One Outs 13

One Outs, Volume 2, Chapter 13 (pp. 101~121)


<101>
=For our final update before the start of the regular season—
=We're having a chat with Toua Tokuchi, the rookie who pitched a perfect game in his pre-season start...

=Uh...//Mr. Tokuchi...
[x2]TA-TANA—
=No practice today?
[x6]JUGA
Chapter 13: Right

=He—y it's Tokuchi!
=Thought I hadn't seen him out the workouts, so that's what he was doing—!
=Mr. Tokuchi, what do you believe is the reason for the Lycaons demise these past several years?

=They've got no sense of urgency


<102>
=The idiots are busting their asses off practicing right now
=They think working their hardest each day lets them get away with losing
Who's he think he is?
Man he ticks me off

=A professional ballplayer's job isn't to play baseball

=It's their job to win

Toua Tokuchi
The man who threw 18 innings during the pre-season without allowing a single runner
Did the league's non-contenders, the Lycaons, get off to a good start with their new acquisition?

The answer is a resounding "NO"


<103>
11 straight losses from opening day
Hardcore fans snap
Chapter 13: Right


<104>
SIGH—

=Hey... How are the attendance numbers from the first 10 games
=Sir... They're up 11% from the previous year

=Oh//They're up, huh...

=As long as they keep turning a profit... Guess losing ain't so bad after all
BWUSH

=Huh?

=...And they start winning after Kojima returns to the lineup... How's that?
=The ideal scenario, sir
=U-Unbelievable...

=The team is completely in shambles
=But he's still only thinking about the money...!


<105>
=Sir...
=What?

=Shouldn't we rethink this whole plan about not using Tokuchi...?
=I mean, after all he did during the pre-season, not using him at all since the start of the season seems...

=Fine then... Go ahead and use him//But

=You're gonna be the one paying his salary
=Uck

=You don't understand the situation we've been placed in at all, do you?
=It's 270 million//270 million!!

=Just from the pre-season games
=I don't want to give that thug a single penny

=The owner is buying time
=For the other teams to figure out Tokuchi's pitching

Ever since Tokuchi's first appearance during the pre-season, the staffs of all the opposing teams have been trying to figure him out
We're now 2 weeks into the season. The other teams must have found ways to deal with him by now


<106>
=Yeah, guess it's about time we used him
=Call the manager
=Sir

This is insane
To think an owner is trying to get his team to lose...

=This is insane

The Lycaons
Are, for better or worse, a one-man team led by their owner, Saikai

And... Every single person working for Saikai
Is his bitch

His secretary, team executives, team staff, scouts
Even

The manager
The one supposed to be calling the shots on the field


<107>
And amazingly, he has even found himself a "bitch"
Among the team's players

=Excuse me
CREEAK

=We're giving Tokuchi some playing time in the near future//...Not in
=A critical situation of course...

=When that happens, knock his cocky little head back where it belongs
[x2]BWUSH

=Yes sir


<108>
=Tokuchi's opportunity came earlier than expected

=The next game vs. the Eagles
=The Lycaons started off the game with a record-breaking deficit

=The Eagles lineup has exploded—
=An 11-run lead in the 1st!!

=The Lycaons have already used up 6 of their pitchers
[bubbles]Give us back our money—!//What the fuck you doing—!!//Bimbos—Fuckers—!!
[x2]OHHH

=Alright screw today's game—
OHHHH

=Call the manager

=A pitching change for the Lycaons
=Stepping in for Mizuguchi is

=No. 77
=Tokuchi—


<109>
=It's Tokuchi
=Toua Tokuchi has finally made an appearance!!
=They've finally brought him out under these desperate circumstances!!
OHHHH
[bubbles]What'd you do this whole time—//Awesome—//Go get 'em—//Toua—//Yeehaw—//Go go—//Do some work—


<110>
=Tokuchi has not allowed
=A single baserunner since turning pro
OHHHH

=Who will be the first to get a hit off Tokuchi!?
=Or will he replicate the shutouts from his previous appearances!?

=First up is the fastest player on the Eagles, Michio Okabe
=What strategy will he bring to the plate against Tokuchi?

=Oh, Tokuchi is gesturing for him to get up to the plate
=As usual, he isn't taking his practice pitches

=Motherfucker...


<111>
=Tokuchi's winds up for the first pitch, and...

Don't think you can pitch like you did during the pre-season, Tokuchi...
OHHHHHH

Listen, Tokuchi almost always aims to get ahead on the first pitch with an easy fastball in the zone. That's when you gotta go for him

=Throws!!
BWUP


<112>
=He hits it
=...But...
GRUCK

=That pitch was low enough to be ball one
=What happened to that easy fastball in the strikezone!?

=A routine grounder to the shortstop

=Wait...


<113>
=It's through—
OHHHH

=Must've made an odd bounce
=The center fielder's got it
=A hit!! It's a hit
=Tokuchi's finally given up a hit—
[player]=Really!?
[owner]=Good!!


<114>
OHHHHH

=Sorry 'bout that
=Keep it up Tokuchi

Weird
For a second there

I thought I saw Yoshida start in the opposite direction from the ball and then switch directions to try and catch up
Almost like he wasn't trying

Maybe I'm thinking too much...


<115>
=Tokuchi has allowed a runner for the very first time
=Let's see how well he throws with a runner on base
OHHH

Dude
He's not even trying to hold me to the bag

ZWUSH


<116>
ZWUSH
=Runner goes!!
DASH

=He fell for it!!

=Waste pitch!!
SLAP
=Looks like they saw this one coming—!
ZWUSH


<117>
They got me!!

=Throw to second base!!
SWIIISH

=AAAH

=It gets away from the shortstop, Yoshida—!!
=An error!!

=Shit
=Runner stops at third!!


<118>
=No outs, runner on third—!!
=The previously untouchable Toua Tokuchi//Is now in a real pinch—!!
OHHH

=Good going, Yoshida!!
=Nice error!!

=Sorry Tokuchi—

=Promise it won't happen again


<119>
Well...? What now Tokuchi
An outfield fly scores the runner

Think you can get out of this fix?

=Ah—Tokuchi has gotten off the mound and is walking over to Yoshida—!
OHHHHHH
Z-ZWUSH

ZWUSH

=Get out


<120>
=You've got no right to play defense

=Wow!!//Tokuchi has ordered the shortstop, Yoshida
=To exit the playing field—!!
OHHH

=Ah—Yoshida has started walking off to the third base side
=What is going...
OHHHHHH


<121>
=Ah—Yoshida—
=Is standing in foul territory—
=He's given up his position!!//This is unheard of
OHHHH

=Are the Lycaons going to continue playing with only 8 players on the field—!?
=Hah-hah!! You've dug your own grave Tokuchi!

Die, and burn in hell!!