Chapter 143

Short Summary
In their second game against the Mariners, under-hand pitcher Yoshida pitches against the Lycaons. Tokuchi promises 10 million yen to anyone who can get a dead ball to the back.

Long Summary
The newspapers treat the Mariners’ tie with the Lycaons as though the former suffered a crushing defeat. They also feature that Tokuchi claims to have lipread off Kawanaka, ‘the Mariners’ coach is no good.’ Manager Imawano throws his newspaper to the floor. Takami says he knows Tokuchi’s comments are bullshit, but Imawano worries Kawanaka appears to be affected by them.

Tokuchi and Kojima discuss the Mariners’ starting pitcher for the game. Yoshida, who was traded from the Eagles, held the best defence percentage for two years running and is described as ‘the best under-hand pitcher in Japanese baseball history’.

He gathers the team to discuss Yoshida, and they all call him amazing. His method of underhand pitching makes him very hard to hit and in 230 innings last year he only allowed four home runs.

Ideguchi asks Tokuchi to tell them the way to hit Yoshida’s pitches. Tokuchi comments the team have grown and before would have just assumed it impossible. He claims Yoshida may be hard to hit but he’s not an amazing pitcher. He says with the strength the team have now, there’s nothing to be afraid of, then starts to leave. They stop him, convinced he must have a ‘secret plan’, and complain he hasn’t told them the way to handle Yoshida yet, but Tokuchi replies there’s no secret plan needed for opponents who aren’t that good. He tells them he’s going to add a special clause just for this game- 10 million yen to anyone who takes a dead ball to the back.

At the match, the team assume Tokuchi’s deal is a hint for dealing with Yoshida. Kurumizawa says since underhanded throws come in at a diagonal angle, the ball comes much closer to hitting the batter. This means an inside pitch will possibly turn into a dead ball.

Kondoh bats first, thinking if Yoshida throws a straight to the inside, he’s certain to get hit. The ball heads to the inside, but it misses him and he gets a strike. It was a sharp changeup that narrowly missed his hands.

The Lycaons get consecutively struck out in the first three innings while the Mariners score five runs. Tokuchi tells them the purpose of his deal wasn’t to make them randomly aim for dead balls without bothering to hit. The others look confused and Tokuchi explains he’d meant if a pitch comes that looks like it’s heading for the inside, make it a dead ball rather than back away from it.

The team are upset they wasted three innings not bothering to hit. With this new information, Kondoh bats first in the fourth inning. He sees the ball is coming for the inside. Ignoring the possibility of a dead ball this time, he swings and gets a home run, the Lycaons' first point. The rest of the team look on in shock, but Tokuchi laughs and says he already told them Yoshida’s not an amazing pitcher. He declares from now on, the home runs will keep coming.

Characters

 * Tokuchi Toua
 * Kojima
 * Ideguchi
 * Yoshia
 * Kondoh
 * Manager Imawano
 * Takami