Diamond No Ace: The Strongest Hitter

Chapter 217: Pre-Game Preparations for the Yakushi Match

"Hey! Are you trying to completely crush Tanba's confidence?" Finally, Miyuki couldn't help but run up to Sendo and vent.

"Tanba's fastball has been occasionally showing some hittable pitches lately."

"The one that Tetsu-san just hit was one of them, and so did I. I think this should leave a pretty unforgettable impression on him," Sendo replied.

"Was that your plan from the start?"

"Sort of, I was aiming for that pitch with all I've got."

"Aren't you afraid that one hit might shatter Tanba-senpai's confidence?"

"You're too caught up in the moment. Our third-year senpai isn't as fragile as you think!" Sendo glanced at him sideways.

"Haha! But it's rare to see you so fired up. Looks like you're pretty upset too!"

"You were acting like nothing happened earlier."

"Did you already blow off some steam in front of that father and son yesterday?"

"Like Tetsu-san said, we just need to prove ourselves through the game."

"Do you have any objections?"

"Nope, none at all!" Miyuki grinned.

"The quarterfinals against Yakushi are tomorrow, right? The one where if we win, we advance to the top eight!"

"Yeah! What about it?"

"I want to go watch the game!"

"Hey, hey! Do you think the coach will agree? You're one of our core hitters now!"

"Huh? Since when? Wasn't I just temporarily made the fifth batter to help me grow quickly?"

"Never mind! You'd better think about how to convince the coach!" Miyuki dodged the question.

"You say I'm too caught up in the moment, but you're the one who's really unaware! What an interesting guy!" That's what he thought to himself, though.

"Alright, I'm heading out now!"

"Haha! Have a safe trip! Don't get scolded!"

...

"You said you want to go watch tomorrow's game? What's your reason?"

"Right now, we're only doing basic training."

"But I want to get a closer look at their batting lineup and pitching staff's condition. It will help with simulation practice!"

The so-called simulation practice is something that Yuuki and Raichi often use—visualizing the game in their minds and then hitting those imagined pitches.

This method works even better for Sendo because, let's be honest, one's a bit of a fool and the other's a natural airhead. How could their visualization skills compare to Sendo's exceptionally sharp mind?

"I agree. Go talk to Chris about it yourself," Coach Kataoka readily agreed.

Sendo, despite being a bit willful, is mature and very reliable. He wouldn't slack off on something like this.

"Thank you very much!"

...

"Wait, seriously? The coach just agreed straight away?" That evening, Miyuki was shocked by the outcome.

"Isn't it normal for the coach to agree? No matter how much we use video footage, it's never as clear as seeing it in person, right?"

"Well, that's true," Miyuki held back what he really wanted to say.

This was the first time Miyuki realized that sometimes Sendo's words could come off as a bit... naive.

And then? Then the two of them went together...

Due to the need for recording, Chris and Sendo split up. Sendo and Miyuki watched from the stands behind the catcher's position, though the protective netting made it unsuitable for recording.

This spot in the audience seats offered the most direct feel for the pitcher's strength. Their main task was to observe Yakushi's pitcher.

As for the batting lineup, they could always refer to Chris's notebook later—it had everything in it. It's like a top student saying to the teacher during an exam, "Go ahead, test me, I know everything!"

Sendo was definitely there to watch Sanada. His impression of Sanada was limited to two things: hitting batters at critical moments and his cutter ball.

So, he wanted to take this opportunity to get a better feel for Sanada's other breaking pitches, aside from the cutter.

Even though the view from the stands behind the catcher wasn't as good as actually standing in the batter's box, and the netting did obstruct the view a bit, it was still a VIP seat.

...

"That cutter is pretty sharp!"

"Yeah! His cutter works well against both left and right-handed batters."

"But what I'm concerned about is that this pitcher seems so focused on his fastball. He might be hiding a breaking ball that can target the inside corner against our left-handed hitters." Sendo took the opportunity to feed Miyuki some half-truths, casually covering up the fact that he hadn't even known about this breaking ball before.

His expression and tone were so natural that it seemed like he'd always known about it, and Miyuki couldn't tell the difference.

"You're right, we definitely have to be careful! Yakushi's coach might very well do something like that!"

"And whether it was the game against Ichidaisan or today's match, they haven't been pushed to their limits yet!"

