CHAPTER 347: CHAPTER 1: THE FIRST WAVE ISN’T OVER YET

As the 2012 rookie draft meeting date approaches, discussions about the intended picks for various teams have become one of the hottest topics across Japan.

Rumors are rampant and so intricate that it’s hard to tell what’s true; fans of each team are rampant with excitement, trying to offer strategies in hopes their team picks their preferred players.

"Sugano outright refused the Fighters last year, so there shouldn’t be any competition with us Giants this year, right? Ah, sometimes being Japan’s Number One team comes with headaches; we’ve won Japan’s Number One again this year, and numerous talented young players seem to prefer us, but the team shouldn’t be too perfect..."

"Giants fans just show off, winning Japan’s Number One through sheer luck makes you cocky... Speaking of which, I hope Wada’s luck is good this year; Fujinami, Higashihama, Ohtani, Lin, any of these big pitchers would be great for us, Hanshin fans deserve some luck too. I really don’t want to see the team still in Group B next year..."

"Believe in Kuriyama this year. Though we lost 2:4 to the Giants and failed to claim Japan’s Number One, winning the Pacific League is quite an achievement. I feel it’s tough to select this year; competing for a championship seems best with immediate strength, but giving up those top picks from Takano Ren feels regretful..."

While fans are fretting over their teams, a news leak grabbed everyone’s attention.

[Rumor: Lin Guanglai has signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners and will soon head to the United States to develop...]

This forum post’s headline was like a depth charge, blowing away fans who hoped their teams would bravely claim Lin Guanglai with the first draft pick.

"My uncle works at Waseda Jitsugyo — a few days ago, he personally saw some foreigners visiting the school, accompanied by Baseball Department’s Sasaki Manager and Izumi Minoru. Lin Guanglai himself was with them when they left."

"The rumor from the school is that a Mariners’ scouting department Vice President led them, supposedly inviting Lin Guanglai to the U.S.— frankly, who can reject an invitation from a Major League team? It’s a chance to fight alongside Ichiro, and the money isn’t small; joining the Major League means financial security for life..."

Admittedly, the scenario described by the author is so real that many fans originally intending to scold this post as clickbait started to somewhat agree after carefully reading the content.

"Ah, not really... I wanted Lin to lead Seibu’s revival, bringing back the glory as Pacific League’s top team — if he goes to the U.S., he’ll likely start in the minors, right? Doesn’t this mean we may not see his matches for many years? How am I supposed to survive as a fan?"

"Exactly, how can anyone go straight to the Major League after high school? The pay is high, but starting from Single-A comes with so many challenges; how long would it take to reach MLB?"

"Though I don’t want to admit it, I must say the main post carries some truth — how else do you explain that while the draft is starting soon on the 25th, and now it’s almost mid-month, Lin Guanglai hasn’t submitted his registration?"

This final question is like a sword, deeply piercing the hearts of fans still hopeful Lin Guanglai will stay in Japan:

According to Nippon Professional Baseball rules, players registered with the Tokyo High School Baseball Federation and logged at least three years can participate in the draft meeting. Participants must submit a professional baseball volunteer application to the local federation before the meeting to qualify — if not submitted before the draft start, it’s considered an automatic withdrawal, rendering the teams unable to select the player.

This year’s draft is set for October 25, yet it’s already mid-October; peers like Fujinami Jintaro, Suzuki Seiya, and Tandate Ryoki have all submitted applications, while Tokyo’s federation hasn’t received materials from Waseda Jitsugyo.

Everything indicates that Lin Guanglai might indeed have signed with a Major League team, skipping Nippon Professional Baseball to head across the ocean.

"Tsk tsk— the commotion this kid is causing is astonishing; original competition with several interested teams was already challenging, and now a Major League team steps in... This is truly troublesome!"

Closing the newspaper and placing it aside, Wang Zhenzhi removed his glasses and gently massaged his slightly strained eyes.

"Haha, coach, he’s undoubtedly a generational super talent; getting this kind of treatment seems reasonable. Honestly, anyone seeing his stats sucks in a cold breath. I thought the printer malfunctioned the first time seeing them — given the salary cap locked now, vying for such players would at least double signing costs otherwise."

The response came from Akiyama Koji, current head coach of Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks — a former player of Seibu Lions and Daiyou Hawks, loved by Wang Zhenzhi during his coaching days, which is why he’s still referred to as "coach."

"The MLB’s involvement does complicate matters, as no matter their professional guidance or salary, even we SoftBank can’t compare to Americans..." Akiyama glanced at Wang Zhenzhi before continuing: "But coach, I think we hold the biggest advantage against the Mariners and other teams now..."

"That’s because our SoftBank Team was the first to contact him, long before any other team did. Now they might just be starting communications, yet we not only understand Lin Guanglai’s needs but also provide matching support!"

Here, Wang Zhenzhi, silent for some time, finally spoke: "As the team’s coach, do you really believe he can perform Dual Swordsmanship in the professional baseball world? Remember, Nippon Professional Baseball’s intensity is unmatched by high school baseball..."

Before Wang Zhenzhi finished, Akiyama Koji rarely interrupted him: "Coach, I don’t know if Dual Swordsmanship is feasible, but I’m willing to bet on this kid—honestly, if someone achieving 100 home runs in high school, pitching perfect and no-hit games can’t realize it, Dual Swordsmanship is just impossible!"

"In time, whether switching to a dedicated hitter or becoming a star pitcher, his natural talent ensures no problem—As the team coach, I only know if we miss players of this caliber, I’ll regret it for countless years!"

"Like you told me once, coach — in Lin Guanglai, I see shining qualities!"

Listening to Akiyama Koji’s passionate words, Wang Zhenzhi wasn’t angered by the interruption; instead, he showed a satisfied expression:

"Very good, Koji, you’ve grown considerably after years of coaching!"

"Let’s set our plan, tomorrow we head to Tokyo and present our strategy to him—I believe no intelligent, ambitious player would refuse such a plan."

"Giants, Hanshin, Seibu, and Major League, we SoftBank don’t fear—my instincts tell me, if Lin Guanglai can be drawn by us, this might be the greatest signing in our team’s history!"