บท 15: CHAPTER 15
This time coach kataoka is going to check our batting skills in A ground. 'Seido baseball team is really extravagant. having all the necessary equipments plus having three baseball fields and indoor fields just for practice is really convenient' I thought to myself as I look around the field.
I'm confident with my batting skills too so I'm not really nervous about the test. I just look around the field curiously, I saw our seniors position themselves in the field and the pitchers started warming up their shoulders. While the others just do their personal training in the sidelines.
I also notice the loudmouth first year still doing the punishment coach gave to him which is to run around the field for the whole morning practice. I pity him a little since the guy didn't manage to participate in this skill test today, I think his name is Sawamura?
A couple of minutes just passed by like that when coach kataoka finally started reading names in a group of 6 to come forward in the batting cages.
We are given 6 chances to bat.
I just observed them looking at their skills and I just sigh at the sight of these freshman batting skills because they're pretty much very low level.
From time to time in each group there are some decent batters included but they can be counted with my fingers. Sure, all of them can pretty much hit the ball but the seniors that is pitching have been holding back their pitches to make it easy I'm sure they're ask to do that though. Honestly the pitch they're throwing lack the intensity and power needed to get the batter out.
I've been an assistant coach in my past life in Major league so I have a keen eye on this. I could tell when someone is decent enough at the batting based on their form in the batters box and the way they handle the swing of their bat.
'Ohh' I thought as I watch Kanemaru's turn. He's decent enough compared to other first years. So far there's only three first years that caught my eye in this batting practice, Kanemaru is the 3rd one. The first guy I think his name is Takatsu? I'm not sure since I haven't interacted with him yet, 2nd one is the guy I've done the pitching test with which is Tojo.
"Next Kominato Haruichi, Oshiba Gin, Tanaka Ryu, Haiba Lei, Kenchi Mei, Tenruu Jin" I heard coach kataoka said as the next batch of first years come forward.
I saw a boy walk forward that is small in size that has pink hair that covered his eyes holding a wooden bat. He's a peculiar one so he got my attention as there's something different in the air around this guy when he's standing in the batters box.
When the senior assigned to pitch to him throw the ball he just stood there solidifying his batting stance waiting for the ball calmly. 'This guy is good' I thought just by seeing that
*Swishh
*PANGGG
'I knew it! This guy is good.' I think to myself as I saw him swing his wooden bat hitting the ball perfectly dead center sending it to the outfield on which the outfielders didn't manage to catch the ball so the hit is valid. The next remaining 5 pitches was also all been hit in the good spot. 'His strike ability within the first years so far is the best I've seen, he lacked power to hit home runs but he could always make a compact solid hit which speaks for his batting skills' I thought while looking at the guy walking back to us.
I know that these test can't pretty much say how good a person really is since a real game is needed to evaluate this but I have confidence in my judgement that comes from my experience in my last life.
"Hello I'm Tsubayoshi Jiro, Nice to meet you." I introduce myself to the boy as he get back on our side.
"Hello? I'm Kominato Haruichi" he said softly.
"I saw you bat out there, you're good! You're the best I've seen so far hehe let's be friends!" I said to him cheerfully. 'Is he shy?' I asked myself as I saw him getting so red from my compliments.
"Are y-you sure?" He asked me stuttering still red from the compliment earlier. 'So he's a shy dude outside the field huh?'
"Yes! You can call me by my name Jiro and can I call you by your name? hehe" I told him. I still preferred calling people by their first names or nicknames than their surenames when talking casually as I grow up doing that in America in my last life. It's more casual this way but I've also pretty much gotten used to Japan customs now though
"ummm Sure!" Haruichi just smiled and replied to me. I can feel that he's still shy around me so I engaged with a conversation with him talking about our common interest. Which obviously is Baseball.
'Come to think of it, I'll befriend that Furuya guy too he has potential so I'll help him to capitalize on it' A thought that cross my mind while I'm talking with Haruichi.
Haruichi and I just kept talking about baseball till I finally heard my name. So I walked up to the front together with five people that is also called by coach with me.
"Goodluck Jiro-kun!" I heard Haruichi encouragement although it's not loud the purpose of that message have been conveyed since I heard it perfectly.
"Thanks!" I replied.
When I arrived at front I saw there's a wooden bat available in the set of bats provided for us to use so I took it. The wooden bat Haruichi just used is his own and I forgot to ask him if I could borrow it since it slipped my mind earlier.
I inspected the wooden bat first before seeing that it's in good condition
"This would do" I said as I tried swinging it getting myself used to it's weight. It's obviously much lighter than the weighted wooden bat I'm using for practice daily.
When coach ask us if we're ready we answered "Yes sir!" and we moved ourselves in the batting cages.
I was pretty excited at the thought of finally hitting a live pitch thrown by someone after so long as all I've been doing this past few years is imagining a pitch at my mind coming at me every night when I do my batting practice and some ball thrown by a pitching machine when I'm visiting uncle goro's place although the balls thrown by my senpai isn't really a challenge for me based on my observation at this point it'll do for now.
'Let's have some fun shall we?' I thought.
THIRD PERSON POV
Everyone is watching the action of Jiro intently. Jiro left a deep impression to them in the pitching area earlier to just dismiss the appearance of the boy in the batters box.
The seniors, first years and the coaching staff focus their eyes on the boy in the batters box it's as if the boy is a black hole sucking the attention of everyones around.
They watch the boy with a striking brown and blue eyes standing steadily at left batters box. Ready on his batting stance staring at the senior pitcher assigned to him as if a predator awaiting the chance to pounce on his prey.
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DoggoWrites
DoggoWrites Hello everyone! We had a sudden family dinner earlier so I only have written this chapter so far, I'll try making it up tomorrow with 4-5 chapters can't promise though hehe. ENJOY!
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