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I-It's useless.

I-It's useless.

After all, with just one day of trying to throw at that spot...

I won't be able to match up to Sanchez's powerful control at all!

If you're so scared of having your pitches hit,

volunteer to drop down to the Minors yourself!

You're too naive!

Get hit and go to the Minors, huh?

If I don't have enough power, then it can't be helped, I guess.

Hi! Is everyone in a good mood?

To each and every Salmons fan who has loved the Salmons since they were small...

Today as usual, I, Mathew Taylor will be announcing for you!

In today's exhibition game they play the power-hitting Dallas Elephants!

Facing them is our own Salmons, whose starting

pitcher is - Oh, is that true? A Japanese player!

Having just passed the tryouts, it's Goro Shigeno!

Even the scale of the ceremony and the mood of

the audience is on a different level from Japan.

Will my pitching work against these guys?

Am I just going to be exposed as a fraud and be publicly humiliated?

Anyway,

I'll do what I can!

Strike!

I heard that he had just passed the tryouts, but...

Oh?

I thought he was going to be paralyzed due to nerves, but...

he isn't pitching half bad.

Strike two!

Coach, this might actually go unexpectedly well.

What are you saying!?

You're going to use Shigeno as the starting pitcher in the exhibition game?

Are you serious, Assistant General Manager?

Letting a rookie, who just passed the tryouts,

join up with the Majors camp is unheard of!

This kind of special treatment has never been done up till now!

It's the owner's idea.

The owner's?

These days, we can't ignore the ability to attract fans

and the economic benefits that Japanese players bring.

If it's possible, we want to bring in Japanese tourists to the Salmons too.

That's the idea.

But, that's only the case for Japanese stars who are former top players.

As Shigeno is right now, he doesn't have the ability to attract fans, and...

I strongly recommended him.

I don't believe he'll become a usable "weapon" immediately of course.

He was easily hit by Bolton.

And the difference in power in his duel with

Sanchez was evident too, from what I've heard.

However, there's some sort of aura about him.

In the end, it's just my intuition, but...

he's got the same scent as many star players had when they were young.

E-Even with saying that, with such a

reckless plan, that itself will be destroyed!

The majority of rookies start in the Minors.

Gary-kun.

Yes?

Have you seen any idiots coming to take the tryouts with just a fastball these days?

In other words,

this is a man who has a lot of confidence and

pride, and has crossed the sea to come here.

That kind of person...

Strike out!

All right!

That kind of person isn't the type to get

crushed by the wall that is the Majors so easily.

A wall, huh?

Strike out!

Strike out!

Okay!

Yeah!

The game begins promisingly.

I somehow managed to suppress them all in the first inning.

We underestimated him because we thought he was

a rookie, but he can throw quite the fastball.

Be careful.

Strike out!

Strike out!

Out!

So our team was retired in order too.

Our opponents really aren't making it easy for us either, huh?

Now batting, number 7, Guererra!

Guererra is the Elephants' main slugger.

He was the home run king last year.

Oh, he's a dangerous opponent, huh?

We've got to avoid giving up the first runs.

Whatever the case is, don't get sucked in.

Play!

You're saying I'm going to get sucked in?

Don't joke around!

Strike!

Strike two!

The battle starts on the next pitch...

Strike out!

He let it by?

All right!

So Guererra is just going to wait and conduct research his first at-bat too.

And what's up with that kid?

Even when someone like Guererra is facing him, he's not faltering in the least.

Although nothing else stands out, that courage of his is really something.

Strike out!

All right!

Out!

I can't believe you complained and said you couldn't be the starting pitcher.

Let's forget about that.

The Majors is like this, huh?

There was something wrong with me being scared before the fight began.

Go, Fox!

Out!

Oh no!

Damn!

Don't mind, don't mind.

Don't get so angry.

Strike out!

I guess the Majors really are the Majors after all.

Doesn't he understand that he's the pitcher?

Strike out!

Leading by two runs in the top half of the fifth inning...

To think that the Japanese rookie would be

able to so steadily suppress them this far.

I really thought it was absurd to have Shigeno as the starting pitcher, but...

the owner's decision wasn't wrong.

Well, I'm not so sure about that.

Well, I'm not so sure about that.

This is a free fansub.

Not for sale or rent.

Play!

You've returned, Mr. Home Run King-san.

No matter how many times you come up...

I won't let you hit!

This is bad!

No way...

On the first pitch...

If it wasn't this way, it wouldn't be interesting.

Then there wouldn't be any reason for me to challenge the Majors.

The real battle starts now.

Damn!

He hit it really well!

It seems like they've gradually figured out that Shigeno has only fastballs.

Did they get pumped up from Guererra's home run, perhaps?

What should we do?

Well then, I suppose I'll go and warm up.

Well then, I suppose I'll go and warm up.

No, not yet.

It's still too early.

What's the meaning of this?

Ball three!

The count is three balls... He's cornered.

He won't be lured by three balls, huh?

Why isn't the bench saying anything?

It's impossible for Shigeno to continue.

Out!

Out!

Out! Out!

Out! Out!

