In the past, I mostly used lighter bats. Since high school, I'd been expected to get on base as the leadoff batter, and unlike the incredibly strong Gorillaman Hirai, I was weaker compared to Yamazaki. My focus was on hitting the ball through the gap between third base and shortstop, over the fielder's head, and into the outfield or in front of center field.
Occasionally, I would swing hard during a forward defense, and if I hit the ball just right, it would sometimes end up in the left field stands. I managed to hit a total of 10 home runs in my high school career, but I wasn't really focused on hitting the ball hard to the right.
Adachi was in the starting lineup for the next day's game. In his third at-bat, even though he was playing in the minor leagues, he hit his first professional home run. I came in as a substitute defensive player in the ninth inning but didn't get a chance to bat.
After a travel day, we had a game against the Sendai Blue Leaves in Morioka. The starting second baseman was 31-year-old veteran Iida. Until last year, he was almost always with the first team as a backup second baseman, but this season, he started in the second team due to the intensifying competition for the starting second base position.
I played in the sixth inning defense. Then, in the seventh inning, with one out and a runner on first, it was my turn to bat.
"Haratani-san, can I borrow your bat for a second?" I asked.
Haratani used a heavy bat that weighed nearly 1 kg. "It's fine, but don't break it. If you do, you'll have to buy me a meal."
I chuckled. "I think a bat costs more than food."
I grabbed the borrowed bat and stepped up to bat right-handed. The bat felt much heavier than usual. The opposing pitcher, Kumano, was a left-handed pitcher who had been released by the Okayama Hypers and joined the Sendai Blue Leaves on a trial basis.
I noticed the second baseman standing closer to the shortstop and the first baseman positioned closer to second base.
The third pitch, after a one-and-one count, was a low ball on the outside. I swung the bat with the intention of hitting it right-handed. The ball hit the tip of the bat and flew wide between first and second base, but the second baseman came around to catch it and threw it to first base. The runner on first advanced to second base, but I was out. It wasn't going well at all.
When I returned to the bench, Narita, the minor league batting coach, patted me on the butt and said, "That's the mindset. Keep it up."
I put the bat back in the bat stand and sat down on the bench. Haratani took out the bat and looked at it intently. "Takashi, look. It's dirty here," he said, inspecting it like an older brother. "Okay, I understand. As a thank you, I'll pay for dinner tonight. Cold noodles? Oh, you want a steak? Please don't ask for money from a junior colleague who earns 4.5 million yen a year."
I wondered if using an unfamiliar right-handed style was a good idea. Wouldn't it be better to hone my pulling skills? I considered becoming a switch hitter, batting right or left depending on the opposing pitcher. Batting left-handed had its advantages, especially for speed, as it put a left-handed batter closer to first base after hitting the ball. But I'd never batted left-handed before, and it would take considerable time to master. Would the team be patient enough? I was still in my second year after graduating high school and was drafted low, so if I wasn't careful, I could be cut in my third year, especially with so much competition for the second base position.
Back at the dorm after an away game, I was doing my usual nighttime batting practice when Taniguchi came in.
"Hey."
"Hey, Tani."
"What?"
"I think I'll try to become a switch hitter."
"Huh? Don't do it. That requires natural talent and takes time. You just need to hone your strengths."
"What are my strengths?"
"Your batting eye is good. Unlike me, you don't strike out easily."
Now that you mention it, I hit a lot of ground balls but don't strike out much.
"And if you focus on hitting from the right, I think you'll be a really tough batter."
*Am I a right-handed hitter after all? Batting coach Narita also told me today to "keep that mindset." There's no time to hesitate. Okay, from now on I'll focus on hitting right-handed in practice.*
"Thanks, Tani. I feel a little better now."
"Yeah, that's good. Next time, you will have to buy me a dinner, Yakiniku."
*Even you...*
That day too, we continued practicing until two in the morning. When I'm with Taniguchi, it's hard for either of us to quit first.
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