Manager Ota of the baseball club informed all new students to participate in the basic entry test.
Zhang Han knew this was one of the few opportunities for new students, so he naturally cherished it.
Those who had traveled all the way to Tokyo to learn baseball would not let such a chance slip by, whether they understood how rare it was or not.
From the moment they left their hometowns, they had already decided to give everything they had for these three years.
As for the specially recruited players in Tokyo, like Zhang Han, they all had seniors at Seido. A quick inquiry would tell them how rare this chance was.
When the tests began in the afternoon, the players all had red eyes. You could guess what they wanted just by looking at them.
"It's tough."
Standing out among this group would not be easy.
Even so, Zhang Han had no intention of giving up. The opportunity was too rare. Whatever the result, he had to fight with everything he had. Only then would he have a chance. If he held back and regretted it later, there would be no place left to cry.
"Tell me what positions you all play. Then we'll conduct tests according to your positions. Base running and hitting tests are mandatory for everyone."
Manager Ota spoke with a gentle smile. The new students felt at ease, and someone couldn't help asking,
"Is there no fielding test?"
Hitting and pitching depend heavily on a player's condition that day and on personal habits, so they cannot fully reflect someone's true ability. For example, if a player is especially good at hitting inside pitches but only gets outside pitches during the test, the results naturally will not be good. But that does not mean the player is weak.
What truly reflects a player's level is base running and fielding. These tests are real and not easily influenced by external factors.
Players from Matsukata Little League knew they could not even guarantee their hitting or pitching form. What they were confident in, and what they trusted would set them apart from soft-ball league players, were fundamentals like fielding and base stealing. The difference in training volume would show. Luck would not help you there.
If you were lucky, you might hit a few balls in a row by guessing the pitch. That kind of result, while rare, was possible.
But abilities like base running, throwing distance, and fielding cannot be boosted by luck.
Manager Ota seemed to understand what everyone was thinking. He waved his hand lightly, telling them to relax.
"Do not take the entry test too seriously. It is just a summary of your middle school abilities. Theoretically, we do not promote new first-years directly into the First-string. You have just come from middle school. Your physical condition and game rhythm are not ready.
Your most important task right now is to eat well and build your bodies. Get strong first. Then think about moving up.
Haste leads to waste. I know you are anxious, but the more anxious you are, the more mistakes you will make. That way, you will only miss your chance."
This chubby, simple-looking man worried about many things, and everything he said sounded reasonable.
But Zhang Han did not believe a word of it.
Theoretically, first-years were not promoted directly. But that was only a tacit rule, not a written one. And because it was only a tacit rule, it could be broken. Now they would see whether a special case would appear this year.
"Zhang Han, classmate."
A senior half a head shorter than him, with rosy cheeks, walked up to him.
"Senior."
Zhang Han greeted her politely. He was not surprised by her flustered state. Whether in Binhai or in Tokyo, nine out of ten girls he met reacted like this. According to his younger sister Lan Yu, it was because of his looks. If this were ancient times, he would probably be considered half a pretty disaster.
"Junior, what position do you play?"
"Pitcher."
He answered without hesitation.
There are eleven positions on a baseball field, excluding the batter and the referee. The pitcher is easily the coolest one. Not all, but at least half of the kids who play baseball fall in love with that position at first sight. Zhang Han was no exception.
Since joining Matsukata Little League, he had always played pitcher. The truth was that his pitching talent was average. Ono Binchi had not been optimistic and even suggested he become a catcher or a first baseman instead. But Zhang Han refused. His stubborn streak saved him.
The more people told him he could not do it, the more he wanted to prove them wrong. In three years, he had pushed himself to improve both speed and control. When Matsukata competed in the national tournament, Zhang Han was not the Ace, but he pitched in just as many critical moments as Toujou.
Even now, he believed pitcher was his best and strongest position. If he wanted to make a name for himself, no position was more suited.
"Good."
The senior left quickly, face still red. Zhang Han suspected that was only because they were in public. Otherwise she would have asked for his number. He had experienced that many times. People said Tokyo girls were reserved, but he had never seen it.
Pitchers needed two more tests than regular players. Besides the fifty meter sprint and hitting test, they also took a physical fitness test and a throwing test. Pitchers without stamina are unacceptable, so physical fitness mattered greatly.
The throwing test was simple. It measured how far you could throw. Pitchers and outfielders took this test. A long throw showed good strength. Accuracy was also measured, especially for outfielders who needed precise returns.
Because it was the easiest test, they started with it.
The combined group of pitchers and outfielders had nearly thirty people, with more than a dozen pitchers. Manager Ota took one look and decided testing them all together would be the easiest option.
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