peak condition, he felt a sense of control unlike before.
This new awareness gave him a deeper understanding of his pitching, further enhancing his control.
"So, you're thinking of adjusting your stance?" Miyuki asked with a slight frown.
"Yes," Sawamura replied seriously. "As you know, for left-handed batters, a lefty's changeup is relatively easier to hit. From a right-handed batter's perspective, my changeup looks like it's drifting toward the outside corner with a sinking motion, similar to a sinking fastball."
"But for left-handed batters, it appears to break sharply inside. Unless I can consistently place it low, near the knees—an area difficult for batters to handle—strong hitters can easily catch it. And right now, I'm still not at the level where I can perfectly control its placement."
Miyuki nodded slowly, agreeing with Eijun's analysis.
This was something he had noticed during practice.
A slight deviation in the pitch's trajectory often gave left-handed batters a clearer angle to track and swing at the ball.
As a left-handed batter himself, Miyuki understood this all too well.
"So, you're suggesting moving slightly left on the mound when facing left-handed batters to bring the pitch closer to the inside corner?" Miyuki asked, stroking his chin in thought.
"That's the idea," Eijun replied firmly. "Since the changeup already moves toward the inside corner for left-handed batters, why not fully embrace that trajectory? By refining the pitch location, we can make it even trickier to hit. That way, even if a batter times the changeup perfectly, they'd struggle to make solid contact, reducing the risk of extra-base hits."
Eijun's inspiration came from yesterday's game against Yokohama Kouhoku Academy, particularly while facing their leadoff hitter, Ishigoka, and their third batter, Kajiyama.
Their approaches against his changeup had sparked this new idea.
In the original storyline, similar concerns were raised when Eijun learned the changeup.
Coach Kataoka had pointed out its vulnerability against left-handed hitters.
This was also evident during the intra-squad match after that game, where Miyuki had hit a high changeup for a strong contact.
Observers like Watanabe Hisashi had noted this weakness, as did Chris in the finals, proving that the changeup posed challenges against left-handed batters.
One notable example was in the fall regional finals against Raichi Todoroki.
During their second at-bat, Eijun successfully challenged Raichi with his changeup due to two factors:
1. Raichi had never seen a changeup before, giving Eijun the element of surprise.
2. Eijun expertly placed the ball low, near the knees, each pitch progressively lower, making it difficult for Raichi to swing effectively.
Even under these ideal conditions, Raichi still managed to make contact, fouling the ball rather than swinging and missing entirely.
This highlighted the clear disadvantage Eijun faced when using his changeup against skilled left-handed batters.
With upcoming opponents likely to be top-tier teams with elite lineups, including cleanup hitters capable of clearing the bases, Eijun couldn't afford to ignore this flaw.
Addressing it through adjustments would be the best course of action.
Miyuki, deep in thought, considered Eijun's proposal.
"We can try it," he said after a pause. "But don't shift your position too much. Otherwise, it could hurt your control." He nodded in approval but added a cautionary note.
"Got it," Eijun agreed with a slight nod.
After all, his idea was still in the experimental phase.
For now, Eijun brought up his ideas, fully aware that these adjustments would need thorough practice before being implemented in an actual game.
"Also, about the five-seam fastball, Miyuki-senpai," Eijun continued, "do you think we can make its spin even sharper? I feel that right now, this pitch could..."
When it came to Eijun's self-developed pitch, Miyuki's interest was immediately piqued.
He could tell that this was only the beginning of what Eijun's creative approach to pitching could achieve.
After a prior practice session involving Chris, Miyuki, and Eijun, the trio had analyzed and experimented with various grips for Eijun's unique pitches.
Each variation had intrigued Miyuki.
To him, every grip and adjustment held potential.
Especially with certain minor tweaks to Eijun's posture—steps, body rotation, or forward-leaning angles—Miyuki believed these adjustments could enhance the pitch's effectiveness.
What Eijun had mentioned earlier about adjusting his stance for the changeup was a more noticeable alteration, which might make it easier for batters to read.
This was partly why Miyuki had been hesitant about it.
In contrast, the subtle adjustments involved in Eijun's Numbers series of pitches were far less conspicuous.
The minuscule tweaks he made at the point of release, barely perceptible to anyone—even professional batters—were nearly impossible to detect during a game.
At such high speeds, batters were already struggling to track the ball's release point and general trajectory, let alone the nuances of a pitcher's delivery mechanics.
However, most of the Numbers pitches were still theoretical at this stage.
While some had been tested in practice, nearly 90% were not yet viable in actual games due to various challenges:
Inability to keep the ball low.
Difficulties in control.
Inconsistent strikes or the ball not reaching the strike zone at all.
Grips that hadn't been fully optimized, with no clear "correct" grip since these pitches were unique to Eijun's style.
As a result, the five-seam fastball was currently Eijun's most reliable weapon.
He planned to use it as a foundation for developing other unconventional pitches related to the changeup.
As for pitches like the two-seam, splitter, or no-seam fastballs, those were projects for the future.
After exchanging thoughts on various pitches, the two decided to head to the field to put their theories into practice.
No amount of discussion could substitute for actual pitching, which would not only test their ideas but also help correct any flaws or inconsistencies in Eijun's delivery.
Miyuki was determined to sharpen Eijun's existing arsenal as much as possible.
He knew that Seidou's success in Koshien would depend heavily on Eijun's performance.
Among the pitching rotation, Eijun was the only one Miyuki could fully rely on.
Tanba was solid but not entirely dependable. Meanwhile, Furuya and Kawakami had talent but lacked the refinement and consistency needed to face the powerhouse lineups they would soon encounter.
The road ahead was daunting, with every opponent featuring formidable batting lineups. Seidou's ace, Eijun, would be the key to their journey through Koshien.
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