Original subtitles

It may be a waste of time for you to practice with someone like me.

But I have an impossible request.

Please...

Please...

Please teach me baseball.

Who is this crazy boy?

Is he someone from your high school team?

Yu, I've told you to stop going to practice.

If you break your shoulder again, you'll never be able to play again.

Hey, boy! Don't come near my son.

If you want to learn baseball, read this first.

This is how I succeeded in Japan!!

It's written by Jorge Animal, a former major leaguer.

Who needs this crap!?

No!

I'm speaking with Chris-senpai!

Do you not know who Animal is?

Not even a bit!

With Chagrin In His Heart

What's this for?

Masuko Spirits

Well, sir...

I thought you'd need to eat a lot to heal?

Don't do anything unnecessary.

It's gross.

Gross?

Though I'll still eat it.

You will?

Good morning, sir.

It's an honor to—

Shall I wash your back?

Do you have enough paper?

Good day, Chris-senpai!

Is he Chris-kun's follower?

This is the third-years' floor.

I'd like to get a third scroll soon.

They're quite dirty.

Did you throw them, by any chance?

That's impossible.

Twice a week.

You still don't know how to use your body well.

You should do those menus interchangeably twice a week.

Twice.

Overworking yourself is ineffective.

Practice isn't about aimlessly working hard.

Learn to rest.

Yes, sir!

Also...

Don't follow me around anymore.

You're a pest.

A pest?

I know I deserve this, but he's a tough one to crack.

Seido Spirit Dorm

I'll hide them somewhere, so no one will eat them.

What's up?

Hey, what happened?

Did your girlfriend back home dump you?

What are you doing sitting in a desk, Sawamura-chan?

It's finally come to me.

I can't get better just because I like the sport.

Bunt

Force Play

Knuckle Ball

Slider

I have to learn way more about baseball.

Strike Zone

A little late?

Seido Spirit Dorm

Did you know?

The Japanese word for "shortstop" was named by Shiki Masaoka.

But who exactly is Shiki Masaoka?

What are you studying?

So he's Satoru Furuya.

His fastball really looks scary up close.

Tanba's looking better, too.

His sidearms are looking really good.

They've got some strong pitchers.

Guess it wasn't a fluke that they fought well against Yokohama Academy.

Seido is going to be a tough team this year.

We're done for today.

A little more?

Nope.

You don't have cardio, so go run.

Thanks for ignoring me!

What's he doing by himself?

Did he finally get kicked out of practice?

Apparently, he asked if he could watch.

What's up with that?

Is he quitting?

Ball to second!

Hey, you said that too late!

The pitcher can't see the runner, so you gotta be his eyes!

S-Sorry.

And, shortstop, your coverage was late!

I know!

They're so amazing.

They all move together to make one single play.

So this is...

the play to defend the team.

I wonder if getting yelled at by Miyuki-kun got to him.

He's finally realized what he's missing and is trying to learn.

Now, he just needs to communicate with the catcher.

National Training Center

Damn!

Don't be influenced by that twerp.

Forget about high school baseball and just build your body in time for graduation.

You have a long baseball career ahead.

Good evening, sir.

Just coming back?

I hear Sawamura's been following you around every day.

Yeah, and I'm quite tired of it.

But he's really trying to learn baseball despite how dumb he is.

He was carefully observing people's plays today.

How do you see him, Chris-senpai?

He's a gem in the rough, and he throws moving fastballs.

From the catcher's point of view,

I don't think there's any pitcher as difficult but attractive.

Drawing out his true potential is really up to us catchers.

True, I acknowledge his talent.

But I'm not mature enough to be able to help him grow.

Tanba and Furuya...

How you lead those two pitchers...

That's what will determine the team's performance this year.

Good luck, first-string catcher.

Chris-senpai...

Why did you let a stupid first-year like me mouth off to you and not say anything?

Forget about high school baseball and just build your body in time for graduation.

Seido Spirit Dorm

Good morning, Chris-senpai!

What another lovely day today!

