Sawamura's significant growth started from learning the Change-up.
Despite developing collections of sharper breaking balls, Sawamura never completely abandoned the Change-up, he still used it occasionally to disrupt a batter's timing.
Sawamura was very familiar with Change-ups. It's crucial to understand that the Change-up itself isn't inherently powerful. If thrown as a standalone pitch, it can be easily hit by batters. The key to its effectiveness lies in mixing it with Straight or breaking balls.
A successful Change-up pitcher must be adept at deception. The more the Change-up resembles a straight ball, the more effective it becomes. Sawamura's ability to disguise his Change-up, making his arm swing indistinguishable from his Straight ball, made it an ideal pitch for him.
Another notable Change-up pitcher is Narumiya Mei. He is also a master of disguise on the mound, skillfully blending power and finesse to keep batters off balance. His Change-up, which includes a sinking break, is exceptionally effective.
This comparison helps explain why Sawamura believes Furuya might not benefit from learning the Change-up. While Sawamura and Narumiya embody a balance of power and skill, Furuya is the embodiment of raw might. His incredible speed and aggressive pitching style are geared toward overpowering hitters.
A pitcher with such an approach might not find the Change-up necessary. Even if he learns it, it might not fit his style and could end up being ineffective.
Of course, these are just Sawamura's thoughts. The actual effectiveness of a Change-up for Furuya is something only he can determine.
Furuya himself was also uncertain. After consulting with Coach Ochiai, he decided to experiment with both the Change-up and the Slider. Coach Ochiai's reasoning was sound: both pitches are standard for fastball pitchers and can significantly enhance a fastball when used in combination.
After two days of practice, Furuya eagerly demonstrated his new pitches to Coach Kataoka and his teammates. His Slider showed promise, although it didn't yet hit the strike zone, it was close to his previous style. With continued refinement, it could be very beneficial for him.
He also learned the Forkball, a vertical breaking ball, which improved his overall performance. Now that he had mastered the side-shifting Slider, his pitching arsenal was becoming quite formidable.
Furuya then showcased his change-up. The Seidou High School players exchanged bewildered looks. Eventually, Kanemaru Shinji commented, "It's not bad for a party trick."
"If there was a comedy talent show, I'd recommend you," Miyuki added, with a touch of sarcasm.
Furuya didn't take their remarks to heart. He usually maintained a stoic expression and remained unaffected by criticism. Instead of focusing on their opinions, he was more interested in Sawamura's feedback.
After his pitching session, Furuya eagerly looked to Sawamura. "Did Coach Ochiai make you practice this?"
Sawamura wasn't sure how to respond and ended up shifting the topic.
"No." Furuya shook his head, indicating it was his own decision.
'Of course, he didn't!' Sawamura wasn't surprised.
If Coach Ochiai had been involved, Furuya wouldn't have showcased such an embarrassing change-up. It would reflect poorly on the coach's teaching.
Regarding Furuya's Change-up, the pitch speed had indeed decreased. Sawamura estimated it at around 130 km/h, which was about 25 km/h(15 mph) slower than his fastest pitch. This drop in speed could be effective for a Change-up, but unfortunately, Furuya's arm swing was too stiff, making it easy for batters to anticipate the pitch.
A predictable Change-up often leads to unfavorable outcomes, which is why there was hesitation about Furuya continuing to practice it. There was a concern that focusing on the Change-up could disrupt his original pitching form.
Kataoka ordered, "For now, you should hold off on practicing the change-up and focus on solidifying your other skills. Revisit it once you've mastered your fundamentals."
The results were somewhat better than Sawamura and Miyuki had expected. Furuya's change-up wasn't entirely ineffective, but mastering it required significant practice. It would be more practical for him to perfect his current skills before diving into new pitches.
For the next two days, Furuya concentrated on learning the Slider with Coach Ochiai. If he could master it quickly, replacing it with Kawakami should be feasible. While Furuya's pitching wasn't seen as inferior to Kawakami's, his performance on the mound needed more maturity.
As formal training began, the team focused on realistic scenarios, such as dealing with runners on base. Sawamura volunteered to use a sidearm pitching, providing an opportunity for everyone to familiarize themselves with Mukai's routine.
"Won't this affect your regular pitching form?" Coach Kataoka asked, concerned about the potential impact on Sawamura's usual style.
"It won't!" Sawamura assured.
"That's great!" Coach Kataoka responded, unaware of the subtle strain in Sawamura's voice.
Sawamura was someone who would only speak the truth about his abilities. If he said something, it was genuine, even if it came with its own challenges.