"If only Manaka-san hadn't gotten injured, the game wouldn't have shifted so drastically after that line drive hit him. Ichidaisan's morale took a huge hit!"

"Plus, with so few innings left, even if Omae-san and the others gave it their all against an unfamiliar pitcher, it would've been hard to expose all his tricks!"

Miyuki followed Sendo's line of thinking, clearly getting swept up in the deception.

"Still, the most important thing is to stick to our own swings!"

"We can't let them dictate the pace of the game!"

"But you're the one who said to be careful! Hey!"

"Is there any conflict between the two?"

"Uh... no, I guess not!" Miyuki realized he'd been led in circles by Sendo, but there was nothing he could do about it. This guy's thought process was just too unpredictable.

However, not getting some kind of payback wasn't in Miyuki's nature, so after a moment of thought, he fired back.

"You're going to have even more pressure on you! If they're hiding a pitch that targets left-handed hitters on the inside corner, and you're batting ahead of me, Ryo-san might also be a lefty, but he's unlikely to be the first target!" Miyuki might as well have said, "Go on, take the fall for us!"

"I'll stick to my swing no matter what."

"How reliable!" Miyuki said, though in his mind he was thinking,

"Perfect! I can't find any flaws in his logic!"

And with that, the matter was settled.

...

"Number 18! Shunpei Sanada! He's undoubtedly the true ace of Yakushi!" After returning, during the evening meeting, Chris introduced the team's situation.

"A rare sight, huh? A rising fastball?" Yuuki fell into deep thought.

"Why isn't this guy starting? Is he injured?" Jun-san hit the nail on the head.

"I'm not sure, but saving the ace and suddenly switching the core batting lineup — that really defies common sense."

"If this was planned, there's definitely something waiting for us when we face them."

As Chris said this, Sendo signaled to Miyuki with a glance.

"There's actually something noteworthy from today's game."

"Although this pitcher only played four innings across two games, it's clear he likes to attack batters on the inside corner. That rising fastball is proof. Sendo suspects he might be hiding another pitch that targets the inside corner of left-handed batters."

"And it's probably another type of fastball!"

Following Seidou's cue, Miyuki reluctantly spoke, ultimately selling out Sendo.

"Hmm, that's true!" Ryousuke, also a left-handed batter, agreed. As a skilled hitter known for fouling pitches, he found sudden inside pitches particularly tricky.

"Additionally, the real problem is their batting lineup:"

"Third batter, Mishima!"

"Fourth batter, Raichi!"

"Fifth batter, Akiba!"

"These three core batters collectively hit seven hits and drove in eight runs. Even though they're only first-years, they are formidable opponents!"

"Unlike Sendo, it looks like they've undergone very professional training."

"Sendo suspects these players have been cultivated by Coach Raizou from a very early stage," Chris continued without claiming credit, exposing Sendo instead.

What he didn't know was that Sendo had no desire for this kind of recognition — otherwise, he'd just keep getting roped into meetings whenever problems arose.

What Sendo didn't realize either was that ever since he pointed out Coach Kataoka's technical flaws, both Rei and the coach had already been keeping a close eye on him.

Inviting him to meetings was just a matter of time.

"The team's stolen base count is seven, right?" Coach Kataoka stayed focused on business.

"Yes, they don't use bunts but are extremely aggressive with steals."

"Having to guard against steals while also facing a powerful batting lineup — sometimes not using bunts can actually put more pressure on the pitching staff."

"Coach! In critical moments, we still have to be wary of their stealing attempts," Miyuki spoke again.

"Hmm?"

"While chatting today, Sendo mentioned that unprotected steals are incredibly risky, like a double-edged sword. The chances of failure are high and unpredictable. So in crucial moments, it doesn't mean they won't use bunts!"

Although Miyuki had retorted back then that Sebdo wasn't qualified to make such statements, the reality was that there's only one Sendo — not many players with unbeatable speed like his exist.

While watching the game today, Miyuki and Sendo had idly chatted about various things.

Even if Miyuki didn't remember much about Yakushi's bunting, Sendo, well-versed in strategies like "creating reality from illusions," could offer disruptive suggestions.

"Hmm, that's true," the coach acknowledged the advice.

"Yakushi High School may be an even tougher opponent than we imagined," Coach Kataoka concluded, casting a meaningful glance at Sendo.