What do you say?

Let's play some catch before breakfast!

It feels great to wake up early.

And I'd really like to throw.

You're so noisy, so early.

I'll play catch with you for a bit, so go warm up.

I know. You're busy, right?

Huh?

Seido High School Practice Field

How long should I be warming up?

I'm going to burn up before I even throw!

If you have a problem, then I'm leaving.

Don't think you'll always be in top-notch condition when you throw.

I can't hear anything you say.

Okay, do 20 sprints, then stretch.

But everyone's already eating breakfast!

Fine, I'll do it! I will!

I'm done.

Okay, let's throw.

Bottom of the ninth, two outs and bases loaded.

A full count.

A hit will cost us the game.

What would you throw?

I'd throw my best pitch right down the middle. No question!

In fact, that's all I can do.

That one pitch determines whether the team wins or loses.

That's what you'd throw, knowing that?

Okay, then throw.

You don't need protectors?

Relax.

I'm not asking you to throw to where the mitt is.

A full count at the bottom of the ninth, two outs and bases loaded.

In that situation, the only thing I can do

is to believe in my fielders

and throw as hard as I can!

That was a nice sound.

That was a home run.

Why?

That was a nice throw!

The batter was Matsui.

That's not fair!

Why did you throw without asking about the batter?

Did you already forget the home run Masuko got off you?

You don't have fastballs like Furuya or breaking balls like Tanba.

What are your distinctive qualities?

I don't know.

What are they?

That's for you to figure out.

My distinctive qualities...

Seido Spirit Dorm

Your distinctive qualities?

Your stupidity, of course.

You lack the common sense not to eat other people's pudding.

I see... So I have no common sense, and I'm stupid.

Also, you suck at video games, and your wrestling moves don't work.

You don't know baseball.

You won't tell me Wakana-chan's email.

Wakana's email...

Wait! That's irrelevant!

Cross chop!

You lose your cool too easily and forget to speak with respect!

Your distinctive qualities?

It's fun to field for you, I guess.

You send a lot of balls flying.

Also, there weren't any foul balls last time, right?

That's a pretty good feat.

It doesn't mess up the fielders' rhythm.

Foul balls?

Rhythm?

Wait a minute.

Is that why he...

This is where my... mitt is.

By the way, did you hear the word about the first-string team?

As of now, there are eighteen players on the first-string.

Super Baseball Theory: The Logic of Batting

And those eighteen players are all fighting for the spots on the active roster,

but twenty players can be registered for the summer Tokyo District tournament.

Basically, two second-string players will be moved up by the summer.

You serious?

So the scrimmages will be good opportunites to show off.

Two players?

Yep, two players.

So we're moving up to the first-string!

No, nothing's final yet...

All right! Let's do this!

I want to eat a crab omelet.

Seido High School Practice Field

There it goes!

Three consecutive doubles!

The third-years are on fire!

Looks like they've gotten better since the Kanto tournament.

Teito Seido

Field B

They're sending the first-string to Teito, but the second-string to us?

Way to make a fool out of us.

That pitcher is also a first-year.

You serious?

They're blatantly looking down on us!

What?

You'll throw as I tell you to?

Yes, sir.

I'll throw wherever you want me to.

Okay.

I can't throw amazing fastballs or breaking balls.

So in order to get to the top of the pyramid...

I can only rely on my good control.

In this game, I'll step up to a whole new level.

Throw where my mitt is? Yeah, right!

That was an easy pitch down the middle!

Why?

Yeah! He sucks!

Where is the power in your pitch?

He threw in the trials the other day, right?

He looks smaller today.

Also, he's taking too many hits.

He's really doing badly today.

What the hell?

So long as I throw to where the mitt is, I shouldn't get hit!

Aim for the mitt.

A perfect pitch!

It's going!

Run! Run!

Seido's not as good as we thought!

They've got a crappy pitcher on the mound!

Don't take us lightly just because we're a public school!

What an outcome...

He's completely lost himself.

Time out, please.

