Chapter 108

Short Summary
Sugadaira begs Tokuchi to bring out his hidden ability but Tokuchi tells him he has to sort his problems out on his own.

Long Summary
Kurai and Muruwaka are now met with acceptance by the rest of the team, leaving Sugadaira feeling insecure and thinking the only 'shit player' left is him. Kojima bats and hits a triple and a pinch runner gets sent out for him. He sits at the dugout and notices Sugadaira looking bleak. Sugadaira comes to the conclusion that since Tokuchi brought him up to the Pros, he must hold the key to awakening something in him too.

Kurai and Muruwaka follow Tokuchi to the men's room to thank him, but he tells them he didn’t do anything and not to follow him into the bathroom if they have nothing important to say. When he walks out Sugadaira is waiting for him. He points out he’s the only one yet to show any results of the three former minor-leaguers and asks him to bring out his hidden abilities. Tokuchi says he may have helped the other two a little but he never had to show them what their abilities were, and starts walking away. Sugadaira stops him, not understanding his point, and Tokuchi tells Sugadaira he has to do something about the problem himself. Sugadaira tells him not to be so cold and continues to follow him as he tries to leave. He begs Tokuchi to help him and is on his knees gripping his arm when Kojima walks in. Sugadaira appeals to him instead, saying it’s unfair Tokuchi helped the other two and not him. Kojima suddenly hits him round the face and asks him when he became an idiot; he used to 'stand tall' and never let others help him with his problems.

Tokuchi says it’s time Sugadaira learnt the truth about their promotion; the three of them were meant to be traded as extras but got promoted to the majors instead. Tokuchi tells Sugadaira he was right in thinking he’d persuaded the Owner, but the number of people he’d recommended was just two; Kurai and Muruwaka. There was a man who'd begged that Sugadaira be brought up so Tokuchi reluctantly agreed, and that man was Kojima.

Kojima reminds Sugadaira that he’d been hard-working and optimistic as a young player, but had gone on a two-year slump after his injury. Unable to play baseball, he’d turned to alcohol and gambling and never recovered. Kojima had told Tokuchi he was sure if given a chance Sugadaira would be ‘resurrected’.

Tokuchi reveals that before the game, he’d agreed with Mihara that he could drop the three back to the minors if they didn’t show any results. Since it’s the ninth inning, Sugadaira won’t have another chance to bat this game if the next two hitters get struck out, and will lose his final chance to prove himself. Tokuchi tells him 'pray that your allies will save your life.'

Characters

 * Tokuchi Toua
 * Sugadaira
 * Kojima
 * Kurai
 * Muruwaka