T-Triple play?

Ouch! It hurts!

W-What a guy!

W-What a guy!

Doing a thing like that! What would you've done if you had hurt your hand!?

I've gained some respect for you, samurai boy.

You got some kind of problem?

He's telling you that he has gained some respect for you.

Oh? Was that it?

Thank you, Bolton-chan.

This guy's fighting spirit is the real deal.

But...

the Majors isn't so easy that you can battle with just fighting spirit.

Shigeno, who was so timid, is fighting this hard...

I have to do my best too!

Strike out!

Strike out!

Batting, number 30...

Shigeno is starting to get tired, as expected.

Out!

Just one more.

Safe!

You really can't lower your guard in the Majors.

Shigeno is at his limit.

Why isn't the boss subbing him out?

Get a good taste of this, Shigeno.

The wall of the Majors starts here.

Has it been carved into you yet?

That your samurai style will only take you this far.

S-Shigeno!

You're going to sub for him now, right?

Not yet.

Coach!

I'll have Shigeno continue pitching until this inning is over.

B-But, it's obvious that Shigeno is already at his limit.

Even if you allow Shigeno to continue pitching...

An exhibition game isn't something that you need to win, after all.

Most likely he'll be forced to drop down to the Minors after this game.

However, the reality of the Majors he'll have learned through this experience...

will become a guidepost, surpassing a million words of coaching.

I have a feeling that this has happened to me before.

When was it again?

Shigeno!

Hey, Shigeno!

Are you listening?

This will most likely be my last inning.

Then... it might be a good idea to try that.

What?

It's nothing.

Well then, our customer has arrived.

I sympathize with you.

I don't know what the circumstances are, but...

I pity you stepping on the Major League mound

with nothing but a fastball of that level.

Shigeno, it's just as you said.

Shigeno, it's just as you said.

It's still too early for us to be in the Majors.

He's... smiling!

He's... smiling!

It took me this long to realize it, but...

the color of the sky in both Japan and America-

No, from my childhood too, it hasn't changed.

And also,

neither have I.

Let's go, Shimizu! Miracle ball G three five!

No way! I never heard anything about that before!

This is... my secret weapon!

Change-up?

Out!

Hey, that pitch...

It's my trump card, my miracle ball.

Miracle ball?

What!?

I used it since I had nothing to lose. Luckily, it worked.

I used the fact that they were convinced that I only threw fastballs.

That pitch... It's a secret weapon I can only use once.

"Well done" is what I'd like to say, but...

Yeah, I understand.

I'll leave the rest up to Sanchez.

I'm utterly defeated.

At least for today.

Yo!

The beginning of the game wasn't bad, but...

reality wasn't so easy.

Yeah.

I was just sentenced by the boss to the Minor League.

Well, I'll work hard and aim for my next chance.

In that case, we're in the same boat, Fox.

It seems that the higher ups understand clearly that I'm not

at the level of competing for a roster spot from this game too.

I see... So you're going to the Minors too?

However,

I'm not depressed at all!

I've clearly seen what form and how many steps I need to climb to get to the Majors!

You've... seen it?

I've made a fresh start, Fox!

Up till now, I've only concentrated on polishing my fastball, but...

with just that, I can't break through the wall of the Majors.

I don't know how far I can go, having been originally right-handed, but...

I have to find a breaking ball that fits me!

Good, good! You've advanced a lot, Robert.

Coach Dawson.

This is Shigeno and Fox, who are going to be with the Cougars from today on.

Oh, Fox, you've come back. I thought I told you not to come back here again.

Well, it was out of my hands...

This one's a face I haven't seen before.

Yes, he's Shigeno, a pitcher. He came from Japan and got in via the tryouts.

A pitcher, eh?

Might you be able to pitch today?

You see, Melvin, who was going to be our starting

pitcher today, has back pain and can't pitch.

It would help us a lot if you could fill the empty hole.

It seems that he wants you to be the starting pitcher in today's game.

Me?

Even if the coach is saying that, you better not.

You threw a lot yesterday and this morning and have to be tired, right?

Oh, okay! All right, Boss!

Oh, you'll do it, eh?

S-Shigeno!

I'm not tired.

And other than that, I've figured out a couple of hard ones,

and I want to try them out before I forget the feeling.

Out!

Put your spirit into it, you guys!

Today is Shigeno's first time on the mound with the Cougars, after all.

They can't really be compared.

After all, everything is really different from the flashy Majors.

If you're the catcher, I can feel at ease.

Shigeno, will it really be all right?

I'm telling you it's all right. Other than that, let's confirm them, just to be safe.

What do you want to confirm this late?

Isn't it obvious? The signs to the pitcher for breaking balls.

Breaking balls? Will he really be able to throw those?

Play!

Sorry, but I'm not planning on staying at this shabby stage for many months!

Time to hurry up, produce some results, and rise up to the Majors!

I can't stay in Triple A and have my legs get dull!

I'm going to compensate for the things I lack right now,

and get back to the mound in the Majors!

Wh-You're...!

Next time, on Major:

I Won't Forgive You!

Run to the stage of your dreams!