Chapter 93

Short Summary
Sugadaira tries to tell the team about Karai’s 164km/h pitch, but nobody believes him. Oikawa tries to convince Tokuchi to quit the One Outs contract. Tokuchi believes Sugadaira about Kurai’s pitch and chooses those two to start tomorrow’s game.

Long Summary
Despite losing the match, Tadamasa insists to Manager Mihara that the former minor leaguers should be fired. Mihara cannot think of a way to overcome Murukawa’s fear of the ball. Tadamasa tells Mihara that Kurai’s 160km/h ball is just a rumour, but Sugadaira overhears and storms in. He tells them he witnessed Karai throw a 164km/h pitch, but Tadamasa doesn’t believe him. He shows them the speed-gun but unfortunately the battery's run out, leaving Sugadaira with no evidence.

Meanwhile, the Owner and his secretary discuss who they think Tokuchi will pick to play tomorrow. The secretary tells Saikawa that the trainer informed him Tokuchi would only be at 50% of his strength, and so probably won’t play himself. Saikawa is pleased, as the Lycaons next opponents, the Fingers, are a strong team.

To Tokuchi’s annoyance, Oikawa trails him around, trying to persuade him to cut his losses and drop out of the One Outs contract. Although Tokuchi threw a perfect game against the Fingers at their last match, they were missing their two best batters, Amami Taiyou and Kitaoji Gou. He shows Tokuchi a video of the Mariner’s Takami discussing their strengths. Takami says he thinks the Finger’s pitcher, Kawanaka, is a better pitcher than Tokuchi. Kawanaka can throw a 150km/h ball even after he’s been pitching an entire game, and has mastered a forkball that even Takami himself can’t hit.

Tokuchi is unworried. Sugadaira suddenly storms up and tells him about Karai’s 164km/h pitch but admits he has no evidence. Tokuchi tells him he believes him. He sends a fax to the Owner, having picked Kurai and Sugadaira as starters tomorrow. Delighted, Saikawa increases the game’s rate by 20 times.

Characters

 * Tokuchi Toua
 * Oikawa
 * Sugadaira
 * Takahashi
 * Manager Mihara
 * Saikawa: Owner of the Lycaons
 * Saikawa's Secretary