Hara Shigemine circled Zhang Han twice, then asked Takashima Rei again. The answer he received was exactly the same. Zhang Han's pitching speed had indeed reached 157 kilometers per hour.
"What grade is this child in?"
"Second year of high school, just turned sixteen."
Hara Shigemine looked at Zhang Han as if he were looking at a legendary rare treasure. He simply couldn't believe that a Light Speed Ball pitcher had appeared right before him.
Pitchers who can throw over 150 kilometers per hour are certainly rare. But basically, in every era, there are always a few of them. Sometimes one or two, sometimes two or three, or even more. The Koshien dream of high school students, after more than a hundred years of accumulation, has produced quite a few such players with verifiable records. In earlier years, due to the lack of equipment like speed guns, there might have been some omissions.
While such pitchers are rare, they are not unseen.
Above this speed, those who can boost their pitching speed to over 155 kilometers per hour are vastly different. In the history of Koshien, such pitchers can be counted on one hand. In the last twenty years, the entire high school baseball world has only seen two.
A super genius who appears only once every ten years had walked into his small clinic today. How could Hara Shigemine not be excited?
Fortunately, he remained composed and specifically searched for Zhang Han's name on his phone. The games broadcast by Tokyo Television naturally had sufficient popularity. Hara Shigemine found relevant videos and extensive reports with little effort. He seemed very excited, even wanting to take a photo with Zhang Han as a souvenir.
Takashima kept smiling. She loved seeing this scene. Even Ochiai showed a hint of relief. He suddenly realized that staying at Seido might be better than he had imagined. With such a pitcher on the baseball team, would they still need to worry about exposure?
Only Kataoka looked at his watch with some anxiety. He still wanted to go back and continue training, as the semi-finals and finals were consecutive. A few days later, they would have to face a crucial challenge.
Semi-finals.
Only by winning the Spring Tournament semi-finals and successfully advancing to the finals could Seido High School Baseball Team participate in the Kanto Tournament. Originally, it would have been fine if they hadn't made it to the top four, but since they had reached this point, Kataoka certainly wouldn't give up the chance. For Seido High School Baseball Team, which was still in the process of gelling, tournament experience and experience playing against top players were both things they severely lacked. Before the Summer Tournament began, any improvement was a good thing.
"Doctor, what exactly is Zhang Han's situation?"
Hearing Kataoka's question, Takashima Rei and Ochiai's faces showed a hint of shame. They had been so engrossed in observing Hara Shigemine's expression that they had overlooked the most important matter.
Hara Shigemine also calmed down. He glanced at the information placed before him and met Kataoka's gaze. Seeing the seriousness in Kataoka's eyes, a trace of regret flashed through Hara Shigemine's mind.
He certainly knew what it meant for a baseball team to have a Light Speed Ball pitcher. For high-level pitchers, they could lead a baseball team forward on their own. Stories where an entire baseball team rises because of a good pitcher, advancing all the way to Koshien and achieving good results there, were often the favorites of manga authors.
Such stories were not entirely fictional. Although, since the 21st century, the opportunities for such stories to unfold had become increasingly rare. Elite schools had received capital assistance, coupled with the system of special admissions. As a result, the power of elite schools had grown stronger and stronger, making it very difficult for dark horses to shake them.
But difficult did not mean impossible. Before the 21st century, when capital wasn't as prevalent, such stories happened almost every year. Those manga authors weren't entirely fabricating things; most of them could find some basis.
A Light Speed Ball pitcher like Zhang Han possessed such ability. Once he joined Seido and pitched freely, the dynasty of Seido High School could probably be established. An elite school plus a Light Speed Ball pitcher. How could such a combination not be invincible?
It was just a pity that such a combination was destined to exist only in the world of manga.
"It's not a problem with the player himself. However, I must regrettably tell you that Zhang Han will not be able to become an Ace. At most, he can only be used as a substitute or a rotational pitcher."
The statement given by Hara Shigemine shocked everyone.
"You previously said he had a bone fracture, and now his fingers get chafed, but these are minor issues. While such pitching speed is fast and a great burden on opponents, it is also a great burden on players whose bodies are still growing."
"In the last game, he threw over a hundred pitches. If he continues pitching at this pace, even if Zhang Han can endure it, the index and middle fingers he uses for pitching will likely deform. Coupled with his physical growth, he might not be able to throw at this speed in the future. There was a pitcher in Kanagawa who could throw over 160 kilometers per hour, and his coach did not let him become an Ace for this reason, always keeping him as a substitute."
"In fact, not only in high school, but even if he went to professional baseball, he would still only be able to serve as a middle reliever for the same reason. Theoretically, it is best after 20 years old, preferably 23 years old. Waiting until the body has completely stopped developing before fully developing their pitching is the best option for these Light Speed Ball pitchers."
"Of course, if Zhang Han had mastered very fast pitching speeds since childhood and had been training consistently, while he still wouldn't be able to complete every game, he could be given more pitching opportunities. But Zhang Han clearly doesn't fall into this category. He is a late bloomer."
"My suggestion is that at this stage, his daily pitch count should ideally not exceed 40, increasing gradually. Growing this way, although it will be difficult for him to be an Ace in high school, if he enters professional baseball in the future, he might be able to develop earlier. Also, even if Zhang Han's pitching has no side effects, my advice is still not to pitch too much."
"This is not only a pressure for the pitcher himself but also a considerable challenge for the pitcher's partner. Statistics show that the receiving hand of catchers who regularly catch 150 kilometer per hour pitches will be somewhat deformed. Catchers are also young people, and their bodies are still growing. If he catches a large number of such pitches, it will be very detrimental to his growth."
Speed, in itself, was power.
When the speed of a pitch escalated to an irregular degree, it not only affected the opponent but also affected oneself. Zhang Han, who was listening nearby, suddenly felt that his pitching was somewhat grand.
For a Light Speed Ball pitcher, that was exactly the case. In a single game, the benefits outweighed the drawbacks. But in a player's long-term development, there were huge hidden dangers.
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