Diamond No Ace: The Monster

Chapter 24: The First and Second Strings

"Having Furuya join the first string is like giving wings to a tiger! Now, what are your thoughts on the second string, Coach?"

Takashima Rei asked with eager anticipation.

She had a high opinion of Furuya's talent. As the vice-captain of Seidou High School's baseball team, she had a keen eye for potential.

However, that didn't mean she believed the players she brought in were inferior.

The performance of another first-year pitcher was equally impressive.

Ota, the slightly chubby team director, furrowed his brow in confusion and asked, "Didn't his pitch get hit by Masuko?"

The team director also acknowledged that Sawamura's performance was good, but to call it flawless would be an overstatement.

At the very least, he's not on the same level as Furuya.

If getting promoted were that easy, wouldn't it be unfair to those in the second string, especially the third-years who haven't made it yet?

Furuya's promotion was inevitable.

Everyone knew that Seidou's baseball team urgently needed an outstanding pitcher to complement their current ace.

To put it bluntly, Seidou currently lacked pitching strength.

Although Sawamura's performance was commendable, it was still too early for him to join the first team.

Given these circumstances, the team had to consider the third-year players who were about to retire.

After all, time was running out for those players.

If they couldn't secure a spot to play for the team now, they might never get the chance to wear Seidou High's uniform and represent the team.

There were many players on Seidou's baseball team, and not every player in a prestigious team like this gets the opportunity to represent the school in matches.

Some don't even get to participate in practice games.

To represent Seidou in a match, you first have to make it to either the first or second string.

"We certainly need to consider the third-year players!"

Takashima nodded.

While they couldn't take care of everyone, they still needed to respect those who had worked hard and shed blood and sweat with the team.

"But that shouldn't be the main criterion for selecting players! We're a team aiming for Koshien, and seniority has no place here. Giving promising players more opportunities is what we should be doing."

Ota instinctively scratched the back of his head.

When their vice-captain talked about baseball matters, it was clear that she had no room for sentiment.

At this moment, she had already become the embodiment of impartiality.

"Sawamura's pitching is indeed impressive, but that doesn't mean his pitches haven't been hit. The reason he only conceded one run in those later innings is not solely because of his own skills; the defensive efforts of Kominato and Furuya played a big part as well. Especially in the final moments, his pitches were consistently hit to the outfield. If it weren't for Furuya's fielding, he might have crumbled."

Ota had no personal grudge against Sawamura. He just wanted to secure more opportunities for the second- and third-year players.

"At the end of the game, Sawamura's stamina was clearly waning, which is why his pitching began to falter. But before that, he was only truly hit hard once by Masuko. Even if some of it was due to luck, pitching five full innings and only giving up one run is something we should take seriously."

What Takashima said left no room for argument.

Even Director Ota had to admit that, purely based on the final results, Sawamura's performance was indeed impressive.

Coach Kataoka nodded in agreement.

Although there was a bit of tension between him and the young boy from Nagano at first, Kataoka never overlooked the boy's talent.

Whether it was their initial clash or Sawamura's pitching in today's game, Kataoka had been paying close attention.

"Let's start by placing him on the second string. I plan to assign him to Chris," Kataoka announced, clearly having already made up his mind.

As the coach of Seidou High's baseball team, Kataoka knew exactly what role would best help Sawamura realize his full potential.

"Chris, huh? That's a good idea," Takashima Rei agreed.

The slightly chubby team director, Ota, scratched his head and asked, "Isn't Chris still focused on his rehab? Will he agree?"

"He definitely will! When it comes to fundamental baseball knowledge, no one on our team is more well-rounded than Chris."

"And what about that player named Kominato Haruichi? He's Ryousuke's younger brother, right?"

"Exactly! Who would've thought the two brothers would have such a connection? And their performance on the field is simply…"

Compared to Sawamura, Director Ota had a much more favorable impression of Haruichi.

"Let's place him on the second string as well," Kataoka decided, organizing the three first-year players.

As for Tojo, Kanemaru, and Takatsu—the players the team had high hopes for previously—Kataoka knew they weren't performing poorly.

Especially after the first-year players regained their momentum, Kanemaru and the others had a few standout moments.

These former youth league stars were clearly talented, with solid fundamentals.

But everything becomes relative when compared.

When you stack their performances against Sawamura and Haruichi, it's clear they don't measure up.

"Let's have them focus on strengthening their basics first," Kataoka instructed.

Director Ota nodded in agreement.

The news spread quickly, with no delay.

Furuya's promotion to the first string had been a certainty for some time, so no one was surprised.

In contrast, the promotion of the two first-year players to the second string caught the attention of many.

"This year's newcomers are something else!"

Seidou High School's baseball team had faced criticism for their recruitment over the past couple of years. The second- and third-year players were all too aware of this.

However, this year was clearly different.

If Kanemaru and Takatsu's performances had been in previous years, they would undoubtedly have been considered promising talents and nurtured accordingly.

But now, they were doing basic physical training alongside the other first-year newcomers.

The three first-year players who were promoted stood out as remarkable talents.

After the afternoon practice, Furuya didn't opt for extra training. Instead, after eating and showering, he went straight back to the dormitory.

In their dorm room, Miyuki, who wore glasses, cheerfully waved at Furuya.

"From now on, we're comrades in the same trench. Let's work well together! I haven't caught your pitches yet. Want to give it a try?"

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