Chapter 129

Short Summary
Sugadaira is introduced back into the Lycaons Pro team. They play their first match against the Bugaboos.

Long Summary
The Lycaons play against the Eagles injured from their fight. Their sense of teamwork now in tatters, they lose 11-4. Chairman Tanabe hears of the Lycaons loss. This increases the gap between the Lycaons and the Mariners to 8 games. Tanabe predicts Tokuchi will lose ownership by next week.

Tokuchi announces to the team their salary is again zero. He informs them they’ve been using L-tickets for the minor team’s games too and the turnout has increased to 5000, up from their usual turnout of 1000. They’ve scored victories in all three of their games so far. Because of a player injury, Tokuchi says he’s taking whoever earned the most MVP tickets in the minor team and bringing them up to the majors. This happens to be Sugadaira. With 6012 points, he’s now third in the rankings after Tokuchi and Kojima and will be a starting member in tomorrow’s game. In the locker rooms the other players all say they think Sugadaira’s success is a fluke, but Ideguchi points out he seems ‘completely different from before’.

In their first match, the Bugaboos have an eight-run lead by the end of the fourth inning. The team worry about not getting paid for another day. With two outs and first and second bases loaded, Sugadaira walks on to bat. Some of the Lycaons in the dugout go to play catch, expecting Sugadaira to be struck out.

He connects on the sixth pitch and hits a grounder. The players at the dugout assume he’ll get out but one of the Bugaboos fielders misses ball and Sugadaira makes it to first base. He keeps running and the others think he’s being reckless but Sugadaira suddenly turns around and heads back to first, playing bait. The fielder chases him with the ball while the two runners already on base both manage to make it home. The gap is closed to six.

Tokuchi tells the players in the dugout that while they assume they've already lost, Sugadaira is playing to win. If the Lycaons win, Sugadaira’s performance will earn him a huge amount of MVP tickets.

Characters

 * Tokuchi Toua
 * Sugadaira
 * Ideguchi
 * Chairman Tanabe