Time out!

What's with that lazy pitching today?

Maezono-senpai...

But I'm just throwing to where the catcher's holding his mitt.

You think those slow balls won't get hit?

Hurry up and take this uniform off!

You're not the only pitcher on our team!

That's enough, Zono.

By wearing this uniform, we bear the pride and the glories of our past players.

Just because we're the second-string doesn't mean we can have a pathetic game.

Nakata-senpai is right.

Harucchi.

I don't like fielding behind you today.

I think you should cool your head in the dugout.

Wait a minute!

I'm thinking the best I can, and seriously—

Sawamura-kun.

Pitcher change.

Get off the mound, right now.

Koma Sei

You focused too much on control, and your pitches had no power.

Your fastballs maxed out at 130 km/h.

It's no surprise you gave up hits.

Didn't I tell you?

You're not like Furuya or Tanba.

Then...

what's something I have that they don't?

Bear the loss you had today in your heart.

If you do, you can go much higher.

Good ball control and faster pitches...

aren't something you can achieve overnight.

But if you can be patient and focus on building the foundation,

you'll slowly but surely set yourself apart.

Another strikeout?

That's a first-year?

He's definitely throwing 150 km/h.

Hey, are you guys putting this down?

He only has this fastball.

We can figure something out.

We're getting more scouts by the day.

Guess everyone's hearing the news about Furuya.

Excuse me.

Time out, please.

Time out!

Did something happen?

What's up?

We're not even in a pinch.

Your finger...

He throws by putting his entire weight on the tip of his fingers.

Looks like that technique has put too much stress on his fingertip.

Never expected a weakness like this.

Go back to the dugout without showing that to anyone.

I don't want the scouts from other schools to find out.

I can still throw—

Just go back.

What's up?

He's getting replaced?

He's only thrown for two innings.

Coach.

I'm always ready, sir.

Tanba!

You threw yesterday!

You may be warmed up, but...

Okay.

But only for three innings.

Sir!

Furuya.

You hurt your nail?

To a pitcher, his fingertips are his life.

It's proof that you're not taking good care of them.

Furuya, you're banned from throwing for two weeks.

You can run in the second-string practice field.

Coach, aren't you being a little too harsh?

A brand new first-year with only time on his hands

and a third-year with his last chance.

The amount of effort they put in this summer will be incomparable.

Looks like the ace number is too much responsibility for a first-year.

Tanba-san is on fire.

So this is what happens to a third-year on the edge.

His curve is getting sharper and sharper.

Hey!

I'm getting bored out here!

You seem to be in real good position.

You're finally acting like the ace.

A little late, though.

Strike!

Batter out!

But if you can be patient and focus on building the foundation,

you'll slowly but surely set yourself apart.

He didn't tell me what my qualities were.

I heard you got quite a beating.

Furuya!

The moon is pretty tonight.

You can't see the moon!

It's cloudy right now!

Oh... You're right.

What is he here to do?

It really sucks.

I didn't think walking off the mound before burning out

would leave such a bad taste.

The fielders and the catcher on this team are so reliable.

A pitcher's really lucky to be able to stand on that mound.

Yeah.

Yeah, it's great to be on the first-string.

Damn it!

Are you here to brag?

If you're not going to use that tire, can I use it?

No, this is my partner!

I won't let anyone else use it!

Oh, there's a bigger one over there.

What?

Hey, someone's on the field.

I wonder what they're doing, without even turning the lights on.

Just six weeks until the summer tournament.

Looking forward to finding out which two are coming up to the first-string?

Yeah.

I'm gonna make the first-string, too!

You're slow.

Don't leave me behind, Furuya!

Damn it!

What exactly do I need to do?

How do I become a pitcher Chris-senpai will acknowledge?

Don't rush, Sawamura.

Just listen to Chris and hone your own qualities,

and you'll find a way.

Coach...

But I...

Next time on Ace of the Diamond: Hone Your Moving Fastball.

Hone Your Moving Fastball.

Let's win the national title!