Sawamura's sidearm form was developed during his time in the Major League. He learned this form because he was struggling with his pitching at the time.
His position on the team was precarious; without his exceptional pinch-hitting skills, he might have been demoted to the second team.
In his second year in the Major Leagues, after hitters became familiar with his pitches, they began to target him deliberately. Sawamura was so heavily targeted that he almost lost his chance to pitch entirely.
While high school baseball is said to be cruel, it's nothing compared to the harsh realities of professional baseball. In high school, unless a coach is truly unreasonable, players always get a chance to showcase their abilities.
In professional baseball, even if you perform well, you might not get the opportunity to play. To succeed, you need to be prepared at all times and make use of all opportunities.
Sawamura learned sidearm pitching to showcase his value and seek more opportunities. Although the technique didn't end up being crucial, it did refine his sidearm pitching skills.
Whether it was then or now, Sawamura was reluctant to revisit this part of his past. It represents his most depressing moments, and discussing it brings back painful memories.
For the sake of the team, Sawamura chose to revisit it this time.
Watching the video of Teito's games, Sawamura was surprised to see that Mukai Taiyou seemed even more formidable than he had remembered.
'This was unexpected!'
However, with the addition of the "butterfly" effect, many players' skills have improved significantly compared to Sawamura's previous timeline. This includes not only Mukai but also Narumiya and Hongou.
If Sawamura's memory is correct, Narumiya Mei's fastest pitch should be under 150 km/h at this point. He recalls that Inashiro has always been Seidou High School's main rival, so he remembers their Ace well.
Hongou's pitch speed is also faster than it was in Sawamura's previous timeline. Additionally, Sawamura remembers the pitch speed of Furuya when they first entered Koshien in the spring, which was 154 km/h(95 mph). Furuya's speed had already surpassed that now.
As for himself, in the past, Sawamura's pitch speed was under 130 km/h(80 mph) at this time. It wasn't until after winter training that his speed increased to 135 km/h(83 mph), placing him slightly above average in high school.
Now, Sawamura's fastest pitch speed is 144 km/h(89 mph). With just 1 more km/h, he would be considered a super-fast pitcher. A high school pitcher with a speed of 140 km/h is already considered fast.
A pitch speed of 150 km/h is monstrous. Such pitchers are extremely rare nationwide.
Sawamura is on the verge of breaking through his previous limitations and reaching a new level. With his current speed at 144 km/h, he believes that by the end of this Tournament, with further physical development, reaching 145+ km/h should be achievable.
With this confidence, Sawamura trains with great enthusiasm.
During formal training, Sawamura's first opponent was Kuramochi. At first base, Toujou was responsible for stealing bases. The coaching staff believes that, with some training, he, along with Sawamura and Kuramochi, could become Seidou High School's Speed Trio.
Despite the high-level opponents, Sawamura remained calm. He seriously asked Kuramochi, "Kuramochi, do you know what's most important when facing a left-handed pitcher?"
Kuramochi ignored the question and corrected Sawamura's attitude, saying, "You're being disrespectful. Call me Senpai!"
Sawamura responded, "You can't stand in the left-handed batter's box, idiot!"
He threw the ball sharply from his left side!
To Kuramochi, standing in the left-handed batter's box, the ball will seem to come from behind him.
Such a pitch was impossible for Kuramochi to hit.
Though Sawamura isn't a 'full-time' sidearm pitcher, his practice provided some valuable insight into left-handed pitching for the team. This understanding will be beneficial in upcoming games.
Sawamura faced each batter on the team with his sidearm pitch. Despite not being very professional, his pitches were useful enough. In two rounds of duels with the main batters, only four managed to hit the ball: Miyuki (twice), Kominato Haruichi (twice), Shiratsu (once), and Toujou (once).
Others, including Maezono, Kuramochi, Kanemaru, Asou, and Furuya, couldn't manage a hit. The southpaw sidearm pitch proved exceptional.
Time passed in daily training, and soon October 2nd arrived, marking the start of the Tokyo Fall Tournament. The weather was cloudy with light rain.
By the time Seidou High School's team reached the stadium, the light rain had turned into a drizzle.
"THIS DAMN WEATHER!!" The rain was uncomfortable for Sawamura.
In the Major Leagues, games are usually postponed if it rains. Even if it starts raining during a game if less than five innings are completed, the game is rescheduled; if five innings are completed, the umpire might decide the winner.
Playing in the rain was a rare experience for Sawamura.
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