Logically speaking, some people always feel that in a Pitcher-batter confrontation, the batter and the Pitcher are in an equal position.
Whether the batter is hitting or the Pitcher is pitching, it seems to be a 50-50 chance.
However, in many situations, the Pitcher often faces more disadvantages.
For example, a Pitcher and catcher really dislike encountering batters who are as steady as a mountain, because you can't tell what he is thinking inside, and you don't know what kind of pitch he will swing at.
This is like a poker face at a casino!
A single at-bat in Baseball is truly an intense confrontation that makes one's heart pound!
From actual strength to psychological warfare, so many things must all be considered!
Consecutive hits, no outs, runners on First Base and Third Base, and it's the turn of the first-year batter who even his Senpai, the team's Ace, find troublesome.
Honestly, Kawakami's heart was shadowed at this moment.
The area of this shadow seemed quantifiable!
The pressure on the pitcher's mound!
It is not something ordinary people can understand!
Someone of mediocre skill cannot stand on the pitcher's mound!
And what about Aj?
This is a showdown!
A battle of win or lose!
He had already failed once; this time, he absolutely would not allow himself to fail again!
Aj clenched his fists, and a slight bead of sweat seemed to seep from his palms, indicating that Aj's mood at this moment was still quite unsettled!
"Calm down!"
"Don't jump anymore!" Aj secretly said to himself, hoping to soothe his unsettled mood at this moment.
Indeed, on the surface, Aj's expression at this moment was very calm, and his body was as steady as a mountain, not moving at all!
But Aj's heart was far from as composed as he appeared on the outside.
Indeed, having lived two lives, Aj's mindset might be much more stable than his peers, but this does not mean he is truly as calm as still water without having truly experienced those intense games and various life experiences.
Some things, just because you understand them, doesn't mean you can necessarily do them!
Who can't just talk about it?
But to actually do it?
It's difficult, extremely difficult.
It's easy to say, hard to do; that's the meaning.
Moreover, even those truly battle-hardened players, when facing critical situations where one hit can change the flow of the game, their inner tension is self-evident!
There are very few people in this world who can truly maintain their composure at all times!
The sweat seeping from Aj's forehead and the slightly nervous look in his eyes at this moment exposed Aj's unusual emotions!
Unlike the simple confrontation with Tanba in the previous at-bat, at this moment, Aj suddenly felt an inexplicable heavy pressure on his shoulders!
Especially when he saw Kominato Haruichi and Sawamura Eijun on First Base and Third Base, that sense of responsibility arose out of nowhere!
He had to send them Home Base!
This seemed to become a burden in Aj's heart; however, this burden could not be said to be good or bad.
Some people turn burdens and responsibilities into motivation for effort, while more people slowly fade away under such burdens!
And Coach Kataoka, who was near Aj, undoubtedly noticed the subtle change in Aj's emotions.
No, or rather, in this situation, it was not subtle, but a very drastic fluctuation!
It was clearly just an internal Red and White Battle!
However, at this moment, its meaning seemed to have changed!
Coach Kataoka's brows furrowed slightly.
No one knew that Coach Kataoka actually valued Aj no less than Furuya in his heart, even subtly more.
Someone once said, "Baseball, as long as you don't give up runs, you will never lose!"
However, there is also this saying: "Baseball, no matter how hard the Pitcher tries, if the batting lineup can't score runs, you will never win the game!"
Whether it's the Pitcher or the batter, for Baseball, there is no difference in importance.
For the entire team, defense and offense have equal importance!
This is self-evident!
The pillar of a team, the batter, is even more crucial!
Aj is a player with this value in Coach Kataoka's eyes!
In Coach Kataoka's eyes, he has the potential to become Seido's fourth batter in the future!
Mindset, spirit, talent—Coach Kataoka saw possibilities in Aj that others did not!
Therefore, Coach Kataoka gave Aj special favor and a certain kind of importance that outsiders could not understand!
"First pitch!"
This is a highly anticipated pitch.
Whether the first-years can show their momentum in this inning depends on this at-bat.
No matter what, even if they hit consecutive singles and the bases are loaded, if they can't score, everything is futile!
Only scoring!
The result is the most important!
Don't tell me it's about participation!
That's nonsense!
High school Baseball is about results!
Can't score?
Can't win?
Can't make it to Koshien?
Then everything is an illusion!
Everything must be built upon results!
Humans are very practical beings!
"Whoosh!"
A white blur arrived first, the Baseball whistling as it flew towards Aj.
Aj's pupils slightly contracted, and he instinctively swung!
"Thwack!"
An inside Slider!
Aj gritted his teeth and readjusted his batting stance.
The first pitch was undoubtedly a swing and a miss.
Perhaps due to intense concentration, Aj's mind was too tense, causing a momentary blur and failure to track the ball's trajectory in time.
He didn't even clearly see the inside pitch and swung in a hurry!
A swing and a miss was very natural!
"This kid?"
If Keisuke Miyauchi had been carefully calling pitches earlier, focused on the game situation and not paying attention to Aj's changes, this swing and a miss undoubtedly made Miyauchi see that Aj's mental state seemed off!
"Could it be…?" Miyauchi narrowed his eyes, thinking with some uncertainty, "Hmph, as expected, he's still a first-year brat!"
Although Miyauchi was 99% certain in his heart, he couldn't rule out that this kid was faking it.
Miyauchi had seen first-years full of tricks like this before, hmph.
"Kawakami, next, throw an outside ball.
It's okay if the angle is a bit off, but remember, it must be tricky!" Miyauchi stared intently at Kawakami and gave the signal.
Kawakami nodded slightly.
Aj's heart began to feel anxious.
This isn't good.
It seems he can't control his emotions anymore.
How could this happen!?
Oh no, is he going to pitch again?
What kind of pitch will it be next?
Outside?
Inside?
Should I guess the pitch?
Or rely on my eyesight?
No…
Aj's mind seemed to freeze for a moment…
"Thwack!"
"Strike!" The crisp sound of the ball hitting the mitt and Coach Kataoka's cold words immediately brought Aj back to his senses.
Aj's face showed a surprised expression as he looked at his batting stance after his second swing and miss.
Aj's mouth twitched slightly…
Two strikes.
The future fourth batter, player Aj, well, he already has one foot on the edge of the cliff.