...

"What's wrong? Not heading to practice?" After the meeting, Miyuki approached Sendo, who was still sitting there, unresponsive while everyone else had left.

"I'm thinking... No, how would you like to die?"

"Huh? What did I do? Ah—"

Sendo suddenly locked Miyuki in a chokehold.

"Give it up! This is a move I learned directly from Jun-san!" Sendo imagined a scene from Slam Dunk where the gorilla got dunked on.

"Let... go! I'm your senior!" Despite Miyuki's strong shoulders and arm strength, it didn't matter when compared to Sendo's overwhelming physical prowess — which was practically against the rules.

Not to mention, this was a judo move that was notoriously difficult to escape from.

So Miyuki, despite struggling, couldn't break free and suffered immensely.

Though Miyuki knew that exposing Sendo would lead to consequences, he just couldn't help himself.

"I won't let go! Die already!"

...

Sendo's sudden attack left Miyuki with shoulder pain that lasted all night, only subsiding by morning.

This made Miyuki swear never to provoke Sendo lightly again. Unlike Sawamura, who just lifted people playfully.

Miyuki: "You don't have to say it so bluntly!"

The Akikawa match had given Sawamura valuable experience and boosted his confidence, putting him in excellent form.

In high school, confidence was critical for athletes; without it, they were close to breaking down.

However, Sawamura's habit of shouting after every pitch made the atmosphere lively.

Meanwhile, Ota continued encouraging Kawakami, who lacked confidence and was somewhat timid. He wasn't showing favoritism but genuinely wanted to help Kawakami become more self-assured.

If Kawakami became more confident, he could be a formidable pitcher. Even during practice games, while fatigued, he didn't allow major runs against Inashiro's reserve lineup.

This suggested that without the disastrous early walks in the original story, Inashiro wouldn't have easily defeated Seidou.

Furuya, on the other hand, was training his fastballs, while Sendo practiced with Tanba.

Tanba had personally requested this ever since Sendo pointed out his tendency to throw hittable fastballs, motivating him to improve.

Sendo stood in the batter's box to pitch.

During the previous intra-team match, what shocked Tanba the most wasn't Captain's three-run homer, but Sendo's line-drive rocket.

The image of Sendo's face was practically engraved in Tanba's memory.

To address his control issues, having Sendo stand in the batter's box significantly improved training effectiveness. After all, the hitting lineup was training less lately to ensure key players rested before major matches.

This situation worsened Tanba's already shaky control, with more frequent pitches landing directly down the middle.

Although Tanba had strong fighting spirit and decent ball speed, fastballs aimed straight at the center were dangerous unless they exceeded 150 km/h.

As seen in the original, even Captain swung and missed Narumiya Mei's sudden full-speed central fastball, while Jun-san only managed a high fly ball off a 150 km/h pitch from a pitching machine.

Keep in mind that pitching machines deliver consistent speed and trajectory, which highlights the difficulty of hitting a 150 km/h pitch, even if it's right down the middle.

Tanba's maximum speed, however, was only around 140 km/h. If he mimicked Narumiya by throwing straight down the center, even his full-speed pitches would be easy to hit.

For a 160 km/h fastball, high school players could only pray it was a ball, just like Akikawa's batters against Furuya.

A 160 km/h pitch takes just over 0.3 seconds to travel from the mound to home plate, making it impossible for high school players to swing in time.

Even in the MLB, batters often relied on preemptive swings for such speeds, accepting strikeouts on breaking balls as part of their strategy.

Top-tier hitters essentially faced a multiple-choice test: fastball or breaking ball — pick one.

That evening, Miyuki and the pitching team were called to the indoor training facility for a meeting, likely about the starting lineup for tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Sendo practiced hitting with the senior players on the field, observing from the sidelines this time.

After standing in the bullpen for so long during the day, Sendo's legs were sore.

Besides, if he batted and sent a ball over the fence...

Not that Tanba would mind — he was practically a fearless warrior now.

But seriously, who would go fetch the ball late at night?

Tanba was still struggling to throw sharp pitches. With many wild throws, occasional pitches landed directly in the center.

Despite Tanba's fighting spirit and decent velocity, a fastball straight down the middle was easy to hit unless it exceeded 150 km/h.

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